How 'Writing the Range' Is Changing Classrooms and Communities Across America

'Writing the Range' isn’t just a book—it’s a movement. Adopted in college courses and high schools nationwide, it’s helping a new generation see the West as a place of diversity, struggle, and hope. Teachers use its essays and poetry to open conversations about race, gender, and belonging. Students are encouraged to find their own family’s stories, interview elders, and question old myths.

Outside the classroom, the book has inspired community projects: oral history archives, public murals, and cultural festivals that celebrate the lives of women often left out of the history books. In some cities, descendants of the women featured in the book now lead storytelling workshops and activism campaigns. Policymakers have cited research from the book in debates over land rights, education reform, and public memory.

The message is clear: history belongs to everyone, and everyone has a story to tell. If you want to help build a more inclusive community, start by listening—and telling—the stories that matter.