Groundswell Honors Rural Leaders at 2026 Power Awards

DECATUR, Ala., November 5, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Groundswell, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening rural communities, honored three leaders at the opening of the 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow, recognizing their efforts in advancing community self-determination through storytelling, organizing, and supporting locally defined visions of the future.

The honorees, Yinka Bode-George, Scott Hamilton, and Mark Trahant, were celebrated for their contributions to rural development and community empowerment. Bode-George, the founder, president, and CEO of Sustain Our Future Foundation in Washington, D.C., was recognized for her work in building community benefit strategies that put residents in charge of how large energy projects give back. Her approach, which began with listening to what mattered most to residents, such as workforce development and student education, demonstrated the power of self-determination.

Scott Hamilton, president and CEO of the Urban League of the State of Arkansas in Little Rock, was honored for his work in connecting Arkansans to opportunities in health, education, jobs, and housing. Hamilton emphasized the importance of ensuring that underserved communities, especially those most affected, have a real voice in decisions about jobs, land, water, and affordability.

Mark Trahant, a citizen of Idaho's Shoshone-Bannock Tribes based in Phoenix, Arizona, was recognized for his journalism that keeps tribal sovereignty and Native voices at the center of conversations about land, energy, and the future. Trahant’s work underscores the significance of preserving natural resources for future generations, such as ensuring that salmon remain a part of the ecosystem for many generations to come.

During the Q&A session, the honorees discussed the importance of local residents taking an active role in major projects, such as data centers and renewable energy developments. They agreed that local people need timely information, trusted relationships, and the resources to weigh proposals and set their own priorities. Bode-George shared how residents of Grant County, West Virginia, shaped the community benefits tied to a wind farm repowering project. The effort began with listening to what mattered most to the residents, leading to a community advisory board deciding how benefit funding would be used.

Trahant spoke about the importance of tribal sovereignty and community action across generations. He highlighted the need for systems that protect natural resources for future generations, emphasizing that this is also a form of sovereignty. Hamilton, in his remarks, urged neighbors and decisionmakers to engage early, ask questions, and work together, ensuring that local voices help shape the outcome.

Groundswell CEO Michelle Moore welcomed neighbors from across the region to Decatur and opened the evening by centering the people behind the work. She emphasized that progress is about more than infrastructure or investment; it is about the opportunities created, voices elevated, and communities strengthened. Moore’s message was clear: the people who live in a place should have the information, capacity, and influence to shape what happens there.

Since 2009, Groundswell has built community power, aligning people, trust, and investment. The organization measures every result to reach the next family, ensuring that the last mile is the first mile. The Rural Power Awards, now in their second year, continue to highlight the importance of local leadership in shaping the future of rural communities.