The Main Street Project is ” a grassroots public policy, media justice and cultural organizing initiative that uses the power of relationships to create lasting change. We work to document the economic challenges facing people in increasingly diverse rural communities, give voice to their hopes and aspirations, and provide creative and practical tools to turn possibilities into realities.”
Below taken from their Programs page on The Main Street Project website.
Fifty-five million people live in rural areas of the United States. Rural populations are once again growing – in ethnicity and sheer numbers – even as fewer than ever families earn their living from the land. Today’s challenges range from economic obstacles to limited local resources, compounded by a limited voice in policy planning and government.
To grow and prosper, rural communities will need to tackle challenges from all directions, thinking and acting creatively, seeing the possibilities. That’s where the Main Street Project programs come in:
- Community-Based Civic Engagement – investing in community-specific civic education, engagement and participation
- The Raíces Project – building capacity within rural communities to address challenges, using the strengths of the Latino community
A collaboration between the Main Street Project, the University of Iowa Institute for the Support of Latino Families and Communities, and the Northwest Area Foundation
- Latino Leadership Project - providing training and development to emerging community leaders of all ages
- Rural Media Project – working to close the digital divide and give media access to credible resources on relevant issues
We are pretty focused on Minneapolis because we live here and there is a lot going on but their are people all across the state and country who live in rural areas as well as urban that must take different approaches towards building community and getting by. Check out their Latino Enterprise Center (LEC) as well. The project is in Northfield and it is a program of Main Street Project focused in economic development. The LEC’s mission is “to strengthen communities by organizing the programs and infrastructure, and the business environment needed to maximize the success potential of rural entrepreneurs.
Filed under: Uncategorized
