When starting our research on what is appalachia, there seemed to be a common theme amongst all of the responses. A majority of the people we talked to seemed to have the understanding that appalachia is a poverty stricken, uneducated demographic who live near the appalachian mountain chain. Everyone seemed to have a common stereotype of an overallwearing, unshaven, redneck wielding a banjo. (Much like the picture below)
Considering that my (Turner's) friends live in Athens, you would think that they identify themselves as being appalachian, when in fact that is not the case at all. Even one my friends who grew up in rural Athens, surrounded by people who do consider themselves appalachian, did not consider himself appalachian.
No matter what area of the United States you live in, it is important to know about the region that surounds you. Even though many stereotypes are met by appalachian people, it is important to understand that every culture has a rich history and that different doesn't mean inferior. Living in Athens, you are surrounded by the appalachian culture therefore a better understanding will allow you to bypass stereotypes and make your own interpretations from your observations.
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