A Force for Change in Rural Mississippi

Written by: Charlene Guzman, USDA Rural Development, Office of External Affairs

A celebrated expert in her field, Dr. Trina George exhibits a rare blend of idealism and pragmatism in her approach to her role as the USDA Rural Development (RD) State Director for Mississippi. Her work began more than 30 years ago as the Special Projects and Community Outreach and Development Coordinator in the Office of Congressman Bennie G. Thompson. She went on to serve for eight years as the USDA RD State Director under the Obama Administration and has since returned to the role. She has devoted her career to serving as an advocate for rural Mississippians and a force for change in her home state.

Mississippi is world renowned for its rich cultural heritage and agricultural landscape. It is known as the birthplace of the blues, the namesake of the second longest river in North America, and as a battleground state during the Civil Rights Movement. In a place where the scars of systemic racism are etched like rivers crisscrossing the fertile Delta, Dr. George, a native Mississippian, has made it her mission to uplift the stories of resilience, community spirit and hard work, which she says, “are the backbone of the state.”

Dr. George understands the struggles the Magnolia State has endured, and the challenges rural Mississippians still face. Nearly 80% of Mississippi is considered rural with small towns across the state shrinking as aging infrastructure, inadequate housing, and reduced employment opportunities encourage out migration. “Rural Mississippi faces many challenges, including lack of access to healthcare, educational opportunities, and digital connectivity, which all hinder economic development,” Dr. George said. “These issues are compounded by a higher poverty rate compared to urban areas, making it difficult for many residents to access essential services and opportunities.”

Yet, much like the Mississippi River, Dr. George remains undaunted by the obstacles in her path. In fiscal year 2023, she led the Mississippi RD Single-Family Housing team’s record-breaking accomplishment of obligating more than $46.9 million in funding. It is the most low-income 502 Direct funds ever obligated for the state. Despite housing shortages across rural America and recent budget constraints, Dr. George remains committed to increasing awareness of Single-Family Housing programs because she understands that “for individuals in rural and underserved areas, owning a home can provide a means of economic stability and offer a way to break the cycle of poverty.”

The key to her successful leadership begins with her approach to outreach. Across a state where many have limited access to high-speed internet service, she regularly prints and distributes a program matrix which includes details regarding Rural Development’s more than 70 programs. This simple yet effective tactic puts this vital information directly into the hands of the people who need it the most.

Dr. George knows closing the digital divide is critical to creating opportunities in the hardest to reach and most underserved areas of the state. Through the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, initiatives like the ReConnect Loan and Grant Program, which helps expand access to high-speed internet in rural areas, are laying the groundwork for digital transformation and economic revitalization across rural Mississippi.

USDA is also connecting rural Mississippians through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program. In December 2023, Holmes County Consolidated School District received a DLT grant of $933,934 to connect this remote community to high-speed internet access, thereby enabling the local school district to implement digital learning tools and resources. “This will drastically improve the educational outcomes for the students, opening up new opportunities for learning and growth,” Dr. George said. “No child’s educational aspirations should suffer because of their zip code.”

Dr. George understands how issues such as limited high-speed internet service and a lack of public transportation create barriers to access and promote inequity. She faces these challenges head-on with practical solutions that seek to identify community needs and connect those needs to federal funding. For example, each quarter she organizes an outreach event that includes on-site, hands-on support from the Mississippi Rural Development staff. These in-person events have had a tremendous impact on the ability of rural Mississippians to access RD’s programs.

Her passion and dedication to this work is contagious as she leads the Mississippi Rural Development staff to strive earnestly for the people of rural Mississippi. As a result, in fiscal year 2023, Rural Development invested more than $1 billion in total funding in Mississippi through the Department’s affordable housing, water and wastewater infrastructure, telecommunications, and business loan and grant programs.

The Rural Partners Network (RPN), an all-of-government approach to helping rural communities leverage federal resources, has also been integral to this mission. “For Mississippians, the assistance provided by RPN has improved infrastructure, enhanced broadband connectivity, supported local agriculture, and fostered an array of economic development,” Dr. George said. She noted that RPN has been a game-changer for advancing equity in rural Mississippi where strategic collaboration with local, state and federal partners has, “fostered a pipeline of funding opportunities for rural areas.”

Throughout her career, Dr. George has helped to change the game by dispelling old misconceptions about the federal government and championing the dreams of rural communities. Despite all her success, she knows there is still much work to be done. Like the mighty Mississippi, she and her staff will continue to carve a path across county lines, forge critical connections and work together as an unstoppable force for change in rural Mississippi.