March 20 marked the second showcase of The Black Poster Project in Seton Hall University’s Center, which was spearheaded by Prof. Melinda Papaccio.
The Black Poster Project is an addiction and overdose awareness group from New Jersey that travels with posters of those who have lost their lives to addiction.
Papaccio, a professor in the English and University Core departments and a missionary, lost her son to addiction in 2018. She said the addiction started after a surgery when he was prescribed opioids.
“[He] struggled for years without telling me even what was wrong because he was ashamed and he was frightened and he didn't know what to do,” Papaccio said. ”When I finally did find out, he was far into it.”
Following her son’s death, Papaccio entered him into The Black Poster Project. In 2023, Papaccio brought The Black Poster Project to campus for her Journey of Transformation students’ service learning requirement.
“Our service learning has to do with addiction as an attachment, as a form of spiritual suffering,” Papaccio said. “When I started teaching [Journey of Transformation], I started to see that in all of those texts…they're talking about the experience of attachment to something.”
With that, she said she also wanted to bring awareness to the “real lives of real people” because addiction “affects anyone and every type of person.”
“I want people to start to understand that this is a unique form of human suffering,” she said.
Papaccio is a part of iTHIRST, an initiative that reaches out to dioceses, individuals in treatment and incarceration, and individuals seeking aftercare programs to provide spiritual guidance.
Since the passing of her son, Papaccio has been dedicated to training people through iTHIRST’s programs. Helping others recover from addiction spiritually and educating people on addiction has been what Papaccio calls her “mission in life.”
“My son suffered like this—it has meaning, and I think that's important for us all to see that no matter what we suffer from, it has meaning,” Papaccio said. “We can make meaning out of it.”
As a part of the event, Papaccio invited Lt. Charles Cunningham from the Montclair Police Department to share some of his experiences as a police officer regarding the opioid crisis.
Cunningham, who is in his 31st year of law enforcement, said that police departments have changed the way they handle people suffering from substance use disorders.
“We're definitely moving in a direction now where we're offering a hand up and not a hand out,” Cunningham said. “We as law enforcement…have better resources now for people suffering from substance use disorders.”
Cunningham said that they have the backing of the administration, the court system, and the legal system, which he believes is benefiting everyone.
“It's good for the police, it's good for the community, [and] it's good for people suffering from the disease because it humanizes the badge,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham lost his brother-in-law to addiction years ago, which he said is why he is passionate about advocating for addiction awareness.
“They're normal people like me and you,” Cunningham said. “A lot of these people had some other kind of issue going on in their life before they became involved with narcotics.”
The event was set up outside the University Center Theatre, displaying pictures of those who have passed from addiction along with their stories. The event was set up so that students, faculty, and administration could walk through and pay their respects throughout the day.
Emily Flynn, a junior visual sound media major, said that she attended the event with her Art and Human Needs class, taught by Prof. Miesha Hayden.
“We heard about this project, and we wanted to be as respectful as possible and come and hear these people’s stories,” Flynn said.
Flynn said she connected with the lives honored in the Black Poster Project and found the project moving.
“As a person who has been in the hospital all my life due to cancer and stuff like that, it's sad to see these stories,” Flynn said. “I've had family members die of either overdoses or other issues, so I hurt for these families.”
A story stuck out to Flynn about a woman who passed away from addiction shortly before her 21st birthday.
“As a person who is 20 at the moment and is turning 21, being so close in age to her and seeing her story—it really did hurt,” she said.
Victoria Matteson, a freshman graphic design and advertising major, also attended the event with Prof. Hayden’s class. She said she wanted to take time to read through all of the posters.
“It was really nice to know so many families came together to remember and spread awareness of addiction and stuff like that,” Matteson said. “It was really touching, but also really sad.”
Anthony Longo, a senior communication major, is another member of the class. Longo said that it was shocking to see so many young people who have passed from addiction on the posters.
“The severity of addiction, it could really take over everything and end everything all at the same time,” Longo said.
Longo also said the project no longer made addiction feel removed or separate from his own life.
“You hear about addiction on the news, casualties on the news, you don't really hear much or see much in person,” Longo said. “I feel like seeing all these accounts firsthand kind of did pivot my perspective absolutely.”
Papaccio said that she plans to continue bringing this event to campus.
“I want to help dispel the stigma around the disease, and I want people to understand that those of us who are not afflicted with the substance issue need to be there for those who are,” Papaccio said. “We have a responsibility.”
Dominique Mercadante is the head editor of The Setonian’s Campus Life section. She can be reached at dominique.mercadante@student.shu.edu.
