Trainings

  • Understanding and Overcoming the Rural Urban Divide

    In our most comprehensive workshop, we examine the five underlying causes of the rural urban divide over the past 40 years, and outline what progressive groups, candidates, and parties can do about it.

    The objective is to defuse hostility and contempt, find mutual understanding and common ground, and build multi-racial working and middle-class rural solidarity between rural, suburban, and urban dwellers.

    Our practical solutions are based on research by our own and other scholars as well as the personal experiences of rural progressive organizers.

  • 2024 Election: What Happened, Where We Went Wrong, What to Do Now

    Drawing upon a wide range of high quality surveys, reseach and analysis, this workshop illuminates both how and why a broad range of people, including but not limited to rural folks, continued to leave the Democratic Party, either voting Republican or choosing not to vote at all. 

    Additionally, we discuss potential strategies for the next four years that go beyond “resistance” to a stronger and wider effort to broaden the base through policy, action and language.

  • Rekindling Community Engagement, Rebuilding Trust, Broadening Our Base

    This workshop focused on RUBI’s Community Works Initiative and how it has successfully re-energized local Democrats, broadened the base of volunteers, and begun rebuilding trust with neighbors. 

    Partcipants will learn how to start CWorks in their county, what the requirements are for it to succeed, and how to become part of the larger network of rural Democrats using concrete local action to rebuild local communities and overcome mistrust.

  • Talk Like a Neighbor: How to Listen, Respect and Communicate Across the Divide

    Based on both considerable first-hand experience and extensive research into what works and what does not, this session lays out the basic “do’s” and “don’t’s” of communication in the countryside, from direct communication to messaging, platforms, social media and more.  The training usually involves participants in sharing, practicing and critiqueing different messages.

  • The Rural New Deal: A Bottom-up Platform and Strategy for Rural Prosperity

    Co-authored by RUBI and Progressive Democrats of America, the Rural New Deal provides a positive vision and roadmap for rural renewal, revitalization and resilience.  It was written by rural people, primarily those with extensive first-hand experience in rural development and community-based solutions to housing, health care and other challenges. 

    The RND has been endorsed by Representative Ro Khanna, was included in two state party platforms in 2024, and is being utilized by a variety of candidates and campaigns.

  • What Works in Rural? Examples of Rural Innovations, Success Stories and the Policies that Support Them

    Many people are unaware of the breadth of “bottom-up” initiatives in rural communities and small towns that have revitalized local economies, created new opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs or effectively addressed problems with housing, health care, addiction and more. 

    This session spotlights a range of these success stories, their common elements, and what sorts of state and federal policies are needed to support and expand them.  We also discuss the importance of work and self-reliance in rural communities.

What participants have said about our trainings:

  • “The great value and many strengths of the RUBI training rest on two pillars. First, is a clear-eyed self-appraisal—constructive criticism—of shortcomings in how Democrats think about and communicate with rural voters. And second is a series of concrete, actionable steps for rural Dems to up their game.”

    Skip Halpern, Chair of Page County (VA) Democrats

  • “Long overdue among progressives.”

    Workshop Participant

  • “[RUBI’s] seminars are always enriching and accessible. [They do] a great job of explaining the Rural Urban Divide … and give the best advice for moving forward with a new deeper understanding, straight talk about race and class, and action on the ground.”

    Stair Calhoun, Founder and Coordinator of Network NOVA

  • “An indispensable map to provide aid in navigating the urban-rural divide for both beginners and those more familiar with the territory.”

    Kel BasAvraham, Appalachian Peace Education Center Board Member

  • "We gained a number of insights during this training, including the fact that rural people are not foolishly voting against their own interests, but rather looking for respect and for having a say in the government policies that directly impact their lives. We also took away a number of concrete ideas from the session, and as a result, have started doing different community projects to demonstrate our values and increase our visibility such as care packages to local adult homes, volunteering as a group to package food for the needy and trash clean ups at local parks.”

    Ellen Jessee, Chair of the Martinsville/Henry County Democratic Committee

  • "The RUBI training served as the motivational spark to get the county committees that were dormant and starving for direction active again. Because of RUBI the 13 committees in the district have had two follow up meetings to talk more about participating in activities in their communities, messaging, and data research. "

    June Krise, Democratic chair in 9th Congressional District in Georgia

  • "Anthony gave our group of rural progressive activists an in-depth analysis of why rural voters abandoned the Democratic party. With that context, he then helped us center our messaging on our values that resonate in our communities, particularly on the importance of work and economic opportunity. It was very well received and we continue to look at RUBI as our guide for building back our electoral power in rural West Virginia. "

    Diane Browning, founder of Blue Skies Ahead

  • "The training encouraged us to reflect on the common ground that we suburbanites share with more rural folk, in particular the many worries and aspirations for our families. I appreciated the reminder that people in farm communities also have serious concerns about the environment, though they are often expressed in different terms. "

    Rebecca Craven Wills, PA Indivisible

  • “I’ve come across so many groups over the years that seek to understand the disconnect between the Democratic Party and rural Americans, and RUBI is by far the best! We have partnered with them on virtual events and sponsored one of their trainings at our annual party retreat. The results of these trainings were fantastic!”

    Mike Schmuhl, Chair, Indiana Democratic Party

  • "[The training] was incredible. It was relevant. It was powerful. It was just what we needed. And it was effective…you made all of us think, and commit to working differently."

    Judy Carbone, Maryland Rural Communities Council

  • “The training curriculum that RUBI has developed is the best of its kind in the country. I've looked at it in great detail, and the people that lead the organization are from rural communities, have run for office in rural communities and are people of incredible integrity.”

    George Goehl, Founder of Fundamentals of Organizing

  • “Your training has had a profound impact on me personally. It caused a fundamental paradigm shift in my thinking about my rural neighbors. It has also positively affected how I can add value to my local Democratic party efforts."

    Christine Campe-Price, Eastern Maryland Dems

Please contact us at info@ruralurbanbridge.org if you’d like to schedule a training.

View examples of RUBI’s past trainings here.