St. Louis County Celebrates Recovery Through Photo Stories

St. Louis County Public Health is launching a photography project that puts real faces and voices at the center of the recovery conversation.

Called "Our Recovery, Our Community," the initiative invites anyone impacted by substance use disorder recovery to share their story with professional photographer John Noltner. That includes people in recovery, their family members, healthcare workers, and anyone whose life has been touched by the journey.

The project offers three open-house studio days the week of July 12 across St. Louis County. Sessions take just 15 minutes, require no appointment, and participants receive a $25 gift card. Transportation help is available for anyone who needs it.

Studio locations include AICHO in Duluth on July 12, Align North in Virginia on July 13, and The Clubhouse in Ely on July 14. All sessions run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Noltner, founder of A Peace of My Mind, will photograph participants and record their brief stories about how recovery has shaped their lives. The portraits and narratives will be featured in a community exhibit launching in September for National Recovery Month.

The Ripple Effect

This project does more than capture individual stories. By putting authentic recovery voices front and center, it challenges the shame and silence that often surround substance use disorder.

When communities see their neighbors, coworkers, and friends sharing recovery experiences, conversations shift from judgment to compassion. That cultural change can encourage more people to seek help and remind those in recovery that they're not alone.

The initiative brings together Recovery Alliance Duluth, Thrive! Family Recovery Resources, Wilderness Health, and A Peace of My Mind. The St. Louis County Family Services Collaborative funds the thank-you gifts and transportation vouchers.

St. Louis County Public Health hopes the exhibit will spark understanding and show that recovery has many faces and many paths.