Jessica Anderson,
Denver, CO.
I grew up in the Appalachian mountains of East Tennessee, but I now live in Colorado. People always ask ridiculous questions when they find out where I’m from, including, “Did you wear shoes?” and “Where are your overalls?” Being a white, M.A. holding, middle-class woman doesn’t shield me from these stereotypes. As a result, I have made my accent a little bit stronger; I want to be an ambassador for our beautiful, multidimensional region of the United States. East Tennessee will always be home.