When the Dobbs decision came down, Emily Kraynak and Sarah White weren't seasoned activists—they were working professionals with young families trying to make sense of a rapidly changing world. What began as a response to that pivotal moment has blossomed into Northern Door Activism, a Wisconsin-based community organization that's redefining what grassroots engagement can look like.

In this conversation, Emily and Sarah share their journey from concerned citizens to skilled community builders, revealing how they and their neighbors have created space for others to find their own path into civic engagement. Rather than following traditional activist playbooks, they've crafted something uniquely their own—blending community building with advocacy in ways that reflect the character of their little corner, peninsula really, of Wisconsin.

Co-founder of Northern Door Activism

Co-founder of Northern Door Activism

Dorothy Scott & the Peacekeepers highlight the best of Pop, Folk, and Blues.

Northern Door Activism is a grassroots community organization based in Wisconsin that emerged in response to the 2022 Dobbs decision. The group focuses on blending traditional activism with community building events, creating accessible pathways for civic engagement while fostering meaningful connections among community members.

To learn more about Northern Door Activism or get involved in their initiatives, visit them on IG @northerndooractivism or www.northerndooractivism.com

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and share with others who might be interested in grassroots organizing and community building.

The gloves come off as Wisconsin business leaders square off over one of the most divisive economic policies of our time. In this explosive episode, Dr. Kristin Lyerly moderates a no-holds-barred discussion between CEOs who couldn't disagree more about Trump's tariffs.

On one side: executives who see tariffs as the lifeline American manufacturing desperately needs. On the other: business leaders watching their costs skyrocket and markets disappear. And let’s not forget the result? A heated debate that reveals just how deeply these policies are dividing Wisconsin's business community.

These aren't abstract policy discussions—they're battles over real jobs, real profits, and the real future of Northeast Wisconsin's economy.

Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry

AmeriLux Family of Companies

The Bank of Kaukauna

Dr. Kristin Lyerly brings Northeast Wisconsin the conversations that matter most—from the kitchen table to the boardroom. Each week, she tackles the issues shaping our communities with the insight, compassion, and tough questions you expect.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen live on the Civic Media app!

Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer's disease. In this heartfelt and informative episode, we bring together dedicated voices from Wisconsin's Alzheimer's community to share hope, resources, and practical guidance for families navigating this journey.

Dr. Dave Ferguson - Owner, DJ Ferguson & Associates Life Care Planning: Dr. Ferguson provides essential guidance on legal and financial planning, helping families prepare for the road ahead while maintaining dignity and hope.

Whether you're personally affected by Alzheimer's, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand this disease that touches so many lives, this conversation offers practical tools and genuine hope. Our guests emphasize that while Alzheimer's presents challenges, families don't have to face them alone.

Green Bay Walk to End Alzheimer's - City Deck

24/7 Helpline: 1-800-272-3900

What happens when a Gen X mom sits down with three Gen Z men to debate the most explosive political issues tearing America apart? You get raw, unfiltered discussion about Trump, socialism, identity politics, and whether this country is worth saving or needs to be burned down and rebuilt.

Dr. Lyerly brings the perspective of someone who remembers when politics was predictable and boring - back when politicians at least pretended to work together. Abe, Alan, and Landiran represent a generation that's never known political "normal" and isn't interested in playing by the old rules.

This isn't your sanitized NPR interview or your rage-bait cable news segment. It's an honest conversation between people who fundamentally disagree about America's past, present, and future. Expect heated debates about:

Sometimes they find surprising common ground. Sometimes they expose divides so deep you'll wonder how people this different can coexist in the same democracy. But they always tell you exactly what they think - no corporate PR speak, no political consultant talking points.

Content Warning: This episode discusses adult themes and controversial political topics without pulling punches. If you're looking for comfort food politics that confirms what you already believe, this isn't for you.

Join the most uncomfortable political conversation in America. Because the issues dividing us aren't going away just because we're too polite to talk about them.

Musical feature for this week's episode is Horace Greene.

Nearly 50 years after the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in Lake Superior, most people know Gordon Lightfoot's haunting ballad about the tragedy. But Tom Nelson argues there's a much bigger story that the song—and most books about the disaster—never told.

In his new book "Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy," Nelson connects the 1975 shipwreck to the decline of American manufacturing, arguing that corporate cost-cutting and poor oversight didn't just sink a ship—they helped sink an entire industrial economy. It's a bold thesis from someone who's spent his career fighting to save manufacturing jobs right here in Northeast Wisconsin.

Nelson isn't just writing about these issues from the sidelines. Years of peer-reviewed research, including interviews with never-before heard from family members, impart on the reader a deeply personal and unique perspective on the disaster that continues to captivate generations of Americans.

Enjoy three variations of The Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot, Headstones and The Longest Johns.

The Dr. Kristin Lyerly Show is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm on 97.9 WGBW and 98.3 & 96.5 WISS. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows.

In this powerful conversation, Selena shares her journey from struggling single mother to community changemaker, discussing how personal hardship became the catalyst for creating systemic change in Northeast Wisconsin’s food landscape. Founded in June 2023, Rooted In Inc. was born from Selena’s vision to create “a community table where nutritious food is a right, not a privilege”.

**From Personal Struggle to Community Action**

Selena opens up about her experience with food insecurity and how economic downturns and industry changes led her to rely on social services programs. She discusses how these experiences shaped her understanding that access to nutritious food affects not just hunger, but overall wellbeing, energy, and mood.

**The Mission of Rooted In Inc.**

The nonprofit focuses on addressing gaps in the area’s food system and supporting a sustainable local food system. Their mission is to build a “community table” where all people are nourished and uplifted by bringing people together and improving access to fresh and nutritious foods as a tool for transforming health and wellbeing.

**Building Community Partnerships**

Selena emphasizes how establishing partnerships with other community organizations was crucial, including collaborations with Leadership Green Bay for community orchard projects. She discusses the importance of identifying and leveraging diverse skill sets within her teams, from gardening and arborist experience to nonprofit expertise and small business acumen

Join us for a deeply moving conversation with Dennis “Lee Roth” Peters, the beloved lead singer of The Glam Band, as he opens up about his recent stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis and the incredible outpouring of community support that has followed. This episode celebrates Dennis's musical legacy, including a rollocking round of Peters Posse Trivia,  while highlighting the power of coming together during life's most challenging moments. Kim Shefchik and Chris Peot, co-founders of On Stage 4 Cancer, join the conversation and share details about the upcoming benefit and the community leaders and colleagues who have stepped up to help one of their own.

On Stage 4 Cancer Benefit:

If you'd like to support Dennis or learn more about On Stage 4 Cancer, visit onstage4cancer.org

When people think of Green Bay, they probably think about football or cheese or wearing cheese on your head to a football game, but community health and well-being are a priority for the people in this region, which is consistently named one of the best places in the U.S. to live and retire. In fact, Green Bay was recently chosen as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize Winner, an award that "celebrates communities that have made incredible strides toward building safe and supportive places where everyone has the opportunity to thrive." 

How? Long-term community building involving people, organizations, farmers, leaders and many others...and a beautiful little nonprofit called Wello is at the center of it. Wello's purpose is to "co-create community conditions that are fair and just to drive high levels of health and well-being for all", something they do by building trust and forming partnerships across the region - and it doesn't stop there. Since 2019, Wello has surveyed the population of the region to assess community health and well-being, seeking to better understand the people who live here and looking for opportunities to grow and prosper. 

In this episode of "The Dr. Kristin Lyerly Show", we meet the engine behind Wello, Executive Director Natalie Bomstad and, along with Charm Der, Vice President of Human Resources at Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, we discuss the positive impact of Wello and her sister organizations and explore ways that citizens can engage in community health and well-being on their own level (hint, it starts with taking the survey at wello.org!)

Our featured musical artist this week is my friend, Arum Rae. Check out her new album, Tennessee, available now at arumrae.com and wherever you stream your music.

In this episode, we shine a spotlight on the work of everyday heroes working to find sustainable solutions for Green Bay’s unhoused citizens. Peter Silski and Jeremy Pingel, the dedicated case coordinators behind the Green Bay Homeless Outreach Program have already re-housed 20 people since the beginning of the program in August 2024 by literally meeting people where they are and connecting them to healthcare, vital documents, and stable housing.

Plus, we’ll hear stories of individuals whose lives have been changed—like a participant in the outreach program who recently earned his license, obtained essential IDs, and moved into stable housing, thanks to coordinated support.

This week's featured musician is Boris The Sprinkler.

Tune in to hear how the City of Green Bay is working—from targeted early interventions and outreach in public spaces to building a cohesive regional blueprint—to make homelessness rare, brief, and non‑recurring in our communities.

House of Hope https://www.houseofhopegb.org

We All Rise https://www.weallriseaarc.org

Salvation Army https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/greenbay

The Gathering Place https://www.thegatheringplaceinc.org 

Wise Women Gathering Place https://www.wisewomengp.org

Manna for Life https://mannaforlifegb.org

St. Vincent de Paul https://www.svdpgb.org 

St. John’s Ministry https://stjohnsgreenbay.org 

Golden House https://www.goldenhousegb.orgFreedom House https://www.freedomhousegb.org

The Dr. Kristin Lyerly Show is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm on 97.9 WGBW and 98.3 & 96.5 WISS. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows.

My oldest son Abe suggested I do an AMA on Reddit, thinking we’d get a few questions about healthcare and politics. But guess what? The response was way bigger and funnier than we expected!

This week, we’re diving into some of the most important questions about the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision on the 1849 abortion ban, rural healthcare, cheese curds, and more. And if your topic wasn’t covered, you’re always welcome to “ask me anything”!

This week I'm featuring music from the sister group Reyna.

The Dr. Kristin Lyerly Show is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm on 97.9 WGBW and 98.3 & 96.5 WISS. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows.