Thoughts on the findings in Grand Forks
September 28, 2009
Anne Corriston is Knight's program director for Grand Forks.
Before I came to work for Knight Foundation, I had never been to Grand Forks. Come to think of it, I had never been to North Dakota.
But I was soon captivated by its gracious people. They're unfailingly modest, except when it comes to their beloved Sioux hockey team. Then their community pride glows. Almost everyone has a memory of a game-day experience to share. A grandmotherly lady in line told me about attending games at the Palace 40 years ago, where there was no indoor heat. "We took our snowmobile to get there and back, and during halftime went home to warm up," she shared. She's missed hardly a game in those 40 years.
Yes, there's a lot to love about Grand Forks, and its residents are starting to talk about it with pride. Grand Forks is flying high this year. Out of 26 Knight communities, it is reporting the second-highest level of community attachment after Bradenton, FL.
Folks are starting to talk about the good life in Grand Forks - the beauty of the greenway along the Red River, the high quality of schools, the strength of the University of North Dakota, and the safety they feel every day.
With some concentrated effort, Grand Forks can get even better. The Soul of the Community survey identified areas where Grand Forks can increase its community attachment even more. Being more open to newcomers and providing more social offerings are two areas residents identified as important.
How can we improve openness and social offerings in Grand Forks? I'd love to hear from you. Please comment on this blog post and share your ideas!
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I visited my brother Harvey
I visited my brother Harvey Pyle while he was a student at UND in the early 70's??,then went to school for a semester at UND in the late 70's, and my husban and I used it as one of the "big towns" we visited for culture while my husband was a pastor in St. Hilaire, MN. "347 lost souls", I used to say with a smile.) UND had a great GLBT community and members held some wonderful gatherings and awareness campaigns while we were in the area. Because of the flood/fire, the spirit of the place bloomed as did its city plan. We went for an interview at a church that was located in the flood plain before everything was cleaned up and were inspired by the openness of the congregation and their commitement to social justice in the community. So, I have to say that although I am not the Sioux fan that my brother and sister-in-law are, the Grand Forks on both sides of the river have always been a draw. I hope that the social life improves for all people in the area. After living in Chicago it will be hard to move back in retirement where so many Lutherans and Catholics dominate the culture. I am really praying that diversity comes from experiencing young and old, Republicans, Democrats and NPLers, gay, straight, trans, bi and all others who want equality, justice, and a good life with their birth families and families of the heart.
Sorry, I know it's rude to
Sorry, I know it's rude to post twice in a row, but I think I missed the focus of your blog...that is, the social offerings and the fact that Grand Forks finished last in openness; and specifically its appeal to gays and lesbians. I believe there is a direct correlation between the lack of creativity of this city's business community and its appeal to alternative lifestyles. I don't know what the answer is...what comes first the chicken or the egg? Do artists, designers and the LGBT community bring the creativity? Or are they attracted to it? I do know that other small- and mid-sized communities are beginning to realize the impact that this population can have on a city and are doing something about it. Milwaukee, Jacksonville, FL and Palm Springs, CA to name a few are having success attracting affluent new residents to liven up their arts and entertainment scenes, reinvigorate their housing markets and enliven their downtowns.
You know, I've been living
You know, I've been living and working in New York City for almost 20 years, but I just can't shake Grand Forks. I cheer when the Sioux win. I mope when they lose. I smiled when the new terminal broke ground and laughed running down one of the hills of the Greenway after visiting the Farmer's Market recently. And, the first thing I read every morning, before the NY Times and before the Star Tribune, is the Herald. Of course my family still calls Grand Forks home and I visit them 3 times a year, but Grand Forks will always live in me.