2023 West Virginia Learning Journey
From October 1 - October 3, the SWF team traveled to Huntington, West Virginia, for a two-day learning journey with our Values-Based Partner, Coalfield Development. The team visited 4 of Coalfield’s locations, connected with staff members, and led carpentry and civic arts workshops with the Coalfield Team. The trip was an important connection point for both organizations and resonated with both teams. Read more about SWF’s “Learning Journey to West Virginia”.
Background | Sweet Water Foundation + Coalfield Connection
Sweet Water Foundation first connected with Coalfield Development during ArtPlace America’s Arts, Culture, and Workforce Development Working Group convening at The Commonwealth in January of 2020. The convening gathered a diverse group of more than 35 workforce leaders, policymakers, investors, researchers, artists, and community activists in a half-day experience focusing on how arts and culture can be used to enhance workforce development programs. One of the participants was the Founder and CEO of Coalfield Development, Brandon Dennison. The work of SWF resonated with Brandon, and the two groups have stayed connected through SWF's Values-Based Partners network, which includes 77 people across 12 cities/areas. Members of the Coalfield Development team have been consistent partners -- attending monthly calls and visiting The Commonwealth for the 2022 VBP Convening and Juneteenth Celebration. After three years of connection, the SWF team was finally able to visit Coalfield Development in October 2023 for a two-day learning journey at their various sites in West Virginia.
West Virginia + Chicago Commonalities
Despite numerous differences (geographical, political, history, economy and number of people), Huntington, WV, and Chicago, IL, also share many commonalities. The same rail companies and rail cars drive and cut through the land, producing the same types of pollution. Where Chicago no longer has large factories in abundance, the same exploitation of nature, human capital, and labor happens in both places. Equally, humans at both organizations are pushing for a shift in the economic paradigm, seeking to heal the land and its people, turning “wastes” into resources, and recognizing and valuing the labor and materials it takes to do the daily work to shift the paradigm. These similarities and differences anchor us in humanity.
A Learning Journey to West Virginia
The SWF team arrived on Sunday evening, shared a meal with Coalfield team members, discussed the shared context of Huntington and Chicago, and reviewed the plan for the journey ahead. On Monday, we traveled across the region to visit three of Coalfield’s sites which were situated ~2 hours away from each other. Coalfield Development has multiple sites across West Virginia and is separated by the Appalachian Mountains.
The first location was Coalfield’s Highwall Project site in Mingo County. The shape and ecology of the Highwall site is the result of mountaintop removal - a vicious coal mining method that decimates and flattens the top of a mountain, eradicating all life (plants and animals) in the process, for the sole purpose of extracting coal quickly. The process is destructive and completely removed from nature. At Highwall, the Coalfield Development teams are working to regenerate the mountaintop through rotational grazing, farming, and building. The Coalfield team shared the practices they use for restoring the mountain - incorporating animals (pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, etc.) into the restoration of the soil on the mountain.
The next stop was Fort Gay High School, which closed as a high school in 1987 and was converted to a middle school until the school was closed in 2013, as many schools in West Virginia were consolidated. School closures, similar to closures in Chicago, impacted commute times, left school buildings vacant and by changing the the proximity of families to schools, eliminated a cultural center in the towns/neighborhoods. Coalfield teams are working to transform the vacant school into a multi-purpose building that includes housing. The team also visited West Edge Factory - formerly a garment factory that was closed. The SWF team toured the building, including a large printmaking shop, wood workshop, food storage facility, and space for local artists-in-residence to create and display their work, along with a Black Box Theater that is in construction. Day 1 ended with a reflection between SWF and Coalfield teams, followed by rest.
On Day 2, we got to work! We met at West Edge for hands-on carpentry and art workshops with members of the Coalfield team. The day started with the transformation of wastes into resources with a carpentry Build-It Workshop during which the teams built SWF’s Pallet Chair. We deconstructed pallets, bound for the waste stream, and transformed them into pallet chairs. This was the first introduction to carpentry and building for members of the Coalfield agriculture team. For members of Coalfield’s carpentry teams, building a chair from pallets usually thrown away was an inspiration that demonstrated the possibility of transforming wastes into resources in a short amount of time.
Following the carpentry workshop, SWF shared three Civic Arts activities with the Coalfield team - nature weaving, nature printing, and weaving on a hand-made, stick loom - all using natural materials (leaves, sticks, plants, etc.) found the previous day at Highwall and around other areas in West Virginia. Similar to the carpentry workshop, for many of the Coalfield team members, this was their first opportunity to participate in art-making at work.
The entire Sweet Water Team enjoyed the visit to West Virginia and is grateful to Coalfield Development, for sharing their work and showing us their spaces. We look forward to future collaborations.
