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Wisconsin Life celebrates the people, places, history and culture of the state. Come with us as we kayak the Mississippi River, interview musicians in Milwaukee, and bake pasties in Rhinelander. We connect you with diverse people and ideas through short stories updated twice a week.
574 Episodes
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It’s been a few weeks since the solar eclipse captivated many of us. Some Wisconsinites, like WPR’s Norman Gilliland, traveled to Illinois to witness the rare totality. While the moments of darkness have stuck with him, there’s another phenomenon he can’t stop thinking about: finding other Wisconsin eclipse chasers far from home at an EV charging station.
Jewish people around the world are in the midst of celebrating Passover. The holiday opens with a Seder meal and commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. The spring renewal festival has writer Mark Griffin of Madison reflecting on his own life and his evolving relationship with his beliefs.
Yazmin Lopez of Fitchburg was feeling restless as a stay-at-home mom. So she went on a self-discovery journey and ended up starting her own business: Katharisma Cleaning. In a partnership with Midwest Mujeres, WPR’s “Wisconsin Life” shares the stories of Lopez and five other women working to build community and better themselves in southern Wisconsin.
People find happiness in all sorts of ways: listening to music, hiking or spending quality time with loved ones. But what if our state of bliss was actually dependent on our geography? Writer Eric Dregni explored this idea after traveling overseas.
We live in a time when fake news permeates social media feeds and partisan coverage blasts through some cable news channels. Teaching media literacy can help people wade through the disinformation and become critical news consumers. As Christina Lieffring tells us, a video game created by UW-Madison’s Field Day Labs aims to teach students to become more media literate and what it takes to be a journalist.
“What if we, as doulas and midwives, are agents of social change?” asked Tamara N. Thompson, a doula based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. She dives into this concept and shares what led her to becoming a birthworker. In a partnership with Midwest Mujeres, WPR’s “Wisconsin Life” shares the stories of Thompson and five other women working to build community and better themselves in southern Wisconsin.
Life on the farm used to be a common experience for many in this state. But with the number of family farms dwindling in Wisconsin, fewer people grow up ingrained in the hard working, family tradition that has bonded communities for generations. Eileen Bordeleau talked about life on the farm in Wayside, Wisconsin with her daughter, Rachel, as part of a StoryCorps Mobile Tour stop in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Shadayra Kilfoy-Flores has been involved in her Madison communities for decades. But, when her family friend, Tony Robinson Jr., was killed by a police officer, she sprang into action to try to improve police accountability. In a partnership with Midwest Mujeres, WPR’s “Wisconsin Life” shares the stories of Kilfoy-Flores and five other women working to build community and better themselves in southern Wisconsin.
Legendary advice columnists Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren dished out wise and witty advice to millions of readers for more than half a century. The two were also twins – and sometimes bitter rivals. But before they were famous, they lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin for more than a decade. Writer Dean Robbins brings you the story of the sisters who, perhaps, could have used some advice themselves.
Samantha Green of Madison has a philosophy she lives by: nothing is impossible. She channels that with every pivot in her life while striving to one day own her own camping resort. In a partnership with Midwest Mujeres, WPR’s “Wisconsin Life” shares the stories of Green and five other women working to build community and better themselves in southern Wisconsin.
As the saying goes – home is where the heart is. But for writer BJ Hollars of Eau Claire, it’s a little more complicated than that. We can become deeply connected to our physical homes, so moving – and moving on – can be a process.
Katalina Sanchez of Madison has always been interested in art, which led her to open Graffiti Nail Salon. In a partnership with Midwest Mujeres, WPR’s “Wisconsin Life” shares the stories of Sanchez and five other women working to build community and better themselves in southern Wisconsin.
Earning a masters degree and launching a business is no easy feat. WPR’s Margaret Faust met Jordan Schroeter of Grafton to see how he did it while also living with a rare, genetic and progressive neuromuscular disorder.
Angela Morgan of Madison was feeling uninspired in her job a few years back. It was too rigid. So, she decided to take a huge risk and started her own business: Food Junkies Catering. In a partnership with Midwest Mujeres, WPR’s “Wisconsin Life” shares the stories of Morgan and five other women working to build community and better themselves in southern Wisconsin.
Drummer Viola Smith was a musical trailblazer and innovator. Known as “the fastest girl drummer in the world,” her career lasted almost 100 years. Author Dean Robbins took a trip to her hometown in Fond du Lac County to tell us more about this legend. He’s also written a children’s picture book about the musician, “The Fastest Drummer: Clap Your Hands for Viola Smith!”
Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland. It’s a title we take seriously. From milk to cheese to butter, the dairy industry is a cash cow for the state, generating $45.6 billion a year for the state’s economy. For Wisconsin’s state legislators, it’s an industry worth protecting. WPR’s Jenny Peek brought us this story, which was inspired by an audience question as part of the WHYsconsin project.
Dreaming can help some people get through incredibly difficult times. Tandalaya Taylor of Madison talks about how daydreaming helped her overcome a major health crisis and appreciate everyday life. Taylor’s story came to us from the UW Odyssey Project, where low-income adults find their voices and earn college credit in an English literature course. Taylor was a guest on the new podcast ‘Inside Stories.’
What’s one of the best ways to combat hate? For Jesús Gregorio Smith of Appleton, it’s to push back with love…something he did after a homophobic sign appeared in town.
He shares his story as part of the “Home Is Here” project, which amplifies the voices of the growing number of Black, Asian, Native American and Latino residents who call northeastern Wisconsin home. The project is part of the NEW News Lab – a local news collaboration in northeastern Wisconsin made up of six news organizations.
Stokely Carmichael called her a “gutsy little sister.” Gwen Gillon became the youngest staff member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC, and participated in Freedom Summer. Now, the Civil Rights pioneer calls Madison, Wisconsin home.
There’s an old saying about the United States Postal Service: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night … etc…etc…” But, if you’re a driver delivering a package to the Lake Hallie home of writer Patti See? Well, good luck with that…
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