Appalshop on PBS NewsHour

Did you catch the feature about us on PBS NewsHour on April 9? Recently, Jeffrey Brown and his team from PBS NewsHour stopped by Letcher County for a visit to see how we are recovering from the 2022 flood. While the floodwaters receded nearly two years ago, the recovery process is much, much longer. But we are still here!

We are safely working out of a temporary office in Jenkins, Kentucky, and also have offices on Main Street in Whitesburg. While we create a long-term space we can share with the community, we have had to narrow the focus to not only what is possible but also what is most important. 

Currently, our work centers around amplifying unheard voices in our region. We have our new AppalHealth initiative collecting health stories from Black Appalachian communities, Archive is mapping Black churches in the region, the Film Department has a film-in-progress on what it looks like to be unhoused in rural areas, we’ve released All Is Not Lost on the flood, and—of course—June Appal has a new album, No Options: Hip-Hop in Appalachia, which will be out very soon!

We are also continuing to add our 55-year film catalog to YouTube. Subscribe and click the bell for “all” to be sure you are notified with each addition. This week’s feature is Tom Hansell’s 2002 film Coal Bucket Outlaw.

We couldn’t do this important work without you. Thank you!

Calling All Southwest Virginians

Are you from in or around Southwest Virginia? Would you like your photo in a new music video?

We are accepting submissions of photos of couples in and around Southwest Virginia in front of any and all signs that say "Virginia is for lovers." These photos will be used in a music video we are producing with staff member and musician Joshua Outsey for one of his new songs. If you'd like to participate, all you need to do is fill out this form!