Tag: 22jax
Breaking the silence: Nonprofits gather to raise awareness about fentanyl poisoning
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Non-profits from across the state gathered at Legion Stadium on Sunday to spread awareness about fentanyl poisoning.
Attendees also had the chance to receive free Narcan—known generically as naloxone—which is a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of fentanyl poisoning.
Leslie and Duane Locklear lost two of their sons, Matt and Ryan Locklear to fentanyl poisoning in 2022. The couple started the Fight 4 Me Foundation in their sons’ memory. They said one of the biggest challenges with fentanyl education is the negative stigma.
“A great number of people, for whatever reason, don’t want to talk about it. They just want to stigmatize it and push it to the side, and knowledge is power so we just took that calling upon ourselves to get out there and try to make people aware of how bad that problem really is,” Duane said.
Barb Walsh of Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina lost her 24-year-old daughter Sophia after she drank from a water bottle laced with the synthetic drug.
“She grabbed a water bottle out of the refrigerator, the water bottle contained eight nanograms of diluted Fentanyl. She died instantly. No Naloxone in the house. She was left for ten hours before 911 was called,” she said.
At the event, rapper 22Jax and Ladydice shot a music video for their song “For Y’all,” which aims to break the stigma surrounding fentanyl education.
“It’s bigger than everything that’s going on. It became very personal for me when I heard about the 19-month-old that did not wake up from her nap or his nap at the Airbnb, that’s insane. I have a 19-month-old at the house, so it really struck home,” 22Jax explained.
Forgotten Victims of North Carolina Founder Patricia Drewes lost her daughter Heaven to fentanyl poisoning in 2018, leaving behind her son, Cameron. Drewes’ hope is that more parents like her will educate their children.
“For God’s sake, educate your children. I had no idea. I wish I had known then what I know now. We have to educate our parents, we have to educate our children.”
According to the North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, since 2016, more than 15,000 North Carolinians have died from fentanyl poisoning.
If you would like to know how obtain Narcan in case of a life-threatening emergency, New Hanover County Health and Human Services has a list of where to get Narcan locally for free, with insurance.
Local rapper hosts fundraiser and music video shoot for fentanyl awareness
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Rapper 22Jax wants to give a voice to families who have lost loved ones because of fentanyl and spread awareness about the drug.
On Sunday in Legion Stadium, rapper Alexander Whittington, also known as “22Jax,” held a music video shoot and fundraising event for fentanyl awareness.
“The main purpose of this event is to inspire more people to speak up that felt as though they lost their voice or felt that the memory of their loved ones are lost,” said 22Jax.
The music video shoot is for 22Jax’s new song “For Y’all” featuring musician LadyDice. The song was released earlier this month, and 40% of the song’s proceeds will go to organizations helping raise fentanyl awareness.
22Jax says it is more than just addiction and overdoses. “The insane thing is, all these things are happening and no one is doing anything, so I decided to use my platform to reach the youth and grab all of these organizations,” said 22Jax.
“It wasn’t until I really got involved with the song that I was really educated. The numbers and the statistics, it’s out of this world. I just feel like people need to know more and I am just trying to forward the education that I have received and try to save some lives,” said LadyDice.
Michiko’s Voice is a non-profit based out of Johnson County and is one of the organizations that will receive proceeds from For Y’all. Kamaya Duff lost her 23-year-old sister Michiko, who died from fentanyl poisoning.
Duff says her sister unknowingly took 29mg of fentanyl.
“When my sister passed we were lost, it took us 15-18 months to get her toxicology back,” said Duff.
Many families in attendance at the music video and fundraiser event say they waited months before finding out the cause of death of their loved ones. They say it’s a healing experience to be around other people who have experienced similar pain.
“There is no stigma, it can happen to anyone, first-time users, non-users, addicts. It can happen to anyone,” said Duff. “It can be any adult or child it happens to the innocent and the non-innocent,” she added.
The event also had free Naloxone and training to help prevent fentanyl poisoning and save lives. 22Jax says he appreciates the community support and hopes to keep spreading fentanyl awareness across the state and country.
“It’s overwhelming, I didn’t think the turnout would be so well,” said 22Jax.
Read the article on the WECT News 6 website.
Fentanyl Awareness Music Video Shoot & Fundraiser
PRESS RELEASE
FENTANYL AWARENESS MUSIC VIDEO SHOOT & FUNDRAISER ~ FREE!
Nonpartisan Family Fun Event with Kid Friendly Activities, Food Trucks & Free Naloxone
WHEN: Sunday, 5/19/24 from 12 noon – 4 pm with FREE PARKING
WHERE: Legion Stadium, 2149 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington NC 28401
WHO: Open to the Public! Kid Friendly! FREE! Anyone who lost a loved one to fentanyl, allies, advocates for life-saving NALOXONE in ALL NC SCHOOLS, music lovers, students, educators, health care providers, publicity hounds, anyone who dreams of being in a music video, law enforcement, press, nonprofits, those in recovery.
CONTACTS:
Scott Maitland, Side-By-Side Entertainment, 516-304-6499, sidebysideent@gmail.com
Barb Walsh, fentvic.org, 919-614-3830, barb@fentvic.org
FEATURED ARTISTS: 22JAX & LADYDICE song collaboration “For Yall”
Z107.5 fm with Foz broadcasting live!
SCHEDULE 12-4pm: 12 gates open. Entire time = games, raffle, food & music. 1-2pm Nonprofits Speak on Dangers of Fentanyl & Urge Naloxone in ALL NC Schools & Public Spaces. 2-3pm Video Shoot. 3:30 Raffle Drawing.
NC NONPROFITS WHO FIGHT FENTANYL SAVE LIVES TOGETHER!
Fentvic.org, Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina
Forgotten Victims of North Carolina
Fight4Me Foundation
It’s Bigger Than Me: Michiko La’Deja Duff Foundation
FACTS:
- 17,212 NC residents’ fentanyl involved fatalities in 10 years. Fentanyl fatalities occur in all 100 NC Counties, 2013-Jan 2024 (NC OCME)
- 469 fentanyl fatalities in New Hanover County in 10 years 2013-3/2023 (NC DPH Injury&Prevention Branch Epidemiology Surveillance Informatics unit)
- 7 out of 10 ‘street’ pressed copy-cat pills contain lethal fentanyl additives (DEA 2023)
- 10 NC residents killed by fentanyl each day (NC OCME)
- This means 10 more NC families implode each day.
- NC is #4 in nation in fentanyl fatalities (CDC 2023) yet #10 in population.
- Fentanyl is leading cause of death in NC for 18–25-year-olds (CDC 2022)
- Links to NC fentanyl fatality data. Go to www.fentvic.org website, select RESOURCES tab, select NC COUNTY REPORTS, select COUNTY NAME you are interested in.
RULES: Have fun! Sandbags must be used for all tents and banners, no stakes in ground. No weapons of any kind. No alcohol. No political signs
Local rapper raising awareness about fentanyl overdose deaths
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Promoter Scott Maitland and rapper “22JAX” are taking action through music and community organizations to raise awareness about fentanyl overdose deaths.
This Sunday, May 19, they are organizing a music video shoot and fundraiser at Legion Stadium from noon to 4 p.m. There will be games and activities for families, food trucks and Foz of Z107.5 FM broadcasting live on-site.
40 percent of the revenue made by the song will be donated to fentanyl awareness nonprofits like Fight4Me and FentVic.
Maitland and 22 Jax visited the WECT studio for an interview on Thursday, and you can watch that full interview at the top of this story.