ABSTRACT
Northwest Minnesota is home to a set of diverse but remote communities including Black, Indigenous, and people of color (aka BIPOC) (see Figure 8.1). Two of the largest and most isolated are the American Indian communities of the Red Lake Nation and White Earth Nation, whose ancestors and citizens have suffered marginalization and neglect by both the State of Minnesota and the U.S. Government since 1851 and have still survived with their creative spirit, determination, and relationship to their homelands. In addition to these Nations, there are numerous rural communities in the region that are proud of their immigrant origins. These residents have channeled their need to survive into very innovative and self-sufficient cultures, while also struggling with an aging and declining population. The challenge in uniting this dynamic region is how to sustain and support the economic self-sufficiency and collective identity of all residents. One potential partner in addressing this issue can be University of Minnesota Extension. Ever since the origins of the Land-Grant University concept (with the Smith-Lever Act), Cooperative Extension has been charged with providing research and education on problems of local, regional, state, or national concern. (See also Chapter 6 for a discussion of the history and a list of all Land-Grant Colleges and Universities in the United States.) Additionally, University of Minnesota Extension has credibility, networks, and an embedded understanding of the living history of the region and its people. This understanding comes from the diverse areas in which it delivers public education and outreach, specifically in the areas of Youth Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family Development, and Community and Economic Development.
