For the final week of National Poetry Month we want to share this poem by Johnny Sundstrom honoring his son Shiloh Sundstrom who passed away in 2015. Shiloh was an avid rural and conservation advocate, inspiring everyone around him. His legacy continues to live on in the many communities and individuals he touched.

For more reflections on Shiloh and his legacy check out this Daily Yonder piece by Whitney Kimball Coe, Rural Assembly Director.
 TRIBUTE for SHILOH

Greatness is achieved, not by fame
or by the tradition of a name.
Greatness comes with a Vision,
realized and carried-on
by those who adopt, adapt, and
become the humility and power
of an individual who passes on
their truth, never knowing
they would achieve greatness.

                                                                                   Johnny-Dad
                                         3/19/19
Rural Assembly taking part in Rural Generation Summit
The Rural Assembly joins a vibrant group of partners at the Rural Generation Summit in Jackson, Miss issippi for conversations and discussions on "the rural dimensions of equity and social justice in the arts and culture landscape." The Summit opened with a powerful keynotes from Lori Pourier of First Peoples Fund and Carlton Turner, founder and director of Sipp Culture .

"I welcome you to Mississippi, but know if you came here to save us, we have no room for saviors. If you came to find your people, your kin...then welcome home." -Carlton Turner
Life in Rural America Part II

NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Harvard's Chan School of Public Health just released the results of their Life in Rural America Part 2 poll. The poll surveyed 1,405 adults about life in Rural America.

Dee Davis, President of the Center for Rural Strategies, was quoted in the NPR reporting on the results discussing the complexity that is rural healthcare in his own home state of Kentucky.

"People may be living a more hardscrabble existence than folks in the suburbs or a lot of the folks in cities, but it doesn't mean they're not living a decent life."

Check out his piece about the poll in the Daily Yonder: "Analysis: Poll Finds Rural Optimism Despite Economic Challenges."
Whitney Kimball Coe leads panel at Life in Rural America Symposium this week
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation leads Life in Rural America Symposium

In connection with the release of the Life in Rural America Report, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation hosted the Life in Rural America Symposium this past week in Charleston, West Virginia. The event featured experts and community leaders from rural and tribal communities, focusing on locally-driven solutions. Director of the Rural Assembly, Whitney Kimball Coe, took part in the Symposium and facilitated the afternoon policy and systems change panel.
Rural youth: Apply to Youth Collaboratory!

Citizen University is looking for a cohort for their Youth Collaboratory and is looking to ensure representation by rural youth. Citizen University is working to build " a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship across the country" through programs such as Civic Saturday, Civic Seminary, and Youth Collaboratory.

"The Youth Collaboratory is a year-long program to empower and connect a rising generation of civic leaders and doers."

Rising Sophomores and Juniors in high school are welcome to apply by July 1st!

Unsure about applying? Reach out to [email protected]
Kiana Village Police Officer Annie Reed, 49, is a grandmother and often the only cop in the Northwest Alaska village of 421 people. (Loren Holmes / Anchorage Daily News)
One in Three Alaska Villages Have No Local Police

An investigation by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica found more than 70 Alaska communities have no local police protection. Sexual abuse runs rampant, public safety resources are scarce, and Gov. Mike Dunleavy wants to cut the budget.
Remember to check out the full "All Things Rural" calendar of events here and submit your events to be featured on the calendar here !