In celebration of West Virginia Day and in support of the statewide social media collaboration to “identify obstacles and solutions” for our state by abetterwestvirginia.com, this post offers up a philosophical challenge for consideration.
I won’t rehash the state’s problems that have been so well documented in every “best states/worst states” lists. We know what the rankings in education, health, income, business, et al, tell us about ourselves.
I also won’t review West Virginia’s history. You can enjoy the spanking new West Virginia Culture and History museum for that.
Suffice it to say, our state started out with early challenges, and it has yet to overcome those challenges at least in terms of our internal and external perception. We’ve yet to come out from behind the eight ball. And the abuse we’ve taken from “outside influences” has been well-documented. We’ve been hoodwinked, abused, exploited, mocked and then blamed for our problems. Talk about blaming the victim.
It’s not difficult to understand why West Virginians, by broad stroke, are a bit defensive and, yes, cynical. Yes, that shows up in state rankings, too. Jokes at our expense from the national and nearby media wear on you after awhile. Words aren’t harmless. Even more harmful are careless business practices that have treated West Virginia like a colony, leaving little wealth or advancement in our communities.
The question is, is there any realistic way up and out of the situation?
Folks, it’s a different time. I offer a counter-intuitive suggestion. The solution to our problems is…
Outside influences.
It’s a different time because the world has shrunk, or flattened if you prefer. Everything is connected by roads, media and Internet. Just as we can’t hide comfortably behind our hills anymore, exploiters of our state can’t expect to not have their destructive tendencies go unreported. The cost of isolation are even greater now than they were in the past.
With a new spirit of openness, I encourage West Virginia to open up. To embrace partnerships with other states, leading universities, researchers, entrepreneurs and creative thinkers. It’s time to put the chip on our shoulder on the shelf, take ownership of the fact that not all of our answers will come from within the borders from those we deem more trusthworthy just because of where they were born (aren’t most of the political leaders who have contributed to our situation “one of us”?).
Even our efforts to draw talent into our state are almost exclusively safe and nurturing to our desire to live among “our own”. Yes, we’d love for talented natives to “come home”, but do we seriously think that state natives alone will fill our talent gap? That only those willing to reverse the brain drain from the hills of West Virginia to North Carolina and other surrounding states are able to reverse West Virginia’s status?
What about Ph.D.’s from India? What about engineers from China? What about idealistic and committed graduates from MIT or Harvard? What about artists from South America? What about entrepreneurial immigrants from Africa, Mexico, Eastern Europe or South Korea?
Yes, I know I’m stepping on some land mines here. Some will point out that those idealistic college grads from the Ivy League schools can come here with a bit of a paternalistic approach, not respecting the existing culture and people as much as they are stroking a guilt complex that motivates them to “help the poor and disadvantaged.” It pricks our pride. I know it does mine sometimes.
And surely a call for immigrants to “come home” to West Virginia can inflame many to anger when they themselves can’t find a decent paying job.
But folks, it’s time to embrace an abundance mentality, not a scarcity mentality. We tend to forget: we’re all here as a result of “outside influences.” West Virginia, like all of the United States, is a product of risk-taking, idealistic immigrants flowing through the frontier to chart a better life. It’s time to embrace some of that pioneer spirit and include those who naturally bring it with them: immigrants, entrepreneurs, idealists and innovators.
And it’s time to embrace people who genuinely want to help. Yes, we should demand that they bring respect along with knowledge and ideas to our state. Yes, we should ensure that local communities have a say in how they get “helped.” But with one hand holding onto dignity and the respect of our existing culture, it’s time to use our other hand to partner in order to bring new ideas, new resources, new insights and new solutions to our “beautiful hills.”
It’s already happened of course. We have a Senator with this background. We have many valuable members of our arts, cultural and culinary community from “back to the land” movements. We have doctors and professors from all over the world who populate our rural communities. It’s time to throw out the invitation and open up the spigot for more.
What about:
- A partnership with nearby Carnegie Mellon University to solve rural broadband and Wi-Fi connectivity issues?
- A partnership between WVU and Johns Hopkins to turn West Virginia inot the world's hot-bed of health innovation?
- A partnership with some of the world's greatest entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to develop West Virginia into the world's most profilic region for new business start-ups?
- A powerful partnership with the Gates Foundation to transform how "school" is understood in the 21st century?
- A clarion call around the world announcing that West Virginia is a "great state to create" and incentives for artists to flood into our borders to create one of the world's greatest arts communities?
- Announcing that our state is truly a broad energy state now and is embracing "clean and green" innovation?
“Come home” to West Virginia? Yes, if you’re ready to create new opportunities, please come home. But also, to those with no prior roots in our state with talent and passion and creativity and integrity and a desire to build a life that matters, we invite you to “make a home” in West Virginia. We’ll both be “a better West Virginia” for it.
Empowering Solutions for all Mountaineers
Hello,
One in five Americans have or are significantly impacted by disability every day. Collectively they represent the largest minority of citizens and the most underutilized community resource in our state.
Historically, many are socially devalued, isolated, objects of charity, fear or pity and often require significant public and private funds and resources. They are rarely seen in public, engaged or offered viable avenues to consistently contribute or demonstrate their value to their local communities or significantly impact their environment. (Individual community inclusion and daily quality of life is not recorded in most systems and therefore not accounted for.)
Many of the simple daily freedoms we routinely enjoy inspire genuine delight, real interest and passionate commitment in many people impacted by disability. Nationally approx. 80 % of people with disability do not work. Most see only their parents, family or paid staff and become conditioned to isolation, boredom, frustration and manipulation, often resulting in more expensive medication and treatment services. How do we expect people with disability to be equal and productive full citizens when our communities and public services do not make reasonable accommodations to engage them?
I have reviewed many "public" state government and social websites, called or contacted the appropriate person, heard and felt their discomfort. I listen as they say their "public" services are for anyone regardless of their disability, but they are not generally confident as most gradually recognize that their offices, buildings, programs, services, the way or words they use and most importantly their personal daily experience does not encourage genuine understanding or acceptance of people impacted by disability. It takes presence, interest, trust and time to make an informed decision regarding the degree of respect or mutual value we offer to the people we meet everyday.
This is a unique time in our state for identifying and promoting local social networks, identifying existing resources, talented people and places that delight and inspire us to make our communities more accessible and effectively engage our citizens. We need to bring people together in new cooperative ways and implement real socially empowering solutions. We have abundant forests and social resources that are not accessible to people impacted by disability or often the elderly population-our families. Examples of our systematic exclusion include: our parks are not physically accessible for our people to explore and feel the wonder of our woods. WVDEP has 26 pages on their website about community services for communities and youths, but none to directly engage people with disability. WV Volunteer website has Americorp statistics about how many Hispanics and minorities volunteer, but none about people with disability. Nationally public services do not proactively engage ( or value?) people impacted by disability. Relative to the percentage of population there is abundant money for social integration, but little actual direct access or involvement for people impacted by disability.
Empowering Solutions/Suggestions:
I.) State and business leaders could direct businesses-agencies to survey their employees and ask them two simple questions.
1. What inspires you or what are you really good at in your job?
2. Would you consider sharing your expertise with people with disability and maybe even school aged children seeking to volunteer or develop future career interests?
A simple data base could identify effective "mentor-teachers", their expertise and possibly available times that could be shared with the interested public and hopefully inspire genuine interest and commitment. Also people who love their job often like to share their passion with like minded people.
II.) Develop accessible Sensory Awareness Gardens in all public parks. Consider offering to all local communities maybe 100 sq. feet to 1/2 an acre of land within their public parks for people impacted by disability, children and the elderly and all interested public to plan, develop and maintain accessible sensory awareness gardens. A simple accessible showcase full of the wonderful sights, smells, tastes, textures and sounds from native plants, flowers, herbs, trees, water, rocks and possibly various feeders to engage and entice the publics senses. These interested communities might provide most of the planning, resources and manpower to build these accessible areas for public use, if appropriately engaged. This alone would place our country 1st regarding our commitment to including and maybe understanding people impacted by disability.
III.) Empower all students in public schools who choose with the opportunity to consider, record and sign a simple analysis of their school day. Ask 3-5 simple questions such as;
What inspired you to learn and made you feel good today? What devalued you or was a waste of your time today? Who or what helped or hindered you today?
Entered into a simple data base accessible to each students involved community support network( parents-families, possibly teachers and funding sources) it would provide daily accountability, maximize efficiency and encourage immediate discussion and solutions.
( empower personal responsibility?)
So many possibilities. Your website conveys many diverse messages, but empowering simple solutions for each unique individual is the key. Can we talk or could you forward this to some like minded people who might consider discussing possible areas of mutual cooperation and community benefit. Many Mountaineers feel devalued and disempowered. If Disability is the standard that the rest of us use to define how "normal" we are, then their status is very unfortunate indeed. It is a horrible and unjust standard that isolates and devalues so many wonderful people. I believe it is time to really get involved and maybe change public perceptions and empower all Mountaineers. It could be fun and maybe we can become a truely enlightened society for all people. Will you help?
Thank you for your consideration and time.
Respectfully
Darwin Vaught Charleston, WV (304) 768-5575 Ext 203 or via return email
Yes, but...
I know, I know. Drop the "but". I agree with the principle you are espousing. The perspective you advocate is 99.9999% the right way to look at things, and the goals you suggest are worthy of serious consideration. In that sense, I can give a hearty "Right on!" to your post.
On the other hand, many of the limiting factors are still in place. Where will the returning natives and immigrants from around the globe find jobs? How in the current economic infrastructure of the state will they create new opportunities? What kind of housing, amenities, and educational pitfalls and shortcomings will they face? If these folks are independently wealthy or can live on peanuts while they get things up and running, it will be a great success to lure them to the Mountain State. But as your post implies, the success of the PhDs from India (how many PhD-level jobs are there in WV?) and the artists from South America, the "immigrants" from NC and PA etc, and the entrepreneurial returning native daughters and sons will largely rely on capital and resources from outside institutions and organizations. While you have sketched some interesting outlines for what such collaborations may look like, there is still the issue of whether underdeveloped areas without the necessary base of a sufficiently skilled/educated workforce can really attract such widespread or large-scale investment without the proof of some pilot projects.
None of this is to reject the feasibility of the vision you have articulated, but the people involved in trying to rehabilitate the state (including its image) will need to paint much clearer pictures of what is possible and how it will work in order to generate sufficient interest at the individual as well as organizational/corporate level. As one of those who left the state after getting my Bachelor's degree, I am definitely rooting for this new pro-West Virginia movement I recently stumbled across. Yet so much of what I have read so far on other sites (I've just started looking at this one) is optimistic but vague, enthusiastic but short on details. An action plan and some specific project ideas, based on the kind of things you've written here, will go a long way toward getting the movement from idealism to functional and practical applications. I wish all involved in such efforts the best.
Bravo
Very well written article. I agree wholeheartedly.
Fear/Hope
Great post, Jeff! Well said, my man. It's time for Glasknost in WV.
When I worked at GE, we had paradigm that often hampered things: If a component (a part, raw material or sub-assembly) wasn't made or invented by GE, it was never considered for design or usage. That led to an initiative by Jack Welch called "Not Invented Here," which became the acronym NIH. He challenged all the GE engineers, scientist and marketing folks to think and look outside the company ... to look beyond the "walls" of GE. The insular thinking that existed 20 years ago, prior to the NIH initiative, was a huge limiting factor.
In the context of industry, it's hard to imagine (i.e., remember) such a paradigm, but it existed. In the context of West Virginia, I hope that in 20 years we will have made similar progress in openness, diverstiy and thinking beyond our borders. Talented people like you (Jeff) will undoubtedly be leading the way!
Great Post Jeff
As a small business owner we have forged partnerships with companies and individuals in BC - Canada, Portugal, Arizona and North Dakota amongst others.
The world truly is "flat", we as West Virginians, stand to benefit the most from this. With a "flat" world we can connect with people outside of our communities to help us accomplish goals without leaving the place we call home.
A Welcome Message
Uplifting post! Love the emphasis on partnerships, and the reminder of our history and the emphasis on abundance mentality. Thank you for emphasizing diversity as a vision of positive change for everyone.
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