Welcome to the Louisville Premiere of Deep Down

Last night I was delivered a very compelling reminder of the importance of community and power of collective citizenship as I watched the documentary Deep Down at the Clifton Center. In the film, an eastern Kentucky native finds himself in the throws of land negotiations with a major coal operation, grappling with the possibility of consigning to the destruction of his own land and heritage. Through his story emerges a holistic perspective of how the coal industry propels, employs, controls, and motivates the people of Appalachia. Ultimately, this is a tale of victory, as the influence of grassroots organizing and neighborly determination prevail over greed and political corruption. The devastating environmental and economic consequences of living in a region writhing under the thumb of King Coal are revealed in depth, leaving the audience with a resounding sense of hope and urgency.

            A second layer of inspiration in the evening emerged from a panel discussion following the film. Among the panelists were an Appalachian community organizer featured in the film, an Appalachian resident whose home is currently threatened by a mountaintop removal operation, one of the film makers, a Rubbertown community organizer from Louisville, and the director of the Making Connections Network. Each voice spoke on the collective power of community organizing and the importance of understanding the interconnectivity of social justice causes. Through each panelist's discussion of their own experience emerged several common themes: putting aside differences for the common good, acting as your own advocate and representative, listening to your neighbors’ voices and finding ways to make those voices heard, working to ensure that laws are enforced and people are protected, and becoming part of the judicial process.

            As a Louisville resident, I watch issues such as toxic exposure in Rubbertown treated as a divisive topic, one that ignites the city in debate rather than propelling us into action. If there is one lesson we as city dwellers can take away from the film Deep Down, and what I gained from the panel discussion, it is that our urban problems are no greater or more important than that of our friends in Appalachia. No one cause deserves action at the expense of another.  Working as Kentuckians and human beings, rather than working as residents in a regional bubble, is what instigates change. Those connections begin at the community level and thrive at the collective level. Last night, by exposing myself to the story in Deep Down and listening to the dialogue between communities, I became an engaged citizen, not a bystander. 

-Laura Read, Jefferson County Member