Join the Center for Rural Policy & Development (CRPD) and the Citizens League for candid conversations where we will start to bridge the divide between urban & rural Minnesota by exploring our shared challenges and how to design a future that works for our unique communities.

Our first Interconnected Conversation on March 29 focused on the childcare crisis in Minnesota. What are the similarities and differences in childcare between urban and rural Minnesota? Are different business models part of the solution? How does the childcare crisis relate to other parts of our economy?

Hundreds joined us for this free, virtual discussion, which you can now watch thanks to our partners at the Center for Rural Policy and Development.

Panelists:

  • Karen DeVos – Owner of Little Learners Early Childhood Center in Ada, MN
  • Vanessa GoodThunder – Director of the C̣aƞṡayapi Waḳaƞyeża Owayawa Oṭi, the Lower Sioux Early Head Start and Head Start Dakota language immersion program in Morton, MN
  • Dianne Haulcy – Senior Vice President of Family Engagement at Think Small in St. Paul, MN
  • Shirley Toby – In-home daycare provider from Crystal, MN
  • Marnie Werner – VP of Research & Operations, Center for Rural Policy & Development, Mankato, MN

Moderator: Christina Palladino, Senior Principal at Park Street Public, St. Paul, MN

About the Series
Minnesotans often use the phrase “rural-urban divide” when talking about the values and priorities that seem to differ across our state. But in reality, our challenges and opportunities are truly interconnected – though the solutions we design may look a bit different in Minneapolis compared to Mankato, or in Brainerd vs. Bloomington. This four-event series – hosted by the Center for Rural Policy and Development and the Citizens League – will bridge the divide between urban & rural Minnesota by exploring our shared challenges and how to design a future that works for our unique communities. Each event will begin with a look at CRPD’s latest research, followed by a panel discussion with speakers from urban and rural areas.