Conference Keynotes
June 22 Keynote
Tuleah Palmer, president and CEO, Blandin Foundation
Description coming soon!
June 24 Keynote: Rewriting the Rural Narrative
Benjamin Winchester, rural sociologist, University of Minnesota Extension, Center for Community Vitality
It seems the rural story has already been told. Small towns keep getting smaller. Churches, schools, clinics, businesses, and now post offices, have closed their doors as the lucky few migrate out to the big cities. This deficit framework dominates how we discuss and envision our rural communities. However, the story of rural America since 1970 is rich and diverse, with positive trends occurring under the radar. Learn how positive changes around migration, community involvement, economic development, and regional living have diversified this landscape that require us to rewrite the narrative of rural community change.