Writing for change: Program to stress activism’s importance

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By Brian Kaulakis

The ‘mountain keepers’ want to teach students a thing or two about activism.

The UK Writing Program Community Engagement Series event “An Evening with the Mountain Keepers” hopes to give perspective on the importance of activist writing, said Anne Mareck, associate director of the The Writing Program at UK.

“If enough people think and sustain focus on an issue, then that issue can slowly rise through the legislative process, and that leads to change,” Mareck said.“An Evening with the Mountain Keepers” is also intended to bring attention to the university’s writing program and its relevance to the many levels of a participatory democracy, Mareck said.

“Freshmen hate writing papers and essays,” Mareck said. “But it is because of this writing that we are able to have a participatory democracy. Without it, we wouldn’t even have this government, or even this country.”

Readings and speeches by Kentucky authors will be featured at “An Evening with the Mountain Keepers.”

Erik Reece, an activist and UK lecturer, will act as master of ceremonies for the event. Best known for his environmental literary work “Lost Mountain,” Reece said that he is looking forward to helping to open the eyes of people who may not realize where much of our energy comes from.

“This is for our students,” Reece said. “They’re maturing in an age of peak oil and energy over-consumption. This region is far too reliant on coal, and the environmental controversy with compromised air quality, mining methods, and slow re-growth can’t be overlooked.”

Along with a reading from Reece’s “Lost Mountain,” Kentucky authors Silas House and Jason Howard will be guest speakers. New and original poetry by Frank X. Walker, Judy Sizemore, Anne Shelby and George Ella Lyon; original acoustic music from Public Outcry; Mountaintop Removal Roadshow orator Dave Cooper; and West Virginian Appalachian activist and orator Larry Gibson will also be featured.

The event will play host to regional artwork, focused on the budding artistic style ‘mountaintop removal art.’

“We feel like we’re unveiling a brand new genre,” said Leah Rayens, co-organizer of the event.

Rayens said there is increasingly relevant national attention that the mining industry and conditions have been receiving in recent years.

“The number of writers and media sources, from authors to documentaries, and their engagement with this issue has been phenomenal,” Rayens said.

“An Evening with the Mountain Keepers” will be Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the UK Student Center Grand Ballroom and is free and open to the public.