Regional reports: Appalachian
North Carolina
Report from the Appalachian region
By Steve Owen, Appalachian Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities
CSD–12
The Appalachian region again participated in this year's UN
CSD. Several people from the region were there, where they interacted
with the Sustainable Communities Caucus and learned of other communities'
successes and obstacles rela
ted
to human settlements, water, and sanitation. A case
study from the Appalachian region appeared in the human settlements
major groups discussion paper [Alt.
link, on page 14] calling attention to the inequities occurring
in the US and policy positions that run counter to sustainable community.
We also hosted an informal side event with the Peace Caucus to premiere
the film "Thoughts in the Presence of Fear".
Appalshop film on impact of 9/11
Herb E. Smith, filmmaker from Appalshop
Film Studios in Whitesburg, Kentucky, has been previewing his
film in progress "Thoughts in the Presence of Fear" throughout
the region. The film is a response to 9/11, based on an essay by Wendell
Berry forming the text, with Berry providing narration, and addresses
issues of economic globalization, social, and environmental stewardship.
Appalshop is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary cultural center located
in the Appalachian coalfields of eastern Kentucky. Established in
1969 as a media training program, Appalshop produces documentary television,
original touring musical theater, community arts presentations, and
a variety of youth educational and cultural programs. Appalshop also
owns and manages a community radio station and is home to a national
network of community-based artists and arts organizations called the
American Festival Project.
Appalshop is recognized as a national leader in regional and community-based
arts and media. Appalshop's mission is to document, disseminate, and
revitalize the lasting traditions and contemporary creativity of Appalachia;
to tell stories the commercial cultural industries won't tell, challenging
stereotypes with Appalachian voices and visions; to support communities'
efforts to achieve justice and equity and solve their own problems
in their own ways; to celebrate cultural diversity as a positive social
value; and, to participate in regional, national, and global dialogue
toward these ends.
The Wisdom of Helen Lewis
Scholar/activist Dr. Helen Lewis recently gave a 4-day seminar at Appalachian
State University in Boone, NC. Lewis has played key roles at Highlander
Research and Education Center, is noted as a pioneer in the field
of Appalachian Studies and community-based research. She focused on
the question, "Where do we go from here?"
"I wake up every morning grieving. I feel like we need to shout
from the wilderness, but I don't know who would be listening. So…I
am reflecting on the past. Where do we move? We've got to deal with
inequality within this country. Have we gotten rid of our economic
base? Is the only thing we can do is go to Wal-Mart, swipe our credit
cards, and keep the economy moving?"
She went on, thinking back on her work connecting religious faith
and social action asking, "What are the things today that we're
being called to take risks for? What are the things that call us to
walk on water?" Sustainability and coalition building, she pressed
on (to the agreement of participants), is our "walking on water"
mission.
Mountain Sisters heard on This American Life
Helen Lewis co-authored a book entitled Mountain
Sisters: From Convent to Community in Appalachia (University
of Kentucky Press). Several of the sisters participated in the seminar
(see photo) and continue playing key activists roles in the regions.
The book tells the story of how community converted the sisters, as
their role as change agents became increasingly incompatible with
the wishes of the "higher ups" in the Catholic Church. Among
their innovations not approved of by the church was a short habit,
which made it more practical to move about in rural terrain. Lewis
says her preferred book title actually was "Changing Habits."
Marie Cirillo, one of the sisters, was a participant at the CSD Sustainable
Communities Caucus. This amazing group of women was featured in the
January 30 broadcast of This American Life. The radio
program's web site offers an audio download of their story.
Indian Scholar-Activist in Appalachia
Sejal
Dand (photo), from Amadabad, India has been working with the Appalachian
Coalition for Just and Sustainable Communities for the past several
months and will continue until her return to India in June. Dand and
four other women founded ANANDI
(Area Networking and Development Initiatives) in 1995. Their focus
is to bring women's issues to the center of all development processes
and establishing a just and equitable society. They work mostly in
Gujarat and have mobilized thousands of tribal women around issues
of water, electricity, affordable credit, health, food security, and
capacity building.
Dand's work
during the Gujarat "train riots" earned her "Time
Magazine's Asian Hero of the Year" in 2002. One highlight here
was the Peanut Butter and Gender series sponsored by the Women's
Studies program at Berea College. Dand was featured in "From
India to Appalachia: Community Organizing and Development at the Grassroots."
She has also been active in many strategic discussions within communities
in the region, always asking, "Sustaining whose development?"
David Orr speaks on corruption of patriotism
The
noted environmentalist spoke in Boone, NC in late February in advance
of his new book, forthcoming in April, The
Last Refuge: The Corruption of Patriotism in the Age of Terror
(Island Press).
It was a sobering talk, even for 2 o'clock in the P.M. in the sanctuary
of the First Baptist Church. Dr. Orr opined that this year's election
is not just the most important of our lifetime. He feels it may well
be the most important of our entire national history, because at no
point in our previous 200+ years has the Constitution been under such
threat from radical forces which will do anything to maintain and
enhance the unprecedented power they have already amassed. The presidency,
the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the Judiciary,
all under their sway ... and mass media too, which is corporate to
the core and therefore does nothing but skate happily across surface
events without ever bothering to ask probing questions about why we're
being distracted by the trivia that fills our lives ... who's boinking
whom, who's flashing what, who's wearing what designer's outfits?
Other Coalition News 
- The coalition hopes to see the citizens'
campaign for leadership on sustainability launched soon. Integrative
Strategies Forum has developed a framework and methodology that
we feel could be easily integrated inter-regionally and could play
a vital role in demystifying policies and linkages to sustainability
in advance of the 2004 elections and beyond.
- The Appalachian Coalition
received its 501(c)3 status in December 2003 and now faces the task
of program funding. Recommendations and strategic relationships
are welcomed.
- The coalition is working with several communities who are striving
to make the transition to more sustainable communities. Most of
these efforts stem from job loss and economic hardship, and not
from ideology.
- We are trying to enliven the coalition website at www.appcoalition.org
and would like to hear from other organizations and regions with
suggestions. Please let us know about links to your sites and other
information of use. We would appreciate being linked on your site
as well.