Hi, I’m Beth and I’m raising money for my friend Elliot.

If you’ve met my friend Elliot, you probably love him already. If you don’t know him yet, take my word for it: he’s the best. And not only is he a good human, he’s doing amazing work in his community and needs our help.

Elliot is a fellow community organizer living and working in rural Eastern Kentucky, and after putting many miles on his car, it’s time to trade it in and get a better one. If you’re from a rural community like we are, you understand how much you need a car, especially if you’re doing powerful organizing work.

Elliot has a steady job, but life is expensive, and after the sudden loss of his mother, he’s having to navigate the world without her, including paying many bills, house and car maintenance, healthcare costs, groceries and more. Elliot has a financial plan, but he needs our help right now getting some costs paid so he can get back on the road and organize his community.

We are working to raise $2,000 so that Elliot can rent a car to get around for a few weeks, plus pay the insurance, plates, and registration on his next car to get him back on the road. Can you pitch in?

To close, I want to share this poem Elliot wrote about the work he does and why he does it. I think it shows his heart and the good work he’s up to in the world. Let’s get his car problems taken care of because he’s got good work to do!

Love, Beth

Work To Do

I used to need to escape

from this small little place

I’ve lived all these years,

passing the same three stores

at least three times a day.

But the longer I’ve stayed,

the more deeply I’ve gotten to know this place:

the townsfolk, the history, the systems at work.

And, I’ve realized that

I can’t leave just yet.

I’ve got work to do.

The outside world looks in,

and they see a bunch of backwards bumpkins

who don’t care about the goings on of what’s around us,

which couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The Appalachia I’ve grown to know is full of love.

The Kentuckians I’ve grown to love take care of each other.

For so long I, too

only saw the hatred that ran through

the veins of these rolling hills

and the complacency of these people.

All I wanted was to leave, but then I stayed.

I found out that us people here help our neighbors,

that our history is full of people who work together across differences

to fight for what’s right.

I found out that it’s the powerful people:

the lawmakers, the money holders, the land owners,

that are the ones holding us back.

One thing about a Kentuckian is

we’re never going to give up.

We get knocked down over and over

just to get back up again.

These powerful people don’t want us to know

these things about ourselves,

that when we stand together strong

we can demand our safety,

our autonomy,

our freedom,

and we can win.

I used to think I needed to escape

from this small little place I’ve lived all these years,

but I’ve met a Kentucky who cares about each other,

who loves each other,

who’s scared for each other.

I can’t leave just yet.

We’ve got work to do.