In this Op-Doc video, and a related online interactive documentary, “Hollow,” I share the experiences and memories of hard-working people who live amid the coal fields of McDowell County, W.Va. They are struggling to save their rural community — in jeopardy because of high unemployment and an exodus of young people (since 1950, the county has lost 80 percent of its population).

I was raised nearby in Logan County, W.Va., and experienced the boom-and-bust economy. My great-grandfather, grandfather, father and brother have all relied on the coal industry for their livelihoods. Layoffs, shutdowns and sometimes promotions prompted my family to move 10 times before I reached age 12. I dearly loved this place, one of the most beautiful areas in the country, and I’m proud of my family’s roots. But there were few opportunities in the area for an aspiring filmmaker. As soon as I had the chance to leave West Virginia, I moved to Washington, D.C., and then to Boston.

Today, I feel a sense of guilt that I left my home state behind to chase my dreams. I am part of the problem — the face of youth exodus — and I would like to find solutions that could help us return.