From the departure of industry to the corporatization of farming, the world in and around many rural communities is rapidly changing, with many struggling to find their place in those new economy models. For some rural communities, these new challenges are just another log on the roaring fire of deep and persistent poverty.
I grew up in Robeson County, North Carolina, a persistent-poverty county in the southeastern portion of the state. I have seen the decline of small-scale manufacturing and agriculture first-hand and know people who have been directly affected. I have also seen state and local elected officials repeatedly fail to address these problems.
I believe that people from impoverished rural communities should be engaged, active, and loud in their state and local political advocacy spaces and supported by allies who can amplify their voices. We must hold elected officials accountable for failing to address the long-standing problems in our communities.
It is not uncommon for a local politician to run on national issues or their support for a national politician. This should be unacceptable. The fates of our communities rest in the hands of our state and local elected officials and their willingness to engage on the issues affecting our communities.
How do you start holding elected officials accountable? You can start by simply organizing your neighbors. Collective power is important and can speak volumes about the urgency of your problem. Every community is different, so working with your neighbors can also help you identify any barriers to accountability that may exist in your community and devise strategies for overcoming them.
From there, there are numerous steps that you can take to amplify your voice. You can also start building relationships with your local officials; these are the people whose decisions most affect your day-to-day life. You should also build relationships with whatever local media happens to still exist in your community so they can help amplify your voice and center your issues. You can write op-eds, letters to the editor, and even hold press conferences to elevate your issues. Finally, seek out coalition partners in other, similar communities who can help you emphasize how widespread your problems are and why it is important for your county or state to pay attention.
If you do not have the time or resources to organize your community, that is also not a problem. You can start small – contact your local elected officials, find advocacy organizations that are working on issues affecting your community and volunteer to do what you can to amplify your community’s concerns.
Also, don’t forget the biggest tool for making change – running for elected office yourself. By running for office, you can be a direct change agent for your community by being able to directly propose solutions.
It is critically important for rural people to remain engaged in their local election process, where the stakes are often higher and where you can make the most difference.
Christopher Chavis grew up in rural Robeson County, North Carolina, and is a frequent writer and speaker on rural access-to-justice issues. He is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
