Poverty in Appalachia

Community Engagement

Class Notes

02-08-2012

Jim Ziliak: Labor Economist/ Professor at UK/ Quantitative studies to help reform policy for programs targeting poverty areas in the U.S.

He got the idea for his book because little work had been done by economist on the economic situation in Appalachia. He wanted to see if things had improved since the 1960s.

Poverty measurements: Same since the 1960s, adopted from a 1955 survey on American spending habits.

- How much did the typical family spend on food? (was 1/3 of income at that time, now about 15% of income)

- The $$ amount spend on food x 3 = poverty line

- There is no adjustment for the poverty line depending on where you live

In 1960 about 22% of Americans were poor – In Appalachia it was 50% of Americans were poor.

10 years later national poverty average went to 11-12% and its pretty much stayed there.

Central Appalachia: Eastern KY, Mississippi Delta, Rio Grand, Black Belt Region, and a few Native American reservations. All persistently poor, which means that more than 20% of people there are persistently below the poverty line.

Very different ethnically across different regions, but still persistently poor.

In order to keep young, educated people in central Appalachia, should the government invest in people or places?

-If we invest in a place who is going to benefit? If we invest in Harlem County, it might drive people into the region but make life there more difficult for the locals.

-When you invest in people, people become more mobile.

Provide affordable higher education there? : Convert University of Pikeville from private to public? Research shows that higher education institutions help local economies. Might not do much in the short run, but it may help in the long run.

KENTUCKIANS NEED TO TAKE CONTROL OF APPALACHIA KENTUCKY.

Leadership matters in “growing your own” projects.

Eastern KY is lacking initiative and leadership by the state of Kentucky. It needs support from the individuals at the top and push from the bottom.

Is marriage the solution to poverty? Strictly economically speaking…

-45% of births in the US are out of wedlock

-1 in 2 babies are born on the WICK program. A lot of poor babies

-Single headed families are likely to be poor.

Families structures explain a lot about poverty structures in a area overall

Education can combat economic inequality in Kentucky.

Short run in combating poverty: economic stimulus and government spending money.

Long run in combating poverty: Equipping people and community with the capacity to address and attack poverty. Education must start young – preschool is critical

WE MUST OVERCOME SENSE OF HOPLESSNESS FOR EASTERN KENTUCKY – IT’S A HUGE MISTAKE. THEY ARE AMERICANS. THEY ARE KENTUCKIANS.

Class Minutes 1-25

Community Engagement

Class Notes 1/25/2012

Sarah: folklorist

Folklore: The way we communicate as a community and pass things on; ythe study of what communities value.

Community: common place, theme, and interest

Door-to-Door Folklore Project:

Ways to meet people: Food is a big part of folklore research! Churches, community centers, community service project, nail salons, barber shops

Purpose: speak to people whose voices are not usually heard. Where are gaps in previous class research?

Looking at immigrant groups: What traditions did they bring with them here?

Steve: Urban anthologist/artist/activist

Art in community development plays a powerful role in helping us humanize people.

Obama has deported more immigrants than any other president.

Who is a DREAMER? Eligible for the Dream Act

Dream Act: Path toward legalization for any immigrant who came to the U.S. under the age of 16 and has served at least two years in the armed forces or attended college for two years. –eligible to apply at this point. After applying, the process would take at least 8 years to finalize.

There is danger in “drive-by activism”. What are you going to give back to the community?

When you go into research and development acknowledge power dynamics in place and build trust.

Be yourself and be honest. They will respect you for that.

Community Engagement

Class Minutes

1-18-2012

Grant Summary on North Limestone: Issues with water quality

Needs Identified:

Immediate reduction in stormwater runoff and thereby pollution

A plan for improving the stormwater runoff and sewer system developed by environmental experts that we as neighbors can pursue with further grant funding

Expert advice about stormwater system improvement

Support and experience in engaging and educating the community

Solutions:

Installation of 30 rain barrels with soaker hoses to reduce runoff and use water effectively

Establishment of 40 native species plants in neighborhood rain gardens and/or other residential/business landscaping.

Professional stormwater planning, design, and management consulting services from EcoGro

Professional evaluation, design, and consulting to create a detailed project-oriented sustainability plan for the area of North Limestone and Loudon area.

Project manager with local marketing business as partner to maintain effective communication with residents

Community tours of progress (including rain gardens)

Goals of a neighborhood association: Deal with environmental, economic, housing, and landscaping issues

Rich Schein:

Schein was inspired to explore Lexington’s landscape after moving here from reading the book The Urban Frontier by Richard Wade The book explains how agriculture and urbanization grew up hand-in-hand, and describes slavery in Lexington, KY.

Cultural Landscapes….

Record of our urban past

Hold individual and collective identities

Make urban processes seem normal and natural

Allow us to change urban processes

Ways to look at landscape:

Landscape history: Who made it and why? When did they make it?

What the landscape means: to identity- to the individual and the society

The landscape as facilitator/mediator: particular political, social, economic, and cultural intention and debate

Landscape as discourse materialized

Landscape as identity and belonging: Cadentown, Lyric Theater, stone fences, etc.

Thoroughbred Park: Isaac Murphy Memorial Garden

Class, race, and gender are ALWAYS a part of the landscape.

Legacies:

Hampton Court on 3^rd Street: gate locked shut with Hampton Court on one side and Smith Town (black community) on the other side.

Legacies in landscape can physically affect the way we view things.

Lexington Developing Urban Form:

Original plat and “unsegregation”: Lexington was a grid with lots of lots. Homes from this period had slave quarters- blacks and whites lived side by side in close proximity

Alley life as segue to: Began the separation of whites and blacks. Black people often lived in alleys off of main streets. Big/small houses. Brick/wood houses.

The “towns” and agglomeration: Lexington by 20^th century was about 87% white and 13% black. Neighborhoods where free slaves gathered became known as “towns” and were mostly located on the outskirts of the city.

Formal Apartheid: Jim Crow (1907) Whites are no longer OK with living in close proximity to blacks. Do not want alleys with black populations behind their homes

Clearance, renewal, gentrification

The macro segregated city

Check out Ed Franklin’s dolls for inspiration on his Facebook page!