Friends of Duke Lake is my thesis film for my MFA at American University, where I studied social and environmental documentary. I set out to find an untold story where I could raise awareness and make a meaningful impact. Through my producer’s work with the Center for Coalfield Justice, I learned about Ryerson Station State Park and the annual DRYerson Festival, which commemorates the loss of Duke Lake. Seeing the lakebed twenty years after its draining, still clearly outlined and overgrown with tall grass, was surreal. It was a visible absence, an open wound still carried by the community in Greene County. When I learned that the long-awaited restoration may finally be on the horizon around the twentieth anniversary, I knew this was the moment to document the story of Duke Lake.

Drawing from extensive archival materials preserved by the park and residents over decades, I developed a tactile visual approach inspired by these physical records to immerse viewers in the collective memory of Duke Lake and Ryerson. While the story is rooted in the consequences of longwall mining, I found that the central focus shifted toward holding the state accountable for restoring the park. As restoration begins to move forward, I hope the film validates the community’s grief, inspires urgency and accountability, and encourages audiences to support the restoration of Ryerson Park as a place to connect with nature and one another.