Faith, Race, and Democracy in Rural Communities

People who live in or near small towns and cities are often stereotyped as fundamentalist, white supremacist opponents of true democracy. But rural communities are as complex as any other, and they offer many instructive, inspiring examples of everyday people taking collective action for abolition, reparations, universal suffrage, just immigration, climate safety, and labor rights. This session features three experts in rural community, faith and labor organizing from Texas, Idaho, and Tennessee. Participants learn about the history of rural racial justice campaigns, contemporary efforts to find common ground by breaking through stale political binaries, and the current state of rural democracy. A 30-minute panel is followed by a collective discussion of participants’ own experiences and observations. The session includes resources for further study or engagement.