Judy Bonds, a celebrity in the world of anti-mountaintop removal mining activism and Appalachian cultural preservation, died of cancer last week at 58 years old.

 

I haven't worked directly with Judy, though I had the privilege of hearing her speak and marching with her in various MTR protests. In her speeches, she was fiery and full of passion and her resume of activism is impeccable. In 2003 she won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her MTR work. So many of my friends within the Mountain Justice and larger activist community are grieving her passing and though it is a sad time, it is incredible to see how many lives Judy has impacted.

 

To learn more about Judy Bonds, read a recent Washington Post article celebrating her life.