Engaged Opportunity Grants
Community Storytelling in Southern West Virginia
Documenting stories of how respectful, collaborative partnerships led to remarkable outcomes in the coal-mining communities of southern West Virginia
In the late 60s and early 70s, young, idealistic citizens arrived in West Virginia’s coal fields — primarily as VISTA and Appalachian volunteers. Initially wary of these outsiders, the local community eventually came to trust and accept them, and their collective achievements included improved housing and sanitation in poor communities, the building of six health care clinics, advances in women’s health and legal victories for working people. This project aims to document these community-building stories for the first time through in-depth interviews with the people involved. The results will shed light on the intricacies of building trust in community partnerships and show how mutually respectful partnerships can transform individual lives and communities.
Grant Category: Other
Topics: Access, Equity and Justice
The Team
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Lee Adler, Department of Labor Relations, Law and History
School of Industrial Labor and Relations
- Community partner: Southern Appalachian Labor School
- Community partner: Cabin Creek Health Systems
Engaged Opportunity Grants
Supporting a wide range of community-engaged learning projects, from student leadership programs and partnership building to events and conference travel. Open to all faculty and staff.