Oct 02 2024 31 mins
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
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