Rural Voice: How rural communities thrive as immigrants put down roots

Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller

Immigration is a hot topic this election year, and many Minnesota communities are asking questions about how to face the challenges and opportunities immigrants bring.

That’s why MPR News host Kerri Miller traveled to Worthington for the final Rural Voice town hall of the 2024 season. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Nobles County, where Worthington is located, is Minnesota’s most rapidly diversifying county. In 2020, the county’s population was 43 percent people of color, up from two-thirds white in 2010.

Much of that diversity comes from immigrants who move to southwest Minnesota for job opportunities. And while there have been setbacks, Worthington has worked hard to incorporate the new residents into their community.

Rural Voice in Worthington

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What have Worthington residents learned? How can other rural communities ensure everyone thrives as immigrants put down roots?

That was the topic of lively discussion at the Rural Voice town hall, held at Forbidden Barrel Brewing Company on Thursday night. Leaders from Worthington’s various immigrant communities shared what’s worked — and what hasn’t. And longtime Worthington residents discussed how the community has made conscious efforts to be welcoming and inclusive — while admitting they still have work to do.

Rural Voice in Worthington

If you missed any of the other Rural Voice discussions, you can find them all on the MPR News website. The season kicked off at the State Fair, where rural community leaders pondered the challenges and rewards of living in rural Minnesota. Miller then traveled to Red Wing to talk about how to grow civic-minded communities and to Detroit Lakes to discuss conservation-driven agriculture. The season finished in Worthington.