MEDFORD, Ore. (Oct. 24, 2026) — Southern Oregon residents will have an opportunity to share their perspectives on the growing divide between rural and urban communities during two public town halls scheduled for Oct. 26 and 27 in downtown Medford and Grants Pass.
The meetings are part of the Oregon Rural Urban Project, a nonpartisan initiative organized by Braver Angels Oregon aimed at improving understanding and cooperation between communities across the state.
The first town hall will take place Monday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Central Medford Library. A second meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Anne G. Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass.
Both events are free and open to the public. Participants may attend in person or virtually, with advance registration available online.
Organizers say the meetings are intended to provide an open forum for residents and community leaders to discuss the challenges facing rural and urban Oregonians, including what they believe has contributed to divisions between communities.
Participants will also be asked to identify issues they believe state leaders should better understand about their communities.
The Oregon Rural Urban Project has held approximately a dozen town halls across Oregon and aims to eventually host a meeting in each of the state’s 36 counties.
The Southern Oregon meetings are part of a broader effort to gather perspectives from residents across the state before developing potential recommendations to address the rural-urban divide.
Following the town halls, organizers plan to hold a series of Common Ground Discussions that will bring rural and urban residents together to identify areas of agreement and develop recommendations for improving relationships between communities.
Those recommendations will be compiled into a report and presented to Oregon communities, state lawmakers and the governor.
The project is organized through Braver Angels, a national cross-partisan organization focused on reducing political polarization and encouraging constructive dialogue among Americans with differing political perspectives.
Organizers encourage residents from across the political spectrum to participate, regardless of their views on the issues facing Oregon.
Additional information about the initiative and registration for the upcoming town halls is available through the Oregon Rural Urban Project website.
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