Contact: Virginia Alvino Young, 714-267-1623, [email protected]
APPALACHIAN GROUP PLACES FULL PAGE AD TARGETING SEN. MANCHIN IN WEST VIRGINIA’S BIGGEST PAPER
The ad ran in Sunday’s Charleston Gazette Mail, and implored Sen. Manchin to support a major funding package that would create good union jobs in 21st Century industries for all West Virginians
Charleston, WV — ReImagine Appalachia is a coalition of labor, policy experts, and community leaders working together to ensure everyone who lives in Appalachia has access to good union jobs and the ability to put down roots. On Sunday, the group ran a full page ad in the state’s largest paper asking Sen. Manchin to support a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build the foundation for a 21st century, sustainable Appalachia. The ad highlighted the incredibly high stakes for West Virginia, both in what could be gained and the long term impact for the local economy and the people.
“We are impoloring Sen. Manchin to join his colleagues by putting people to work repairing damage to our land, reforesting the region, and manufacturing the products of the new energy economy,” said Kelly Allen, Executive Director of the WV Center on Budget and Policy. “We don’t have time to wait: we must prioritize jobs and industry right now, at the same time we tackle the climate crisis. But we need real investments in the people of our region, and we need them now. We are publicly asking Sen. Manchin to stand up for Appalachia, secure its place at the climate infrastructure table, and turn this budget package into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build the foundation for a 21st century, sustainable Appalachia.”Reimagine Appalachia is committed to building a new future for West Virginia. That means ensuring a federal investment big enough to actually bring the change that residents desperately need.