Showing results for "Change" in Cultural & Regional

Part memoir, part biography, this is a journey of change and transformation. This memoir offers a collection of Dan's life learnings and challenges, and her ride on the emotional rollercoaster called life. It demonstrates that life is not linear, and when we overcome its challenges we face everything and rise. We build our resilience and come out stronger and wiser. Some days it may not feel as though we are strong, but it's step by step, day by day moving forward; even small steps in the right direction are still progress.

From the rolling hills, to the close-knit communities, to steel mills and coal mines, the mural I paint of life in this unique and beautiful region is extremely vivid. Whether you are from Appalachia yourself or simply curious about this often misunderstood part of the country, I hope that my story will speak to you and provide a deeper understanding of the resilience and strength of the human spirit.

At 14, Richard (Ricky) Abercrombie was besieged by prejudice because of his multi-racial background, and angered by unsatisfactory answers to his heartfelt questions about religious truth. The time was 1960, and the place was Greenville, South Carolina. Ricky began carrying a gun, skipping school, and numbing his painful emotions with alcohol. His parents were worried and his future looked bleak.