Graduation season is here – and along with it, the usual discussions of “brain drain:” rural youth leaving in droves for larger towns and cities for college and other post-secondary training. But research by Ben Winchester at the University of Minnesota Extension Service’s Center for Community Vitality suggests there’s another chapter to this story: Rural …
Helping rural communities make the most of broadband takes work on many fronts. Communities across rural Minnesota are successfully tackling various facets of that work as part of the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) project. Community leaders have been focusing their efforts on reducing barriers and encouraging online ventures, and their work is bearing fruit. …
Storytelling is a rich and vibrant part of Native American culture. Some online videos caught our attention recently; they offer powerful stories of Native Americans’ experiences. In O-Gitch-I-Dah Talking Circle about the FAFSA (22 minutes), Native American students at a north-central Minnesota community college tell their stories about filling out the Free Application for Federal …
For anybody trying to make our communities a better place to live, especially those tackling poverty, a recent report out of the Northwest Area Foundation has amazing value. They looked hard at their ideas, processes and practices over their ten years exploring ways to reduce poverty. The bottom line? President and CEO Kevin Walker bravely …