Beginning Again

Appalachia has been a place of movement and migrationfor individuals, families, and entire communitiesfor centuries.Beginning Againbrings together twelve narratives of refugees, migrants, and generations-long residents that explore complex journeys of resettlement. In their stories, Appalachiadespite how its popularly portrayedis not simply a region of poverty and strife populated only by white people. It is a diverse place where belonging and connection are created despite displacement, resource extraction, and inequality.Among the narratives included:Hear fromClaudine Katete, a Rwandan asylum seeker raised in refugee camps who graduated college into the chaos of COVID-19. FollowAmalas she and her family fled war-ravaged Syria and navigated mice-infested housing and unresponsive case workers.Listen toMekyah Davis, born and raised in Big Stone Gap, as he describes the slow burn of everyday racism and his efforts to organize Black Appalachian youth to stay in their communities. Taken together, their stories and more collected here present a nuanced look at life in contemporary Appalachia.