Wisconsin Life

There’s a place in Ripon that’s providing a space for musicians and artists to get as creative as they want to. At The Heist, organizers have converted a former bank into a community space that they hope will bring people together. Ayisha Jaffer recently spent a weekend there and introduces us to the makers at The Heist.

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and surrounding islands in 2017, it was devastating. The storm tore through communities, decimated cities and towns, and brought on widespread power outages. Countless people were injured and more than 3000 people died. Rebuilding in the aftermath has been slow and frustrating for its residents, as many have criticized the governments’ response. As Puerto Ricans living stateside watched the disaster from afar, many felt powerless. It was hard to reach their family members on the island and assist in a meaningful way. Poet Karl Michael Iglesias wanted to help in a way only he could. So, the Milwaukee native and Brooklyn resident channeled his thoughts into a debut poetry collection, “Catch A Glow.”

Bringing a new life into this world is a blessing, and being able to share a newborn with family and friends is one of the biggest joys parents can have. But the coronavirus pandemic has taken those moments away from many families, leaving them with a slew of emotions to work through. WPR’s Andrea Anderson shares these feelings in a letter to her newborn, Magnolia.

Cinthia Téllez Silva moved to the U.S. from Mexico on her 12th birthday. Her family eventually settled in Janesville, where she went to high school.

Now, Téllez Silva works at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers in Milwaukee as the Healthy Schools Program coordinator. Her long-term goal? To make the city healthier for everyone.

Her story is being featured as part of the Wisconsin Humanities project, “Immigrant Journeys From South Of The Border.” WPR’s Maureen McCollum caught up with Téllez Silva at South Shore Park in Milwaukee in summer 2020.

Cinthia Téllez Silva moved to the U.S. from Mexico on her 12th birthday. Her family eventually settled in Janesville, where she went to high school.

Now, Téllez Silva works at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers in Milwaukee as the Healthy Schools Program coordinator. Her long-term goal? To make the city healthier for everyone.

Her story is being featured as part of the Wisconsin Humanities project, “Immigrant Journeys From South Of The Border.” WPR’s Maureen McCollum caught up with Téllez Silva at South Shore Park in Milwaukee in summer 2020.

In northeastern Wisconsin, there’s a mysterious and beloved snack called methunky. With humble ingredients  — flour, salt, cracklings and sauerkraut — this Czech food resembles a sauerkraut cracker, or as master methunky maker Vonnie Kinjerski lovingly describes it: a “sauerkraut cookie.” A listener wrote into our WHYsconsin project wanting to learn more about the tasty treat. WPR’s Mary Kate McCoy went on to bake it herself.

Irish dance has been booming for quite some time in Milwaukee, where there are multiple dance schools. If you’re not familiar with this art form…Irish dancers typically keep their arms straight at their sides while their legs quickly leap, kick and shuffle across the floor.

Usually, St. Patrick’s Day is a huge day for dancers, as they travel across the area performing for people. While the pandemic has impacted their events this year, dancers and instructors have found a way to keep hopping and stepping in a safe way. So to celebrate that dedication to the Irish culture, we’re revisiting this story from 2014, when WPR’s Maureen McCollum attended an Irish dance competition, or a feis, in Oconomowoc.

The story of Xai and Sia is a Hmong folk tale of a young woman’s journey to the netherworld to save her husband and bring him back to life. Bao Xiong, author and founder of Moth House Press in La Crosse, expands on this traditional tale in her new book “Folklore”, where she imagines the story behind Sia’s — the wife’s — courage.  Xiong told producer Hope Kirwan about her take on the traditional folk tale and the power of belief.

Joe Wong was a musical kid growing up in Wauwatosa, WI. He learned to play a few instruments, but he fell in love with the drums around age 11. Something just clicked with drumming that hadn’t quite been there with other instruments he’d tried. Now, he’s a professional drummer and composer, and he’s the host of the music podcast, The Trap Set.

He recently talked with “BETA’s” Doug Gordon about the challenges of composing for TV and film, and recording his debut album.

Since 1973, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has brought together humans and dogs. They work together traversing nearly 1000 miles of brutal conditions across the frozen landscapes of the Alaskan tundra. Author Matt Geiger shares the story of Wisconsin native, Libby Riddles, the first woman to win this world-renowned race.