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Love Wisconsin

All Wisconsin Humanities Programs have been suspended until further notice.

We’re not giving up—but we can’t make it back without you. Give today to keep the heart of Wisconsin Humanities beating.

Your State. Your Stories. Your Future.

Wisconsin is diverse — geographically, politically, ethnically. But beneath the personal differences, we all share the common goal of making a life and home here. And at Wisconsin Humanities, we have discovered something powerful: when we share some part of our story with each other, we find points of connection.

For ten years, Love Wisconsin producers have been excavating beneath the surface of our state by talking with people and sharing what we learn, one story at a time. Our digital archive has grown to include over 300 authentic Wisconsin voices, each one offering nuance, delight, and complexity to our understanding of what it means to be a Wisconsinite.

DISCOVER OVER 150 STORIES ➔

If you are one of our more than 100,000 followers, or you are new to Love Wisconsin,

Wisconsin Humanities is creating pathways to strengthen community bonds and nurture what makes us human. 

 

Spreading Love

We could tell good things were happening, but we wanted proof. So the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal at the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication systematically analyzed the entire archive of Love Wisconsin Facebook posts. Researchers gathered the entire archive — 1404 total posts and 23,652 comments —  from January 2016 through January 2021. The report states: "Responses were unconditionally positive.  Of the 3,433 comments, only two could be construed as clearly negative and even these were very narrow and particular comments."

In short, research found strong and clear evidence of:

- empathy (the understanding of the feelings of another person)

- sympathy (sharing the feelings of another)

- compassion (wanting to help another)

- praise or blessing (cheering on another, or asking for kindness/blessing on their behalf)

- identification (feeling attached to another person or group)

- shared or cultural memory (evocation of broad culturally-rooted memories of people, places, or experiences)

- personal memory (memories attached to one’s one life-history)

 

Share a Love Wisconsin story on to a friend or neighbor!

We love the way stories teach us things, often about ourselves. We love the way stories help to translate experience and help us make sense of the world. And we love the way stories can inspire us to notice places and people through fresh eyes.

As we celebrate a decade of storytelling in 2025, we're not just looking back — we're forging new connections for the future. We invite Wisconsinites of all ages—students, parents, elders, neighbors one and all —to engage with these stories in meaningful, fresh, and invigorating ways. This archive is more than a collection of stories; it's a living testament to our shared identity, created by and for the people of Wisconsin. 

Throughout this anniversary year, we will be revisiting with some of the people whose stories struck a particular chord with our readers and offering in-person storytelling events to provide welcome spaces for Wisconsinites to connect. Follow along on social media, subscribe to the newsletter digest, and discover authentic stories today!

 

Other Programs

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Community Powered

New ways for Wisconsin communities to tell their stories and take concrete steps toward making their hometowns even better places to live

Learn More ➞
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Odyssey Beyond Bars

Storytelling workshops in Wisconsin correctional facilities.

Learn More ➞
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Stand Up To Hate

A free resource and guide to use stories and history to start community conversations.

Learn More ➞
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Human Powered

A podcast produced by Wisconsin Humanities that spotlights communities where imagination and relationships have changed the landscape.

Learn More ➞
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Wisconsin Life

Radio shorts celebrating Wisconsin through the diverse perspectives of its people.

Learn More ➞
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Wisconsin Poet Laureate

Wisconsin’s ambassador for poetry, creativity, and artistic expression across the state.

Learn More ➞