J.D. Vance Has “No Business Speaking for Kentucky,” Says KY State Senator

>>> WELL, NOW, AS WE'VE HEARD, RESTRICTIVE ABORTION POLICIES ARE HURTING WOMEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN RURAL APPALACHIAN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO KENTUCKY'S STATEWIDE ABORTION BAN.

IN HER RECENT ATLANTIC PIECE, HILLBILLY WOMEN WILL GET NO HELP FROM J. DD.

VANCE, CASSIE CHAMBS ARMSTRONG SAYS THAT DESPITE CLAIMING APPALACHIAN VALUES, HIS STANCE ON WOMEN SHOWS HIS FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES THEY ACTUALLY FACE.

AND THE STATE SENATOR JOINS MICHEL MARTIN TO SHARE HOW RURAL WOMEN CAN BE BETTER SUPPORTED.

>> THANKS, BIANNA.

CASSIE CHAMBERS ARMSTRONG, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO, YOU WEAR A NUMBER OF HATS.

YOU ARE A LAWYER, YOU ARE A STATE SENATOR, YOU'RE AN AUTHOR, BUT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A PIECE YOU WROTE FOR THE ATLANTIC, TITLED HILLBILLY WOMEN WILL GET NO HELP FROM J.D.

VANCE.

YOU IDENTIFY AS A HILL WOMAN, AT LEAST MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY DO.

WOULD YOU JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY?

>> SURE.

IN MANY WAYS, THE ARC OF MY LIFE LOOKS SIMILAR TO J.D.

VANCE'S.

I WAS BORN TO EXTREME POVERTY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY.

I EVENTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND LEARN IVY LEAGUE DEGREES.

SO, THAT LOOKS LIKE J.D.

VANCE'S STORY.

BUT THE THINGS I TOOK AWAY FROM THE STORY HAVE VERY DIFFERENT THAN THINGS HE TOOK AWAY.

HE TOLD THIS BOOTSTRAPS NARRATIVE FOCUSED ON HIMSELF AND FOCUSED ON OVERCOMING ABOUT LA THAT.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY STORY, I THINK ABOUT THE WOMEN, I TRY TO CENTER THE WOMEN OF APPALACHIA THAT CREATED THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME.

MY FAMILY IS FROM KENTUCKY, ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTIES IN AMERICA BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME.

AND IT REALLY TOOK THREE GENERATIONS OF WOMEN IN MY FAMILY WORKING REALLY HARD TO CREATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME.

THAT DOESN'T FIT AS NICELY INTO A MOVIE OR INTO SORT OF THAT UPLIFTING NARRATIVE.

I DON'T THINK I REALLY KNEW THAT I HAD A STORY WORTH TELLING.

HONESTLY, UNTIL I READ "HILLBILLY ELEGY."

I WAS EXCITED TO READ THE BOOK.

IT WAS WRITTEN BASED ON A COUNTY ONE COUNTY OVER WHERE I GREW UP.

I HAD SOME WOMEN SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DISAGREE WITH WHAT HE'S SAYING ABOUT WOMEN LIKE THOSE THAT RAISED YOU, YOU SHOULD RESPOND.

AND SO, A COUPLE YEARS LATER, "HILL WOMEN" CAME OUT.

>> SO, TELL ME ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO THINK ABOUT APPALACHIA GATE ET RIGHT AND WHO THEY GET WRONG, AT LEAST FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE?

>> IT'S ALWAYS HARD FOR ME TO KNOW WHAT PARTS OF APPALACHIA TO TALK ABOUT TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAINLY VERY SEVERE PROBLEMS.

THERE'S A LOT OF POVERTY, THERE ARE PROBLEMS LIKE ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE, TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES, IT IS A PLACE THAT STRUGGLES.

BUT I DON'T LIKE JUST STOPPING THERE, JUST SAYING, IT IS A PLACE THAT HAS CHALLENGES.

BECAUSE IT ALSO HAS SO MUCH POSSIBILITY AND POTENTIAL.

AND SO, I LIKE TO TELL THE STORIES, PRIMARILY OF WOMEN WHO HAVE ALWAYS HAD THIS QUIET LEADERSHIP ROLE IN APPALACHIA.

WOMEN LIKE MY GRANNY, WHO HAD AN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, BUT PUSHED HER CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO GET AN EDUCATION.

MY AUNT RUTH, WHO WAS THE HARDEST FARM WORKER AND THE BEST FARM WORKER IN THE COUNTY IN KENTUCKY, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS A WOMAN, AND SHE SAVED UP HER WOMAN WORKING ON FARMS TO BE ABLE TO HELP HER LITTLE SISTER GO TO COLLEGE.

PEOPLE LIKE YULA, WHO STARTED A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM JUST BECAUSE SHE DECIDED SOMEONE NEEDED TO DO IT, AND THAT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM GREW TO SERVE 200,000 PEOPLE IN THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS.

SO, THERE IS SO MUCH LEADERSHIP THERE, THERE'S SO MUCH POTENTIAL THERE.

WE DON'T NEED OUTSIDERS TO COME IN AND SAVE APPALACHIA.

WE NEED FOLKS TO GIVE US THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OURSELVES.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT J.D.

VANCE WAS GOING TO DO.

I MEAN, HE -- WHEN HE KIND OF FIRST BURST ON THE SCENE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE FELT THAT IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HE WAS SPEAKING TO GIVE PEOPLE DIGNITY AND TO KIND OF ROUND OUT THE PICTURE OF APPALACHIA.

BUT WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY, YOU THINK HE'S KIND OF FLATTED IT OUT.

>> I'LL BE HONEST.

I ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH J.D.

VANCE SPEAKING FOR APPALACHIA.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE TENUOUS TO TAKE THE CONNECTION THAT HE HAD TO EASTERN KENTUCKY AND CLAIM TO SPEAK FOR THE PEOPLE THERE, BUT I WAS A LITTLE HOPEFUL THAT MAYBE HE WOULD USE IT TO ELEVATE ISSUES AND THINGS I CARE ABOUT.

MAYBE HE WOULD USE IT TO SOLVE THE VERY REAL CHALLENGES IN EASTERN KENTUCKY.

WHENEVER HE RAN FOR U.S. SENATE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL OF THIS HILLBE P HILLBILLY RHETORIC.

HE MADE A LOT OF MONEY FROM SELLING THAT STORY, TO LAUNCHING A CAMPAIGN PAGE THAT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF APPALACHIA, EASTERN KENTUCKY, ANYTHING HILL HILLBILLY ON THAT PAGE.

HE JUST ABANDONED THAT IDENTITY WHEN IT NO LONGER SERVED HIM.

IT RUBBED ME A LONG WAY AND RUBBED A LOT OF PEOPLE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY THE WRONG WAY.

>> IT'S NOT JUST THE WAY HE TALKS ABOUT HIS UPBRINGING THAT KIND OF STICKS IN YOUR CRAW, YOU REALLY FEEL THAT THE POLICIES THAT HE IS NOW ESPOUSING ARE REALLY HARMFUL TO THE PEOPLE THAT HE SAYS THAT HE CARES ABOUT AND WANTS TO UPLIFT, SO, COULD YOU JUST BE MORE SPECIFIC?

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE POLICIES THAT HE NOW EMBRACES THAT YOU FEEL ARE SO DISTURBING?

>> AFTER I GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL, I STARTED PRACTICING IN RURAL KENTUCKY, PROVIDING FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS THAT LIVED THERE.

AND SO, BEING CONNECTED TO THAT COMMUNITY, I CAN SEE THE WAY THAT THE POLICIES THAT J.D.

VANCE CHAMPIONS REALLY ARE GOING TO IMPACT THAT COMMUNITY.

IT BOTHERS ME THAT J.D.

VANCE HAS SUGGESTED THAT WOMEN SHOULD REMAIN IN ABUSIVE MARRIAGES.

I'VE SEEN FIRST-HAND IN MY CLIENTS THE IMPACT THAT STAYING IN A VIOLENT MARRIAGE CAN HAVE.

AND THE WAY THAT IT HURTS PEOPLE, IT HURTS THEIR KIDS.

I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME SURVIVOR OF VIOLENCE OUT THERE WHEN THEY HEAR J.D.

VANCE SAY, WELL, WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICAN CULTURE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE TOO QUICK TO LEAVE ABUSIVE AND VIOLENT MARRIAGES -- THERE'S SOMEONE WHO IS ABOUT TO LEAVE AN ABUSIVE MARRIAGE WHO IS GOING TO SAY, WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER, MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT IT OUT.

>> LET ME JUST -- I THINK SOME PEOPLE MIGHT ARGUE THAT HE'S BEING, YOU KNOW, MISINTERPRETED, YOU KNOW, THE FULL QUOTE IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT TRICKS THAT THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION PULLED ON THE AMERICAN POPULOUS, WHICH IS THE IDEA THAT, LIKE, WELL, OKAY, THESE MARRIAGES WERE FUNDAMENTALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE MAYBE EVEN VIOLENT, BUT CERTAINLY THEY WERE UNHAPPY, AND SO, GETTING RID OF THEM AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO SHIFT SPOUSES LIKE THEY CHANGE THEIR UNDERWEAR, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPIER IN THE LONG-TERM.

AND MAYBE IT WORKED OUT FOR THE MOMS AND DADS, THOUGH I'M SKEPTICAL, BUT IT REALLY DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR THE KIDS OF THOSE MARRIAGES.

SO, YOU REALLY THINK THAT HE'S SAYING YOU SHOULD STAY IN AN ABUSIVE MARRIAGE OR THE IDEA THAT HE EVEN SURFACES THIS IDEA KIND OF LEADS TO THAT CONCLUSION?

>> I THINK WHAT MATTERS IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THOSE ABUSIVE MARRIAGES HEAR IT AS A CRITIQUE OF THEM FOR TRYING TO LEAVE THOSE MARRIAGES.

AND I KNOW THAT FROM CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE WHO, WHEN THEY HEAR THOSE WORDS, TO THEM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE HURTING YOUR KIDS BY LEAVING A VIOLENT AND ABUSIVE MARRIAGE.

AND BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE REPRESENTING WOMEN THROUGHOUT RURAL KENTUCKY, THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.

LEAVING AN ABUSIVE MARRIAGE IS ONE OF THEEST BE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE AND KEEP YOURSELF SAFE.

>> ARE THERE CHALLENGES THAT IN RURAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN CITIES DON'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT?

>> THERE ARE.

AND ILL SAW THIS FIRST-HAND WHEN I WAS PRACTICING AS A LEGAL AIDE ATTORNEY AND NOW I STUDY THESE CHALLENGES.

I LOOK AT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDERS AND HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT IT IS PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS IT IS TO ACCESS COURT SYSTEMS TO GET RELIEF.

SO, IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO IS IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION IN APPALACHIA, YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO GET AN ATTORNEY.

YOU ARE LIKELY TO LIVE FURTHER AWAY FROM A LEGAL AIDE ORGANIZATION, WHERE YOU COULD GET THAT TYPE OF HELP.

YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER SORTS OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.

YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE YOUR CASE HEARD IN AN OPEN COURTROOM WITH EVERYONE ELSE IN TOWN SITTING THERE INSTEAD OF IN SORT OF A PRIVATE PROCEEDING WITH JUST YOU AND THE JUDGE.

AND FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIKELIHOOD OF BEING ABLE TO SEE THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS.

>> THE OTHER THING VANCE HAS CRITICIZED IS SUBSIDIZED DAY CARE.

HE SAYS THAT HE FEELS LIKE THIS IS KIND OF A SOFT TO ELITES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE -- TO SORT OF SUPPORT THEIR LIFESTYLE CHOICES.

WHAT ABOUT THAT, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?

>> YEAH, I -- I THINK IT'S REALLY OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING WORKING FALL I WIL FAMILIES.

I WAS SWORN INTO ELECTED OFFICE WHEN MY YOUNGEST CHILD WAS 6 WEEKS OLD.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT DAY CARE POLICY IN PART BECAUSE WHEN I CALLED AND SAID, COULD I GET A DAY CARE SPOT, THEY SAID, SURE, THE WAITING LIST IS ONLY TWO YEARS.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE IN THAT SITUATION.

I'M LUCKY THAT I LIVE IN A MORE URBAN AREA WHERE THERE ARE GOOD, HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE CENTERS.

A LOT OF OUR RURAL AREAS, THOSE JUST DON'T EXIST.

AND WHAT I'M PROUD OF IN KENTUCKY IS, WE'VE GOT A BI BIPARTISAN COALITION TO DO THIS WORK.

WE PASSED A LAW TO MAKE SURE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE MORE TOOLS TO BRING CHILD CARE CENTERS IN.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO FAMILIES, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, OF NOT HAVING ACCESS TO QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE, IT'S -- IT'S A HUGE HIT FOR THOSE FAMILIES ECONOMICALLY, IT'S A HUGE HIT FOR COMMUNITIES.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS WE CAN MAKE RIGHT NOW.

>> YOU ALSO HAVE DONE RESEARCH THAT SUGGESTS THAT PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS ARE 55% MORE LIKELY TO FACE EVICTION JUDGMENTS COMPARED TO THEIR URBAN COUNTERPARTS.

WHY IS THAT?

AND WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK THAT THIS HAS ON WOMEN IN PARTICULAR?

>> YEAH.

SO, I REALLY TRY TO PUT NUMBERS TO THE THINGS THAT I SAW AS A LEGAL AIDE ATTORNEY.

THAT'S WHY I NOW LOOK INTO RURAL COURTS.

AND HONESTLY, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE RESEARCHING RURAL COURT SYSTEMS, BECAUSE THEY ARE FURTHER AWAY FROM ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, THEY DON'T HAVE AS MANY NONPROFITS.

AND EVERY TIME I LOOK INTO IT, I FIND THAT THE NUMBERS SUPPORT MY EXPERIENCE THAT THERE ARE DISPARITIES.

SO, WITH EVICTION, IF WE HOLD ALL OVER THINGS EQUAL, PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS ARE 55% MORE LIKELY TO HAVE THEIR EVICTION CASE PROCEED TO JUDGMENT.

AND SO, WE DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHY, I HAVE SOME THEORIES, PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ATTORNEYS, WE HAVE A LOT OF LEGAL DESERTS.

THERE ARE FEWER NONPROFITS TO SORT OF SWOOP IN AND BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT PEOPLE.

COURT SYSTEMS HAVE FEWER NONPROFITS COMING IN TO SET UP THESE EARLY INTERVENTIONS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY, AND WE DON'T SEE IT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT ENOUGH.

AND SO, I THINK MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE SEE THESE NUMBERS AND REALIZE, THERE ARE PROBLEMS.

HOUSING INSTABILITY DOES EXIST IN RURAL AREAS, AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

>> J.D.

VANCE, AS A SENATOR, HAS ESPOUSED HIGHLY RESTRICTIVE ABORTION POLICIES, BUT I'M JUST INTERESTED TO ASK YOU HOW YOU THINK THESE RESTRICTIONS EFFECT RURAL WOMEN IN PARTICULAR.

>> SO, I NOW SERVE IN THE LEGISLATURE OF A STATE THAT HAS ONE OF THE MOST EXTREME ABORTION BANS.

AND I'VE SEEN THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS ON RURAL COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY, WE KNOW WOMEN IN RURAL COMMUNITIES STRUGGLE TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE IN GENERAL, AND ABORTION CARE IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT.

IT IS HARDER FOR THEM TO TRAVEL OUT OF STATE, IF THEY HAVE A NONVIABLE PREGNANCY, IF THEY WISH TO RECEIVE ABORTION CARE.

THERE'S BEEN A KENTUCKY WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN LEADING NATIONALLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS, HADLEY DUVAL, SHE'S SHARED HER STORY BECOMING PREGNANT AFTER HER STEP-FATHER RAPED HER AT 12 YEARS OLD.

AND SHE'S SPOKEN ABOUT HAVING OPTIONS.

NOW, UNDER KENTUCKY LAW, SHE HAS NO OPTIONS.

AND J.D.

VANCE WANTS TO TAKE AWAY OPTIONS FROM WOMEN AND GIRLS ALL ACROSS AMERICA.

THAT'S -- THAT'S WRONG.

AND I THINK A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AGREE THAT'S WRONG.

>> AND WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO HOW WE STARTED OUR CONVERSATION.

IN A WAY, YOU'VE BEEN IN DIALOGUE WITH J.D.

VANCE FOR AWHILE NOW.

LIKE, ONCE HIS STORY KIND OF BURST ONTO THE SCENE, IT KIND OF HELPED YOU REFLECT ON YOUR OWN STORY.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHY YOU THINK IT IS THAT YOU AND HE HAVE COME TO SUCH DIFFERENT CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THOSE PROBLEMS.

>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF IT IS THE WAY THAT WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE OFTEN CALL PROGRESS.

THE SORT OF POVERTY TO PROSPERITY STORY.

I TAKE ISSUE WITH THE IDEA THAT LEAVING A RURAL COMMUNITY OR LEAVING AN IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY IS ALWAYS JUST PROGRESS.

I THINK YOU LOSE THINGS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE FROM.

BUT I THIS INK THAT VANCE TALKS ABOUT HIM.

AND IT'S FOCUSED ON THE IDEA THAT APPALACHIA IS A PLACE THAT YOU HAVE TO OVERCOME.

IT IS A PLACE THAT IN HIS VIEW IS HOPELESS, IS BROKEN, AND HE NEEDS IT TO BE THAT.

HE NEEDS IT TO BE THAT, BECAUSE HE WANTS US TO BE INVESTED IN HIM ESCAPING IT.

AND IN HIM OVERCOMING IT.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A REAL WILL REDUCTIONIST VIEW.

THE BOOT STRAPS NARRATIVE THAT WE TELL SO OFTEN IS VERY EASY, BUT IT DOESN'T GET AT THE COMPLEXITY.

>> HOW DO YOU ALSO ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF DONALD TRUMP'S STRONGEST SUPPORTERS IN RECENT YEARS IN HIS PUBLIC LIFE HAVE BEEN WHITE EVANGELICALS, PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS, WHY IS THAT?

>> SO, KENTUCKY'S A REALLY INTERESTING PLACE TO BE, BE BECAUSE -- UP UNTIL 2016, OUR STATE HOUSE WAS ACTUALLY UNDER DEMOCRATIC CONTROL.

OUR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

AND THAT SURPRISES A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT KENTUCKY, LIKE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES IN APPALACHIA, IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE LABOR MOVEMENT, AND IN WORKERS RIGHTS, AND IN A LOT OF KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES.

IT'S INTERESTING, KENTUCKY HAS A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR.

AND APPALACHIA, WE STILL I ELECT A LOT OF DEMOCRATIC LOCAL OFFICIALS, AND SO, I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CAN CONNECT IN APPALACHIA, AND DOES CONNECT IN APPALACHIA.

IT'S BASED A LOT ON THIS IDEA THAT PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND T THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE FROM, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND YOUR PROBLEMS.

IT'S NOT SORT OF THIS MONOLITH WHERE EVERYBODY BELIEVES THE SAME THING, OR BELIEVES THE SAME THING FOR THE SAME REASONS.

IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY COMPLICATED POLITICAL LANDSCAPE RIGHT NOW.

>> OKAY, BUT YOU STILL HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY QUESTION.

WHY IS IT THAT SOME OF HIS STRONGEST SUPPORTERS ARE PEOPLE WHO SHARE SOME OF THE LIFE EXPERIENCES OF THE PEOPLE IN APPALACHIA?

>> I LOOK AT THE PEOPLE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR COMMUNITY IS MARGINALIZED AND IT'S NOT GETTING THE SORTS OF INVESTMENTS THAT IT NEEDS.

AND I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE DISTRUST OF OUTSIDERS, OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL, BECAUSE PEOPLE OF BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES FOR A LONG TIME HAVE COME AND PROMISED TO MAKE SHIP THINGS BETTER AND PEOPLE ARE STILL LIVING IN POVERTY AND IT FRUSTRATES A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO, I THINK WHAT WAS APPEALING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP INITIALLY WAS THIS IDEA THAT HE WAS SAYING THAT HE WAS GOING TO BASICALLY REMAKE GOVERNMENT, THAT HE WAS GOING TO GET RID OF THE INSTITUTIONS AND FIGHT THE INSTITUTIONS THAT WERE REALLY POSING CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.

AND THAT WAS APPEALING, THIS IDEA THAT, WELL, THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE OF BOTH PARTIES HAVE SAID FOR A LONG TIME IS GOING TO HELP ME AND IT ISN'T, LET'S JUST GET RID OF IT AND START OVER.

SO, I THINK THAT WAS THE MESSAGE THAT INITIALLY BROKE THROUGH TO FOLKS.

>> SO, BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO YOU?

I MEAN, TO YOUR -- YOUR RECOLLECTION OF APPALACHIA, THE PEOPLE YOU GREW UP WITH, THE WAY YOU SEE THEM?

I MEAN, "HILLBILLY ELEGY" WAS A BIG BEST SELLER, A MOVIE WAS MADE OUT OF IT BY RON HOWARD.

YOU'VE GOT A DIFFERENT STORY TO TELL.

AND I JUST WONDER IF YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO YOU.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST ABOUT ME.

I'VE BEEN REALLY HEARTENED TO SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE RAISING THEIR VOICES AND TELLING THEIR APPALACHIAN STORY, ABOUT WHAT THEIR JOURNEY IS LIKE, AND WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE IS LIKE.

AND NONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY MIGHT HAVE THE PLATFORM THAT VANCE DOES, BUT I DO BELIEVE THE MORE THAT YOU PUT THOSE VOICES OUT THERE AND COMPLICATE PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING OF APPALACHIA AND PUSH BACK, THAT'S REALLY HOW CHANGE BEGINS TO HAPPEN.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS MOST PROUD OF IS WHEN "HILL WOMEN" LAUNCHED, I DID IT IN A CENTRAL KENTUCKY BOOKSTORE.

WASN'T REALLY EXPECTING, IT WAS A RAINY WEEKNIGHT, WASN'T REALLY EXPECTING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BE THERE.

WHEN I SHOWED UP, THERE WAS A LINE OF WOMEN WAITING TO GET IN, AND I WAS TALKING TO THEM, AND A LOT OF THEM WERE WOMEN WHO HAD DRIVEN THERE FROM ABOUT LA THAT, WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS, BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO MEET ME AND WANTED TO TELL ME THAT THIS WAS A BOOK THAT REFLECTED MORE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND THEY WERE PROUD TO READ THIS.

AND THAT MADE THEM FEEL PROUD OF WHERE THEY WERE FROM.

AND TO ME, THAT'S A WIN.

IF THERE IS ANYONE OUT THERE THAT FEELS LIKE THIS HAS MADE THEM FEEL PROUD TO BE AN APPALACHIAN, THAT IT'S PUSHING BACK ON A NARRATIVE THEY THOUGHT WAS HARMFUL, THAT'S WHY I WROTE IT.

>> CASSIE CHAMBERS ARMSTRONG, STATE SENATOR, AUTHOR OF "HILL WOMEN," THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.