DISCOVER WHAT INSPIRES YOU

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Written By: Renee L. Ferguson, Phinishing Touches, LLC
Part of the “Diamonds of West Virginia” Project, Donate Here

In the heart of West Virginia, where the ancient mountains rise and fall like the breath of the earth itself, Crystal Good has found a home for her voice. It echoes with the rich, multifaceted identity of Affrilachia. As an Affrilachian Poet, Crystal is more than just a writer; she is a storyteller who bridges the gaps between cultures, times, and dimensions, much like the tectonic plates she imagines once linked her beloved Appalachia to the vastness of Africa.

Crystal’s roots run deep in the hills of West Virginia, and her words carry the weight of its history, struggles, and enduring spirit. An Irene McKinney Scholar, she wields her pen with the same unyielding force that the legendary steel driver John Henry used to wield his mighty hammer at the Great Bend Tunnel in Talcott, West Virginia. Her work, however, isn’t confined to the local; it stretches across borders, cultures, and even the very fabric of reality, touching on environmental concerns, cultural identity, gender equality, and quantum physics. She creates a fusion as unique as the poet herself.

Her collection, Valley Girl, is a testament to her ability to weave the threads of Appalachia’s cultural and environmental tapestry with the complexities of modern science and social justice. It is no wonder that her words have traveled far beyond the Appalachian Mountains, resonating with audiences around the globe. Crystal’s poetry has graced stages worldwide, including a memorable appearance on Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, where her connection to the land and its people was on full display.

In Abu Dhabi, before a diverse audience at the Hilton Grand, Crystal brought the tragedy of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster to life with her poignant poem Black Diamonds. The disaster, which claimed the lives of twenty-nine West Virginia coal miners in April 2010, is a scar on the state’s history, one that Crystal has skillfully and respectfully immortalized in verse. Her words, delivered with the power and grace of someone who carries the weight of her people’s history, left a lasting impression on those fortunate enough to witness the performance.

But Crystal’s voice is not limited to past tragedies; it also speaks to the resilience of the West Virginian people in the face of ongoing challenges. In her portrayal of Sissy, a West Virginian woman grappling with the devastation of the “thousand-year flood” that struck the state in June 2016, Crystal captured the raw emotion and indomitable spirit that define her homeland.

Her connection to West Virginia is profound, and it was on full display on January 21, 2017, when she stood before an enthusiastic crowd at the state Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, to read her Black Diamonds poem as part of the 2017 West Virginia Women’s March. In that moment, Crystal wasn’t just a poet; she was a voice for the people, a conduit for the land that she so deeply loves.

Born in 1974 in Charleston, West Virginia, during the turbulent times of the Kanawha County Textbook Wars, Crystal’s very existence is a testament to the complex, often contradictory nature of her identity. The daughter of a black man with a big afro and dashiki and a white woman with blond hair and blue eyes, she is the product of a union that defied the societal norms of the time. She served as a living embodiment of the multiculturalism that was at the heart of the debate raging around her birth.

Crystal often jokes that she is what everyone feared back then, but she has grown to embrace her unique identity, finding a deep and abiding love for the people and the land of West Virginia. There is something almost mystical about the connection she feels to the state. Crystal lives with a sense that she is part of something much bigger than herself. The ancient mountains, the winding rivers, and the lush forests all seem to hum with a quiet energy that feeds her soul and fuels her creativity.

In Crystal’s eyes, West Virginia is not just a place; it is a living, breathing entity, one that energizes its people and gives them strength in the face of adversity. It is a place where the past and the present are intricately linked, where the land itself holds the memories of those who came before. And it is this sense of timelessness, of connection to something ancient and enduring, that Crystal Good so beautifully captures in her work.

Through her poetry, Crystal invites us to see West Virginia through her eyes. She wants everyone to feel the same sense of wonder and reverence that she feels when she looks out over the New River Gorge. It is an invitation to connect with the land, to explore the mysteries that lie beneath its surface, and to recognize the deep, unbreakable bond between the people and the place they call home.

Studying Crystal Good, there is no question as to who and what inspires her. In Crystal, West Virginia has found a voice that speaks to its soul, a voice that will echo through the mountains and valleys for generations to come.

This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more updates and features as we continue to celebrate the “Diamonds” of West Virginia.

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