Culture

Athens-area activist Sandra Sleight-Brennan is the recipient of the Women of Appalachia Project's inaugural Appalachian Advocate Award. (photo provided)
Athens-area activist Sandra Sleight-Brennan is the recipient of the Women of Appalachia Project’s inaugural Appalachian Advocate Award. (photo provided)

Sleight-Brennan Recipient of Inaugural Appalachian Advocate Award


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The Women of Appalachia Project (WOAP), now in its seventh year, has added an additional dimension to the project: the Appalachian Advocate Award.

On Feb. 12, the award will be presented to Athens-area activist Sandra Sleight-Brennan. The presentation will take place at 6 p.m. during the opening reception for the 2016 WOAP fine art exhibition, hosted by the Ohio University Multicultural Center Art Gallery, Athens campus.

This year’s award will be introduced by Jack Wright, musician and assistant professor at the Ohio University School of Film (retired), and long time advocate of Appalachia.

According to Kari Gunter-Seymour Peterson, founder/curator of the WOAP, the award will be presented yearly to an outstanding Appalachian woman who has dedicated herself to enhancing the well being of Appalachian culture, Appalachian women’s health, Appalachian families or Appalachian land issues.

“There are so many women throughout Appalachia who are steadfastly working for change. It is so appropriate for WOAP to provide a venue for recognition for these women who often go unsung,” said Gunter-Seymour Peterson.

Women residing in any of the 164 counties of Appalachia are eligible for nomination.

“The Multicultural Center is pleased to host the presentation of the WOAP Appalachian Advocate Award,” said Winsome Chunnu-Brayda, Ph.D, strategic director for Diversity and Inclusion and Multicultural Programs and Initiatives, Ohio University Muticultural Center. “We believe that it is important to recognize members of our community for their commitment, dedication and leadership to moving the Appalachian region forward.”

The 2016 award art was designed and produced by local artists Jessica Held and Tere Sager, well known for their mixed media, acrylic and polymer series House of Love.

According to a WOAP press release, “Many people have an image of an Appalachian woman, and they look down on her. The Women of Appalachia Project encourages participation from women of diverse backgrounds, ages and experiences to come together, to embrace the stereotype, to show the whole woman; beyond the superficial factors that people use to judge her. The mission of the WOA events is to showcase the way in which female artists respond to the Appalachian region as a source of inspiration, through events that promote fine art and spoken word.”

The Feb. 12 ceremony will be held during the Fine Art Opening Reception from 5-8 p.m. in the Ohio University Multicultural Center Art Gallery, second floor, Baker University Center. The award will be presented at 6 p.m. and the event is free and open to the public.

For event information go to womenofappalachia.com.

2016 Appalachian Advocate Award. designed by Jessica Held and Tere Sager.
2016 Appalachian Advocate Award. designed by Jessica Held and Tere Sager.