ABOUT THE PROJECT
Mountain stories, on our own terms.
The Appalachian Retelling Project was born out of the belief that stories - Appalachian stories - have power. Stories of resilience and ingenuity in times of hardship. Stories of the unique knowledge, communities, and people held within these hills. Stories that challenge the tired narrative that Appalachia is a place incapable of solving its own problems.
Appalachia is a place filled with incredible storytellers - yet the narrative is often driven by individuals and organizations who don’t know what it means to be from this place. It's time to change that. We're sharing stories that smash stereotypes, uplift unheard voices, and give an honest, nuanced glance into what it means to be from the mountains. We're re-telling the story of Appalachia - and this time, it's on our terms.
Meet The Creator
Elon Justice
Elon is a filmmaker and writer from Pikeville, KY with a passion for underrepresented (and misrepresented) populations in media. Growing up in Eastern Kentucky, she saw firsthand how negative, stereotypical images of her area had the power to harm those around her, and she wanted to do something to change it. She hopes her work might do just that.
Elon is an alum of Western Kentucky University and MIT, where she studied media representation and documentary film. In her free time, she enjoys travel, music, and teaching others how to correctly pronounce her name. (Hint: It's not like Elon Musk!)