Papaw played banjo in the holler. I know hillbillies. Vance didn't tell Appalachia's story.

Riley Crabtree is a Columbus Dispatch opinion writer. The first-generation college student was raised near Jackson, Ohio and attends Miami University.

Like JD Vance, I am from the great state of Ohio.

I knew about the first-term U.S. senator long before Donald Trump announced him as his running mate.

Vance's memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy," piqued my interest when I first saw it featured in a bookstore's local author section.

I have a natural affinity for so-called hillbillies.

I’m from one of the 32 counties that make up Ohio’s portion of Appalachia. I grew up in a small town near the borders of West Virginia and Kentucky.

The memoir was supposed to be about life in Appalachia and the struggles the region faces, but Vance’s family didn’t reside in Appalachia — they lived in Middletown, a place with over 50,000 people less than 45 minutes from Cincinnati.

Jackson, Ohio, the largest city near my hometown, has a population of a little more than 6,200 people.

Vance's family hadn’t lived in Kentucky since right after World War II. He spent time in Kentucky during holidays and over summers.

JD Vance didn't depict the Appalachians I know

When I read the memoir, I was aghast at the depiction of my community.

Vance painted Appalachia as a place to escape. While there are moments of admiration, he insinuated Appalachians were stubborn folks with no value and no real culture, fueled by drugs, self-pity and lack of motivation to work hard.

How to watch Vance's story: JD Vance's Appalachia controversy explained

Vance’s portrayal of my part of America was personal — not universal.

Substance abuse, poverty and a wide range of problems have afflicted the region for years, since most industries in the area have faded – like coal mining or timber harvesting. When these industries left the region, it also left the communities behind to fend for themselves.

One main message to interpret from the memoir was Vance’s own way to success: Join the military, find a way to go to Yale and then you’ll end up a millionaire.

He makes it seem so achievable. Unfortunately, for the vast majority — nearly everyone, that is — of Appalachians, achieving even a career that can provide for your family is difficult.

JD Vance is no hillbilly. He knows nothing about real conservative values

My grandparents worked in factory after factory as plants closed. My parents couldn't afford to get the college educations they craved.

After reading "Hillbilly Elegy," I believe Vance would say they didn't work hard enough — that they didn't want it enough, but I know better.

Real Appalachians want upward mobility

Nobody invests in the area. JD Vance, for his small part, ran a start-up fund to help business leaders in the region.

These communities need investment and are willing to put in the work, but they don’t have opportunities for upward mobility. Many students in the region, like myself, are first-generation college students whose parents couldn’t even afford to set aside money to help fund their college expenses.

Many families want job training, social programs, recreational facilities, improved educational resources and steady employment, and most important, we want industries to see the potential and the thriving culture that exists in the region.

Children and families are being left out of a conversation Vance can start, given his political and Silicon Valley ties.

There is potential for growth in the region, but we need cooperation from employers, politicians and those with a platform to uplift the area.

Readers of “Hillbilly Elegy” have heard Vance’s message: I escaped Appalachia.

Because of Appalachia, I have lived a wonderful life with supportive parents, grandparents and a tight-knit family.

I have fond memories with my papaw playing the banjo and in the “holler,” of bluegrass music and my mamaw’s slight southern drawl.

As I prepare to enter my career, I appreciate the support of the Appalachia I know and love.

It's quite different from Vance’s image of the region.

Riley Crabtree is a Columbus Dispatch opinion writer. The first-generation college student was raised near Jackson, Ohio and attends Miami University.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: With ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ VP pick JD Vance misrepresented Appalachia