What does addiction really look like in Southwest Virginia—and how can communities begin to heal? That’s the conversation MEOC’s Healthy Families program and Radford SAVES hope to spark during a free Sept. 5 screening of Inheritance, a powerful documentary about a boy growing up in rural Appalachia amid generational addiction.
AT A GLANCE
- WHAT: Free screening and community discussion of Inheritance, a documentary about generational poverty and addiction is Southwest Virginia
- WHEN: Friday, Sept. 5, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
- WHERE: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Abingdon
- DETAILS: Breakfast and lunch provided
- COST: Free and open to the public
- REGISTER: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/inheritance-screening
Addiction. Poverty. Family. Resilience.
These are the threads that run through Inheritance, an award-winning documentary following Curtis, a hopeful young boy growing up in rural Appalachia while every adult in his family battles substance use disorder.
On Friday, Sept. 5, MEOC’s Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia program will partner with Radford SAVES to bring Inheritance to the screen at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. The free event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes breakfast, lunch, a panel discussion and small-group breakout sessions. Community members, service providers and local leaders are all encouraged to attend.
Healthy Families Supervisor Brandi Parsons sees the screening as a chance to bring real conversations about generational struggles out into the open without judgment but with honesty, respect and hope.
Parsons first connected with Cora Taylor of Radford SAVES during a training on substance use disorder. “We started discussing how the training was wonderful and provided great information. The speaker was from Richmond, however,” Parsons noted. “While both areas struggle with substance use disorders, our struggles in Southwest Virginia look very different from that of Northern Virginia.”
Taylor told Parsons about attending a screening of Inheritance in her community and how meaningful it was to see people come together to reflect and speak honestly. That conversation planted the seed for this collaboration.
Healthy Families and Radford SAVES began working together to bring the same opportunity to all of Southwest Virginia. At the event, participants will view the film, take part in a panel discussion during lunch and then move into breakout groups to share stories, reflect and brainstorm ideas for future action.
Parsons will help open the event and Healthy Families staff will lead breakout sessions, encouraging community-driven conversations. “We want the community to be part of these discussions and have their voice acknowledged. Change starts with all of us,” she said.
Parsons hopes the event will create space for honest and productive discussions that reflect both the challenges and the strength of this region. “We need to start acknowledging the struggles of generational poverty and addiction while still respecting and honoring our culture, which is also filled with love, pride and resilience.”
No formal next steps are planned yet, but Parsons sees potential.
“I would love to see a coalition or group that joins people with a heart to help across the vast area of Southwest Virginia to continue these discussions and then put them into action,” she said.
The event is free, but registration is encouraged to help organizers plan for food.
Register here: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/inheritance-screening