Statewide

Women Who Run: At New Story, a Dream Team of West Virginian Women in Elected Office

06.13.17

Photo from Wendy Scatterday for City Council campaign facebook page.

New Story has attracted some pretty amazing people from all corners of Appalachia.

But I think our session on Women Who Run For Office boasts probably the most impressive lineup.

West Virginia State Delegate Barbara Fleischeur;
Morgantown City Councilor Jenny Selin;
Morgantown City Councilor-elect Rachel Fetty;
Former West Virginia State Delegate Charlene Marshall;
First term Wheeling City Councilor Wendy Scatterday;
Candidate for Mayor of Charleston Amy Goodwin; and
Ohio County Board of Education member Sarah Koegler.

These smart and passionate women have all put their hands up to share their thoughts and experiences on running for elected office, the unique challenges that women face as candidates and leaders, and what the gender imbalance in decision making means for West Virginia.

If you are thinking of run for office, whatever your gender, this is a pretty remarkable opportunity to pick the brains of some of Appalachia’s most savvy, passionate and insightful women.

Though women constitute 51 percent of the state’s population, they make up only 13 percent of the West Virginia State Legislature.

Oh, and it’s free. (How good is New Story, right?)

Almost 300 people have already registered to attend. Join them – here’s the registration page with all the info: newstory17.splashthat.com

Though women constitute 51 percent of the state’s population, they make up only 13 percent of the West Virginia State Legislature.

It is not hard to imagine the effect that this woeful misrepresentation in who holds the power in West Virginia has on the decisions that impact our everyday lives, including our public health, schools, and justice systems, critical budget decisions, and funding for essential human services.

We need more women (and more young people, colored people, low-income people and other underrepresented groups) shaping the direction of our state.

New Story is proud to be part of a bigger movement to make that happen.

Don’t miss it. Register now: newstory17.splashthat.com

The Clock is Ticking, West Virginia. Are You Registered and Ready?

06.13.17

If you are one of the more than 300 people that have already registered for New Story this Friday and Saturday, kudos to you. Put your feet up.

(Of course, if you’re not one of the more than 300 people already registered for New Story, you better get on that.)

Here’s some last minute info about parking, food and directions etc, to make sure you’re good to go.

WHERE TO GO

WVU’s Reed College of Media Innovation Center is on the 4th Floor of the Evansdale Crossings building, next to the Rec’ Center off Patteson Drive. Here’s the link to google maps directions to the building.

PARKING

There’s a few options.

Parking at the Coliseum (basketball stadium) at 3450 Monongahela Blvd is free. It is about a 400 meter walk from the Coliseum parking lot to the Evansdale Crossings building.

Parking in the 2 Short Term (ST) lots closest to the Evansdale Crossings building (ST 4 and ST 9) is $1.25/hour.

Parking in ST 1, about 100 yards closer to Patteson Drive, is 50c/hour.

Here’s WVU’s map of parking options.

And here’s information about accessibility parking at WVU.

FOOD

You’re responsible for keeping yourself sufficiently fed and happy in the belly during New Story.

The restaurants on the ground floor of Evansdale Crossings will be open from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Friday, and will be closed on Saturday.

So we’re bringing in some local mobile food businesses to give you some options before and during the Happy Hour.

On Friday from 4:30 – 7:30, Cody Thrasher’s Hash Browns & New Grounds and Clarksburg’s own My Little Cupcake (also serving pepperoni rolls, cookies and some gluten-free options) will be parked outside the center.

We are working on bringing in other food trucks for Saturday lunch. Stay tuned to our facebook and twitter feeds between now and Friday for updates.

From Evansdale Crossings you are a short walk (or very short drive) from a number of food options including Black Bear Burritos (yay!), Beanery American Grill and the standard chain options (booo!).

Repeating the key point: we won’t be feeding you at New Story, but we will provide some options to buy food on site. Please plan your tucker accordingly.

UPDATES

We’ll be emailing everyone who has registered tomorrow morning with this info.

But we’ll also be using The Hub’s facebook and twitter feeds to share New Story info in the next few days. So make sure you like and follow us (links in previous sentence) so you don’t miss any important updates.

If you haven’t registered yet, time is running out. We’ll have to close the (virtual) doors on Wednesday night.

New Story is free.

For more information about the sessions, and to register now, visit: newstory17.splashthat.com/

Out In The South Gathering Begins Creation of Third Space For Queer Folk in Appalachia

06.02.17

Photo from Out in the South: Central Appalachia, in Charleston on May 23.

All of us Hubbers are often involved in community events and organizing in our own communities, outside of our roles with The Hub.

I am no different. I have been involved with The STAY Project as a member since July 2016 and as a Steering Committee Member since November 2016. In my role with STAY, I worked to recruit folks to the recent Out in the South: Central Appalachia convening that happened in Charleston on May 23, in partnership with the Appalachian Community Fund.

The goal of this convening was to pull together queer folks, and organizations that serve queer folks, in West Virginia to talk about the bright spots and not so bright spots that we recognize in our communities as queer people.

In the two years that I’ve lived in West Virginia I have relentlessly sought out a physical space where queer folks gather, and until Tuesday I was not satisfied.

There were folks in the room of all ages – from high school students to older adults. There were folks from Roane County, Fayette County, Raleigh County, Boone County, Mingo County, Kanawha County, and maybe more. There were lesbians, gay men, bisexual folks, trans folks, allies, and more. And everyone had something different to say about their community.

For me, the most important community I’m a part of doesn’t hold a physical space – it’s people. It’s the people who make me feel loved, valued, safe, and whole – all things that sometimes can’t be found in a physical space.

In the two years that I’ve lived in West Virginia I have relentlessly sought out a physical space where queer folks gather, and until Tuesday I was not satisfied.

I recognized that we all go through very similar challenges, but because we are rural folks, and because we are so spread out from one another, we often get stuck by obstacles in our way.

But in this space where we can talk, exist in solidarity, and organize, that’s how we can move forward.

It’s not that different from community development for a physical community. You have to get together face to face, recognize the obstacles in your way, and develop a plan to address those obstacles. That’s building power, and without power you can’t organize, and if you can’t organize you can’t change things.

I hope that folks will continue to advocate for that third space to gather, organize, and build power.

I so enjoyed the opportunity to convene with so many beautiful people. I enjoyed hearing their stories, seeing them smile, and building a community just in that room.

I hope that folks will continue to advocate for that third space to gather, organize, and build power.

I’m also going to insert a shameless plug for The STAY Project, an organization that was founded specifically for the purpose of creating safe spaces for young Central Appalachians to gather, organize, plan, and advocate for safer, more inclusive, and healthier communities.

This organization changed my life y’all. It gave me access to that non-physical community that I never knew existed, right here at home. It gave me the opportunity to step up and be an organizer for young queer folks in West Virginia and Central Appalachia. It also gave me the opportunity to shine under pressure, to learn networking and leadership skills from other young leaders, and much more.

If the kind of stuff I’ve talked about in this blog post sounds like your jam, check out The STAY Project on social media and their website.

And they are holding their Summer Institute in West Virginia this year! So if you are 14-30 years old and living in Central Appalachia, join them at the Appalachian South Folk Life Center July 6-9 in Pipestem, West Virginia.

This September, Young West Virginians Hatching Their Own Plans for Change

05.16.17

Photo by www.facebook.com/youngwvconference/

My experience at the Young West Virginia Power Building Conference in 2016 was amazing.

I had never presented at a conference, let alone on research that I had done. I went into the conference very nervous because I did not know what to expect, but after meeting other hosts and the coordinators my nervousness subsided and I was ready to go!

I had a room full of high school students, Marshall Students and community members who were very excited to learn from the different workshops. They were very inquisitive and were very willing to take action in any way that they could. I was able to learn a lot from the different workshops, too, and from the questions asked by the audience.

I never at any point felt like I was alone or lost. This conference created a network of leaders who are eager to educate the community.

Everyone that I encountered from registration to presenting, and even a year later, has been very friendly, helpful, and eager to learn.

I never at any point felt like I was alone or lost. I was able to meet several amazing individuals that I have had the pleasure of working with after the conference and that I am still in contact with.

This conference created a network of leaders who are eager to educate the community by presenting on topics near and dear to them.

To anyone who is interested I would recommend presenting at this year’s Young West Virginia Power Building Conference, happening Sept 8 – 10 at Marshall. It is an amazing experience that will stick with you for a very long time.

All the information about attending the conference, or applying to host a workshop is here. The deadline for workshop proposals is June 2.

If your proposal is accepted you will be assigned a coach to help you think through your presentation to ensure its interactive and informative.

Hello, Jada

“We Are The People Working in the Background” – Why VISTA Do What They Do.

05.16.17

Photo by Volunteer West Virginia

From the moment an individual makes the decision that they want to become an AmeriCorps VISTA, they are choosing to enhance their personal and professional growth experience.

Working with an organization for the betterment of a community, dedicating yourself to a VISTA term makes a lasting impression on who you are as an individual, and what you are capable of accomplishing personally and professionally.

Dedicating yourself to a VISTA term makes a lasting impression on who you are as an individual, and what you are capable of accomplishing personally.

In making the conscious decision to live on the poverty line wage of the area in which they serve, VISTA are granted a humbling experience in which to learn, grow and flourish.

The services we provide as VISTA are as valuable and rewarding to the communities and organizations we serve as they are to ourselves.

We are given opportunities to build our personal and professional networks, learn new skills (like writing a blog post!), tap into skills we already possess (whether we knew it or not) and build on them, and experience a professional work environment. And when faced with challenges we’re able to heighten our critical and logical thinking process and problem solving skills.

And we are able to see the success of our labor come to fruition, in the form of successful programs, our social media and website pages reaching new people, communities creating more events to be physically active, artistic and environmentally friendly, and watching communities find their footing and realize that the success and quality of life of their community lies with them.

So, there are many great qualities to be gained from a year-long term of volunteering that you cannot put a price on.

We are the people working in the background.

We build character in humbling ourselves through our service, obtain knowledge in truly understanding the struggles of West Virginia’s communities that exist throughout the entire state, gain insight and confidence into ourselves and our capabilities, develop gratitude for our communities and the people within it working to make changes, and wisdom in learning where we can make a difference.

We take pride in our work and our passion drives us to better West Virginia. We are the people working in the background, assisting organizations and communities to recognize their assets and potential to increase their quality of life.

Hi, Breanna

Cool Stuff Made By Local Folks – Hello, Experience West Virginia

05.12.17

Photo by The Hub

In August of 2016, Brittany Anderson and Amanda Cunningham launched a group called Create Bridgeport/Clarksburg.

The two community organizers spent months in weekly “open to all” community meetings, speaking with residents from North Central West Virginia.

Among the many ideas and issues being shared, they noticed one consistent theme. Residents, business owners, and event organizers felt it was a challenge to reach their audience while the audience expressed they were having a difficulty finding them.

Amanda says word of mouth was how they got their insider tips on good things to do, and places to stay.

“Now we rely on local and state news sites, Facebook, and much more” she says. “By the time we piece together all the events happening around our state and local communities it’s usually after the events have taken place.”

And so these two ambitious young locals launched Experience West Virginia, an online platform that aims to connect and engage residents and state visitors with fun local & statewide events, community meetings and special business offerings.

The statewide community calendar focuses on big and small events in each region. If you have an event, special promotion or non-profit meeting, you can post it there.

“There is no lack of creative business owners in our state,” Brittany says. “However, there is a lack of consistent, easy-to-use centralized communication that promotes the efforts of these individuals and what they have to offer on a local scale.”

Learn more about Experience West Virginia at www.experiencewestvirginia.com, or email info.expwv@gmail.com for more information.

“Out In The South” Gathering For LGBTQ+ Coming To Charleston, May 23

05.10.17

The STAY (Stay Together Appalachian Youth) Project has played an important role in the lives of many young Appalachians in the past six years.

STAY’s mission is to serve as a diverse regional network of young people working together to create, advocate for and participate in safe, sustainable, engaging and inclusive communities throughout Appalachia and beyond.

STAY members are hard at work advocating in their communities all across the region, and you can find them engaging other young people in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

But we’d like to highlight the special opportunities that West Virginians will have to engage with The STAY Project this year.

A big part of STAY’s work this year has been to organize queer gatherings in almost every state they represent – the Out in the South Initiative: Central Appalachia Gathering Series.

Now, it’s West Virginia’s turn.

In Charleston on May 23, Out in the South will bring queer folk of all ages together with organizations that serve queer folk for an opportunity to connect, celebrate, share stories and resources, and connect the dots between apparent needs and sources of LGBTQ+ funding.

Organizations planning to attend include: the Straight & Gay Alliance of Charleston, Planned Parenthood, Fairness WV, Covenant House, and others. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Courtney Roark at 606-344-2038.

Ready to register? Do it online here!

Out in the South in Virginia, April 2017.

The STAY Project’s most well known event is the STAY Summer Institute (SSI), an annual gathering of all STAY members, where a bunch of folks get together for youth leadership development, celebration, and collective learning and growth.

SSI rotates to a new state in the region every year. This year the institute will be hosted in West Virginia!

This summer, STAY members will gather at the Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem, July 6 – 9, where they will engage new members and bring new people into their network.

Are you between the ages of 14 and 30? Do you live in central Appalachia? Register for SSI 2017 here!

To learn more about STAY, you can become a member here. You can also connect with the organization on Facebook here, and find STAY on Instagram and Twitter @stayproject.

In Beckley, Empowering More Women to Run For Elected Office

04.27.17

Photo by West Virginia Legislative Photography/Perry Bennett

Are you working class? A woman? A person of color? Under the age of 34?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, your state and local elected officials do not proportionately represent you.

Women, who account for 51 percent of West Virginia’s total population, comprise a mere 13.4 percent of the 2017 West Virginia State Legislature.

West Virginians ages 18 to 34 comprise 20 percent of the Mountain State’s population. Prior to the 2016 election, this demographic held less than 5 percent of seats in the statehouse. Today, 18 to 34 year olds hold 16 seats in the state legislative body, or almost 12 percent, a significant increase but still not adequately representative.

The West Virginia Candidate Training Academy helps people get more engaged in the political process, running local campaigns, and vying for elected office.

In 2014, less than 3 percent of the legislature was comprised of people of color; however, people of color account for 6 percent of West Virginia’s population.

And more than half – 52 percent – of West Virginia’s population is comprised of low-income workers, yet this population accounted for less than 5 percent of the 2014 Legislature.

At the same time as older white males dominate elected in office in West Virginia, many of the seats they occupy are uncontested in elections. Data gathered by StateofOurCommunities.org, a research project of The Hub, shows that 29 percent of city council seats in West Virginia’s 10 largest cities were won in uncontested races in the latest cycle of local elections between 2014 and 2016.

With the recognition that running for office can be intimidating for many people, a group of savvy West Virginians got together and created the West Virginia Candidate Training Academy a few years ago with a mission of training people to get more engaged in the political process, running local campaigns, and vying for elected office.

The Candidate Training Academy aims to compel those who wouldn’t traditionally run for elected office to explore the option. Their trainings covers real, practical information that people need to run a successful campaign. Over the course of eight hours, participants will learn how to craft stump speeches, the costs associated with running a campaign, communication methods, fundraising strategies, and more.

You don’t have to be a seasoned politico to run for office and win in West Virginia.

Of the 108 folks that took part in the Candidate Training Academy in 2015, 35 ran for elected office in 2016, and 11 were successful in their bids for elected office.

The Candidate Training Academy is strictly nonpartisan; no political party, ideology, or platform will be promoted. The 2017 Academy will make its debut this Saturday in Morgantown with a candidate training by and for women! Interested? Register here!

Active Week WV in West Central WV

04.22.17

To be held April 23 through 29, Active Week West Virginia is a week in which businesses, organizations, schools, communities and other groups across the state will host events and activities that promote physical activity.

Our hope is that this week can be a statewide campaign, shared by everyone with skin in the physical activity and public health game.

In the last few weeks I have been highlighting events in each region of the state. This week I will highlight West Central West Virginia. (To see what’s happening in North Central WV, Southern WV, and the Eastern & Northern Panhandles check out those blogs or visit activeweekwv.com)

What’s Happening in West Central WV

West Central WV covers Mason, Jackson, Roane, Clay, Calhoun, Ritchie, Pleasants, Wood, and Wirt.

We have 3 events happening in West Central WV during Active Week WV, ranging from a kids fishing tournament to a new fit trail reveal and bicycle ride. There’s something for all skill and fitness levels. Some are free and all are kid friendly.

I encourage you to go to activeweekwv.com and pick out your favorite activity to engage with, one you’ve never tried, and one you can take a friend or family member along to.

When you participate, don’t forget to share it with us using #ActiveWeekWV

Featured Activity

Our #ActiveWeekWV featured activity is the Fit-Pit Ribbon Cutting & Bike Ride happening 4/29 in Harmon Park hosted by the Point Pleasant Bike Trail.

Photo courtesy of Point Pleasant Bike Trail

Participate and share!

We want you to share with us and your friends and family when you participate in Active Week WV!

When you attend and participate in an Active Week WV event from our events page snap a picture and share it on your social media using #ActiveWeekWV

Even if you aren’t able to participate in one of the official events listed on our website we hope you’ll still make a conscious effort to get out and get active! The physical activity recommendation for kids is 60 minutes per day and 150 minutes per week for adults (easily broken down to 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week).

Hop on your local rail trail, take your first family float trip of the year, pick up trash in your local park, or participate in one of the awesome events hosted by organizations across the state.

Whatever you do, get active! And we would love to see you, your family, and friends being active so snap lots of pictures and share them with us.

If you have questions about any of the events, feel free to contact me at c.roark@wvhub.org

Happy moving!

And Now, For Some Good News… West Virginia Passes New Laws To Help Fight Blight

04.18.17

Photo of the Waldo Building, Clarksburg, by kingstonlounge.blogspot.com

In the last Legislative Hubbub, we featured a few bills related to downtown redevelopment and dilapidated buildings that were still alive and kicking after Crossover Day.

Here’s the rundown on how those bills played out during the last few weeks of the 2017 regular legislative session.

First, the good news…

SB 441 – Expanding Home Rule

Originally scheduled to terminate in 2019, the Municipal Home Rule Program is now a permanent program thanks to the passage of Senate Bill 441.

Any municipality that is current on its state fees is eligible to become a Home Rule community as of July 1.

This is great news for municipalities of all sizes looking to implement innovative, local solutions to banish blight in their communities. A number of Home Rule ordinances have become statewide statutes due to their success at the local level, including vacant property registration programs.

Municipalities that were part of the pilot program can rest assured that the provisions they enacted will continue.

Perhaps more exciting, there is no longer a cap on the number of communities that may participate in the program. Any municipality that is current on its state fees is eligible to become a Home Rule community as of July 1, 2017.

In order to apply, a municipality must submit a written plan to the Municipal Home Rule Board that includes:

The specific policies that prevent the municipality from carrying out its duties in the most cost-efficient, effective, and timely manner;
The problems created by the policies; and
The proposed solutions to the problems, including all proposed changes to policies.

To learn more about the Municipal Home Rule Program, check out the West Virginia Development Office’s website.

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HB 2109 – Land Reuse Agencies & Municipal Land Banks

Passed late on the last day of session, House Bill 2109 amends the Land Reuse Agency Authorization Act, established in 2014 in an effort to more easily redevelop tax-delinquent property.

HB 2019 provides a “municipal land bank” — essentially an entity created by a municipality to address issues related to vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent property — with the same powers as a land reuse agency.

The legislation grants municipal land banks and land reuse agencies with the right of first refusal — the authority to bid before the public at tax sales.

More importantly, the legislation grants municipal land banks and land reuse agencies with the right of first refusal — the authority to bid before the public at tax sales.

Unfortunately, the authority can only be exercised to purchase tax-delinquent property with an assessed value of less than $25,000, or tax-delinquent property that has been condemned.

The right of first refusal is an important funding stream for land banks across the country. While the legislative passage of right of first refusal in any iteration is a win, until the bill goes into effect it’s unclear how effective HB 2109 will be at providing a funding stream for municipal land banks and land reuse agencies.

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And now the not-so-good…

SB 238 – Increasing Tax Credits for Certified Historic Structures

Unfortunately, Senate Bill 238, which would have increase the rate of West Virginia’s historic rehabilitation tax credit from 10 percent to 25 percent, did not complete legislation despite receiving widespread support and having strong advocates in both chambers.

The bill passed the Senate, 34 – 0, and passed the House with amendments introduced in House Finance, 90 – 8. Unfortunately, the Senate and House were unable to resolve the differences between their respective versions of the bill during a conference committee.

Our “glass half full” view is that the Revitalize West Virginia’s Downtowns Coalition has laid the groundwork to increase the historic rehab tax credit in a future legislative session.

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SB 480 – Local Energy Efficiency Partnership Act (LEEP)

Another good bill that didn’t make it past Crossover Day is Senate Bill 480, which would have lowered small business’ operating costs and promoted job growth by helping to expand energy efficient businesses.

SB 480 passed the Senate unanimously, 34 – 0. However, it did not make it out of House Government Organizations.

Through the LEEP Act, local building owners would have been able to finance and complete energy efficient upgrades on their commercial buildings through a partnership with the local government and a financial institution.

While the door may have closed on the 2017 regular session, there’s always next year.

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Drop me a line if you have any suggestions for legislation that should be introduced in 2018 around dilapidated buildings or downtown redevelopment.

And, if you’re looking for a new opportunity, remember The Hub is currently searching for a Community Development Policy Coordinator and an Abandoned Property Coalition VISTA.

Both the Coordinator and the VISTA will advance The Hub’s work around downtown redevelopment, dilapidated property mitigation, creative placemaking, and community-based policy.