Photos of Hispanic Appalachia

Probably what surprises most people

who look at this work, which is how much of a presence the Hispanic community has in Northeast Tennessee, and how it still goes unnoticed. For a long time the common media portrayal of Hispanic communities, in East Tennessee especially, was that of migrant workers, who still exist here, but there is an increasing amount of settled families now. That is what this project is about in many ways. These are people who live and work here and are becoming an integral part of Southern Appalachia.

At the Morning News, Karolle Robarison interviews Megan King about her gorgeous new photo series “Hispanic Appalachia,” which documents the everyday lives of Latinos in what has been “historically one of the most conservative and homogeneous regions in the country.” Click through to see the whole stunning set, and if you live near Big Stone Gap, Virginia, check out the exhibit at Slemp Gallery.