ashley judd

Actress Ashley Judd Gets TN Democratic Delegate Seat

by on April 10, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Democratic leaders in a Tennessee county are sending actress Ashley Judd as a delegate to the party’s national convention in September.

Judd is one of three delegates selected from Williamson County to serve in at-large positions at the convention. Judd has been outspoken on a variety of humanitarian and social justice issues and has supported local Democratic candidates in the past. The Kentucky native is the daughter of country singer Naomi Judd.

The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/Hc0pDK ) that joining Judd as delegates will be Vilma Cueva, the first Hispanic American delegate out of the county, and Gerard Stranch of Franklin.

The film and TV actress lends some star power to the Williamson County Democrats in a traditionally conservative haven. She helped a Williamson County Democrat run for state senate in 2006 and in 2008 was the voice in an automated call urging local residents to vote.

“With all the stuff (Judd) has going on, it’s kind of amazing all she does in this county and in other countries related to human rights and social justice,” said Gary Moore, a spokesman for the county office.

Todd Sharp, the county Democrat who nominated Cueva, said she has helped Williamson County Democrats for years connect with the Hispanic community.

“I’m excited about it,” said Todd Sharp. “I think it says something about the party, especially in light of what the Republican Party is saying about women today and Hispanics. it says the Democratic Party respects women and we respect our Hispanic brothers and sisters.”

Cueva was born in Peru and moved to Spring Hill in 2003. She became a U.S. citizen 14 years ago and started her community involvement at church, where she collected winter coats for the needy.

“It’s another way of helping people,” Cueva said of politics. “I love serving people, and you can serve people at all levels. That’s what politicians should do, look for where the need is.”

The state has 91 delegates going to the Democratic National Convention, which begins Sept. 3 in Charlotte, N.C.

Posted by Tom Humphrey on April 3, 2012 at 6:31 PM |

Actress Ashley Judd Gets TN Democratic Delegate Seat

Media Takes Aim at Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

by on May 30, 2010

Issues like mountaintop removal coal mining — a type of mining that is both environmentally and visually horrific — were made for television. but we’ve only scratched the surface with it. Diane Sawyer’s piece on Appalachia (see her discuss the piece on “The View”) about a month ago gave America a preview, but green bloggers raised a few issues with it here and elsewhere.

Ecorazzi wrote that Kentuckian Ashley Judd hinted at some — pardon the energy pun — megawatt star power that could raise awareness of mountaintop removal coal mining: Oprah.

On this afternoon’s live Q & a over on the DailyKos, the actress let slip that Oprah has potentially expressed some interest in a piece on the topic. in addition, Judd is also trying to get ABC’s Diane Sawyer to do a special with her. “You can absolutely help raise visibility of this issue,” she said in the Q & a. “Diane Sawyer’s piece on the children in hollows aired to much national conversation recently. I phoned her producer about a MTRCM piece. Contact ABC and let them know you want to see her do segment with me about it! also, there is a possibility Oprah is interested in a piece. I have also spoken with Anderson Cooper about it; if they public wants stories on it, they are more incentivized to do them.”

I love seeing Judd rallying these great media personalities to become involved in the issue. Anderson Cooper and Diane Sawyer would be great — but my hope lies with Oprah. I think a show dedicated to the topic would do wonders for organizations like Sierra Club, ilovemountains, or Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.

The salient bit of the Judd Q&A is here:

You can absolutely help raise visibility of this issue. Diane Sawyer’s piece on the children in hollows aired to much national conversation recently. I phoned her producer about a MTRCM piece. Contact ABC and let them know you want to see her do segment with me about it! also, there is a possibility Oprah is interested in a piece. I have also spoken with Anderson Cooper about it; if they public wants stories on it, they are more incentivized to do them.

If you’ve never seen mountaintop removal in action, here’s a quick preview from our friends at Assignment Earth:

And here’s Ashley Judd, working with the Sierra Club, speaking out:

::Listen to an NPR piece on the Bush administration’s role in spreading Appalachian mountaintop removal