First in Future

Dec 15, 2020

First in Future: The Doughnut Hole (part 3) – Chris Fitzsimon and John Hood

In the final part of our three-part series on NC’s political center, we talk with Chris Fitzsimon, Director and Publisher of The Newsroom and John Hood, President of the John William Pope Foundation, both two long-time political observers who see the state from the left and right. Are the two major political parties too far apart to get anything done? Are people in the center a dwindling minority or a silent majority? 

Dec 8, 2020

First in Future: The Doughnut Hole (part 2) – Page Lemel and Mike Hawkins

North Carolina’s fastest growing group of voters are “unaffiliated.” About 1/3 of those registered don’t register with any party. That should mean that there’s a big group of voters open-minded, and ready to vote on issues, not politics, or for the person vs. the party, or for candidates running closer to the “center." Right? Well, based on the experience of Page Lemel and Mike Hawkins, two long-time elected officials from Transylvania County, maybe not. This is part 2 of our First in Future series “Doughnut Hole: Is NC’s Center Disappearing?” 

Dec 1, 2020

First in Future: The Doughnut Hole (part 1) – Mebane Rash

NC has a long history of governing from something more or less resembling a middle. But this election season the state appeared to divide people more extremely into one party camp vs. the other. What came out of it was what looks like divided government for the foreseeable future. Our three part series looks at a question from three different angles, with a series called “Doughnut Hole: Is NC’s Center Disappearing?” In Part 1, First In Future talks with Education NC CEO Mebane Rash. Is what she calls “relationship-based politics” the way forward? Or is it coffee? 

Nov 24, 2020

First in Future: North Carolina’s Poet Laureate – Jaki Shelton Green

This episode of First in Future, we hear from North Carolina's Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green. She speaks to our hearts with a message about our personal power to connect to something important within ourselves and to the power we have in common cause with each other. She noted that historically pandemics have been times for radical change and a chance to move through a gateway to new kinds of thinking. We wanted you to hear her words with the message that she called "harvesting light and grace", as you go over the river and through the woods for the holidays or even if you're staying at home. This holiday season. These are words of healing and hope. 

Nov 17, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 3) – Zachary Barricklow

This is part three of a three episode series of First in Future, where we focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. In the final part of our special focus on what transforms a place we live into a true community, we talk with Zach Barricklow of Wilkes Community College about the regional approach Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties are taking to build off of their collective assets (especially high speed internet) to hold on to young people, retrain adults and attract new residents to the area. 

Nov 10, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 2) – Dante Pittman

This is part of a three episode series of First in Future, where we want to focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. Small towns everywhere complain about "brain drain", young educated people who move away for college and don't come back. In the second part of our series on what makes the places we live special, we talk with Dante Pittman, who chose to move back home to Wilson, NC, with the help of a new effort called "Lead for North Carolina." And we explore the question: how do we retain and retrain and stop brain drain? 

Nov 3, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 1) – Caroline Parker

This is part of a three episode series of First in Future, where we want to focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. This episode starts with the story of Hayesville, NC, in the far western corner of the state, and we talk with Caroline Parker of Education NC about her new series, "Anchored in Hayesville," about how the people in that community are working together to maintain their uniqueness and strength in a town that is "two hours from everywhere." 

Oct 27, 2020

First in Future: Mike Ward and Deanna Townsend-Smith

This First in Future episode's guests are, Mike Ward, the former state superintendent of public instruction and chair of the steering committee for the NC Education Corps and Deanna Townsend-Smith is director of operations and policy for the State Board of Education. 

Oct 20, 2020

First in Future: Alicia James

This First in Future episode guest is Alicia James, Institute for Emerging Issues Program and Policy Manager. 

Oct 13, 2020

First in Future: Maggie Woods

Recently, many have been trying to help our kids with digital homework, or our local government officials have been trying to figure out how to make our community more accessible or competitive in this digital world. This First in Future episode's guest is the Institute for Emerging Issues' own Maggie Woods, Policy and Program Manager, who is looking at the idea of "digital inclusion." She explores what a difference it can make for our state to take full advantage of high speed