The “Backroads Tour” – a cross-country endeavor promoting rural development and “America250” – made a stop Saturday afternoon in Marshalltown at La Carreta Mexican Grill.

Matt Hildreth, the executive director of Rural Organizing, was joined by friend and musician Joe Troop.

Their message through words and songs to attendees is that small rural communities can thrive if enough residents join forces on issues which are important to them and work aggressively to see them through.

Rural Organizing is a national grassroots network focused on empowering rural progressives and improving the quality of life in small town America.

Among listeners and participants were Marshalltown Mayor Mike Ladehoff and Immigrant Allies co-organizer Joa LaVille of Marshalltown. Immigrant Allies was established in Marshalltown in 2010.

Its mission is to “strengthen community by embracing our diversity united in the belief that what we have in common is greater than our differences,” according to its website.

Building strong relationships among residents and local organizations is key.

Ladehoff, LaVille and others cited numerous examples in Marshalltown and neighboring towns where organizations and individuals had united for community improvement ranging from the arts to advocating for clean water to economic development.

Hildreth, Ladehoff and LaVille candidly said the need to pass a national comprehensive immigration reform was also critical. Immigration policies are set by the federal government.

They said current federal immigration laws are unworkable and stifle progress in rural communities.

Agri-business, small businesses and rural school districts that impact rural economies would all benefit from reform, they said. The last major immigration reform measure which passed was in the 1980s during the Reagan Administration.

In early 2024, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) had drafted the bipartisan Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act. It was designed, in tandem with foreign aid to Israel and Ukraine, to strengthen border security, hire more border patrol agents and streamline those seeking political asylum.

There was strong bipartisan support with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz) working with Lankford.

However, then candidate Donald Trump denounced the bill as being “weak” and asked his allies to vote against it, which they did, and the bill stalled. He also said he did not want then president Joe Biden to have a legislative victory in an election year, according to NBC News.

In a more positive vein, Ladehoff spoke of local efforts to build the recently opened Apgar Family Water Plaza at Mega-10 Park on South 6th Street.

It was made possible only after years of an aggressive public awareness campaign. The Apgar Family, the Arts + Culture Alliance, Marshalltown Parks and Recreation Department and others made significant financial and other contributions.

Ladehoff also cited MARSHALLTOWN Company’s installation last year of its 30-foot-tall giant metal trowel at its headquarters in the 100 block of South 8th Avenue in Marshalltown.

The company and community have received significant positive publicity as a result.

Troop is a Grammy-nominated folk artist, skilled banjo player, singer and songwriter. He entertained the gathering with original compositions and those by Woody Guthrie among other artists.

Attendees joined Troop in a spirited sing-along of Guthrie’s “The Working Man’s Blues.” Troop said he has formed a unique musical collaboration with Larry Bellorin. Bellorin is a Venezuela native who plays the harp.

They perform musically as “Larry and Joe” at venues throughout North Carolina and the U.S. The duo are scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Alluvial Brewing Co. in Ames.

Hildreth and Troop said they would be speaking and performing in Decorah June 14. Prior to visiting, Marshalltown Hildreth and Troop were in Decatur, Ga. and Dubuque.

The tour will conclude in Seattle. For more information visit www.ruralorganizing.org, www.immigrantallies.org and www.larryandjoe.com.