VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE: 28
((AIR DATE: 07 27 2018))
((FULL TRANSCRIPT))
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Opioids in America
((SOT))
My husband Mike was an alcoholic. Obviously the example that he set with his addiction wasn't all the greatest for a child.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
RV Living
((SOT))
Everybody gets together and shares camp fire stories and talks.
We have more quality time. It just allows more family time.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
An American Odyssey
((SOT))
What do we mean by leadership? What do we mean by civic engagement? What is American achievement? Who are all these people?
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((Banner:
Living America’s Opioid Nightmare))
((ANIMATION W/ GFX, CAPTIONS, PHOTOS))
((Popup banner over video
More than 115 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses.
VOA looks at three stories from the epidemic.))
((PKG)) ALLISON: PART 2
((Banner: Allison: Part 2))
((Producers: Chris Simkins, Jeff Swicord, Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Camera: Jeff Swicord, Chris Simkins, Marcus Harton))
((Banner: While recovering from opioid addiction, Allison Norland is trying to regain custody of her daughter.))
((Map: Miami, Florida))
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict))
I have court for shoplifting. My greatest fear is going on probation and losing my job and then, in turn, having the family court process drag out even longer. That means more time without my daughter, and that means falling back into a depression, and that means a greater chance for relapse. It’s not something I’m willing to allow to happen.
((NATS))
Allison: Good afternoon, Judge.
Judge Gonzalez-Paulson: Ms. Norland, you’re being charged with petty theft, and is the state ready to proceed?
State prosecutor: State is, Your Honor.
Judge Gonzalez-Paulson: Okay, thank you. Ma’am, so this is the offer that they’re making to you. It’s either pre-trial diversion which is usually a course that can be like four to twelve hours, depending on the course. The other offer, if you don’t want to take the class, is a withhold of adjudication court cost. What would you like to do today?
Allison: I’ll do the pre-trial diversion.
Judge: Pre-trial diversion?
Allison: Yes, ma’am.
Judge: Ok perfect. So, I’m going to put you to…..
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict))
I’m grateful for the outcome. This could’ve been a lot worse. This is kind of best case scenario and it’s not something that I ever thought would happen but I’m grateful it did.
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict; and, John Lowe, Allison’s Husband))
I think I was about 23 when I found out I was six and a half months pregnant with my first daughter, Payton. Seven months, 21 days I was clean and sober. I was living with my husband’s father and on November 3rd of 2013, he drove up off the driveway into the backyard and hit and killed my daughter in front of me.
((NATS))
John: That little girl reached parts of my heart that I never even knew existed. Ready to go?
Allison: We let it go together. You ready?
Allison: I wrote, Mommy loves you. I miss you each and every second of every minute of every day. Love you, bug. Until we meet again, Mommy.
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict; and Jen Ellison, Peer Counselor))
My mom is...I think her concern is Sawyer as it always has been. I think she's concerned about our stability. She thinks the process is moving quite fast as far as reunification and everything which it's not. In her mind it is because we, I mean, I'll speak for myself. I spent seven plus years getting high and from what she's seen, it's only been a year that I've been sober.
Jen: So, basically your mom doesn't like that it's a process.
Allison: Right, I think she wants to do joint custody for the remainder of Sawyer's life.
Jen: Do I think shared custody for the next 18 years? No, I don't think it's realistic at all. But do I think your mom should have, like, open visitation?
Allison: Absolutely
Jen: Yeah. It's actually what's best for you, your husband and your child.
Allison: Right.
Jen: I mean, what's best for her is to be with her parents.
Allison: Right. I'm extremely sensitive when it comes to her. And it's not just because of this situation. It's because of what happened with Payton. I know I'm being judged so harshly because of that. Like it's, my mom has fears over that as well and it's not that they're out of place. I just, I don't,
Jen: But they're not the same.
Allison: Right. I know that in those circumstances everyone looks for someone to blame and that person was me because I am.....
Jen: It was an accident.
Allison: Right. But I mean…..
Jen: Accidents happen.
Allison: I blame myself so I kind of.....
Jen: That takes time.
Allison: And it sucks that I feel like I'm not going to be able to live up to them and that makes me feel inadequate.
Jen: You need to learn how to accept that you'll probably never please your parents.
((Barbara Norland, Allison’s Mother))
My husband Mike was an alcoholic. He died while drinking and driving when Allison was in high school.
((NATS))
Obviously the example that he set with his addiction wasn't all the greatest for a child.
((NATS))
Allison: Hey!
Sawyer: Mommy!
((Barbara Norland, Allison’s Mother))
I know she smoked pot. I don't think pot is an issue. But I do feel that when she went away to school, she got into some groups that were doing more than just marijuana. After Sawyer was born, Allison lived here. To feed her drug habit, she was coming up with these unbelievable stories. You know, I got a speeding ticket. I don't have money to pay. I need money for daycare. My check was short. She made up this one story that one of the drug dealers showed up at church with a gun, and that he told her that he knew where her daughter went to daycare and he knew where she was living.
((NATS))
John: You see your new seat?
((Barbara Norland, Allison’s Mother))
They both stole from me. John did some things that were totally inappropriate, as far as violating my, my identity.
((NATS))
Allison: Where’s your Jeep, Doctor?
((Barbara Norland, Allison’s Mother))
I got full custody in November. They've been having the opportunity to have her on the weekends. And then they don't call at all during the week. They could call at night to say good night.
I just feel that Sawyer is here for a reason and I don't think it's to be the reward because her mom and dad finally have their act together in their addiction. I'm very proud of both of them. They're great people. But I don't think either one of them have the capacity to be able to really take care of her.
((NATS))
Allison: Alright, bye. Yes! I’m so excited!
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict))
We have put a $500 deposit down on an apartment. Our intention is to move by the end of the month. My grandmother passed away on my dad's side. She left something of an inheritance for each one of her kids. My grandmother's gone but she definitely left us with some hope.
((NATS))
Allison: Put it back.
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict))
We've been staying in the three quarter way house together, and needless to say we're, we're kind of ready to take that next step. As soon as we have the apartment, then we will start having overnight visitation with our daughter which is absolutely the end goal. We're working towards reunification. It’s basically just speed-balling us forward and it's amazing. It's definitely a blessing.
((NATS))
John: I’ll open the door, you get the gun. How about that? I’m blowing these guys up.
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict))
I want it to feel like home, to be something that we can all grow in because it is a growing process. John is a little bit more easygoing. He wants a nice kitchen. So as long as we find a place with a nice kitchen, he's happy.
((John Lowe, Allison’s Husband))
You know, I have concerns. I have concerns that, you know, the money that we're going to be paying every month. Not that it's not possible to pay. I just don't want to be house poor, you know. I want to be in a position where, where we do things now, you know, with Sawyer. When we go see her, we visit with her, I still want to be able to try and save some money too.
((Allison Norland, Recovering Addict))
I don't think it would necessarily be unreasonable to cut back smoking or take away us eating out which we do a lot. To not be, as you said, house poor and still facilitate taking Sawyer out and doing all the things we like to do with her.
((NATS))
Bailiff: All rise.
Judge Cohen: All right, good afternoon everyone. Okay, so we got mom, dad, grandma. How are you guys doing?
Allison: Really great.
Judge Cohen: Yeah? Everything's going well?
Allison: Very well.
Judge Cohen: Tell me.
((Judge Jeri Cohen, Miami-Dade Family Court))
This is a very demanding program and they have a lot to do in a very short period of time, not because the court said so but because the Adoption and Safe Families Act require us to reunify families within a year to 18 months.
((NATS))
Judge Cohen: But I think the fact that we were so tough on you. We were like a brick wall with you. You couldn't get around us really and I think that that's what helped.
John: Well, I appreciate it very much.
Allison: And that's not something we're used to, is that brick wall.
Judge Cohen: I want to hear from the family members that they feel that they're stable enough to take the children into their custody.
((NATS))
Judge Cohen: Grandma, how do you feel about reunification?
Barbara: I think that you know they've been doing an incredible job just focusing on them. I think the transition of reunification should be as smooth and not hasty, like John said, you know, just looking for a place in Miami.
Judge Cohen: They're both intelligent. They’ll work it out. You know this is what adults do. They work these issues out.
((Judge Jeri Cohen, Miami-Dade Family Court))
We're not asking parents to be perfect. We're not asking them to live the way that you might live or I might live. But we are asking them to live sober lifestyles, free of violence and to be able to nurture and care for their children. That's what we're looking for.
((NATS))
Allison: Because she deserves the best version of us.
Judge: Right. So, this is what we want to hear from our parents, right?
((Barbara Norland, Allison’s Mother))
I think Judge Cohen is amazing and she understands that this is a disease. But I think it's wrong that Sawyer is used as the carrot to keep them clean.
((NATS))
Judge Cohen: You know and then we’ll do sort of a slower reunification like we’ll do weekends and if that works out, we’ll do during the week and we’ll give them a chance to get their feet wet.
((Barbara Norland, Allison’s Mother))
Oh, you're doing an amazing job. So, therefore, you get an apartment and if the apartment is great, then we'll let Sawyer spend the night. And then we'll let her spend the weekend and pretty soon you're going to get her back a 100 percent.
That's just not right because being sober doesn't qualify someone to be a great parent.
((NATS))
Judge Cohen: If you need to come in before so we can do overnights just get it on the calendar.
Barbara: And I just feel Judge Cohen to get this out of the court is pushing it. And that is a court process. It's not a development process.
I just haven't seen that John and Allison rearrange their lives for Sawyer. My fear is that as hard as she wants to be sober, that, one day, she's going to let her guard down.
((Barbara Norland, Allison’s Mother))
I sleep so well at night knowing that Sawyer is safe. And that if I get a phone call, I get a phone call. I got a phone call when my husband died. Got a phone call when Payton died. If I get another phone call, it's not anything to do with me.
And I'm not going to say it's God's will. But it is what it is and death is death. And I, again, I've come to terms that it's okay if it's her, but I'm not okay if they have Sawyer again. I'm not. I'm not.
((Text over video:
Living America’s Opioid Nightmare
continues on VOA Connect in the weeks to come))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up….
((Banner))
Motorcycle Woman
((SOT))
I just celebrated my 60th birthday. I’ve been racing motorcycles since 1969.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) MOTOCYCLE WOMAN
((Banner: Motorcycle Woman))
((Reporter/Camera: Genia Dulot))
((Map: Glen Helen Raceway, California))
((NATS))
Ok, I got to get geared up.
((Lori Payne, Motorcycle Racer, Yamaha))
I just celebrated my 60th birthday, which is wonderful. I’ve been racing motorcycles since 1969. I was 11 years old. And the first time I did it was just, that was it for me. I thought this was, this is what I want to do as long as God allows me.
My sister also raced. She was the very first women’s national champion ever in 1974. They sent her to Europe to race with men there. She raced all over Europe for about three months. I stayed back. I was still very young and stuff. But, gradually got better and better and better and then I was recognized by Yamaha and I was approached by Yamaha and I got a factory ride with Yamaha. And that was, factory means I didn’t go to a shop and buy the bike myself. The factory, whoever makes Hondas, whoever makes Yamahas, they came to me and said, ‘we want to give you a bike and mechanics. We’ll pay for all your races and we’ll pay for everything. We just want you to race our bikes.’
People think it’s way cool now. It was back when I was in high school. They assumed I, I hate to say this, they assumed I was a lesbian because there, it was a stereotype that women that rode motorcycles were butch and, kind of, you know, just like and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. You usually have to have six people in your, like six girls to have your own class, to race out on the track by yourself without the man, without, just, right.
My Dad would walk up and down the pits and offer to pay the girls entries so that we could have our own class. Sometimes we got it, sometimes we didn’t. But if we didn’t, then we raced with the boys.
((Michael Bierman, CEO/Owner, Old School Scrambles Racing Group))
Lori’s my best friend. I take pride in her going out and racing and she won six out of six races today. And I love that and that’s why I prep her bikes for her and get her out and stuff. So, I have been beat by women and they’re professionals. I didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t say, oh, they’ve got a better bike or this or that. No, they flat beat me. The bottom line is if you go out and you put in the work and you do the training, you’re going to be the faster person. Because this is not a sport where you just show up.
((Lori Payne, Motorcycle Racer, Yamaha))
The problem is the promoters of the big races and things don’t, we’re like an afterthought. So, they don’t include the pro women racing on their schedule. A few years back they did, you know, we would, and even be televised. But we would be on either a day that wasn’t televised. They would be racing on a day that wasn’t televised or they would have their race during the commercials and stuff. So, you still didn’t, you know, there was still not the respect that needed. These girls are fast and they’re dedicated and they’re strong and, you know, they have the same love that any of the men do.
((NATS))
Oh, hi. How was it?
Oh, it was so much fun.
Yeah?
So much fun.
((PKG)) RV LIFESTYLE
((Banner: RV Living))
((Reporter: Mariia Prus))
((Camera: Konstantyn Golubchik))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Front Royal, Virginia))
((NATS))
((Mary Deguire Romagnoli, RV Owner))
This is my camper. I bought it in April. It has three parts. It has a bedroom. It has a kitchen and it has a bathroom. This is the bedroom and I add the curtains so you have privacy. Here is my little kitchen, enough room for two. Here is where we cook. Here we have our microwave and our refrigerator. Very small. You can run it off of electric or off of propane or off of the battery. So, it’s multiple power sources. And in here, if you come, it is the best part. Let me get the light ready for you. This is the luxury. And here is the camping luxury. As you can see, we have a full bath with a toilet, a sink and a shower. It’s very, very nice. It’s very small but it is very good.
((RV Owner))
The thing about a motorhome, this is called a motorhome. It is not a camper, because it’s self-propelled. So, it’s got a big diesel in the back and it’s like a self-contained home. It’s got air conditioning, satellite TV, a washer and dryer, you know, refrigerator, sink, microwave, coffee pot, just like you would have in an apartment. So, it’s like a moving apartment.
((Julie Bound, RV Owner))
It is like having a vacation every weekend because, you know, you have your own camper. So, you pull it. It’s less, you know, it is less expensive. So, you know, we can camp every weekend. It’s a little bit of a getaway. It’s only an hour away.
((RV Owner))
It's like driving a car but it is such a big car, you have to be really careful because if you are not paying attention, you can’t stop a vehicle like this as quickly as you can a car.
((Janet E. Breeden, RV Owner))
Here you go in, go out and everybody gets together and shares camp fire stories and talk so your kids fall asleep and you carry them in. It is a lot better than a motel.
((Julie Bound, RV Owner))
We have more quality time. My boys grew up here, so they learned how to ride their bikes here, learning to fish, things like that. So, it just allows more family time.
((RV Owner))
So, it’s time to cook dinner.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up….
((Banner))
An American Odyssey
((SOT))
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) AMERICAN ODYSSEY EXHIBIT
((Banner: America’s Tumult of 1968))
((Reporter: Julie Taboh))
((Camera: Mike Burke))
((Adapted by: Martin Secrest))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((Locator: National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.))
((Banner: 50 years on, an exhibition highlights America’s tumult of 1968))
((Courtesy: National Portrait Gallery, The Irving Penn Foundation))
((Kim Sajet, Director, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery))
This exhibition is called, “One Year 1968: An American Odyssey,” and it was a very tumultuous time in American history, and I would say that many people across the world still also remember 1968. This is a year when we get two assassinations. We, of course, have the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and then later, Senator Bobby Kennedy. America is in Vietnam, and it is not going well. President Lyndon Baines Johnson, who, of course, had assumed the presidency because of the assassination of John Kennedy three years earlier, was having very bad approval ratings, (and) in fact had gone from 80 percent (approval) to 32 (percent). And he announces that he is not going to re-run for the presidency.
((NATS))
((Kim Sajet, Director, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery))
The photograph behind me is incredibly important. It’s very iconic. It’s actually taken by one of the astronauts on the Apollo 8 mission that actually circled the Earth. And this, of course, is a picture of the Earth taken from the window. This is a moment, I think, when suddenly not just America, but the world realizes how small we are. We’re all on this little marble, the little blue marble. So this orients the globe, the citizens of the world, in a way that almost no other picture has done since that time.
((NATS))
((Kim Sajet, Director, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery))
This small, but I think mighty exhibition, actually indeed provides a time capsule that, in some ways, may be a portent to some of the things that we need to be thinking about today. So, for example, there is a very dramatic cover that was put on Time magazine in June (1968) to describe a story that they were doing about the gun in America. And it’s very confrontational, because the gun is literally pointed at you, the reader, (the) viewer. This is, of course, a conversation that continues in America today. And really giving people a context, that we’ve been here before. We will be here again. We are having this context about what do we want this country to be.
CLOSING ((ANIM))
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BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS