Welcome to the Rural Assembly

Rural Assembly is a nonprofit dedicated to championing a movement that celebrates and empowers rural people and places. Our goal is to reshape perceptions, foster healing, and forge unity in a divided nation by amplifying rural voices through advocacy, partnerships and gatherings. Learn more about our mission to connect diverse voices, challenge harmful narratives, and recognize the untold stories, opportunities, and interconnected futures that bind rural and urban communities together.

Who we are

Welcome
to the Rural Assembly

Rural Assembly is a program of the Center for Rural Strategies dedicated to championing a movement that celebrates and empowers rural people and places. Our goal is to reshape perceptions, foster healing, and forge unity in a divided nation by amplifying rural voices through advocacy, partnerships and gatherings. Learn more about our mission to connect diverse voices, challenge harmful narratives, and recognize the untold stories, opportunities, and interconnected futures that bind rural and urban communities together.

We invite you to join us in naming the connections that unite us, shaping a future of inclusivity and shared success for all.

What we're working on now

Rural Health Disparities: Navigating the Healthcare Landscape of our Communities
A new series from the Rural Assembly tackles the issues surrounding rural health disparities.

Rural Remix podcast
Listen to our new podcast investigating how meth went from a rural-coded chemical moonshine to an endemic drug problem present in all the nation’s major cities.

From Our Blog

Lessons of Hope and Inspiration from an RGV Classroom

April 18, 2024

A visit to two classrooms in the Rio Grande Valley reveals optimism, fortitude, and tenacity, writes Rural Assembly Deputy Director Libby Lane.

Whitney Kimball Coe on stage at University of Chicago

Watch: Our Fraying Common Purpose: Rebuilding Democracy One Neighborhood at a Time

April 18, 2024

Watch: Our Fraying Common Purpose: Rebuilding Democracy One Neighborhood at a Time, featuring Whitney Kimball Coe in conversation with Stephen Heintz, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Michael Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps, for “Our Fraying Common Purpose: Rebuilding Democracy One Neighborhood at a Time at UChicago Institute of Politics’ Bridging the Divide: Forging the Ties between Urban and Rural America conference.

Rio Grande reflections

April 10, 2024

Taneum Fotheringill shares her reflections on traveling to the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas — and how it changed her understanding of a region often misunderstood by outsiders.