Who we are

Welcome
to the Rural Assembly

We know that rural America is more than the convenient stereotypes and stories that dominate public discourse. It is a place of innovation, tight-knit communities, and civic participation. It is fire departments and schools and local organizations making a difference. There is an opportunity right now to draw the connections between rural and its counterparts, to name the roads, fibers, and futures that connect us. To craft a future of us and ours. We hope you’ll join us.

What we're working on now

Replay: Rural Journalism Collective

Rural Journalism Collective: Unpacking Food and Ag Reporting
Watch a replay of our livestream discussion with three leading rural journalists about rural agriculture coverage, featuring 
* Chris Clayton, ag policy editor for Progressive Farmer
* Claire Carlson, staff correspondent at the Daily Yonder
* Tom Philpott, former food and ag correspondent for Mother Jones  

DrawingResilience

Focusing on the leaders who are doing the work, and inspiring others

What can rural young adult perspectives teach us about Citizen Power?

Watch a replay of a special event with three leading civic scholars and three young adult community organizers and photographers, co-creators of the ongoing American Creed: Citizen Power documentary initiative, a follow-up to the 2018 American Creed PBS Special. We look at how helping young people explore foundational ideals like freedom, fairness and opportunity can galvanize and challenge rural communities.

A new exhibit from The Rural Assembly

Free Hill: Renewal and Rememory is the first in-person and online exhibit from the Rural Assembly. The exhibition explores the story of Free Hill, a community of Black Americans dismantled by urban renewal.

Learn how to bring it to your town.

From Our Blog

How to share your story at Everywhere

Save the date for Rural Assembly Everywhere, a multimedia production designed by and for rural leaders and their allies, on June 28th!

A free virtual event, Everywhere: Toward Safer, More Connected Communities will explore the ways rural people are pushing back against harmful policies and narratives and the steps they are taking to create safer, more connected communities.

Coming soon: Rural Assembly Everywhere Summer 2023

Save the date for Rural Assembly Everywhere, a multimedia production designed by and for rural leaders and their allies, on June 28th!

A free virtual event, Everywhere: Toward Safer, More Connected Communities will explore the ways rural people are pushing back against harmful policies and narratives and the steps they are taking to create safer, more connected communities.

Celebrating Rural Libraries on a background of opened books

Celebrating Rural Libraries

For National Library Week, people from rural places across the country reflect on the importance of rural libraries and librarians.

Podcasts

Everywhere Radio, a hosted by Whitney Kimball Coe, features rural leaders and allies spotlighting the good, scrappy, joyful ways rural people are building a more inclusive nation. Everywhere Radio is a production of the Rural Assembly.

Gatherings

Spring 2022

View individual sessions from spring 2022.

Fall 2021

View all of the sessions from October 2021

View the wrapup video above, or view all of the sessions from Spring 2021

View the first day of the conference above, or view all of the sessions from Fall 2020

Issue

Issue

The Rural Assembly
is a program of the

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