Mode of Program Participation
Community Organizing and Educational Programming
Participation Type
Roundtable
Session Title
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA COALFIELDS
Session Abstract or Summary
SUMMARY
“Government officials are scared to death of a group of citizens like you. Knocking on their door with enough knowledge to make demands,” Elaine Purkey, organizer for the West Virginia Organizing Project, in the movie, “Moving Mountains.” Two decades ago, Trish Bragg and fellow members of the West Virginia Organizing studied mine regulations and learned how to talk to legislators. Their victories changed history.
Trish and Elaine will join two members of the Virginia Organizing on this roundtable. All four will discuss how they learned to make important changes in their communities. Brian Johns, Virginia Organizing’s southwest organizer and organizing director will discuss the relationship between organizers and citizens.
From this roundtable, educators can gain insights that will help them teach about community organizing. Virginia Organizing has written three books: "Building Power, Changing Lives," "We Make Change" and "Lessons from the Field, " on rural organizing. It has also been written about in Steve Fisher's and Barbara Ellen Smith's "Transforming Places" and recently mentioned in Anthony Flaccavento's "Building a Healthy Economy from the Bottom Up."
It’s important that the members of the panel be the people who are dealing with the problems in their communities, the ones who, ultimately, have the power to make change. As they learn to navigate government and regulatory agencies, citizens also become empowered to change their own lives. During the height of her struggles, Trish Bragg went to college in her mid-30s and graduated with a BA, summa cum laude.
As a way to introduce several of the topics (regulators, legislation, citizens doing it themselves) three very short clips of “Moving Mountains” will be shown. I’ve put the Vimeo link at the bottom, with the password. Please don’t circulate, just for the committee’s viewing. It will available on all VOD platforms very soon. (Would need video equipment for this screening)
FRAMEWORKS/TOPICS
How citizens learn laws and regulations necessary to improve communities
Relationship of organizers and experts (scientists and lawyers) to community groups: how to expand citizens’ knowledge without taking away their power
How solving community problems also helps citizens grow in their own lives
BIOS
Trish Bragg (304) 426-8942 lives in Pie, W.V. with her husband Dewey, a retired union miner. She continues to try to make change, now dealing with the Veteran’s Administration health care system. The story of her and Elaine Purkey's struggle is told in Moving Mountains how one woman and her community won justice from big coal and the feature film Moving Mountains
Elaine Purkey (304) 855-7814 lives in Ranger, W.V. with her husband Bethel, a retired-union miner. Well-known as a musician and activist, she continues to perform her songs.
Jill Carson (276) 546-5144 has been a member of Virginia Organizing for 21 years in Lee County. They've worked on: getting the first African Americans in the jury selection process in the county, getting anti-bullying policies in the public schools, winning a drug court for the county, and currently on re-opening the Lee County Hospital (among other things).
Andy Kegley (276) 228-6280 is a long time member of Virginia Organizing from Wytheville who worked on local living wage campaigns, and also on a statewide housing campaign that freed up millions of dollars for affordable housing.
Brian Johns (276) 619-1920 first came to Virginia Organizing as an intern in 2000, and then worked as a community organizer from 2001-2005. He spent two years in Pennsylvania doing community organizing with a labor union, and returned to Virginia Organizing in 2007. He is currently the organizer for far Southwest Virginia, covering from Pulaski to the Kentucky border. Brian grew up just south of Richmond in the Petersburg area and worked with the Petersburg and Williamsburg Virginia Organizing chapters, also helping open the Williamsburg office, before leaving in 2005. He is now based out of Abingdon, with his wife Paige and their daughters Lea and Susanna.
Moderator: Penny Loeb, (703) 470-8382 author of Moving Mountains how one woman and her community won justice from big coal, writer and producer of Moving Mountains, a feature film starring Theresa Russell. Journalist for four decades. Member of investigative reporting team at Newsday and U.S. News & World Report. Winner of numerous major journalism awards. www.pennyloebwordsandphotos.com Lives in Loudoun County, Va.
https://vimeo.com/80693772 password penny3
Presentation #1 Title
Democratic Participation in Southwest Virginia and West Virginia Coalfields
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Winning Public Water in Pie, W.V. At Christmas 1994, a deep mine destroyed the wells of my neighbors. For a decade, we fought with the department of Environmental Protection and the coal companies. After several lawsuits, including the landmark Bragg v Robertson, we won in court and now have public water.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Trish Bragg lives in Pie, W.V. with her husband Dewey, a retired union miner. She continues to try to make change, now dealing with the Veteran’s Administration health care system.
Presentation #2 Title
A Brief History of the Short Life of the West Virginia Organizing Project
Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary
Elaine Purkey spent several years as organizer for the West Virginia Organizing project. They worked on lessening blasting damage, dust from coal roads and restoring water wells destroyed by blasting. WVOP died out because lack of funding.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Elaine Purkey lives in Ranger, W.V. with her husband Bethel, a retired-union miner. Well-known as a musician and activist, she continues to perform her songs.
Presentation #3 Title
Making Change in Lee County
Presentation #3 Abstract or Summary
Community betterment in Lee County: getting the first African Americans in the jury selection process in the county, getting anti-bullying policies in the public schools, winning a drug court for the county, and currently on re-opening the Lee County Hospital (among other things).
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
A founding member of Virginia Organizing and member of Pennington Gap town council, Jill Carson has worked on a wide variety of issues that have helped improve Lee County.
Presentation #4 Title
Living Wages and Affordable Housing
Presentation #4 Abstract or Summary
How Virginia Organizing won millions of dollars for affordable housing from the state of Virginia.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4
Executive director of Helping Overcome Poverty's Existence, Andy Kegley has worked on many housing, wage issues while helping to reduce conditions contributing to poverty in southwest Virginia. He is a longtime member of Virginia Organizing.
Presentation #5 Title
Being an Organizer
Presentation #5 Abstract or Summary
The role of an organizer in helping community groups.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #5
Brian Johns is the organizer for far Southwest Virginia, covering from Pulaski to the Kentucky border. Brian grew up just south of Richmond in the Petersburg area and worked with the Petersburg and Williamsburg Virginia Organizing chapters, also helping open the Williamsburg office, before leaving in 2005. He is now based out of Abingdon, with his wife Paige and their daughters Lea and Susanna.
Democratic Participation in Southwest Virginia and West Virginia Coalfields
Winning Public Water in Pie, W.V. At Christmas 1994, a deep mine destroyed the wells of my neighbors. For a decade, we fought with the department of Environmental Protection and the coal companies. After several lawsuits, including the landmark Bragg v Robertson, we won in court and now have public water.
