Indigenous led nonprofit buys land and blocks construction of east Kentucky prison
Republished from WEKU.
An indigenous-led group, the Appalachian Rekindling Project, has purchased a tract of land on the site of the proposed federal prison in Letcher County. This purchase,in the community of Roxana, puts the construction of the prison in question. The group opposes the prison, but that was not the only motivation for the purchase.
The property will be the site of a project to rehabilitate the land. Tiffany, who asked that her last name be withheld for personal reasons, is the co-executive director of the organization and from Letcher County.
“I fully knew that we could not say no to a prison and leave the land empty,” she explained. “We have a multi-phase plan to restore the land in a variety of ways related to traditional indigenous knowledge systems,” she said.
The proposed alternative use of the property appeals to landowners in the area. Mitch Whitaker lives and owns land adjacent to the proposed prison project area.
“Not only would it help to thwart the efforts of the prison, but it would also be an alternative choice for this property,” Whitaker said.
For 16 years, the community has been divided over the proposed prison project. Congressman Hal Rogers strongly supports the project. WEKU made various attempts to contact congressman Rogers’ office for comment but received no response. In an earlier statement emailed to other media outlets, Rogers suggested this came as no surprise as some residents opposed the prison “from day one.”
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Originally published by WEKU.
Republished with permission.