Sixth annual event honors those lost, celebrates recovery, and calls for evidence-based care
LOS ANGELES, November 8, 2025 — Hundreds will gather at Griffith Park (4669 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027) for the Shatterproof Walk to End Addiction Stigma, a national event that brings families, friends, and advocates together to honor loved ones, celebrate recovery, and demand a stronger, more compassionate response to addiction.
Organized by the national nonprofit Shatterproof and supported by local companies and community leaders, the Walk is part of a six-city series that mobilized more than 5,000 participants in 2024 and raised over $1.5 million to transform how addiction is treated and understood.
Why It Matters
Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18–44 — claiming more lives than car accidents, gun violence, or cancer combined. According to the most recent California SUD Almanac, nearly 3 million Californians age 12+ had a SUD in the previous year, but only about 10% received treatment.
One of the biggest barriers: stigma.
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57% of Americans believe people with substance use disorder aren’t trustworthy.
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74% don’t recognize addiction as a chronic medical illness.
This stigma forces families into silence and prevents people from seeking the evidence-based care that saves lives.
By the Numbers: Los Angeles County
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In 2023, 1,970 accidental fentanyl overdose deaths were recorded, up from 1,910 in 2022.
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Total drug-related overdose and poisoning deaths fell from 3,220 in 2022 to 3,092 in 2023 — the first decline in more than a decade.
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In 2024, L.A. County saw further progress: overdose deaths dropped to 2,438, the lowest annual total since 2019.
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Over the past decade, alcohol- and drug-related overdose deaths in L.A. County have increased by 233%.
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Fentanyl was present in over 1,900 overdose deaths in 2022 and is now the most lethal drug in the county.
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Black residents in L.A. County experienced fatal overdose rates more than 3× that of Latinx residents in 2022.
(Sources: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; L.A. data briefs on overdose trends)
“Everybody knows someone impacted by addiction,” said Pam Jenkins, CEO of Shatterproof. “It’s time we end the silence, stop the judgment and shame, and bring addiction out of the shadows. Shatterproof is here to convene the many people who have been impacted and the many organizations making a difference locally. Overdose remains the number one killer of young and mid-life adults in the U.S. It impacts us all.”
Event Details
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Date/Time: Saturday, November 8 | Check-in 8:00 AM • Program begins 9:30 AM • Walk at 10:00 AM • Ends ~11:00 AM
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Location: Griffith Park, 4669 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027
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Program Highlights:
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Emcee: Marci Hopkins, award-winning host of “Wake Up with Marci” and recovery advocate
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Barry’s Bootcamp instructors leading a high-energy warm-up
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Mission Honorees sharing personal stories of impact and recovery
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Opening ceremony, motivation moment, and step-off at 10:00 AM
Visuals & Interviews
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Visuals: Sweeping views, honor wall, photos of loved ones, opening ceremony, gathering crowd step-off.
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Interviews: Pam Jenkins (CEO), emcee, community advocates, and families impacted by addiction.
Media Logistics
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Best arrival time for media: 8:30 AM for pre-walk interviews and warm-up visuals.
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Parking & Directions: Ample parking at Griffith Park; enter via Crystal Springs Drive. Full details here.
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On-site Media Contact: Kelsey Luchey, Logistics Lead | (410) 598-4945 | kluchey@shatterproof.org
ABOUT SHATTERPROOF
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the addiction treatment system in the U.S. Shatterproof guides families through the complexities of substance use disorder; informs the public on prevention, treatment, and recovery; and educates to reduce addiction stigma so people who use substances or have a substance use disorder can live healthy, fulfilled lives.
Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X, and YouTube: @ShatterproofHQ, on Instagram: @weareshatterproof.
Learn more at www.Shatterproof.org.
Media Contact: Holly Jespersen, Senior Communications Manager | hjespersen@shatterproof.org | 646-334-1024
