Virginia Peninsula Community College and Riverside Health have a long and prosperous partnership that will get only stronger in the next year. The two institutions are collaborating on the latest “Tea with Dr. B” series, which is titled “Breaking Cycles.”
The five-part, talk show-style series will be hosted by VPCC President Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon. It is designed to spark honest conversation, inspire healing, and promote holistic wellness. The first event is scheduled for Oct. 2 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Peninsula Workforce Development Center in Hampton. The topic is poverty.
The series continues Nov. 6, Feb. 5, April 2 and June 4. Other topics on the roster are obesity, addiction and trauma. The series-ending event is “High Tea: A Celebration of Healing.”
Sponsoring the series made sense for Riverside.
“At Riverside Health, we believe that breaking cycles of poverty, trauma, and illness is essential to building stronger, healthier communities,” the company said. “The ‘Breaking the Cycle’ series creates meaningful dialogue around issues that directly affect the well-being of the people we serve. Supporting these events aligns with our mission to care for others as we would care for those we love, while also investing in education and empowerment as pathways to healthier futures.”
All events are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. Through personal storytelling, expert insight, and shared dialogue, “Breaking the Cycle” encourages participants to confront generational patterns and embrace empowerment, resilience, and community-centered solutions.
Participation in the series is important to Riverside Health because it goes beyond delivering health care.
“It allows us to participate in community conversations that spark healing, resilience, and prevention,” Riverside Health officials said. “Health is shaped not only in hospitals and clinics but in schools, families, and neighborhoods. By engaging in initiatives like this, we can work alongside community partners to address root causes of health challenges and promote wellness.”
Panelists for the first event are Michele Brune, a financial adviser with Edward Jones financial services; Keisha Samuels, department chair of Human Services at VPCC, an associate professor and a community leader; DeAnna Valentine, Hampton’s first director of Economic Empowerment and Family Resilience who has more than 20 years of experience in human services; and Charvalla West, president and CEO of United Way of the Virginia Peninsula.
For Riverside Health, the relationship with VPCC goes far beyond this series.
“Riverside and Virginia Peninsula Community College have a long-standing partnership and continuing that relationship is vital,” company officials said. “VPCC is one of the region’s largest producers of health care graduates, many of whom stay local and join Riverside teams. Together, we are building the next generation of health care professionals while also advancing shared goals of education, access, and community well-being. Sustaining this partnership ensures both organizations can continue making a positive and lasting impact on the communities we serve.”
Each event will be shown later on a tape-delayed basis on SKY4-TV (WSKY).