Side by Side

University of Minnesota Extension
  • 4.9 (10)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “side by side” as the state “of existing beside one another” and “of being in the same place, time, or circumstance." What does it mean for rural and urban communities to live side by side? Join University of Minnesota Extension staff as we explore the interdependent relationship of rural and urban spaces and why this necessary and complex relationship matters.

  1. OCT 15 · BONUS

    Side by Side host Ellen Wolter explains why its important for you to share your feedback

    🎧 Side by Side Listeners! We’d love your feedback! Please take five minutes to share your thoughts about the podcast.  Extension relies on participant feedback to understand the impact of our programs—including this podcast—and to share their value with the public and private partners who make them possible. If you enjoy Side by Side, your feedback helps us tell its story and continue bringing these conversations to life. Thank you for taking the time to support this podcast. 👉 Share your feedback via survey here: https://z.umn.edu/sidebysidefeedback  🎙️ Leave us a virtual voicemail with your feedback here: https://z.umn.edu/sidebysidevirtualmemo   Questions?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu.

    2 min

  2. SEP 25

    Civic Bridgers founder Libby Stegger and students Angelina Rueda and Sumaya Yassin share stories about bridging across Minnesota's rural, urban, and suburban communities

    In final episode of season two, Ellen talks with Civic Bridgers founder Libby Stegger and students Angelina Rueda and Sumaya Yassin about bridging across rural, urban, and suburban spaces in Minnesota. Angelina and Sumaya discuss their experience in the Rural-Urban Campus Bridging Initiative and Libby shares how the Civic Bridgers organization builds connections across the state. Episode Highlights: 03:14 Civic Bridgers and the Campus Bridging Initiative 08:40 Experiences and Insights from Participants 15:23 Challenges and Rewards of Bridging 26:19 Aspirations and Recommendations for Bridging Work More Information:Civic Bridgers, www.civicbridgers.orgLibby Stegger Bio, https://www.civicbridgers.org/meet-the-team  Angelina Rueda is a recent graduate from Winona State University with a passion for sociology. Last spring, she participated in the Campus Bridging Initiative to promote the Urban-Rural exchange. Currently, Angelina is a Program Engagement Fellow for Engage Winona as part of a fellowship program with Civic Bridgers and Americorps Vista.  Sumaya Yassin is a third-year student at St. Catherine University, majoring in Public Health with a concentration in Health Sciences and a minor in Aging and Longevity. In the spring of 2025, Sumaya joined the two-weekend exchange program with the Campus Bridging Initiative. This program facilitates exchanges between students from the College of Saint Benedict and St. Catherine's University to engage in discussions about Urban and Rural immersion. Questions, comments, want to get in touch?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu. We share your feedback with funders and stakeholders about the value of this podcast and how you engage with the insights and information. Sign up for our newsletter here.

    41 min

  3. SEP 17

    Jen Ford Reedy unpacks Bush Foundation book club pick, The Power of Bridging, and shares her optimism for how bridging can be a path forward

    “Bridging is a practice where members of different social groups are not only brought into contact, but build social connections and rapport.”-john powell “It's not perfect. It's not hypothetical. It's not something you can do all the time. But I think in terms of the kind of world that we are trying to bring into existence, bridging, until we fully realize that we are connected, bridging is necessary.” –john powell “Bridges are made to be walked on.” -bell hooks In this episode, Ellen talks with Jen Ford Reedy, president of the Bush Foundation, about john powell's book, The Power of Bridging. They explore the concepts shared in the book and how they apply to working across rural, urban, and suburban communities. The Bush Foundation is offering free copies of john's book to anyone in their grantmaking region—Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. Request your copy here. Episode Highlights:03:03 Bush Foundation's Book Club and Its Impact 14:44 Rural and Urban Dynamics 20:08 Bush Foundation's Approach to Bridging 30:29 Challenges and Skills in Bridging 37:46 Optimism and Cultural Change 43:02 The Necessity of Bridging for Change More Information: https://www.bushfoundation.org/people/jen-ford-reedy/ https://belonging.berkeley.edu/https://obiu.org/course/bridging-bookclub https://communityactionpartnership.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/john-powell.pdf  https://belonging.berkeley.edu/practice-bridging  https://standtogether.org/  Questions, comments, want to get in touch?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu. We share your feedback with funders and stakeholders about the value of this podcast and how you engage with the insights and information. Sign up for our newsletter here.

    46 min

  4. SEP 10

    john a. powell, author of The Power of Bridging, explains what bridging is (and what it isn't) and why it is necessary

    Ellen talks with john a. powell about his book, The Power of Bridging, and the concept of bridging and the importance of recognizing our interconnectedness. john explains the harmful practices of breaking and othering and explores the bridging necessary for rural, urban, and suburban communities. john also shares ways individuals and leaders can foster a bridging mindset. Please Note:The Bush Foundation is offering free copies of john's book,The Power of Bridging to anyone in their grantmaking region—Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. Request your copy here. More Information:john a. powell Bio, https://belonging.berkeley.edu/john-powellOthering and Belonging Institute, https://belonging.berkeley.edu/Belonging Without Othering: How We Save Ourselves and the World, https://belonging.berkeley.edu/belonging-without-otheringBelonging Without Othering Podcast with john a. powell and Stephen Menendian, https://belonging.berkeley.edu/podcast-belonging-without-othering Episode Highlights:04:20 The Reality of Interconnectedness 11:59 Defining Othering and Breaking 18:41 The Consequences of Othering 35:32 Bridging and Belonging: A Path Forward 44:40 Challenges and Misconceptions of Bridging54:05 The Role of Leaders in Bridging Questions, comments, want to get in touch?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu. We share your feedback with funders and stakeholders about the value of this podcast and how you engage with the insights and information. Sign up for our newsletter here.

    58 min

  5. SEP 3

    RE-RELEASE: Nick Jacobs, author of The Rural Voter, shares his findings and explains how the 'gap effect' leads to simple stories about rural and urban spaces

    While Ellen takes a break for Labor Day, revisit this episode originally released on September 4, 2024 during Season 1. 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 about rural and urban communities, despite examples of shared commonalities. Episode Highlights: 04:50 Challenges in Surveying Rural America 09:56 The Gap Effect 19:07 Rural Resentment vs. Rural Rage 29:00 Economic Integration in Rural Communities 33:42 Shared Sense of Fate More Information:Nick Jacobs bio, https://web.colby.edu/nfjacobs/ The Rural Voter, https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-rural-voter/9780231211581 New Book on Rural America Started with a False Conclusion, Then Looked For Evidence-The Daily Yonder, https://dailyyonder.com/commentary-white-rural-rage-which-came-first-the-title-or-the-research/2024/03/06/ How ‘Rural Studies’ Is Thinking About the Heartland - The New York Times (nytimes.com), https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/29/business/rural-studies-american-politics.html UMN Extension Rural-Urban Interdependence, https://extension.umn.edu/community-development/rural-urban-interdependence Questions, comments, want to get in touch?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu. We share your feedback with funders and stakeholders about the value of this podcast and how you engage with the insights and information. Want to stay in touch? Sign up for our newsletter here.

    37 min

  6. AUG 27

    Drs. Jill Amsberry and Chris Fallert explain how the University of Minnesota Medical School and CentraCare's new St. Cloud campus is a rural-urban partnership that will transform rural health care and strengthen the region

    Drs. Jill Amsberry and Chris Fallert explain how the University of Minnesota Medical School and CentraCare's new St. Cloud campus is a rural-urban partnership that will transform rural health care and strengthen the region Ellen talks with Drs. Jill Amsberry and Chris Fallert to discuss the launch of the new University of Minnesota Medical School Regional CentraCare St. Cloud campus in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The new St. Cloud campus, developed in partnership with the CentraCare health care system and the University of Minnesota, aims to address the shortage of rural physicians by recruiting and training students from rural areas.  CentraCare is the largest provider of rural health care in Minnesota, serving an 18-county region across central, western, and southwestern parts of the state. In addition to the Twin Cities campus, this will be the first regional campus for the University of Minnesota Medical School since the Duluth campus opened in 1972. Jill and Chris also share how this unique rural-urban collaboration holds significant potential to positively impact communities across the region by highlighting how the partnership between CentraCare and the University of Minnesota is not only expanding healthcare access and improving quality of care but also strengthening the region’s social, human, political, and economic capital.  Episode Highlights:02:03 Goals and Vision for the New Campus 07:10 Challenges in Rural Healthcare 13:11 Faculty and Student Recruitment 28:28 Community Impact and Development More Information:Dr. Chris Fallert Bio, https://med.umn.edu/bio/christopher-fallertDr. Jill Amsberry Bio, https://www.centracare.com/doctors/profile/jill-amsberry/University of Minnesota Medical School, https://med.umn.edu/CentraCare Health System, https://www.centracare.com/ Questions, comments, want to get in touch?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu. We share your feedback with funders and stakeholders about the value of this podcast and how you engage with the insights and information. Want to stay in touch? Sign up for our newsletter here.

    43 min

  7. AUG 20

    Tane Danger and Tryg Throntveit, co-creators of “Sketches of Minnesota,” describe exploring Minnesota and bridging community divides through humor

    In this episode, Ellen talks with Tane Danger and Tryg Throntveit to discuss their collaborative project, "Sketches of Minnesota" which launched last year. Tane and Dane (along with an incredibly talented improv comedy cast) visited communities across Minnesota to gather local stories and transform them into live improv comedy shows. Tane and Tryg share how "Sketches of Minnesota" celebrates the culture, history, and individuality of Minnesota’s urban, rural, and suburban communities, and the connections Minnesotans share.  Episode Highlights: 03:26 Danger Boat Productions: Using Improv for Civic Engagement 06:32 Creating Sketches of Minnesota: The Journey 10:29 The Impact of Humor in Community Building 21:38 Community Reflections and Feedback 23:08 Selecting and Visiting Communities 29:08 Themes and Stories from Minnesota 35:49 Unexpected Positive Outcomes 42:56 Rural and Urban Interdependence More Information:Trygve Throntveit is Research Professor in Higher Education at Ball State University and Co-Founder and Director of the Twin Cities-based Institute for Public Life and Work. Until recently, he served as Director of Civic Renewal at the Minnesota Humanities Center, where he co-developed and directed the Sketches of Minnesota project. Tane Danger Bio, https://www.dangerboat.net/tane-dangerSketches of Minnesota Season 2 Tour, https://www.mnhum.org/program/sketches-of-minnesota/ Questions, comments, want to get in touch?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu. We share your feedback with funders and stakeholders about the value of this podcast and how you engage with the insights and information. Want to stay in touch? Sign up for our newsletter here.

    55 min

  8. AUG 13

    Brothers Brad and Rod Anderson reflect on farming in Goodhue County, suburban growth, and shifts in rural–urban relationships over 50 years

    Ellen talks with brothers Brad and Rod Anderson about growing up on their sesquicentennial family farm in Goodhue County, Minnesota, during the 1950s and 60s. Brad and Rod share about changes in agriculture and rural life over the last 50 years. While Brad remained on the family farm to run it, Rod moved to Eden Prairie in the 1970s, and describes its evolution from a small village to one of Minneapolis-St.Paul’s largest suburbs. Rod and Brad share how many small family farms have evolved into fewer, larger farms and how land use has shifted to accommodate new forms of development. Brad and Rod, who have followed different paths as a county commissioner and a Lutheran pastor, also reflect on the connections and divides between rural and urban communities, questioning if these areas are more connected now than they were decades ago. Episode Highlights: 05:45 Growing Up on the Family Farm 12:59 The Evolution of Farming 24:59 Rural and Urban Connections 31:05 Hopes for Future of Rural Minnesota More Information:Brad Anderson Bio, https://goodhuecountymn.gov/commissioners/members/2/Rod Anderson Bio, https://gustavus.edu/profiles/pastorrodanderson Anderson Family Farm, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QoesDLuN_pz4sGzUuX7ZbdAyQSO0akBZ/view?usp=sharingEden Prairie Stories: From Farm to SuburbCafe at "The Wye", Eden Prairie, 1970shttps://www.eplocalnews.org/2022/07/17/the-preserve-which-aimed-to-be-a-new-town-turns-50/#jp-carousel-20338 https://gis.edenprairie.org/edenprairietales/?data_id=dataSource_14-Eden_Prairie_Tales_Locations_8237%3A2&page=Barbara-Eigen Questions, comments, want to get in touch?  Email us at sidebyside@umn.edu. We share your feedback with funders and stakeholders about the value of this podcast and how you engage with the insights and information. Want to stay in touch? Sign up for our newsletter here.

    38 min
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4.9
out of 5
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About

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “side by side” as the state “of existing beside one another” and “of being in the same place, time, or circumstance." What does it mean for rural and urban communities to live side by side? Join University of Minnesota Extension staff as we explore the interdependent relationship of rural and urban spaces and why this necessary and complex relationship matters.

Information

  • Creator
    University of Minnesota Extension
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Regents of the University of Minnesota
  • Show Website
    Side by Side