Rural folks face unique parenting challenges, so the Center on Rural Parenting is building a strong support network of leaders and organizations focused on serving rural communities.

The Rural Parenting Action Network was created for community leaders or organizations that provide resources, information and encouragement to rural parents, from local services to statewide programs.

For far too long, the myth of the white rural monolith has covered the truth: that Blackness, queerness and other identities exist in rural communities. This cultural suppression has worked to erase us from history and silence our voices.

The Blackroads Project aims to change this narrative and highlight the voices of real rural folks across the Midwest and uplift the unique opportunities and assets that lie in our communities by sharing our stories and shedding light on the rich spectrum of identities Midwestern rural communities hold.

Rural communities offer unique opportunities to support folks along their parenting journey, but lack of rural-specific data can make it difficult to find funding and partnerships to build on these community assets.

The Center on Rural Parenting is committed to advancing rural research that highlights the strengths of our rural communities. In parntership with the Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Missouri Rural Research Center, we are working to uncover new ways to support rural parents and families.

By focusing on what makes rural communities resilient, this research will better inform policies, practices, and programs.