the quest: 2010 ENGAGE Convergence

This year's ENGAGE Convergence was located in Eastern Kentucky at the base of the Appalachian Mountains. We chose this location to support one our bases in its infancy which is currently developing a relationship with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and doing Human Rights work with Mountain Top Removal mining.

This is Eastern Kentucky. For part of the Convergence we went of a tour with our friend Rick who lives out here.

This is Rick. He lives here. Rick is a nice guy, but he knows some mean people.

These are the mean people. They live across the street. They like to remove mountain tops with TNT. Six days a week they blast the mountain. Some times they wake Rick.

Rick took us ENGAGErs for a walk behind his house to show us another mine site. His house is surrounded by mines and rivers poisoned with heavy metals. Rick now drinks bottled water. He no longer swims in the streams either.

Rick is part of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (click the link for their site). KFTC campaigns against mountain top removal mining and is one of the most, well run organizations I have encountered. If you'd like to see more photos of Rick's beautiful face you can read the Human Rights report ENGAGE wrote in collaboration with KFTC.