Rural Opportunity Institute

We’re in the home stretch of recruitment for the Young Civic Leaders (YCL) initiative, our summer internship program for eastern N.C. youth. Jennifer, we heard you loud and clear, so this summer we’re expanding the program! We understand that it’s crucial to empower our young people with opportunities to build skills, find mentors, and shape their environment. Building community resilience means engaging our youth and creating communities they are excited to be part of and return to. This year, we’re adding new learning opportunities, like a Career and Technical Education (CTE) certification, and seeking new employment sites for interns across the non-profit, public, and private sectors of eastern N.C. Support our work by nominating an employer or a young leader in our community via the links below.?? Employer Nominee Form: https://lnkd.in/e6JMi8X6 Youth Nominee Form: https://lnkd.in/e3uawWNV P.S. If you want to address community challenges alongside folks like Jennifer, consider attending the Edgecombe Resilience Community Meeting on May 2 at 11:30 a.m. More details coming soon. ?? Give us a follow and turn on post notifications to make sure you don’t miss the announcement! ??

This month, Vichi Jagannathan and Ethan said ‘Howdy!’ to Austin, T.X. for SXSW EDU ??. This conference brought together visionary educators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, creatives, and more to explore innovative solutions to challenges in education. Their highlights were attending NewSchools CEO, Frances Messano's session on funding models for research and development in education and meeting founders and funders of color at the Equitech Breakfast. They celebrated connecting with new partners and old friends including Camelback Ventures, New Profit, Walton Family Foundation, Transcend, Siegel Family Endowment, and Imaginable Futures. Last, but not least, Vichi enjoyed eating tacos exclusively for all meals ??! We’re grateful to have been a part of this opportunity for discovery and community building. Check out the link below to learn more about SXSW EDU and get the jump on registering for 2026. https://www.sxswedu.com/

We’re making waves! The findings from our Resilient Leaders Initiative (RLI) were recently published in the Community Mental Health Journal. This scientific journal is committed to the improvement of public sector mental health services, prioritizing the needs of people experiencing psychological distress and the accompanying structures to support them. RLI was an intensive, cohort-based program that guided teams from public agencies to implement trauma-informed practices for building resilience at their organizations. It was the first social accelerator program in the country to be based in a rural community and focus on leveraging public agencies to develop strategies to heal trauma. One of our first RLI cohort teams laid the foundation for our current work with the Medicaid Learning Collaborative by becoming the first public alternative learning program in the state of N.C. to successfully bill mental health services to Medicaid. We operated this initiative from 2021-2022 and then collaborated with MPH students at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health to conduct additional research on the program’s impact. We’re excited to see the findings published and made accessible in-full for free. Check it out via the ?? below. https://lnkd.in/ebPC5W6J Many thanks to all of the contributors who made this publication possible: Alison Elliott, MPH, Bethany Jana, MPH, Thi Vu, MPH, Macie Rush-Frazelle, MPH, Aaliyah Belk, MPH, Dane Emmerling, Vichi Jagannathan, Seth Saeugling, Abigail M. Hatcher, PhD

Big thanks to Mayor Eric Evans for shouting us out this month alongside other recipients of Edgecombe County Government’s “Getting Off the Lists” 2024 grants. These grants support systems level work to address the root causes of our community’s needs, uplifting local organizations focused on advancing outcomes in affordable and safe housing, health equity, youth and family support, and education and workforce development. We’re excited to see what possibilities emerge from this opportunity for collaboration and partnership. Learn more about this initiative at the link below?? https://lnkd.in/ewXNbVTJ We’re in good company! Check out some of the other grant recipients doing great work in our community: Down East Partnership for Children , STRATEGIC TWIN-COUNTIES EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP , Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc. (OIC)

?? Just one week left, don’t forget to submit your application to our Medicaid Learning Collaborative 2025-26 Cohort! We’re eager to support your N.C. public or charter school with leveraging the Medicaid reimbursement process to hire full-time mental health professionals to support students and staff. We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to receive free hands-on technical assistance valued at $100k+. One of our 2024-25 Cohort participants shared, “I love the structure of the program and that everything is laid out. There is no chaos or confusion. There’s been a lot of clarity with time expectations and meeting expectations.” Head to the ?? below to apply today. Applications are due Friday, Feb. 28. We look forward to hearing from you! https://lnkd.in/e9bteptG

?? Calling all Nash, Edgecombe, and Wilson County residents, join us this Thursday, Feb. 13, at 12:00 p.m. for the first monthly Policy Listening Session of 2025. Build relationships with your community and discuss the issues that are important to you. You’ll also hear from our Director of Systems Innovation & Policy, Graham Palmer, about the work ROI is doing to foster new opportunities to support community needs. Make your voice heard and help set the agenda for our programming priorities. Head to the link below to register for this free Zoom session, and don’t forget to tell a friend! https://lnkd.in/eqQJ43MG

Here in Rocky Mount, our community’s history is Black history. Edgecombe County, along with many other rural Eastern N.C. counties, is situated in the “Black Belt”. This region of the American South stretches from Texas to Virginia, and is named after the dark and fertile soil that made it prime real estate for cotton and tobacco plantations worked by enslaved Black people. Due to the legacy of slavery, many of these counties have a population that is majority Black today. Rural Eastern N.C.’s Black community has a long standing tradition of resistance, resilience, adaptability, and leadership. Their fight for the right to self-determination has informed our local history and continues to shape our future. We celebrate the example this community provides every day of what resilience and generational healing can look like in practice. This #blackhistorymonth we urge you to learn more about the Black leaders, businesses, and community organizations that have shaped the place we call home. Check out the link below for information from Twin County Media Group about Rocky Mount’s Civil Rights Walking Tour, which highlights historic locations honoring the Black community. https://lnkd.in/eRgPRmgf

N.C. public and charter school leaders, you’re invited! Join us on February 4th 11am-12pm for our Medicaid Learning Collaborative (MLC) 2025-26 Cohort Q&A Session. Cohort members gain access to technical assistance for the Medicaid reimbursement process valued at over $100k+ to provide support with expanding access to mental healthcare for students and staff, all at no cost to their school or district. During this interactive Q&A session, our Innovation Program Manager, La’Shanda Person, and our Medicaid Consultant, Sarah Broome, will provide more details about the program and address your questions. The application for the MLC 2025-26 Cohort is live. Don’t wait, apply today! The application deadline is February 28, 2025, and decisions will be announced via email on March 17, 2025. Check out the links below to register for the upcoming Q&A Session and to apply to join the Cohort?? Cohort Application: https://lnkd.in/e9bteptG Q&A Registration: https://lnkd.in/eiVhs7Rb

Today, we’re acknowledging #mlkday by highlighting the 37th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Competition. This competition, organized by The City of Rocky Mount‘s Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, provides local students in grades 6-12 the opportunity to engage with King’s philosophy while developing their creative expression and public speaking skills. We’re excited to see that King’s spirit is being kept alive in our community, especially given his history with our city. In November 1962, Rocky Mount, NC became a testing ground for an early version of his “I Have a Dream” speech, which he delivered at the old Booker T. Washington High School. Six months later, King shared his dream with millions at the March on Washington, calling for immediate nonviolent action to end segregation and discrimination against African Americans. Echoes of King’s belief in the possibility of racial equity, community solidarity, and resilience persist in Rocky Mount and beyond. Check out the video of this year’s Oratorical Competition speeches. We hope you enjoy this symbol of our community’s unwavering commitment to advancing racial equity and investing in the young people who will one day lead us. https://lnkd.in/eEssNwxn

?? Announcement: We’re looking to expand our Young Civic Leaders (YCL) initiative! This summer internship program creates opportunities for youth employment and career mentorship in eastern North Carolina, while supporting various needs of these communities. What does this mean for you? If you’re anon-profit, public, or private sector employer, check out the forms linked below to register your interest. You can also nominate an up-and-coming young leader in your network. Thanks in advance for your help, and we look forward to connecting! ?? Youth Nominee Form: https://lnkd.in/e3uawWNV Employer Interest Form: https://lnkd.in/e6JMi8X6