This story is excerpted from a workshop conducted in Yancey County, North Carolina in September in 2026 with Laila Alexander, Dee, Sandy, and Laykla Miller

Laila Alexander: Oh, what? Okay, um, you can go first. 

Dietra Robinson Smith: The community is totally awesome. I love the elderly people that can share memories with us, and that makes it even more special that we can, we all have a little piece of history in this area. 

Laila Alexander: Okay, my turn. I like coming because the old people and like just I love old people. 

Laykla: I do too. 

Laila Alexander: And I like finding new things out, looking at all the flowers and all that, and then like meeting new people, and you can be friends with them. So yeah. Oh, our community. Um, sorry, it has too many shops, and it’s really beautiful. Sorry.   

Laykla: We don’t have a lot of memories growing up, but I’m sure you do. 

Dee:This, this ladies, this area includes Burnsville as well. 

Laykla: And here’s one of the brothers. 

Dee: Yes, let’s get him in here too. We want you to talk. Yeah, you can. 

Laykla: Sandy, she can get out of here. 

Dee: You already talked, so you already talked. Yeah. 

Sandy: Oh Jesus. 

Shyanne Bellamy: Yeah. 

Dee: This is my uncle, Eddie Robinson. He grew up on Same Branch. Yes. No. Same branch as one. Go back up toward High Peak. Uh huh. 

Layla: I’m sorry, we  talk a lot, especially….. My cap all lived on same branch. Yeah, 

Dee: and we lived on Piney Hill. Yeah, 

Laykla: I didn’t know the difference. 

Dee: Girl, know your history. 

Laykla: I’m sure you do. 

Dee: You talk to me, girl. But anyway, this is Eddie Robinson, and this is my daddy’s baby brother, and he was he was raised on the same branch. Where was you born? And he was also born here. So jeez. Okay, and that’s only 14 years old. They came down to…