Will Hackman, Warren County resident and author of Radically Reframing Climate Change: A Guide to Saving Ourselves, joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to talk about how we think and talk about climate change in rural communities.

From extreme weather and resilience to jobs, energy costs and the growing demands of data centers, Hackman argues for moving beyond polarization, guilt and ineffective messaging toward practical solutions, systemic change and a conversation that can actually reach people where they live.

Read more in The Rural Angle, our companion Substack:

WILL HACKMAN

https://www.willhackman.com/

Reframing Climate Change to Save Ourselves

Radically Reframing Climate Change: A Guide to Saving Ourselves

“I’m a climate activist. I also just bought a truck.”

Yale Climate Connections, “15 new books for five new takes on climate change”

NEW RURAL VIRGINIA PODCAST

Co-hosted by Larry Wohlers and Parson Brown

NEW RURAL VIRGINIA PODCAST heads to Network NOVA’s 10th annual Women’s Summit for Political Engagement, this year branded BIG TEN, for conversations with candidates, organizers and grassroots leaders from Virginia and beyond. Network NOVA co-founder KATHERINE WHITE reflects on how the organization grew from a post-2016 grassroots effort into a broader political movement.

From the hallways, Democratic congressional nominees BETH MACY (VA-06) and JOY POWERS (VA-09), along with LYNLEE THORNE, MAKAYLA VENABLE, JEANNE RUSSELL, KATE POWELL and TIM CYWINSKI, weigh in on where rural Democrats fit within the party’s centrist-progressive divide and what rural voters need from politics now.

KATHERINE WHITE

Co-founder of Network NOVA, co-host of Friday Power Lunch, and a driving force behind the BIG TEN Women’s Summit for Political Engagement.

Friday Power Lunch:

Network NOVA:

BETH MACY

Acclaimed journalist and author, and Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 6th District.

https://bethmacyforcongress.com/

JOY POWERS

Fourth-generation cattle farmer, small business owner, and Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 9th District.

https://www.joyforva.com/

MAKAYLA VENABLE

Shenandoah Valley native, 2025 Democratic nominee and 2027 candidate for Virginia House of Delegates District 36.

https://www.venable4va.com/

KATE POWELL | KATE FOR THE PEOPLE

Nonprofit fundraising professional and Virginia advocate focused on civic engagement and government accountability.

Kate for the People:

@kateforthepeople

TIM CYWINSKI

Community organizer, environmental advocate and former 2026 Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 1st District.

https://www.votetimva.com/

JEANNE RUSSELL

Longtime Shenandoah County Democratic organizer and community activist working to build grassroots engagement across the Shenandoah Valley.

Facebook:

LYNLEE THORNE

Political Director of Rural GroundGame and longtime rural Democratic organizer.

Rural GroundGame:

House Delegate Lily Franklin and congressional candidate Tom Perriello join New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss how corporate restrictions on repairing tractors, vehicles, electronics, and other equipment hurt farmers and rural communities. They explain why Democrats are leading the fight for the right to repair, what can be done at the state and federal levels, and why the proposed NextEra-Dominion acquisition demands tough scrutiny.

Read more in The Rural Angle, our companion Substack: 

Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi joins New Rural Virginia Podcast with an important message for Virginians as Dominion Energy's proposed acquisition by NextEra Energy moves toward regulatory review.

She explains why she believes the review should slow down, what the proposed merger could mean for rural communities, and why Virginians should get answers before decisions are made that could shape the Commonwealth's energy future.

Ashleigh N. Jackson, Andrea Jackson, Makayla Venable, and LeighAshley Hardin join New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss grassroots organizing, representation, and building Democratic power in rural Virginia.

Four Black women share how relationships, local leadership, and year-round organizing are helping reshape Democratic politics in Waynesboro and beyond.

State Senator Jennifer Boysko joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss Virginia’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave law, why she spent eight years fighting for its passage, and what it could mean for working families, small businesses, and rural communities across the Commonwealth.

Learn more: www.JenniferBoysko.com

Congressman James Walkinshaw and House District 9 candidate Joy Powers join New Rural Virginia Podcast for a conversation on what rural and urban communities can accomplish when they work together. The discussion explores gerrymandering, food security, small business development, health care affordability, public libraries, and the shared economic challenges facing Virginians across geographic and political divides.

Learn more:

Released: Memorial Day, May 25, 2026 | Recorded: May 21, 2026

Shenandoah Democratic Committee Chair Brad Skipper joins New Rural Virginia Podcast for a conversation on grassroots organizing in one of Virginia’s most conservative rural regions. The discussion explores bridge demonstrations over Interstate 81, rural voter engagement, school board culture wars, and the growing visibility of Democrats and independents in Shenandoah County, while emphasizing the importance of relationships, community trust, and organizing rooted in rural identity and local issues.

Sarah Wells joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss the role of small businesses in driving rural prosperity and the challenges they face in today’s economy. The conversation focuses on limited visibility in policy and data, complex tax and compliance burdens, and uneven access to financing and resources that often hold rural entrepreneurs back. Wells also outlines practical, nonpartisan solutions to better support small businesses, emphasizing the need for tailored policies that reflect the realities of rural communities.

Learn more at: www.sarahwellsbags.com

As Virginia votes YES on the redistricting referendum, Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss her vision for the Commonwealth and the initiatives shaping her work in office.

The conversation highlights her Literature and Government lecture series and Virginia’s Voices initiative, focused on civic engagement and connecting directly with communities across Virginia. Hashmi discusses disparities in K–12 education funding, pathways in higher education and workforce training, healthcare access, and the importance of broadband and economic opportunity in rural areas. She also addresses support for small businesses, protections for public libraries, and the need to turn community input into practical policy solutions that reflect the everyday needs of Virginians.