What does it mean to run for office from a working-class background in rural America? This panel featured candidates who are challenging assumptions about who gets to lead and whose voices matter. We explored how life experience shapes political priorities, relationships with constituents, and approaches to governance. Together, panelists Nathan Sage (IA), Melissa Bird (OR), and Paul Nolley (IL) discussed how working-class leadership can strengthen democracy and build durable power across rural and urban communities.