WORT 89.9fm, Wisconsin’s first community radio station, launched on December 1, 1975. Over fifty years, it has given voice to underrepresented communities, sharing diverse stories and music. As the need for independent voices grows, WORT seeks volunteers and listener-sponsors to help it continue fostering community and providing vital news.
Just thinking about a panel discussion last night regarding the ICE invasion of the Twin Cities and asking myself– what would I do in that situation? What are the roles that we might each hold?
Over 9 million people attending No Kings rallies nationwide, including many in Wisconsin, demonstrated a strong community spirit. The rally in Madison transformed into a celebration, featuring diverse participation and joyful interactions. Amid serious discussions, this atmosphere of unity and resilience suggests that finding joy is key to enduring struggles and achieving victories.
The author reflects on their journey as an activist, highlighting impactful moments and mentors. Memories of witnessing hardship in their community, including barn fires and cancer’s toll, shaped their passion for change. Influential figures, such as Walt Bresette and Frannie VanZile, inspired them to advocate for future generations and empower communities.
The author reflects on Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass,” emphasizing the significance of the seventh fire in Anishanaabe prophecy. As spring unfolds, they stress the need for both introspection and forward movement, advocating for connection with nature and the wisdom it offers. This journey aims to inspire positive change in the world.
Protests continue and activism is growing in the US today. We struggle against a great deal. What are we struggling for? What might we learn from our elders and history?
Listening this morning to an old song, “We Are the World” and found myself drifting away into the land of music, asking “what makes a voice beautiful.”
We are in a hard time of struggle both internal and external. It is a time to find our something to hold on to that keeps us safe while we grow strong with love.
Like millions of others around the world and thousands here in Madison, I stood holding a candle last night to honor the passing of Renee Nicole Good and the far too many others who have been murdered along with her by ICE. Standing there in the cold I found myself thinking about the past 30+ years that I’ve spent standing on those capitol steps at rallies and vigils, working toward justice and peace, and recognizing the connection of my years to the those of others. We’ve stood for so long and each time the crowds are larger and stronger.
I thought about the Anishanaabe prophecies of the eight fires and wondered if we are indeed at that place spoken of in the seventh fire where we are facing that critical choice between destruction and balance. I believe we are and we must seek that balance both internally and as a whole if we are to find peace. Afterall, peace doesn’t come through war. I wish I had some answers. All I know right now is that we must reach out in peace. We must find those seeds of joy admist the chaos and nuture them, help them grow into the trees of celebration that they are meant to become.
In this moment I am just reaching out to all of you, my brothers and sisters in the struggle and sharing this electronic hug and wishing you love in your lives.
My work for social justice for the past few years has largely been working in special education. It looks a lot different than my days running non-profits or organizing on the streets, but ultimately the same questions are there. It’s always about recognizing the underlying issues if we want to find the long term answers.
Because of the federal government shut down SNAP is running out. Millions of people will be losing the benefits that make it possible for them to feed themselves and their families on November 1st. Many states are jumping in to hold off the crash and to keep people fed.
As a teacher at a school that serve many families that receive SNAP benefits, I’m wondering what’s going to happen. How long will states be able to keep their finger in the dike to stop the hunger flood? What will be cut from those state budgets to make it possible to keep the families fed?
Mostly, I find myself asking what happens not only in the loss of SNAP but in the fear of the loss? When families are in that spot of having to choose whether to buy food or pay rent, which will they choose? So many families are already making tough choices to make ends meet and it impacts our kids far beyond the dinner table. Families are choosing between buying food or paying for gas. When they can’t keep gas in the car, kids don’t get to school. In many schools this means that not only are they losing out on their education, but they’ve also missed out on breakfast, lunch, and probably a snack which they were entitled to via free and reduced meal programs. It’s an awful circle. Not enough money for food and gas, so buy gas, then no food at home so skip eating from lunch until the next day. Buy food and well, can’t get to school and parents can’t get to work.
I wonder how our attendance rates will be affected in upcoming weeks with tightening budgets and already stressed parents facing yet another strain making it more and more to keep themselves together and get their kids to school. I wonder how behaviors will change. Kids are ultimately mirrors of the stresses in their parents’ lives.
How to we amplify the voices of these kids and their families so that those in Washington can hear them? How do we make their struggle visible? How do we take this moment in time of losing SNAP and point to where it leads us with kids going hungry, struggling in school, struggling in life, and just not going anywhere?
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