Cheney Free Press -

Across rural America, demographics are changing, and community leaders are redefining what makes their small towns successful and vibrant.

Traditionally, a prosperous community is defined as economically viable, with enough housing and employment. Now, prosperous also includes having a welcoming and inclusive community.

To foster a spirit of welcoming, communities can start with Civity. Civity is the idea of purposefully engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different. This helps communities to explore and celebrate differences—across race, class, culture, a...