06/02/2026
"The most meaningful journeys often take us beyond what we think we know."
Before visiting Appalachia, I had heard the stereotypes. But driving deep into the hollers of southern West Virginia told a very different story.
A holler is more than a geographic feature tucked between steep mountainsides. It's a place where generations of families built lives, communities, traditions, and resilience. While poverty and hardship are part of the region's history, they are only part of the story.
In my latest post, I share what I learned while traveling through the hollers of Appalachia—how the landscape shaped the culture, why these communities developed the way they did, and why the stereotypes often miss the deeper reality.
If you've ever wanted to understand Appalachia beyond the headlines, this journey is for you.
What is a holler? Discover the geography, culture, isolation, and resilience of Appalachian hollers through a reflective drive into real Appalachia beyond the stereotypes.