Photovoice Exhibitions Well Covered By Local and Statewide Media

After eight months of work, Photovoice exhibitions were held in the Clay Center in Charleston and in or near the participants homeplaces the Boone County communities of Bim and the Big Coal River area (around Seth and Prenter), the Lincoln County community of Harts, Lenore in Mingo County, and the Cabin Creek area of Kanawha County.

Local and statewide media covered many of the exhibitions.

An April 2, a Coal Valley News article by Joanie Newman noted that Prenter (Boone County) resident Maria Lambert had taken several photographs on exhibit, including "The Changing of the Water Filter," which shows two filters one sparkling white and the other a deep black in contrast.

An April 4 Williamson Daily News article by Julia Roberts Goad reported that Lenore (Mingo County) resident Donna Branham is a community activist who hopes her photo story will bring people together.

"I am glad the community did this," she said. "I think this collection is magnificent. Maybe other people will get involved when they see these pictures."

Martha Sparks with the Logan Banner reported on the Harts area exhibit on April 30. She wrote that Kay Tomblin took photographs of a "mine blowout" on her property, where orange mud and water flooded down her hillside.

West Virginia Public Radio broadcasted a story about Photovoice on May 1. Reporter Erica Peterson noted that Brenda Farris has protested mountaintop removal operations, but found that her photographs work just as well in raising awareness.

"I wasnt going to do this project," Farris said over the airwaves. "Through my photos maybe I could get some of the message out whats going on around us."