This session will dive into the new oral history collection, “Beginning Again: Stories of Movement and Migration in Appalachia,” which counters expected narratives about contemporary life and identity in Appalachia, including the stories of immigrants and refugees resettled in the region. Contributors of the book will discuss the development of the project and will invite audience members to join a larger discussion on how oral history storytelling can support more inclusive futures and deeper community building across spaces.
ABSTRACT: How can oral histories actively resist stereotypes about specific places that have long been misunderstood, countering dominant narratives that are too often simplistic, inaccurate, and harmful? How can we honor the complexity of a displacement and migration stories, exploring layers of inequity, access, division, and belonging? And how can the act of storytelling, listening, and sharing provide opportunities for healing and community building for the future? These are some of the questions that we will explore in our interactive roundtable session, centered on the new oral history collection, “Beginning Again: Stories of Movement and Migration in Appalachia.” This colection amplifies the stories of twelve individuals who themselves (or their families before them) migrated to and within Appalachia. Editor Katy Powell will discuss how the region and its people have always been impacted by complex journeys of movement and migration–but these histories have been drowned out and hidden by popular misunderstandings. Stereotypes paint refugees and immigrants as a drain on resources—and rural Appalachians as monolithically poor, white, and backwards. Today, there is an expected Appalachian narrative and an expected refugee or immigrant narrative. “Beginning Again” rejects these harmful myths and instead focuses on shared resettlement experiences, presenting a nuanced portrait of life in contemporary Appalachia. Katy, along with a narrator from the book (TBD), will discuss the development of the books, including the values of relationship-building and trust that guided the years-long project. They will be joined in conversation by staff from Voice of Witness, a human rights oral history nonprofit that develops books and educational resources that explore issues of race-, gender-, and class-based inequity through the lens of personal narrative. Audience members will be invited to ask questions and share their own perspectives on how oral histories can be used as a tool for building more inclusive futures that honor complexity and champion the well-being of all.
