For more than 15 years, Adrienne Evans has organized in some of the most politically conservative, rural communities in the United States. Through her work with United Vision for Idaho and the United Vision Project, she's helped facilitate over 100,000 conversations across political, racial, and geographic divides, building a body of practice that challenges what we assume about polarization and who is "reachable."
In this interview, Adrienne shares what years of door-to-door organizing in Idaho have taught her about bridging divides: that lasting change rarely comes from winning an argument, but from curiosity, sustained relationship, and the willingness to stay in connection with people we don't fully understand.
Rural communities are important to understanding the present moment. They offer and have for decades offered an early warning and window into what can happen when social fragmentation outpaces our ability to create new forms of connection and belonging.
At the same time, rural communities also possess some of the strongest foundations for belonging. Unlike many urban environments where people can simply retreat into ideological enclaves, rural residents often remain deeply interconnected. The person you disagree with politically may also be your neighbor, your employer, your child's teacher, your pastor, or the person who helps pull your truck out of a snowbank. Relationships often persist despite disagreement because they must. That reality creates tension, but it also creates opportunity.
