This Weeks Articles for 3/21/2023 ...

1. Universities Strive to Close Diversity Gaps in the Real Estate Industry...
2. Wisconsin professor`s book analyzes the politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ...
3. Appleton mayor Joins Local 5, talks about friendly competition with the De Pere mayor ...
4. Wisconsin’s 33 Most Influential Native American Leaders for 2023, Part 1...
5. Students compete, build drones for simulated mission to Mars...
6. Women in Ag program returns to WI Farm Discovery Center...
7. `Fearless` LGBTQ advocate, social justice activist stepping down from Diverse & Resilient...
8. Enacting Positive Change in Veterinary Medicine...
9. The number of Black video game developers is small, but strong...

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Curated by the University of Wisconsin`s Office of Gender & Women`s Studies Librarian, Wisconsin Women Making History spotlights a diverse range of influential women.

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See Wisconsin history through a new lens in the all-new PBS Wisconsin documentary, Wisconsin Pride. The film brings hidden LGBTQ+ stories forward and reconsiders our state’s history in that light.

Premiering on PBS Wisconsin and available for streaming online in June 2023, the two-hour documentary is a groundbreaking collaboration between PBS Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Historical Society.

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MILWAUKEE, Feb. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Cancer Center today announced a new 2-year training program to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in cancer research. In partnership with Alverno College, Mount Mary University, UW-Milwaukee, and other Wisconsin universities, the program aims to develop a diverse cancer research workforce – one with the potential to impact cancer disparities in eastern Wisconsin.   ...Full Story Here

OSHKOSH, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 14, 2023-- Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), a leading innovator of purpose-built vehicles and equipment, announced today it has been recognized by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies. This is the company’s eighth consecutive annual recognition and is among 135 global honorees.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230313005772/en/

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Eliminating diversity gaps in the real estate profession is the focus of long-standing and new pathway programs at a number of colleges and universities. Demographic representation and pay structures are both in need of overhaul, studies show.

Only 5 percent of National Association of Realtors (NAR) members are Black, 5 percent are Asian and Pacific Islander, and 11 percent are Hispanic or Latino, according to a member profile survey taken last year and based on 2021 data. In contrast, 77 percent of NAR members are White...

ACRE Program

In Wisconsin, the Associates in Commercial Real Estate Program (ACRE) has operated for over a decade with a mission to expand diversity in the field. Founded by the Marquette University College of Business (Marquette Business), ACRE is a 24-week training program led by Local Initiatives Support Corporation Milwaukee, a community development financial institution, in partnership with three universities: Marquette University, the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture & Urban Planning...

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Wisconsin’s leading diversity, equity and inclusion conference is weeks away!

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WPR is proud to sponsor Toward One Wisconsin: A Conference on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. This year’s conference will be held in Appleton on April 25-26 at the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. No matter where you are on your diversity journey – in the early stages or as a seasoned advocate in your community – everyone is welcome to attend. Learn best practices, insights, and tools to take the next steps. Register before March 29 for early bird pricing.   ...Full Story Here

Notes: And we are so proud to have them as a sponsor!

MILWAUKEE, WI, Feb. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diversity, equity and inclusion are good for business at CMRignite, the nation’s largest Black-owned cause marketing agency. The firm, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been able to achieve exponential growth in staff and revenue by prioritizing diversity as a best practice for its business model.

 Since the company was founded by Jacqueline Moore in 1995, CMRignite has been on a mission to develop innovative, cross-cultural marketing campaigns that lead to real, positive change. While many agencies struggle to hire and retain diverse talent, CMRignite has intentionally and methodically built a staff that is 70% Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ and/or people with disabilities. In addition, the company acquired a Washington D.C.-based marketing agency in 2022, creating an even more diverse team of creatives and communicators....
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Marvel movies have been dominating global screens for more than a decade. To date, of the 25 highest grossing films of all time, eight of them belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). These figures invoke questions of what do the films say about our culture and what are they teaching global audiences.

A new book, called The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, explores the cultural impact and, of course, the politics espoused in these films. Dr. Lilly Goren, a professor of political science at Carroll University, is an author and editor.

What interesting about the MCU, she says, is the financial impact that it has...

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Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service	Church Mutual Insurance
Fox Cities Chamber	Wisconsin Development News

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Equity and inclusion trainings to be offered to service providers

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CMRignite, the nation’s largest Black-owned cause marketing agency, has been developing innovative, cross-cultural marketing campaigns that lead to real change since the company was founded in Milwaukee by Jacqueline Moore in 1995. 

While many marketing agencies struggle to hire and retain diverse talent, CMRignite has intentionally and methodically built a staff that is 70% Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ and/or people with disabilities. The firm has been able to achieve exponential growth in staff and revenue by prioritizing diversity as a best practice for its business model. In addition, the company acquired a Washington, D.C.-based marketing agency in 2022, creating an even more diverse team of creatives and communicators. ..

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Ken Notes: Wow this is a great list of individuals making huge contributions in this state, I am proud to know a few of these people and can not wait to meet the rest...

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Notes: Great links in the article...

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Six individuals and organizations were recognized at the 2023 Wisconsin Governor’s Conference on Tourism with the Governor’s Tourism Awards for their contributions to the state`s travel and hospitality industry.

The winners were selected from a record-setting number of nominees across six categories.

The Ability Center, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit, won the Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion Award. The organization aims to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to be fit, active, healthy and to play. Through its RampUp program, the Ability Center has worked to transform Bradford Beach into a more accessible beach...

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The 2023 Toward One Wisconsin Conference is bringing leaders, professionals and advocates from around the state to the Fox Cities this April to prioritize the work of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

The schedule for the two-day conference, held April 25 to 26 at the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley Hotel, has been released on the conference website, t1w.org.

T1W 2023 features two nationally recognized keynote speakers (Wajahat Ali and the Rev. Traci Blackmon) and over 50 breakout presentations in the four conference tracks (Community, Education, Health, Workforce).

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Virtual Poster Display Opportunity: A virtual poster session is an opportunity for conference attendees to present virtually during specific times at the conference. during a time slot on the day before the in-person conference. Virtual Sessions:

• Offer an opportunity to engage with other conference attendees who are interested in your topic.
• Allow you to receive feedback from attendees about your topic that may lead to future collaboration.
• Allow presenters a chance to share work in a short interactive format.
• Provide a platform for more extended discussion (within time constraints).
• Offer time to discuss specific aspects of your research/work and receive detailed critiques, and impartial discussion/review by peers.
• Allow you to explain your research/work differently. For instance, you can present as short as a few minutes but can go up to 15-20 minutes.

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Luke Notes: A little additional time to submit ends next week...

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MARSHFIELD, Wis. (WSAW) - You might not know much about some parts of north central Wisconsin’s culture, but the ‘Marshfield Cultural Fair aims to change that. People came from all over to check out the event held at UW Stevens Point Marshfield campus on Saturday. There were presentations, lots of food, and live music. This fair has been going on for years.

“We have an exclusive excellent center, but it’s important for us to spread this to the next generation to make them understand the importance to understanding that we live in a very global society and diversity is a key to understanding others,” says Campus Executive Anthony Andrews.

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MILWAUKEE — High school teams from across Wisconsin joined together Thursday to build and fly drones on a NASA Mars-inspired simulated mission.

It was part of Carroll University’s Aerospace Jam 2022-23. The competition took place at Fiserv Forum. The program is co-sponsored by the NASA Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium.

Micahel Mortensen is the Director of Aviation and Science at Carroll University. He said the program’s focus is to recruit students from diverse backgrounds and include underrepresented schools...
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Ken Notes: This simple act of outreach should serve as a model for other programs across the state.

This year`s Eastern Wisconsin`s Extension Women in Agriculture Program returns in person at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center near Manitowoc. The $13 million attraction is a state-of-the-art, interactive discovery center that focuses on the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture within a framework of sustainable and responsible farming practices.

The program, titled "VITAL-Valuably Informed Thriving Agriculture Leader" recognizes women`s vital role on the farm or in agriculture business. The VITAL event is scheduled for Wed., April 5, from 10:30 am (10 am registration) to 3:00 pm. The goals for the day are to provide women support in management and financial decision-making, to help connect with agricultural resources, and to create support networks.

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Wisconsin’s public school leaders are marking the beginning of Public Schools Week with a new op-ed that tries to explain what public schools are.

The piece from Department of Public Instruction Executive Director of Equity and Inclusion Demetri Beekman begins with an anecdote about a student who thanked a teacher for being the only one who remembered the student`s birthday, and goes on to highlight the connections that public schools in Wisconsin can foster with students.

With great hope: In celebration of public schools

An editorial celebrating Public Schools Week by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Executive Director of Equity and Inclusion Demetri Beekman

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Hillel Milwaukee is emphasizing diversity and pluralism, with a variety of events for Passover 2023.  

Emphasizing pluralistic and diverse options, Hillel Milwaukee is holding a formal Seder, a Seder-from-home, a Mimouna event and a late Passover Seder in partnership with the Marquette Jewish Student Union. The options aim to give students the ability to celebrate Passover in unique and fun ways...

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APPLETON – A year ahead of same-sex marriage becoming legal in the United States, Kathy Flores stood with a local reverend in the Outagamie County Clerk`s office in "full protest mode."

A federal judge on June 6, 2014, briefly struck down the state`s ban on same-sex marriage, which sent many gay couples in Wisconsin to their clerks` offices, marriage applications in hand...
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Ken Notes: This is a great read about a great leader over the decades.

An effort that began in summer 2021 to gauge the Madison Metropolitan School District’s equity work found that students, parents and staff are aware of some district efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion but want more involvement and more communication with district administration...
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The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and its faculty and staff members have been recognized recently for achievement and excellence, the university announced this week...

...UW-Stevens Point earned the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention for its online prevention and wellness programs. Only 12 percent of colleges and universities in the nation earn the recognition. The seal represents the highest standard for online prevention education on issues of sexual assault, alcohol and drug misuse, mental health, diversity and inclusion. ...

...Mark Speirs, UWSP’s Small Business Development Center, won the Diverse Business Champion award at the Wisconsin Marketplace Conference for his commitment in supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs and the strong relationships he has with diverse small business support organizations regionally and statewide....

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Like most veterinarians, Ruthanne Chun DVM’91 knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from childhood.

“You know the cliche of ‘I’ve always loved animals.’ As a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and when I grew, I realized that I could actually do just that,” she says.

Chun has gone above and beyond in her dream to be a veterinarian. At the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, she serves as the chief of large animal services, section head and clinical professor of medical oncology, and co-chair of the professional development curriculum working group...

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In many ways, it all started with Jerry Lawson.

The trailblazing engineer helped lead the team that developed the first home video gaming system with interchangeable cartridges, which opened up a whole new world of playing games at home in the 1970s.

The move paved the way for future systems like Atari and Super Nintendo, and by the time Lawson died in 2011, his legacy was imprinted on the video game industry.

It was rare to see Black engineers working in tech decades ago, but Lawson wasn`t alone....
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The university clarified that students would not be punished for protected First Amendment speech

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An Observation: There’s an old saying in the law: “Your liberty to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins.” Attributed to such a diverse cast of characters as Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Stuart Mill, and even Abraham Lincoln, the exact genesis of the quote is uncertain, but in general it conveys the principle that your right to exercise whatever “liberty” you think you’re entitled to ends when that liberty threatens someone elses life and safety. Perhaps John B. Finch expressed the intended meaning best when he declared “Neither in law nor equity can there be personal liberty to any man which shall be bondage and ruin to his fellow-men.”

The 15th Outstanding Women of Color Awards was held at Union South Thursday to celebrate the achievements of women of color in the University of Wisconsin community.

The annual event, hosted by the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement, included a welcome speech from Deputy Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer LaVar J. Charleston and 2022 UW Outstanding Women of Color Honoree Cat N. Burkat, opening remarks from UW Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, award announcements and closing remarks.

As part of Women’s Herstory Month, the event acknowledges and honors women of color at UW, including faculty, staff and alumni, who have excelled in their efforts and made major contributions to UW and the greater community....
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Organizers of Toward One Wisconsin Conference (T1W), an annual conference on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), have announced the launch of the T1W Newsletter, Website, and Member Network.

News.T1W.org (the weekly newsletter) is a collection of articles, events, and original content, from across the State and Nation on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. We are attempting to keep you informed, archive best practices and promote events that further this cause in the State. Of course the culmination of our efforts is the annual T1W Conference.

In addition to a weekly newsletter featuring DEI news and updates, members have the ability to connect with other professionals, as well as share updates on what they are doing to move the needle on DEI issues in their communities, businesses or organizations.

The Newsletter is sent to between 1,500 and 2,000 individuals each week. While anyone may subscribe for free at the Website, we have worked hard to add DEI Professionals, Government Officials, Business Leaders and Press Outlets to our database. We have an open rate in excess of 40% (well above industry standards) and a substantial number of click-throughs to the original articles or resources. 

We keep all of our articles in a searchable database so that older stories can be recalled months or years after they were first published. This allows us to maintain a best practices resource by exploring what others in the State have done before. 

We also aggregate a permanent collection of resources from across the state and nation. These will allow DEI professionals to see what others have done, review resource materials, share ideas, and expand the resources they make available to their own members. 

The Toward One Wisconsin Conference began with a mission to foster and sustain a statewide culture that understands that diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to the state’s continued excellence. Since the first conference in 2019, T1W has brought together thousands of attendees from diverse backgrounds to have broad ranging conversations around the work of DEI and how to move from talk to action.

“It’s incredibly important that this work doesn’t stop once the conference is over each year,” said T1W organizer, Eric Giordano. “The T1W Network will allow those interested in DEI to stay up to date, engaged, and connected to what others are doing.”

Members are encouraged to submit updates, articles, and stories on the work that they are doing. These articles will then be shared on the T1W Network website and newsletter.

Wherever you are on your Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) journey, there’s something for you at Toward One Wisconsin.  Whether you’re just starting out and overwhelmed, or you’re a leading activist in your community, this conference and the T1W network will provide best practices, insights and implementation tools to help you take the next steps. Across all sectors of business and life in Wisconsin, parallel efforts are underway to prioritize DEI. We may be in different places based on the diversity of our experiences, but we’re all traveling the same journey: Toward One Wisconsin.

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