Stigmatizing language and imagery around substance use reinforce systemic inequities, uphold punitive narratives, and perpetuate harmful stereotypes that further marginalize people who use drugs. Yet many mainstream stock photo collections rely on dehumanizing, criminalizing, or sensationalized visuals, making it difficult for advocates, educators, and service providers to find materials that promote health equity and affirm the rights and realities of impacted communities.
The Empathy Lens project (EmpathyLens.org) disrupts this pattern by offering a free online library of compassionate, realistic images captured at harm reduction and treatment organizations across Washington State. These photos highlight authentic, person-centered care in community-based settings, reflecting the resilience, agency, and humanity of people who use drugs. This session will explore how stigma in both language and visuals fuels discrimination and exclusion, while sharing practical strategies for selecting non-stigmatizing, accurate, and inclusive materials for outreach, education, and advocacy.
Presenters:
Meg Brunner, MLIS, is the Director of Information Services at the UW Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute, where she specializes in the retrieval, organization, dissemination, and accessibility of information for a variety of audiences. Ms. Brunner is also the Librarian for the NIDA National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Dissemination Library, the Communications Specialist for the Northwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Northwest ATTC), and the Director of the ADAI Clearinghouse, a resource center for Washington State residents that provides free print and digital educational materials about alcohol, drugs, and substance use disorders.
Erinn McGraw, BFA, is a Public Information Specialist at the UW Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute, specializing in graphic design, instructional design, and other forms of information dissemination to engage the public in health topics related to substance use treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and prevention. Her work centers on using design, photography, videography, online training development, and information aggregation across a variety of subjects and platforms for public and workforce education.
By registering for this class, you are agreeing to the NNLM Code of Conduct
- Describe the different ways that stigma impacts people who use drugs.
- Identify why images are impactful and how they can either perpetuate or reduce stigma.
- Identify what to look for and what to avoid when selecting a non-stigmatizing image.