“We deserve the dignity of investment, the respect of partnership, and the opportunity to build a future here at home.” - Jason Tartt, Sr.
At Invest Appalachia, our Community Advisory Council (CAC) is central to how we work. The CAC is made up of grassroots leaders from across Central Appalachia who bring lived experience and local expertise to guide our investments. They ensure that our strategies are rooted in community priorities and accountable to the people we serve.
One of those voices is Jason Tartt, Sr., a farmer (T+T Organics), entrepreneur, and co-founder of EDGE nonprofit in McDowell County, WV. Jason’s leadership reflects the very purpose of our CAC: lifting up community perspectives that too often go unheard in national conversations.
Jason recently published a powerful op-ed in Black By God THE WEST VIRGINIAN [Publisher: Crystal Good] challenging the “poverty gawking” narratives that have long defined Appalachia. He writes about how extraction doesn’t just happen through coal or timber—it happens when communities are studied, photographed, and written about without meaningful investment or partnership.
We are proud to have Jason’s insight shaping our work, and grateful for the leaders who remind us every day that Appalachian communities don’t just deserve to be studied and monitored. They deserve partnership and investment- and that’s the future we’re building together.
Learn more about Jason in the video above, and 
read Jason’s full piece on Black By God THE WEST VIRGINIAN:
Opinion | McDowell County Deserves More Than Studies and Drive-By Journalism (Black By God, October 2, 2025).
Jason’s work at the crossroads of farming, education, and community development continues to gain national recognition—from a PBS spotlight to being named a Finalist for West Virginia Conservation Farm of the Year.
Congratulations, Jason!
