My name is Marie T. Cochran. I am the founder of the Affrilachian Artist Project, a creative network which celebrates the African American presence in the Appalachian region.

The Appalachian Region follows the spine of the Appalachian Mountains in the United States from southern New York to northern Mississippi. It includes all of West Virginia and parts of 12 other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

(Translation: Black in Appalachia = Affrilachia!)

Our mission is to reinforce cultural anchors in underserved communities, provide youth with creative role models and mentors, foster cultural exchange between urban and rural communities, and enrich the Appalachian region with a diverse creative dialogue through the arts.