LB Prevette on Weave, Rural Belonging, and Why “You Won’t Hurt Alone"

How one rural weaver is helping neighbors feel seen, supported, and connected in Wilkes County, NC — and what we can learn from her example.

We are kicking off something special.

This episode is the first in a new ongoing series highlighting Weavers — local leaders around the country who are rebuilding trust and community from the ground up through Weave: The Social Fabric Project (weavers.org).

Our inaugural guest is LB Prevette — a “rural rejuvenator,” community connector, and what she jokingly (but truthfully) calls an “aggressive friend.” LB is based in Wilkes County, North Carolina, where she works to create safe, inclusive, deeply rooted community spaces for queer youth, neighbors in recovery, families, and folks who don’t always feel seen in small-town America.

We talk about what it means to leave home — and to return to it.We talk about pain, belonging, queerness in Appalachia, rebuilding trust one relationship at a time, and why community isn’t built in speeches — it’s built in porches, casseroles, group texts, and checking in at the exact moment someone needs it.

And we talk about Merle’s — the community bar / gathering space LB helped co-found — a place that feels less like a bar and more like your cool aunt’s house party where everyone belongs.

This is not a story about charity. It’s a story about returning to each other.

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⏱️ Timestamps & Key Topics
[00:00] Intro + Substack + meet LB (and Frank the golden doodle)
[00:04] Appalachia or Appalachia? Why language matters to belonging[00:07] Growing up queer in rural North Carolina
[00:12] When safety turns into fear — and leaving becomes survival
[00:19] Learning to listen: from call centers to community care
[00:23] How to know when you're not in a good-faith conversation
[00:27] Leaving home — and then being called back
[00:30] Losing her father & returning to the farm
[00:37] “You won’t hurt alone” — redefining community care
[00:39] What Weavers are — and why they matter
[00:41] The Weaver Awards: funding the small, human things
[00:43] Touch-a-Truck, inclusive playgrounds, mountain bikes & connection
[00:46] Merle’s: a bar that’s secretly a community center
[00:47] The TP&R Question: How do we talk across differences?
[00:55] How to find LB + how to get involved with Weave

🧠 Key Takeaways
• Community is built in the ordinary. Coffee, casseroles, reading groups, riding bikes — the small everyday acts are the work.
• The opposite of loneliness isn’t popularity — it’s belonging. Belonging comes from being known — not just included.
• You don’t have to fix everything. Just refuse to let people hurt alone.
• Listening is a skill — and it can be learned. Especially when emotions run high.
• We cannot make ourselves less queer, or less Black, or less immigrant, to be safe. We have to make the world safer.

💬 Notable Quotes
“You won’t hurt alone.” — LB Prevette
“If I can go far enough back, I think all people are good. If I don’t understand what you’re saying, that means I need to ask another question.” — LB Prevette
“If we’re worried our kids won’t be safe being queer, the solution isn’t to make our kids straighter. It’s to make the world kinder.” — LB Prevette
“Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is just show up again.” — LB Prevette

🔗 Connect on Social Media:
• LB Prevette — @lbprevette (Instagram / Threads / etc.)
• **Weave: The Social Fabric — weavers.org
• Corey is @coreysnathan on...
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◦ LinkedIn
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◦ Facebook
◦ TikTok

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Thanks for tuning in! Now go talk politics and religion—with gentleness and respect. 🎙️✨