It takes the average Latina, 12 extra months to earn what the average White, non-Hispanic man earns. That is because Latinas are only paid .55 cents to the dollar of […]

The post Yo Quiero Dinero! Storytelling with Midwest Mujeres appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Last week, The Center for Black Excellence and Culture held its grand opening, and a crowd of around 1,500 people showed up to tour the space and celebrate. On today’s show, host Enjoyiana Nururdin speaks with Ms. Lilada Gee, the co-founder of the Center about the planning, implementation, and legacy of this space that is “by and for the Black community.”

Gee says that there’s no space like the Center in Madison or in the world, as she heard from the consulting firm they worked with. Built in between two Trump presidencies, the Center represents the dedication of Black Madisonians to creating a legacy and honoring local Black history. Much of the early fundraising was done by the Black community, particularly Black women like Frances Huntly-Cooper, Kirbie Mack, and Kesha Bozeman. Gee says she’s proud that the Center will elevate “Black brilliance, innovation, and creativity.”

There are considerable racial disparities for Black Madisonians, which is why Gee and the other leaders of the Center wanted to create a space where people could find hope, make intergenerational connections, and honor the many ethnicities within the Black diaspora. Gee painted a mural for and designed the Black Women’s Wing. And she says that the center will be a place where the Black community can create their own legacies.

The Center will open to the public starting July 1, when folks can start participating in events and workshops.

Lilada Gee is an artist, muralist, healer, preacher, author and international inspirational speaker and podcast host. Drawing upon her experiences as a survivor of both childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence, Lilada founded the non-profit organization—Defending Black Girlhood—that specializes in advocating for Black girls being safe in their homes, schools and communities to live, learn and be loved. Via her Black Woman Heal Collective, she has sparked an international healing movement throughout the African Diaspora that empowers Black women to create safe places for themselves and Black girls to heal. Lilada is a life-long Madison, Wisconsin resident and mother of two awesome adult children–Alexandra and Christian.

Featured image of the exterior of The Center for Black Excellence and culture courtesy of Brian Standing/WORT.

The post A Madison Space By and For the Black Community appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Earlier this week, the Atlanta City Council approved an addition $31 million dollars for the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. This was after more than 16 hours […]

The post Cop City Explained with George Chidi appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Young people are too often victims of our broken criminal justice system. 1 in 14 US children either has or has had a parent behind bars. Our friends at the PATHfinders and POPS Club are doing the vital work of supporting these youth, including publishing their poetry. Today host Ali Muldrow is in conversation with Victor Trillo Jr., Amy Friedman, and one of the youth poets, Darrione, about their 11th anthology, A Secret Chord: Poetry, Stories & Art.

A Secret Chord features creative works by 60 teens impacted by incarceration, detention, and deportation. Darrione is one of those teens. She learned to see herself as a writer through the club and the mentorship of Victor. She says she’s come to see that her writing can connect with others and she plans to publish her own book one day. Darrione reads from her poem, “My Skin,” which is full of heartbreak and triumph in the tradition of Patricia Smith.

They talk about how this anthology stands out from previous versions and how it centers music and visual art. Friedman says she’s constantly reminded of young people’s honesty and courage in their writing. And Trillo has committed himself to being the mentor that he didn’t have when he was young and his father was incarcerated.

Victor Trillo Jr. is a founding team member of The PATHfinder Club and works as the Program Manager for The PATHfinder and POPS the Club, employing his deep understanding of the impact of incarceration on individuals, first as the son of a man who was in prison throughout Victor’s childhood, and later incarcerated himself. He is a powerful advocate for children of the incarcerated.

Amy Friedman is an author, editor, and criminal justice activist, who founded POPS the Club in 2013, as an inclusive space for youth who have been stigmatized and silenced by their experiences with the criminal justice system. Having been previously married to a man who was in prison, Amy’s stepdaughters inspired her to find a way to support youth in ways that her girls never were.

Featured image of the cover of A Secret Chord: Poetry, Stories & Art.

The post Youth Poetry Anthology Destigmatizes Family Incarceration appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

“The Philippines is under a new administration, but still the government’s case against de Lima hobbles along, a symbol of the country’s degradation from the Duterte years of violent populism […]

The post Timothy McLaughlin on Leila de Lima and the cost of criticism in The P... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

On today’s show, host Dana Pellebon is in conversation with Araceli Esparza about her new book, Healing from Racial Discrimination! ¿Ahora Que? Now, What? Esparza says that freeing your voice is an action, but it takes healing to get there. She offers advice on how to address discrimination in the workplace when EEOC and HR offices too often protect the company instead of vulnerable employees.

Esparza writes about how she turned to traditional Latin American healing methods like making altars and reports on the rituals she practiced in order to find healing and her authentic self. She also describes the sense of rejection she felt when her allies didn’t show up, and how exhausting it can be to be a woman of color in the nonprofit world. They also discuss what it means to stand up and end the silence about racial discrimination at a time when Latinx folks are being abducted by the Trump administration.

Araceli Esparza is a first-generation Chicana writer, speaker, and community organizer based in Madison, Wisconsin. She is the founder and Executive Director of Midwest Mujeres, a nonprofit focused on storytelling, leadership, and economic empowerment for Latina and Black women. Through her work, Araceli has helped hundreds of women use storytelling as a tool for healing, visibility, and professional growth.

She is also a published poet, podcast host, and public speaker whose work explores identity, survival, womanhood, racial justice, and the power of community. Araceli is the author of the upcoming book I Don’t Have a Home to Go Back To: Seven Strategies for Navigating Healing from Homelessness as a Latina, a deeply personal and reflective work about resilience, belonging, and healing from generational hardship.

Her work has been featured through Wisconsin community media, storytelling events, and leadership spaces across the Midwest. Araceli believes that when we tell the story that sets us free, we can help set others free too.

Featured image of the cover of Healing from Racial Discrimination! ¿Ahora Que? Now, What?

The post Araceli Esparza on Finding your Authentic Voice in the Workplace appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Sold in headshops and on the grey market, “spice” or K2 is a way to get high while avoiding showing up on a drug test. Whether or not they’re legal […]

The post Synthetic Cannabinoids, the Analogue Act, and an Unprecedented Prosecu... appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

Madison’s beloved Olbrich Botanical Gardens welcomed almost 400,000 visitors last year. However, it was designed to handle less than half of that amount. This year, the Gardens with the partnership of Madison’s Parks Division embarked on a master planning process to ensure the future of the Gardens including expanding its physical space as well as services. To talk about this process, Douglas Haynes hosts a roundtable discussion with Hilary Gerstein, Eric Knepp, and Tanya Zastrow.

The Olbrich Botanical Gardens benefit humans and non-humans in the area alike through conservation projects, special events, and more. Zastrow talks about the rusty patch bumblebees, chipmunks, and Sherman the turkey who call the park home.

The Gardens are managed through a public-private partnership, between the Olbrich Botanical Society and the City of Madison Parks division. Knepp describes the history of the Gardens, from the construction of the Bolz Conservatory in 1991 to the 2009 expansion across Starkweather Creek. He says that people choose the garden for its beauty and tranquility, but also its affordability. Zastrow discusses the master planning process that will be the “roadmap for the future” as the Gardens nears its 75th year.

Gerstein describes the work of the Friends of Olbrich Park, who plan native plantings like a new bur oak and service berry tree to trash pick ups. The Friends group is trying to get information about the master plan into the hands of community members.

On May 20, a final framework of the new master plan will be presented to the public. You can learn more here.

Hilary Gerstein is Vice President of Friends of Olbrich Park.

Eric Knepp is the City of Madison Parks Superintendent. He has worked at the City of Madison since 2006.

Tanya Zastrow has worked as Executive Director of Olbrich Botanical Gardens since 2022.

Featured image of the Bolz Conservatory at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens via Wikimedia Commons.

The post The Good Problems Facing Olbrich Gardens appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.