Rural Futures with Dr. Connie Episode 11 Featuring Roberto Gallardo

Rural Futures Institute Author

09/21/2018 Added

3 Plays

Description

Searchable Transcript

Search:

[00:00:00.500]Welcome to season two.
[00:00:01.630]This is Katelyn, producer of
[00:00:03.080]the Rural Futures Podcast with Dr. Connie.
[00:00:05.570]Subscribe, rate and review us where you listen,
[00:00:07.970]and find us on social media @ruralfutures.
[00:00:10.860]Enjoy the show.
[00:00:11.907](upbeat music)
[00:00:13.700]Today is the time we have a very narrow window,
[00:00:17.130]so I would encourage communities that listen to us,
[00:00:20.040]please, please, make connectivity,
[00:00:22.190]or a digital mindset, or digital parity a priority.
[00:00:28.710]Rural Futures.
[00:00:30.170]The podcast where we connect thought leaders and doers
[00:00:33.570]at the intersection of technology
[00:00:35.600]and what it means to be human.
[00:00:37.380]Every episode, we talk with entrepreneurs, researchers,
[00:00:40.720]and achievers to create impact for generations to come.
[00:00:45.160]And now, here's Dr. Connie.
[00:00:47.700]Welcome back to the Rural Futures Podcast.
[00:00:50.010]I'm your host Dr. Connie, and joining me today
[00:00:53.030]is Dr. Roberto Gallardo.
[00:00:54.800]Welcome to the podcast, Roberto.
[00:00:56.890]Thank you, Connie.
[00:00:57.723]It's a pleasure to be here.
[00:00:59.530]Well, I'm really excited to have you on.
[00:01:01.780]So, just a little bit more about Roberto,
[00:01:04.570]he's the assistant director
[00:01:05.750]for the Purdue Center for Regional Development,
[00:01:08.320]and a community and regional economics specialist
[00:01:10.910]at Purdue Extension.
[00:01:12.900]But the other thing about him is
[00:01:14.852]he's been conducting research in extension
[00:01:17.300]regarding the impact of broadband in rural communities,
[00:01:19.500]and this is a huge issue right now.
[00:01:22.850]Roberto, tell us a little bit more about
[00:01:24.570]what you're doing in that space, and why.
[00:01:27.290]Sure. Thank you.
[00:01:28.940]I agree.
[00:01:29.773]It's a trendy topic right now.
[00:01:32.410]I've been involved in this for the past 10 years, or so.
[00:01:35.760]I love extension work because I call it
[00:01:37.750]applied research, right?
[00:01:39.260]You go in there, you do research, it's research-based,
[00:01:42.510]and then you come down to the trenches
[00:01:44.530]and you kinda apply that research, that knowledge.
[00:01:47.020]You extend it.
[00:01:48.280]That's kind of very good to do because you get feedback.
[00:01:52.070]You get very important feedback that many times is missed
[00:01:55.360]if you're only solely looking at the research side.
[00:01:58.690]So, I've been doing a lot of secondary data crunching
[00:02:02.210]on broadband access and adoption in rural communities.
[00:02:06.268]Its impact, socioeconomic impact, et cetera, et cetera.
[00:02:09.470]But recently, we're working with communities
[00:02:12.990]actually to learning how they can leverage digital platforms
[00:02:16.780]to increase civic engagement, for example,
[00:02:18.620]which is a project that is funded through your organization.
[00:02:22.560]And we also are doing surveys to better understand
[00:02:26.100]how households and rural households
[00:02:29.060]are using the technology.
[00:02:31.060]So, we're moving a little bit beyond the access conversation
[00:02:34.840]and trying to focus more on the utilization and adoption.
[00:02:38.120]And why do you think this work is so important?
[00:02:41.210]I know we hear a lot of times
[00:02:42.540]here at the Rural Futures Institute,
[00:02:44.370]well, people choose to live in rural,
[00:02:46.150]so it's a choice they're making.
[00:02:48.030]Do we really need to make the investment necessary
[00:02:50.390]to connect people?
[00:02:51.700]So, why do you think this work is important
[00:02:53.900]in terms of helping people living in rural
[00:02:56.980]be part of this wave of technology?
[00:02:59.700]Well, as you know, the digital age is unfolding.
[00:03:02.670]I use the analogy that it is in diaper stage right now
[00:03:06.500]and the train has not left the station.
[00:03:09.110]And so, we've gotta make sure that everybody that can,
[00:03:13.070]should board that train.
[00:03:15.110]And if not, you're gonna be left out of a really,
[00:03:18.080]truly transformational time.
[00:03:20.780]I'm sure if there were internet and video back in the day
[00:03:25.100]when everybody was moving from
[00:03:26.940]ag to the industry in the cities,
[00:03:29.970]this level of transformation was taking place.
[00:03:32.640]So, I believe that the digital age is doing the same now,
[00:03:36.480]and so the digital economy is only a part of what you hear,
[00:03:39.870]and of course, that's what drives many policymakers.
[00:03:43.160]But I think that overall the technology, the digital age
[00:03:46.540]has a lot of potential for rural communities.
[00:03:49.520]So, working on helping these rural communities
[00:03:52.340]board that train, right?
[00:03:53.580]Before the diapers become a toddler,
[00:03:56.210]and then they become children, or a teenager,
[00:04:00.200]we need to make sure we get onboard now
[00:04:03.910]because one of the characteristics is it moves really quick.
[00:04:06.980]The digital age does.
[00:04:08.150]So, if we miss a train, trying to catch on
[00:04:11.480]later on is gonna be harder.
[00:04:13.890]Now, what if rural communities do miss that train?
[00:04:16.530]I mean, as a futurist, I love to explore
[00:04:19.070]these possible scenarios and what's possible,
[00:04:20.777]and a lot of times we focus that work on
[00:04:23.257]why this is important, but what would you see happening
[00:04:26.550]if our rural communities miss this opportunity?
[00:04:29.160]In a very positive spin to things,
[00:04:32.800]I think they're gonna go through a very slow death.
[00:04:36.117](ambient music)
[00:04:37.920]I think they will still remain a core
[00:04:40.680]of whatever towns are left,
[00:04:43.100]but we're already, you know, youth is moving out
[00:04:47.150]and our population is becoming older.
[00:04:49.870]That's not sustainable.
[00:04:51.580]And if we do not plug in into this digital ecosystem,
[00:04:55.150]we will surely be left out
[00:04:57.590]and we will surely experience a decline.
[00:05:00.088](ambient music)
[00:05:01.590]Now, the question is out to the jury
[00:05:04.700]regarding if we do plug in,
[00:05:07.600]what's that gonna do for rural?
[00:05:09.640]I think that that's another question future-looking
[00:05:12.610]that we need to address, but we know for a fact now that
[00:05:16.490]if you do not have the connectivity and the know how,
[00:05:19.270]right off the bat, you're out.
[00:05:21.760]So, I would rather worry about
[00:05:23.840]okay, we have the connectivity.
[00:05:25.220]How can we improve the know how,
[00:05:27.140]and how can we then turn our rural communities around?
[00:05:30.240]Not necessarily in growth, but in development, right?
[00:05:32.750]That's one of the key differences I teach my students.
[00:05:36.230]Many rural communities don't want to grow, and that's fine.
[00:05:39.090]But what about develop?
[00:05:40.440]What about improving the quality of life
[00:05:42.560]of those that remain, or those that have
[00:05:45.060]young families like me who want to return,
[00:05:47.560]or want to live in a less chaotic situation or environment
[00:05:52.730]like it is in big urban areas?
[00:05:55.140]I think that's such a key point, right?
[00:05:57.760]In terms of thinking about
[00:05:59.870]okay, if we can transform these communities,
[00:06:02.910]and it's totally possible.
[00:06:04.260]I mean, the possibility is there, what could that look like?
[00:06:07.690]Now, that might not be population growth,
[00:06:09.910]and I think this is very key because I think
[00:06:12.620]part of the challenge we have working in this space
[00:06:14.810]right now is a lot of decision makers
[00:06:17.090]still want to see numbers.
[00:06:18.440]They're like, we want to see the numbers grow.
[00:06:20.700]We want the population to grow,
[00:06:23.470]and that's not where we are in the present state.
[00:06:25.980]What are those other metrics, measures, characteristics
[00:06:29.830]we can use to see how these communities are thriving
[00:06:33.410]and can even be better in the future?
[00:06:36.620]I think it's a no-brainer.
[00:06:38.730]The quality of life of rural communities can improve
[00:06:41.930]if we have access to education
[00:06:43.730]that's only given in certain areas.
[00:06:45.790]We can do that virtually.
[00:06:47.420]We can also take advantage of tele-health,
[00:06:49.910]and tele-work, and other applications
[00:06:52.130]without having to move necessarily
[00:06:53.970]out of that rural ecosystem.
[00:06:56.000]There are some challenges there, right?
[00:06:57.533]It's the death of distance.
[00:06:59.090]This argument has been around for 40 years
[00:07:01.700]since the information communication technology came online,
[00:07:05.357]but I believe this time, it's a different situation
[00:07:08.590]because the technology's so mature.
[00:07:11.520]It's so sophisticated and we don't even know
[00:07:13.530]what's coming down the pipe.
[00:07:15.040]So, that's why I'm hopeful.
[00:07:17.520]But rural communities will miss out
[00:07:20.300]if they, number one, are not connected,
[00:07:22.650]and number two, do not have that knowledge,
[00:07:25.690]that insight of how to leverage that technology.
[00:07:28.749](ambient music)
[00:07:30.710]The other thing I really appreciate in your work
[00:07:32.630]that you talk about is this whole moving from
[00:07:35.850]the industrial age mentality to a digital age mindset,
[00:07:40.640]and how important mindset is.
[00:07:42.330]Could you expand on that a bit?
[00:07:44.470]Yeah, definitely.
[00:07:46.350]Many communities that I've worked with
[00:07:48.530]may have fiber optics, right?
[00:07:50.710]But if they don't have the correct mindset,
[00:07:52.650]they're not gonna do anything with that fiber optics.
[00:07:55.320]And that change in mindset is not easy.
[00:07:58.040]I wish I had a step-by-step process to follow,
[00:08:01.420]but it's really, really location-specific
[00:08:04.100]and context-specific.
[00:08:05.370]What I see communities kind of
[00:08:07.440]when they start thinking and acting digitally is
[00:08:10.120]because they understand the potentials, and the benefits,
[00:08:13.070]and the challenges of the digital age,
[00:08:15.280]and they are brave enough in a way to
[00:08:17.810]start trying different things, and they will fail,
[00:08:20.620]but they will get up and they will try it again.
[00:08:23.820]That to me, tells me that the community
[00:08:26.350]is now in a digital mindset.
[00:08:28.910]I have noticed that the previous step
[00:08:31.540]to that change in mindset is awareness,
[00:08:34.210]and many times, many times, awareness is overlooked easily.
[00:08:39.430]So, that's public policy 101, right?
[00:08:41.500]If we do not agree on the problem,
[00:08:43.580]let's not even discuss strategies and solutions.
[00:08:46.654](ambient music)
[00:08:48.400]That awareness to me, is a big, big part of my job,
[00:08:52.890]and the extension side is that awareness
[00:08:56.320]can lead to that change in mindset.
[00:08:58.790]Rural communities need to stop thinking about
[00:09:02.466]oh, the industrial age, let's go ahead and hopefully,
[00:09:05.470]attract the next big manufacturing facility.
[00:09:08.393](ambient music)
[00:09:09.730]In futuring, we really talk about
[00:09:11.250]that important mindset, as well.
[00:09:12.810]Like, so what you believe happens is what will happen.
[00:09:16.320]Ultimately, that's where you put your energy.
[00:09:18.380]That's where your energy flows.
[00:09:20.010]In here at the Rural Futures Institute
[00:09:21.630]we've talked a lot about that, as well.
[00:09:23.170]So, if we don't change the narrative around what's possible
[00:09:27.290]in our rural communities and how rural and urban
[00:09:30.460]really need to collaborate in order to create
[00:09:33.210]a more sustainable future for everyone on the planet,
[00:09:36.080]and not just people, but the ecosystems,
[00:09:38.270]the animals, everything, then we're missing out
[00:09:41.800]on an opportunity to create a better future for all.
[00:09:44.800]And I think, this mindset even of
[00:09:47.440]everything has to be very competitive,
[00:09:49.410]or the mindset of a lack is sort of unfortunate,
[00:09:52.960]in terms of a world of abundance and what is possible.
[00:09:56.270]I think technology, while also having its challenges,
[00:09:59.280]can really usher in an era
[00:10:02.280]that's more positive for more people.
[00:10:04.850]Totally agree.
[00:10:06.030]Scarcity has been the commodity
[00:10:08.820]that's been driving everything.
[00:10:11.810]Potentially, we can now reach that age that
[00:10:14.760]you're describing, and that'll change
[00:10:16.540]the dynamics completely.
[00:10:18.190]It'll change our assumptions,
[00:10:19.900]it'll change our vision, it'll change everything.
[00:10:22.860]But again, the first key step is that awareness, right?
[00:10:26.280]What is this digital age?
[00:10:27.790]What are you talking about?
[00:10:29.470]What do I need to be looking out for
[00:10:31.330]because I can't predict the future?
[00:10:33.050]I can't tell you go down this route,
[00:10:35.110]but that awareness is something that
[00:10:37.150]I think is often overlooked.
[00:10:39.342](ambient music)
[00:10:41.500]I think leadership is an essential part
[00:10:43.400]of this conversation, so tell us
[00:10:45.040]a little bit more about you as a leader.
[00:10:47.140]What's your philosophy style?
[00:10:49.320]How do you lead in this space?
[00:10:51.840]I appreciate that.
[00:10:52.960]I don't consider myself a leader though,
[00:10:54.810]but I appreciate that.
[00:10:57.460]I think that empowerment and trust are key things
[00:11:01.520]that any leader should look at.
[00:11:03.630]You cannot babysit, you cannot micromanage.
[00:11:07.590]I think that people have potential,
[00:11:10.590]and if you empower them correctly,
[00:11:13.410]I think you can unleash that potential,
[00:11:15.930]and that'll free energy that otherwise would be tied up
[00:11:19.750]with menial tasks or trying to micromanage.
[00:11:23.240]At a community level, that's what I shoot for
[00:11:26.890]with the communities I work with,
[00:11:28.740]is you will not depend on me.
[00:11:30.840]This is a show, and this process is totally driven by you.
[00:11:35.120]I am here, and I will dance at the tune that you play.
[00:11:39.210]That is very important for sustainability purposes.
[00:11:42.390]Make sure the community is comfortable
[00:11:44.870]and is empowered, right?
[00:11:46.790]Then they will take it.
[00:11:48.270]And if you couple that with a mindset change,
[00:11:51.590]I think the community can do just fine.
[00:11:54.360]Now, what type of leadership do you think it's gonna take
[00:11:57.220]to make these types of things happen?
[00:11:59.160]How do you see leadership evolving
[00:12:00.920]so that we do help shift the mindset,
[00:12:04.100]and we do help empower people in the future?
[00:12:06.860]I think that many leaders in rural communities
[00:12:09.550]are doing so many things all the time.
[00:12:12.740]They're putting out fires all the time, right?
[00:12:15.040]They're just responding.
[00:12:16.770]They're reacting.
[00:12:17.790]They don't have time to be proactive.
[00:12:20.730]It's just the context, right?
[00:12:22.330]The situation.
[00:12:23.500]I think leaders need to incorporate feedback.
[00:12:26.920]I've seen part-time mayors that also have a full-time job.
[00:12:30.740]It's different dynamics in an urban leadership or situation,
[00:12:35.390]but I think that's the key step, Connie.
[00:12:37.300]Is first and foremost, the leader needs to recognize,
[00:12:40.710]I'm busy as it is, but I do need to get additional feedback
[00:12:46.350]and incorporate this and collectively reach a vision that
[00:12:50.410]will then drive and really nurture this future leadership.
[00:12:54.770]Yeah, we've really been here at the institute
[00:12:56.570]talking about sort of this process of co-creation
[00:13:00.270]because you can't just go to a community
[00:13:02.568]and you're just not just gonna swoop in and help them.
[00:13:06.070]It's their future, right?
[00:13:07.420]So, the goal really is to empower their future
[00:13:10.460]and help them achieve what they desire,
[00:13:13.740]but on the other side of that, I think as a university
[00:13:17.030]one thing we've really been working on is
[00:13:18.830]how do we then listen to what's happening in that space?
[00:13:22.230]How can we co-create not just the future
[00:13:25.240]of that one community, but these communities
[00:13:27.390]of practice as a whole?
[00:13:28.710]Like mental health or childcare through that feedback,
[00:13:32.960]create better experiences for our students here,
[00:13:35.970]and really learn as a university how to evolve ourselves
[00:13:40.090]in an era that's full of exponential change.
[00:13:42.900]And I think that co-creation really comes from that
[00:13:45.670]deep listening and not just doing what we've always done.
[00:13:49.510]Correct. Totally agree.
[00:13:51.280]That co-creating, that ownership dynamic,
[00:13:54.370]I think, is critical.
[00:13:55.661](ambient music)
[00:13:58.370]I appreciate in your work how you bring out the evolution
[00:14:01.080]of so many industries with this connectivity.
[00:14:04.600]Can we deliver more online, or use different technologies
[00:14:08.590]to create almost virtual experiences wherever we are
[00:14:12.330]so that we can not just earn degrees, but those credentials,
[00:14:15.620]badges, whatever competency-based education
[00:14:18.840]might be there, or skills?
[00:14:20.960]I know you're a person who like to learn by doing.
[00:14:23.220]So, how do we create these experiences using technology
[00:14:27.760]so people can live where they choose,
[00:14:29.910]but also create the future they want?
[00:14:32.510]I would love to know what you think about
[00:14:36.170]the future of broadband.
[00:14:37.960]What do you think it looks like,
[00:14:40.230]and what is it gonna take really
[00:14:42.050]to connect everybody on the planet?
[00:14:44.450]There's still a billion people
[00:14:45.810]without electricity, when you look at it.
[00:14:48.160]It's a matter of priorities.
[00:14:49.860]The future of broadband, I think more technologies
[00:14:52.930]will come out to play, but what I hear from providers
[00:14:55.620]and what I know is that the laws of physics,
[00:14:59.300]we have reached that point, especially wireless, right?
[00:15:01.960]Many people tell me, oh, the solution will be wireless.
[00:15:04.240]Don't worry about it.
[00:15:05.540]It's like, well, there are no leads, right?
[00:15:08.010]If there are no bodies of waters, or lakes, or whatever,
[00:15:11.460]we can't get past that laws of physics.
[00:15:13.850]So, I think that the technology, I'm hoping,
[00:15:18.030]will continue to evolve where it'll be a lot more efficient
[00:15:22.460]and where it's not as costly to connect.
[00:15:25.160]Because when you think about it, Connie,
[00:15:27.120]the electronics and the actual fiber is not expensive.
[00:15:30.830]What's expensive is the labor, right?
[00:15:32.910]It's those capital costs to actually install,
[00:15:36.790]or run it, or run the wire, but the actual electronics
[00:15:40.180]as you've seen in the exponential behavior,
[00:15:42.350]I mean, they're going down, they're going down.
[00:15:44.850]They're cheap.
[00:15:46.050]The future of broadband is yes, a worldwide,
[00:15:49.700]all world is connected.
[00:15:51.530]I mean, just imagine.
[00:15:53.180]I think that the worst waste of human talent
[00:15:58.000]and creativity is poverty.
[00:15:59.980]I think that humans are created by nature.
[00:16:03.050]It's just that we are not exposed to the same things.
[00:16:05.550]We don't have the same opportunities.
[00:16:07.490]We are in different contexts.
[00:16:10.100]Imagine how many creative folks,
[00:16:12.700]because of their poverty situation, right?
[00:16:16.000]Imagine plugging that creativity into this digital ecosystem
[00:16:19.690]where you have worldwide information at your fingertips.
[00:16:22.470]What can we solve?
[00:16:23.800]What ideas will come out of that?
[00:16:26.440]And yet, we have not tapped into that
[00:16:28.450]because they're not connected, right?
[00:16:31.210]Imagine a world that's connected.
[00:16:33.710]All low income people join this bandwagon.
[00:16:37.100]I think it's gonna change totally how we see the world,
[00:16:41.110]the ideas that we have.
[00:16:42.100]That feedback, that co-creating will be really,
[00:16:46.140]really powerful then, I think.
[00:16:49.040]It's gonna be a huge, massive brain, really,
[00:16:53.230]that's gonna be connected.
[00:16:54.940]I think just even understanding where people are,
[00:16:57.660]how they've experienced life, and they'll be able to
[00:17:00.740]create solutions we aren't thinking about, you know?
[00:17:04.000]Because they'll have different experiences
[00:17:05.720]and different knowledge to bring to the table.
[00:17:08.410]Now, I know you've worked a lot with the speed issue
[00:17:12.480]'cause it's not just about the access.
[00:17:14.010]It's also about the quality of the access.
[00:17:17.400]A lot of what we've learned is the FCC data is not accurate,
[00:17:21.140]so really, it seems like there's a lot more people
[00:17:24.360]connected to high-speed internet than there are.
[00:17:26.930]Could you expand on that a little bit
[00:17:28.660]and tell us what you've found in your work?
[00:17:30.920]Data-wise, we are not where we should be.
[00:17:34.470]The FCC does the best it can with that data,
[00:17:37.630]which is carrier self-reported.
[00:17:40.300]It's not validated or cross-checked in any way.
[00:17:43.920]So, we're trusting entirely on
[00:17:46.690]what the providers are telling us.
[00:17:48.840]There's a granularity issue where a block,
[00:17:51.580]which is the lowest census geography.
[00:17:55.440]You've heard this.
[00:17:56.370]If one household is served,
[00:17:57.890]the entire block is considered served.
[00:18:01.100]That raises some issues.
[00:18:03.080]And on the speed thing, I think the next divide
[00:18:07.060]really is on speed because if you look at that data,
[00:18:11.040]for example, here in Indiana, 100% of blocks are served
[00:18:15.550]or advertised with 10/1 speeds, right?
[00:18:18.630]Assuming we can believe that data,
[00:18:21.340]but what difference does it make?
[00:18:23.480]And that's where the research should be taking us now.
[00:18:26.860]What do you do with a 10/1 connection,
[00:18:28.890]and what do you do with a 100/100 connection?
[00:18:31.750]Because, and that's what I tell communities,
[00:18:34.410]is that the web evolves accordingly, okay?
[00:18:39.080]Try browsing the web today.
[00:18:40.630]Not streaming video or doing any of those things.
[00:18:43.220]Just try browsing the web today with dial-up.
[00:18:45.960]It's crazy.
[00:18:47.220]But other areas or locations in the world are already fiber.
[00:18:52.110]They're experimenting with higher speeds, and guess what?
[00:18:55.070]The web has got involved.
[00:18:56.480]The speed is an issue.
[00:18:57.700]We don't want rural US to be left at 10/1 speeds,
[00:19:03.020]or even 25/3 speeds, when all these applications
[00:19:06.980]are expecting faster speeds.
[00:19:09.080]So, that's a big, big, I think that's the next hurdle
[00:19:12.390]is aside from connectivity like you said, is the quality.
[00:19:16.163](ambient music)
[00:19:18.780]What makes you so passionate about this work?
[00:19:21.610]I just believe that digital platforms
[00:19:26.630]can really unleash that creativity
[00:19:28.990]that's kind of suppressed.
[00:19:31.490]That will of communities to improve themselves.
[00:19:34.610]To see that they may have been over the past 20, 30 years,
[00:19:38.590]under a bad situation economically speaking.
[00:19:42.630]It makes me passionate because I believe that
[00:19:45.380]it has the potential to level the playing field.
[00:19:48.530]Like you've read my articles about digital parity,
[00:19:52.070]and that rural 2.0, that rural renaissance.
[00:19:55.090]That's why I'm passionate about this.
[00:19:56.970]It's because I believe, I truly believe that
[00:19:59.950]this technology, there's a lot of issues
[00:20:02.060]and there's a lot of other stuff that we've gotta address,
[00:20:04.800]but I think that it truly has the potential
[00:20:07.540]to start a rural renaissance.
[00:20:10.930]I have lived in rural areas.
[00:20:13.580]So, imagine on the healthcare side, on the education side,
[00:20:16.970]on the entertainment side because of mixed reality,
[00:20:20.350]and digital reality, and all these applications.
[00:20:23.350]So, that's why I'm passionate about it
[00:20:24.800]is because I think rural community,
[00:20:27.090]to understand this potential,
[00:20:28.720]they need to take conscious steps towards this future.
[00:20:32.750]I love that.
[00:20:33.583]Taking those conscious steps towards the future.
[00:20:35.880]Can you share some stories, success stories you've had
[00:20:39.240]working with communities in this space?
[00:20:41.470]I've been to a Boys and Girls Club,
[00:20:43.690]and I've got iPads with me, and we got the ScratchJr App.
[00:20:48.330]Low-income minority kids that have never seen a tablet,
[00:20:52.530]have never had one, it's amazing Connie,
[00:20:55.630]how within 20 minutes they're just tapping away.
[00:21:00.930]That confirms what I see is that the potential is there,
[00:21:05.500]the creativity is there.
[00:21:07.129]That's a specific example.
[00:21:08.770]I've seen other rural businesses that depend entirely
[00:21:12.420]on their online sales because otherwise,
[00:21:15.400]they would've gone out of business within their 2,000 town.
[00:21:19.970]I've seen in, like we're working on the project
[00:21:22.080]with the RFI on the communities,
[00:21:24.140]how they can become more responsive.
[00:21:26.480]How can they become more responsive, so that way
[00:21:29.500]their quality of life and their civic engagement improves?
[00:21:32.990]So, I have bits and pieces of examples like that in my work,
[00:21:37.140]and it's very gratifying to see.
[00:21:39.800]That's when you realize Connie,
[00:21:41.440]remember that mindset change?
[00:21:43.330]That's when I go, that's very interesting.
[00:21:46.360]They made that jump, and now I'm starting to learn
[00:21:50.320]from what they're doing.
[00:21:51.783](ambient music)
[00:21:54.436]I also know you're a family man.
[00:21:55.890]You're married, you have two children.
[00:21:57.210]So, what do you enjoy doing, and how do you continue to
[00:22:01.080]sort of evolve as a leader yourself
[00:22:03.010]through doing some other things outside of work
[00:22:05.610]that spark your creativity and passion?
[00:22:07.970]Yes, I've got two daughters.
[00:22:10.320]One of them is 11.
[00:22:11.820]She's pushing hard for a smartphone.
[00:22:13.540]She's not getting it yet.
[00:22:14.830]Hey, that's my 11 year old daughter, too!
[00:22:16.790]I am with you on that.
[00:22:17.940]So, when you give that a yes, tell me.
[00:22:20.695](laughing)
[00:22:22.010]Yeah, so I think that what I enjoy the most
[00:22:26.380]is getting some piece of knowledge,
[00:22:29.010]and then kinda see if it truly materializes in the trenches.
[00:22:34.260]That's what gets me going every day,
[00:22:37.190]is when you show up to a community,
[00:22:38.950]you tell them this, that, and then they look at you
[00:22:40.970]in the eye and they say that, that doesn't make sense.
[00:22:43.740]This makes sense.
[00:22:44.780]And then you go, oh.
[00:22:46.650]That feedback is phenomenal.
[00:22:49.540]I'm passionate about that.
[00:22:50.840]On my daughter's side, I've shown them a couple of
[00:22:54.600]the stuff I've done, and my little one who's eight,
[00:22:58.140]always tells me, daddy, I know you and technology
[00:23:00.780]get along really well.
[00:23:03.340]That's kind of how she's grasping it now,
[00:23:05.670]but I see that all their homework is online,
[00:23:10.000]and I cannot even imagine what a family
[00:23:13.260]that cannot afford, right?
[00:23:15.010]Or they've reached their data plan,
[00:23:16.670]or they're not connected,
[00:23:18.330]or they have to drive to a library (mumbling).
[00:23:21.060]I, as a parent, totally empathize about.
[00:23:24.850]It's like, wow, I totally, totally understand
[00:23:28.220]why you're frustrated, why you're mad.
[00:23:31.254]Why your children are at a disadvantage
[00:23:34.050]that they didn't even create themselves.
[00:23:38.070]That's such a critical point
[00:23:39.340]because when you think about the future,
[00:23:41.880]and I think when you have kids, or grandkids,
[00:23:44.670]or other young people you care about are in your life,
[00:23:48.350]you do want to envision a better future for them,
[00:23:51.630]and for them to have that mindset themselves
[00:23:54.870]of anything is possible.
[00:23:56.400]I literally at my fingertips can create
[00:24:00.450]whatever life I want.
[00:24:02.350]I can solve things.
[00:24:04.400]I can be a social entrepreneur.
[00:24:05.690]I can start a business.
[00:24:06.850]I can raise money for a cause.
[00:24:08.700]There's just all these pieces and parts to it.
[00:24:11.730]We've always been very excited about the work you do,
[00:24:14.350]but I think hearing it now today in terms of
[00:24:17.420]how do we make it also a great equalizer in this world,
[00:24:22.400]I think, is just such a powerful message.
[00:24:24.711](ambient music)
[00:24:27.450]So, tell me, and share with our audience a little bit
[00:24:30.880]what parting words of wisdom do you want to share?
[00:24:33.900]What I tell communities left and right,
[00:24:36.630]and colleagues, and everybody is do not tell me
[00:24:41.160]how it cannot be done.
[00:24:43.200]That, I already know.
[00:24:45.420]Let's instead focus on how it can be done,
[00:24:48.990]and that again, goes back to the mindset.
[00:24:51.440]I've seen communities that once it becomes a priority,
[00:24:55.920]whatever barriers seemed unsurmountable before
[00:25:00.430]are surmountable now.
[00:25:02.390]That just attitude is really at the individual,
[00:25:05.950]at the group, at the community level.
[00:25:08.210]What I tell communities every time is I can come and present
[00:25:11.610]and talk to you about this every day,
[00:25:14.910]but if you do not as a community, as a group,
[00:25:18.280]as a leaders, whatever it is, do not really feel
[00:25:24.030]that this is the way you need to go,
[00:25:26.010]or this is what you should be looking at,
[00:25:27.980]there's nothing I can do, really.
[00:25:29.610]I can share with you resources,
[00:25:31.960]but you will always tell me why it cannot be done
[00:25:37.000]because you do not have that attitude towards
[00:25:40.780]it can and will be done.
[00:25:42.980]It's amazing, Connie.
[00:25:44.190]I wish I could document all this and do a study on that,
[00:25:46.830]but it's amazing how really, funds,
[00:25:49.900]which is the number one issue, right?
[00:25:52.330]Financial, it really becomes secondary and a technicality
[00:25:57.540]once this attitude is in place.
[00:26:00.030]Because when you want it, you will mobilize to get it.
[00:26:03.950]But if you're wired or if you're thinking,
[00:26:06.700]oh, it can't be done because of this,
[00:26:08.880]oh, it can't be done because of that,
[00:26:10.960]well, we know that, but that's the question.
[00:26:14.150]How can it be done?
[00:26:15.640]Or the question then becomes, do you want it done,
[00:26:18.880]or do you have the will to do it?
[00:26:21.301](ambient music)
[00:26:23.270]I understand there are other issues.
[00:26:25.570]There are other community issues.
[00:26:27.010]It could be health issues, it could be crime.
[00:26:29.750]And so, I understand that the connectivity part
[00:26:32.150]may be pushed to the side, and that's understandable.
[00:26:36.270]I would only ask that you do bring it back into the radar
[00:26:41.120]because the train will leave the station,
[00:26:44.330]and it's gonna be harder to catch on
[00:26:47.160]because that exponential behavior.
[00:26:50.490]We don't know what the future will bring,
[00:26:52.900]but if you don't kinda understand the characteristics
[00:26:58.000]and the behaviors now, and hop on that train,
[00:27:04.120]it's gonna be really hard down the road.
[00:27:06.330]It really will, because then frustration will kick in,
[00:27:10.542]and then you're going to this downward cycle
[00:27:13.630]where the community's being left out.
[00:27:16.790]Most of your youth are out.
[00:27:18.280]They're not coming back.
[00:27:19.640]Today is the time we have a very narrow window,
[00:27:23.500]so I would encourage communities that listen to us
[00:27:26.420]that we understand there are other issues at play,
[00:27:30.380]but please, please make connectivity, or digital mindset,
[00:27:34.950]or digital parity, a priority.
[00:27:38.060]I think that sense of urgency
[00:27:39.630]is a very important piece of this.
[00:27:41.490]Let's do this, let's get it done.
[00:27:43.620]Thank you so much, Roberto.
[00:27:45.060]We really appreciate your time and expertise,
[00:27:47.900]and we look forward to following your work
[00:27:50.080]and continuing to share that with our audience, as well,
[00:27:52.530]and just appreciate what you're doing in this space
[00:27:55.330]to not only connect people,
[00:27:57.110]but really help them create their future.
[00:27:59.460]Thank you, and thank you for the opportunity,
[00:28:01.190]and thank you for that other project that we're working on.
[00:28:04.730]We're learning a lot.
[00:28:05.760]I think the communities are having a blast.
[00:28:08.340]And so, thank you for the opportunity,
[00:28:10.370]and thank you for being colleagues in this venture.
[00:28:14.470]That's important.
[00:28:15.303]Nobody can do it alone, so I truly appreciate your interest
[00:28:18.663]and your own resources and mindset
[00:28:23.150]that you bring to the table.
[00:28:24.260]I appreciate that.
[00:28:25.337](ambient music)
[00:28:26.480]Thanks for listening to Rural Futures with Dr. Connie.
[00:28:29.330]Subscribe, so you don't miss next week's episode
[00:28:31.670]with Ali Schwanke, CEO and Founder of Simple Strat.
[00:28:34.730]A growth marketing agency based in Lincoln, Nebraska.
[00:28:38.550]I was asked by a reporter,
[00:28:40.150]what is it like being a woman entrepreneur?
[00:28:42.300]It's just kind of like, what is it like to breathe?
[00:28:45.170]You know?
[00:28:46.003]It's just this thing that I do.

The screen size you are trying to search captions on is too small!

You can always jump over to MediaHub and check it out there.

Comments

0 Comments

Rural Futures with Dr. Connie Episode 11 Featuring Roberto Gallardo

Description

Searchable Transcript

Comments icon comment

Related Channels

Comments