Listening to Our Neighbors. Sharing Our Stories.

Community Voices is a storytelling project led by Joan Vannorsdall, focused on conversations with local Democrats across Alleghany County and the Alleghany Highlands. Through short interviews and personal reflections, community members share how today’s political climate affects their daily lives, their families, their work, and their sense of belonging.

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This project is rooted in a simple belief: democracy begins with listening. Rather than debate or persuasion, these stories center lived experience — what it means to care for aging parents, work in healthcare or education, run a small business, farm the land, raise children, or retire in a changing political environment.

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What You’ll Find Here

• First-person interviews with local Democrats

• Reflections on how national and state politics show up locally

• Voices from across generations, professions, and communities

• Stories grounded in place, experience, and care

Each post represents one person’s perspective. Together, they form a living portrait of our community.

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Why This Matters

In rural communities, political conversations are often simplified or spoken about us rather than with us. Community Voices creates space for nuance, empathy, and understanding — reminding us that behind every policy debate are real people with real lives.

These stories are not endorsements or campaign messages. They are offered as a record of this moment in time and as an invitation to reflect, connect, and engage.

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Latest Interviews

(Posts will appear below as they are published)