July Update from the Director

Dear Wisconsin Humanities Friends and Supporters,

Is your mailbox full of seed catalogues? I love Seed Savers Exchange, an organization devoted to "collecting, regenerating, and sharing heirloom seeds, plants, and stories." In addition to introducing me to great pickling cukes, I love that they know it's plants' stories that move us to protect them -- as much as it's their flavor or fruitfulness.

The same goes for the protective power of stories about people, which can transform how we think, feel, and take action to help others.

It makes me so happy to more confidently let myself plan how WH will renew our work with you (if federal funds arrive, as was recently voted on by Congress). What sharing of each other's stories will have the most impact today? I look forward to your help with answering that question in the coming months, as WH charts a renewed path forward.

In this exceptionally difficult time, everyone at WH feels specially called upon to bring the power of the humanities to bear on our biggest challenges -- challenges that can only be overcome by stories (of people AND of plants!) that contain truth and meaning that are rich with the dreams and beliefs of every one of us.

This holiday season will be the first since my mother passed at the incredible age of 102. I'm grateful to my mom for a lot of things, but one that stands out is her eternal optimism. Even when she watched the news -- frequently telling me "It's scary!" -- she would quickly turn to something positive. I'm grateful for that insistence on being hopeful, and what it taught me about weathering challenging times.

Dena

Most of us have heard of 4-H youth programs and know they have some connection to university extension. But there's a whole lot more that our communities get from our state's extension services. Danielle Hairston Green's enthusiasm is infectious as she tells the story of how Wisconsin communities' needs get met by UW Extension programs that combine advocacy and research, and bring UW experts together with community members all across the state. Hairston Green's special contribution to this is as the director of the Institute for Human Development and Relationships with UW-Madison Division of Extension, where she uses her passion for storytelling throughout her work, including a special focus on shifting the narrative around fatherhood while supporting fathers in Wisconsin. If you’ve ever wondered if the Wisconsin Idea still matters, or if it might be part of the solutions we are looking for, tune in. WH is thrilled to have Hairston Green bring her expertise to our board.

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