Working Waterfront

A commissioner for changing times

By Rob Snyder When Patrick Keliher assumes his place at the front of the room, he does so humbly. His smile projects calm, his eyes look knowingly from behind wire rimmed glasses, and his jeans and flannel shirt are unassuming. He has the perfect presence to serve as Maine’s commissioner… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

That moment when everyone asks, ‘Who’s next?’

By Rob Snyder Phil Whitney has a lot to say about the history of Great Cranberry Island. He and his wife Karin, along with others from the community who have dedicated thousands of volunteer hours, developed the Cranberry House, a historical society that celebrates the island’s past, and as importantly,… SEE MORE

A scenic view of an island off Scotland.

Working Waterfront

It’s time for a national islands act

By Rob Snyder I couldn’t help but find the timing appropriate. Five years ago, the Island Institute added the banner “Strengthening Communities” to our website. And late last month, I found myself being escorted—by a bagpiper, no less—to a keynote speaking engagement at the second “Strengthening Communities Conference” in the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Leaders: are they born or unleashed?

By Rob Snyder Leadership, I learned at a young age, was a trait you inherited at birth. Or you didn’t. I am fortunate to have come from a family that instilled in me the expectation, supported with a lot of loving communication, that someday, I would lead something. In my… SEE MORE

Warning sign on Islesboro at Broad Point Preserve.

Working Waterfront

The Lyme threat, and how islands are responding

By Jack Sullivan The threat of Lyme disease presents complications that leave many of us flummoxed, but thankfully, Mainers—especially islanders—are problem solvers by necessity. Many of the challenges mainland communities face are exacerbated when faced by an island. Some of this is obvious. Of course it’s harder to get a… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

How do we bring a feminist approach to our work?

By Rob Snyder My daughter’s favorite new baseball cap has nothing to do with sports. It is light blue with the word “Feminist” embroidered across the front in hot pink. Her enthusiasm for the feminist movement is exciting to me, but according to her, it is cause for concern, confusion, and fear… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

How the community can respond to climate change

By Rob Snyder Communities are largely absent from national discussions of how to address climate change. Instead they are featured as victims. As a result, we are missing a major opportunity to navigate our way out of this crisis. National conversations highlight how the ocean is warming and becoming more… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Displaced people finding a home in Middle East crossroads

ROB SNYDER Sand and sky as seen in the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan. By Rob Snyder I recently spent a week with a Jordanian friend touring his country. I learned that Jordanians have lived at the center of waves of people and commerce, of politics and art, religions, deserts… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Building for change: Focusing on community partnerships

The Maine coast is changing with the seasons. Winter is approaching, the summer community has left, and as columnist Barb Fernald noted, we are “reclining” in to the long winter. According to the Island Institute’s new Waypoints: Livelihoods publication, during this time of year on the islands, communities experience a drop in… SEE MORE

The late afternoon sun strikes a brick building in Eastport.

Working Waterfront

Let’s understand our rural communities as islands

I believe the number of islands in the U.S. is growing, and here’s why. Across rural America people are feeling isolated—remote, beyond the care and concern of others, cut off from the rest of society. People living in rural communities feel like their futures are subject to forces beyond their… SEE MORE