Board Features - Rev. Michelle Mathi
Each month, we’ll be highlighting a different member of the board of Faith in Harm Reduction to share more about the people, practices, and values behind our work and the movement at large.
In a phrase or sentence, what is one dream you have for the world?
That love—not fear, not punishment, not stigma—would be the guiding force of our communities.
What does "Faith in Harm Reduction" mean to you?
“Faith in harm reduction” isn’t just the name of an organization or a partnership I belong to. It is a way of being in the world. It means believing, in my heart of hearts, that mercy and science, compassion and evidence, spirit and survival all belong together. It is having faith that love—practical, persistent, nonjudgmental love—is holy enough to save lives.
Tell us something about the work you do in Harm Reduction
I am the co-founder of a faith-based harm reduction agency in NC. I play multiple roles as an administrator, outreach worker, and community ambassador. I believe that systemic change comes from within, and to that end our agency provides peer support specialists to different county government departments to support individuals with SUD who receive county services. I also serve as Board Chair for national Faith in Harm Reduction, an organization that inspires me daily.
What is one Harm Reduction related resource you love?
I rely on the Faith in Harm Reduction toolkits quite a bit. They are for all people, not just people of theological faith. They are great resources for community engagement when exploring the intersectionality of faith and harm reduction.
Who or what inspires you in this work?
The beautiful humans that I walk with in this work. Whether it is someone walking through the door of one of our offices seeking services, or someone I encounter on the street, the resiliency and resourcefulness I see inspires me to do better and try harder. I have been engaged in harm reduction officially for 14 years (unofficially for nearly 25), but still have so much to learn from those who allow me to share space and time with them.
What's one thing you want to see more of in Harm Reduction movements?
Grace. I spoke on this at the National Harm Reduction Conference in Puerto Rico. In this work we extend grace upon grace upon grace to those we are privileged to serve. When it comes to the movement, our colleagues, and even ourselves, not so much. Perhaps it is compassion fatigue. Maybe the ever shrinking competitive funding streams. Or it could be that our collective trauma responses cause us to be more defensive than we realize? I am not sure. I know for me, personally, all of the above has, at different times, affected my ability to show grace to others and to myself. But we need each other in this work, warts and all. Unique opportunities for enlightenment are created when we find the ability to show courteous goodwill to those who may have made mistakes, offended us, or simply operate in a way different from our own. We learn from each other, when we are willing to offer (and receive) grace in the spirit of harm reduction.
Where do you find your own spiritual sustenance?
This is a complicated question. I am a Christ-follower, so a large part of my spiritual nourishment comes from my personal relationship with Him. Years ago my religion abandoned me, and that caused me to cling to what I had left - my faith in Christ. He has been a steady presence in my life from a young age. I also draw a lot of sustenance from my tribe - my fellow FIHR peeps. They will never know how much they have inspired me in this movement. Finally, a book that I return to time and time again - "The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society" by Henri J. M. Nouwen, which reminds us that our own scars can become sacred ground—showing that the most powerful way to walk with others through pain is not by pretending to have it all together, but by showing up honestly, with compassion born from our own wounds.
Any additional resources you’d like to highlight?
Raising Lazarus by Beth Macy, which highlights the work of harm reductionists in Appalachia, including the work of Olive Branch Ministry