Presentation for Rotary in Fairfield-Suisun

Pictured above is my good friend and fellow advocate in drug prevention, Bart Bright. He’s holding A Night In Jail. Bart kindly introduced me to the new Rotary Club he joined in California. It’s the Fairfield Suisun chapter. When the meeting began, they spoke about their work to help people living without shelter in their community. I knew I was definitely in the right place to speak. 

They included a recap of my presentation in their newsletter:

Heidi Anderson Swan was our guest speaker, introduced ably by Bart Bright. Ms. Swan, via zoom, painted the picture of her book “A Night in Jail.” It relayed the experiences of her brother, who through predisposition became incarcerated and homeless because of his substance abuse. The question – whether homelessness and substance abuse are preventable – was raised. As these issues have drastically affected a wide demographic, blurring the lines between race, class, gender, and trajectory – I hope this is the case. Too many of us have come across unfulfilled potential and wasted opportunity as a result of substance abuse. We see the effects of this written all over the place. While we may not have the immediate answer, I support the concerted effort to answer a question so daunting. Thank you, Heidi, for daring to ask!