The Wisconsin We Love

As one who has had major parts of one's life, personally and professionally defined by time living in Wisconsin, I have been at a loss for words in light of recent events there.

Yes, "We Love Wisconsin". Fondly, sometimes we called Wisconsin Chicago's backyard playground. For me, my undergraduate career is defined by time at The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Kenosha and Racine were so often stops driving up to Oshkosh especially to Mars Cheese Castle for that cheese bread which made the best grilled cheese sandwiches. A freshman roommate was from Racine. My RA (resident assistant in dorm-speak) floormate was from Kenosha. And made several visits to their homes throughout the years. Yes, you can say, I truly came of age having been in Wisconsin during those college years.

And yes, that college life had it high moments like being chair of the UW-O's Speakers Series and being responsible for bringing icons like Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, Nikki Giovanni, and Dick Gregory campus. And then in one's senior year, being the first Black and second woman the the university's then history to have been elected president of the student government association. Yes, I was the #BBWOC (Big Black Woman On Campus)!

In later years when we've returned for visits to the southeast Wisconsin area, it has been shopping at the outlet malls along I-94 between Kenosha and Racine. And then the eight years spent in the capital city of Madison at that Fortune 500 company we made some of the most impactful multicultural marketing work EVER done so very relevant across the industry (no brag just fact). And to this day, really has not been equalled. Yes, I was that marketing architect that helped guide that company, who found itself is a major misstep to be corrected find its way to multicultural marketing and award-winning recognition largely on account of our work and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

So, yes, I have been in profound pain and utter sadness seeing what happened in Kenosha. And just brings more poignancy to the emotional comments of Doc Rivers. I have been just sad. Pained. And anguished. And remembering this holiday weekend long ago vacations to the Wisconsin vacation wonderland. But the display of the public art murals that have taken over in Kenosha to bring light and peace to boarded up downtown spaces encourages and soothes the soul. And we hope the goodness of the people I have known over the years in Wisconsin not only feel the same but are committed in the necessary course correction needed. Because they are truly so much better than what the nation has negatively seen happening in their community .