National Rural Assembly gathers with 189 attendees

The 2013 National Rural Assembly's 2013 national gathering began Sunday night in North Bethesda, Md., with 189 attendees (including The Rural Blog). Dee Davis, chairman of the assembly's steering committee and president of the Center for Rural Strategies, said during a welcoming ceremony that Rural America should be defined by what it hopes for, not by what it fears, Tim Marema reports for the center's Daily Yonder. (Yonder photo by Shawn Poynter: Davis)

Davis said, "We don’t all agree on all of these issues, and there’s some urgency in our communities. We know a lot of communities are really facing some tough times. Are we going to be defined by what we are afraid of or are we going to be defined by what we hope for? Are we going to be defined by what we lack or by what we can get accomplished?" (Read more)

The assembly "is a movement of people and organizations devoted to building a stronger, more vibrant rural America for children, families, and communities," according to the group's website."The goal is to make the country stronger by improving the outlook for rural communities. The guiding principle is that an inclusive, prospering, and sustainable rural America improves prospects for us all." The assembly's gathering continues through Tuesday, when Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will speak.