
By Taneum Fotheringill, Rural Assembly Director of Programs and Partnerships
I am feeling a lot of energy this week because Welcoming Week, Democracy Day, and National Voter Registration day have all coincided. It is very fitting that all three would be in the same week, because the intentions of each of these occasions are interconnected.
I think there is a lot of potential for magic when our values of inclusion and belonging meet civic participation.
I remember the first time I ever heard about Welcoming Week. I was front desk staff at my local Y and I watched as my colleagues put up a big map on the wall to celebrate where members of our Y community had immigrated from with colorful push pins. As a high school student at the time, my horizons were expanded by realizing the wide range of places that the people who I spoke with every day at the front desk hailed from. A mental image of that map has stuck with me for many years.
Rural Assembly is a platform for us to celebrate the work that is going on in rural communities across the country – many of you may live in a place that is celebrating Welcoming Week in its own way: perhaps you’re involved in a voter registration drive locally; maybe you’re taking the time to learn how AI can contribute to good governance alongside the risks it may pose.
In any case, it’s a big week here as we honor these three important occasions. I hope you find a quiet moment to reflect on what these days mean to you and to your neighbors.
Taneum Fotheringill (she/her) takes pride in being a connector and developing positive relationships with the Rural Assembly communities across the country. Taneum is based in Washington State, where you can find her with her knitting or a book close by. Her work is informed by a lifelong interest in civics and the belief that everyone’s voice matters. She is also proud to be a volunteer advisor for the Washington YMCA Youth Legislature where she mentors teens from across the state to engage in democracy.