Beyond Hillbilly Elegy: Understanding Appalachia’s Continuing Struggles
Having grown up as a ninth generation Appalachian and becoming the fifth generation of his family to mine coal, Nick Mullins spent most of his life grappling with the economic adversity and labor rights issues in the region. In this presentation, Mullins takes audiences on a journey through his personal story and family history to contextualize Appalachia’s struggles through westward expansion, reconstruction, industrialization, and the natural resource curse plaguing the region. From unethical land grabs to resource scarcity, labor strikes, and resource poor public education systems, Mullins shows that Appalachia’s struggle with poverty is not based upon a “degenerate” people, but rather the tremendous economic forces that are forever shaping the region. Audiences will come away with a better understanding of Appalachia as a microcosm to our nation’s resource demands and the externalized costs still being paid in Appalachia and throughout the world.
A Coal Miner’s Perspective on Energy and Climate Change
Is human caused climate change real? According to the fossil fuel industry, and employees dependent upon their wages, climate change is an international conspiracy concocted by wealthy liberals seeking to cash in on a lucrative “green energy” boom. But many of us know differently. How do we convince the rest of the population that climate change is real and has serious consequences for generations to come?
In this presentation, Mullins mixes his blue collar perspectives as an Appalachian coal miner with basic scientific concepts to help audiences understand fossil fuel formation, extraction, and over use, providing logical evidence and staggering statistics that challenges the rhetoric of even the staunches climate change deniers.
Environmental Backlash in Appalachia
When Mullins left the mining industry to join the movement against mountain top removal mining, he joined a group of amazing individuals seeking environmental justice in mountain communities. Mullins eventually made his way to Berea College where he hoped to expand his knowledge and become a more effective advocate for his mountain home. But along the way, Mullins became increasingly aware of the cultural conflicts occurring between well meaning environmental activists and mountain communities caught in a jobs vs. environment dichotomy. In this presentation, Mullins takes audiences through his realizations of the culture war that erupted and its political consequences, providing insight into the many do’s and don’ts regarding grassroots organizing in underserved communities.
Presentations are not limited to the topics listed. Feel free to reach out regarding additional content specific to your organization’s interests.