I take great hope in the theme of the National Rural Assembly this year, which is “building an inclusive nation.” And almost more encouraging, is the approach of the assembly, which is focused on exploring opportunities in rural America rather than on mucking through the threats and risks.  To me, the diversity of people, communities, issues and passions represented at this assembly represents a truly holistic set of goals for community development and resilience.

One of the speakers closed his talk with a quote by Wendell Berry that reminded me of why RVCC has made such strides in building community capacity and fostering collaboration between such diverse partners: “A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define and limit the possibilities of each other's lives. It is the knowledge that people have of each other, their concern for each other, their trust in each other, the freedom with which they come and go among themselves.”

It’s been an honor to hear the stories of people working on such a wide-range of activities: from youth building and suicide prevention to fostering rural social entrepreneurship. Being here has also made it clear that RVCC is indeed an integral part of a strategy aimed fostering opportunities for rural American communities and landscapes.

Kathy Lynn is the Tribal Climate Change Project Coordinator at the University of Oregon.