Today, I had the honor of meeting with Alvin, the Program Coordinator at Richmond Addiction Services Society (RASS), a non-profit organization dedicated to addiction prevention and education. RASS offers a wide range of services focused on health promotion, prevention, and early intervention for children, youth, and families.

I had the opportunity to attend Alvin’s “Understanding Addictions Through the Five Life Areas” presentation twice, and his approach to addiction prevention deeply inspired me. Alvin urges us to look beyond simply stopping the use of substances or behaviors and to delve into the underlying reasons for addiction. He suggests that the opposite of addiction isn’t just sobriety but rather connection.

From his presentation, I learned that effective prevention involves nurturing meaningful relationships—with ourselves, each other, and the environment. RASS takes a comprehensive view of prevention, acknowledging that the interaction between our physical, mental, social, spiritual, and environmental well-being fosters resilience. This perspective strongly resonates with me.

I firmly believe that embracing these interconnected life areas can cultivate greater empathy and resilience at both the individual and community levels. I am thrilled to collaborate with Alvin to create a presentation tailored to the Chinese-speaking community. Furthermore, I see a crucial role for the 360 Community in supporting these efforts by continuing to build inclusive spaces that foster genuine connections among people. Together, we have the potential to create a stronger, more connected community.