New England in the fall

The Radically Rural Summit in Keene, New Hampshire, broadened my perspective about small towns and put me in proximity to some excellent journalists.

This week, my sister and I attended the Radically Rural Summit held in Keene, New Hampshire, population around 23,000. When I told friends and colleagues about the trip, many expressed surprise. What’s in New Hampshire besides the famed presidential primary and fall foliage? Turns out, plenty.

I participated in the journalism track at the summit, met some fantastic people in Keene and from around the country who are doing great journalism and learned strategies that will help propel Black Iowa News forward.

Sitting in the sessions, we listened to people speak passionately about reimagining rural, and I had an aha moment. When people discuss rural areas, it is often rural vs. urban. Or urban vs. suburban. Or, people talk about small towns in a way that implies that people who live in urban areas lack values and goodness — and urban neighborhoods lack uniqueness, which is not the case.

But the forward thinkers at Radically Rural championed small towns — and also inclusivity — which is forward thinking and fresh. And, the beauty of Keene underscored it.

So, shout out Keene, New Hampshire, and the organizers of Radically Rural, the Keene Sentinel and the Knight Foundation! Thanks for an inspiring summit.❤️ #radicallyrural2023

Keene, New Hampshire — Radically Rural Summit 2023

Beautiful topography. Walking in downtown Keene. Fall foilage. Colonial Theatre. Manchester Airport. Downtown Keene. Stonewall Farm.

IOWA WRITERS’ COLLABORATIVE

Have you explored the variety of writers we have in the Iowa Writer’s Collaborative? They are from around the state and contribute commentary and feature stories of interest to those who care about Iowa.

Columnists

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin, Windsor Heights

Doug Burns: The Iowa Mercury, Carroll

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media, Des Moines

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, Roundup

Steph Copley: It Was Never a Dress, Johnston

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook, Storm Lake

Suzanna de Baca: Dispatches from the Heartland, Huxley

Debra Engle: A Whole New World, Madison County

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, Des Moines and Okoboji

Joe Geha: Fern and Joe, Ames

Jody Gifford: Benign Inspiration, West Des Moines

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area, Ankeny

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times, Los Angeles and Iowa

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt, Lovilla

Dana James: New Black Iowa, Des Moines

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley, Waterloo

Fern Kupfer: Fern and Joe, Ames

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture, Bussey

Letters from Iowans, Iowa

Tar Macias: Hola Iowa, Iowa

Alison McGaughey, The Inquisitive Quad Citizen, Quad Cities

Kurt Meyer: Showing Up, St. Ansgar

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories, Des Moines

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers, Cedar Rapids

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street, Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan, West Des Moines

John Naughton: My Life, in Color, Des Moines

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Jefferson and Des Moines

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective, Des Moines

Macey Spensley: The Midwest Creative, Norwalk

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land, Elkader

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Emerging Voices, Kalona

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business, Boone County

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi, Davenport

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good, Des Moines

The Iowa Writers Collaborative is also proud to ally with Iowa Capital Dispatch.