So Long, But Not Goodbye



It is with equal parts sadness and celebration that we bid adieu to our long-time friend and the coordinator of our Tennessee program for the past year, Ann League. While we are losing a formidable teammate, we are excited that Ann is leaving to head up one of our partner organizations, Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment in Tennessee. As SOCM’s new executive director, Ann will continue to fight alongside Appalachian Voices to stop the destruction of Appalachian communities from mountaintop removal while tackling other pressing environmental and social justice issues in her home state. Ann was instrumental in helping us launch our Energy Savings for Appalachia program in Tennessee and encouraging officials of electric cooperatives and state agencies to develop financing programs for residential energy efficiency. She also coordinated a grassroots effort that ultimately blocked a state bill to implement a surface mining program that would have hefted the bill for mine regulation onto Tennessee taxpayers. We wish Ann much success in her new position, and will definitely keep in touch!