report back from the AppFellows Regional Gathering on May 17-18, 2017!

The Highlander Center’s Appalachian Transition Fellowship program brought together the 2017 fellows, host communities, and folks from across Central Appalachia for a regional gathering on May 17-18, 2017, in Benham, KY where folks shared ideas, built relationships, and strategized together to advance a just economic transition in our region.

“Scaling Up: Connecting Local Economies and People Power to a Just Regional Transition” convened folks from across Central Appalachia where participants shared about local, community-led efforts that are shifting economies and power to the people; mapped our communities and our work across issue, states, and the region to identify collaborative opportunities; and networked with fellows, hosts, and other folks who are doing great work in Appalachia.

Check back here soon to see the official final report from the gathering! In the meantime don't miss some of the excellent resources below that were used by some of the 2017 AppFellows during their presentations at the gathering. Just simply click on the slides to advance to the next one!

 

Scaling Up: Connecting local economies and people power to a just regional transition

Agenda

Benham, KY / Schoolhouse Inn

Wednesday, May 17

8 am:                    Breakfast and Registration

9:15 am:               Welcome and Introductions / Opening Conversation

10:15 am:             The Broader Context of our Work in These Times

                                Building a Collective Vision

                                What Next, WV? case stud

12 pm:                  Lunch

1 pm:                     Community Mapping

2:15 pm:               Break

2:30 pm:               Case Studies

·         Appalachian Sustainable Development (TN/VA)

·         Unlimited Future (WV)

·         Community Farm Alliance (KY)

3 pm:                     Power Analysis / Scaling up from community to state to region (by sector/issue-based)

5 pm:                     Walking Tour of Benham with Roy Silver

6 pm:                     Dinner and Party at the Eastern KY Social Club in Lynch, KY

Thursday, May 18

8 am:                     Breakfast

8:30 am:               Welcome / Grounding

8:45 am:               Scaling up our Reach / Expanding our Base

9:45 am:               Case Study

·                             InVision Hazard (KY)

10:00 am:             Next Steps / Bold Actions

                                With cross-region, cross-sector partners

11:00 am:             Closing and Evaluation