Us & Them

With the midterm elections approaching, Us & Them takes the Dinner Party to Huntington, W.Va. where eight West Virginians from different generations and political perspectives gather around the table. Half the guests are under 30, and while they disagree on immigration, foreign policy, the media and the direction of the country, they also discover some unexpected common ground.

West Virginia continues to lose young people. In the past five years, the state's population has dropped by nearly 1.5 percent — the largest decline in the nation. Only two of the state's 55 counties saw population growth, and demographic projections from West Virginia University anticipate further population loss in the years ahead.In the second of two Us & Them episodes exploring young West Virginians considering their future, host Trey Kay talks with those looking beyond the state's borders — along with some who remain deeply conflicted about leaving.In some cases, Kay talks with people who don’t see a way to follow their chosen career path in West Virginia. Others are looking for greater social, cultural or political diversity. And some love the state deeply but question whether the infrastructure, opportunities and communities they will need are available to them.Their choices raise a larger question: What would it take for West Virginia to convince its young people they are needed here?

For this episode of Us & Them, it’s time for another Dinner Party. Host Trey Kay brings together a group of West Virginians from both sides of the political aisle to break the number one rule of entertaining: they talk politics. Over a potluck meal, the guests share their views on some of the issues shaping the conversation ahead of the midterm elections, with the hope of understanding their differences a little better and perhaps even finding some common ground. This gathering took place in Charleston just a few weeks before the election and brought together a mix of Dinner Party veterans and first-time guests. It is the first of three Us & Them Dinner Parties planned across West Virginia this fall, with another gathering in Huntington before Election Day and a third in Morgantown just after the votes are cast.

While Americans disagree about many things when it comes to politics, elections and domestic and global affairs, most agree that a robust economy is essential for a strong nation. In recent months, nearly all U.S. states have shown economic growth, except West Virginia, and it’s not just losing jobs, it’s losing young people. In this first of two Us & Them episodes, host Trey Kay talks with a number of young adults from the Mountain State about whether they will stay put or find their future elsewhere. This episode focuses on those who want to stay in West Virginia, or are leaning toward building their lives here, even as they wrestle with whether the state can offer the opportunities they need. In a state where the death rate exceeds the birth rate and the workforce participation rate is the nation’s lowest, there are efforts to retain population. But some say the state needs to do something else to become more competitive.

There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, working or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are ‘disconnected youth,’ and while West Virginia’s rate has dropped in recent years, it’s still one of the highest in the nation. Just under 12%, or 24,000, young people are in this category, and they can be tough to track down because there’s a stigma attached to this status. However, some programs are trying to bridge the gap - to connect with young people and help them train for a job and a career. On this Us & Them episode, we’ll find out why some young people get stuck and the things Mountain State leaders say could help this next generation.