Northeast Louisiana Wills Clinic

Saturday 21 June 2025

 By: Jonathan Evans 

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, the Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) proudly hosted a transformative Wills Clinic in Arcadia, Louisiana. This impactful event represented a significant step forward in our Heirs’ Property Initiative—a program designed to preserve generational wealth, protect family land, and provide essential legal education in underserved communities. For many, the path to retaining land ownership begins with proper estate planning, and this clinic created a space for those important conversations to begin. Hosted in partnership with local organizations and legal professionals, the clinic provided residents with free will-drafting services, education on succession laws, and access to resources that are often inaccessible to rural landowners. It was a day rooted in service, collaboration, and legacy. Our mission remains simple yet profound: empower families to protect what matters most—their land, their homes, and their future. The Northeast Louisiana Wills Clinic was a direct reflection of this mission in action. 

For generations, underserved landowners, especially in the Black rural South, have passed down property through informal means such as verbal agreements, handwritten notes, and family understandings that were never formalized through legal channels. These heartfelt but unofficial transfers often result in what is legally known as heirs’ property, where multiple family members hold undivided interests in land without a clear title. This complex form of ownership leaves property vulnerable to partition sales, legal disputes, and forced loss. Heirs’ property is a leading contributor to land loss in African American communities. Recognizing this critical issue, the WCSHC developed its Heirs’ Property Initiative, a program that travels to areas in greatest need. By collaborating with attorneys, nonprofits, and community leaders, we provide educational workshops, legal document preparation, and culturally informed outreach. The Arcadia Wills Clinic served as a shining example of this initiative by meeting people where they are and helping them plan for the future. 

The idea for this clinic was brought to life by Dr. Townsend, a native of Arcadia, who expressed a heartfelt desire to bring this service to her hometown. In response, WCSHC collaborated with Louisiana Appleseed, who helped expand the network by connecting us with Acadiana Legal Services Corporation, United Way Northeast Louisiana, Legal Services Corporation, Alex Loomis Barham Law, and the Northeast Louisiana Bar Foundation. The NAACP Arcadia-Bienville Branch also joined the initiative, adding strong local support and community trust. United by a shared purpose, these partners worked together to promote legal empowerment and community stability. We were also fortunate to have USDA Rural Development as a key participant in the day’s programming. Their presence emphasized the connection between legal planning and access to housing resources—two essential pillars of sustainable rural living. The collaborative spirit was evident throughout the day and significantly contributed to the clinic’s success. 

The event commenced with Attorney Hailey Barnett, who delivered an engaging presentation on the significance of wills and the various types of estate planning documents available. Her talk explained a process that many find intimidating and helped attendees understand how a will can protect family land. Following her, Laurie Price from USDA Rural Development presented on home repair grants and other funding opportunities available to rural residents. Although current funding is temporarily exhausted, she encouraged community members to apply in advance, as new funding cycles are anticipated. To conclude the day’s presentations, Attorney Alex Barham provided a comprehensive overview of Louisiana’s succession process, explaining what happens when a person dies without a will and how it can impact heirs and land. These presentations equipped attendees with practical tools and offered peace of mind. By the end of the day, several community members felt empowered to take their next steps in estate planning. 

Throughout the clinic, the legal team successfully drafted seven wills, with a total of twenty participants attending the event to receive legal support and valuable information. Many attendees arrived with questions, concerns, and stories about their families’ struggles with land transfer and inheritance. The WCSHC staff engaged in meaningful conversations with attendees about the broader services we offer in Mississippi, including heirs’ property workshops, sustainable farming programs, and initiatives aimed at building generational wealth. It was heartening to hear an attendee say, “I was struggling in silence, not knowing when or how I was going to get my will written. You all made this possible. I am so grateful for this and the work that you all do.” We shared our website and social media pages, which feature photos, stories, and videos that celebrate the traditions of land stewardship and rural living. One attendee fondly recalled learning food preservation from her grandparents and was delighted to find our live canning tutorials available on the WCSHC’s Facebook page. These personal connections reflected just how important it is to meet people not only with resources but also with cultural respect and historical awareness. 

More than a legal clinic, this event was a gathering of history, hope, and empowerment. It created a space for honest conversations about family, legacy, and the risks of inaction. In rural communities where access to legal services is limited and generational knowledge is often lost, these events provide critical support. The Winston County Self Help Cooperative believes that land is not merely property—it represents identity, security, and inheritance. We are committed to ensuring that future generations can retain the land their ancestors worked so hard to preserve. The Northeast Louisiana Wills Clinic was just one step in that journey, but its impact will echo for generations to come. We thank all our partners, attorneys, and community members for helping to make this clinic a powerful example of service in action. 

View more photos here.

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