Ideas to Impact: Ada Jobs Foundation at the Rural Innovation Network Annual Summit
By: Sunnie Dawn Baker
On May 7-9, the Rural Innovation Network (RIN) hosted its fourth annual summit in Red Wing, Minnesota, the home of Red Wing Ignite, a successful economic development organization focused on building regional tech entrepreneurship. Two staff members from the Ada Jobs Foundation, Daniel Castañeda and Sunnie Dawn Baker, attended to gain valuable information and insights for their work in local economic development.
Organizations, especially those operating within rural spaces, consider opportunities like “Ideas to Impact” crucial. Castañeda and Baker learned not only from the speakers and panelists, but also from the other participants, deepening bonds with other RIN communities like Red Wing, Minnesota, Portsmouth, Ohio, and Taos, New Mexico. These connections build a support structure across the country, which is necessary for work in rural development, especially when trying to engage in innovation and tech entrepreneurship. Challenges faced by rural communities are distinct from those in urban areas; coming together allows us to figure out how to collaborate and share ideas to grow our economies.
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