This summer, we have an opportunity to unite to ensure our legislature provides all our children with the freedom to learn joyfully, nourish their imaginations, and meet their needs head-on. 

As always, if our messages don’t spread, they don’t work. Our shared challenge is to break through the noise by pulling together with a narrative that inspires our communities to chime in and join us. 

In addition to the state Supreme Court race, two questions will be on your ballot next month around cash bail and pre-conviction conditions. Please make no mistake: these are devious changes being pushed by a wealthy and powerful few hoping to divide us by where we live and what we look like and use us as their pawns as they attack our freedom.

This month’s newsletter focuses on how to talk truthfully about these referenda to remind our audiences what really keeps us safe and point out the motivations behind the false narratives being fed to us by people who want to divide us.

In April, we have a real opportunity to join together and take another step toward building the world we all want. The current six justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court have split ideologies, meaning future court decisions will often be decided by the one vote of the seventh justice we elect this spring. That person will serve for 10 years and decide cases about community districting, voting, abortion, and more.

In Wisconsin, whether we’re Black, white or brown, we value our freedoms — our freedom to vote, to decide whether and when we grow our families, and to know our kids will make it home safe at the end of the day.

If we want the media to change the story, we must give them a new story. This election will require showing (not just telling) that we are turning out, helping people vote, and living and breathing American values of freedom and liberty for all.

We know what keeps us safe. It's living in communities where we look out for our neighbors, have the great schools and healthcare we need, and have leaders who fully fund our community — from violence prevention programs to mental healthcare.