Building community, sharing hope, and standing for justice since 2004

Celebrating ESTHER’s

20th Anniversary

Anniversary events: 7/27 Classical Guitar Concert • 8/22 Summer Gathering & Cookout
• 10/5 Walk with NAMI • 10/8 Justice in Crisis Movie & Panel • 11/16 Banquet

Learn more at 20 years of ESTHER

Film Showing: “The Invisible Class”

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Date: 
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - 6:00pm
Location: 
First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River St, Appleton

On May 7, ESTHER and First Congregational UCC of Appleton will offer a public showing of “The Invisible Class,” a documentary about homelessness all acoss America, its criminalization, and the devastating impacts of the loss of affordable housing.

Doors open at 5:30 pm, Film showing 6:00 pm
Q&A with panelists will follow.

The film explores what it truly means to be homeless in America, challenging stereotypes and examining the systemic causes of mass homelessness in the wealthiest nation in the world. The film contains strong, potentially offensive language; not recommended for young viewers.

Mass homelessness in the United States didn’t always exist, so how did we get to where we are today? What are the root causes? What should we know about homelessness in the Fox Valley region? What is being done to address it?

View Trailer on YouTube.

Help spread the word—download and share the attached flier!

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Northeast Wisconsin Housing Policy Institute

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Date: 
Friday, April 12, 2024 - 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: 
UWO Fox Cities Campus, Midway Road, Menasha

A regional housing policy training for people who have experienced housing challenges (including eviction, unaffordable housing and homelessness) in Northeast Wisconsin. Learn how local and state decisions have caused how we experience housing and what we can do to advocate for change. Connect with other advocates and know that you’re not alone.

Participants are asked to attend both days of this two-day event.

Scan QR code or click on image below to register.

Registration deadline: April 1, 2024

Contact: Lynnsey Erickson lerickson@winnebagocountywi.gov (920) 252-5928

Help spread the word! Download and share the attached flier.

Fair Housing Council May 16

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The Forgiveness Project Exhibit

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Date: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024 - 10:00am - 8:00pm
Date: 
Thursday, April 4, 2024 - 10:00am - 8:00pm
Date: 
Friday, April 5, 2024 - 10:00am - 8:00pm
Location: 
Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2600 Philip Lane, Appleton WI

The exhibit is also open on Sunday, April 7 from 12:30-4:30 pm and
Monday, April 8 from 10:00-3:30 pm

Come view this international exhibit which features 18 personal stories of challenges in forgiveness. 

At the heart of The Forgiveness Project is an understanding that restorative narratives have the power to transform lives; not only supporting people to deal with issues in their own lives, but also building a climate of resilience, hope and empathy.

Here are quotes from three of the stories:

  • “In that instant, I realized how much negative energy it takes to hold hate inside.”   Zak Ebrahim
  • “I'm beginning to realize that no matter which side of the conflict you're on, had we all lived each other’s lives, we could all have done what the other did.”  Jo Berry, daughter of a bombing victim
  • “Through forgiveness, I've learned that love doesn't die.”  Kia Scherr

PLEASE NOTE the exhibit is NOT available for viewing on Saturday, April 6, due to a prior commitment at the Fellowship. 

This exhibit is sponsored by: The Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, ESTHER, and Charter for Compassion.  See more description, photos, and a donation option to Forgiveness Project at www.theforgivenessproject.com

Join us for the Black Experience

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Date: 
Saturday, March 16, 2024 - 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: 
201 E Birch St Black Creek, WI 54106

The Black Exerience FlierCome experience a preview of our African Immersion, planned and led by ESTHER’s new organizer, Miracle Wheeler.

A fun-filled educational day with authentic African American Food, African Drumming lessons, African dance tutorials, crafts for the kids, face painting, a powerful movie clip on Black History, Q&A session, hair-braiding experience and much more.

Register Here

Free Admission. Donations Accepted. Proceeds fund ESTHER’s African Immersion.

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End the Lockdowns Community Forum - Green Bay

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Date: 
Thursday, March 7, 2024 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: 
Mulva Library St. Norbert College 400 3rd Street De Pere WI 54115

WISDOM and Partners Host End the Lockdowns Community Forum in Green Bay

End the Lockdowns Community Forum flierWISDOM, ESTHER and JOSHUA host End The Lockdowns Community Forum on Thursday, February 22, 2024 from 6:00-8:00PM at St. Norbert College (Mulva Library) 400 3rd Street, De Pere, WI 54115.

Join us to meet Green Bay elected officials, learn about WISDOM’s End the Lockdowns Campaign and provide input on transformational justice priorities in Wisconsin. This event follows successful events in Milwaukee and Madison with elected officials.

WISDOM’s End the Lockdowns Campaign seeks to:

  • Raise awareness on the detrimental effects of lockdowns to people who are incarcerated in Wisconsin’s prisons and their loved ones.
  • Build build grassroots support urging Governor Tony Evers to use his authority to take action.
  • Close prisons, reduce the prison population, and reinvest spending into community resources that decrease crime and strengthen communities.

Register to attend the event in advance at https://bit.ly/greenbayendthelockdowns. If you would like to participate in car-pooling from the Fox Cities to attend this event, please leave a message at https://esther-foxvalley.org/tjtf.

Taking a Faithful Stance on Equity: Part 2 of American Indian Studies

Date: 
Tuesday, January 9, 2024 - 6:30pm
Location: 
Zoom webinar

Tuesday, January 9, 6:30 pm Taking a Faithful Stance for Equity presents the second part of a two-part Zoom series:
Wisconsin’s curriculum requirement on American Indian studies. WISDOM is part of the coalition that presents this series. 

                                                         Register here

David O’Connor is the featured speaker.  O’Connor is from the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe) in northwestern Wisconsin. In January 2012, he became the American Indian Studies Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). In David's role at DPI, he supports school districts’ efforts to provide instruction on the history, culture and tribal sovereignty of Wisconsin's American Indian nations and tribal communities, often referenced as Wisconsin Act 31, and the education of Native American students.

ESTHER Welcomes Acienda Yang as Office Administrator

ESTHER is pleased to welcome Acienda Yang to ESTHER in her role as Office Administrator. A graduate of UW-Oshkosh with a Criminal Justice major, Acienda has strong experience as an administrator and coordinator in local and state government, and brings a bright spirit as well as amazing energy, focus and can-do spirit to her work. She is a certified Peer Support Specialist and is bilingual in Hmong and English.

Hello everyone!

My name is Acienda Yang and I am ESTHER’s new Office Administrator.

I love to hike, travel, cook, karaoke, and spend time with my family. In addition, I also have a pet turtle named Autumn whom I love very much. One of my goals is to travel out of the country once a year to learn different cultures and to try new things! If you have any recommendations for places to visit, let me know!

I am excited to be part of ESTHER and cannot wait to learn and be part of the change that is truly needed.

ESTHER’s office administrator role is part-time (about 12 hours per week) and conducted mostly remotely. To contact the ESTHER office, call +1 920-830-8083 or email office@esther-foxvalley.org

 

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Community Living Room

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Date: 
Sunday, January 28, 2024 - 10:45am - 12:00pm
Location: 
First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River Rd. Appleton

The ESTHER/First Congregational United Church of Christ Mental Health Task Force
is hosting a Community Living Room
facilitated by Ebb and Flow
Sunday, January 28, 10:45AM–12:00PM in Common Grounds at First Congregational UCC, 724 E. South River Rd. Appleton

This gathering is in honor of Jill Smith, a former member of FCUCC and the ESTHER board.

Connection is so important for our mental health. Sometimes it’s hard to find someone who will listen. Often, we don’t take the time to talk, to hear each other. Come find space to be seen, heard and valued for who we are. Come for meaningful conversation.

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ESTHER’s 2023 Individual Leadership Award: Connie Kanitz

Connie KanitzConnie Kanitz puts community into all her organizing. As a member of the Communications Committee, Connie publishes some of the stories on ESTHER’s website, writes blogs, and creates some of our famous eblasts. She also submits ESTHER events in the “Justice HUB,” a section of the weekly newsletter of the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

“I am grateful for the opportunities to hear people’s stories. I am convinced the more we help people tell their stories and get the right people to hear those stories, we can make some phenomenal changes.”

—Connie Kanitz

Believing that public transportation is related to so many justice and equity issues, and it connects some individuals to major functions of their lives, such as work, education, healthcare, shopping, friends and community gatherings, she served the Transportation Task Force as a member and then chair, over six years. In addition to testifying at State and local budget hearings, under her leadership the group published and helped distribute a booklet highlighting stories of bus riders.