Erica Willard
FOCUS St. Louis^® Intern

Most of us consider just one small part of St. Louis our home. The truth is that all of the St. Louis region is our home. For example, I live in Illinois, but  work and attend college on the other side of the river. On a regular basis I cover miles of highway, interstates and different suburbs in multiple counties across state lines, all are part of metro St. Louis, and are part of my St. Louis. This regional style of living means we need not just  local, but regional systems and organizations to help maintain and promote a positive community. Considering metro St. Louis as a whole, rather than a single municipality, magnifies issues and problems that the community faces. Back in June, FOCUS hosted a forum discussing whether or not the Midwest has what it takes to be a global leader. Experts agreed that the Midwest can achieve global economic leadership if it could strengthen itself at a regional level, instead of as fragmented parts consumed with only their citizens and problems. What are your thoughts on regionalism- is it good or bad? Can we even begin to participate on a global level before becoming stronger as a region?