Etheridge Foundation Launches Giving Circle with Forum and Dinner at UCI
In concert with the launch of our Giving Circle, the Etheridge Foundation held a special forum and dinner on October 24, 2024, at the beautiful Irvine Barclay Theatre in partnership with our friends at UC Irvine.
Masterminded by our own Rebel For Good Sylvia Kim, this was a truly magical evening, where supporters of the Etheridge Foundation and UC Irvine gathered with open minds and hearts to hear about how we can bring transformative healing to one of America's most devastating epidemics: the opioid crisis.
We were honored to start our event with a presentation from Jackson Rolling Thunder Tahuka of the Acjachemen Nation, who shared with us through his song, his dance, and his words of wisdom.
Our scientific panel, moderated by EF Executive Director Anna Symonds, shared their expert insights into treating opioid use disorder and the incredible promise of breakthrough treatments. EF Scientific Advisors Allison Feduccia, PhD, and Christopher R. Nicholas, PhD, joined by UC Irvine Professor Jonathan H. Watanabe, PhD, led us through the facts of this difficult topic with compassionate candor.
We were then treated to an intimate fireside chat with Melissa Etheridge, moderated by EF Board Member Joe Greenberg. Melissa opened up about how she transformed the unspeakable pain of losing her son, Beckett, into a powerful force for transformative healing through the power of plant medicines. Her heartfelt honesty about the stigma of addiction, the struggles of motherhood, and how the Indigenous wisdom of plant medicines brought wholeness into her life were truly unforgettable.
We’re grateful to the incredible UC Irvine team who made this event such a success, along with our EF Board Members: Deborah Klein, Juli Crockett, Joe Greenberg, and of course - Melissa Etheridge!
A special thank you to each dear friend and special guest who showed up for us with such compassion and love.
Together, may we create a future where transformative healing is possible - even for a crisis like the opioid epidemic.
To learn more about the inaugural Etheridge Foundation Giving Circle, please visit: https://www.etheridgefoundation.org/giving-circle
