In the second part of this episode of the Rural Impact Podcast, “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.”
Listen to the episode here.
