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

The Black Experience: Family

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Date: 
Saturday, June 1, 2024 - 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: 
116 E Wisconsin Ave, Appleton

The Black Experience: Family

Save the Date!

NOTE THE NEW LOCATION - this event has been moved to Appleton

Learn about some of the strong traditions and characteristics of some Black families. Although no one family is identical to any other, there are similarities.

Free Admission • Donations Accepted

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How I Lost BadgerCare and What Happened Next

Submitted by jfrohn on Wed, 03/13/2024 - 3:13pm
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Testimony given by Joyce Frohn at the Poor People’s Campaign March in Madison, WI, on March 2, 2024. Thank you, Joyce, for sharing your testimony with ESTHER in this blog post.

2024 Poor People’s March Wisconsin

In December of 2023, I knew that I might be losing BadgerCare.

I should first explain why I was on BadgerCare. My husband is on disability. He has an auto-immune disease that makes him not only unable to work but also in pain almost all the time. I am also a caregiver for my elderly parents who are in senior living and can’t move to assisted living until financial matters beyond my control are finished. Since I need to make sure they take their pills twice a day, I can’t take most jobs. I’m trying to make a living as a freelance writer, but that income is neither sufficient nor predictable.

During the pandemic, both my college student daughter and I could stay on BadgerCare. But as the post-pandemic “unwinding” began we were both worried. What pushed me over the limit was one simple thing: my husband’s disability check was increased.

That increase—$200 a month—wasn’t enough to cover the house taxes that went up, the fuel bill that went up or even the grocery bill that went up. But it was enough to kick me off BadgerCare.

ESTHER’s 2023 Yearbook Available for Viewing/Download

ESTHER 2023 Yearbook CoverESTHER’s 2023-24 Yearbook is now available for online viewing or download, along with a limited number of printed copies. The book was produced under the editorial leadership of ESTHER member Jill Smith with significant contributions from other ESTHER volunteers and ESTHER communications coordinator Kayla Nessmann.

Inside you’ll find…

  • descriptions of ESTHER’s goals, values and accomplishments, including the work of each of its task forces and work groups
  • a tribute in memory of Jill Smith, for whom the yearbook was a labor of love
  • many photographs
  • profiles of our annual award winners
  • feature essays about ESTHER people making a difference in the Fox Valley and beyond.

The yearbook also contains notices and ads sponsored by many friends of ESTHER in business, non-profit, and government circles.

The 2023-24 yearbook is available online now for you to review, or to download and read at your leisure (PDF). Click on the cover image (to the left), or use the button below to check it out.

View ESTHER Yearbook

We are enormously grateful to our financial sponsors, who are listed in the book. Please show your appreciation for their support of ESTHER by patronizing them or participating in events they sponsor.

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Oh, No! Not Critical Race Theory!!

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Watch Professor Gloria Ladson-Billings, University of Wisconsin-Madison, speak on the distortions and misinformation currently being spread about Critical Race Theory and how to challenge and undo these. See her presentation, available on YouTube here, or click on the image below.

Professor Ladson-Billings’ talk was hosted by The Creating Beloved Community team of Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity on November 14, 2023.

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!

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

Posted in
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.