Wisconsin Notes Podcast

Nicholas Rodriks joins me today to have a nice rip on our friend Brogan Graham. And after we move on from that, we learn more about Nick as a former lacrosse player, NP Baltimore co-leader, and current owner of Fishercat River Company- a guiding and fly fishing company which uses that platform for improved education on conservation and environmental justice. It also might be important to note that he has his Masters in Public Health and knows a lot about the injustices in the city of Baltimore...as well as trash. He knows a lot about trash. We talk about it all so turn the volume up (apparently Nick likes to whisper-talk on the phone) and enjoy!

Winnie Lok is on the show today! Winnie is my kind of runner, she LOVES to race. With over 250 road races and many trail and ultras under her belt, she loves the racing atmosphere and a great swag bag. Today we dive right into her recent race experience, just finishing the Speed Project hours before our call. Winnie's team was originally planning on participating in a different virtual race when they were asked to change their team name "Black Lives Matter" to something "less political" days before the start of the race. Unwilling to neutralize for the sake of other people's comfort, Winnie and her team decided to withdraw from that race. We get into this entire story and more on today's episode!

Three years ago I sat down with my friend Jorge and got to know him even better. We talked about growing up in NY and CT, how he ended up out west, and his first time ever camping. We started to discuss the barriers to entry in the outdoors for marginalized populations, but never truly got into the meat of the topic. Today, years later and what feels like decades later of growth for both Jorge and I, we return to this conversation as he catches me up on what he has been up to in Lander, Wyoming. Jorge is still that fun, goofy guy, who chooses to sleep on the deck in a tent, wear pizza hats to make people laugh, and make fun of you for being so white. It's why I am just one of many who love this guy so much. But you can hear such a stark difference in how he speaks about his job and, more importantly, his purpose of improving both representation in the outdoors and mentorship to the youth community. He's the best, and I hope you love this conversation that probably could have gone on for 3 more hours.

This week is a short catch up with my friend Brogan Graham. After I officially stepped away from the November Project HQ team last week, BG wanted to check in and requested to interview me. As always, we went off the rails a little bit, but it’s a fun little trip down memory lane as we discuss NP cities and leaders from years past and a host of topics in between. Back to our regularly scheduled interviews next week!

Today I have Jesse Dubin on the show! I wanted to learn more about the gender spectrum and pronouns, but I also absolutely love talking to Jesse and wanted to hear more about their story. I always think there is more value in getting to know the background of the person you’re talking to before you fully dive in, so thats what we do, we hear more about their personal queer journey. This is both a super informative and educational episode while also being so fun, lighthearted, and jovial, which speaks to Jesse’s energy and spirit. Thank you for listening, also Jesse is originally from New Jersey so you might need to slow down the speed in which you listen because they are flyyyyying.

Today I’m chatting with my friend Maggie. Maggie MayKei is a longtime member of November Project NYC and Brooklyn, where she is a current co-leader. Over the past couple years she has written some beautifully powerful blogs on the NP website which provide insight into her life as an Asian-American growing up and living in Brooklyn NY. As November Project has begun to pivot and continue working towards becoming a more inclusive space, Maggie has emerged as a leader amongst leaders, which is something she might not admit, so I’ll do it for her. While we are all examining our role in the white supremacist society in which we live, Maggie has been working alongside us reflecting on how the Asian-American population also contributes to anti-black racism.

Today I am honored to share with you a conversation I had with Dana Bogan. Dana and I get in deep almost immediately which is something I think she excels at as a medical social worker and just simply a caring individual. We discuss the intersectionality of being a bi-racial woman with a physical disability and mental health disorder and how she has been unpacking each one of those identities and looking back on the experiences she had growing up. She’s an incredible speaker, writer, oh! And a sub 3 marathoner. The talent is oozing out of her and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Today we have another cross over episode from November Project the show, hosted by Tywon Thompson. Tywon is joined by two NP co-leaders, Kayode Adigun out of November Project Baltimore and Kwamye Boateng from November Project Kelowna in Canada. Both of these men have also written some very powerful blog posts in the past few months which are on the November Project website so I encourage you to read those as well. Thank you to all three men for giving us your time, giving us some good laughs, and some further insight into your stories!

Adeoti Ashiru joins us today! Adeoti is a first generation Nigerian American and grew up in Rhode Island before attending Northeastern University in Boston before eventually heading out west where she lives in Santa Cruz County today. While I have known Ade since 2013, I was eager to get to know more of her story. She talks about her parents and their relationship to racism, moving to the USA in their early 20's, and then raising two children in a predominately white neighborhood and school system. She speaks to navigating these spaces and finding her voice along the way. I also spend a lot of time gushing about her as a vocalist, which I hope you were able to hear for yourself on our instagram account. If you want to hear more, check out Baby And The Luvies on spotify. Thank you to Adeoti for this lovely conversation!

Today’s episode of Wisconsin Notes, has current co-leader of November Project Dallas, Tywon Thompson, as the host with guests Claudia Thompson and Vinnie Cent. These three have been in the NP world for years. They have experienced the ups and downs of the grassroots movement and have graciously given us their time and words on how they would like to see November Project improve. My hope is that you listen to this entire episode and truly hear their stories and how each leader and member can make the space safer for all those who attend, especially the Black members of our community. Listening to them chat feels like you are sitting in on 3 old friends catching up, and it’s both pure joy and wonderfully honest. Thank you to Tywon, Claudia and Vinnie, and thank you for listening!

We interrupt the Youtube episodes with another important topic, the uterus! Last week, the Supreme Court undercut access to birth control under Obamacare. Under the Affordable Care Act, churches and synagogues were automatically exempted from the birth control insurance mandate but not automatically exempt, were nonprofits like religiously affiliated universities, charities and hospitals, which employ millions of people who want their health insurance plans to cover birth control for themselves and their family members. This changes that. Today I have former November Project San Diego co-leader and current NP Minneapolis member, Shira Klane, Nurse Practitioner, on to discuss all things birth control. This episode is not only for people who identify as women or have female anatomy, this is for everyone! Learn more so you can better support your partner, sister, mother, friend, neighbor, and know what you are talking about when you head to the polls.

Today’s episode of Wisconsin Notes was recorded a few days before Juneteenth with Tonieh Welland, friend and longtime member of November Project Milwaukee. You may recognize Tonieh from the NP film “Showing Up”. She’s a powerhouse yoga instructor, runner, mother, community leader, educator and graced us with her time and brain to teach us more about Juneteenth, as well her role as a mother to three teenagers. This conversation will give you both some historical context and emotional goosebumps and we are so thankful for Tonieh. Thank you for listening and please share it out to make sure all the parents you know are listening.

James Broad is a dog Dad, a soon-to-be human Dad, a snow enthusiast, an entrepreneur, a loving husband, son, and brother, a yogi, and so much more. He's also a Black man and on this episode of NP The Show with Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric, James speaks candidly about the death of George Floyd and how growing up as a Black man in America has shaped him and will shape how he raises his unborn son. We are forever fans of this man and so grateful of his time. Thank you for listening.

We have been very quiet over here the last month at Wisconsin Notes as we shut up and listened to those who for so long have not been heard. I personally didn’t think my voice needed to be on the airwaves so I let the professionals take the mic and I did a ton of reading, listening and discussing. Of course, that work continues and will continue forever, and I wanted to share with everyone the conversations we have been having over on the November Project youtube channel. The sound quality is a little crunchy because they are made for youtube videos via Zoom, but I know that most people listen to things on the go, especially on the run, and wanted to make them available for more to hear. There are 4 total and I will be releasing them throughout this week and next. On this first episode, it’s a conversation the November Project HQ of myself, Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric had with our anti-racist educations, Soumya Palreddy and D.A. Dirks. It was recorded following the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and we have an open discussion about the mistakes we have made in the past with November Project and some of the ways we hope to improve in the future.

Riley Pathman is a staple at November Project San Diego. He’s strong, joyful, has incredible endurance, and has a sarcastic and fun chauffeur named Jim, who also happens to be his Dad. Today on Wisconsin Notes, I have the honor of interviewing 2 of the 4 members of Team Pathman out in California. Over 20 years ago, Riley and his brother Shane were born 14 weeks premature, resulting in a movement disorder called cerebral palsy. The shock of caring for twins with special needs was quickly pivoted by Jim and his wife Lisa to a mindset of “If other kids can do it, then ours can too.” If the adaptive equipment didn’t exist, Jim built it. If there was a sport his sons were interested in, he made it happen. Riley is competitive and thrives in the racing atmosphere, which is what he is missing so dearly during these lockdown times. So this past week the Pathmans hosted their very first “Everybody’s Home Half Marathon”, complete with a loop around their home (which they ran 265 times!), a DJ, cheering dinosaurs, official timers, and a post race beer garden. Due to Riley’s underlying respiratory issues, the Pathmans will be on lockdown for months to come so this most likely be the first of a complete “Everybody’s Home Race Series” so keep an eye out for the next race. This is a long one but worth every minute as these two will quickly turn your day around and motivate you to lace up your shoes and get out the door today.

John Kohler is a father, a husband, the former founder of November Project Kansas City, and one of those insane ultra runners that signs up for 135 mile races through one of the hottest place in the United States, in the Badwater race series. Today we talk about it all, his FKT across the state of Kansas, how his wife and two babies were with him on Boylston street when the bombs when off during the 2013 Boston Marathon, and of course the road to Badwater, which he completed for the first time last year and is hoping to go for round two in July. For those not familiar, The Badwater 135 begins in Death Valley below sea level, and climbs up to the Mt. Whitney Portal, which is the trailhead for Mt Whitney. With over 14000 feet of climbing that isn’t the hardest part about this race. It is hot. So hot. With no shade, no escape from the pavement, and no mercy. So thank you to John for telling us your whole story, and confirming that I never hope or plan to attempt this race in this lifetime. Enjoy

Orrin Whalen is the former co-leader (founder) of November Project Los Angeles. He is a UK-born, Malibu-raised theatre enthusiast who is now a full time artist, working on his painting and sculptures in LA. His path to getting here, however, was far from straight. It's a fun story to hear, how you can end up leading glacier tours in Iceland and then find your way to Burning Man the next year. Before you finish listening, check out all of Orrin's incredible work at https://www.orrinwhalen.com/

Today I welcome back Brogan Graham for a little quarantine catch-up, alongside his brother, Dan Graham. Dan is checking in from his computer in the basement of his home, so not only is the sound quality not ideal, but the two of them keep forgetting we are recording a podcast and not a video. So I apologize for all the times I have to yell at them. Anyways, if you make it through the initial banter and warm up jokes, you will make it to a great story about the two of them being idiots, swimming at night in shark infested waters with a backpack full of beer to a Dutch concert on the beach, when they lived on the small island of Curaçao.

Today I am hanging with one of the co-leaders of November Project Philadelphia, Vinny Carrano. On this episode Vinny tells us his story, from being a young child who tragically lost his older sister to cancer, to his life in the military serving 4 years for the Marine Corps Infantry as a Corporal (E4), the ongoing affects his deployment in Afghanistan have had on him, and the work he is currently doing as the Director of Development and Engagement for the Emily Whitehead Foundation, whose mission is to provide less toxic treatments to pediatric cancer patients through CAR-T Cell Therapy. He does so many other things as well, and I’m very grateful for Vinny who was an open book, sharing himself with all of us.

Ah, brotherly love. In today's episode, we have returning guest, Chris Heuisler, and this time he is joined by his younger brother, Tim. In many ways these two couldn't be more opposite (as shown in this photo). At the time of recording, Chris was the Global Run Concierge for Westin Hotels, and is still is an avid marathon runner, father of two, doting husband, and oozes the All-American boy next door vibe with such ease. In summary, Chris is someone you want as your neighbor. He probably would mow your lawn when you're on vacation. Tim is the youngest of 5 Heuisler siblings, is covered in tattoos, and spends his 9-5 (which is never actually 9-5) slinging whiskey at industry events as the Master Whiskey Ambassador for Beam Suntory. He is living in NYC, although is often on the road traveling for work, and absolutely hates running. After chatting with these two for an hour, however, I think he would also be a stellar neighbor and might even mow your lawn if there were lawns in NYC. I guess being kind is just a Heuisler trait. Throughout this interview we dive into what it's like to be from a large family, the breakdown of their personalities and how they both arrived in the professions they are in. Family, relationships, and incredible birthday celebrations, this episode is meant to feel like you're sitting around the kitchen table with your own siblings and I hope it's as relatable and entertaining as it was to participate in.