Of all of the regions of the United States, the Midwest is often the most forgotten and the least loved. The phrase “from sea to shining sea” does little to highlight our corner of the country, and people generally don’t consider the Great Plains to be an ecological wonder.

There are reasons for this hatred. One of the most common is the belief that Midwesterners are more bigoted and racist than citizens of other regions, a claim that has some merit. An NPR podcast explains that there can be fairly severe segregation in rural towns of Illinois or Indiana, leading to less racial awareness and more overt racism.

But it’s more than just an unwelcome feeling. The Midwest is often known for its lack of excitement, beauty or charm. If you’ve ever lived in an Illinois suburb, you understand this feeling well. A small, boring town with plenty of large parking lots, grocery stores, strip malls and not much else was the environment that many of us grew up with. This means that kids often have to make their own fun, which can be exhausting.

No matter the reason, this Midwestern shame has created an inferiority complex in the region. Forbes describes how cities like Detroit, Pittsburgh and Cleveland are often associated with mistakes and economic failure, with even Chicago sometimes being described as lesser than cities like New York City or Los Angeles.

This lack of support creates a vicious cycle. Brain drain is a process in which more educated people migrate away from their places of origin, hurting their community’s ecosystem. And from 1970 to 2017, states in the Rust Belt region, like Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin, have consistently lost their smarter citizens.

But there are positives for the Midwest, too. 

For starters, those from the Great Plains are consistently considered the friendliest and most conventional, alongside the South. While it may seem like a small consolation compared to economic success, a strong sense of community is just as important.

Furthermore, the Midwest is aligned with a sense of egalitarianism and spirit. It’s not just the physical location, but the ideas and principles that carry the Midwest to newer and greater heights. 

We can’t simply count out places or people because of where they currently stand. If the Midwest seems barren, the solution isn’t to ignore it but to give it the love and care it needs to stand proud with the other regions of the United States. 

I sometimes still struggle to find positives about Illinois. Seeing the beauty in large swathes of farmland and small-town parks can be difficult. But a sense of friendliness and respect is common here that many other places across the country lack. If you travel to other states and regions, you’ll feel the difference. 

So try to find the good in the state we call home. You won’t regret it.

Amartya is a freshman in LAS.

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