People will sometimes say, "Why don't you write more politics?" And I have to explain to them that writing the lives of women IS politics. Grace Paley
 
Let us go forth with fear and courage and rage to save the world.  Grace Paley
 
CSS EVENTS:
Serve a Meal to Madison's Homeless Community, 11:50 am - 1:00 pm
From 11:50 am – 1:00 pm at the Beacon, 615 E. Washington Ave. Join Shaarei Shamayim members to prepare and serve a meal to Madison’s homeless community. Volunteers are needed both to cook and serve. More information and sign-up here.
 
EVENTS AROUND TOWN:
Well it is no secret that this world, our country, Wisconsin and sometimes Madison can be a depressing place to live and be part of. So, in addition to organizing events and action oriented events happening in Madison I will try to be a bit more intentional about mentioning events that I think are part of actively making Madison a better, more inclusive and equitable community
 
May 17: UpStage Stigma
From 8:00-11:00 pm at the High Noon Saloon 8-11. May is Mental Health Month. Come see the Third Annual UpStage Stigma, a night of song, dance, poetry, theater, and other performances that link the challenges of mental illness to our universal experience. More details here.
 
May 18:  Voces de la Frontera monthly meeting
This monthly meeting takes place at 2pm at Centro Hispano, 810 W. Badger Rd. Details here.
 
May 18: Healing House Fundraiser
From 3:00 – 5:00 at the Harmony Bar and Grill.  Healing House, is an 8 bed facility, providing 24/7 recuperative care by trained staff and volunteers. The Healing House will provide clients with three meals a day, child care assistance and case management to end the cycle of homelessness.Suggested donation $5  More details here.
  
May 19: Organizing and Community Building with Groundwork; Mobilize!From 3:30 – 5:30 at the Trinity United Methodist Church, 1123 Vilas Ave
Groundwork is a community organization of white people working to achieve racial justice and equity in Dane County, Wisconsin.“Let's build together in community, continue our political education, and engage in collective action! All races, ethnicity, genders, abilities, ages, etc. are welcome.” More details here.  

May 24: Wisconsin Climate Strike 
From 11:00 -2:00, “students and allies across the globe will once again strike from school to demand climate justice. More information coming soon! This time we'll ask our attendees to do more than just strike, we'll make a direct impact in this community on May 24th.Please message us with any questions or send important inquiries to wisco@youthclimatestrikeus.org.” Details here.
 
June 2: Returning Prisoner Simulation
Temple Beth El is sponsoring Madison-Area Urban Ministry returning prisoner simulation. “For a close-up view of what it’s like to come home from prison, please join us for the acclaimed “Returning Prisoner Simulation” developed by Madison-Area Urban Ministry. Participants will be inserted into realistic scenarios and lifelike struggles that formerly incarcerated people are likely to encounter.” More details and sign up here. 
 
June 5: Women Against Hate United by Love Gallery Reception
From 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Overture Center for the Arts. More details here.
 
ACTION ITEMS:
Push for Medicaid Expansion
From Kid’s Forward Wisconsin: “Last week the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee voted on party lines to refuse to even consider the Governor’s proposal to expand Medicaid and cover more than 80,000 adults, many of whom are struggling to get by. By removing Medicaid expansion from budget consideration they are also turning their backs on the nearly $2 billion dollars Wisconsin could invest to improve and expand health care for everyone. The committee members haven’t yet removed many of the improvements that Medicaid expansion would pay for, but don’t be fooled. Medicaid expansion is the key to funding those popular investments that will help hospitals, people with disabilities, caregivers, counties, and other providers. Some of the things that are now at risk include the Healthy Women, Healthy Babies initiative, which aims to improve maternal and child health and lessen the shameful levels of racial disparity between white and Black mothers’ and infants’ health outcomes, investing more than $40 million to improve and expand dental care, increasing access to mental health and substance use treatment, and raising rates for caregivers serving elderly adults and people with disabilities.” 
This is very disappointing, but it’s only the first step. We’re not done fighting for Wisconsinites to get the health care they deserve. The legislature can still pass a budget that expands Medicaid, and Governor Evers has a very powerful veto pen. Please contact your legislators and let them know you agree with the 70% of Wisconsinites who support expanding Medicaid. Take action at https://www.betterbadgercare.org/”

Earned Release Program
From Wisconsin ACLU: “We asked our legislators to help stem the tide of mass incarceration by expanding the Earned Release Program. Supporting the Earned Release Program will provide a release valve within our overcrowded prisons, allowing incarcerated people to receive specialized treatment for their drug and alcohol addictions and then return to their communities. There are over 3,500 people on the waiting list for this program and only 750 beds. Expanding this Earned Release Program will result in savings to taxpayers, reduced prison populations and costs and make communities safer by giving people the treatment they need.  
The Joint Finance Committee is reviewing the budget right now. Can we count on you to call your legislators and ask them to support Earned Release expansion in the state budget process?”  Find your state legislator's phone number.  Learn more about the Earned Release Program here. Learn more from listening to one person’s story here.

Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit has had a significant impact on working parents across the country keep more of what they earn.  In his 2019-21 budget, Governor Evers proposed increasing the state's Earned Income Tax Credit. From the Wisconsin Budget Project:  “A larger EITC would improve the economic security of families and communities in every corner of Wisconsin. To highlight that, we've put together a map that shows just how much low-income working families in each county would benefit from expanding the EITC. All told, expanding the EITC would expand economic opportunity by pumping $27 million a year back into local communities in Wisconsin.” This is threatened by Wisconsin legislators who have signaled they do not want to include it in the budget. Click here to tell your state Senator to support this expansion.  You can read the Budget Project’s analysis to see how much families in Wisconsin communities would benefit from expanding the EITC.
 
MISCELLANOUS:
**A Fair Housing report from the Madison Community Development Division
 
**There is a limitless number of articles to read that detail the horrors of our political reality. One of my current favorite thinkers is Adam Serwer, so sharing his Atlantic essay, The Cruelty Is the Point.
 
**Fair Fight Action: Stacy Abrams is working on voting rights and trying to build momentum and capacity through Fair Fight Action. Read more about this effort and consider connecting with Fair Fight Action. 
 
**Vote Save America is paying attention to the 2019 elections. Learn more here.
 
**Inside Stories podcast. If you are a podcast listener and like to listen to stories – Takeyla Benton and I just launched a new Madison podcast. We are exploring Madison one story at a time. More details here.
​

No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them. Elie Wiesel

As long as one dissident is in prison, our freedom will not be true. As long as one child is hungry, our life will be filled with anguish and shame. What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their voices are stifled we shall lend them ours, that while their freedom depends on ours, the quality of our freedom depends on theirs. Elie Wiesel
 
EVENTS AROUND TOWN:
Well it is no secret that this world, our country, Wisconsin and sometimes Madison can be a depressing place to live and be part of. So, in addition to organizing events and action oriented events happening in Madison I will try to be a bit more intentional about mentioning events that I think are part of actively making Madison a better, more inclusive and equitable community
 
May 1: Day Without Latinxs & Immigrants—Driver Licenses for All
At the State Capitol at 11am.  Voces de la Frontera is organizing for a Day Without Latinxs & Immigrants general strike and statewide mobilization on the Capitol in Madison to urge the state legislature to restore driver licenses and state ID cards for all in Wisconsin. This means no work, no school, and no buying. More details here and here.
 
May 1: Discussion of Community Based Alternatives to New Jail
This discussion takes place from 6:00 – 8:00 at Hawthorne Library branch. The meeting is for community members interested in discussing alternatives to a new jail before the May 2 County Board Committee of the Whole on the latest jail study of various greenfield options for development. More details here.
 
May 2: Reading Between the Wines 2019
A fundraising event for the Literacy Network from 5:00 – 7:30 at the Madison Club, 5 E Wilson St. It is “an inspiring evening of good food, great wine, and best of all, hearing stories directly from adult learners studying in Literacy Network classes.” More details here. 
  
May 4: Sharefest: Growing Abundance
At the Social Justice Center, 1202 Williamson Street from12 PM - 4 PM. Hosted by Dane County TimeBank, Mutual Aid Workspace and The Social Justice Center. "The Dane County TimeBank is partnering with the Mutual Aid Workspace and The Social Justice Center to host our next Sharefest! “This spring's theme is "Growing Abundance." Let's put our energy into what we want to grow - whether that's literal (plants) or metaphorical (human connection & resilience & skills).” More details here. 
 
May 8: Madison Public Market Sneak Peek Feedback and Tour
“Join the City of Madison and the Madison Public Market Foundation on Wednesday, May 8 to share feedback on updated designs for the Madison Public Market and to tour the building that will be the Market's future home.  Stop by this open house style, free event! RSVP appreciated, but not required. More details here.
 
May 17: UpStage Stigma
From 8:00-11:00 pm at the High Noon Saloon 8-11. May is Mental Health Month. Come see the Third Annual UpStage Stigma, a night of song, dance, poetry, theater, and other performances that link the challenges of mental illness to our universal experience. More details here.
    
May 24: Wisconsin Climate Strike 
From 11:00 -2:00, “students and allies across the globe will once again strike from school to demand climate justice. More information coming soon! This time we'll ask our attendees to do more than just strike, we'll make a direct impact in this community on May 24th.Please message us with any questions or send important inquiries to wisco@youthclimatestrikeus.org.” Details here.
 
June 2: Returning Prisoner Simulation
Temple Beth El is sponsoring Madison-Area Urban Ministryreturning prisoner simulation. “For a close-up view of what it’s like to come home from prison, please join us for the acclaimed “Returning Prisoner Simulation” developed by Madison-Area Urban Ministry. Participants will be inserted into realistic scenarios and lifelike struggles that formerly incarcerated people are likely to encounter.” More details and sign up here. 
 
ACTION ITEMS:
Monday Deadline to Submit Budget Comments to the Legislature’s Budget Committee
Kids Forward shared the following information: “For people who were unable to attend the Joint Finance Committee hearings on the budget, but would like to help advocate for critical investments in Wisconsin children, families and communities, there is still a way to do so. Until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, you can share your budget recommendations or concerns with the Joint Finance Committee by emailing them to: budgetcomments@legis.wisconsin.gov. We encourage you to do so!If you’re looking for ideas for topics to comment on, here’s the Kids Forward summary of some of the key issues in the budget affecting children. Please pick an issue or two from our list or comment on whatever other issue matters most to you. It would also be helpful for the committee to hear about the importance of closing tax loopholes to improve tax fairness and generate the revenue needed for the critical budget investments Governor Evers proposed. Please take a couple of minutes to compose a short email message to the budget committee and send it before 4:00 p.m. on April 29 to: budgetcomments@legis.wisconsin.gov
 
Indivisible:
Indivisible has a 20/20 pledge they are promoting broadly.  “We must defeat Donald Trump. The first step is a primary contest that produces a strong Democratic nominee. The second step is winning the general election. We will not accept anything less. To ensure this outcome, I pledge to:” More details on it here. You can follow Indivisible Madison on twitter here.  
 
SERVICE:
It's that time of year again almost -- Tuesday 4/30/19 is the night Emerson Elementary School hosts their multi-cultural very tasty dinner night.  They're looking for up to 12 volunteers from our congregations to help serve and then quick clean-up, followed by us eating too. Here's the sign-up: http://signup.com/go/qbbNsTD.  Teens and older are welcome to participate.  Please spread the word.
 
MISCELLANEOUS:  
**From the ACLU of Wisconsin:You may have already heard, but we enjoyed a big victory yesterday! (April 18)The City of New Richmond began exploring rezoning land so that a private company, ICA, could open a 500-bed, 166,000 square foot immigration prison. Working with residents, nearby ACLU members, including organizers and allies from Eau Claire and River Falls, YOU stepped up to champion a fight against the prison.  Over the past three weeks, together we organized and did trainings in the area, met leaders face to face, bought and distributed lawn signs and stickers, appeared in media, printed flyers, engaged in their local social media, and sent emails that went to over 28,000 Wisconsinites.  We provided New Richmond residents with talking points and resources to help shore up their platform of "not here, not acceptable, not our values" with facts and support.  We let them know that they were not alone. Yesterday evening, we were about to facilitate a Zoom organizing call with the 192 people who signed up to help, when a local politician (who wishes to remain anonymous) texted Emilio that it was over.  We joyfully announced this to the folks who were just beginning to log in. Cheers all around! In a whirlwind three weeks, ICA backed away from trying to create this horrific detention center.  This was the second location they have recently approached in Wisconsin, but they had the most traction here.  The residents of New Richmond, with the assistance of all of us, defeated this. Thank you to everyone who pitched in!
 
**Meet the Mirnavator!  On Thursday May 9th The Joy Trip Projectis proud to host a free public lecture and book signing featuring ultramarathon runner Mirna Velario. Known as The Mirnavator, this self-styled African-American plus-sized adventure athlete faces the challenges of life as a fierce competitor who wins at every turn simply by being comfortable in her own skin. In Wisconsin to run Ice Age Trail 50Mirna will make an appearance at the UW South Madison PartnershipSpace at The Village on Park Street at 7PM. At this event, Mirna will share her remarkable story of self confidence and persistence that is inspiring to her fellow runners and spectators alike. More details here.
 
**Cafe Coda Poetry/Storytelling Series: Café Coda is a great new jazz venue on Willy Street. Oscar Mireles (Madison’s Poet Laurette) has organized a poetry/storytelling happy hour each Tuesday in March. Details here.
 
**The Atlantic’s “On Teaching” project is crisscrossing the country to talk to veteran educators. The five articles in this series are interesting reads. 
 
**I always appreciate Rabbi Danya Ruttenbergand her writing. She wrote this after the Tree Life Synagogue Massacre. It continues to be relevant.
 
**Today, the Museum of Jewish Heritage had its annual gathering of remembrance to commemorate the Holocaust. You can watch the ceremony here. 

**Dane County begins turning gas from landfill’s trash into vehicle fuel
 
**It is possible that your day might be improved by hearing the Tone Madison podcast interview of me – talking about my book – here is the link to the podcast.