Events
WFFWi Monthly Meeting
Stay tuned for information on our next meeting!
RECENT MEETINGS — ALL MEETINGS ARE VIRTUAL
February 9, 2026
Speakers: Darryl Morin, Dr. Melinda Brennan, Alisson Crooke, Liz
Hayes, Cain Oulahan, Eilene Newcomer, and Bishop Paul Erickson.
January 12, 2026
December 8, 2025
Speakers: Debbie Patel, Deb Anderson, Carlene Bechen, Kim Suhr, Cheryl Maranto, Amanda Merkwae, Kathleen Blake,
November 10, 2025
October 13, 2025
Speakers: Iuscely Flores, Emilio De Torre
- Complete video
- Slide deck
- Read (and spread) “Just the Facts – Our Immigrant Neighbors” (https://bit.ly/JustFactsImmigrationWFFWi)
September 9, 2025
June 9, 2025 – “Fighting Tyranny: Courts & Maps"
At our Monday meeting:
- Jeff Mandell, co-founder and general counsel of Law Forward, discussed the cases (including his own) that are trying to end the gerrymander of Wisconsin’s Congressional maps, plus the Dugan case, and more.
- iuscely Flores, Organizing Director for Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, brought us up to date on the hard work that has taken place to get ready to take all of Wisconsin’s voting maps to the next level: a nonpartisan commission by statute and, ultimately, an amendment to our state constitution.
- WFFWi steering committee member Kathleen Blake gave an excellent primer on keeping safe at protests.
- Steering committee member Carlene Bechen gave us WI State Budget information and action items.
- Co-lead Debbie Patel shared her experience as an ICE verifier and encouraged others to join her — our immigrant communities have rights and need to be treated like valuable human beings !
Speakers: Jeff Mandell, iuscely Flores
May 12, 2025 – “Fighting Tyranny: Immigration & Education"
To say what’s going on in America is overwhelming is an understatement. But we cannot look away. The people who spoke at our meeting are putting it all on the line and although none of us can do everything, each of us can do something. So read through this Dispatch. Look at the slide deck from last night. Watch the video. Take action. Do something. We know you will!
Speakers: Cain Oulahan, iuscely Flores, Dr. Jill Underly, Nancy Kendall
March 10, 2025 – “SHOCK & AWE DEMOCRACY!"
Wisconsin has a huge election coming up on April 1. In addition to local races, there are two critical state races. We need Judge Susan Crawford to be elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. We also need to re-elect Jill Underly as Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Judge Crawford joined us in January. Dr. Underly dropped in to see us at the beginning of our March 10 meeting. Then we turned the meeting over to DPW chair Ben Wikler, and then we hear from our featured guest Norm Eisen.
Ambassador (ret.) Norman Eisen is the founder and executive chair of the State Democracy Defenders Fund, which has been leading the court fight against the Trump administration, helping secure multiple landmark injunctions against its authoritarian moves. His work in the courts of law is paired with his effort in the court of public opinion as the co-founder and publisher of The Contrarian, a pro-democracy media platform which has been described as “the hottest new media outlet in America.” He is also the co-founder and former chair of other major non-profits including CREW and States United. From January 2009 to January 2011, Eisen worked in the White House as special counsel and special assistant to President Obama—the Ethics Czar. From 2011 to 2014, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic. In 2020, he was co-counsel for the House Judiciary Committee during the first impeachment and trial of President Donald Trump. Eisen was credited by director Wes Anderson as an inspiration for the character of the crusading lawyer Deputy Kovacs in the 2014 film “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
FEBRUARY 10, 2025 – “DISINFORMATION!”
Our featured guests were Indivisible’s Jody Rein (head of the Truth Brigade) and PenAmerica’s Kurt Sampsel (Senior Program Manager covering Disinformation). They shared their expertise and advice. We also had a short update on Wisconsin redistricting, and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul stopped by with an update on recent cases filed against the Trump Administration.
JANUARY 13 - THE COURTS & MORE
Judge Susan Crawford stopped by to talk about her race to win a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 1st. Video at minute 5:45. Visit her website: https://www.crawfordforwi.com/. Make a donation: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/sc-website. Make sure you check out the slide deck and video to learn about how unqualified her opponent is!
Michael Podhorzer is the former political director of the AFL-CIO, the founder of Analyst Institute, Research Collaborative (RC), and a fellow at the Center for American Progress. He talked to us about the United States Supreme Court, and how unions might be an answer to America’s problems. From Michael’s Weekend Reading Substack: This-is-not-a-year-end-appeal and How Trump Won. Video at 29:20.
We ended the evening with a discussion of the transition from North Shore Fair Maps to Worth Fighting For Wisconsin, and the goals of WFFWi (pronounced Wiffy). We educate, engage, amplify, motivate, and activate… Because Wisconsin is worth fighting for. America is worth fighting for. Democracy is worth fighting for. WE ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. Video at 1:11:50.