"You can see all these mountains being torn apart. This is all God has given us, and we're allowing it to be destroyed."
-Gary Short, Holmes Mill, Harlan County, Kentucky

CMI is working with several people and groups around the region who are concerned about the relationship between coal mining and everyday life here in Central Appalachia. Although coal mining culture continues to be a strong influence, the number of families that receive their livelihood from working in coal continues to steadily decline. Mining is not decreasing, however. In fact, production rates continue to rise or remain steady. Bigger mine sites and heavier blasting mean mountain communities are having to subsidize these large jobs with lower water quality and property values.

Our work on this issue has three main goals:

• Use community media to work with people who have suffered damage to recover some of what they have lost.
• Produce work and media events that enter into the ongoing dialogue about mining.
• Develop community media projects that look toward an economy that does a better job of providing for a greater number of people in the region.