I've been looking forward to hearing from you. Any personal insights/experiences you wish to share?

First, I'd like to give credit to the Vardy Community Historical Society which handled the first day of the Union with incredible hospitality. Due to unfamiliarity with the rugged mountain roads, the first caravan of visitors arrived almost an hour late, but our hosts were gracious and prepared and provided a wonderful program. It opened with a reading of non-fiction stories by Toby Gibson, who was unable to attend but was present through his words. He has recently received awards for his creative non-fiction on his Melungeon upbringing and the community today. Back in Big Stone Gap that evening, I met people from Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee who had arrived in Vardy all through the day, and were given tours of the Mullins cabin and the Vardy Museum and re-showings of the new documentary about Vardy and Melungeons.

The interviewees are a good cross-section-- one white and one black to all outside appearance, although they identify as Melungeon, and one visibly "Melungeon-looking"-- all my friends so I like to see them individually represent the movement, but collectively they really illustrate the range of folks who are connected to this group. The geographical diversity of Melungeons and descendants this year was also well illustrated. In rough order of numbers we had people from VA, TN, NC, KY, WV, FL, SC, GA, CT, MA, OH, MI, TX, AR.