Matt Eich's ProposalCarry Me Ohio Pushed to the fringes of American society are communities in Appalachia marginalized by poverty, which has forged their culture and lifestyle since the early 1900s. The Appalachian region was once defined by extractive industries such as coal, salt, clay, and timber. However, by the 1970s, most of these industries had closed down or moved on leaving regions such as rural southeastern Ohio stripped of the natural resources that once provided employment and a way of life for residents. Those who remain often drive more than an hour to work with many supplementing their income however they can, through legitimate or illegitimate means. Historically, corporations with little vested interest in the long-term prosperity of the region have exploited both the environment and the people of Appalachia. Four of the Appalachian Regional Commission's most distressed counties in the country lie within this area of Ohio. Driving down the main drag of any given town one can easily visualize what it might have been. The rough-hewn streets are lined with telltale signs that industry and the money that follows were once there. Equally easy to see from a pedestrian perspective is rampant unemployment and poor housing conditions have left many families in dire straits as they struggle to find the means to survive. Their poverty has rendered them invisible to mainstream society. Only after being allowed into the homes of residents have I come to realize that this perpetual devastating cycle of poverty has ingrained itself into their psyches leaving most residents feeling trapped – unable to escape. Though the roots of this project are buried in the village of Chauncey it is only one town of dozens with similar stories that speak volumes about the cyclical epidemic of poverty. Corporations stripped the land of its natural resources, and the people of their self-sufficiency. As a result they are left with nothing but their cultural identity, a product of poverty. Impoverished school districts further limit the opportunities of the youth. They are faced with the choice of leaving home and family or continuing the cycle of poverty. "There's not really much work here in Chauncey," says resident Jesse Sellers. "If you find something it usually pays like $5 an hour. A lot of people live on cash assistance or work at restaurants." Jesse was an ironworker for more than 16 years and regularly traveled to Columbus, Cincinnati or Dayton to work until he lost his driver's license because of a DUI. The question remains how families are able to survive on incomes that are a minuscule fraction of the average per capita income in the United States. Roughly one in eight counties in the United States have had poverty rates of 20 percent or more in every decade between 1960 and 2000 and Appalachia is home to many of them. During my time as a student at Ohio University I have focused on documenting communities that have been overrun by poverty as they attempt to recover from the aftermath of extractive industry. In the next year I will begin to document other facets of rural life including coalmining, recreational activities such as raccoon hunting and social problems that are prevalent in many small communities such as widespread OxyContin use and methamphetamine production. The end goal for the project is to produce a book that will serve as a historical document of the present period, a multimedia package to educate individuals elsewhere on the issues in Appalachia and a local gallery show to give back to the communities who have assisted in this project. As industry declines and rural poverty grows, it is imperative to document this ever-changing landscape. "That the poor are invisible is one of the most important things about them. They are not simply neglected and forgotten as in the old rhetoric of reform; what is much worse, they are not seen." - Michael Harrington |