Wisconsin Union: Chelsea Manning to Discuss Her Fight for Government Transparency, Transgender Rights at Free Event on Feb. 17

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
Feb. 3, 2022         

Contact Information: 
Shauna Breneman, Wisconsin Union
Phone: (608) 262-8862
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu 

CHELSEA MANNING TO DISCUSS HER FIGHT FOR GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY, TRANSGENDER RIGHTS AT FREE EVENT ON FEB. 17

MADISON – Activist and former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning will speak about her fight for transgender rights, data privacy, public service ethics, and government transparency during a Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) Committee Q&A on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union. 

All, including those with no UW–Madison affiliation, are welcome to register to attend the free, in-person event here. A ticket will be required for entry to the event. 

Manning’s experiences as a transgender person and as someone who spent seven years in prison, in part, fuel the passionate activist work she will discuss during the Q&A. 

In May 2010, the United States Army arrested Chelsea Manning, then known as Bradley Manning, for leaking almost 750,000 classified government documents to media organization and library WikiLeaks, including battlefield reports on Iraq and Afghanistan and U.S. diplomatic cables. 

She said she illegally downloaded and shared the documents with WikiLeaks, because she wanted to expose the government for its wrongdoings, including the ill-treatment of prisoners and the unreported killing of civilians during military operations. Manning has said that she did not intend to cause harm to United States services members or to the country. 

In 2013, she was convicted of 20 charges, including espionage, computer fraud and theft. The Supreme Court sentenced her to 35 years in military prison. 

“I take full and complete responsibility for my decision to disclose these materials to the public,” Manning said in 2016 on Medium.com. “I have never made any excuses for what I did. I pleaded guilty without the protection of a plea agreement, because I believed the military justice system would understand my motivation for the disclosure and sentence me fairly. I was wrong.”

One day after sentencing, Manning shared her intent to transition from male to female and that she would pursue hormone therapy. 

During her time in prison, Manning fought for gender transition services and support, including hormone therapy; the right to grow her hair long, which was against the male hair standard policy in the prison; and gender affirmation surgery. While ultimately granted hormone therapy and gender affirmation surgery, she faced frequent legal obstacles and endured mental health struggles, which included multiple suicide attempts. 

After seven years in prison, then President Barack Obama commuted Manning’s sentence, resulting in her release from prison in May 2017. 

For Manning, her experiences further illuminated the need to advocate for transgender people’s rights. 

“I believe that defining ourselves in our own terms and in our own languages is one of the most powerful and important rights that we have as human beings,” Manning said. “Presenting myself in the gender that I am is about my right to exist.”

During her WUD DLS Committee-hosted talk in Madison, Wis., Manning will share a look at how she has fought and continues to fight for government transparency and accountability while defending the rights of transgender people. 

Additional upcoming WUD DLS Committee events include UW-Madison Black History Month keynote “Melanin in Media: Ruth E. Carter” on Feb. 27 and “Helen Zia: The Power of Unity and Re-Envisioning America” on March 31. 

The WUD DLS Committee hosts events featuring engaging, influential people to encourage conversations. WUD includes 11 committees and six Wisconsin Hoofers clubs that program thousands of events each year.

Currently, by UW-Madison Office of the Chancellor order, all must follow the UW–Madison health and safety protocol of wearing a face covering when indoors on campus, unless actively eating or drinking.

Those interested in attending the upcoming Q&A can register here.  

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About the Wisconsin Union Directorate Distinguished Lecture Series Committee

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Distinguished Lecture Series Committee contributes to the educational experience of University of Wisconsin–Madison students, Wisconsin Union members and community members by bringing engaging and influential people to campus. Founded in 1987, the series aims to expose the campus community to a diverse and vibrant array of people, backgrounds, and ideas. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/dls.

[Click here to download a photo of Chelsea Manning. Photo provided by Chelsea Manning.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/chelsea-manning.

One City Schools: Dane County Schools Announce New EdFest 2022 for Families: Collaboration not Competition

Contact:
Ms. Devon Davis
Head of Schools, One City Schools
Phone: (608) 531-2128
Email: ddavis@onecityschools.org

Dane County Schools Announce New EdFest 2022 for Families: Collaboration not Competition

Dane County, WI: Twelve Dane County public and private schools have joined forces to launch Edfest 2022, a new free school information event for the families of children ages 4K through 12th grade residing in Dane County, Wisconsin. View our announcement carried by WKOW Channel 27 by clicking here.

After learning of similar events in other U.S. cities such as Washington, DC, enthusiastic Dane County school leaders from 12 district, public charter, and private schools collaborated to create a free opportunity for families in Dane County to learn about education options available to their children.

EdFest 2022, sponsored by Galin Education and organized by One City Schools of Madison/Monona, will be held virtually from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST on Saturday, February 12, 2022. Participating schools will have school representatives and information available for families hoping to learn about the school options available to their children. One City Schools is happy to be an organizer and the chair of this year’s inaugural event.

To register and learn more, visit www.danecountyschools.org. Please share this website with your family members, colleagues and friends.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the following schools: 

1. Clark Street Community School (Middleton)
2. Eagle School (Fitchburg)
3. Hickory Hill Academy (Madison)
4. Madison Community Montessori (Middleton)
5. Madison Country Day School (Waunakee)
6. Madison Waldorf School (Madison)
7. Milestone Democratic School (Madison)
8. Nuestro Mundo Community School (Madison)
9. One City Schools (Madison/Monona)
10. Verona Area School District (Verona)
11. WI Virtual Academy (McFarland/Statewide)
12. Wingra School (Madison)

“We wanted to give families the opportunity to learn about a variety of education options available to their children in Dane County,” explained One City Head of Schools Devon Davis. “This group of schools looks forward to further collaborations with all schools in Dane County. We are all here to empower our children to be the best versions of themselves, and different schools do this in different ways. We are all excited about this opportunity to work together to meet the diverse learning needs and interests of every child in Dane County.”

The mission of Dane County Schools is to provide information that empowers families to understand and access a quality education that meets the unique needs and interests of their child(ren) from pre-kindergarten through high school. The group hopes every school in Dane County will choose to participate in EdFest 2023 and beyond, and envisions leaders from each school collaborating on resources and events designed to provide information to parents and families about all Dane County school options.

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About One City Schools One City Schools, Incorporated is a nonprofit organization that currently operates two schools: a tuition-based independent preschool that serves 2 and 3-year-olds and a tuition-free public charter school, authorized by the University of Wisconsin System, that will eventually enroll children from 4-year-old kindergarten through 12th grade.

Lakeland University: Executive Leadership Series: Predicting the Future – Data Analytics

Agrace Offers In-Person and Virtual Grief Group Options in March

In March, Agrace is offering professionally led, in-person and virtual (accessible with a tablet, computer or smartphone) grief support groups.

Family Grief Support Program is for families with children aged 5 to 18 who are grieving the death of a primary caregiver or child. It meets in-person every other Tuesday, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Agrace Grief Support Center. For dates and to register, call (608) 327-7135.

Journey Through Grief is a six-week grief support group series for adults. It meets Tuesdays, March 22 to April 26, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Agrace Grief Support Center.

Bridges is for adults grieving the death of any loved one. Meetings are held every other Wednesday.

• Virtual meetings are March 2, 16 and 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• In-person meetings are March 9 and 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Agrace Grief Support Center.

Spouse/Partner Loss Support is a six-week grief support group series for adults whose spouse or partner has died. It meets online Mondays, March 15 to April 19, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

There is no fee for these programs if a participant’s family member was in hospice care in the past 12 months; fees for others can be lowered or waived, if needed. Pre-registration is required; call (608) 327-7118 with questions or to register.

StartingBlock Madison announces 4th Social Impact Cohort

For Immediate Release
February 2, 2022

Contact: Nora Roughen-Schmidt, Executive Director
Email: nora@startingblockmadison.org

Press contact: Mary Cait McManamon, Communications Manager
Email: marycait@startingblockmadison.org

Company: StartingBlock Madison, Inc
Phone: 608.467.4949
Web: https://www.startingblockmadison.org/programs

StartingBlock Madison announces 4th Social Impact Cohort

Are you a small company looking to make a big impact? Then StartingBlock Madison’s Social Impact Cohort is for you.

Social entrepreneurs will benefit from mentoring, legal assistance and a curriculum designed to establish and grow a business. 

In partnership with Associated Bank and the American Family Institute, StartingBlock Madison opened applications for its fourth Social Impact Cohort on February 2nd. 

StartingBlock is looking for the best and brightest social entrepreneurs to join the 2022 Social Impact Cohort. These changemakers will solve significant social, healthcare and environmental challenges that our communities are facing every day. Social Impact Cohort participants will demonstrate how social entrepreneurship can serve as a model for creating a sustainable impact in Wisconsin.

“I’ve had the good fortune of being a part of StartingBlock Madison’s Social Impact Cohort since the beginning, both participating in the program’s inaugural year as a cohort member representing Sustain Dane and serving as a mentor in the two following years,” says Karen Crossley. 

“The content knowledge, coaching and interaction with fellow cohort members proved invaluable when Sustain Dane plunged into a new era of its organizational life. And then serving as a mentor and cheerleader, working closely with two extraordinary, talented, visionary women entrepreneurs, was highly rewarding and inspiring – proving to be a meaningful reciprocal learning experience for us all.” continues Crossley.

Other previous participants include Bravebird, whose vision is to develop and produce impactful, meaningful, and memorable stories with diverse creatives from the top-bottom and bottom-up. NovoMoto is also an alumnus of the Social Impact Cohort. NovoMoto provides reliable solar-powered electricity to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Over the course of the 9-month program, cohort members will receive…

• Free membership to StartingBlock Madison for nine months (March to December) with a dedicated workspace in StartingBlock’s Social Impact Cohort Hub
• Free programming focused on building strong, viable social impact enterprises Topics include: design thinking, lean startup, sales and marketing, measuring social impact, telling your story, finding investors, and more
• 1:1 mentorship by social entrepreneur experts
• 1:1 financial mentorship provided by Associated Bank
• Legal assistance provided by UW Law & Entrepreneur Clinic
• Access to all of StartingBlock’s resources, amenities and support services

The deadline to apply for this year’s cohort is February 27th, 2022. Learn more about eligibility criteria and apply at https://www.startingblockmadison.org/programs/social_impact_cohort/.

About StartingBlock Madison

StartingBlock Madison’s 50,000 square-foot entrepreneurial hub occupies the second, third, and fourth floors of the American Family Spark Building, providing a collaborative community for Madison area startups and entrepreneurs. StartingBlock’s mission is to put Madison on the national map for entrepreneurship and innovation by creating the intersections that cultivate entrepreneurs, accelerate growth and drive innovation. StartingBlock offers low-cost, flexible leases, programming, education, mentorship, benefits and access to a network of entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.startingblockmadison.org.