"When we are organizing in rural communities, sometimes we are quite literally the only alternative to that alt-right worldview."
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement rural organizer Ava Auen-Ryan on listening instead of assuming, fighting against CO2 pipelines, and other lessons from the rural Iowa trenches.
Our third “Meet a Rural Organizer” series features Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) rural organizer, Ava Auen-Ryan. Ava makes a lot of good points, including this reflection on bipartisan neglect of rural people and issues: “Republicans stoke fears and divide people based on race, gender, sexuality, you name it. Democrats ignore people and the issues they care about, then act confused when people don’t vote for them.”
The Cocklebur conducted this interview with Ava over email as part of our “Meet a Rural Organizer” series. Meet a Rural Organizer features rural activists, advocates, and leaders who fight for the places they love. (Full Disclosure—The Cocklebur’s Bryce Oates is a monthly donor to CCI Action and occasionally provides paid communications support to Iowa CCI).
The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
The Cocklebur: So, tell me something good about rural organizing in your part of the world.
Ava Auen-Ryan: Right now, we are in the middle of fighting three CO2 pipelines that would run through rural communities all over the state. The good thing to come out of this is that people across political lines are working together on this issue and as a result building relationships with each other. We’ve met so many people that would’ve never crossed our radar and that’s a good thing.
The Cocklebur: What are the issues driving the talk at the schools and gas stations and nursing homes and such?
Ava: It’s stopping the CO2 pipelines, a lot of anger at the Governor for ramming through a school voucher bill, and disgust with establishment politicians doing everything they can to avoid talking about the issues that people care about.
The Cocklebur: Let's say you're door knocking or phone banking or tabling with rural people. Issue organizing. Election Work. Tell me something you've learned about how to be a better rural organizer.
Ava: Don’t make assumptions, ask questions. People – across the board - have a lot more to say than some folks give them credit for.
The Cocklebur: And now you get to tell everybody your take on the things that political pundits and consultants get wrong about rural voters.
Ava: Republicans stoke fears and divide people based on race, gender, sexuality, you name it. Democrats ignore people and the issues they care about, then act confused when people don’t vote for them.
The Cocklebur: Rural organizers are generally starved for financial resources. Make the case for investing in rural organizing as a means of winning issues or elections in overlooked rural places.
Ava: One of our long-time leaders, Barb Kalbach, always says “right is right and wrong is wrong.” I grew up here and the people I love live here. That’s true for every single CCI member so that’s always worth fighting for. And you need organized money and organized people to do that.
If that doesn’t appeal to people, then I would say that Iowa is ground-zero for fighting alt-right white supremacy ideologies. That isn’t to say that every rural person subscribes to that worldview, but that’s what a lot of people in rural communities are being offered as a way to make meaning. So when we are organizing in rural communities, sometimes we are quite literally the only alternative to that alt-right worldview being offered.
The Cocklebur: Any local leaders or up-and-comers doing rural work you'd like to highlight?
Ava: Oh man, I want to highlight the over two dozen CCI members and supporters who showed up to the statehouse this past Tuesday to take the fight to stop the CO2 Pipelines straight to the Senate Majority Leader’s office. People drove from the far Eastern edge of the state and from small towns all over. They are all fearless truth-tellers (NOTE—Read all about it at the Oelwein Daily Register).
The Cocklebur: Here's the one where you get to recommend a book, a song, and a something to watch on a screen.
Ava: Turning to One Another by Margaret Wheatley.
The Cocklebur: Closing statement. Brag about your organization, yourself, and your work.
Ava: When I graduated college and got a job at CCI I had zero idea what I was getting into. And also, that’s kind of the amazing thing about it. CCI members and organizers have built an organization where everyday people can walk in the door, find folks that share their values, and actually do something about the issues they care about. We are offering that opportunity to new people everyday and I am continually amazed and grateful for it.
Ava suggested sharing Margaret Wheatley’s poem, “Turning to One Another,” with Cocklebur readers. Enjoy!
The Cocklebur covers rural policy and politics from a progressive point-of-view. Our work focuses on a tangled rural political reality of dishonest debate, economic and racial disparities, corporate power over our democracy, and disinformation peddled by conservative media outlets. We aim to use facts, data, and science to inform our point-of-view. We wear our complicated love/WTF relationship with rural America on our sleeve.