Meet Randal Macias, End Overdose’s October Volunteer of the Month! Randal’s dedication, energy, and passion for making a difference have made a significant impact within the End Overdose community. In his time volunteering for End Overdose, Randal has been instrumental in distributing over 24,000 naloxone doses at events in multiple states.
End Overdose: Why was Randal selected as the Volunteer of the Month?
Maddie Ward: Randal brings his all to every event and is known throughout the End Overdose team as someone you can always count on. He’s quick to step up and help without being asked, constantly looking for ways to make events more enjoyable for everyone involved. Whether he’s the first to arrive for setup, the last to leave after cleanup, or providing his trademark opinions on the day’s sets, Randal’s presence is always a positive force. His deep commitment to educating those around him and ensuring music events are safe spaces for everyone has made him an invaluable part of our team.
EO: Can you tell us about yourself and your story?
Randal Macias: I’m Randal! A little bit about me: I grew up in Huntington Beach, CA before successfully graduating from UCLA this past summer. Nowadays, my life consists of work, rave (or listen to house music on my drive home from work if a workday), sleep, repeat! I first got introduced to rave culture and EDM through my younger brother—which is something he will indefinitely take credit for—in August 2022 and have basically made it my entire personality since.
EO: What inspired you to volunteer for End Overdose?
Randal Macias: Like my introduction to raving and EDM, my younger brother also introduced me to End Overdose at Countdown 2023. I didn’t start volunteering until Maddie—then president of the inaugural End Overdose college chapter at UCLA and my upstairs neighbor—invited me to apply. I thought it would be a great opportunity to educate my peers whilst attending events I loved. After learning more about End Overdose’s mission and the palpable impact that distributing naloxone had on others in the rave community, I came to realize that I really cared about these people’s stories. I really enjoy empowering and teaching people that they can save lives. To that end, End Overdose is and has been an extremely rewarding organization to be a part of.
EO: What’s your favorite memory of volunteering with End Overdose?
Randal Macias: Every single memory with End Overdose is a great one. A particularly not great one was spending 3 nights volunteering next to the Wasteland stage at EDC LV (I am not a hardstyle fan… I’m sorry). But even that was redeemed by meeting 50 End Overdose volunteers and seeing the ways each of them impacts their respective communities. Portola was another incredible experience just reuniting with Ben and Emily after volunteering alongside them at Hard Summer and EDC, and Emma and Abby after not having seen them since graduation. Basically, I love End Overdose 🫶
If you are interested in volunteering with End Overdose, click here for more information.