Hi! My name is Katie Power and I’m a junior at the University of Pittsburgh studying Economics and Political Science. I am also planning on minoring in Applied Statistics and English Literature. I’m from Fayette County, PA, in a small town named Perryopolis. As someone from a rural area, and the focus of this project, I have a deep personal connection with the Appalachian region and hope to learn more about the history of Appalachia throughout this project. Outside of this project, I am an editor for Policy and Political Review, a literary magazine, where we post policy analysis pieces on economic and political issues. I am also a part of the Ethics Bowl team here at Pitt where we compete with our perspectives on various ethical and moral dilemmas. In my free-time, I love to read, crochet, and explore fun new areas of the world. I personally am interested in economic development in disadvantaged communities and so I’m excited to learn more about my county and how to help my community grow and prosper.

This project is all made possible by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), a federal institution that focuses on economic development and stability in Appalachian regions. This particular project of the ARC is called the Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI) where we will interact with the Fayette County Cultural Trust and other stakeholders to try and solve the “brain drain” issue of this region. The idea of the “brain drain” is that valuable human capital often migrates out of the region, making it difficult for this area to thrive and compete economically. Unfortunately, this is a common phenomenon of Appalachian regions and especially Fayette County. The goal of this project is to address this issue, analyze its causes and effects, and work with the community to create new ways to approach this problem to help our community thrive.

As someone who grew up in one of these Appalachian regions, I am very aware of the stereotypes and perceptions of rural towns. Appalachian areas are often seen as isolated, poor, and uneducated compared to non-Appalachian counties. Because of this, there’s a great divide between urban and rural regions, a divide that has resulted in great resentment in “left behind” communities. This idea of resentment between urban and rural regions was introduced to me in the class I am currently taking with Dr. Kristin Kanthak, “Politics of Appalachia” where she explained and emphasized this divide. The University has been working with the Fayette County Cultural Trust for years in effort to bridge this divide, finding ways the University can help those within this region feel seen and alleviate this resentment. I personally find this project especially meaningful as I was always seeking ways to leave my rural hometown in search of opportunity and purpose. However, this project and the lessons I’ve been taught in my course have made me realize that there is great economic potential in towns like my own. Projects like this one help tap into this potential by creating opportunities and helping lift struggling communities out of poverty.

Throughout my professional and academic career, I’ve been interested in policy and economic development. Over the summer, I participated in a redlining research project under Dr. Omer Ali which examined the housing policies created in an effort to boost the housing market after the Great Depression and how these policies potentially increased inequalities in urban and suburban regions. This topic has always been of interest to me. Policies enacted by local and federal governments have the potential of lifting struggling communities while also having the potential to push them down. The ARC for example, was created by the federal government in 1965. The commission has had a dramatic impact on these regions, investing in numerous projects across the Appalachian region in effort to increase access to opportunities for those in these regions.

From my participation in this project, I hope to learn more about my community and discuss with constituents their goals for Fayette County. I hope to improve my communication and research skills and be able to use these skills to better understand the community. Additionally, I want to see how the University can assist and promote development. Most importantly, however, I want to be able to form real connections with the people of these regions. I want to be able to listen and understand their opinions and use their knowledge of their community to help drive their community to prosperity. My goal is not to conduct research on this area, but to learn and research with this community and work together to approach this county’s biggest issues. These skills are especially valuable to me as I intend to further my education in law school. In the legal field I want to serve those in disadvantaged communities and bring my identity and experiences into my work to uplift these communities. I feel I can resonate with their stories and want to use that to voice the concerns of those who’ve been left behind and feel unseen.

Given my experiences and professional interests and goals, I feel very lucky to be a part of this project. I have a personal connection with this region and have always wondered growing up what it would be like if me and my community had better access to academic opportunities and work opportunities. This project has the potential to create a real difference in this community and I’m excited to see how I can help impact my hometown in a meaningful, productive way. In my class I take with Professor Kanthak, she often says, “storytelling is political”. Appalachian and rural regions are widely looked down upon and perceived as poor communities with little to no opportunity or interest. I hope to, with my fellow students in the political science group of this project, construct a story of potential and help this community thrive and prosper economically with the help of the Fayette County Cultural Trust and other stakeholders in the county.