Opportunity for Introspection
This year’s Midwest Rural Assembly (MRA) was combined with the National Rural Assembly, providing a different context and opportunity for MRA participants. With National Rural Assembly attendees convening in Saint Paul, Minnesota, around an agenda and program already jam-packed with information and discussions around the issues identified in the rural compact, the MRA provided an opportunity for regional participants to reflect on the policy and practices at work in the Midwest.
Gathering prior to the opening plenary of the National Assembly, MRA attendees focused on the beginnings of a Road Map for the future. They came from 12 states and one Canadian province. In building their Road Map, participants sought to identify successful policies and programs at work in their communities to improve education, the stewardship of natural resources, the health of our communities and community investment. The Road Map helped to guide these discussions and provided some context for how participants could best focus their time within the National Rural Assembly.
