It’s been about a month since I’ve been in McDowell County, and I’m itching to go back. But I’m loving the updates that Elaine and the rest of the team are putting out every day, every hour even.
One new development that’s taken place since I was down in early July is that the community storytelling has really taken off in the past few weeks. A aspect of the project that was slow to start is now producing some amazing results. Team members are blogging and posting about the amazing stories kids and adults of the community alike are sharing.
Who better to tell their stories but the people themselves?
When Elaine approached me about coming on board with this project, I became nostalgic about the citizen media initiative I had launched in Tucker County, W.Va., during my time as an AmeriCorps VISTA. It was great to see the youth of that area take interest in the stories that could be told. Energizing a community and getting them engaged was part of Elaine’s plan, and it seems to be working.
After a month in McDowell County, the kids and teens in the area seem to be telling their stories. Check out the story that McDowell Countians Tyler and Nathan worked on recently. The organic conversation about their home is the type of “magic” we like to see come from these community storytellers and videographers.
