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.

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