At its heart, In Kind is a film about land and community stewardship, reciprocity, and what might be possible when we let these values guide us. I currently live in Portland, Oregon, but was shaped in my younger years by the mountains and people of Southern Appalachia. I was drawn to this story because of my love for and belief in the leadership and knowledge so alive in Appalachian communities—wisdom I have seen embodied over and over again through their resilience, generosity, and the way they look out for one another. They have so much to teach us about what land and community stewardship looks like. Through my time with the folks at Woodland Harvest, I witnessed these values lived beautifully, and wanted others to see how giving back to the land, caring for one another with intention, and nurturing our kinship networks offer a model for living in kind.

The leaders and land stewards at the center of In Kind are primarily Southern and queer, bringing forward valuable forms of rooted knowledge that are often overlooked. Rather than imagining a distant or idealized future, the film invites viewers to witness a real community living in step with what matters and to consider the world we could create together when we do the same.