Last month, more than 50 people and dozens of groups came together from across 7 Appalachian states to share ideas, skills and resources that will make us stronger and more powerful mutual aid organizers. From the free tables to the shared campsites to the generosity of exchanged knowledge, community care was evident throughout the weekend.
Mutual aid is the radical act of caring for each other while working to change the world. – Dean Spade (source).
Participants hosted workshops around things like how to start a free store in your neighborhood, how to source and create healing herbal remedies, food sovereignty, a street medic training, dumpster diving, how historic racism shows up in modern policies, how to create go bags in preparation for an emergency, how to create care packages and blessing bags, disaster relief and mutual aid, and how storytelling, art and land can create belonging.
Seriously incredible…this group is doing it. and just want to give all the gratitude for everyone who shared so much knowledge and perspective, and also these organizers for doing what actually NO ONE else is! more convenings please! – participant
This convening came together because local mutual aid organizers saw the power of the Alliance for Appalachia and our knack for creating and facilitating spaces of shared leadership. They asked us to support with fundraising, coordinating logistics, and hosting the planning team. Mutual aid groups around the region did most of the outreach and participants created the agenda by offering to host workshops.
I love how this group inspires each other to take on a leadership role. – participant
The idea for this event percolated and came to fruition on the Alliance for Appalachia’s regional Resilient Communities working group. We meet twice a month online. Join us by filling out this form.
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