Reading, Writing, and Teaching the Rust Belt: Co-creating Regional Humanities Ecosystems

The Rust Belt is often overlooked as "flyover" country and part of a dead, industrial past. Through the act of storytelling, we'll pull the Rust Belt into the dynamic present by focusing on the importance of regional storytelling and sense of place. Participants leave with new tools to equip their students to shape the future of the Rust Belt, identify and contribute to social solutions, and reimagine the role of the humanities within this sphere. Our work can be a model for ways to use the humanities to find new solutions and empower our students to become more productive citizens.