West Virginia continues to lose young people. In the past five years, the state's population has dropped by nearly 1.5 percent — the largest decline in the nation. Only two of the state's 55 counties saw population growth, and demographic projections from West Virginia University anticipate further population loss in the years ahead.

In the second of two Us & Them episodes exploring young West Virginians considering their future, host Trey Kay talks with those looking beyond the state's borders — along with some who remain deeply conflicted about leaving.

In some cases, Kay talks with people who don’t see a way to follow their chosen career path in West Virginia. Others are looking for greater social, cultural or political diversity. And some love the state deeply but question whether the infrastructure, opportunities and communities they will need are available to them.

Their choices raise a larger question: What would it take for West Virginia to convince its young people they are needed here?

For this episode of Us & Them, it’s time for another Dinner Party. Host Trey Kay brings together a group of West Virginians from both sides of the political aisle to break the number one rule of entertaining: they talk politics. Over a potluck meal, the guests share their views on some of the issues shaping the conversation ahead of the midterm elections, with the hope of understanding their differences a little better and perhaps even finding some common ground. This gathering took place in Charleston just a few weeks before the election and brought together a mix of Dinner Party veterans and first-time guests. It is the first of three Us & Them Dinner Parties planned across West Virginia this fall, with another gathering in Huntington before Election Day and a third in Morgantown just after the votes are cast.

While Americans disagree about many things when it comes to politics, elections and domestic and global affairs, most agree that a robust economy is essential for a strong nation. In recent months, nearly all U.S. states have shown economic growth, except West Virginia, and it’s not just losing jobs, it’s losing young people. In this first of two Us & Them episodes, host Trey Kay talks with a number of young adults from the Mountain State about whether they will stay put or find their future elsewhere. This episode focuses on those who want to stay in West Virginia, or are leaning toward building their lives here, even as they wrestle with whether the state can offer the opportunities they need. In a state where the death rate exceeds the birth rate and the workforce participation rate is the nation’s lowest, there are efforts to retain population. But some say the state needs to do something else to become more competitive.