BLAC
Re-Membering
Podcast
Black Re-Membering is the Black Appalachian Coalition’s flagship podcast and a core narrative justice platform dedicated to preserving truth, confronting harm, and reclaiming power through story. Rooted in Black Appalachian lived experience, the podcast centers the voices of those who have long been marginalized, erased, or misrepresented—elders, organizers, culture keepers, artists, policy leaders, and everyday people whose lives sit at the intersection of history, resistance, and survival.
Through intimate conversations and critical analysis, Black Re-Membering explores the deep and ongoing impacts of environmental racism, extractive industries, health inequities, land loss, and systemic neglect—while also uplifting the resilience, wisdom, and collective imagination of Black Appalachian communities. Each episode treats memory not as nostalgia, but as evidence, testimony, and strategy—a tool for truth-telling, healing, and liberation.
The podcast bridges the personal and the political, connecting ancestral knowledge and lived experience to today’s fights for clean water, safe air, reproductive justice, economic dignity, and self-determination. It invites listeners to sit with the “heavy”—the grief, injustice, and harm—and to move toward the “hope”—organizing, cultural power, and community-led solutions.
More than a podcast, Black Re-Membering is an archive, a call to action, and a living record of Black Appalachian life. It is where stories fuel movements, where memory becomes resistance, and where narrative power is built to shape a more just future.
BLAC Lunch and Learn Series: Environmental Justice and Building A Clean Energy Economy
Uncover the unexpected truth about the federal funding flowing into communities, challenging common myths about clean energy jobs, and reshaping the environmental justice landscape. The intertwined narratives of economic equity, social justice, and environmental health are about to unfold. Stay tuned for a surprising revelation that will shift your perspective on the intersection of the clean energy economy and environmental justice.
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BLAC Lunch and Learn Series: The Land Beneath Our Feet
Do you want to increase awareness and advocacy for sustainable land management? Discover the solution to achieve this result and learn how to make a meaningful impact in environmental stewardship.
Today's special guests are Ted Boettner and Chief Pomaj-Chakmam-Yajalaji
BLAC Lunch and Learn Series: Forever Plastics – Everlasting Poisons
Are you aware that your local schools and youth may be living and learning within two miles of toxic petrochemical facilities? This shocking revelation is just the beginning of a deeper understanding of the impact on vulnerable communities. Join BLAC as we uncover the hidden dangers and explore actionable steps to protect our future generations. This eye-opening discussion will leave you with a newfound sense of urgency and a commitment to creating real change. Stay tuned to learn how you can be a part of this crucial movement for environmental justice and health equity.
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BLAC Lunch and Learn Series: When Disaster Strikes – Protecting Vulnerable Communities
Does the aftermath of a disaster leave you feeling lost and overlooked? Have you been told to just move on and get over it, but the trauma lingers? If you're tired of feeling unheard and unseen in the wake of a crisis, it's time to uncover the path to healing and resilience. Let's explore the power of community-driven emergency planning and inclusive disaster response to reclaim your voice and rebuild together.
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Regaining Your Power Through Community, Connection, and Communication
Does the upcoming election have you feeling overwhelmed and uncertain? Have you been told to simply wait and see what happens? The frustration and powerlessness you're experiencing from this approach is completely understandable. It's time to take back control and make proactive preparations for the election. Let's explore effective strategies to empower yourself and your community amidst the uncertainty of the upcoming election.
In this episode, you will be able to:
Beyond the Ballot Box: Community Action for Black Liberation
Welcome to another episode of BLAC Re-Membering. On today's episode We are in conversation with Pheonix Berry, a Kentucky Black Appalachian Organizer. As a committed community organizer with a background in naturopathy, Pheonix's journey reflects a deep-rooted connection to the Appalachian history and culture, influencing their approach to advocacy and mutual aid. Their insights, particularly from the Kentucky policy summit, shed light on the importance of collective power and uncovering truths for policy change. Pheonix's involvement in Project 2025 and their stance on the current political landscape offer an invaluable perspective, making them an influential force in driving change within the community.
In this episode, you will be able to:
Rebuilding the Village: A Conversation with Tina Ford
How can you create a space for healing and resilience in your community? Discover the solution to achieving this empowered support system and personalized care as we delve into the impactful role of legacy storytelling and self-care strategies for black women.
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Power and the Emotional Labor of Community Organizing with Ocean Smith
Uncover the transformative power of community education and youth empowerment. Join us as we speak with Oceanna Smith, Youth Organizer at WV ACLU and her journey to overcoming academic obstacles and uplifting young voices.
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Dualthink, Decolonization, and Community Organizing, with Phoenix Berry
Uncover the unexpected power of food, community, and decolonization in Black Appalachia. On today's episode we explore how a simple meal led to profound connections and insights. From challenging capitalism in urban gardening to envisioning a Solarpunk future, our guest Phoenix Berry's wisdom will reshape your perspective. Prepare to be inspired by the depth of community organizing and the radical potential of decolonization. Dive into the conversation and unlock the keys to impactful activism and sustainable community building.
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The Black Arts Movement's Influence on Appalachian Hip Hop with Eric Jordan
On today's episode of the BLAC Re-Membering podcast, Narrative Fellow Marie Cochran and Eric Jordan discuss the interconnectedness of arts, culture, and identity in West Virginia, with a focus on the Jordan family legacy and its cultural impact upon the Affrilachian Arts Movement and the Norman Jordan African American Arts Academy.
Jordan shares his experiences and insights on the transformative effect of art camps on young artists. Cochran and Jordan share their perspectives on navigating political and social issues with empathy and understanding.
They both discuss the artistic significance of storytelling in Hip Hop music and its role in helping youth find their artistic voice and sense of community. Finally, Jordan announces the release of his solo album, "An Appalachian Hip Hop Story Part One" on June 10th and he promotes the August 2nd release of the "No Options" the Appalachian hip hop compilation album featuring various artists on which he also appears.
Meet Eric Jordan
Eric "Monstalung" Jordan was born in Cleveland Ohio, but raised in Ansted, and Morgantown WV. He has been performing since the age of 7, then as a percussionist during his father’s poetry performances, and later as an actor in his father’s plays. His father, Norman Jordan, is one of the leading African American poets of WV, and the Black Arts Movement in Cleveland OH during the 1960s. Eric is a lover of all music, but hip hop made an impact on him, and he started his first breakdance team in 1983 in Morgantown WV called the Robotic Atomic Foot Shockers. During this journey, there were highs and lows, but the experience was priceless. During that time he released 2 albums, became head music director at Fat Head Records, and worked with worldwide recording artist Father MC, Tekitha of WUTANG Clan, Loon of Bad Boy Records, and lived in Atlanta, Chicago, Washington DC, Seattle, and New York chasing his dream.
In 2001 he started working for West Virginia University in the Coal and Research department as a program coordinator until he shifted to the WVU Student Life department where he still currently works at the Center for Black Culture & Research. Jordan’s passion for the arts he inherited from his parents, and with them has been giving back to the WV community for over 35 years with the annual Norman Jordan African American Arts & Heritage Academy, a summer camp that focuses on teaching youth the different forms of the black arts.
In June 2024 "Monstalung" released his album An Appalachian Hip Hop Story Pt.1, and later in August he was featured on the Appalachian Hip Hop Compilation album “No Options” executive produced by Dr. Ted Olson, and Dr. William Turner, which is distributed on Appalshop Records. "Monstalung" also recently hosted a 100 Day’s in Appalachia email newsletter for the month of August 2024.
Resources and References
Pervasive Petrochemicals with Dr. Patricia M DeMarco
BLAC's Cultural and Narrative organizer, NitaJade, hosts today’s episode of the BLAC Re-Membering Podcast with special guest Dr. Patricia M DeMarco, Author, Activist, Environmental Justice Advocate, and Co-Conspirator.
Dr. Patricia M. DeMarco is a Pittsburgh author with a doctorate in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh. She has spent a fifty-year career in energy and environmental policy in both private and public sector positions. She now writes and lectures in the fields of sustainability, energy and environmental policy, and natural history.
She learned her craft in public policy from Connecticut Governor Ella T. Grasso, for whom she served as policy advisor to the National Governors Association Low Level Nuclear Waste Compact negotiations. Following her position as Demand Side Manager for the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative, she served is a Commissioner of the Regulated Utilities Commission of Alaska.
She returned to Pittsburgh in 2006, and served as Executive Director of the Rachel Carson Homestead Association then as Director of the Rachel Carson Institute at Chatham University, where she now holds an appointment as Senior Scholar and Adjunct Faculty.
Dr. DeMarco sits on the Board of Trustees for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and for The Allegheny Land Trust. She is also a Principal Associate in The Main Street Associates, headquartered in Braddock, PA. Dr. DeMarco shares more about her work fighting toxic petrochemical pollution in Allegheny County, the pervasive nature of petrochemicals, and how they affect our daily lives. Tune into this episode to learn how petrochemicals harm our communities!
Getting Back to Our Roots with Rev. Dr. Kevin Cosby
Are you seeking to ignite a powerful resurgence and revival in your community? Do you want to catalyze intentional leadership and collaborative action for lasting change? Discover the solution to harnessing the power of collective intention and building on shared pain to propel your community forward. The key lies in transforming trauma into triumph and building unapologetic solidarity. Join us as we uncover the roadmap to community revitalization and lasting impact.
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