Together for Hope Appalachia

Newsletter - July 2025

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Welcome to the Coalition

Rē: The Rēgenerative School

Together for Hope is excited to welcome Rē: The Rēgenerative School to the coalition!

Based in Fayetteville, TN, Rē is a grounded 501(c)3 at the nexus of embodied education, social justice, environmental regeneration, and civic engagement activities. They are a community-based, alternative education collective, where students of all ages and backgrounds come together to learn to better steward their communities, land, and resources in relation to the larger world. Together with their partners, they are fostering regenerative abundance, resilience, and curiosity through rural spaces.

Ashlei Laing, the co-founder and executive director of Rē, is a kind soul with an impressive resume:

Ashlei Laing's background is in art & design, conservation, community development, permaculture, regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems. She completed her MA in Applied Community-Based Conservation at Future Generations University in 2014, where she was a Peace Corps Coverdell Scholar. She also holds a BA in Studio Art-Ceramics & Education from the University of New Hampshire, a degree in Interior Design from Wentworth Institute of Technology, and a Teacher Certification from the Bulgarian Ministry of Education. From 2010-2012, Ashlei was a Peace Corps volunteer based Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, where she focused on educational development, teachers’ leadership and women’s empowerment activities. Ashlei Laing has teaching, facilitation and research experience in the US, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and South Asia. In addition to her mother tongue of English, she is proficient in Italian, Bulgarian and Spanish. (from the Rē website)

TFH Appalachia looks forward to continued collaboration with Ashlei and Rē.

Learn more about Rē:

regenerativeschool.org

facebook.com/regenerativeschool

Sebrena Goes Full-Time

Sebrena Williamson Moves into Full-Time Role with Together for Hope

We are thrilled to announce that Sebrena Williamson is now officially serving full-time with Together for Hope as of March 1! While her title stays the same, Director of Programs and Partnerships, this shift gives her even more time to do what she’s already been doing so well: supporting our coalition members and partners, promoting our mission, building connections across Appalachia, and seeking out resources toward alleviating poverty in counties of persistent rural poverty.

Sebrena Williamson is an Appalachian storyteller, choreographer, writer, and digital marketing strategist from Huntington, West Virginia. Currently, Sebrena works in many fields, with a primary focus on the arts and community development. In 2018, she co-founded Saltare in Elementis Dance Collective (SIEDC), where she now serves as Co-Founder, Choreographer and Director of Written Strategy. In 2021, Sebrena organized SIEDC’s debut film Terra (2021). Terra was filmed in WV’s Ohio River Valley and explores young Appalachians' experiences around climate change and industrial disasters.

Sebrena graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, a minor in Appalachian studies, and a minor in English. Sebrena was Team Leader for the Appalachian Arts and Studies in the Schools (AASIS) initiative, where she coordinated programming across counties in Southwest VA, facilitated mentorships by organizing partnerships between college students and high school students in Appalachia, and advocated for Appalachian culture in Southwest VA public schools.

As a proud product of the community that raised her, Sebrena is dedicated to universal rural advocacy and to Appalachian culture. Reflecting this, Sebrena brings her love and loyalty to Appalachia in all of her work. As a true collaborator at heart, Sebrena hopes to help create change in Appalachia that comes from a love of environment, people, and community.

“Appalachia is abundant in love, material resources, and community.”

(Sebrena Williamson)

TFH National Annual Meeting

The TFH National

Annual Meeting

is coming to Appalachia!

Global Water Festival

The Global Water Festival at RAIL

On June 14th, Together for Hope Appalachia attended the Down to the River Festival, hosted by RAIL, Global Water Dances, and Sebrena's dance company, SIE Productions. Part of Global Water Dances 2025, the event was part of an international celebration and reflection on clean water. Global Water Dances orchestrates a biennial multinational, community-oriented event that takes place at different water-related sites around the world, to raise awareness about water issues and to celebrate water through movement. The Down to the River Festival in Mullens was one of 12 site impact fund awardees from across the world. The event had live dance performances, informative talks with Coalfield environmental leaders, line dancing, and a food truck. Amelia Bandy with Economic Development Greater East (EDGE) gave a talk on hydro panels to the community. In addition, several coalition members and friends tabled, including EDGE, Growing Roots, Rē: The Rēgenerative School, WV Rivers, Coal River Mountain Watch, and more. When learning the global water dance, everyone joined hands on stage—from age 7 to 75. Overall, it was a beautiful day full of fun, community action, reflection, and discussion.

Sebrena & Keith on the Road

Keith visits the Mine Wars Museum, One Cup, & RAIL

On his way through the mountains to the Global Water Festival held at Rural Appalachian Improvement League (RAIL), Keith visited the Mine Wars Museum in Matewan, West Virginia. The Mine Wars Museum preserves the history of the coal miners’ armed uprising, protesting low wages, unsafe working conditions, and violent union busting measures of the coal company, which culminated in the Battle of Blair Mountain in 1921. The battle is now seen as a pivotal event in the fight for workers’ rights, unionization, and the broader labor movement. Sebrena joined Keith at the museum to continue, conversations, that she had initiated with museum leadership about partnership opportunities between our organizations.

Continuing his journey, Keith stopped at One Cup, a TFH social enterprise partner, in Wyoming County, WV, to catch up with Executive Director, Debra Davis. One Cup is a coffee shop and catering business, and a key step in addiction recovery for many. Sebrena, with TFH Social Enterprise Consultant, Harold Tessendorf, have joined with Debra in a grant to replicate the One Cup model in other areas. While there, Keith purchased a bag of One Cup branded coffee that will be an option in the new Together for Hope Box (available for preorder now).

Continuing his journey, Keith stopped at One Cup in Wyoming County, WV—a social enterprise partner of Together for Hope—to catch up with Executive Director Debra Davis. One Cup is more than a coffee shop and catering business; it’s a vital step in the path of addiction recovery for many in the region. TFH Social Enterprise Consultant Harold Tessendorf and Sebrena have partnered with Debra on a grant to replicate the One Cup model in other communities. While there, Keith picked up a bag of One Cup branded coffee, which will be included as an option in the new Together for Hope Box, now available for pre-order.

Finally Keith arrived at The Mullens Opportunity Center, home of RAIL, where he exhibited for TFH Appalachia, spent time with friends, partners, and potential partners, and enjoyed a powerful interpretive dance experience, organized by Sebrena and her dance collective.

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly

Keith represented TFH Appalachia at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) General Assembly in St. Louis, Missouri. Together for Hope hosted an exhibit where TFH President Jason Coker, Chief Development Officer Emily Zilich Thomas, and Keith engaged in meaningful conversations with church members, clergy, and fellow exhibitors representing organizations with shared goals. TFH staff also participated in networking events focused on justice and advocacy. During the gathering, Keith connected with CBF state coalition members from Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as partners including Samaritan Ministry, Scarlette Jasper, the Appalachian Immersion Experience with First Baptist Church Middlesboro KY, First Baptist Church Corbin KY Community Missions, First Baptist Church Frankfort KY, and Immanuel Baptist, Frankfort, KY.

Emiliy Zilich Thomas at CBF General Assembly

Sebrena to Boone & Logan County

In early June, Sebrena traveled to Boone and Logan county to learn about the good work happening in their corner of the state. First, she popped into Boone County Development Organization, and learned about the robust senior programming they have, including a senior's farmer's market. While in Madison, she popped into the Coal Heritage Museum and learned about education and heritage initiatives in the area. Afterwards, she went to PRIDE Community Services in Logan County, and learned about the remarkable work they do for the county. From HeadStart to housing, PRIDE is doing incredible work in many areas of their community.

Together for Hope Box

HopeBox Pre-orders!

The new Together for Hope Box will include options for products from three of our TFH Appalachia coalition members:

Appalachian Gold - Mama's Meat Sauce (barbeque sauce)
One Voice, One Cup - Coffee Beans
Y'all Sauce - Southern Sauces

photo from One Cup Facebook

photo from Appalachian Gold website

photo from Y'all Company Facebook page

Disaster Relief

DONATE TO DISASTER RELIEF

The TFH Appalachia Coalition

The TFH Appalachia Coalition at Work

Laura Davis - Named CBF VA Coordinator

TFH Appalachia is thrilled to welcome Laura Davis to this role as Coordinator with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Virginia. She has been a great friend of TFH Appalachia and was deeply involved in the development of partnerships in Bluefield WV/VA that has led to many new TFH connections and much good work.

Thank you CBF Virginia

From the CBF Virginia Facebook page:

Great news from St. Louis!

At our business meeting earlier this evening (Tuesday, June 24) during CBF's General Assembly in St. Louis, the CBF Virginia body voted to affirm Laura Davis’ transition from Associate Coordinator to Coordinator.

This has been a journey that started back in September when we changed our bylaws in Newport News to create the possibility for two Coordinators. Since then, our Coordinating Council has been prayerfully working through next steps, and after interviews and careful consideration, it became clear that promoting Laura was the right move.

Laura will now work alongside Mark Snipes as co-Coordinators, and we're excited about what this partnership will bring to CBF Virginia. Laura's heart for our work and her leadership skills make her perfect for this role.

Thanks to everyone who joined us in St. Louis and those who participated via Zoom to make this happen. We're looking forward to this next chapter with Laura and Mark leading the way!

BetterFi Opens New Branch in Chattanooga, Tennessee

BetterFi is helping persons escape predatory loans in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Read all about it in this front page editorial in the Hamilton County Herald--Better approach to borrowing.

BetterFi is a non-profit 501(c)(3) economic justice enterprise and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). They provide affordable installment loans and complementary financial programming like coaching as a pathway out of debt traps and toward financial fitness.