The INTO LIGHT Project

08/31/2026

Today, we ask you to look closer.

An overdose statistic can tell us how many people died.
It cannot tell us who they were.

It cannot tell you the sound of their laugh. The people they loved. What made them proud. The music they played too loudly. The plans they were still making. The empty place they left at a family table.

That is the space INTO LIGHT Project works to fill.

Through every portrait and narrative, we ask people to look beyond the manner of someone’s death and spend a moment with the life that came before it.

On International Overdose Awareness Day, we remember the thousands of individual lives behind the numbers and the families who carry those lives with them every day.

And we ask you to help us keep telling their stories.

Your donation helps INTO LIGHT collect and preserve these stories, bring exhibitions into communities across the country, and ensure these lives become part of a permanent National Collection at UCSF, where they can continue to be seen, studied, and remembered.

Support INTO LIGHT Project at:
intolightproject.org/support

08/18/2026

A meaningful moment in Mobile! 🎉

Last week, the City of Mobile City Council recognized organizations receiving the City's initial Opioid Abatement Award Allocation and INTO LIGHT was one of the awardees!

Shout out to Drug Education Alliance, our partner, whose work continues to bring opportunity, education, and open conversation about addiction to communities across the greater Mobile area. Their use of ILP panels and materials with schools, community centers, and law enforcement is exactly what community-driven education looks like in action.

We're grateful to the City of Mobile, the Mayor's Office, and City Council for investing in this work, and to everyone coming together to make a real difference.

Thank you to all involved!

08/15/2026

The Into Light Project: South Dakota is now accepting submissions.

Do you have a loved one who lost their life to substance use disorder? Share their story and help honor the life they lived beyond their substance use.

Only the first 30 submissions will be accepted through November 1, or sooner if all spots are filled.

The art exhibition will open on February 1, 2027, at the South Dakota Art Museum at SDSU in Brookings. After the exhibit closes, your loved one’s original framed portrait will be gifted to you.

Every life deserves to be seen, and every story deserves to be heard. Submit your loved one’s story at the link in the comments (there is no cost to submit).

08/06/2026

We're grateful to My News 360 and Matt Olszewski in Vermont for featuring the INTO LIGHT Project and helping share the stories behind the faces of those we've lost to substance use disorder. Thoughtful journalism plays an important role in fostering understanding, challenging stigma, and reminding us that every life is more than its darkest chapter. Thank you for helping amplify our mission.

08/04/2026

🧠 Understanding the Brain: Substance Use & Grief

Many people recognize addiction as a disease, but few understand how it changes the brain. Likewise, grief can profoundly affect the brain in ways many people don't realize.

Join Peer Support Community Partners for a free virtual workshop, "A Brief Introduction to Neuroscience as it Pertains to Substance Use and to Grief," on Wednesday, August 19, from 5:00–6:30 PM ET. The workshop is open to everyone, regardless of where you live, and continuing education credits are available for those who need them.

Register here:

Schedule your appointment online Peer Support Community Partners

08/03/2026

August is Overdose Awareness Month.

Behind every overdose statistic is a person who was loved, a family forever changed, and a story that deserves to be remembered.

At INTO LIGHT Project, we believe changing the conversation begins by seeing the person beyond the disease. Through hand-drawn portraits and personal narratives, we work to reduce stigma, foster understanding, and remind communities that every life has value.

Every original portrait accepted into the project also becomes part of the INTO LIGHT Project National Collection, permanently archived at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). This growing collection preserves these stories for future generations while serving as a resource for researchers, educators, healthcare professionals, and policymakers working to better understand and address substance use disorder.

If this mission speaks to you, your support helps us bring these exhibitions to more communities across the country and continue changing the conversation about drug addiction.

❤️ Support the mission:
intolightproject.org/support

07/29/2026

We are pleased to announce that Missouri submissions will open on August 1.

We're honored to bring the INTO LIGHT Project's Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories exhibition to Missouri in 2027.

Beginning August 1, families and friends will be able to submit a loved one for consideration in the exhibition, which will be on view at the McClure Archives and University Museum at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg from February 1–December 3, 2027.

Through portraiture and personal narratives, we seek to remember lives, foster understanding, and invite communities to see the person beyond the disease.

If you know someone who may want to participate, we encourage you to share the submission flyer attached to this post. Every share helps us connect with families across Missouri.

To learn more about our mission please visit intolightproject.org.

07/29/2026

We are pleased to announce that Illinois submissions will open on August 1.

On August 1, submissions will open for the INTO LIGHT Project's Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories exhibition coming to the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The exhibition will be on view from February 9–June 30, 2027, and we invite Illinois families who have lost a loved one to substance use disorder to consider sharing their story.

Through portraiture and personal narratives, we seek to remember lives, foster understanding, and invite communities to see the person beyond the disease.

If you know someone who may wish to participate, please help us spread the word by sharing the submission flyer included with this post. Together, we can help ensure more families know this opportunity is available.

07/29/2026

We are pleased to announce that South Dakota submissions will open on August 1.

Beginning August 1, families and friends in South Dakota will be able to submit a loved one for consideration in the INTO LIGHT Project's Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories exhibition.

The exhibition will open at the South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University in Brookings on February 1, 2027.

If you have lost someone to substance use disorder and would like to share their story, we invite you to learn more and submit.

If you know someone who may be interested, please consider sharing the submission flyer included with this post. Your share may help us reach a family who has been waiting for this opportunity.

To learn more about the project please visit intolightproject.org.

07/24/2026

Tomorrow's the day!

Join us for the Opening Reception of the INTO LIGHT Project's Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories exhibition at the Sauk Prairie River Arts Center in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.

📅 Saturday, July 25, 2026
🕐 1:00–3:00 PM

We invite you to spend time with these portraits and stories, each offering an opportunity to reflect on the lives behind the disease and the families who continue to carry their memories forward.

We look forward to seeing you there!