I've moved!
www.alexblackwelder.com/blog
www.alexblackwelder.com/blog
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
TVA dissapoints again
Last winter, I had the honor to meet and photograph Penny Dodson. She was so wonderful to allow me photograph her and her grandson while they were going through hell living as refugees in their own community because of the TVA Coal Fly Ash disaster.
Her grandson became sick after inhaling the coal fly ash in their home, so TVA relocated her to a hotel. Then later, they sent her to a rental home where Evyn was more safe.
I just read her recent blog. TVA sent her the dreaded letter saying they will not continue to support her relocation after July.
So, the spill made her home INHABITABLE. Evyn cannot be in the area until all of the coal fly ash is cleaned up, which will be a very long time. And TVA is no longer supporting this family.
I finished the multimedia of her story in the Spring, but this is a harsh reminder that people's stories don't end when you publish something. Their story and involvement in this disaster continues everyday. I hope to continue following their story and update the multimedia piece.
With that said, this is going to bite TVA in the butt. They should be doing EVERYTHING in their power to take care of the people whose lives the disaster changed forever. I feel like they will be suffering much more with lawsuits because of their treatment of this community than what it costs to relocate people! We must remember that this is a MAN-made disaster, not a natural one.
Read Penny's blog post about "the letter" here.
Watch her story here.
Her grandson became sick after inhaling the coal fly ash in their home, so TVA relocated her to a hotel. Then later, they sent her to a rental home where Evyn was more safe.
I just read her recent blog. TVA sent her the dreaded letter saying they will not continue to support her relocation after July.
So, the spill made her home INHABITABLE. Evyn cannot be in the area until all of the coal fly ash is cleaned up, which will be a very long time. And TVA is no longer supporting this family.
I finished the multimedia of her story in the Spring, but this is a harsh reminder that people's stories don't end when you publish something. Their story and involvement in this disaster continues everyday. I hope to continue following their story and update the multimedia piece.
With that said, this is going to bite TVA in the butt. They should be doing EVERYTHING in their power to take care of the people whose lives the disaster changed forever. I feel like they will be suffering much more with lawsuits because of their treatment of this community than what it costs to relocate people! We must remember that this is a MAN-made disaster, not a natural one.
Read Penny's blog post about "the letter" here.
Watch her story here.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
No more productions
My last production at Sidelines was bittersweet. I've made some good friends and learned a ton, but I'm ready to shoot more for myself. Two semesters as Photography Editor was more than enough.
My good friend Alicia, loyal EX-desk buddy (sadface) , needed some headshots. Here's my favorite.
My good friend Alicia, loyal EX-desk buddy (sadface) , needed some headshots. Here's my favorite.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Nothing is better than taking a road you've never been down for as long as the sun stays in the sky. Today I drove down 70south through Woodbury and some of McMinnville. I was surprised and delighted to get into hill country... I miss it.
I will have a few pieces in Art from the Ashes- Art Exhibit and Silent Auction at the Knoxville Museum of Art to benefit those affected by the disaster in Roane County and United Mountain Defense. There will be lots of great artists, so come by and check it out and bid on some pieces!
May 17th - Opening & Reception 3:00 PM
through
June 28th - Closing 3:00 PM
I will have a few pieces in Art from the Ashes- Art Exhibit and Silent Auction at the Knoxville Museum of Art to benefit those affected by the disaster in Roane County and United Mountain Defense. There will be lots of great artists, so come by and check it out and bid on some pieces!
May 17th - Opening & Reception 3:00 PM
through
June 28th - Closing 3:00 PM
Sunday, April 26, 2009
This semester is almost over
Environmental activist RFJ Jr called out Obama on dedicating taxpayer money to research clean coal technology, which he says it's not possible. Read more on ABC. According to Bruce Nilles of the Sierra Club, coal is the dirtiest fuel source and "clean coal" campaigns are just a distraction from actually weaning of the big polluter.
Pretty interesting write up and I'm glad people are confronting Obama for using tax dollars to help coal stay in business. "The coal industry contributed $15.6 million to all federal campaigns in the last election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics" says ABC.
And for a good chuckle, check out the Coen Brother's commercial about the idea of clean coal.
I'm just glad this issue is getting some attention.
And I apologize for the photos of my cat. I just can't help myself!
Pretty interesting write up and I'm glad people are confronting Obama for using tax dollars to help coal stay in business. "The coal industry contributed $15.6 million to all federal campaigns in the last election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics" says ABC.
And for a good chuckle, check out the Coen Brother's commercial about the idea of clean coal.
I'm just glad this issue is getting some attention.
And I apologize for the photos of my cat. I just can't help myself!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spring!
:)
Today has been a good day. Penny's story was picked up on some local blogs in Nashville, including the Nashville Scene. My website has been going crazy all day!
Now is a good time to give a shout-out to my friends at United Mountain Defense. UMD has been working with people affected by the spill from day one. They introduced me to Penny and I am very thankful to have the opportunity to spend time in that community. Thanks UMD! You rock. :)
Today has been a good day. Penny's story was picked up on some local blogs in Nashville, including the Nashville Scene. My website has been going crazy all day!
Now is a good time to give a shout-out to my friends at United Mountain Defense. UMD has been working with people affected by the spill from day one. They introduced me to Penny and I am very thankful to have the opportunity to spend time in that community. Thanks UMD! You rock. :)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
I've been thinking more about an experience I had at Mountain Justice Spring Break 2009. I was photographing a workshop on non-violent direct action, and the participants were asked to sculpt themselves into a statue that showed what non-violence means to them. As you can see, everyone's statues were different. Some were more defensive, some spiritual, and others very vulnerable.
It was refreshing to be around a group of people talking about stuff like this. What role does non-violence play in our lives as a principle? Is it a tactic of protest or a lifestyle? I may not agree with some of the ideas people had, but I LOVED talking about it. I find philosophy and ethics to be one of the most undervalued ideas in our modern society. Why don't we talk about this stuff? Shouldn't our ethics and morals constantly be re-evaluated? Maybe I'll make an effort to bring it up in a conversation.
It was refreshing to be around a group of people talking about stuff like this. What role does non-violence play in our lives as a principle? Is it a tactic of protest or a lifestyle? I may not agree with some of the ideas people had, but I LOVED talking about it. I find philosophy and ethics to be one of the most undervalued ideas in our modern society. Why don't we talk about this stuff? Shouldn't our ethics and morals constantly be re-evaluated? Maybe I'll make an effort to bring it up in a conversation.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
I've finally got the story about Penny and Evyn up on the website. Please check it out and let me know what you think!
This weekend I'll be photographing the Laos New Year in Murfreesboro. It will be fun!
As for my TN coal project, I have made a couple of trips up to the area I will be photographing when school is out. Hopefully some of the contacts I have picked up will help me. Talking to locals is so much fun and it is incredible how much is actually helps in understanding the situation. I can't wait to get back up there.
This weekend I'll be photographing the Laos New Year in Murfreesboro. It will be fun!
As for my TN coal project, I have made a couple of trips up to the area I will be photographing when school is out. Hopefully some of the contacts I have picked up will help me. Talking to locals is so much fun and it is incredible how much is actually helps in understanding the situation. I can't wait to get back up there.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Lame
I am seriously lame at keeping up with this blog, but I promise it will change.
Things have progressed tons since my last post. I've met so many inspiring people, and have found new direction and purpose to my project. I'm started to put a face to mountaintop removal and coal in E. Tennessee and it strengthens my resolve.
I've been working hard to finish editing the story about Penny. I never knew I had such a weakness in editing until I started this story. I have so much audio, I have no clue how to edit it all down into a story that actually makes sense. But I am trying.
I did not expect so many great things to come out of really pushing my personal work. It has helped me recognize my weaknesses and work on them. Unfortunately, it has also made all things University related seem dull and unimportant. My GPA will suffer this semester... but I have never felt so driven in my life. That's a fair trade.
I promise not to neglect you, blog.
-AB
Things have progressed tons since my last post. I've met so many inspiring people, and have found new direction and purpose to my project. I'm started to put a face to mountaintop removal and coal in E. Tennessee and it strengthens my resolve.
I've been working hard to finish editing the story about Penny. I never knew I had such a weakness in editing until I started this story. I have so much audio, I have no clue how to edit it all down into a story that actually makes sense. But I am trying.
I did not expect so many great things to come out of really pushing my personal work. It has helped me recognize my weaknesses and work on them. Unfortunately, it has also made all things University related seem dull and unimportant. My GPA will suffer this semester... but I have never felt so driven in my life. That's a fair trade.
I promise not to neglect you, blog.
-AB
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Kingston continued
Until I can figure out how to post soundslide galleries, I will be posting link to my flickr page to see some photos.
www.flickr.com/alexblackwelder
Coal fly ash spill continued:
After we visited the site and talked to some locals, we visited with an amazing lady who had been greatly affected by the spill. I am still working with her to tell her story, so I can't post too much, but you can read her blog (http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/ )
I don't think any media outlets have accurately captured what some people are going through more than her blog. Her honesty is heartbreaking.
After meeting with her, I drove around trying to pass time before going to the Harriman TVA meeting. I ended up at McDonalds and paid $2.95 for two hours of wireless. The weather was horrendous and I had a hard time finding the site of the meeting.
The meeting was very eye opening. I didn't take any pictures because I just wanted to soak in the situation, the citizen's concerns, and all that good stuff. I'm really glad I did that and waited around for the meeting.
I'm trying to keep track of all the concerns I hear. Each is a possible story to tell.
Here's what I noted:
- TVA is "reseeding" on top of the fly ash. There is concern about what that will do for wildlife, etc that feeds on the grass on top of the fly ash.
- Why isn't TVA sending samples for independent testing, as opposed to just public?
- Where is the ash going?
- Most popular questions for TVA CEO had to do with the potential risks of the fly ash. I got the feeling that many people think that TVA is downplaying the risk to their health, which is quiet possible. Some families aren't willing to stick around for 10-15 years to wait and see the long term effects.
-There were a lot of shaking heads anytime Kilgore mentioned that fly ash was not a "hazardous material". Even more laughing, and disproving shakes whenever he said that TVA does the best they can do and did all to prevent the disaster. "We don't want you to breathe or ingest it, but it is not a hazardous material."- Kilgore
- Is TVA going to buy the land they destroyed? One man was planning on selling his lakeside lot for $400,000, not he will be lucky if he gets $100,000. What will TVA do for those whose property values have completely diminished because of their mistake?
The one thing I noted from the meeting, is that, in general, the people do not feel like they are being told the truth by those in power. Many questions went unanswered or were danced around.
This spill has made me rethink the logistics of my project. More on that later. :)
www.flickr.com/alexblackwelder
Coal fly ash spill continued:
After we visited the site and talked to some locals, we visited with an amazing lady who had been greatly affected by the spill. I am still working with her to tell her story, so I can't post too much, but you can read her blog (http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/ )
I don't think any media outlets have accurately captured what some people are going through more than her blog. Her honesty is heartbreaking.
After meeting with her, I drove around trying to pass time before going to the Harriman TVA meeting. I ended up at McDonalds and paid $2.95 for two hours of wireless. The weather was horrendous and I had a hard time finding the site of the meeting.
The meeting was very eye opening. I didn't take any pictures because I just wanted to soak in the situation, the citizen's concerns, and all that good stuff. I'm really glad I did that and waited around for the meeting.
I'm trying to keep track of all the concerns I hear. Each is a possible story to tell.
Here's what I noted:
- TVA is "reseeding" on top of the fly ash. There is concern about what that will do for wildlife, etc that feeds on the grass on top of the fly ash.
- Why isn't TVA sending samples for independent testing, as opposed to just public?
- Where is the ash going?
- Most popular questions for TVA CEO had to do with the potential risks of the fly ash. I got the feeling that many people think that TVA is downplaying the risk to their health, which is quiet possible. Some families aren't willing to stick around for 10-15 years to wait and see the long term effects.
-There were a lot of shaking heads anytime Kilgore mentioned that fly ash was not a "hazardous material". Even more laughing, and disproving shakes whenever he said that TVA does the best they can do and did all to prevent the disaster. "We don't want you to breathe or ingest it, but it is not a hazardous material."- Kilgore
- Is TVA going to buy the land they destroyed? One man was planning on selling his lakeside lot for $400,000, not he will be lucky if he gets $100,000. What will TVA do for those whose property values have completely diminished because of their mistake?
The one thing I noted from the meeting, is that, in general, the people do not feel like they are being told the truth by those in power. Many questions went unanswered or were danced around.
This spill has made me rethink the logistics of my project. More on that later. :)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Kingston Coal Fly Ash Slide
Monday night I got a call from United Mountain Defense's full-time volunteer Matt Landon, and was invited out to a "media caravan" to talk to affected citizens and to see some of the destruction first hand.
For those of you who don't know much about this slide,
On December 22nd, a dike broke in a retention pond at TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant (You know, the two towers you see driving over the Clinch River in Kingston). This caused 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash flurry to surge into surrounding waterways, valleys, etc. Water and ash covered and destroyed homes. Thankfully, no one was killed.
What is coal fly ash? It is the leftovers of burned coal. It is stopped from being released into the atmosphere when the coal is burned for energy and stored underwater to prevent the dust from escaping the area and floating around to people, wildlife, etc. Now around 1.1 billion gallons of it is in the Clinch and Emory waterways (tributaries of the Tennessee and watersources). Fly ash is dangerous to those around it.
The first thing we did was to visit an area where we could see the damage. To be honest, I didn't expect it to be that bad since I was arriving 2 weeks after the initial spill.
It was hard to show the scope of damage done in that little inlet. It was just so unnatural and icky.
More to come
For those of you who don't know much about this slide,
On December 22nd, a dike broke in a retention pond at TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant (You know, the two towers you see driving over the Clinch River in Kingston). This caused 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash flurry to surge into surrounding waterways, valleys, etc. Water and ash covered and destroyed homes. Thankfully, no one was killed.
What is coal fly ash? It is the leftovers of burned coal. It is stopped from being released into the atmosphere when the coal is burned for energy and stored underwater to prevent the dust from escaping the area and floating around to people, wildlife, etc. Now around 1.1 billion gallons of it is in the Clinch and Emory waterways (tributaries of the Tennessee and watersources). Fly ash is dangerous to those around it.
The first thing we did was to visit an area where we could see the damage. To be honest, I didn't expect it to be that bad since I was arriving 2 weeks after the initial spill.
It was hard to show the scope of damage done in that little inlet. It was just so unnatural and icky.
More to come
Florida and other happenings
Well, I spent a week visiting family in Florida, but this project wasn't far from mind. When you start learning about something as important to our lives as coal, you start seeing it everywhere.
My sister and I decided to visit this citrus farm 18miles away from where we were staying in Estero. As we drove down Corkscrew Road, we saw many citrus farms, cows, horses, and even wild pigs. It was beautiful. Then we started seeing these signs to save Corkscrew Road. It's amazing to realize how many people struggle against these huge mines to save their livelihoods.
Days before Christmas, I read about the Kingston Fly Ash slide in Roane County. It was startling to say the least. Frustrated at the lack of national news and lack of internet to GET the news, I had to wait until I was back in Tennessee to really get the information. It has so much relevance to what I'm studying, and doing, and I couldn't be there when it happened. But I'll be there soon.
-Alex
p.s. the citrus farm's tangelos were angelic
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The beginning
Thanks to MTSU's Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity grant, I am working on a documentary project about mountaintop removal mining in East Tennessee.
My motivation to pursue this projects comes from a handful of sources, but mainly my identity as a "east Tennessean". Growing up in Knoxville, the mountains were a constant backdrop to my life. Surface mining receives relatively little media attention, and when I first started learning about it, I had to learn more.
Cut to a few months later, and I filled out an application to receive funds from MTSU to pursue this, and with the help of my faculty mentors Dr. Strawman and Dr. Spires. Thankfully, I received the funding.
Now the fun begins!
This blog will be a place for me to talk about this project, post resources, photos, musings, and more.
I hope to truly understand this issue and help tell the stories of those affected.
Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or suggestions. I will be seeking lots of outside help.
Stay tuned!
-Alex
My motivation to pursue this projects comes from a handful of sources, but mainly my identity as a "east Tennessean". Growing up in Knoxville, the mountains were a constant backdrop to my life. Surface mining receives relatively little media attention, and when I first started learning about it, I had to learn more.
Cut to a few months later, and I filled out an application to receive funds from MTSU to pursue this, and with the help of my faculty mentors Dr. Strawman and Dr. Spires. Thankfully, I received the funding.
Now the fun begins!
This blog will be a place for me to talk about this project, post resources, photos, musings, and more.
I hope to truly understand this issue and help tell the stories of those affected.
Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or suggestions. I will be seeking lots of outside help.
Stay tuned!
-Alex
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