In the final episode of Side by Side's first season, Ellen talks with photographer John Noltner, founder of ‘A Peace of My Mind,’ a storytelling project that captures personal stories and portraits to foster dialogue across divides. John discusses the human tendency to avoid challenging preconceived notions and how storytelling deepens our understanding of each other and breaks down stereotypes. John reflects on his experiences from Skid Row in Los Angeles to the deep South of Mississippi and border towns in Texas, highlighting the interconnectedness of rural, urban, and suburban communities and the immense pride that individuals have for their communities.

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Episode Highlights:
03:44 John's Background and Origins of "A Peace of My Mind"

07:51 The Impact of Feeling Seen

10:50 Common Ground in Rural and Urban Communities

18:46 The Danger of a Single Story

20:40 Surprising Stories from Mississippi and LA

27:45 Sharing Stories and Creating Impact

More Information:
A Peace of My Mind, https://apeaceofmymind.org/

Stories from New York Mills, MN:

https://apeaceofmymind.org/2023/12/20/belonging-2-0/

Stories from skid row in Los Angeles, CA, https://apeaceofmymind.org/2021/07/06/vincent-turner/

Stories from Oxford, MI, https://apeaceofmymind.org/2023/04/18/duncan-gray/

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu

In this episode, Ellen welcomes colleague Brigid Tuck, an economist at the University of Minnesota Extension, who sheds light on a 2011 study demonstrating economic interdependence between rural and urban areas in Minnesota. Conducted in collaboration with Minnesota Rural Partners, the study highlights how economic changes in either region can significantly impact the other, particularly in the agribusiness and manufacturing sectors. Brigid describes how Minnesota's urban areas benefit economically from improved prosperity among its rural neighbors and vice versa. Additionally, the discussion covers the ever-evolving definitions of 'rural and 'urban' that affect research methodologies and policy decisions. Brigid also shares her insights into what people get wrong about rural and urban communities in Minnesota.

Episode Highlights:

05:04 Key Findings from An Economic Rural-Urban Interdependence Study

11:22 Defining Rural and Urban Areas

18:09 Common Misconceptions About Rural and Urban Areas

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Side by Side Listeners!
We would love to learn more about what you have valued about the podcast.

Below is a link to a brief survey to share your thoughts:
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More Information:
Brigid Tuck Bio, https://experts.umn.edu/en/persons/brigid-a-tuck

Urban vs. rural? More like urban and rural together, study says | UMN Extension, https://extension.umn.edu/vital-connections/urban-vs-rural-more-urban-and-rural-together-study-says

Greater Minnesota and Twin Cities 7-County Metro Area Jobs by Industry, 2024, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wEhyR3CMPD7E91dYdNzj9W_8ky00yL4j/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu

In this week's episode, Ellen talks with Tony Pipa senior fellow at the Brookings Institution about the significance of rural policy and its outdated approaches. Tony discusses the essential role rural areas play in providing energy, food, and manufacturing for urban centers, emphasizing the need for a cohesive national rural strategy. Tony also highlights the Reimagining Rural Initiative at Brookings, which seeks to modernize rural policy. He underscores the importance of understanding rural-urban interconnectivity in policy-making and shares experiences from international settings where rural-urban ties are better integrated. The episode also explores how regional coalitions and economic projects can foster collaboration between rural and urban areas to ensure sustainable growth and economic vitality.

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Side by Side Listeners!
We would love to learn more about what you have valued about the podcast.

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https://z.umn.edu/9wtp

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Episode Highlights:

02:51 Reimagining Rural Policy

05:07 Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Policy

11:59 Building Rural-Urban Connections

25:17 International Perspectives on Rural-Urban Interdependence

31:30 Changing the Narrative: Rural and Urban Interdependence

35:57 Tony's Podcast: Reimagine Rural

More Information:
Tony Pipa Bio, https://www.brookings.edu/people/anthony-f-pipa/
Reimagine Rural Policy Initiative, https://www.brookings.edu/collection/reimagining-rural-policy/
Tony's Reimagine Rural Podcast Series, https://www.brookings.edu/tags/reimagine-rural/

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu

In this episode, Ellen talks with Brian Dabson, a rural policy researcher, and one of the few analysts exploring rural-urban interdependence in the United States. Brian explains the significance of rural-urban interdependence as being essential for economic and social development. He shares the limitations of current definitions for rural and urban and the need for refined metrics, research, and policies to truly capture the value of rural spaces, particularly in the face of climate change. Insights about economic development, environmental preservation, and cultural approaches to land use highlight the complex dilemmas of rural-urban policy. Brian also shares insights from international models and suggests that America's policy can learn from such frameworks to address rural-urban connections more effectively.

Episode Highlights:

05:53 What is Rural-Urban Interdependence?

07:52 Alternative Rural Metrics

10:53 Valuing Rural Contributions

23:01 Economic Priorities vs. Environmental Values

25:22 Rural Protection Zones: A Global Perspective

29:04 Challenges in Rural-Urban Research

34:06 Exploring New Regionalism

More Information:
https://www.briandabson.com/about/

Select Articles by Brian Dabson
Regional Solutions for Rural and Urban Challenges

Collaborative Rural Development and Regional Economic Activity

Our Shared Fate, Aspen Institute

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu

In this episode, Ellen talks with Nadine Bill, Executive Director of Red Lake Nation College's new site in downtown Minneapolis. Nadine shares the college's history, its commitment to language and cultural preservation, and the new Minneapolis site's objectives to expand education access to urban Indigenous communities. Nadine talks about Red Lake Nation College's goal to create a 'tribal college without borders,' addressing accessibility, and engaging both rural and urban Native students. She describes what many fail to understand about the relationship between rural and urban spaces as it relates to Native communities--including the impact of assimilation, Native American boarding schools, and the Indian Relocation Act of 1956. Moving forward, Nadine shares her hopes for the new Minneapolis site to serve as a hub for both Native and non-Native communities to learn and collaborate.

Episode Highlights:

04:29 History and Evolution of Red Lake Nation College

08:06 Expansion to Minneapolis: Vision and Execution

22:47 Connecting Rural and Urban Native Communities

29:33 Using Technology To Increase Access

36:09 Misconceptions About Rural and Urban Native Communities in Dominant Narratives

40:19 Opportunities at the New Minneapolis Site

More Information:

Red Lake Nation College, https://www.rlnc.edu/

Red Lake Nation College-Minneapolis, https://www.rlnc.edu/minneapolis

Minnesota Compass Native American Profile https://www.mncompass.org/topics/demographics/cultural-communities/native-american

The TRUTH Project: Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing, https://sites.google.com/view/truthproject/about?authuser=0

Uprooted: The 1950s plan to erase Indian Country (American Public Media Reports), https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2019/11/01/uprooted-the-1950s-plan-to-erase-indian-country

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu

In this episode, Ellen connects with Jane Leonard, former president of Growth & Justice. Jane has worked across various sectors in Minnesota since 1979, including journalism, rural and economic development, and technology advancement. Jane shares her experiences from her early days as a journalist in a small town to leading statewide initiatives focused on rural development and rural-urban interdependence. She discusses the changing dynamics between rural and urban areas over the decades, highlighting both the connections and disconnections. Jane talks about previous initiatives like the Thriving by Design Minnesota Equity Blueprint that aims to foster intentional understanding of rural-urban interdependence in Minnesota and the need to foster relationships across different geographies to address common challenges such as housing and child care.

Episode Highlights:

02:05 Jane Leonard's Early Career

05:31 Rural and Urban Connections and Disconnections

12:00 Thriving by Design Network

19:48 Historical Perspectives on Rural-Urban Dynamics

22:27 Promoting Rural-Urban Connectedness

More Information:
Jane Leonard Bio, https://www.trilliumfamilyfoundation.org/bios/jane-leonard#:~:text=Jane%20Leonard%20is%20a%20nationally,thrive%2C%20rural%20and%20urban%20together.

Minnesota Equity Blueprint, Thriving by Design-Minnesota Rural and Urban Together, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TWlUB1J9ODbQl_fXOIobg4_znWhFb0mX/view?usp=sharing

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu

In this episode, artist and rapper Che "Rhymfest" Smith discusses his experiences growing up in Chicago and his transformative experiences in Cody, Wyoming. He reflects on how art can foster cultural communion and play a key role in bridging differences. Che talks about the importance of service and justice and shares how his organization, Art of Culture, empowers youth to connect with nature, culture, and art in rural and urban spaces.

Episode Highlights:

02:15 Che's Chicago Roots and Early Influences

06:45 Founding the Art of Culture

12:42 Cultural Communion and Rural Connections

14:22 Experiences in Cody, Wyoming

18:59 Bridging Rural and Urban Spaces

30:10 Running for Chicago School Board

38:58 Final Thoughts

More Information:
Art of Culture, https://www.artofculture.org/

Che "Rhymefest" Smith, https://www.cheworldwide.com/bio/

Che "Rhymefest" Smith Bridging the Divide Conference Transforming Narratives Session, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIPdHhZV0w8&list=PLkFZB_XMYMJYmQoyhE9_XLAS1PD1vZlEK&index=2

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu

In this episode, Ellen talks with Julie Tesch from the Center for Rural Policy and Development and Jake Loesch from Citizens League. Julie and Jake discuss their "Interconnected" conversation series, which explores shared challenges between rural and urban communities and opportunities for designing effective statewide systems. Since 2020, the Interconnected series has covered topics such as childcare, workforce development, housing, and most recently, youth mental health. Julie and Jake share insights they have gained from the series including the importance of collaborating between rural and urban communities, breaking down stereotypes, and fostering nuanced conversations.

Episode Highlights:

05:24 Exploring the Interconnected Series

10:09 Addressing Misconceptions and Stereotypes

14:43 Impact and Surprises from the Interconnected Series

31:49 The Importance of Nuance

More Information:
Center for Rural Policy and Development, https://www.ruralmn.org/

Citizens League, https://citizensleague.org/

Interconnected Series, https://mailchi.mp/ruralmn/inteconnected-conversation-series

Questions, comments, want to get in touch? Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu