Why Race, Culture, and Power Matter

Rural America is experiencing a seismic, economic and demographic shift. Decline of the manufacturing sector, consolidation of agriculture, growth of large scale “big box” retail stores, and the surge of the meat packing and poultry industry in rural areas have all converged to create economies built on the backs of high-risk, low-wage, non-union jobs.

While combined, communities of color only account for 17 percent of the total rural population; they are poor at two to three times the rate of their white counterparts. The “coloring of rural poverty” is demonstrated by glaring wage, health, and educational disparities among people of color in rural regions. These changes in the economy are converging to make poverty more intractable for rural people of color.

NRFC understands that poverty is often a factor of race, class, culture, and power dynamics that are linked and concentrated. NRFC seeks to build a movement of support and advocacy for alternative rural economies that build upon the diversity of rural communities through recognition and respect for the rich cultural and social assets of communities and families of color.

At the same time, NRFC recognizes that efforts aimed at poverty alleviation and wealth creation must first recognize that the work of building rural economies also entails confronting the structural barriers that foster racial disparities and discriminatory practices. Transforming extreme and persistently poor rural communities and regions into healthy and viable living environments will ultimately require the creation of a rural movement for social and economic equity.