Rural Equity Network

This session focused on the important role schools play as rural towns become more diverse. Amy Unmacht, Foundation for Dubuque Public Schools executive director, highlighted efforts to provide students access to extracurricular activities. Panelists Sarah Palmer, ELL Teacher at Cascade Elementary School, and Aimee Hospodarsky, Elementary School Counselor at Monticello Community School District, discussed ways communities can support schools and teachers in adapting to the changing demographics. View the recorded session. 

Special guests

• Amy Unmacht: amyu@dbqfoundation.org
• Sarah Palmer: sarah.palmer@wdbqschools.org
• Aimee Hospodarsky: aimee.hospodarsky@monticello.k12.ia.us

For this meeting, participants were encouraged  to invite local minority business owners and entrepreneurs for a discussion about fostering minority-owned businesses in rural communities. View the recorded session. 

Special guests

• Lovisa Railstrom: klovisa@dbqfoundation.org
• Victor Oyervides: oyervide@iastate.edu

Resources shared during this session

• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
• Rethinking Rural Podcast
• Rural Development Hubs
• How Does Implicit Bias Influence Behavior

For our first meeting, we hosted a panel of rural community residents with diverse backgrounds who shared their experiences. View the recorded session. 

Special guests

• Brenda Hackman: bhackman@acrec.coop
• Ketaki Poyekar : hello@studiok8ki.com
• Kallie Brown : kbrown@gossmanforensics.com
• Itza Heim: itza@dbqfoundation.org
• Zev Frimerman: zfrimerman@gmail.com

Resources shared during this session

• Our DEI Toolkit
• Article: Historical Foundations of Race