West Virginia suffers from a resource curse, and studies show states with a heavier-than-average reliance on mining jobs are likely to have lower incomes. Some Key Findings.
Following the Great Recession, West Virginia has experienced little job growth and elevated levels of unemployment. In recent years, West Virginia replaced its high-wage jobs with low-wage jobs, contributing to decades of stagnant wage growth. The trickle-down approach to state economic policy that emphasizes putting more money and power in the hands of the wealthy often fails to deliver strong economic growth or a better quality of life.
Coal mine closures began to upend the West Virginian economy in the s, leaving the state with a declining population and workforce for generations. Locals refuse to be forgotten: In the Afro-Caribbean heart of Puerto Rico, locals fight erosion, government indifference.
A dwindling student population led to school consolidations, while the state simultaneously experiences a troubling teacher shortage. West Virginia has 10, homeless students , as defined by the U. Department of Education, yet lawmakers have largely ignored the issue. The majority of the 7, kids in state custody are there due to parental drug use and negligence.
When you spend so much time writing about people experiencing poverty, it is hard to stay positive, to maintain momentum, but there are hopeful stories in these hollers, too. I was honored to tell the story of a Afghan refugee, Najib Ahmad Bakhtari, who found a peaceful home in our hills.
Signs of life. The little development that exists extends along hollows, which are the thin, elongated strips that run between mountains.
Paved roads extend through these hollows, alongside and over mountain streams. I like [West Virginia]. Riding bikes. Fishing and stuff. Of course, choosing this location and lifestyle can mean consigning oneself to poverty. Coal is the legacy industry, but that has declined due to competition from natural gas.
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