Appalachian monuments project takes shape as students, professors help communities reclaim history

The histories of Appalachia and the lived experiences of Appalachia are so much more complex and diverse than what people think of when they think of Appalachia. Katie and I were both drawn to the idea of how to tell more stories and different stories. We have just announced our round two projects, and we have a total of nine monuments now underway. One of the things we hope that particularly the students learn is that their community histories matter, their individual stories matter. If a story hasn't been told, asking questions about why that story hasn't been told, what's underneath that? Who has the power to tell stories. And then from there, how to get that story told. Being a part of this project gives me the opportunity to just be in different settings that are so diverse. They have such different meanings of what it means to be in Appalachian, Virginia. It's genuinely a blessing to work with a group of people who are compassionate and care about the stories that are told. To me, the goal is for more people to feel seen here, for more people to be able to tell their stories and affirm that they belong here, and for our public places to more accurately represent all the kinds of people and experiences that make up Appalachia.