By Senator, Lena C. Taylor On April 22, we can all come together to celebrate the place we call home. For centuries, the immensity of our planet forbade any notion that humans could make any significantly impacts. As our knowledge and understanding of the world grew, we also came to understand the influence that humans [...]

By Gloria J. Browne-Marshall President Obama received over 90 percent of votes cast by African Americans. With Black community support came an expectation the President would focus on their concerns. After waiting patiently, African-Americans ask if not now, when? African Americans, alone, did not elect a president. However, their votes and campaign contributions changed the [...]

By State Representative, Leon D. Young This political issue has been called by a sundry of different names: equal pay, comparable worth, pay disparity, wage gap and pay equality to mention just a few. But, whatever name one assigns to this discriminatory practice, the bottom line remains — it’s grossly unfair. The Far Right has [...]

As Wisconsin’s lawmakers ponder the states budget for the next two years, unfortunately, missing from the conversation is one of our States great health success stories: Wisconsin’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. Not taking this successful program into account is a serious and irresponsible oversight on the part of our lawmakers. This is one program [...]

Today, when you walk into a convenience store, you are confronted with a wide range of tobacco products in flavors you never imagined. Wild cherry, grape, and even mango flavored products are stocked on store shelves every day and are displayed right next to our children’s favorite candy brands. These aggressively marketed, cheaply priced products [...]

By Gloria J. Browne-Marshall In June, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide the fate of same-sex marriage. Attorneys for marriage equality have argued same-sex marriage is the same as interracial marriage. There is a tricky relationship between same-sex marriage arguments today and Civil Rights-era race cases. Gay marriage advocates want racial justice cases like Loving [...]

By Senator, Lena C. Taylor Two major food stamp changes that have been proposed in the Legislature will ultimately have a serious and likely negative affect for every FoodShare user. Both bills will have a hearing next week in the Assembly. FoodShare, like WisconsinShares are integral to our community’s success and growth. Whenever legislation is [...]

By State Representative Mandela Barnes You have probably seen them on the counter of your local convenience store. Vanilla. Chocolate. Cotton Candy. Grape. Strawberry. Peach. The flavored ‘blunts’ sound more like a birthday cake than a product designed to entice young people into a lifetime of dependence and dysfunction! Seemingly harmless, these ‘blunt wrappers’ point [...]

By State Representative, Leon D. Young Why is America awash with easily obtainable firearms? Have 300 million firearms in circulation (and counting) made us any safer as a nation? Moreover, why is Congress unwilling or incapable of passing commonsense gun control measures that even the majority of National Rifle Association (NRA) members support? These are [...]

By Senator, Lena C. Taylor This week the Joint Legislative Audit Committee authorized an audit of Supervised Released Program Placements. In lay terms, the state will audit its performance, financing, and policy behind how we release sex offenders in the community. Since the inception of the Ch.980 laws we have never audited how we are [...]