Join us for a casual conversation about the lessons our guest, Don Hickman from the Initiative Foundation, has learned over his decades of experience working as a program manager and funder in rural Minnesota. We'll talk about the changing landscape, both past and present, and how using shared goals can be the basis for starting the conversation that leads to greater acceptance in small towns that have traditionally been resistant to change. We hope listeners will gain a better understanding of the work being done in rural MN, the different challenges nonprofits experience there and a renewed desire to keep the conversation going. Please note that our hosts, Carl & Kristi, nor our guest, Don, claim to be experts in DEI or the lived experiences of our BIPOC or LGBTQ+ neighbors. We are simply committed to learning and growing and hope this episode will aid others in that same pursuit.