Residents reflect on belonging, bias and what it means to feel welcome at recent listening sessions
By David Escobar
This spring, North Country Public Radio and the Adirondack Explorer hosted a series of community listening sessions across the Adirondack Park. At each stop, locals gathered to talk about the region’s diversity, or lack thereof, and what it might take to create a more inclusive region.
The events are part of a multi-year reporting project focused on race, disability, indigenous history and culture and LGBTQ+ issues in the Adirondacks, and what can be done to make the region more welcoming.
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These are some of the key themes that emerged.
‘This is not a community for me’
In Old Forge, housing dominated the conversation. The town depends heavily on seasonal tourism, but service workers often struggle to find places they can afford to live. Several attendees pointed to a failed housing proposal from two years ago—a plan that would have added 52 mixed-income apartments to the area.
The proposal was ultimately struck down, in part due to community concerns about outsiders moving in, including refugees from Utica. The backlash still stirs strong emotions, especially among younger residents who have tried to build lives in the area.
“We’re very much an insular community,” said Dan Kiefer-Bach, who lives in Eagle Bay. “When that [project] fell apart and in the fashion that it did, it signaled to me that this is not a community for me.”
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Locals also raised concerns about the rising cost of housing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought a surge of new buyers and drove up real estate prices. Longtime residents and newcomers said they are being increasingly priced out.
“This is a great place to live,” said Old Forge resident Don Kelly. “It’s a hard place to make a living, especially if you’ve got a family and kids.
Full archived recordings of each listening session can be found here.
The limits of community
Across the listening sessions, people spoke about the tight-knit nature of many Adirondack towns, which contain communities built on deep, multigenerational roots.
Haleigh Brannon, a seventh-generation Adirondacker, grew up in Minerva before moving away. Now married, she returned last year to be closer to family. She said the town’s spirit of resilience and neighborliness is unlike anything she has seen elsewhere.
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“I wish everyone could get to experience and see that because it’s really special, and it’s rare in this country,” said Brannon.
Still, for newcomers or those who do not fit the traditional mold of an Adirondack local, a warm welcome is not guaranteed. Alongside ongoing questions about who counts as a “native” or a “transplant,” several residents said class divisions are also a barrier to inclusion.
“We have a very diverse community,” said North River resident Judy Brown. “We have people that are well-to-do, retiring up here with their second homes, and we have a very poor community.”
Sharon Barker, also from North River, said that when people talk about inclusion in the Adirondacks, there are two issues that need to be addressed.
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“One is attracting people to live here, and one is making people feel welcome recreating here,” Barker said. “And those intersect, but they’re not the same thing.”
Others said the region needs to offer more entry points for outdoor recreation, especially for young people. Some hoped that by helping visitors engage with the Park more deeply, they might eventually consider staying long-term.
Grappling with hostility
The final listening session was held in Tupper Lake, just weeks after federal immigration officials detained nine undocumented workers at a local sawmill. Attendees said the raid has had a chilling effect, prompting some foreign-born residents, particularly in the service industry, to keep a lower profile out of fear.
Other residents pointed to a deeper discomfort: the racism they have seen and experienced in town. Confederate flags and derogatory signs have been reported in Tupper Lake in the past, with some believing bigoted feelings continue to linger.
At all three sessions, participants grappled with the nature of exclusion in their towns, considering whether it stems from local culture, broader national divisions or both. One recurring idea was the role schools can play in shaping a more inclusive future among young Adirondackers.
Drew Benware, a teacher at Saranac Lake Central School, said educators have a role to play in teaching acceptance but that the burden cannot fall on them alone.
“Teachers are in contact with students for six hours a day, if that,” Benware said. “All the conversations that we have with them can be undone around the dinner table. The family environment is really what shapes the children.”
NCPR and the Explorer will continue to report on these themes—looking at how Adirondack communities are trying to grow more welcoming, and the roadblocks they are still facing.
David Escobar is a Report For America Corps Member. He reports on diversity issues in the Adirondacks through a partnership between North Country Public Radio and Adirondack Explorer.
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Over a month ago, editor Melissa Hart responded to an inquiry, and assured readers that we would be able to hear recordings of the discussions that took place at these three sessions. Since then however, ,I’ve seen nothing further.
Meanwhile David, you reported on a separate meeting of senior citizens in Johnsburg, who are frustrated over the lack of attention being paid to their problems and looking for what they can possibly do themselves to help seniors in need of help.
Now this current article has you back to summarizing the content of those first three “community listening” sessions., but no further mention about the access Melissa’s promised us.
I’m confused by all of this. Additionally, I’m bewildered by the lack of greater interest by Adk. Ex/Al, beyond some references byTim Rowland, that is being paid to the myriad problems senior citizens are struggling with. The elderly make up a fourth of the Adirondack population -and growing. yet the social safety net which ALL seniors must rely upon – sooner or later – is insufficient to their needs!
Shouldn’t the attention we give to making this region more welcoming begin with keeping our seniors safe and healthy? Our friends and neighbors deserve better than to be left isolated, lacking adequate resources, and struggling just to remain here?
Thanks for the reminder, Lou. David is off for a couple of days but when he’s back we’ll work to get those recordings posted!
At 74yo, I believe that makes me a senior. I guess I’m missing the point with the “social safety net”. I had to look it up, “A social safety net refers to government programs designed to protect individuals and families from poverty and economic hardship. These programs provide a range of benefits, including financial assistance, healthcare, food security, and housing support, aiming to ensure a minimum standard of living for those in need”. In other words, in the US it’s primarily Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SSI (supplemental security income), and on and on. Just research what is available in New York state. New York State offers several social safety net programs for seniors, including financial assistance, healthcare coverage, and support services. These programs aim to help seniors maintain their independence, access essential resources, and improve their quality of life.
Financial Assistance:
Social Security: Provides retirement income.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Offers financial assistance to low-income individuals aged 65 or older, blind, or disabled.
New York State Supplement Program (SSP): Supplements SSI benefits for eligible individuals.
Safety Net Assistance (SNA): Provides cash assistance to individuals and families who don’t qualify for other temporary assistance programs.
Food Stamps (SNAP): Helps low-income individuals afford nutritious food.
Healthcare Coverage:
Medicare:
.
Federally funded program providing health insurance to seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Medicaid:
.
Jointly funded state and federal program providing health coverage to low-income individuals and families, including seniors.
Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program (EISEP):
.
Provides in-home and supportive services to help seniors remain in their homes.
Support Services:
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP): Helps low-income households pay for heating costs.
Nutrition programs: Offer meals and nutrition counseling to seniors at community centers.
Reduced fare transportation (MetroCards): Seniors over 65 can get half-fare MetroCards for public transportation.
Lifeline: Offers reduced-rate phone services.
Housing assistance: Includes property tax exemptions and affordable housing options.
Legal assistance: Provides support and advocacy for seniors facing legal issues.
Elder abuse prevention programs: Help protect seniors from abuse and neglect.
Senior employment and volunteer opportunities: Encourage seniors to remain active and engaged.
Local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs): Provide a range of services, including home-delivered meals, congregate meals, and case management, according to the Office for the Aging (.gov).
Additional Resources:
New York State Assembly Guide to Senior Citizen Programs: Provides a comprehensive overview of senior programs.
Office for the Aging: Offers resources and information on aging-related services.
NY Medicaid: Provides information on Medicaid programs and eligibility.
Hunger Solutions New York: Offers resources on SNAP and other nutrition programs.
Legal Services NYC: Provides legal assistance to low-income New Yorkers.
What more is needed?
Hi, Lou! I’ve added a link above to a Google Drive folder that contains the full, unedited recordings.
I agree…where is focus on people living there ..taking care of these areas for generations..and not people who sneak into our country..take care of original residents first..the adirondaks should never become slum towns…that outsiders dont take care of or respect
And we will continue to “undone” most of your un intelligent social engineering leftist ideology. ADKs are fine. Go away.
Mike, did you mean “We will continue to undo much of your unintelligent, leftist social engineering ideology.”? Asking for a friend.
“Others said the region needs to offer more entry points for outdoor recreation, especially for young people. Some hoped that by helping visitors engage with the Park more deeply, they might eventually consider staying long-term”. Really, must be only in the high peaks that needs more entry points. Most of the trail heads in the non-high peak areas are under used. “Engage with the Park more deeply”. Such nonsense, if there are limited employment opportunities, no affordable housing available who can move here? Only the wealthy and wealthy retirees. “Engaging more deeply” doesn’t pay the bills.