Fourth Annual Appalachian Women Conference held in Zanesville

by Caitlin Diven

ZANESVILLE — About 150 people from all over the United States gathered at Ohio University-Zanesville for the Fourth Annual Appalachian Women Conference during the past weekend.

The events started Thursday with lunch and an array of speakers and concluded on Saturday afternoon with a performance art presentation depicting the life and struggles of two Appalachian families.

Women of Appalachia Conference in Zanesville director Kathi Albertson said the attendance has grown immensely since the first conference three years ago.

“The reputation is spreading,” Albertson said, “The original idea was to increase the exposure to literature on the subject.”

The camaraderie of the women was apparent throughout the conference. Documentary filmmaker Anne Lewis said, “There are very few opportunities for people in this region to come and talk and people need to do that, especially now.”

“We want to focus not only on the accomplishments of Appalachian women but on their attitudes, aspirations and their own self-esteem,” Albertson said.

Lewis, who currently resides in Austin, Texas, lived in Eastern Kentucky for 20 years where she became involved in the Appalachian community.

Saturday’s events started with a viewing of ••Shelter••, a documentary on domestic violence by Lewis. The film focuses on five rural West Virginia women dealing with the hardships encountered by trying to leave abusive relationships. Lewis said domestic violence is not at all exclusive to Appalachia.

“The only similarity (victims of abusive relationships) have is gender,” Lewis said. “(Researchers) did studies about background, race, income and the only variable they all have in common is that they’re women.”

Kate McCullough, an English professor at Cornell University, came from upstate New York to attend the conference. “Anne’s film made me think about the way television and movies can affect and shape people’s views of domestic violence.”

With many teachers attending the conference, Saturday’s sessions also facilitated an open discussion led by Lewis about the current state of public schools. In reference to state-imposed testing, Lewis said, “The freedom of thinking and freedom of learning is discouraged.”

Marilou Awiakta, a poet, essayist and storyteller who received a 1996 Grammy award nomination for Spoken Word, also attended the conference.

The Tennessee native and the recipient of the 2000 Appalachian Heritage Writers Award spoke about “Woman Spirit and Survival: Reweaving the Web of Life.”

She said she was very proud of her Cherokee/Appalachian descent and wanted the rest of the country to act a little more like Appalachians.

“There’s always time for life, art and enjoyment in Appalachia,” said

Awiakta, “I hope it’s always like that.”