Participants at the 75th
Check out “Highlander 75th Anniversary” — an article by Bobby Mitchell that appears in the Winter 2007 issue of the Coal River Mountain Watch Messenger.

Here are some excerpts from the story:

A few of us folks working for justice here in southern West Virginia attended the anniversary looking to share experiences, strategize and build on the growing movement of folks fighting for safe living conditions and a healthy environment . . . .

We found much more than a typical conference, this was a major cross generational, multi-issue approached celebration to social change. . . .

A main theme emphasized at the event was to just hear and be heard; so many folks with stories about grassroots battles and political struggles where so much has originated from the meetings and strategy sessions coming from this research center in eastern Tennessee. The solutions are coming right from the people. . . .

There is something powerful about sitting on the hills outside Highlander and feeling the winds of change engulf you, thinking about the quote by Semptima Clark that says “I know I am not weaving my life’s pattern alone, only one of the threads do I hold in my hands. The other ends go so many ways linking my life with others.”

You can read the whole story here.

[April 22, 2008 – Added picture and changed title to better reflect the content of the article.]