Just after returning to the studio after two back-to-back episodes where Michelle spent time at the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) Policy Institute and the National Association of Community Health Centers' Policy and Issues Conference in D.C., Michelle continues the conversation with NRHA's Government Affairs and Policy Director, Alexa McKinley Abel for an update about the impact of the Continuing Resolution on rural health organizations and what to watch for from Congress as the budget reconciliation process continues.
In the second part of this episode, Michelle meets with the Executive Director for Blue Missouri, Jessica (Jess) Piper. Born and raised in rural America, Jess is a mother to five and grandmother to three, lives on a small farm on the Missouri/Iowa border and was an American Literature teacher for 16 years. After the 2016 election of Trump, Jess became politically active.
Jess ran for office in 2022 as a State Representative in HD1 in Northwest Missouri. She was unsuccessful but used the experience to organize progressives in rural Missouri. Jess also hosts a weekly podcast called "Dirt Road Democrat."
In this conversation, Jess Piper shares her journey from being a teacher to running for state office in Missouri, highlighting the challenges faced by rural communities, particularly in education and political representation. Michelle and Jess discuss the impact of information silos and news deserts, as well as the importance of grassroots organizations in engaging rural voters. Jess emphasizes the need for Democrats to reconnect with rural constituents and the long-term strategy required to effect change in these areas.
The Rural Impact is pleased to welcome The American Heart Association as a sponsor for this and future episodes! Here's why!
The AHA believes that everyone, no matter where they live, deserves access to high-quality care. That's why they created the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator, a program designed to help rural hospitals improve cardiovascular care and patient outcomes. The Rural Accelerator provides no-cost access to quality improvement programs, data-driven insights, learning collaboratives, recognition opportunities, and expert-guided education to support 1000 rural hospitals across the country in delivering evidence-based care.
Rural hospitals play a critical role in their communities. Enroll today and join the movement to improve rural heart health.
Visit www.heart.org/ruralaccelerator to learn more.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.