Overdose Awareness Day 2025

Friday, August 29, 2025

University of Miami, Shalala Student Center Grand Ballrooms (3rd Floor)

Join us on Friday, August 29 for Overdose Awareness Day at UM, featuring The Black Poster Project, speakers with lived experience, naloxone distribution, community resources, and a space to honor the lives we’ve lost. Hosted by URecovery and Allies, Sandler Center, UM Student Health, F Fentanyl Inc, and the Black Poster Project. Special thank you to Shatterproof Treatment Atlas.

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🌟 Sponsorship Opportunity: Overdose Awareness Day at UM 🌟
Sponsorships are now open—but spots are very limited!
Join us for one of the most powerful and widely attended overdose awareness events in South Florida.

This is your chance to:

Showcase your organization with a resource table on-site

Reach hundreds of University of Miami students, faculty, and local community members

Align with a cause that saves lives and supports harm reduction, recovery, and remembrance

Gain visibility through event signage, social media shoutouts, and printed materials

Speak directly to attendees with limited speaking opportunities available for select sponsors

📬 Interested? Email thomas@f-fent.org

Black Poster Project Display and Resource Fair

1 PM - 6 PM

Over 900 poster Display from the Black Poster Project

Campus and Community Resource Tables

Shatterproof Treatment Atlas, Guardian Recovery, B. Riley Sober Homes, Miami DEA, URecovery and Allies, Sandler Center, Student Health, F Fentanyl Inc

Overdose Awareness Vigil

6 PM - 7:30 PM

-Welcome
-Miami Dade Proclamation Presentation – Brenda Lampon- Miami Dade Office of the Mayor
-Coral Gables Proclamation Presentation – Vince Lago - Mayor of Coral Gables
- Dr. Mari Carmen Rodriguez, Founder – Iman’s Light Foundation
-Gretchen Rovira, Community Outreach Specialist– Miami DEA
-Carl Schmid, World Renown Violinist
-Candlelight Vigil- Black Poster Project and F Fentanyl

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University of Miami, Shalala Student Center Grand Ballrooms (3rd Floor)

1330 Miller Rd, Coral Gables, 33146

Parking available at Pavia Garage

5615 Pavia Street, Coral Gables

Dr. Mari Carmen Rodriguez, Founder – Iman’s Light Foundation

The Daughter of Immigrants, Mari Carmen and her family left the Island of Cuba when she was very young in search of freedom and relief from persecution for speaking out against the system. The family of four lived in Madrid, Spain, for three years, and afterwards, Mari and her family relocated to Miami when she was just of 8 years old. Her life as a student, spokesperson, advocate, singer and professional was beginning. Mari holds numerous certificates, awards, and designations. She has an Honorary Doctorate from Trinity Theological Seminary of South Florida in Community and Ministry. Mari is trained in Dr. King’s nonviolence philosophy, taken Peer Specialist course, certifies in Anger management and conflict resolution and is a graduate of the Real Estate Institute, where she earned multiple designations in this field. She took courses from Brely School of modeling and performing in theater, voice and performance. Mari is also a graduate of George T. Baker Aviation School and was honored with the Non-destructive testing award. She attended Southeast Academy, earned various certifications in Communication and Hospitality, and graduated at the top of her class. Mari took classes UM and today, she is considered a multifaceted professional. Unsurprisingly, with her educational background, Mari Carmen was hand-picked to serve as a Cultural Ambassador for the Walt Disney Corporation. She has been praised and admired for her perseverance, training abilities, love of education and providing and developing community awareness programs. Many look up to her as a community leader with compassion, empathy and commitment.

In 2023, Mari created Iman’s Light Foundation due to personal loss of her beloved daughter Iman, and the pressing need to address the pandemic of Fentanyl deaths, addictions, lethal synthetics, drugs, and lack of education and advocacy. Iman’s Light Foundation Specialized Workshops in street cannabis, vaping, fentanyl, addiction, and related behavior modification and critical thinking came to combat and reduce the use of substance and to save lives.

Gretchen Rovira, Community Outreach Specialist– Miami DEA

Gretchen Rovira currently serves as a Community Outreach Program Manager at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). She actively engages with various communities in Florida, focusing on drug prevention efforts and raising awareness about the dangers of substances like fentanyl. Her work involves collaborating with organizations, schools, and local groups to empower individuals and promote community wellness, with a strong emphasis on addressing drug-related challenges. She leverages her background in substance abuse counseling and communications to inform and educate the public on the importance of drug prevention and advocating for resources to combat the opioid crisis.

Carl Schmid, World Renown Violinist, Sound Healing Practitioner at Recovery Unplugged

Carl was essentially born into music. He began his studies on the violin at 3 years old through the Suzuki Method. Quickly developing a passion for the instrument, he made his Carnegie Hall debut at 13 years old as Principle Violin for the New York Youth Symphony under the tutelage of Dr. Samuel Wong. After 6 performances at the there, he was awarded the Rosengarten String Scholarship, and won the Norman and Sophie Goldblatt Memorial Competition. He attended Eastman School of music, Rochester NY on a full music scholarship to study with noted instructor Charles Castleman.

Following school, Carl moved to Evergreen, Colorado to begin his immersion in improvisational music where he learned Jazz, Blues, Swing, Funk and Country/Southern Rock. Touring, performing and teaching in a number of styles since the late 90's has given Carl an innate ability to read and react to different genres and musicians effortlessly.

He has toured out of South Florida, Atlanta, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Asheville NC and Austin TX. He has shared the stage with the likes of Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Jason Newsted (Metallica, Chophouse Band), members of Derek Trucks Band, Col. Bruce Hampton, Ike Stubblefield, Oliver Wood (Wood Brothers), Zydefunk, Zac Brown Band, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Crazy Fingers, The Heavy Pets, Grass Is Dead and a host of others.

Carl is the most highly sought after violinist in South Florida for weddings, engagements, parties and events. He can play every style imaginable, appealing to a wide variety of clients from every demographic.