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Today is The Big Share!
Donate from 2-3 p.m. to help us earn extra donations $
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This online day of giving supports the 82 member nonprofits of Community Shares of Wisconsin, including 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.
Our goal is to raise $3,000 to support our ambitious statewide projects this year across housing, transportation, and climate justice initiatives. Donate today during POWER HOUR 2:00-3:00 pm to help us win $1,000 in match prizes (sponsored by Hinckley Productions).
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Your contribution supports key projects:
- Statewide Housing Coalition
- Rethink 794
- Community Transportation Academies
- Active Wisconsin
- Housing Coalitions in Madison & Milwaukee
- Education, outreach, murals, and more!
Learn more about upcoming work and help us celebrate 30 years of building better communities across Wisconsin!
| | Meet the NEW Housing Team! | | |
We’re excited to welcome Ken Smith and Tehila Cohen to our team. They will champion the statewide housing campaign and coalition while connecting advocates across Wisconsin.
Together with Ali Hoffman, Communications & Digital Manager, they will start planning the Community Housing Academy – coming soon to a rural or urban community near you!
Their work will lift up marginalized voices and promote policies that sustainably increase housing options and affordability for all people across Wisconsin. Reach out and say "Hi!"
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Ken Smith
Housing Policy Director
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Ken has a background in history, policy analysis, and urban planning. He conducted research and policy work for Milwaukee County and served as an urban planner in Waukesha County and the City of Glendale. He also interned with WHEDA’s commercial lending team.
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Tehila Cohen
Housing Field Organizer
| Tehila is a community-led urban sustainability leader with experience advancing cross-sector collaboration and bridging the gap between government and grassroots initiatives. She is passionate about mission-driven social change and community advocacy. | | |
When Women Lead, Cities Thrive
March is Women's History Month
| | March is Women's History Month, a great opportunity to celebrate advancements in gender equity while also imagining an even brighter future. | | | | |
As cities around the world confront climate change, traffic congestion, and widening inequities, the need for bold, people-first solutions has never been greater. Women are leading the charge.
In the newly released book Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation, authors Melissa and Chris Bruntlett highlight 11 fearless female leaders who are reshaping urban spaces for the better.
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From reimaging mobility to designing safer and more inclusive spaces, women are working to transform neighborhoods into "caregiving cities." This reframing focuses on practicality and the realities of daily life, such as designing transportation systems that support care-related trips and building 15-minute neighborhoods where schools, childcare, health services, and public spaces are all within easy reach. When cities are built with women in mind, they become more livable for everyone.
Find copies of the book at your favorite local, independent bookseller or online retailers.
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Community Transportation Academy
New Learning Opportunity for Advocates in Madison
| | If you have ever wondered WHY our transportation system works the way it does, or thought, "there must be a better way..." we encourage you to sign up for the Madison Community Transportation Academy! | | This free, 10-week course helps bridge the gap between community members and decision makers in transportation planning, and provides participants with skills and knowledge to advocate for safe and accessible transportation solutions that work for everyone. Applications are due on Saturday, March 14. | | |
An Update From Our
Housing Policy Analyst
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By Ken Smith
The newly inaugurated housing team at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin has begun its work, and housing is an issue on the minds of people across Wisconsin and the nation.
On February 24, Tehila and I joined Dream.Org partners Jarrett English and Naomi Garcia-Hector to speak with Wisconsin legislative staff from both chambers and parties. The good news is that elected officials and their staff are well aware of national and statewide housing challenges related to affordability and supply. It was a great opportunity for our team to get an update on the status of housing legislation for the 2025-2026 Legislative Session, as well as what may occur in the next legislative session as this one draws to a close.
Read the full update from our Housing Team to see how we’re advancing smart, statewide housing solutions from day one.
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Photo: 1000 Friends of Wisconsin and Dream.Org teams meet with staff from the office of State Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) and State Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac).
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An Update From Our
Transportation Policy Analyst
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By Raphie Torralba
Interested in which transportation bills are moving through the Wisconsin Legislature and what they may mean for climate, equity, and mobility?
Our latest blog post breaks down a few legislative proposals we've been tracking. From long-range planning updates to traffic calming, learn about how the proposals may impact Wisconsin communities.
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NEWS
How Riders Saved the SMRT Bus
Learn more about a recent grassroots transit victory in Southwest Wisconsin, where local activists successfully restored funding to the regional transit known as SMRT (Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit). The decision to end the service was taken without much input from the public, so they gathered 800+ signatures on petitions and people showed up to tell their stories at meetings...and it made a difference!
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HISTORY
Street Privilege: New Histories of Parking and Urban Mobility
| James Longhurst, Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a board member of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, is working on a new book documenting the history of parking in America. In anticipation, check out this article from 2020, where Longhurst explores the "birth of the meter maid" and the circumstances leading to the creation of parking enforcements. | | | |
SAVE THE DATE
Join us for a "Walk & Roll" Audit along the I-794 Corridor in Milwaukee
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Rethink 794's second walk-roll audit is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31 at 12 pm. Participants will meet at the east end of the corridor (tentatively planned for the US Bank Center), then walk to and examine the Lake interchange from the intersection at Clybourn St and Lincoln Memorial Drive. Light refreshments will be provided.
To receive the most up-to-date information, subscribe to the Rethink 794 newsletter here.
To support our Rethink 794 initiative, please donate here.
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ICYMI
Transit Equity Day Webinar
Last month, we hosted a webinar with advocates from Illinois and Wisconsin to discuss The Northeastern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act – momentous legislation that was recently signed into law by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and represents one of the most consequential pieces of transportation legislation in the country. Listen to the webinar, where we share ideas for how we can achieve similar transit wins in Wisconsin.
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STORIES
People We Meet on The Bus
Using art to shift the narrative around public transit, grassroots advocates in Indianapolis published a digital magazine that focuses on the everyday connections and acts of kindness experienced while moving through the community. Featuring a compilation of writing, poetry, drawing, and photography, the digital version is available here. Volume 2 is already in the works! Visit the website for the complete backstory and to purchase hard copies.
| Photo: "Subway in Manhattan" by Emma Schwartz. Credit: Emma Schwartz/People We Meet on the Bus | | | |
Message from Our Executive Director
The Interstate construction mission is complete. Let's redefine the federal role in transportation.
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By Trevor Roark
Executive Director
“This is the wrong fight. Or, more precisely, it is a fight designed for us to lose slowly.”
I’ve been following and learning from Strong Towns for a while now, since 2015, to be exact. Chuck Marohn came to speak at UW-Stevens Point that year, and I, being a new-ish active transportation advocate at the time, was ready to listen!
| | Chuck explained how cities around the country are going broke due to their continued outward growth. As development shifts away from downtowns (commonly known as sprawl), communities often fail to account for the long-term costs and infrastructure needed to support that growth, including roads and utilities. The insights he provided were newer concepts to me at the time, shifting my volunteer focus to set a new course for land use advocacy. | | |
Chuck’s message is clear and compelling. Our country needs to shift away from the traditional federal transportation program to a new model where advocates aren't required to fight over table scraps. He goes even further to claim that construction on our interstate system was finished decades ago – in other words, “mission accomplished.”
We understand firsthand, as transportation equity advocates at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, how our historic battles against highway/freeway expansion could have played out differently, more wholistically, and with a different federal funding calculation and better stewardship. With that, we welcome the new paradigm Strong Towns is pushing and will continue to advocate for and educate around people-centered transportation systems.
| | Photo: Trevor Roark poses in front of Milwaukee I-794 downtown during a recent winter visit. | | Let's Connect @ Upcoming Events | | |
March 5, 2026 @ 1:00pm CST
Freedom to Move: The Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Walkability
Zoom Webinar (Virtual)
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Join America Walks Board Members to hear their experiences with immigration enforcement and its effects on their communities – and the connection between transportation and civil rights advocacy.
Register
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March 31, 2026 (12-1p)
794 Walk Roll Audit
Milwaukee, WI
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Join Raphie for a short "walk & roll" audit along a segment of the I-794 corridor. Examine the freeway's impact and discuss opportunities for a more connected downtown MKE.
Subscribe for Updates
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April 15, 2026 (8a-4p)
2026 Central Wisconsin Housing Summit
Stevens Point, WI
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Join Trevor & Ali at the 2026 Central Wisconsin Housing Summit, focused on the builder’s perspective and addressing the real challenges contractors, developers, and partners face in housing today.
Register
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April 23-24, 2026
Wisconsin Healthy Communities Summit
Wausau, WI
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Join Jen at the Wisconsin Healthy Communities Summit. Sessions will be focused on the intersection of public health, equity, and mobility through advocacy, education, and the power of trails.
Register
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April 27, 2026 (12-4p)
Save the Date: MobiliSE Spring Summit
Location TBD
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Join Raphie at MobiliSE for an afternoon of important conversations about the future of transportation our region. The event will feature transit advocates, policy influencers, and leaders from throughout our region.
Website for More Information
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May 7, 2026 (8:30a-4p)
Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Summit
Milwaukee, WI
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Join Tehila & Ken along with community leaders, housing professionals, local officials, and regional partners to understand and address the region’s most pressing housing challenges.
Register
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