Crystal Good is the Creative Economy!

Crystal Good, 33 years old, Charleston, WV

New Economy Factor: Though Ms. Good was born in Charleston, at various times she has made her home in Richmond, Atlanta, Tallahassee, New York, and Dallas. She has three sons, ages 12, 9, and 5. Like so many Americans, she is biracial; (black and white), but unlike many West Virginians, she identifies as “Affrilachian.” She is also an accomplished poet (http://www.affrilachianpoets.com/history.htm).

She graduated St. Albans High School as well as West Virginia State University, where she earned a bachelors degree in Communications with an African American Studies minor. In her free time she likes to white water raft, shop and read about quantum physics for fun.  (Poster's note:  I'm reminded of Minnie Driver in "Good Will Hunting" -- "Organic Chemistry for fun??  Are you MAD???  This is really hard!")

Currently, Crystal is the Assistant Director of Covenant House, a nonprofit organization providing direct services, education and advocacy to those I need. http://www.wvcovenanthouse.org. She identifies one of West Virginia’s strengths as “the resourcefulness of its people.”

On West Virginia in the New Economy: I have found no other place that accepts a six foot tall, single, bi-racial mother who eats CoCo Wheats for breakfast, and who makes one-syllable word two more than my West Virginia!

At times, I feel isolated from the rest of the country world. Usually we are behind -- even Wal-Mart was a little slow in getting to West Virginia. On the other hand our distance from major urban areas makes me feel protected and offers freedom to be creative in my own way, not judged against someone else’s idea of what an idea should look like or sound like. Not every place can set trends.

I appreciate the opportunity of taking a look at what has already worked and has not in other places and then molding those efforts into something entirely new and West Virginian. For instance, I organized a West Virginia-style Poetry & Politics slam in Charleston a few years back -- the first such event in Charleston even though slams had been going on across the country for years. It was enormously well-received and we now have a posse of new activist poets in the Kanawha Valley.

Our most important priority should be changing negative internal image – creating “I THINK I CAN HERE” attitudes among youth and young adults and by encouraging entrepreneurs and our creative class.

Posted by: Elizabeth Damewood Gaucher

Comments

[Elizabeth Damewood Gaucher]

This may be self-evident, but I just noticed the address for Covenant House is mistyped. Please visit http://www.wvcovenanthouse.org/. Thanks!

[Elizabeth Damewood Gaucher]

Be sure to check out the history of Affilachian Poets on the website, http://www.affrilachianpoets.com/history.htm! Thanks to Crystal for the corrected link.

[Skip Lineberg]

Crystal is a powerhouse of creativity, leadership, intellect and energy. She electrifies any project, group or outing. The more time I spend with Crystal, the more I learn. On top of all of this, she is just so pleasant, down-to-earth and funny, truly a great sense of humor. I'm so glad Crystal returned to W.Va. and that she's leading this important track for the CreateWV Conference 2008. Can't wait to see where she will lead us!