Career
A native of West Virginia, she is a relative of the writers Breece Doctorate"J Pancake, Ann Pancake, and actor Sam Pancake. Following her move to Baltimore ca. 1993, she co-founded the Red Room Collective and High Zero Foundation, She also became a self-trained improvising percussionist and began making films, which ranged from short, experimental meditations to feature-length narratives and documentaries.
Since about 2001, her primary project has been a documentary about the mountaintop removal project of the coal companies in southern West Virginia and its resulting environmental and humanitarian consequences titled Black Diamonds.
Black Diamonds was released by Bulletin Frog Films for distribution in December, 2006. Released 2006
Black Diamonds: Mountaintop Removal & The Fight for Coalfield Justice: DV 72 minutes
Documentary Fortnight - Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) February 2008
Paul Robeson rMedia Award - 2006
Key to the City - South Charleston, West Virginia - 2006
Spadaro Documentary Award - 2007
Silver Chris Award - Best in Science & Technology Division - Columbus International Film Festival - 2007
Film and Everyday Eco-Disasters Robin L Murray.
Joseph K Heumann.
