Starting the day with some inspiration from Chris Mitchell at Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Chat from the session:

Coffee and Conversation

08:34:57 From  Mary Magnuson (she/her)  to  Everyone: The chat log is part of the conference archive on the blog: https://blandinonbroadband.org/category/blandin-broadband-summit-2021/

08:41:11 From  Mary Magnuson (she/her)  to  Everyone: If you attended the conference yesterday, fill out this two question evaluation (if you haven’t already.) https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DWR9L9R

08:45:40 From  Mary DeVany  to  Everyone: Snow in South Dakota today… 😉

08:49:50 From  Christopher Mitchell  to  Everyone: I think Portugal is the most vaccinated country in the world

08:54:25 From  Ben Winchester  to  Everyone: https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Intellectualism-American-Life-Richard-Hofstadter/dp/0394703170

08:55:10 From  Christopher Mitchell  to  Everyone: Americans who are descended by Europeans were not a random sampling – we are the descended from the outcasts and adventurers willing to take a chance to leave … or who were cast out.

08:56:23 From  Bernadine Joselyn (she/her)  to  Everyone: Christopher: yes, AND/BUT DNA itself gets washed out after 10 generations….

08:57:05 From  Christopher Mitchell  to  Everyone: Sure – we are what – 4 or 5 generations from when most Europeans arrived? Not 10 I’m guessing…

09:14:32 From  Bill Coleman  to  Everyone: Thanks for the kind words Christopher!

09:15:42 From  Ry Marcattilio-McCracken (ILSR)  to  Everyone: https://muninetworks.org/broadbandbits

09:16:12 From  Ry Marcattilio-McCracken (ILSR)  to  Everyone: https://connectthisshow.com/

09:16:22 From  Ann Treacy  to  Everyone: Chris’ podcast is educational and fun – I often find myself listening for long than intended.

09:39:15 From  Mary Magnuson (she/her)  to  Everyone:

Here’s ILSR’s report: https://muninetworks.org/reports/minnesota-broadband-land-of-ten-thousand-connectivity-solutions

09:44:57 From  Mary Magnuson (she/her)  to  Everyone: Ry is right – this report (and two we are talking about a little later in this session) is linked from the agenda https://blandinfoundation.org/programs/broadband/annual-conference-2021/wednesday-october-13/ You’ll also be able to find them in the Blandin on Broadband blog conference archive later today.

09:45:36 From  Bernadine Joselyn (she/her)  to  Everyone: I think that’s the main message: it takes work!

Christopher Mitchell, Director, Community Broadband Networks initiative, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Christopher Mitchell is a leading national expert on community networks and Internet access. On a day-to-day basis, Mitchell runs MuniNetworks.org, the comprehensive online clearinghouse of information about local government policies to improve Internet access. He hosts the Community Broadband Bits podcast as well as the live Connect This! Show, which airs on YouTube and Facebook. He was honored as one of the 2012 Top 25 in Public Sector Technology by Government Technology, which honors the top “Doers, Drivers, and Dreamers” in the nation each year. Mitchell earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Macalester College. He is also a professional sports photographer, shooting regularly for the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers and other clients in Minnesota.

Bernadine Joselyn has served as director of Blandin Foundation’s Public Policy and Engagement program since 2001. Here she leads efforts to facilitate the building of knowledge and catalyze community action around issues and opportunities that align with the Foundation’s mission of strengthening rural Minnesota communities, especially the Grand Rapids area.

Beginning in 2003 she has led the foundation’s broadband programming in rural communities across the state. She represents rural communities on the Governor’s Broadband Task Force.

A native of Minnesota, Bernadine has a master’s degree in international affairs and a certificate in advanced Soviet studies from Columbia University. Bernadine spent the first 15 years of her professional life in Soviet (and then post-Soviet) Affairs. She served seven years as diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, where —  after an initial tour in New Delhi, India — she was assigned to Moscow, Russia, and Washington, D.C., focused on the U.S.-Soviet/Russian relationship. After the collapse of the Soviet Union Bernadine left the diplomatic corps to work on international academic and cultural exchange programs with the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) and subsequently the Eurasia Foundation, where she oversaw a $5 million annual grant program.

In 2000 Bernadine returned to Minnesota to complete a second master’s degree in public policy at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute.