Sangha of Auspicious Companions

Bridging Urban-Rural Divides

Thomas Schnaubelt, once a rural tree farm kid, noticed a disconnect at Stanford University between students of urban and rural backgrounds. He turned this realization into action by leading efforts to bridge this gap, launching the People, Politics, and Places Fellowship, which sends students to remote communities to engage across the urban-rural divide. His approach challenges stereotypes and fosters empathy, through a mix of curiosity and humility. Jeannette Wang, a Stanford student, discovered this firsthand, as she swapped a corporate internship for farming in Wisconsin one summer. “A lot of the time … the things that I want to get done get done better if I’m talking to people while doing them. Maybe it gets done less fast, but it gets done in a way that is more inclusive of different ideas and is actually in touch with what a broader community of people are interested in,” she reflected. Schnaubelt’s story highlights how exposing oneself to counter-stereotypical information and engaging directly with different communities can reshape mindsets.

Be The Change

Invite someone from a different background over for a meal and exchange stories to foster understanding and connection.