Beginning Again
Stories of Movement and Migration in Appalachia
Appalachia has been a place of movement and migration—for individuals, families, and entire communities—for centuries.
Beginning Again brings together twelve narratives of refugees, migrants, and generations-long residents that explore complex journeys of resettlement. In their stories, Appalachia is not simply a monolithic region of poverty and strife, populated only by white people. It is a diverse place where belonging and connection are created despite displacement, resource extraction, and inequality.
Although resettlement is not new in the region, popular misunderstandings often perpetuate stereotypes of refugees and immigrants as a drain on resources—and rural Appalachians as backwards. Beginning Again adds to the growing body of works that counter damaging myths of the region.
Taken together, the stories collected here present a nuanced look at life in contemporary Appalachia.
With an introduction by Nikki Giovanni, Beginning Again: Stories of Movement and Migration in Appalachia was published by Voice of Witness and Haymarket Books and edited by Katrina M. Powell. Purchase the book at www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2229-beginning-again.
