About Us

Thank you for visiting the Worth Fighting For Wisconsin website! Worth Fighting For Wisconsin (WFFWi – pronounced “Wiffy”) is the new name of a statewide group of individuals formerly known as North Shore Fair Maps (see HISTORY).  

OUR SHARED VALUES

No matter our color, background, or zip code, most folks who live in Wisconsin want pretty similar things. We value the freedom that comes from having a say in decisions affecting our lives. We value fair play, and show our strength by how we treat each other. We value each other and the communities we call home. And because we care, we want everyone living here to drink fresh water and breathe clean air. We want people to get to be who they want to be, plan their own families, and live their own lives. We want Wisconsin’s kids to learn the truth in good schools, and to be safe in and out of school. We want folks to have jobs that help them not just survive but thrive, and let them retire with dignity. We want a healthy and happy Wisconsin. Not just for some, but for all. Today, those values are at risk in Wisconsin, and under attack in America.

ARE YOU READY TO JOIN US?

Worth Fighting For is part of Wisconsin’s pro-democracy movement. If you share our values, we invite you to join us in the fight. We don’t care what you look like, where you live, what your job is/was, who you love, where/if you pray, or how/if you have voted in the past.  None of that matters. If you are ready to join us in the fight for our values and our future, we welcome you with open arms and hearts. Wisconsin is worth fighting for. America is worth fighting for. WE are worth fighting for. And when we all work together, it’s easier, more effective, and more fun! If you are ready…

TAKE ACTION NOW

WISCONSIN – PROGRESS & RISK

Partisan gerrymandering once made
Wisconsin a democracy desert.

But with a shift in power at the Wisconsin Supreme Court, by 2024 Wisconsin had new, fairer voting maps. Indeed, 2024 was a banner year for STATE democracy in Wisconsin. Law Forward’s co-founder and president Jeff Mandell spoke to us about that progress in December 2024, and you can watch the presentation . Much of Wisconsin’s progress can be attributed to enforcement of the rule of law and actions by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Wisconsin is once again attempting to live up to its motto “FORWARD.”

With progress, comes risk. To protect the progress made, and advance, Wisconsinites need to:

  1. Maintain (and expand) the “forward” majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court by seating justices who share Wisconsin’s core values. We urge voters to go to the polls on April 1, 2025 and vote for common-sense jurist Judge Susan Crawford.  If she loses, Wisconsin will slide back — way back to 1849. That’s what will happen if Wisconsin elects proven right-wing MAGA political operative “Bad Brad” Schimel. On January 13 Judge Crawford spoke to WFFWi. If you compare candidates, the choice is clear — we need Crawford on the Court.
  2. Elect a Superintendent of Public Instruction who believes in strong PUBLIC schools, and who is a QUALIFIED educator. We urge voters to reelect Jill Underly on April 1. Her MAGA opponent does not believe in free public education; she wants to funnel taxpayer dollars to private schools. She doesn’t even have a Wisconsin teaching license.
  3. Stop efforts to disinfranchise Wisconsin voters. Today, that means voters should VOTE NO on the Constitutional Amendment on the April 1 ballot. We already have a Voter I.D. statute. If the Legislature wants to change it, change it. The legislature continues to propose constitutional amendments while denying Wisconsinites the ability to propose their own citizen-led ballot initiatives. Enough is enough.
  4. Amend Wisconsin’s Constitution to ensure that, by 2030, Wisconsin voters no longer need fear partisan gerrymandering. Wisconsin was a democracy wasteland for more than a decade, and we cannot go back to those dark days.
  5. Do whatever we can to help MAGA-proof Wisconsin, because America is under attack.  See more below.

AMERICA UNDER ATTACK

As outlined in their Project 2025 agenda, MAGA, Trump, and the billionaires who brought them to power have thrown America into chaos and our families into crisis: asserting power to steal the money ‘we the people’ generate to run our government, putting lives in danger, and attacking our freedoms and our futures. While Trump raises prices and bullies people based on what they look like or where they come from, his shadow president Elon Musk commits armed robbery – threatening everything from our Social Security payments to Medicare health records to our children’s education. Musk claims to have illegally “deleted” countless agencies and programs that we’ve built to care for each other and honor our commitments to allies.

Those who oppose MAGA must play both defense and offense. Worth Fighting For Wisconsin plans to do what it can to protect our democracy at the local, state, and national level by:

  • Protecting people at risk of unjustifiable harm;
  • Defending civic institutions;
  • Disrupting and disobeying the MAGA agenda;
  • Working for positive change; 
  • Building our power; and
  • Encouraging others to do the same.

HOW WE OPERATE

  • We hold monthly virtual meetings at 7PM (CT), on the second Monday of each month. The meetings cover important topics, feature smart and engaging guests, with action items at each meeting. Meetings are recorded whenever possible, and informative slide decks are sent out the week of the meeting.
  • We provide a platform for the larger pro-democracy network, including partisan, nonpartisan, and special interest groups aligned with our values, to share their work and invite people to participate.
  • We send weekly Dispatches with information updates, and special Rapid Response Dispatches when needed. We try to be a clearinghouse by highlighting news and action items. Every Dispatch calls for action.
  • We archive our videos, slide decks, and Dispatches.
  • We support state, or federal office who share our values.

WHAT WE DO NOT DO

First and foremost, we try to avoid biting off more than we can chew! We are simply a group of individuals (now 940+ strong) who want to save democracy.

  • We rarely organize protests or other activities; instead, we amplify the good work being done by others.
  • We do not want to compete with or duplicate others’ efforts; we want to amplify their efforts.
  • We do not accept donations or donate to causes, individuals, or campaigns.
  • We support but do not formally endorse any candidates.

STRUCTURE & LEADERSHIP

Worth Fighting For Wisconsin is simply a group of engaged individuals (now 940+ strong) from all across Wisconsin, who want to save democracy.

  • WFFWi has no corporate status. We are just a bunch of people who gather once a month and send and read Dispatches. And act on them.
  • We are led by a steering committee. The committee members are all pro-democracy advocates and activists. Each of us brings their own perspective to the committee. And we are not just colleagues — we are friends.
  • WFFWi has no income, and what few expenses we incur are paid for by individual members of our steering committee.

Having an informal structure helps keep us nimble and, we think, more effective. We hope you think so too.

Steering Committee Members: Deborah (Debbie) Patel (founder and co-lead), Cheryl Maranto (co-lead), Carlene Bechen, Kathleen Blake, Jackie Boynton, Lynn Carey, Marcia Kaminski, Nancy Kaplan, and Deborah Koconis.

HISTORY

Worth Fighting For Wisconsin is the new name of a group that began in January 2021. That group was called North Shore Fair Maps. It was part of Wisconsin’s Fair Maps Coalition. In January 2025, we changed our name to Worth Fighting For Wisconsin. We are still part of the Fair Maps Coalition, but our work extends beyond trying to end partisan gerrymandering, and beyond Milwaukee’s North Shore communities. 

Read more about our history

NORTH SHORE FAIR MAPS STEERING COMMITTEE STATEMENT – JANUARY 13, 2025

Effective January 1, 2025, North Shore Fair Maps (NSFM) is changing its name to “Worth Fighting For Wisconsin.” The new website will be www.worthfightingforWI.com. Other than that, things will remain pretty much the same as they are today.

This name change will come as no surprise to many given that, as NSFM grew organically, it outgrew its name. In fact, one of our members said that when she reads our initials she now thinks “Not Safe For MAGAs!”

BACKGROUND:

In January 2021, the Milwaukee area progressive group Grassroots North Shore (GRNS) held a virtual webinar titled “Mopping Up Wisconsin’s Map Mess.” North Shore Fair Maps (NSFM) grew out of that meeting. At first NSFM was under the GRNS umbrella. But in an effort to be nonpartisan, it ventured out on its own. For more than a year, NSFM focused solely on supporting the work of the Fair Maps Coalition and promoting representative government in Wisconsin. NSFM developed into a thriving community of engaged activists hailing from all parts of Wisconsin.

NSFM’s steering committee members were serious about democracy. We were interested not just in fair maps, but also in a variety of pro-democracy causes. In the summer of 2022, we issued the following statement:

“When North Shore Fair Maps was founded, we never anticipated taking a partisan position on an election. But today the choice is clear:  No matter one’s political persuasion, the only way to protect our freedoms and defend representative democracy right now is to vote for Democrats. We invite everyone, no matter what they look like, where they live, or what political party they are in, to join us in the fight for freedom and democracy.”

Our community continued to grow. We now have more than 900 individuals receiving our dispatches, with an open rate in the 60-70% range. A typical meeting has more than 100 participants, and others watch the video and review the slide deck after the fact.

REASON FOR THE NAME CHANGE:

It is clear that NSFM has agency. As long as people want what we have to offer, and we have the ability to do what we do, we must continue. But our name no longer fits our purpose.

Today, Donald Trump and MAGA’s Project 2025 agenda pose a grave threat to our democracy and the world. NSFM can help counter that threat, by doing what we have been doing. As we approach the day MAGA forces will take control of our federal government, we can help keep activists like us informed, engaged, and connected. We are all part of “the opposition.” We do not simply resist; we oppose.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES:

Those who oppose MAGA must play both defense and offense. It is clear that we must use our agency and prepare to protect our democracy at the local, state, and national level by doing these things, and encouraging others to do the same:

  • Protect people at risk of unjustifiable harm;
  • Defend civic institutions;
  • Disrupt and disobey the MAGA agenda;
  • Work for positive change; and
  • Build our power.

OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN WISCONSIN TODAY ARE:

  1. SCOWIS Races – maintain and expand the majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court with justices who share our core values.
  2. An amendment to our constitution ensuring that, by 2030, Wisconsin voters no longer need fear partisan gerrymandering. Wisconsin was a democracy wasteland for more than a decade, and we cannot go back to those dark days.

GOING FORWARD, HERE’S WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO:

  • Hold monthly virtual meetings at 7PM (CT), on the second Monday of each month; the meetings will cover important topics, feature smart and engaging guests, with action items at each meeting; meetings will be recorded whenever possible, and informative slide decks will be sent out the week of the meeting;
  • Provide a platform for the larger pro-democracy network, including partisan, nonpartisan, and special interest groups aligned with our values, to share their work and invite people to participate.
  • Send Dispatches with information updates and action items and increase in our role as a clearinghouse by highlighting news and action items.
  • Archive videos, slide decks, and Dispatches on a public website, when possible;
  • Track national and state activity, and do our best to keep our members informed;
  • To the extent we are able, serve as an information hub and a curator of vital information; and
  • Support candidates running for local, state, or federal office who share our values.

CONCLUSION:

We can be nimble. We are simply a group of friends (now 900 strong) practicing their most important hobby: saving democracy. We have no corporate status. We have no income, and any expenses are paid by the hobbyists involved.

Hence, we are changing our name, to one that better reflects what we do.