RUX Now More Than Ever!
“We have the place, we have the culture, we have each other.”
The following blog post was recently written by Judith Jennings, a founding member of the Rural-Urban Exchange when we began this work in 2014. We echo her sentiment that the connections RUX forges are powerful - and they have the foundation to forge a more cohesive Commonwealth today. If you feel the same, please consider supporting RUX.
Photo collage from the inaugural RUX in Whitesburg & Louisville (2014)
In 2014, I retired after 16 years as Executive Director of the Kentucky Foundation for Women, made a fantastic trip to India, and led the first ever story circle at the first ever RUX gathering at Appalshop in Whitesburg. All of these events remain vivid memories. AND they all came together at the recent first ever RUX Alumni Weekend at Rough River State Park in Grayson County.
In the last 9 years, ESPECIALLY in these last years, we have all changed for sure, and RUX has changed, too. There are A LOT more participants in “intensive” sessions happening every year than I, personally, ever imagined possible. Maybe because I have an underdeveloped imagination, but mostly because, even back then, I knew Kentucky has some pretty deep-seated divides that are hard to overcome. Even back then though, I believed the young people would be the ones we have been waiting for.
So back then, because I believe so much in the power of young Kentuckians, I didn’t mind being what I lovingly call myself “the pet elder of RUX,” even though I was only 66 at the time! Cheers to RUX for engaging more good people from many decades of their lives as demonstrated in the Reunion. I especially appreciated seeing Tom in my same age cohort - hey, Tom! AND there were AWESOME children and youth, too, making art, making noise, making the weekend wonderful.
The Alumni Weekend deeply engaged the complexity of place, race, class, ethnicity and gender identities Kentuckians currently live, wear, bear, and argue about. In my opening Saturday morning session, I was sitting in a well-rounded group led by my dear friend Michelle Amos, current RUXer, & ED of Louisville’s Little Loomhouse. We were all trying to follow Michelle as she expertly walked us through how to make a mini-hand-woven coverlet coaster. Michelle loves Kentucky, Appalachian and rural weaving and helped us move our minds as well as fingers and hands to think about the cultural histories of weaving. My mind unexpectedly recalled a beautiful young Indian women I visited in the literal cottage weaving industry of south India. Meanwhile, Michelle synchronistically discussed how coverlet weaving in Kentucky became monetized in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The major theme of this first ever RUX Alumni Weekend was: Choose Your Own Adventure. I (unawarely) faced two EPIC choices on Saturday afternoon when only one adventure at the same time could be an option. Rough River State Park is home to a magnificent and challenging full 18 hole miniature golf course that I discovered on my morning walk. I immediately knew that I madly wanted to play miniature golf with Ryan Fenwick, who lives in Louisville, but we don’t have such great miniature golf courses here. Fortunately for me, Ryan was also free that afternoon, and we reveled in buddy-hood in playing golf in the beautiful natural setting. Ryan won (or at least he says), and I haven’t laughed so much for three years.
While Ryan and I were battling it out on the miniature golf course, some cars came whizzing by waving and honking. Later I learned they had chosen ANOTHER EPIC session — an honest to goodness pilgrimage to the home of Bill Monroe, mandolin hero extraordinaire, in nearby Rosine, KY. Since Folklorist Sarah Schmitt led this adventure, it was a TRUE pilgrimage, including a sacred text, energy source, and a commitment. From all accounts from all participants, this was the MOST EPIC session EVER, which I don’t doubt for a minute, even though I missed it.
The real magic of RUX as a collective gathering of the whole started ramping up to full power at the Open Mike and Talent Show hosted by Michael George and Kelsey Voit on Saturday night. So many astoundingly powerful singers, writers, spoken word artists and beautiful kids who can write a ghost story or bend their body joints in unbelievable ways. When an amazing mother/daughter duo sang so powerfully of taking care of each other and overcoming all barriers and challenges, I knew it to be true.
So by the time the final Sunday session was happening, I absolutely knew that we Kentuckians can work together to make our state safe, equitable, sustainable, and beautiful for all, even with the way too many grave injustices we must address across the state today. In a closing poster session, me and Tom combined Art, Culture with History, and I met two wonderful women who live in Louisville that I did not know before: Kelsey Voit, who now works at the KY Foundation for Women (see, I told you I would connect that memory), and Mariel Gardner who is a Founder of the West Louisville Women’s Collaborative and is doing amazing historical recovery of deeds showing how enslaved Kentuckians and Blacks today are robbed of their lands in both urban and rural areas.
By the time we closed the circle on Sunday, I knew for sure we ALL are the ones we have been waiting for of whatever age. I truly believe RUXers can work together across our divisions to heal ourselves and make the best possible Kentucky we can. We have the place, we have the culture, we have each other.