Can art help us advocate for the environment? Visiting scholar-activist Dr. Alex Davenport explores this question through his research into coalfields in Appalachia. Focusing on the legacy of Julia “Judy” Bonds, Dr. Davenport artfully weaves together the practice of performance-lecture with communal quilt-making to explore possibilities of social justice within coalfields.
Judy, an average citizen, stood up to climate-destroying corporate greed at great personal risk, protecting Appalachian communities and paving the way for other grassroots environmental activism across the country. As environmental threats continue to plague our homelands, learn how you can continue the legacy of Judy Bonds in your community.
This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
About Dr. Davenport
Dr. Davenport is an expert in performance, environmental communication, and social justice. He is a nationally recognized scholar and performer, with publications in top journals in his field. Dr. Davenport has performed throughout the East Coast and into the Midwest, has performed at fringe and performance festivals; and has regularly taken part in and created socially engaged art pieces, often in partnership with the Old Furnace Artist Residency.