Celebrating Belle La Follette and 150 Years of Women's Progressive Leadership
Join Nancy C. Unger, history professor and author of Fighting Bob La Follette: The Righteous Reformer, in a celebration of the special contributions made by women to social and political reform. Back when a women’s place was in the home, the progressive movement at the turn of the last century offered women the rare opportunity to become civically engaged without being termed “unnatural.” A leading progressive reformer, Wisconsin’s Belle La Follette played a key role in the achievement of important advances on the national stage: bringing women the vote, fighting against racism, and promoting peace. She was described by the New York Times as “probably the least known yet most influential of all the American women who have had to do with public affairs in this country.” As women like La Follette promoted themselves as “civic housekeepers,” they paved the way for subsequent generations of women to broaden the range of women’s acceptable reform activities. Come join the fun in a discussion of how women’s place went from being in the home, to being in the House…and the Senate, and celebrate women’s unique contributions to our progressive past and present.
Dancing, Painting, and Eating Our Way to Progressive Change
“…First Feed the face and then talk right and wrong” -Curt Weil 3 Penny Opera
Even Bob can't fight all the time. Come down from the barricades for some sustenance and discuss creative strategies for working at the intersection of culture and agriculture for the health of the people, the land and our communities. This breakout session will include Wormfarm’s new “Homegrown” Roadside Culture Stand, featuring local food and culture, as well as other examples of initiatives in the state that link land, food and people for a thriving sustainable future. Our panelists represent a healthy polyculture – those who are building bridges and creating hybrid and integrated programs, strategies and lives. They illustrate how some of the most creative strategies for positive social change live in the intersections of disciplines, sectors, cultures and generations.
Healthcare Debate Comes to Fighting Bob Fest
The struggle for quality, affordable, accessible healthcare for all is not lost and is not over. Healthcare reform has been part of Bob Fest since 2002, so it only makes sense that we would keep the fire burning now that the issue is front and center on the national stage. This session will focus on what we can do to help progressive healthcare reform advocates in Congress do what the overwhelming majority of Americans want them to do: reform our corrupt system and help people live better, longer, healthier lives.
Making People Matter More Than Money in Politics
This session will explore opportunities to change how elections are paid for in Wisconsin and what citizens will need to do to make good on what is arguably the best chance in 30 years to get major campaign reforms. Legal and political obstacles also will be dissected, as will long-term prospects for improving our democracy.
Paid Sick Days Goes Statewide
Paid Sick Days in Milwaukee became law last November, truly invoking the power of people through direct legislation to make needed change in workplace and public health standards. Since then corporate lobbyists have done all they can to steal the initiative. 9to5 and the broad and expanding coalition fighting for economic and public health justice can not and will not stop there. Find out more about the escalating action for Paid Sick Days Wisconsin- statewide legislation taking off this fall. The workforce has changed, H1N1 is a real threat to public health, and we need real solutions to ensure workers do not have to make impossible choices- like between the job they need and the family they love.
The Doyle, Barrett, Evers Proposed School Takeover
Without public debate and without even offering a coherent explanation, the governor, the mayor of Milwaukee and the state Superintendent of Public Instruction have decided to take Milwaukee’s public schools away from their elected school board and hand control over to the city’s mayor. This will have many immediate and lasting repercussions, and this session’s leaders will explain them and seek your input about how to stop this train and help Milwaukee’s public schools instead of using them as a political football.
We Need Journalism to Have Democracy
There is a crisis in news print that is no smaller than the question of whether or not it will exist 10 years from now. Good riddance? This session’s leaders say no, and they will explain why and welcome you to agree or disagree. And regardless of whether or not you think we are better off without daily newspapers and magazines, it benefits all of us to think about what happens if they do go away and how progressive voices and perspectives can best fill the void.
