Why Rural Stories Matter More Than Ever

Just like large cities and suburbs, small towns are full of complexities, opportunities and challenges. In Greater Minnesota, rural communities are economic engines that play a critical role in the overall health of our state. Right now, many rural residents are facing a mix of compounding pressures on farmers, immigrants, small businesses, and housing.

In the City of Melrose in rural Stearns County, a strong network of pragmatic people helps the town not only survive, but thrive. As we observe the 40th anniversary of the Minnesota Initiative Foundations—organizations that were created from listening to needs and ideas of people across the state—we are sharing stories highlighting the voices and perspectives of people from Greater Minnesota in a number of ways, including through the short film Great(er) Minnesota focused on Melrose.

Jacques Hebert sat down with filmmaker Lynn Melling at 515 Productions to talk about the project and the importance of telling rural stories.

Interview with filmmaker Lynn Melling

Jacques Hebert, McKnight Foundation: We connected this past winter during Operation Metro Surge, as you were working on a video about your hometown of Melrose. Can you talk about what sparked that story for you?

Lynn Melling, 515 Productions: The ICE surge was a wake up call for me about the disconnects between urban and rural Minnesota, as well as the disconnects within small towns themselves.

I grew up in Melrose, in Stearns County, where my parents still live and I frequently visit. Since the late 1990s, the Latino community in Melrose has grown to about 40% of the population there. During the surge, I knew ICE agents were showing up in town, I knew people were in hiding and afraid, I knew the food shelf was trying to figure out how to help, and I knew NO ONE WAS TALKING ABOUT IT. 

Like many rural communities, the town of Melrose is deeply divided over the issue of immigration, and the surge seemed to have a paralyzing effect. At the same time, I noticed a striking lack of awareness in Minneapolis, where I now live, about the fact that there are thousands of immigrants in rural Minnesota and that they, too, were targets of ICE.

My husband, Ian, and I are filmmakers, so we decided to try to bridge these gaps the best way we know how: with a story. We were blown away by the response: more than 100,000 views across our social media platforms, and more importantly, it helped break the silence in Melrose about what was happening there. 

Jacques: What was your key takeaway from that response?

Lynn: People in Greater Minnesota want to be seen and heard in a way that accurately reflects their lived experiences, and the rest of Minnesota has a responsibility to listen.

As a former journalist, I believe the shrinking news coverage coming out of rural Minnesota over the years has led to major gaps in awareness about important issues there, and has also made people in rural areas cautious and reluctant about sharing their stories with the media. Reporters must earn the trust of their story subjects before they can scratch the surface of complex issues, and right now, there are too few reporters out there in Greater Minnesota with the relationships that allow them to dive deep. 

Jacques: How do you think those gaps in awareness play a role in our increasingly polarized society?

Lynn: When you don’t understand who people are and the challenges they’re facing, it’s easy to buy into stereotypes. I believe a lack of understanding leads to a lack of empathy for people from other parties, geographies, cultures, etc., and that leads to “othering”, which is the key ingredient for division and polarization.

Jacques: Why do you believe storytelling is a tool for bringing people together across differences?

Lynn: It is a way to reframe and restart conversations in a non-threatening and non-judgemental way. A story is an opportunity to simply present someone’s lived experience. When done thoughtfully, it’s an opportunity to help the viewer put themselves in someone else’s shoes. That’s what empathy is all about. I believe a story shouldn’t be about trying to persuade someone to change their mind. It should exist to give viewers a glimpse into someone else’s world and give them the opportunity to decide how they want to feel about it, and with any luck, get curious and want to learn more. That’s where conversations begin, and I believe, that’s how progress can be made.

Jacques: That’s one of the reasons why we decided to dive deeper into the story of Melrose with this new short film. Would you like to share anything with viewers?

Lynn: Partnering with The McKnight Foundation on this project has truly been a privilege, and we are so grateful to McKnight for investing in this kind of meaningful storytelling. For viewers, I’d welcome their questions, their points of view, and also their suggestions about other rural communities in Greater Minnesota with stories to share. What angles are we missing? What questions didn’t I ask? How can we keep this conversation moving forward?

Jacques: One final question. You titled the film “Great(er) Minnesota”. Why and what does that title mean to you?

Lynn: As someone who grew up in “Greater Minnesota”, I’ve always been amused by that identifier because it’s entirely based on how the Twin Cities decided to relate to the rest of the state. Like, the metro is the center of the universe, and we’re only good enough to orbit the sun. Clearly, I have a chip on my shoulder that is a bit ridiculous. As a professional communicator, I understand why identifiers like this exist. I get it. I really do. AND… that little “er” creates a division between the metro and the rest of the state that has a way of making people in rural areas feel “othered”.

The title of the film is an acknowledgement to folks in Greater Minnesota that they are more than “good enough” in relation to Minneapolis or St. Paul. They get to decide their own identity, and they are GREAT just the way they are.