Annie Contractor

6 Posts

Kristen Luchsinger: Ink, Fire and Unyielding Allyship in Covington, Louisiana

In a quiet corner of Louisiana, about thirty miles outside New Orleans, Kristen Luchsinger has learned that courage can be contagious. What started as a simple stand against book banning has blossomed into a movement that's bringing together unlikely allies and showing that rural communities contain more diversity – and more acceptance – than many assume.

Annette Hines: Quilting Mechanics, Mold-Scrubbing Students, and Returning to Neighborly Roots in Morehead Kentu cky

In the heart of Eastern Kentucky, where rolling hills meet economic challenges, a tenacious spirit of community action is taking root. Annette Hines, a...

Major Rural Policy Victory: Six Communities Receive $184 Million For The Recompete Pilot Program

TL:DR The Economic Development Administration just announced awards to six communities that received $184 million for the Recompete Pilot Program. In 2021, RuralOrganizing.org identified The Rebuilding...

Gerardo Lopez: Sowing Seeds of Progress in Rural Nevada

In the heart of rural Nevada, a quiet revolution is taking root. Gerardo Lopez, the Rural Organizing Manager for Make the Road Nevada, is...

Shanai Matteson: Building Community Power Through Culture

In Aitkin County Minnesota, in a tiny blip of a town called Palisade, population 167, is a local artist named Shanai Matteson keeping a pot of soup simmering. It's community night, and though she never officially called it a potluck, her neighbors always bring dishes to share. This monthly gathering has become something people look forward to, a small but vital spark of connection in a community that's weathered its share of storms.