Labor In Motion
Pound, Virginia
Rendering of the brick and stained glass monument wall by Dana Jo Cooley and Johnny Hagerman.
As we see a global resurgence in collective struggles for liberation and labor justice, the residents of Pound sought to pay tribute to the workers who gave their health and their lives to labor struggles over the past century.
While there are already dominant labor narratives surrounding the Appalachian region, primarily around miners and the mining unionization fights, Pound saw an opportunity to broaden that discussion to include the voices and sides of labor that have been intentionally silenced or unintentionally forgotten.
Vice Mayor, Leabern Kenedy and artist Johnny Hagerman survey the proposed monument site in Pound, Virginia.
“You know, most people hope for a better tomorrow, and I’m not saying I don’t hope for a better tomorrow, but to me this monument also shows that we already have a better today and tomorrow can be even better. It just makes my heart swell.”
-Leabern Kennedy, Vice Mayor, Town of Pound
The community vision was to incorporate this narrative into an ongoing effort to transform a landslide site into a pocket park that uplifts our shared labor history, through a stage component and brickwork on the retaining wall.
MAAP intern Christian Crawley discusses the future of the pocket park at a community meeting.
A carved brick and stained glass wall provides a backdrop to a story telling stage, transforming a former landslides site into a places where diverse histories of labor are celebrated.
Monument Team
Emma Kelly
Leabern Kennedy
Marian Mollin
Josh Outsey
Mary Cromer
Debbi Hale
Randy Hamilton
Marty Robinson
Dana Jo Cooley
Johnny Hagerman
Kara Dotten
Kevin Jones
Seth Cox
Christian Crawley
An illustration envisioning the pocket park, art, and stage components of the Labor in Motion monument. Illustration by Rebecca Steele.