Join us at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Blacksburg for an evening with Jonathan Mingle, author of Gaslight: The Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Fight for America's Energy Future, a chronicle of the efforts of the citizens of the Shenandoah Valley and Allegheny highlands to derail Dominion Energy's Atlantic Coast Pipeline from 2014 - 2020.

Jonathan will discuss the story of methane gas buildout in the US, and the immense future stakes of the energy choices we face today.

This event is part of POWHR’s Community of Practice, a virtual multimedia reflection group to raise awareness and foster relationships for community empowerment on issues such as environmental protection, energy alternatives, the just transition framework, liberatory mindsets, and social justice.

During this Community of Practice, PhD Candidate Maggie Davis will discuss how her sense of home has been impacted by her field research on the Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia and Virginia.

Maggie will describe her own relationship to West Virginia, and discuss how understanding West Virginia and Appalachia as “home” informs her interpretation of field research. As a qualitative sociologist, Maggie goes into the field as a participant observer and conducts interviews. Maggie will share insights into her research and invite questions from the group, including:

– What research questions are important to you, whether in this presentation or not?

– Does a connection to home inform our understanding of our relationship to the fossil fuel industry and to systems of “expertise”? How and why?

– In West Virginia, people often talk about natural gas extraction and infrastructure through the lens of economic opportunity, while also acknowledging environmental and safety risks. Are others finding this in their work? If so, how do others relate to this puzzle, understand it, work around it?

The Community of Practice is a virtual multimedia reflection group to raise awareness and foster relationships for community empowerment on issues such as environmental protection, energy alternatives, the just transition framework, liberatory mindsets, and social justice. This is grown from our former book club but expanded to include other forms of media. We want this to be more creative, encompassing, and dynamic to appeal to a wider audience and engage new people.

We will be partnering with creators when possible to share media (books, graphic novels, poetry, films, etc.) that share stories, context, and strategies to foster discussion and inspire community members to take actions towards a better future.

These meetings and conversations will be held virtually to ensure the most accessibility to our communities.

At the end of a discussion, we will ask “What will you take home with you?”.

“How We Protect Us” is a regular community space organized by POWHR to discuss the safety and environmental concerns of communities on the Mountain Valley Pipeline route and to provide a time for us to come together virtually. On August 1 from 8:00-8:45 pm, we will hear from Virginia Delegate Sam Rasoul (an opponent of MVP and supporter of our communities), our co-director Russell Chisholm (a directly harmed community member on the MVP route), and others.