Mountain Justice Summer, 2007

So I spent Wednesday night to Sunday up at Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center, camping out with tons of other folks involved with Mountain Justice Summer 2007. It was a wonderful four nights, five days with a pretty diverse group of people. It was amazing how well everybody got along. We had lots of workshops and trainings on mountain top removal issues, climate change, direct action, non violence/civil disobedience, media work, mountain music, plant identification, Appalachian history, etc. It was wonderful! There were wonderful impromptu swims in a nearby TVA lake (we were near Washburn, Tennessee), and the temperature was JUST right. We had magnificent food all week, (thanks to Joe and Scott, field cooks extraordinaire) and great music (For the Long Haul, Mountain Women Rising, Jake Legged Stompers, and the talent show wonders). I met so many wonderful young people (and older folks too) who were driven with strong minds and hearts for the mountains of Appalachia. I was inspired at the eagerness and willingness by the group, and motivated by the critique and dialogue concerning the movement.

I have upped my commitment to working to end mountain top removal as a result of this past week. I am hoping to continue to find creative ways to bring mountain top removal issues to the forefront of the minds of those I interact with, and hope to find new mediums to deliver this message. I also am looking forward to serving MJS Virginia is multiple ways this summer. Some great photographs, taken by Liz Veazey, can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/mountainjustice/

I will post on the CCC/KKK rally we attended in Knoxville at a later date. I'm still processing all the emotions I had in confronting the racism and fear that I am insulated from in my everyday life. It was very disturbing.