Maureen O’Connell and Charles “Boomer” Winfrey reflect on the value of having fun, highlighting the Student Health Coalition as an especially stimulating group of people to be around. Their commitment to collective recreation ultimately facilitated a stronger sense of togetherness and positively impacted their work in both community organizing and healthcare. Recorded on May 20th, …
Charles “Boomer” Winfrey and Maureen O’Connell ruminate on work left to be done in the eastern Tennessee region of Appalachia. Their focus pertains mostly to the ongoing need for augmented healthcare resources, drug education and reform, and meeting the needs of those left in the coverage cracks as a repercussion of Tennessee’s decision not to …
Maureen O’Connell and Charles “Boomer” Winfrey reflect on Bill Dow’s character and personal philosophy about community organizing. They describe him as an other-oriented person driven by creative, actionable service and mutually respectful relationships best illustrated by his perception of and interaction with the locals as his heroes. Recorded on May 20th, 2013. Full footage …
Charles “Boomer” Winfrey and Maureen O’Connell discuss the local healthcare setting upon Save Our Cumberland Mountain’s (SOCM) and the Student Health Coalition’s (SHC) early stages of community organizing in East Tennessee. Maureen details several local factors which established a major basis of need for healthcare reform. Recorded on May 20th, 2013. Full footage of …
Decline of coal camp healthcare and subsequent basis of need for reform Read More »
Charles “Boomer” Winfrey and Maureen O’Connell consider what set the Student Health Coalition apart from other community development efforts in the Appalachian region of East Tennessee. Boomer focuses on the Coalition’s and SOCM’s value of community empowerment (by way of such activities like education and legislation). Maureen emphasizes the mutual respect between SHC participants and …
Reflections on the SHC’s approach to community healthcare Read More »
Boomer discusses his introduction to Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM) in 1972. Inspired by his geological studies and depth of conviction about unregulated strip mining’s adverse effects on both the environment and community health, Boomer has been an active participant with SOCM for more than 40 years. Recorded on May 20th, 2013. Full footage …
Maureen traces the development of her involvement with Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM) and the Student Health Coalition (SHC), beginning with her 1969 introduction to Marie Cirillo and research presence in Clairfield, Tennessee. Recorded on May 20th, 2013. Full footage of interview with Maureen O’Connell and Charles “Boomer” Winfrey.
Dal Macon explains his role as coordinator of the Student Health Coalition’s non-medical techs, bringing light to its operations behind the scenes. Link to full interview with Dal Macon.
Dal Macon briefly shares about some of his post-Student Health Coalition community projects, including having served on the board of Marie Cirillo’s Community Land Trust and organized outreach efforts through the Center for Health Services at Vanderbilt University. Link to full interview with Dal Macon.
Dal Macon shares how local communities perceived, received, and supported Student Health Coalition participants, as well as how their approach to relationship-building manifested. Link to full interview with Dal Macon.