How do small rural communities in North Carolina influence decisions about healthcare, economic development, and public resources?

In this episode of Rural Narratives, host Layna Hong speaks with Briyana Baker, a 25-year-old town commissioner in Conetoe, a community of approximately 200 residents in Edgecombe County, North Carolina.

Baker discusses rural leadership, community trust, and the challenges of ensuring that residents have a voice in decisions affecting their health and well-being.

Their conversation comes amid a debate over a proposed multibillion-dollar data center in Kingsboro, near Tarboro. Edgecombe County residents have organized to raise concerns about the project’s potential impact on water, energy, and other public resources.

Baker shares what matters most to Conetoe residents, how local communities can influence government decisions, and her vision for the town’s future.

Guest: Briyana Baker, Town Commissioner, Conetoe, North Carolina

Host and Producer: Layna Hong

Rural Narratives explores the people, institutions, and decisions shaping health, opportunity, and community life across rural North Carolina.

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Rural Narratives is a project of Narrative Arts, a nonprofit media and storytelling organization working alongside communities to share stories that deepen connection, expand understanding, and strengthen public life in rural America. Learn more at http://www.narrativearts.org.