Pull up a chair and stay awhile. This site is a place to get your bearings while we’re together in West Virginia. You’ll find the agenda, contact info, background readings, local recommendations, and a few things worth knowing about the people and places welcoming us here.

At Resource Rural (RR) and Rural Climate Partnership (RCP), we know rural communities are essential to a more prosperous, resilient, and sustainable future - and that the people who call rural places home should have the resources and power to shape what that future looks like.

West Virginia gives us a lot to learn from. These mountains, rivers, and communities hold generations of stories; including those of Indigenous peoples whose relationships with these lands long predate the borders we know today. They also hold the history of communities that powered this country while carrying many of the costs of extraction. And today, people across the state are organizing, building new economic opportunities, advancing climate and energy solutions, caring for their communities and lands, and reimagining what comes next.

For the next few days, many of us are guests here. Being a good guest means knowing whose home you’re in, listening before offering answers, respecting the land and the stories entrusted to you, and following the local lead. Come curious. Ask thoughtful questions. Get to know the people sitting next to you. And if you have a little extra time, explore Charleston. 

We’re glad you’re here. Don’t forget to holler if you need us.

Your rural neighbors at RR & RCP