Midwest Crisis: Kamrin Baker moving to Colorado
“Nearly any American city is going to have the same problems Omaha has, but what we love about Colorado is the emphasis on our interests.”
Kamrin Baker is planning to move to Colorado in early summer of 2024.
Kamrin and her partner have wanted to move to Colorado for years. Her partner lived there for a few years during childhood, her dad lived there for a time, and they’ve visited about five times throughout their nearly decade-long relationship. She says it just feels like home.
That being said, the past couple of years have definitely made it feel like this is the right time for her to move. Part of this is just part of growing up and starting to make enough money for a life transition like this, but she shares that it’s also felt especially desirable to leave Nebraska with the increasing concerns in legislation that she cares about - like both pregnant people and trans youth losing bodily autonomy.
Kamrin shares that this comes with a feeling of guilt, “like we’re running away from the problem or not doing our part to solve it,” but she knows that this move is something her and her partner have talked about for years – and for her especially, having spent over 25 years living in Omaha, she thinks it’s time for a change in general.
Hannah: What makes you want to move out of Nebraska?
Kamrin: Gosh, there are so many factors! One, yes, politics. My partner is a non-binary person of color, and I have a lot more privilege as a straight-passing queer, cis white woman, but frankly neither of us feel safe outside of our little inclusive Omaha bubble. I will certainly miss the lower cost of living, but I work entirely remotely with a media company, and many of my friends don’t even live in Nebraska/my immediate community, so it doesn’t feel like I’m leaving *that much* behind. I will also miss my immediate family, but we don’t see each other too often anyway, and I’m excited to be moving somewhere within driving distance.
Another reason we’re moving is due to our experiences with renting our current apartment. We’ve had a number of horrific maintenance issues, and while our rent is currently very affordable, it will not stay that way within the next six months, and we figured we’d rather live somewhere we *really* want to live and pay what will end up being just a couple hundred more dollars a month. Of course, we understand the immense privilege of that, but it was very much a part of the decision-making process. There are certainly some great housing options in Omaha — I will not deny that it is one of the most affordable, yet still pretty decent options in the region — but we are exhausted navigating the rental scene in a city that doesn’t excite us and doesn’t provide a lot of community through proximity. (ie: We have to drive at least 10-15 minutes to visit friends in other neighborhoods, go to engaging community spots, etc.)
Another reason we want to move out of Nebraska (specifically TO Colorado) is because of the lifestyle. Nearly any American city is going to have the same problems Omaha has, but what we love about Colorado is the emphasis on our interests. We are big dog people and love how dog-friendly the state is, love the opportunities for outdoor activities (like, I am a Memorial Park stan until I die, but I’m very excited to have OTHER nearby parks to visit when we move), and although CO does seem to be the brewery capital of the world, as non-drinkers, we’ve been immensely impressed by how many non-drinking or NA-conscious spaces there are in the Denver area. (CO also has legal weed, which my partner is especially excited about, from both a medical and recreational standpoint, lol).
I have loved seeing Omaha grow in some of these areas in recent years, but having lived here my whole life, I know that my growth is outpacing the city, and it’s time to move on. Plus, it’ll be extra fun to come back and visit, knowing what improvements will (hopefully) be made in the future!
Hannah: What will you do for work/education where you’re moving? Would you have that opportunity in Nebraska?
Kamrin: I will be continuing my fully remote writing/editing job. I have had this job for two years now and am thrilled to be able to do the exact same work. [It is] a fully remote job and I did not find it because I lived in NE or had specific opportunities in NE.
Hannah: Is that the main way you meet people?
Kamrin: This is a tricky question, because I would consider all of my colleagues friends, but with a distributed team across the US, it’s not necessarily my main form of socialization. Most of our friends now are people we’ve met through proximity (friends from high school and college, former neighbors or coworkers turned friends, people I know through the creative community, etc.) I would also say I meet people through Instagram a lot, which has already connected me to folks in Colorado!
Hannah: How are you planning to build a community or support system once you move?
Kamrin: I am moving with my partner, so I’m glad we’ll at least have our little island to support each other. Like I said, I’ve made a few friends/acquaintances through social media, and my partner has a few cousins and extended family members in the state. Mostly, I am eager to meet people in the dog-owner community, but I’ve also gotten more engaged with community organizations on social media, like book stores that hold community events, mutual aid and community action groups, etc. In the pursuit of moving/info-gathering for moving, I’ve also asked a lot of questions in Facebook groups and on Instagram, and while I wouldn’t say they’ve connected me to any lifelong friends or close-knit communities, they are a great tool for knowing where to look.
I think one thing I’ve learned a lot in my visits to the area is how open people are to community in CO. There are more opportunities to lean into your interests — for example, my partner is a big mechanical keyboard fan and loves building them/collecting them, and there are keyboard meetups with other people who share that interest. In Nebraska, that’s just not really a thing.
Hannah: When it comes to politics where you are moving to, where is energy spent?
Kamrin: It seems like Colorado is in a place of trying to make progress. Because energy is not being spent on blocking harmful bills, legislators have been able to pass more meaningful laws — one that immediately comes to mind is CO Rep. Brianna Titone’s Right to Repair bill that passed in 2023 - the first of its kind in the area that allows farmers the right to repair their equipment. (Rep. Titone is also a trans woman and I love that she can focus her energy on meaningful legislation that doesn’t just have to do with her gender identity).
I am also really eager to get involved in climate work — because of the outdoorsy nature of CO, there is a lot of on-the-ground work being done to steward public lands in meaningful ways, protect wildlife, etc. I have not yet gotten involved in those areas, mostly because a lot of my energy is still being spent on the logistics of the move — while still being an engaged Nebraska citizen in the meantime — but something that really excites me is building and maintaining inclusive communities (I see Colorado Springs as a great example - the city itself is not the most progressive but there are amazing pockets of LGBTQ+ activists especially that deserve more support) and actually being able to work in areas that get little attention in Nebraska because we’re all so busy trying to maintain human rights.
Hannah: How affordable actually is it for you to move out of Nebraska?
Kamrin: This is definitely the biggest challenge for our move. I make a pretty average/modest salary, and my partner is an hourly service industry worker without benefits. We are finally at a point where we are making enough to move out of Omaha, but it is being done on a lot of savings that I’ve accumulated over the years, meaning I’ve had the privilege to actually save some of my income every month, which I know is not the case for many people.
We are still working on the housing component of the move, but I’d just say to prepare to downsize and pay more in rent. It’s unfortunately the nature of the beast when moving out of a relatively affordable city. My partner and I will be “roommates,” though it has been recommended to us to get a third roommate to save on rent (but we’ve lived together for five years and that is simply not happening lol). I’m not 100% sure on healthcare and groceries at this moment in time, but I do know that the state’s Medicaid program is supposed to be excellent, and even in my few visits, I have been really impressed by the opportunities for fresh farmer’s markets/stands, CSA programs, etc. One major adjustment we’re anxious to make is that we likely won’t be in as close of proximity to places like Hy-Vee and Target (King Soopers, let’s gooooo!), meaning we’ll need to adjust our habits to buy more things in bulk, plan ahead, etc.
However, I am also really excited that eating out will hopefully look more like visiting local restaurants rather than swinging through a drive-thru on Dodge St.
Hannah: How about opportunities to explore outside of work - are these actually affordable?
Kamrin: Omg yes, so many! State and national parks are especially accessible in Colorado - just buying a pass for the year will allow us to access almost endless recreational activities. We do also know that buying gear (snow shoes, winter clothing, etc) will be an additional cost, but I am impressed by the secondhand markets in the area and am excited to explore affordable options for our little starter outdoor gear collection.
There are a lot of great art-specific neighborhoods/districts, thrifting/shopping, specialty interest stores and communities, etc. My partner is excited by all of the skate parks, and we’re of course excited to explore dog parks, too - all of which are FREE or have minimal fees like $3 day passes for dogs or an annual permit. We plan to live in an area just outside of Denver, so knowing that we can easily drive into the city, or drive toward the mountains is an added bonus. We have talked at length about how many cool weekend road trips are in our future, knowing they’re just 3-4 hours away, instead of 12 or 15 like they would be if we were coming from Omaha.
Hannah: What do you think it might be like to adjust to the size of the city you’re moving to?
Kamrin: I’m not too worried about this — since we plan to live just outside of Denver, the area we’ll be in will likely have Omaha-adjacent vibes. I will definitely have to adjust to traffic on the interstate and driving in a more heavily populated state (and in the mountains!) but since we will still be in the west/midwest, I am not too worried.
Hannah: What else do you plan on adjusting to in your new place?
Kamrin: This is something I’m still thinking about too — weather/climate is a big one, as well as normal life logistics like finding new healthcare providers, figuring out things like getting my CO license, licensing our dog in the state, finding a vet/getting him his vaccines, etc.
Hannah: What might help someone else who is also considering moving out of Nebraska?
Kamrin: I haven’t moved yet, so I’m still in this place BUT I really wish there was just a guide that’s like “here’s everything you need to consider if you’re moving to Colorado.” I’ve crowd-sourced a lot of information and done a lot of research on my own, but once I’m settled, I’d love to just create a Notion page or a deck that has all the links someone might need (like find your nearest DMV or how to sign up for a CSA food program or library card, etc).
I will also say I recently discovered the website findhelp.org and you can put in your new zip code (once you know it) and find, like, an endless list of resources for food, housing, legal assistance, job assistance, etc. I will definitely be utilizing that as I look for resources during the transition.
Kamrin encourages you to follow @goodgoodgoodco on Instagram - she is proud of the work she does, and most of it ends up there! She is also on Venmo: Kamrin-Baker.
Midwest Crisis is a new project from Hannah Michelle Bussa. People are leaving the state of Nebraska, but research on the topic is limited. Join Hannah as she interviews individuals with various perspectives on their choices - to move and to stay - each week this spring.
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