Side by Side

In this episode, artist and rapper Che "Rhymfest" Smith discusses his experiences growing up in Chicago and his transformative experiences in Cody, Wyoming. Che reflects on how art can foster cultural communion and play a key role in bridging differences.  Episode Highlights: 02:15 Che's Chicago Roots and Early Influences 06:45 Founding the Art of Culture 12:42 Cultural Communion and Rural Connect...

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 child...

R. T. Rybak and Tuleah Palmer lead the most urban and rural Minnesota foundations. They both wrote editorials in the Star Tribune in 2023 about the importance of rural-urban interdependence in Minnesota. In this conversation, Ellen Wolter moderates a discussion between Tuleah and R.T. about the intricate interdependence between rural and urban Minnesota. They delve into personal stories, economic...

In this episode, Ellen interviews Nick Jacobs, co-author of "The Rural Voter," about the nuances of rural America and how they are often overlooked when we consider the complex relationship between rural and urban spaces. They discuss the methodology behind Nick’s research and the challenges of surveying rural populations. They also delve into "rural resentment" and the persistent misconceptions a...

In our first episode, former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, now Director of University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics (IOP), discusses the vital connections between rural and urban America. She shares her experiences growing up in a small town and explains the goals behind IOPs recent Bridging the Divide conference to bring rural and urban Americans together. The conversation touches on the impo...

Side-by-Side definition:  1. beside one another  2. in the same place, time, or circumstance.  What does it mean for rural and urban communities to live side by side? Rural sociologists have described urban and rural fates as being shared. Yet, we too often focus on rural and urban spaces as separate and divided entities. The rural-urban conversation is much more complex than we are led to believe...