Create West Virginia

President-Elect Obama, West Virginia and Opportunity

Regardless of where your politics sits or how your candidate came out of last night's election, we all have to take a moment to ponder the historic significance of electing a person with a new skin tone and a completely unique name. Who, just a couple of years ago, would have predicted President-Elect Barack Obama?

Create WV, along with Vision Shared, is a non-partisan group by charter. We try to celebrate progress within all political stripes as it relates to building a better West Virginia through the development of creative communities that can grow new economies. These comments are meant purely in that vein.

Some Obama fans in West Virginia are lamenting the fact that our state went red again, at least at the top of the ticket, and voted for John McCain 55% - 45%. However, stepping back and looking at these results without any emotional attachment to the politics, you are left with this - 45% of the citizens of the whitest state in the union voted for a black man for president. That is historic.

Yes, some of the folks who voted against him, including Democratic voters, did so because of race. Past surveys have shown about 1/5 of our residents (and those of many other states) still use race as a primary decision criteria.

But 45% of voters in a lily-white, conservative-leaning state voted for an African-American. That is a higher percentage than some states with very large African-American populations, such as Alabama (39%), Arkansas (39%) and Mississippi (43%). It's a higher percentage than our Appalachian neighbor Kentucky (41%).

Let's agree that no one party or leader has all the answers. Let's agree that it will take all of us working together to affect positive change. Here's hoping that all citizens can appreciate the significance of this historic moment and unite to work for a better United States and a better West Virginia. Personally, I feel like we're all ready to move forward.

Creative Cone Awards Announced

There are literally hundreds (thousands?) of creative people in communities throughout our state taking a leadership role by sticking their neck out to instigate positive change. To honor their work and to honor the work of specific individuals who have earned our respect and admiration for their creative accomplishments, the Create WV team launched the first "Creative Cone" awards on the last day of the conference.

Why a "creative cone"? Because we're all working in creative communities "under construction." Some communities are a little further down their path, but we're all at various stages.

Please join us in celebrating the work of this year's honorees:

Jeanne Mozier, Berkeley Springs - We're not sure it's possible to think of Berkeley Springs without thinking of Jeanne. She's the entrepreneurial heart and soul behind the creative power of this little town in Morgan County who has earned multiple "top arts town" designations and is the first certified arts community in West Virginia.

Keith Pauley, Charleston - Keith is the CEO of MATRIC, the research non-profit launched in 2004 that has put the Kanawha Valley on the R&D map again by putting Ph.D.'s back to work in the Kanawha Valley. Under Keith's leadership, MATRIC has hired dozens of new highly-paid researchers and spawned new commercial companies from their work.

Marlon LeBlanc and Jason Staples, Morgantown - OneWVU arose, according to Sharon Mallow, program coordinator for the President’s Office for Social Justice, after an incident occurred at the University in which a student athlete was called a racial slur. WVU soccer coach Marlon LeBlanc has been a founding visionary leader for the initiative, and Jason Staples a key leader in delivering tangible efforts to build awareness and commitment to diversity at West Virginia's flagship university.

Reverend Matthew Watts and Reverend Ron English, Charleston - West Virginia has had its share of ugly incidents and bad PR in the past year that forced us to ask many difficult questions to confront both our public image and our personal commitments. Luckily, we have two long-time civil rights and community champions working in Charleston who have helped build connections, share balanced insights via the media, and championed the urgent need for the Kanawha Valley and all of West Virginia to value its citizens from all ethnic, racial, and age backgrounds. Their accomplishments are too numerous to name, but their impact is felt across many realms such as mentoring youth, creating job opportunities and building diversity leadership.

Dr. Stephen Kopp, Huntington - Dr. Kopp is a champion of building creative communities in West Virginia through 21st century education, technology and research. Under his leadership, Marshall University has aggressively launched their implementation of "Bucks for Brains" and personally participated in the Create Huntington initiative. Dr. Kopp is a passionate, shining example of how leaders in our state can lead us into the new economy and greater prosperity.

As we mentioned earlier, there are many, many folks doing fantastic creative work throughout the states. But we thank the honorees above for their examples of leadership and creative problem-solving in our great state. Thank you to all of them for their leadership!

Pre-Conference Thoughts: It's Been a Creative Year!

As we get set to launch the Create WV 2008 Conference today, we asked ourselves "Has there been any impact on West Virginia in the past 12 months? Do we see tangible progress towards building the New Economy?"

We asked in a survey "Is your community actively including key pillars of building creative communities for the new economy in your local growth and development plans?" And here's what you said:

• We're actively infusing new economy thinking into our plans - 33%
• We're just getting started, but we're committed - 38%
• Not sure - 5%
• Not yet - It's not well understood, but we're open to the possibility - 14%
• Not at all - It's not understood or accepted in our area - 10%

That's pretty good momentum. We also asked you to help us build a list of what's going on out there. And boy did we come away feeling excited! Here are just a FEW of the highlights from the last 12 months:

QUALITY OF PLACE

• Community Development Hub launched
• 40% increase in total arts funding in West Virginia
• Create Huntington and the Old Main Corridor Project
• WV Music Hall of Fame launched
• Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton opened
• Gary Bowling's House of Art opened in Bluefied
• Clay Center Community Arts Programs in Mingo, Logan, Kanawha, Lincoln, Clay
• 30th Anniversary of the Morgan Arts Council!
• American Mountain Theater opened in Elkins
• Pocahontas County Artisan Co-Op and Opera House
• Charleston's East End Wi-Fi program launch

DIVERSITY

• Diversity Leadership Academy and Communities United Against Hate forums in Charleston
• One WVU Campaign
• Five Inclusive Communities program members in WV: Morgantown, Parkersburg, Clarksburg, Huntington, Ranson
• "Communities in Schools" in Greenbrier County

TECHNOLOGY and R&D

• Bucks for Brains and Bucks for Jobs program passes
• NETL Tech Support Facility in Morgantown
• CWP Inc - Fossil fuels research partnership with WVU, Carnegie Mellon and Pitt
• Statewide broadband plan revealed
• Robert C. Byrd Science and Tech Center at Marshall
• Marshall Institute for Interdisciplinary Research launched
• MATRIC expansion in South Charleston
• Tech Connect WV reveals Blueprint for Tech-Based Economic Development
• State support for SBIR grants
• Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute
• WV Angel Investor Network

EDUCATION AND TALENT

• 21st Century Learning Initiative by WV Dept of Education
• Center for Educational Technology at Wheeling Jesuit
• STEM initiative at Marshall University
• Come Home to WV campaign by WV Dept of Commerce
• Globaloria program - learning via online gaming

We know there are more, so please take the 5-10 minute survey to let us know what is going on in your community! There is nothing better to build momentum in our state than to share the progress that is happening in every county.

Create WV Diversity Track Sessions Announced

How can communities just like yours attract young entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, technologists and others who are adding quality and growth to our state? Research shows one way is by embracing tolerance and diversity for new people and ideas.

The Diversity track at the Create WV conference October 20-22 at Snowshoe Mountain Resort will ignite dialog around youth, inclusiveness in decision-making and talent recruitment facing West Virginia as it seeks to build creative communities for the new economy. Diverse voices from around the state will discuss topics from Hip Hop to immigration, and will address the history, opportunity and resources that build diversity and inclusiveness in West Virginia. This year's Diversity track is lead by Crystal Good Nazario.

Diversity Keynote Speaker:  Mary-Frances Winters, President and CEO, The Winters Group

Dr. Mary-Frances Winters is President and Founder of The Winters Group, a 24-year-old organization development and diversity-consulting firm, specializing in research, strategic planning, training, and public speaking with an emphasis in ethnic and multicultural issues.

http://www.wintersgroup.com/html/mary-frances-winters.html

Session 1, 10 AM Tuesday - Everyday Democracy - How People of Diverse Backgrounds Can Solve Common Problems

Facilitator: Gloria Francesca Mengual

Everyday Democracy is a national organization that helps local communities find ways for people from different backgrounds to think, talk, and work together to solve problems. This organization works with neighborhoods, cities, regions, and states, helping them pay particular attention to how racism and ethnic differences affect everyday problems. Learn how the residents of Jackson Hole, WY, through Everyday Democracy "study circles" have taken the reins to address both the opportunities and the challenges represented by Jackson Hole's changing immigration demographics.

Session 2, 11:15 AM Tuesday - Protecting the Rights of All People - Charleston's Civil Rights Case Study

Moderator: Amy Weintraub  Panelists: Seth Distefano, WV ACLU; Marc Weintraub, Charleston City Council; Charlie Rouse, WV Pride

Establishing tolerance and inclusiveness takes more than just good feelings. It takes a focus on building institutional human rights protections and processes. Learn how the City of Charleston dealt with what could have been a divisive mission to secure equal protection rights of gays and lesbians and turned it into a positive for the city's effort to attract and retain the creative class. Regardless of where your community is on this issue, you will learn a great deal from this dialog.

Session 3, 2 PM Tuesday - Building Inclusive Communities

Facilitator: Jim Hunt, Amazing Cities

Learn the steps local government officials, concerned citizens, business leaders and youth can take to create Inclusive Communities that embrace the message: "We" can make everyone feel welcome. Explore the ways to develop an inclusive community as Jim describes his personal story of taking on the Ku Klux Klan and how it led to a transformation in how he approaches public service. It is a journey from a small town in West Virginia to a national coalition of over 160 cities working to fight racism and hatred and to build centers of opportunity and excellence.

Session 4, 3:15 PM Tuesday - Engaging Youth to Create Communities

Facilitator: Pastor Matthew J. Watts, CEO of Hope Community Development Corporation

Youth are a vital natural resource to the West Virginia economy. Empowering youth toward leadership is key to economic development and the sustainability of a community. How does the faith-based non-profit Hope Youth Development Corporation utilize the mentoring program Talks My Father/Mother Never Had With Me to engage at-risk and high-risk youth? How do HOPE programs influence the economic growth of local economies by addressing high school drop outs and juvenile incarceration rates through mentoring?

Session 5, 9:45 Am Wednesday - Developing Niche Cultural Opportunities - Can West Virginia Hip Hop Create a New Economy?

Moderator: Constantia Charbonnette, Ph.D.   Panel: Bob Webb; Artist Rasheed Jones, aka "Cyn"; Artist 6'6" 240; Artist/Manager Eric Jordan; Artist K Kutta; Artist Ace Beanz

Can West Virginia grow and nurture non-traditional cultural groups and the economic opportunities they represent? Using Hip Hop and its valuable socioeconomic power as a case study, this session explores how it relates to the empowerment and economic development of Appalachia. Join West Virginia Hip Hop artists as they discuss the opportunity to promote constructive alternatives to the employment and social frustrations experienced by many young Appalachians.

.

Session 6, 11 AM Wednesday - One West Virginia, Many Origins

Moderator: Rev. Ron English   Panel: Monica Brooks, Mexican-Appalachian; Rev. Emanuel Heyliger, KIZRA; Faisal Khan, WV Islamic Society

West Virginia is home to a rich diversity of cultures and communities, representing people from all over the world. Share in this unique dialog that showcases the rich diversity of heritage and voices from throughout the state. Learn how economic patterns have influenced the state's diversity and how communities can take proactive action towards building our state's diversity asset.

Race, Politics and Stereotypes in WV

The presidents of Marshall University, West Virginia State University and West Virginia Wesleyan College are inviting everyone to a special dialog on race, politics and stereotypes in our state.

The event is a response to the media portrayal of West Virginia and the role race played in the Democratic primary in May, and the ongoing assumption of race and its role in the presidential election. The perception of racism as a key element in making a decision has generated derision for our state.

The conference provides an opportunity to discuss the role and relationship of race and politics in Appalachia. Statewide media personalities, scholars, and community leaders will be featured.

The event is being held Saturday, September 20, from 12noon - 4:30pm in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center. Lunch will be provided to all registered participants. You must register by September 15 by emailing Marybeth Beller at [email protected].

Does Diversity Really Matter That Much?

  One of the major pillars of the creative community (i.e., "creative class") initiative around the world is valuing diversity in all its forms. There have been many efforts to define the business case for diversity for companies. After visiting Multifest in Charleston this past weekend, we wondered: do these arguments for diversity translate to a region, such as a state like West Virginia?

To answer that question, we have to ask ourselves some specific questions. Our collective answer as West Virginians will help determine how seriously we take all this diversity stuff and whether we make it a statewide priority. Consider:

• Will greater diversity improve economic growth? By changing our current national image as a homogeneous state with tendencies toward intolerance, would we attract more entrepreneurs and corporate relocations? Would average income grow?
• Will greater diversity improve quality of life? You might say this depends on your definition of "quality." But to take it to a measurable level, would it impact traditional quality of life measurements areas such as health, low crime, education, entertainment and cultural amenities?

Of course the answers aren't so simple. They may begin with "it depends." Some may argue that a third question should be added, which may be worded "Is seeking diversity the right thing to do, regardless of the benefits?" Others may reply, as long as anyone who wants to be here feels welcome, we're fine. Why should we proactively seek diversity?

Leading up to the Create WV 2008 Conference, we'd like to hear your thoughts on this topic. Should growing diversity be a major priority for West Virginia? Why or why not?

Fighting Hate, Building Inclusiveness in Charleston

In addition to creative cultural, entrepreneurial and technical initiatives going on in our capitol city, we are excited about an emphasis being placed on building a community that values diversity and commits to inclusion. Two upcoming events are cause for hope after the difficult (and embarrassing) events around the Megan Williams incident.

First, Communities United Against Hate is holding a community forum at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, August 5, at 6pm featuring Tom "TJ" Heydon, a former neo-Nazi white supremacist who now works to make people aware of what creates a culture of hate and counteract it. It promises to be both a stimulating and insightful learning experiencing and an opportunity to "talk back" with ideas of how the Charleston community can build inclusiveness and address issues of intolerance. The event is sponsored by the YWCA of Charleston, the WV Hate Crime Task Force, Covenant House and other key organizations.

Second, several organizations in Charleston, including the Charleston Area Alliance, Jackson Kelly PLLC, Kanawha County and the City of Charleston, are sponsoring the Diversity Leadership Academy held by the American Institute for Managing Diversity. The AIMD is one of the nation's first and leading think tanks dedicated to the advancement of diversity management.

The Charleston DLA group convened for the first time Thursday, July 31, and brought together several key leaders in non-profit, education, government, religion and business. The DLA is a series of five intensive full-day training sessions held over five months that builds the skills of those in the best position to influence real progress in local institutions and the community. The group will be asked to develop a handful of "capstone" projects that lead to real long-term change in the community.

Congratulations to Charleston and the Kanawha Valley region for addressing issues that have caused great concern locally and nationally. We look forward to seeing the impact of these two great efforts.

Appalachians: One size does not fit all

Charlestonian Rebecca Kimmons wrote the following response to a comment from someone going by the name of "Constitution," who in turn responded to an article, "Why Appalachia Counts in 2008," by Newsweek general editor Steve Tuttle in the July 2-14 (Special Summer) issue of Newsweek. http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/07/01/tuttle-why-applachia-counts-in-2008.aspx

"Constitution" wrote on 7/03 that "Obama is the candidate for Appalachians, that is if Appalachians don't let their unreasonable fondness for racism get in the way of their vision and judgment." 

Kimmons writes:

Yo, Mr./Ms. Constitution, and anyone else inclined to gross generalization: You say Appalachians have an unreasonable fondness for racism? By what authority do you speak?  The Daily Show? Careful there; somebody'll come snooping around your family and tell some dirt on you and your kin. You know, about how your poor old cousin, or maybe your dad or your brother, maybe your vice president--I know there's somebody in your closet--who always manages to say the wrong thing. It'll be even worse when CNN comes to put it on national TV for everyone's entertainment. It's probably a waste of time to tell you that the Appalachian people I choose to hang around are some of the most honest, straight-forward, generous and kind folks you'll ever find.

Hmmm. I notice I describe them as honest, straight-forward, generous and kind. No mention of fame, wealth, or power. There's a reason for that. The prevailing values here, at least among my friends and associates, are the ones I have mentioned. That doesn't jive very well with values I see widely advertised.

Mr. Tuttle's article is just great. He knows us well; it's clear that he is one of us. I found myself jumping up and down and cheering, yes, and laughing, as I read his article. I can laugh, since I'm one of those ornery, racist, coal-minin', banjo-pickin', Scots-Irish hillbillies he describes--hah!

Actually, I grew up in West Virginia where my neighbors were first generation Italians, Hungarians, and Poles who were imported to work in the mines, and my grandfather, a descendant of Belgian and German immigrants who came way back around 1800, was a high-tech entrepreneur who brought refrigeration to our little mountain town. He sold refrigerators to blacks and whites, then went to their homes to fix whatever broke down. We smiled and nodded hello to the black folks who walked by our house on the way to their neighborhoods, and they returned the courtesy. My first exposure to great homegrown music was the a cappella singing of black kids who lived across the street from my great aunt in southern West Virginia. I looked forward to hanging out with those kids every chance I got.

My mother raised me in a Presbyterian Church where we learned that God is love and we sang every Sunday "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow black and white, they are precious in His sight..." but I had to wait until I was grown to learn about the unique West Virginia banjo-pickin' tradition that is revered throughout the old-time music world. (What's that you say? You don't know about old-time music? Tch, tch. Get hip.)

Here's what may be news to all y'all: I don't care where you live, you'll find racism, hatred, ignorance and cruelty in your town, your state, your nation, maybe even a little smirch in a corner of your own heart. The hypocrisy is laughable when the media comes wagging its finger at Appalachia's awful racism and ignorance. Thank you, Mr. Tuttle, for your wise, wry article. I'm glad for everything you said. I hope Obama and McCain listen, as well as the majority of your media colleagues.

Posted by Rebecca Kimmons 7/06/08

What's the Fuss About Bilingual Signs?

Buzz around Charleston regarding the recent signage in Spanish and English for FestivALL has brought about some interesting conversation. Some people are offended, others are saying “it's about time” and many are apathetic.

Why does promoting diversity, culture and other languages create such a stir around WV and other parts of the U.S.A? The United States was created as a melting pot of many different countries searching for freedom and a place of their own. Why are people so surprised to see bilingual signs around town? The United States as whole is comprised of 12.5% African Americans, 12.5% Latinos, 4% Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native (http://www.civilrights.org/research_center/civilrights101/demographics.html). These statistics are based on the 2000 Census and have grown over the past 8 years, but note that 30% of the U.S.population is comprised of minorities.

When an American visits or moves to a non-English speaking country, do we expect the natives to suddenly speak English for our convenience? No, yet some West Virginians believe Latinos should learn English and only speak English because they live in our state. Is this ignorance, fear, intimidation? The drivers inciting such surprise, insult and conversation among West Virginians are subjective. People may not know how to interact with those who speak another language, they may not understand their culture, and/or may be ignorant and fear the unknown. Rather than ask questions and accept differences openly, people shut the door and do not accept anything they are not familiar with.

How do West Virginian’s overcome getting upset over the smallest of things like a bilingual sign? Rather than stating, “Why do we need signs in spanish? This is the USA and our OFFICIAL language IS ENGLISH!! There's no reason to cater to spanish speaking people: if they're here, let 'em learn english or go back home.” (http://dailymail.com/comments?build=yes&ContID=200806130113)

Our founder fathers state in the Declaration of Independence, “…….all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm) Our nation believes in the promotion of equality with unalienable Rights, which includes the right to personal security and personal liberty. Therefore, is the gentleman who stated people should speak only English when living in the U.S. suggesting denying the Rights provided by our founders? I pose a thought for all those who have discussed the bilingual signs; do you believe you are promoting the unalienable Rights of all people whether citizens or not when you argue against bilingual signs in West Virginia?

~ Josie

¿Qué es el jaleo con signos bilingües?

Zumbe alrededor del pueblo con respecto a los letreros recientes en español e inglés para FestivALL ha producido alguna conversación interesante. Algunas personas se ofenden, otros dicen "su acerca de tiempo" y muchos son apáticos.

¿Por qué la diversidad, la cultura y otros idiomas crean promoviendo tal conmoción alrededor de WV y otras partes de la U. S. UN? Estados Unidos fueron creados como un crisol de muchos países diferentes que buscan para la libertad y un lugar de su propio. ¿Por qué tan son sorprendidas personas de ver los signos bilingües alrededor del pueblo? Estados Unidos como entero es comprendido de 12,5% de norteamericanos africanos, 12,5% latina, 4% de Isleños asiático pacíficos, y 1% de Nativo indio DE Alaska norteamericano (http://www.civilrights.org/research_center/civilrights101/demographics.html). Estas estadística es basada en el 2000 Censo y ha crecido sobre los pasados 8 años, pero la nota que 30% de la población de EE.UU. es comprendida de minorías.

¿Movimientos a un país parlante no-inglés, cuando un norteamericano visita o esperamos nosotros que los nativos para hablar de repente inglés para nuestra conveniencia? No, mas algunos virginianos Occidentales creen latina debe aprender que inglés y sólo hablar inglés porque ellos viven en nuestro estado. ¿Es esta ignorancia, el temor, la intimidación? Los conductores que incitan tal sorpresa, el insulto y la conversación entre virginianos Occidentales son subjetivos. Las personas no pueden saber cómo interactuar con los que hablan otro idioma, ellos no pueden comprender su cultura, y/o pueden ser ignorante y temer el desconocido. Antes que hace preguntas y acepta las diferencias abiertamente, las personas cierran la puerta y no aceptan nada con que ellos no están familiarizados.

¿Cómo haga virginiano Occidental vence ser trastornado sobre el más pequeño de cosas como un signo bilingüe? ¿Antes que indicando, "por qué necesitamos nosotros los signos en español? ¡Esto es los EEUU y nuestro idioma OFICIAL ES inglés!! No hay razón de proveer comida a español personas parlantes: si ellos están aquí, permiten 'la eme aprende que inglés o regresa a casa". (http://dailymail.com/comments?build=yes&ContID=20080613011)

Nuestros padres del fundador indican en la Declaración de la Independencia, los hombres “…….all son creados igual, que ellos son dotados por su Creador con ciertos Derechos inalienables, eso entre éstos es la Vida, la Libertad y el persecución de la Felicidad". (http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm ) Nuestra nación cree en la promoción de la igualdad con Derechos inalienables, que incluye el derecho a la seguridad personal y la libertad personal. Por lo tanto, para el caballero que indicó a personas debe hablar sólo inglés al vivir en los EEUU que él niega los Derechos proporcionados por nuestros fundadores. ¿Coloco un pensó para todo los que han discutido los signos bilingües; cree usted que usted promueve los Derechos inalienables de todas personas si ciudadanos o no cuando usted da razones en contra de signos bilingües en Virginia Occidental?

~ Josie