United And Divided

  • A grain elevator in Cozad, Nebraska, spells out the name of the town and represents the largest industry in the area: agriculture.
    A grain elevator in Cozad, Nebraska, spells out the name of the town and represents the largest industry in the area: agriculture.
    Grant Gerlock / Harvest Public Media

 

Bridging the urban-rural divide

In the wake of the 2016 presidential election one thing is clear: rural America and urban America see things differently.

At Harvest Public Media, we bridge the urban-rural divide. We want to explore what is cleaving the country apart, and how these differences define our future.

In a series of profiles, Harvest Public Media reporters will introduce us to our fellow Americans and examine the issues that they hold dear. We will re-discover the ties that bind us and learn more about the lines that divide us. And through their voices, we’ll come to know Americans just a little bit better.

Help us report: We want to know more about the issues important to people living in rural areas. What should we report on? What should be know about the rural area you live in? Click here to tell us more.

Ways to Connect

What Happens When Their School Doesn't Offer Physics? Rural Students Head Online

By • Jul 9, 2017
The Grandview R-II school district in rural Missouri started an online summer school program to help its students take classes the district can't regularly offer.
Kristofor Husted / Harvest Public Media

This story is part of the special series United And Divided, which explores the links and rifts between rural and urban America.

Schools in rural school districts often don’t have the budget or the teachers to offer students all of the courses they would like to take. One rural district in a Missouri county decided to offer credit for online classes in an effort to give its students the educational opportunities it can’t otherwise afford.

United And Divided: A Sunday At Church In A Rural Iowa Town

By • Jun 25, 2017
The South Sudanese Community Lutheran Church meets at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison, Iowa, on Sunday afternoons.
Amy Mayer / Harvest Public Media

This story is part of the special series United And Divided, which explores the links and rifts between rural and urban America.

As Highway 30 enters Denison, Iowa, a city of 8,000, the national fast food chains stand next to Mexican groceries and restaurants. In this small city near the Nebraska border, waves of immigrants have been arriving since at least the 1980s.

Hope And Fear: Why Some Rural Immigrants Are Taking Steps Toward Citizenship

By Luke Runyon • Apr 13, 2017
Luke Runyon / Harvest Public Media

This story is part of the special series United And Divided, which explores the links and rifts between rural and urban America.

At the public library in the rural Morgan County town of Brush, Colorado, Marissa Velazquez welcomes her students to class. It’s a sunny Saturday morning, and today marks the halfway point in Velazquez’s class, a ten-week crash course on American history, civics and English.

Everyone in it has the same goal: become an American citizen. In two hours, Velazquez runs through voting rights, the legislative process and some grammar tips.

In Rural Trump Country, Trade Policy Divides

By • Mar 9, 2017
Grant Gerlock/Harvest Public Media

This story is part of the special series United And Divided, which explores the links and rifts between rural and urban America.

Rural voters overwhelmingly chose President Donald Trump in the presidential election. But when it comes to the central campaign promise to get tough on trade, rural voters are not necessarily in sync with the administration.

Immigrant Communities Diversify The Face Of A Rural Colorado City

By Luke Runyon • Feb 20, 2017

This story is part of the special series United And Divided, which explores the links and rifts between rural and urban America.

The bell signals the start of second period. A trio of young women take seats in English class, their attention quickly drifting outside the walls of the high school in Fort Morgan, Colorado, eager to talk about what they’re working toward.

“I want to become an FBI [agent],” says freshman Mariam Mohammed. “It’s my dream.”