Emilee Hackney > Quotes

“Once”
― Emilee Hackney, All That's Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir

“In my Appalachia, loyalty is synonymous with respect. You are raised to revere the mountains and their people. Your people. The sense of community is so strong because the world beyond, you hear, is strange and cold and unforgiving, and you know this must be true because that’s where the politicians are, the coal barons, the rich and powerful who look down on Appalachia and care about it only as far as they can take advantage of it.”
― Emilee Hackney, All That's Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir

“There are many reasons people don’t leave Appalachia, but this narrative of trepidation is a major one. When you belong to such a rooted and close-knit community, leaving it for something far away and unknown almost makes you a traitor. Like saying you’re not good enough for me to the people and places that raised you.”
― Emilee Hackney, All That's Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir

“Loyalty makes for committed, unbreakable bonds. It can also foster fear and discourage change.”
― Emilee Hackney, All That's Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir