Alicia Cook

Alicia Cook is an established author and activist from New Jersey, where the rate of heroin overdose is three times the national average. Her work has appeared on the Huffington Post, CNN, USA Today, Teen Vogue, and many more. Her best-selling book of poetry, "Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately", was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. Her essay series, "The Other Side of Addiction," focuses on the direct effect addiction has on not only users, but their families. Her efforts to combat the heroin epidemic, which include writing, appearing on podcasts, and speaking to students and their parents, caught the attention of PBS Executive Producer, Steve Rogers who created an episode of his Emmy-nominated documentary series, “Here’s the Story” around Cook and her efforts entitled “A Family Disease.” The episode was dedicated to Cook's cousin, Jessica, who passed away from a drug overdose in 2006. In January of 2017, Cook was recognized for her writing on the topic of addiction and family at NJTV's "Everyday heroes" Event in Trenton, NJ. Cook's website: www.thealiciacook.com. You can see Cook's archived HP writings here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/Alicia-cook