In the heart of West Virginia, where the ancient mountains rise and fall like the breath of the earth itself, Crystal Good, a poet, performer and publisher has found a home for her voice. It echoes with the rich, multifaceted identity of Affrilachia. As an Affrilachian Poet, Crystal is more than just a writer; she is a storyteller who bridges the gaps between cultures, times, and dimensions, much like the tectonic plates she imagines once

linked her beloved Appalachia to the vastness of Africa.

Crystal’s roots run deep in the hills of West Virginia, and her words carry the weight of its history, struggles, and enduring spirit. An Irene McKinney Scholar, she wields her pen with the same unyielding force that the legendary steel driver John Henry used to wield his mighty hammer at the Great Bend Tunnel in Talcott, West Virginia. Her work, however, isn’t confined to the local, it stretches across borders, cultures, and even the very fabric of reality, touching on environmental concerns, cultural identity, gender equality, and quantum physics. She creates a fusion as unique as the poet herself.

Her connection to West Virginia is profound, and it was on full display on January 21, 2017, when she stood before an enthusiastic crowd at the state Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, to read her Black Diamonds poem as part of the 2017 West Virginia Women’s March. In that moment, Crystal wasn’t just a poet; she was a voice for the people, a conduit for the land that she so deeply loves. In 2020, Crystal founded a publication called Black By God that enhanced her skills as an exceptional journalist.