Amy Stratton is the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Rural Communities Organizer. She works to find viable solutions to economic and environmental challenges rural communities face. "In the Field" is Amy's blog from her travels throughout the Midwest.
Hometown success
I was talking with a friend from my rural hometown the other day. We conversed about who was still there and what they were doing in our small town. Most of our friends have moved away, including the both of us. Why is there still a stigma that says to be successful you must leave your small rural town in search of a better life?
The town of Brookfield, Missouri decided that telling youth to move away and be successful did nothing to support their town. They chose instead to connect with the high school students to find out what they wanted from their community. And at their graduation they each received a gift: a mailbox with their name on it and a letter reminding them that Brookfield will always be their home. Read more.
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