Julia “Judy” Bonds inspired thousands as a community organizer and activist who dedicated her life to protecting the mountains of Appalachia from the devastating practice of mountaintop removal coal mining. She was the director of Coal River Mountain Watch and winner of the prestigious Goldman Prize for Excellence in Protecting the Environment. Judy was a mother, a grandmother, and is considered the “Godmother” of the national movement to end mountaintop removal.
Ms. Bonds was no stranger to coal mining. Growing up in the coal fields of West Virginia she was well aware of the strength, hard work, and downright toughness required to be a miner. For generations her family worked in the deep coal mines of West Virginia.
In the early 1970’s coal companies in Appalachia began the commercial development of a type of surface mining which evolved into what is now the highly controversial process called Mountaintop Removal.
When it became clear to her that local coal mining operations in her community were polluting her family and neighbors, Judy Bonds decided to take a stance against the industry. Working tirelessly as an advocate for her community’s health and safety she demanded that she and her neighbors be heard, acknowledged, and respected. She refused to allow the Appalachian people to be written off as expendable or to be lost and forgotten.
Judy took pride in being an Appalachian and encouraged others to embrace their mountain heritage as well. She believed that the Appalachian Mountains and culture were unique and worth preserving – worth fighting for.
On January 3, 2011 she died from cancer.
The Topless America Project would like to convey our most sincere condolences to Judy’s family. We will continue to stand in solidarity with communities in Appalachia still being poisoned and destroyed by mountaintop removal and we honor the memory of Julia “Judy” Bonds – a true Appalachian hero.
Official Judy Bonds Memorial site: www.JudyBondsMemorial.com