In 100 Days, 100 Voices, photographer Nancy Andrews presents photographs depicting the diversity of voices across Appalachia. These portraits strive to show the varied faces, passions, issues and opinions from around the region.
“Appalachian American Arab Muslim” Malak Khader
“To be an Appalachian American Arab Muslim … that’s a big title. I feel like I’m wearing so many hats at the same time.” Malak Khader of Huntington, West Virginia finds herself constantly fighting stereotypes about her religion and her home state. She started a multiethnic Girl Scout Troop at […]
‘He’s a Mini Version of my Dad’
“I hope he becomes a God-serving young man, that he loves everybody as God loves us.” Jakari’s favorite food is chicken nuggets. His favorite word is “No.” He likes to play basketball with his mini-basketball hoop and watch “Blaze and the Monster Machines” and “PAW Patrol.” At age 2, and […]
‘We’re People – We’re Just Wired a Little Different.’
The weekend of July 29, 2017 brought the first gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer festival to Wheeling, West Virginia with several hundred attending the Ohio Valley Pride. We talked to some of the attendees about why they came to the event: “Today, I was around people like me. I […]
Will New Gas Pipelines Take Away Landowner Rights, Shave off Mountaintops and Disrupt Clean Water?
Newport, Va. – The proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline has not been approved, much less built, but it is as real as the wooden stakes already in the ground to mark its probable path. The 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline would start in West Virginia’s Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling region […]
‘So Our Lives are Worth a Little Bit Less than Somebody in Say, Boston?’
It’s going to affect our businesses for a very long time — probably forever. Georgia Haverty: It kind of snuck up on me. Slowly. First I heard ‘pipeline’ and went, ‘Oh’. Then I heard, ‘42-inch-wide pipeline.’ Then I heard that MVP has never built one this big… It’s like hearing […]
‘They Don’t Give a Damn and That is Not Right’
If I can’t drink the water, the cows can’t drink the water. We’re out of it. And subsequent generations are out of it. — Judy Ellison Warren Ellison: I’m one of seven and the youngest of seven. I’m a World War II veteran and served on Okinawa. I’ve farmed here all […]
‘We are Called to be Stewards of God’s Creation, Not to Rape and Pillage and Plunder God’s Creations.’
Just because we’re located in a rural part of Appalachia, this part of Virginia and in a small, rural county — don’t count us out. The people here — they have lives, they have lives that tell stories. Morris Fleischer: Depending on the measurements, we’re basically in the zone. We’re […]
Some are ‘Paying it Forward’ With Coffee and Prayers in Kentucky Coffee Shops
I’m not very good at running the register because I give basically everything away. — Joe Farmer of Axis Coffee Shop and Gathering Place in Manchester, Kentucky Tracy Farmer: We saw the need in our church to expand. We needed room for children’s ministry and youth ministry, but we also wanted […]
‘I’m Breathing New Life Back Into This Building’
A big driving force was to not see this building fall. Lawrence Calfee: My mom tells me ever since I was five years old I’d point at that building and say I’m going to own it one day. I had sold a house locally and needed a workshop, so I […]
What if You Could Attend College, for Free?
I still identify as Appalachian — just because I learn or experience these different cultures doesn’t mean that I lose who I am. — Taylor Styles Paige Davis: When I saw my job assignment I was like, ‘Broomcraft?’ My mom says, ‘It’s a cult, you are making brooms!’ So, I’m just […]
If you have an idea for ‘100 Days, 100 Voices’ please contact Nancy Andrews on Twitter @NancyAndrews or email at nancy.andrews [at] mail.wvu.edu.