Honorable Mention

“Our full potential is, as of yet, untapped, and were we to achieve it, we could be a force for progress and economic might in this country. “

My Vision for Wyoming’s Future

Luke Condie

Age 19
Powell, Wyoming
Essay

Wyoming is a confusing place. I have lived here all my life, and I see the beauty of the state, both in nature and in the culture. It's a land of hard work and close-knit communities, where the people are determined, friendly, and good-natured. Education is a high priority, and one well-supported by the law. It's a land of bountiful resources and spectacular landscapes, possessing the oldest national park on Earth. Wyoming is home to a diverse set of wildlife, world-renowned hunting grounds, and a love of the outdoors. And yet, we have far too many faults. Lately, they have been put on full display. Our state's conservatism is holding it back, and it has fallen victim to the culture of hate spreading throughout America. Despite the benefits immigration brings to an agricultural region like ours, Latinx immigrants are often unwelcome, simply because politicians say they are, and Wyoming, die-hard beacon of conservatism that it is, listens. The LGBTQ+ community is persecuted, shown open hostility, and told that we are not welcome. Even the funding of education is threatened by the new wave of far-right politicians influencing current events.

Despite all these struggles, I believe that Wyoming has a bright future ahead of it, if we can only reach out to grasp it. The problem is that our determination also rears its head as stubbornness, and all too often we fight change instead of embracing it. We are a region that values our landscapes, yet we don't care about pollution, and many openly deny climate change. Still, there is a chance for this state. Our full potential is, as of yet, untapped, and were we to achieve it, we could be a force for progress and economic might in this country.

I am a native of Powell, Park County, in the northwest corner of the state. Its main industries are farming and education, but it could be something much more than a farming community with a local college. The land is fertile when irrigated, and despite some rough years, the farming industry is going strong. If the local farmers and co-op expanded and diversified, it could attract workers and bolster the economy. As for the second largest employer, the college, they are currently expanding their reach to become a global university; one of their most notable graduates last year was from Central Asia, and one of my friends, another graduate, is a Muscovite. They have also taken the next step from community college to university by opening up their first four-year degree. The school is easily affordable, with a high quality of education, is possessed of excellent facilities, and has the potential to become a center of learning in the region. With the right planning and outreach, Northwest College could become a diamond in the literal rough: a global university in the middle of a desert in a hidden corner of the Northwest. Lastly, Powell, like much of the state, is blessed with over 300 days of sunlight a year. As fossil fuels die, renewable energy is rising to take their place. If Powell were to harness solar energy, it could see an economic boom, and an influx of new workers to fill the jobs, bringing with them families to bolster the economy and grow the town into a small city, while retaining its rural roots. My hope is that Powell will be able to grow, keeping its culture while losing its hard-line conservatism, and become an amalgamation of the “hard-work” environment and the new age of liberal progressivism and technology.

Powell is situated in a valley in the north of the Bighorn Basin. We are enclosed by Polecat Bench, a flat mesa, and neighboring hills to the north, the McCullough Peaks to the south, Heart Mountain to the west, and more hills to the east. Beyond that are the majestic peaks of the Absaroka and Bighorn ranges. In the ideal future of Wyoming, this natural beauty, inhabited by many species, including the endangered sage grouse, would be preserved for future generations and the benefit of all. As a farming community, we would dedicate ourselves to making the industry more efficient, with research led by a coalition of experienced farmers and scientists from the aforementioned university. Pollutants would be minimized or eliminated through renewable energy and responsible living practices, and children would be taught from a young age, in school and at home, to respect and nurture the land, and to value nature in all its wonder.

In terms of infrastructure, Wyoming has few, if any, large buildings, simply because they are not needed. However, if my dreams for the state became a reality, the new Wyoming would require apartment complexes and possibly even skyscrapers for people to live and work in. These new structures would be designed by master architects capable of creating things of beauty, while following the tenets of environmental design. Wyoming’s power would continue to be tied to that of neighboring states, but would rely more on the sun, wind, and nuclear energy. Our roads would be well-maintained, with new designs put forward for greater comfort, convenience, and harmony with the environments they cross through. Meanwhile, new airports, again built with the environment in mind, would spring up in the major cities to better connect Wyoming with the world.

Most importantly, however, Wyoming must enact its own cultural change. We, like much of the nation, have fallen in line to the culture of intolerance, lies, and persecution put forth by the modern Republican Party. Over 70 percent of the state voted for Trump in 2020, not because he was the Republican candidate, but because he has come to be seen as the Republican Party itself. Any dissent from him is scandalous, and any action against him is treasonous. Just ask Liz Cheney, formerly the third-highest ranking member of the GOP, now a pariah because of her impeachment vote. Beyond Trump’s cult of personality, Wyoming refuses to enact any positive legislative change, and has in fact joined the tide of Republican-led state governments in restricting voting (albeit not to the same degree as, say, Georgia). The LGBTQ+ community is treated as unwelcome and hated, and lately anti-trans legislation has been gaining new steam. This doesn’t have to stay the reality for Wyoming, however. We see ourselves as a no-nonsense, common-sense people, so if actual discussions were held, and the people of Wyoming were made to understand marginalized ethnic, religious, and subcultural communities, the hatred would vanish, replaced by love and acceptance. As for other cultural changes, they simply need someone to start a movement and get some momentum. This will become easier and easier in the future, as people are moving in from other, more liberal regions year by year. In addition, if the changes listed in previous paragraphs were put into place, this process would rapidly accelerate. As for Trump’s pollution of the conservative populace, I believe that all we can do is simply wait for him to be cut off from office long enough to be an irrelevance.

As for my place in this new Wyoming, my ambitions and desire for change lead me to believe that a governorship would be in order. After all, someone has to push for change, and pull it to the forefront. My nativity, talent for business, intelligence, status as a public figure, and willingness to reach over to the other side and talk would be useful tools in climbing the political ladder to the highest office in the state. From that position, I could reshape Wyoming into a beacon of advancement and economic strength, and, as a liberal governor of a staunchly conservative state, begin to bridge the gap between the two parties.

Were I to end up in my ideal life situation, I would hold several simultaneous careers. Most of the time I would be writing, mainly novels and short stories, and managing my planned business, an association of writers pooling their resources and talents. Ideally, I would be able to do some light acting (mainly vocal, but possibly some visual performances) on the side, as a sort of paid hobby. I would also love to be a professor of history, but writing, acting, and my business would leave no time for that. Instead, I may occasionally hold lectures and seminars, and possibly speak at conferences if I have time apart from my career and family. In my free time, I would spend my days exercising, reading, watching my favorite shows and films, and, most importantly, spending time with my family. We would take trips together, watch our favorite TV shows and movies, and discuss our favorite topics. During the summer, we would take trips all over the world, to the most beautiful and historic places on the planet. For the holidays, we would gather with relations, and reinforce the bonds of family. Of course, I’ll always need my personal time. For that, I’ll have books, exercising, and business trips.

To build this future will take determination, cooperation, and a willingness to accept progress and change; no mean feat in such a stubborn region. Old grievances will need to be put aside, along with outdated notions and the struggle against the modern age that too often plagues conservative states. However, all the ingredients for change and progress are already here; we need but come together to bring those concepts to fruition. Once we do, the quality of life and reputation of Wyoming will increase dramatically, as will our influence and position. We will be an example of progress and an ideal for other states to model themselves off of, as opposed to the old-fashioned, stubborn state we are now; one stereotyped as backwards and far-right. Unfortunately, it is a label that we do little to overcome. That can all change, however, if we are only open to the possibility. Wyoming was once a beacon of equality, as the first territory and state to grant women's suffrage in the midst of systematic sexism. Now, we can be a beacon of progress in the midst of legislative gridlock and division.