Robert Chappell

4 days ago | madison365.com | Robert Chappell

City of Madison and Dane County officials raised the Pride Flag, signifying pride in and support for the LGBTQ+ community, over the Madison Municipal Building and City-County Building Monday as at least two other institutions in Madison opted not to for the first time in years. “Sometimes people ask if it makes a difference to fly a flag. And my answer is yes — it makes a difference,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.

1 week ago | madison365.com | Robert Chappell

A Wisconsin Historical Society representative confirmed to Madison365 that it will not raise the Pride Flag over its downtown Madison headquarters during Pride Month, which begins Sunday, as it and many other public and private entities have done for years, sparking the ire of local advocates and activists. “This was a complex and difficult decision that was made with consideration of many perspectives,” WHS spokesperson Colleen Lies wrote in an email to Madison365.

1 week ago | madison365.com | Robert Chappell

Francesca Hong was proud to be the first Asian American elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2020. As of January, she’s no longer alone, and this month she and two freshman legislators — Renuka Mayadev and Angelito Tenorio — officially formed the Wisconsin Legislative Asian Caucus. “It means nothing to be the first if you’re the last,” Hong said in an interview for the 365 Amplified podcast. They announced the new caucus during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

1 week ago | madison365.com | Robert Chappell

LaTonya Jackson-Flynn was working to make an impact for women in Madison when one event led her to add business owner to her resume. A native of Madison, she had launched a nonprofit organization, Waiting to Exhale, in 2021 to create supportive spaces for women struggling with mental health, inspired by her own experiences with postpartum depression.

1 week ago | madison365.com | Robert Chappell

Ryan Crain never imagined he’d be leading one of the most complex departments in tribal government. Yet today, as executive director of the Department of Education for the Ho-Chunk Nation, he oversees six divisions serving learners from early childhood through adulthood, all while working to rebuild a cultural foundation disrupted by centuries of trauma.