Over the past few decades, one of the defining cleavages in American politics has been the growing urban-rural divide. Politically, culturally and economically, it is as if we live in two distinct countries. But in this division exist opportunities for exciting forms of leadership that strengthen our democracy. The Hart Leadership Program hosted a discussion with three young leaders working beyond the divide. What are the complexities of working in rural areas? What are the policy challenges? What might it take to bridge the divide? How are young people making a difference in this space?
Jacob Bachmeier is a Democratic member of the Montana legislature who became the youngest state legislator in the U.S. when he was elected at age 18 in 2016. Now in his second term. he represents approximately 10,000 people in a district President Trump won by almost 20 points. Kate Fellman is the founder and executive director of You Can Vote, a Durham-based voter education and empowerment organization. She launched the organization in 2014 to help alleviate the effects of a confusing elections law and has worked to expand its reach beyond the Triangle into communities across North Carolina. Rachel Rubin PPS’19 has spent the past two summers working in West Virginia around issues of criminal justice reform and social policy. At Duke, she is an Alice M. Baldwin Scholar and participant in the Hart Leadership Program’s Political Engagement Pilot Project. After graduation, she is returning to West Virginia to help set up a family treatment court.
Associate in Research Adam Beyer moderated the discussion. This event took place March 4, 2019 in the Sanford School of Public Policy.
