Trish J. Gibson has joined the Rural Assembly as the new Program and Communication Coordinator. Trish has a background in fine art and media and is an editor at Backwoods Literary Press, a small, independent publisher committed to platforming rural stories. Trish is passionate about the work of cultivating community and reclaiming narratives and is thrilled to be doing that work alongside the team at Rural Assembly and Rural Strategies.
Q + A with Trish
What drew you to Rural Assembly and rural issues?
I grew up in and around the tri-cities region in North East Tennessee and my family still lives there, in Elizabethton. Growing up in Appalachia with a very insular childhood gave me both a love and resentment for the area that I was from as an adolescent. I worked hard to change the way I spoke so I would be “taken seriously” and I eventually went to undergrad and graduate school for fine art.
In grad school, I began to reclaim my admiration and care for the region, teaching myself about the history of Appalachia and how rural communities have been intentionally used by political entities and the media as a scapegoat. I also realized that it didn’t matter how I spoke or how educated I was, some folks would always see me in a particular way because of where I was from. Well, that’s when I really started to lean in! I made my graduate thesis about the Appalachian women in my family who are so often left out of larger narratives. I started writing our stories, hoping that I’d find other folks like myself who wanted to diversify and add nuance to the conversation about rural places, and I did!
It feels like the last several years have been a path leading me back to my own roots and calling me to be an advocate, story teller, collaborator, and community builder for rural people and rural places and it’s an absolute honor to see all of that reflected back to me here at Rural Assembly. — Trish Gibson
In 2024, I began working with Belle Townsend to put out an anthology of rural poetry and short stories through an independent press of Belle’s creation. Since 2024 Belle and I (as well as other editors and literally hundreds of incredible contributors) have put out two anthologies of work exclusively by rural writers through Backwoods Literary Press. At the heart of these books are the place-based connections folks have with their own regions and roots and a real sense of care for rural communities and shifting the narrative of who rural people are.
It feels like the last several years have been a path leading me back to my own roots and calling me to be an advocate, story teller, collaborator, and community builder for rural people and rural places and it’s an absolute honor to see all of that reflected back to me here at Rural Assembly.
What will you be doing as the Program and Communication Coordinator at Rural Assembly?
My role at Rural Assembly will be to help bolster online and in-person programming and communication with our partners by supporting our Director and Director of Partnerships and Programs. In my first couple weeks, I’ve been working on designs for our 2026 Rural Assembly Everywhere, making plans for future projects and campaigns, and getting to know the community at Morning Connections, our weekly virtual gathering for women.
What are you doing these days that brings you joy?
I have three cats that bring daily silliness and joy. I also really love to read. I pretty much always have one physical book and one audiobook that I’m reading. Over the past year and a half I’ve been composting and gardening which has brought me a lot of soft joy as I watch things grow and cultivate the space with intention and care. My partner and I are also on a recreational volleyball team, and while we are often losing our games, we are always having a lot of fun!
What’s one of your favorite places to be?
I love to be in a body of fresh water. Put me in a lake, a quarry, a river, a reservoir, or a cenote and I’m going to be a pretty happy guy. My mom loves to go out on a kayak, boat, or jet ski on Watauga Lake out where she lives and I have to agree, being out on the water is always so welcome.
