Create West Virginia

People who have just heard of Create WV or are not familiar with terms such as "creative class" or "new economy" often ask for a review of these concepts. If that is your case, or have a friend or colleague who would like a review of the Create WV initiative, this presentation may be helpful. This particular version was delivered to a Create WV workshop audience in Greenbrier County in Fall 2008: 

At first hearing, it may not have sounded like much progress was made in the elevation of the new economy in the agenda of West Virginia's current administration. After last year's "Bucks for Brains" investment, this year may have seemed to lack any new exciting commitment to growing West Virginia's innovation-based economy.

The historic inauguration of Barack Obama reinforces so much of what America is about, or has claimed to be about but hadn't yet fulfilled.

It certainly reminds us of the power of impossible dreams. Who just a year ago would have predicted an African American with a name like Barack Obama becoming president of the United States?

There is always something creative brewing in Morgan County: 

BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV ---- As part of Back To Our Roots, its yearlong celebration of American roots arts, the Morgan Arts Council (MAC) of Berkeley Springs is conducting a local Music Census. An original census form has been developed and is available to anyone who lives in Morgan County and sings or plays music. Family members may also fill out the checklist of nine questions and provide the information about any past musicians.

Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author of books such as The Tipping Point and Blink, has a new book out called Outliers: The Story of Success. In it he seeks to debunk our myths about what makes extraordinary people, such as genius scientists or billionaire business leaders, successful. His argument is that we tend to attribute their success to sheer genius and indvidual giftedness, when in fact it has a lot more to do with other factors such as: 

Have a safe, relaxing, joyful Thanksgiving everyone. We have a lot to be grateful for here in West Virginia. We have our hills. We have our mountains. We have a relatively stable economic situation compared to other states. We have a lot of talented young people driving back home to visit parents and grandparents...(Don't forget to recruit them back to start a business or fill a job opening!).

Create WV team member and diversity track leader Crystal Good Nazario shared this historical look into West Virginia's hip hop history in Graffiti, West Virginia's monthly entertainment newspaper: 

One of the most common things we've experienced as we visit various communities around the state is how, despite being connected with relatively nice roads, many communities are disconnected from communities in neighboring counties. Even within small counties, we find a lot of division among communities. Why is this? 

West Virginia University College of Business and Economics held its annual economic forecast event this week, and the picture they painted isn't rosy.