Remembering Judy Bonds

By Anna Jane Joyner

On Monday evening, Restoring Eden lost a great friend and ally in the passing of renowned activist and environmental justice leader, Judy Bonds. We cannot adequately express how grateful we are for her brave spirit and heroic efforts to end the tragedy of mountaintop removal. Her body succumbed to cancer on this day, but her spirit lives on, encouraging us to stand against injustice with courage, righteous anger, and a quick smile.

“The Appalachians are among the oldest mountains on earth and the first mountains God created. A picture from a fly-over of these mountains shows the fingerprints of God’s creative hands, ” wrote Judy Bonds in a touching essay entitled “In Care of Creation.” A tireless advocate and lifelong Christian, Judy was a 6th generation Appalachian, the daughter and granddaughter of coal miners. While impartial to coal mining for some time, she quickly realized the importance of taking action when a mountaintop removal mine moved in above her home destroying the local stream, her childhood watering hole, and poisoning the community’s air with toxic dust. She noted something was very wrong when her grandson contracted asthma and then, standing knee high in the local stream, inquired what was wrong with the fish, who were floating dead all around him. Refusing to move for a long time (this was her ancestral homeplace, after all) Judy decided it was time to go when her grandson started concocting escape plans in case the mine dam (holding back millions of gallons of toxic waste associated with mountaintop removal mining) burst. Not an irrational fear, as it had happened several times before in nearby communities, killing dozens of people.

A former Pizza Hut waitress and self-proclaimed “hillbilly,” Judy started volunteering with Coal River Mountain Watch (CRMW), a local grassroots organization dedicated to ending mountaintop removal. Recognizing she had a knack for community organizing and advocacy, Judy was later promoted to Executive Director of CRMW.  With her great passion and brilliant oratory skills, Judy quickly became a key leader in the grassroots fight against mountaintop removal.

But she didn’t stop there. Judy spoke out against all kinds of injustice, in the United States and around the world. She inspired countless people - young and old - to stand up and speak out against overwhelming odds and to fight for justice, dignity, heritage, family, and a healthy earth to live on. Her spitfire approach mobilized thousands and enraged opponents. She accepted her calling with incredible gumption and grace, enduring serious threats to her life and family by coal company sympathizers who felt threatened by her outspoken stance against mountaintop removal. Judy never backed down.

“My faith in God keeps me sane and moving in the right direction for our children and grandchildren. Our children and our souls depend upon what we decide to do today. From my backyard, I can feel the energy of the Appalachian Mountains. The energy in these mountains from God restores my soul,” wrote Judy. “The Apostle Paul says that the creation shows us God’s creativity, beauty, and power. The Appalachian Mountains are the perfect example of this. The mountains cause us to lift up our eyes to God.”

Heartbreakingly, many believe Judy’s cancer was caused by exposure to poisoned water and contaminated air while living below the mountaintop removal site. As we mourn Judy’s untimely death and offer gratitude for her great courage and steadfast friendship, we also honor her life by carrying on her call to end the tragedy of mountaintop removal mining.

Judy was too sick to make it to Appalachia Rising, a gathering of thousands of mountaintop removal activists in DC this past September. But she sent a message. Judy asked everyone to “Fight Harder.” At a youth conference, she once stated, “I want you to notice nature, how geese are in flight and they form a V in a leadership role…The lead goose, when he gets tired of flapping his wings, he drops to the back and the next goose comes up front. Without stopping, without fussing, without whining. He becomes that next leader, he or she, that’s what we have to do.” That’s what she would want us to do. Step up and carry on. To fight harder. May God grant us the grace to do so.