37th Annual Meeting – Taking Charge, Building Together!

You’re invited to Dakota Rural Action’s 37th Annual Meeting is being held at the Sioux Falls History Club on October 25th and 26th! Over the past year, DRA members have been leaders on fighting carbon pipeline, promoting a local food system, stopping damaging and massive Confined Animal Feeding Operations, and fighting the expansion of uranium and gold mining in the Black Hills. This year’s theme, “Taking Charge, Building Together” reflects the leadership and work of our members in 2024 to build grassroots power.

We welcome Lisa Whelan, Executive Director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, as our keynote speaker Friday night! Iowa CCI is a closely allied group that has a strong history of building power for everyday people in Iowa’s rural communities, small towns and cities since 1975.

The annual meeting also serves as the yearly business meeting for the organization. It’s a great chance for members to socialize and get to know each other. A variety of themed baskets will be silently auctioned off, organized by our member planning committee! Your registration also covers two locally sourced meals catered by En Place Catering.

Friday:
Meeting begins at 1pm. Please arrive early to check in and get comfortable! Mo Bailey of the Nebraska Organizing Project will lead an organizing training with our Senior Organizer Chase Jensen. We will learn from a panel of folks representing this work across the country explain how organizing on the local level is impacting the region and national levels through our coalition work. After a networking social hour we will share a fine dinner together and enjoy our keynote speaker, Lisa Whelan. Friday’s agenda will end around 7:30pm.

Saturday:
We’ll kick off Day Two with a SEED SWAP! Bring seeds from your fields, garden, or pots. You’re invited to share a story about your year of production and the hope that you carry, just as a seed holds the hope of a new season of growth. After feeling more connected with each other through these stories, we will settle into the business portion. The board will approve the budget and elect new board members. We’ll close the day with action items to take away, along with your to-go lunch.

Meeting Objective:
We hope that our members and staff feel more connected and aligned on our issues, energized for another year ahead where we can take charge and build the South Dakota we want to see together.

Location:
The Sioux Falls History Club | 758 South Phillips Avenue | Sioux Falls, SD 57104