Boundary Waters Connect hosted Amber Lewis, a consultant at Northspan, last Tuesday to highlight strategies for creating economic growth in the Arrowhead region that fosters a sense of belonging among all community members.
“Thinking about our rural communities in Northeast Minnesota, we have numerous challenges that we’re facing related to our sustainability, our future vitality. We sometimes see economic stagnation. We see challenges with workforce and housing and child care,” said Lewis.
She suggests that “widening divides and silos” among residents play a role in the problem for many towns. Her work with the DAWN program — Driving Access to Wealth and Networks — aims to create connections across political, cultural and demographic differences.
