The LGBTQ youth in rural America faces a challenging environment. Some progress has been made in the last two decades, but many still feel threatened and unwelcome in their own communities. Ray Saul spent years frightened for her safety at school. She was outed as bisexual in eighth grade in […]
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The roots of Appalachian communities run deeper than coal deposits, which sustained them for generations. Young leaders coming up in those mountains want to see them thrive once again, but this time the focus is on sustainability. This article was originally published by The Daily Yonder. EDITOR’S NOTE: This article […]
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I don’t remember the first time I heard “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” The song has been a familiar hymn from infancy, a lullaby my grandmother would sing along with “You Are My Sunshine” and “Rock-a-Bye Baby.” You see, like Loretta Lynn herself, my grandmother was a coal miner’s daughter from eastern […]
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When people are asked what they’d grab first if their house caught fire, they often give practical answers — purses, wallets, laptops. They also say they’d rescue sentimental belongings — old photographs, the wedding ring passed down through generations, a quilt stitched by grandma. Even though it was a flood […]
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Neema Avashia’s book points to contradictions resulting from a sense of belonging and identity informed by place as complicated as Appalachia. I want to be Neema Avashia’s new best friend. That was the feeling I came away with after reading her memoir Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a […]
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Last year, I posted this tweet: “Appalachian folks: I’m hunting for some @InAppalachia story ideas. What’s something your momaw made that’s unique to where you’re from?” It got dozens of replies, a large number of which mentioned pinto beans and cornbread. I found that strange because beans and cornbread are the […]
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