Midwest Crisis: The Introduction
Welcome to Midwest Crisis!
As a twenty-something in Nebraska, I often look around at events and wonder where some of the people I know are – just to remember that they’ve moved out of the state. Just about as often, I consider doing the same. And at least once a week, I find myself in a conversation about the number of people moving away.
So – what’s going on?
This is Midwest Crisis, a project to explore the choices of people who are deciding to move away, as well as those who are deciding to stay.
I’m Hannah Michelle Bussa, the “host” of this project. While I currently live in Nebraska, I’m not sure I can really say I’ve made the choice to stay here, as much as I’ve just ended up here - at least for now.
I used to joke that being a young person here means making friends just to watch them move away. I thought this was just a normal part of being this age - until “brain drain” became more of a buzzword in Nebraska in recent years.
Brain Drain - The Research
“Brain drain” is the departure of educated people from a place. Typically, this means those with bachelor’s degrees or higher.
Some research has been done on this in Nebraska, but it has been fairly limited. The lack of research makes sense - thorough research is nearly impossible, given the number of people moving away and the limited ability to reconnect with a representative sample of them, even for surveys.
Nebraska’s Exit Survey from 2020 is usually brought up as the best research to reference, especially in professional settings when the topic of brain drain comes up. This was done by the Greater Omaha Chamber’s Young Professional Council and the Center for Public Affairs Research at UNO.
Out of the available research, this is the most robust I have seen – the survey asked about professional development, culture, health, and other factors for actual reasons why people are moving away.
However, it has its limitations. The survey was primarily distributed through LinkedIn, or other social media/connections to the members on the Young Professionals Council at the time.
This isn’t to put down this survey in any way - they note these limitations, and included a statement I quite agree with: “Yet, the interest in population decline, brain drain, and workforce shortages in Nebraska is great enough to warrant any effort to understand why people leave.”
While that survey was from 2020, brain drain is a continued topic in Nebraska - and the focus is finally starting to expand from just those with a college degree. At the end of 2023, a UNO study showed that brain drain is “persistent and worsening” – and it also flagged that young people without bachelor’s degrees are leaving the state.
The Stories Behind the Research
As a young person in Nebraska, I’ve always wanted to have deeper research available, with more people’s stories centered in this conversation.
There have been a few articles here and there taking that approach, like this article from Nebraska Public Media after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
However, overall, people don’t really have a space to share these stories.
This, of course, includes the stories of people moving away: While many politicians blame brain drain on property taxes, not a single friend of mine who has moved has even mentioned that on their way out. So collectively, I think there is a deeper story to tell. I also care about each individual’s choices and stories about their moves.
And – I think this conversation also includes the stories of people who are choosing to stay, or moving here: Growing as a twenty-something is difficult when your support system keeps moving away. Personally, every few years, a large enough number of my friends and acquaintances have moved away that I have had to rebuild my social networks and support system. Through conversations with my small number of friends who haven’t moved away, I know I’m not alone in this experience.
While the conversation of this “midwest crisis” typically focuses on young people - mostly recent college grads under 30 - many of the people I’ve known who’ve moved don’t quite fit into the box of “brain drain.” I’ve had younger friends who haven’t gone to or finished college, and acquaintances, bosses, and mentors over 30 who have moved as well.
The interviews in this Midwest Crisis project will include stories of people who do fit the “brain drain” box – many of my college classmates did, indeed, move after graduation – but it will also include the stories of people who are typically left out of this conversation, as they don’t quite fit the label of “brain drain.” (For me, Nebraska still feels different without them here.)
Midwest Crisis - What to Expect
I want to hold as much space for these conversations as possible.
To begin, I’ve interviewed some people I know personally who have moved away, as well as a few people I know who have chosen to stay in Nebraska.
If the project grows, I would love to expand these interviews beyond people I know personally, as well as beyond Nebraska – while I know a bit more about the topic here, as I understand it, many Midwestern states have similar numbers of people moving away. (If you’re interested, please email hanmichelleb@gmail.com!)
Each post will include an interview, written in Q&A format to preserve the person’s responses in their own wording.
Each interview will feature a similar set of questions, to see if any themes may arise - but I’m also including more specific questions for each person, to keep the series interesting to read.
I’m hoping these interviews will broaden the conversation on brain drain by allowing people a space to share their stories. I plan to have as many diverse perspectives included as possible.
I think some people write off this topic entirely, assuming that it’s only the most privileged who get the opportunity to move. While a level of socioeconomic privilege is a factor in being able to move, other people are moving as well – I want to share many perspectives, and I plan to give space to people who feel like they have to move, for their safety and wellbeing, to highlight these stories as well.
I hope these stories will connect people – whether you’re reading from Nebraska with no desire to move, from the Midwest with the goal of moving this year, from another state wishing to move back to Nebraska, from a coastal town someplace feeling guilty about leaving loved ones, from NYC crushing your career goals, or any story in between.
For now, I’m planning to post an interview every Friday!
If I start to get more people interested in being interviewed, I might start posting two days a week – but I’m also coordinating this project by myself and people are quite busy – so if I don’t post some Friday, just remember: I also have a full time job outside of this and I’m trying my best.
On a Personal Note
This project is much bigger than me, and I don’t want the focus to be on me. However, I feel like I should share a bit about where I’m coming from with this topic, to keep things transparent from the beginning.
This topic is almost always on my mind. Honestly, I question moving just about every day.
I constantly try to balance the idea of moving with all of the dynamics that play into reasons why people move - and how I fit into them. I try to remind myself that my belief in freedom of movement includes me – but that doesn’t mean it’s not complicated.
I’m usually quite tough on myself - trying to be intentional about the space I take up with the privileges I have, while learning to try to take space in areas of my identity and life that I should.
When it comes to potentially moving, I try to balance the guilt of leaving people behind, the potential ability I have to do so, and the absolute gut feeling I have that I do not belong here.
I’m looking forward to sharing these interviews with you, because some of the answers people have had about these topics have been eye opening for me!
While I have family in Nebraska, none of us were born here (besides my little sister). So, I don’t feel particularly tied to Nebraska - it’s not really home, and it’s never quite felt like it.
I’m not necessarily against staying in Nebraska - and I don’t want this project to read as an advertisement for moving away.
But I do want to feel like I’ve made the choice to live wherever I am living. And I want other people to feel that way, too.
Welcome to Midwest Crisis. I’m glad you’re here - wherever you are.
Whether you’re someone who believes we should bloom where we’re planted, or you’re someone who’s always thought the grass seems greener someplace else, I hope you can find something out of this project that resonates with you.
I do want to add here that I am coordinating this project by myself. While I like writing for free, life is expensive, and I am trying to be better about advocating for myself in terms of getting paid for the work I do. I believe this information is important, so ultimately, I did not put it behind a paywall to get started. However, if you are in a position where you can financially support this project, that would be greatly appreciated! My Venmo is @hanmichelleb. If you cannot financially support the project at this time, it is also helpful to subscribe to this Substack and share these posts!
Look for the first interview with a special guest tomorrow, Friday, January 12!
Be sure to subscribe and/or follow @hannahmichelleb on Instagram so you don’t miss a post!
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.
Subscribe and follow @hannahmichelleb on Instagram so you don’t miss a post!
To financially support the project: Venmo @hanmichelleb.
Do you want to be interviewed for this project? Please email hanmichelleb@gmail.com! Note: each interviewee will be sent a draft of their post to approve before it is posted here.
You can also subscribe to my other Substack here:
I am so looking forward to this series!