Leadership Journey in Appalachia

Appalachia is rich in history, but the region is too often misunderstood as a monolithic place dominated by poverty. People here are known for their rugged individualism, great literature, and music that spanned the world. Yet, the rugged mountain terrain and the dominance of coal and other extraction industries isolated rural residents from new economic opportunities. 

Calling on local vision and passion, Appalachian leaders are building solutions that help communities thrive. Berea College’s  Brushy Fork Leadership Institute, which is deeply committed to equity, convened a diverse group of leaders to share their leadership journeys. Drawing upon the rich storytelling traditions of the region, these leaders share powerful narratives of what compelled them to become leaders, what challenges and supports they have found, and how they nurture their own development, as well as bring other people into hopeful leadership. 

From these leaders, we learn that the journey to leadership may be steep, but it lifts up many lives. Their stories provide an opportunity to reflect on how we can cultivate, activate, and sustain strong leadership in the rural communities.

People First

“We all deserve a second chance,” Gwen Johnson said, explaining that her town collapsed when the coal industry left.

Although she was talking about building up the economy, she was really talking about building up people.

The powerful video shows how Gwen started the Black Sheep Bakery, a community-owned social enterprise.The bakery hires workers displaced by the coal mining industry, including people in recovery. The community came together to build the business—figuratively and literally. Through donations, partnerships, and even friends’ labor to build a brick-fire oven. What they ended up with is far greater than the sum of parts.

Throughout our leadership journey, we meet incredible people, like Gwen, who faced great adversity to help others in their community.

The Racial Equity Imperative

Appalachian people often suffer economic class prejudice. People of color in the region have the additional burden of racial discrimination. Census data shows that Appalachia is less racially diverse than the United States as a whole. “It’s been made white,” said Dr. Chad Berry, a professor of history and Appalachian studies. Although Appalachian people are often misconstrued, he makes it clear that there were intentional policies and practices over time that have given favor to whites over all others.

Leadership, he argues, is the antidote.

1920s photo of a mixed-race family.

A tri-racial family in Appalachia, circa 1920.

What is equity? Dr. Berry defines it as a state of fairness, justice, and equitable access to opportunity and outcomes. To achieve equity, we must recognize and address the disparate challenges, needs, and histories of distinct groups in an ongoing manner.

Anyone who fails to consider equity is perpetuating the problem.

So, how can leaders promote equity? Support representation, decision making, and power building. To include people of color, it comes down to three things: See them, hear them, include them.

In the end, real equity benefits everyone.

Representation

Racial equity may be aspirational in every part of the nation, but in Appalachia, there is a tradition of unions organizing for worker rights. It’s part of the culture.

Jennifer Wells, a climate refugee in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, spoke about how everyone has the potential to be a leader, and how she found her pathway in Appalachia.

Even though some communities are only 3 or 6 percent persons of color, Jennifer warns that the small numbers offer a false narrative. Don’t let people look at the small number and dismiss your “ability to move and change systems.” Each person has the wherewithal and a responsibility to create the equitable world we want to live in.

Leadership is rooted in lived experiences, Jennifer explains. She is a community organizer and a social justice leader who is now working on systems change. Race, gender, class, and geography all come into play, and encourages young leaders to understand intersectionality, and to use its power for good.

A Hope Dealer

The trauma of structural racism is a heavy weight for anyone to shoulder, but especially for children.

Hasan Davis faced a lot of adversity in life by the time he was in elementary school. From learning disorders to family separation, then a tragic fire and arrest by the time he was 11, his teachers thought of him as a trouble maker and a lost cause.

But even then, Hasan had a purpose. With the help of caring adults, he understood that he needed to be a leader. First, he wanted to do it for his younger brothers coming up after him. Then, he realized that young people everywhere needed somebody who believes in them.

Over time, he worked to create opportunity and possibilities for every child. To do that, he took on systems change. He understood that to create possibilities for every child … real work has to be done at a higher level.

A repeating theme in rural leadership development is how to bring up the young so they have a sense of agency to create the change they want to see. With leaders like Hasan and his powerful lived experiences, youth are given the opportunity to see value in themselves, their community, and their future. They develop a sense of stewardship to build a better future by advancing good traditions and building new connections with the world around them.

Use Traditions to Build Connections

“Your town is going to die.” When Vanda Rice heard these words about her town of Manchester in Clay County, Kentucky, the retired grandmother sprung to action.

She considered only briefly that she lacked the funding, skills, and experience to turn a county around, but she had grit, determination, and an opportunity to learn.

She also knew that she had a lot of assets to work with. Clay County is rich in natural beauty, historical character, and an arts traditions. Day by day, project by project, she engaged with people, partners, and funders not only to bring economic development to Clay County, but to help its people thrive.

Part of leadership is to nurture inclusivity. She reached out to members of her community who, perhaps, needed new hope the most. Vanda worked with women in recovery and who were serving time to weave them into the social and cultural fabric of Clay County. “The way to strengthen community,” Vanda says, “is through people, place, and possibilities.”

Despite her many accomplishments in Clay County, Vanda knows that to secure a healthy future, the community needs to lift up a next generation of leaders to carry on the work. She often says that leadership must be
youth led, elder guided. Leaders need to be supported, but first, they need to be encouraged.

Communities of Passion

When we talk about leadership in Appalachia, we’re not talking about geographic or other boundaries. Communities are created around ideas, skills, and beliefs.

Perhaps Jason Young said it best, that the leadership journey may not be easy, but if done with purpose and passion, it lifts up many lives.

Jason grew up in a coal-mining town and moved to a city in his formative years. He was a young white man, but the discrimination he faced for being poor and for having a strong accent was brutal. Jason, like the many other leaders we spoke with, turned adversity into opportunity. He found his voice in theater, and with his passion and his talents, he opened the door for many others to come through. Today, as a successful director of a theater company, he doesn’t just put on productions. He produces passion and belief and a sense of agency among anyone who works with him, no matter their background.

Donna Daniels, from the Brushy Fork Institute, offered an analogy on how leadership and community development works.

“We often talk about ‘bringing people to the table.’ Like, ‘what does she bring to the table?’ Instead, we need to ask who builds the table and how do we involve others in building a table that accommodates diversity? The table might look very different in different communities. Even the individual seats might look different within a community. But in the end, the table is an inviting place for people to gather around making their community better for everyone.” 

A welcoming table and nourishing conversations—full of stories—promises to be a feast.

About Brushy Fork Leadership Institute

Brushy Fork Leadership Institute provides established and emerging leaders with opportunities to enhance their skills, gain innovation perspectives, and create connections with others working on similar issues.

RuraLead’s Appalachian Journey was produced by Brushy Fork Institute’s Donna Daniels, Jacqueline Corum, and Daniel Ferrebee, Jr.