A Passion for People: Brandy Bynum Dawson on Investing in Rural Prosperity

Communities in the Southern US are rich with assets, ambition, and innovation, yet many face significant challenges. Rural areas, in particular, have long suffered from extractive economies and disinvestment, leading to limited economic opportunities, restricted access to education and healthcare, and deep-seated socioeconomic disparities. While these problems are widespread, the solutions must be as unique and diverse as the communities they aim to uplift.

Brandy Bynum Dawson—a proud daughter of rural North Carolina—is at the forefront of driving community-led solutions that foster thriving futures in her hometown and throughout the South. As a Senior Program Director at MDC, a nonprofit with over 50 years of experience uniting and supporting southerners to confront entrenched inequities across 13 states, Bynum Dawson is deeply committed to creating change. “We advocate for innovative solutions while celebrating the culture, brilliance, and warmth that make the South unique,” she says, underscoring MDC’s role in connecting institutions, communities, and foundations to develop, test, and sustain strategies for lasting impact.

MDC’s work focuses on four key strategy areas: rural prosperity and investment, educational equity, leadership and philanthropy, and economic security and mobility. Bynum Dawson’s role is centered on rural prosperity and investment, where she helps to strengthen rural community infrastructure by enhancing networks, building capacity, and amplifying local voices.

We’ve come to know Bynum Dawson for her tireless dedication through initiatives like the Rural Action Roundtable on Equity (RARE) of the Aspen Institute’s Community Strategies Group. She graciously took time from her packed schedule to share insights on her work, her home, and the deep connection between the two.

Read the entire article here.