West Virginia used to run on coal. Now the communities that flourished around the mines have been left to fend for themselves. In this four-part documentary series, former miners, union members, environmentalists, and students work to bring their beloved home state into the 21st century.

While the men of extreme-right movements are usually the ones who make headlines, it’s often women who power the organizations.

This May, Bruno “Ralphy” Lozano became not only the youngest-ever mayor of Del Rio, Texas, but also the city’s first openly gay elected official. The 30-something Democrat is also an Air Force veteran, a flight attendant, and really good at walking in heels. In this short documentary, meet the groundbreaking politician whose landslide victory over a middle-aged incumbent meant this border town of 36,000 elected an openly gay mayor before San Francisco or New York did.

The job of governing doesn’t always pay a living wage, so these politicians found other ways to pay the bills.

Scenes from a place of beauty, desperation, and dust.