Our Land, Our Home

D.C. Lobby Trip Recap – What an Amazing Experience!

Last month, we wrapped up an incredible advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., and wanted to share some highlights with all of you who have been so supportive of this important work.

The scope was amazing: Over 50 advocates from Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania came together to make our voices heard, including young Appalachians from teens to even smaller! We met with over 30 congressional offices across multiple days.

Our message was clear: “Our Land, Our Home – We Refuse to be Divided in Appalachia”

Monday: Started with intensive advocacy training to prepare our voices and sharpen our message at Busboys and Poets – a powerful community space in the historic U Street Corridor -Black Broadway neighborhood, where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted and art, culture, and politics intentionally collide. The perfect place to feed our minds and souls before taking on the Hill!

Tuesday-Wednesday: Hit the Hill hard – meeting after meeting with congressional offices

Wednesday Night: Celebrated our victories and the power of coming together as one unified region at the historic Josephine Butler Parks Center – a beautifully restored building overlooking Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park (America’s first national park for the performing arts). Named after DC environmental educator and voting rights activist hero Josephine Butler, this wind-powered community space was the perfect setting to honor our work for community health and justice.

What We Accomplished:

Met with numerous folks on the Hill and over 30 congressional offices to share our community’s stories and concerns Represented diverse perspectives from Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania with 50+ passionate advocates working together

Presented real data and personal experiences on the critical fights affecting our communities: • EJ for All Act – Environmental justice legislation • Building Communities Not Prisons – Investing in people, not punishment • Stop harmful pipeline buildouts – Protecting our land from corporate extraction • End the extraction economy – Moving beyond coal and gas dependency• No mining or extraction on public lands – Our shared home, not corporate profit • Address flooding and ensure clean water access – Basic survival needs • Hold TVA accountable to its owners – The people, not corporate profits • Healthcare access, housing, economic development, and community-centered solutions

We left each meeting with concrete commitments for follow-up and next steps

Built new relationships and strengthened existing partnerships for ongoing advocacy

The Power of Showing Up:

There’s something powerful about looking elected officials and their staff in the eye and sharing why these issues matter. With over 50 people from Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania – including young voices from teens to even smaller kids – speaking with one unified voice “Our Land, Our Home – We Refuse to be Divided in Appalachia” across 30+ offices, every conversation reminded us that our voices DO matter and that showing up in numbers makes a real difference in the policy process.

Next Steps:

Following up on specific commitments we received from various offices Already planning how we can build on these relationships moving forward

To everyone who shared their stories with the staff, helped fund this trip, sent encouragement, or simply believed in the importance of this work – THANK YOU. To the young Appalachians who showed up and reminded us why we’re fighting for their future, you inspire us all. Advocacy is a team sport, and we couldn’t have done this without your support.

Democracy works when we participate. Today reminded us why this work matters and why we can’t give up pushing for the changes our communities need.

Until the next trip to the Hill!

** Peep the photos with some senior leadership on the hill**

Our Land, Our Home – We Refuse to be Divided in Appalachia