Action Project - DIY - Thursday, November 9, 2023 - The Daily Cardinal

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Action Project Fall 2023

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“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

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Thursday, November 9, 2023

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 133, Issue 14

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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Drake White-Bergey Tyler Katzenberger

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Editorial Board Graham Brown • Tyler Katzenberger • Em-J Krigsman • Franchesca Reuter • Priyanka Vasavan • Drake White-Bergey • Ethan Wollins

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DIY is more than ‘doingit-yourself’

By Drake White-Bergey EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DIY, or “do-it-yourself,” is a concept often relegated to home remodeling, car maintenance and craft projects. For many, “DIY” conjures the image of “how-to” YouTube videos or the “For Dummies” series of instructional books.

But that version of DIY is for dummies. DIY means so much more. DIY means community.

What happens when there are no resources for tenants who face abusive or hostile landlords? The community comes together to create

those resources.

What happens when corporate farms push out smaller, familyowned farms across the state? The remaining family-owned farms come together to stand up for themselves and ensure they have the resources to not just survive but to thrive and prosper.

What happens when they’re no affordable, quick, healthy vegetarian options for students near campus?

Two parents start their own food truck to provide students with the food they deserve.

DIY is passion. DIY is when a

person engages in an activity they love without expecting anything in return. Other times, someone is able to turn a passion project into a profitable business.

DIY is when none of the venues in town book local bands, so a household turns their basement into a local music venue. It’s when a local band books their own shows and produces their own music. It’s when a community comes together to create a music scene where none existed before.

It’s when someone with a passion for sports volunteers as a coach for

a youth athletics league in order to keep their passion alive in future generations. And it’s coming together to stand up for yourselves when no one else will.

The Daily Cardinal itself stands as a monument to the DIY ethos. We are a student-run, student-owned, student-operated paper. For many of us, the newspaper is a passion.

We report because our community deserves it, not because we expect something in return.

DIY is more than a home remodel. It’s standing up for yourself and giving back to your community.

Unionization, explained: How workers across industries unite for better working conditions

By Sanjeev Anand STAFF WRITER

Throughout 2023, unions were at the forefront of conversational buzz in Madison, with several workplaces in the city demanding better working conditions over the last two years.

Unions provide workers a place to make decisions about their work conditions and bring “economic justice to the workplace and social justice to the nation,” according to the Union Plus organization.

But how does a union form?

Here are five basic steps many unions follow: Step 1: Calling for change Workers at the State Street Starbucks in Madison voted in favor of unionizing in June with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), with 20 of the branch’s 22 voters in favor of the decision.

The branch’s discussions about organizing a union turned to action after receiving a warning of “corrective action” from Starbucks corporate officials within two weeks of an employee’s public statement in support of unionizing, according to Matthew Cartwright, a shift supervisor and union organizer at the Starbucks.

“What they ended up doing was just kind of making everyone very upset and angry, and rightfully so,” Cartwright said. “People weren’t being treated well. At the same time, we’re seeing labor cuts, less workers on the floor.”

State Street Starbucks’ employees’ decision to organize a union in partnership with Workers United, an established labor union, follows a national trend of an increased number of workers with union representation.

State Street’s Starbucks isn’t the only group of employees in Madison to strive for better working conditions through unionization. Employees at Sourdough Madison petitioned to join a union early this year, and staffers of nonprofit investigative news outlet Wisconsin Watch organized to form the Wisconsin Watch Union (WWU) under the NewsGuild-CWA in October.

While union-busting attempts by employers and corporations pepper the idea of unionizing as fraught with complications, the process of forming a union is more straightforward than one may expect.

According to Cartwright, the movement toward a union starts

with only one or a few voices calling for change.

“Workers a hundred years ago fought for even more basic rights than what we want, and they were willing to die for it. In some cases they did,” Cartwright said. “If they were willing to stand up to groups like the U.S. government at the time and say, ‘We’re not going to take it anymore,’ why should we be scared of Starbucks of all things?”

In Cartwright and State Street Starbucks’ case, the conversation bloomed after a longstanding manager of more than 20 years retired.

Cartwright said even before he transferred to Madison from Georgia in 2022, the State Street branch’s manager shielded employees from the negative impacts of corporate decisions.

However, after her departure, employees faced the continued threat of labor cuts, high minimum weekly hour mandates and a shortage of hours available for those who needed them.

“I wanna point out that State Street’s Starbucks is the busiest store in the entire state,” Cartwright said. “There’s no reason we should ever be understaffed. We make a lot of money.”

From there, it was clear to Cartwright and his co-workers that unionizing was the best path forward.

“If you’re spending eight hours a day, five days a week in a workplace that treats you poorly and doesn’t give you a livable wage, your quality of life is negatively impacted,” Cartwright said. “Unions raise quality of life, both for individual workers and society as a whole.”

Step 2: Contacting an organizer Contacting a union organizer or starting an independent union is the next step, and the first official step to unionizing with the NLRB, according to the board’s official flier.

For State Street Starbucks, contacting a union organizer came from responding to corporate Starbucks’ displeased stance toward unionization.

The State Street branch’s first organizing committee, composed of Cartwright and two others, reached out to another organizer at the Capitol Square Starbucks branch, which unionized with Starbucks Workers United in June 2022.

This ultimately led the State Street cafe to present workers with the option of signing union authorization cards, Cartwrigh said.

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“What this card means is ‘I want to be a part of the union, and I want the union to represent me in collective bargaining,’” Cartwright said. “It’s not signing your life away to anything. It’s just saying that this is something I would support, and I would support having an election to decide this.”

Step 3: Requesting voluntary recognition as a union Before an election was finalized, State Street Starbucks employees requested the company recognize them as a union interested in collective bargaining for working conditions.

In a letter to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan signed by 36 staff members, workers at the Starbucks announced their move towards unionizing in response to “intimidation, labor cuts and unclear standards” from the company’s upper management.

Upon having their request rejected by the company, the State Street location’s employees moved ahead with filing a petition for elections with the NLRB. Step 4: Union elections Any organization may file a petition to hold a union election with their nearest NLRB regional office if 30% of workers sign union authorization cards.

“We had our card signed, then our election was around a month and a half later,” Cartwright said. “It’s typically pretty fast, and after that you get all kinds of new legal protections in legal recognition as a union.”

The NLRB’s National Labor Relations Act mandates employers are required to bargain over working conditions in good faith if union elections result in the union winning 50% plus one of votes cast.

“We won our election handily because as it turns out, nobody was happy with the working conditions and everyone wanted to see change,” Cartwright said.

Step 5: The aftermath Currently, the State Street branch stands as a certified union with Workers United by the NLRB. However, the branch has yet to hear from Starbucks on bargaining over working conditions.

“Our win was June 1, and since then there has been silence from Starbucks,” Cartwright said. “Not one single word from them or even thinking about bargaining.”

Prior to the State Street location’s push to unionize, the NLRB ruled that Starbucks’ refusal to bargain with its workers had violated federal labor laws. The NLRB docketed more than 500 complaints of unfair labor practices related to the company or its attorneys, including illegally firing workers who organize.”

Cartwright said corporate resistance and union-busting attempts are not surprising.

“There’s obviously going to be pushback and resistance from those who want to protect corporate interests,” Cartwright said. “I don’t think any other form of organizing faces as much resistance as labor organizing. It’s a multi-million dollar industry. There’s law firms and PR corporations that are entirely marketed around ‘here’s how you can pay us money to make sure your workers don’t organize.’”

However, Cartwright remains positive about the future prospects of unions in the workforce and believes more people are seeing beneficial results from union membership.

“There’s going to be that big level of resistance, but as we’ve seen before, most times the people and the will of democracy wins out against money,” Cartwright said. “So I’m hopeful. I’m very hopeful.”

Editor’s note: The Daily Cardinal Editor-in-Chief Drake White-Bergey is an employee of Wisconsin Watch and engaged in activities to form the Wisconsin Watch Union.

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Last student housing cooperative survives eviction, no thanks to UW Co-op members faced resistance from University Housing and difficult conditions after being told their original space was set for demolition.

By Mary Bosch STAFF WRITER

Once a hollow brick shell, the Zoe Bayliss Cooperative’s new house on Langdon Street burst with warmth on a sunny October afternoon.

Chains of decorative fall leaves hung from the ceiling, vintage lamps gave off an inviting glow and the smell of home-cooked food filled the house as residents and their families poured in for a party.

“Seeing people milling about, eating and drinking and existing in this place that was full of boxes and pieces of wood four months ago was just surreal,” said Molly Nortman, the current Zoe Bayliss president.

For Zoe Bayliss residents, the Oct. 22 housewarming was a jubilant celebration of resilience and

perseverance following a tumultuous moving process punctuated by two years of fraught tensions with University Housing.

After housing the Zoe Bayliss co-op for 67 years, the old site, 915 W. Johnson Street, is set to be razed and replaced by Levy Hall, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s new humanities building, by 2026.

University Housing informed Zoe Bayliss officers their building would be torn down in summer of 2021, which gave the group about two years to find a new home.

When the University of Wisconsin-Madison failed to offer compelling solutions despite months of deliberation, Zoe Bayliss members turned to local nonprofit organization Madison Community

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Cooperative (MCC) for support.

Things worked out for Zoe Bayliss, which now leases a building from MCC at 636 Langdon Street.

Co-op residents said they were happy and thriving in their new home. “This building is definitely more homey,” resident Eli Song said.

“For starters, it isn’t shaped like a brick, and it doesn’t look like a jail.”

But the group’s leaders who worked with University Housing say they felt a lack of support for affordable housing and cooperative living at a time when student housing prices and Madison rents are skyrocketing faster than any other city in the nation.

“It was frustrating because they talk a lot about wanting to support affordable housing, but then, when push comes to shove, they don’t seem to take that opportunity seriously,” Angela Maloney, former Zoe Bayliss president, told The Daily Cardinal. “They just care about their master plan and what they can do with the new building.”

University tried to force co-op out for years UW-Madison wasn’t subtle in their opposition to the co-op, members said.

“They were like, ‘We will kick you out, tear you down, and you will cease to exist.’ That is that, and they were ready to wash their hands of it,” Nortman said.

University Housing threatened to tear down the co-op’s previous building since the 1980s, according to Peggy Haus, an alumni on the Zoe Bayliss Board.

Nortman said administrators she met with didn’t think members wanted to continue the cooperative. “[University] Housing was always trying to be shady, tell us halftruths and try to make it seem like they weren’t doing something evil when they were,” Nortman added.

University Housing offered the solution of moving into one floor of Phillips Residence Hall, but Zoe Bayliss members — who communally vote on issues facing the house — unanimously voted to reject it.

Their solution would have cut membership in half, raised rent and reduced common spaces, “defeating the purpose of affordable housing,” Nortman said.

“It would have had the name and nothing else. It was not a real solution,” Nortman said.

In a statement to The Daily Cardinal, University Housing said it “worked hard to offer alternative spaces” for Zoe Bayliss and was “glad that they settled into a location that is a good fit for their residents.”

Zoe Bayliss members said they were relieved to sever ties with University Housing.

“We don’t have to deal with them ever again,” Nortman said. “Which is really nice because they didn’t care for us. It was really stressful and traumatic to deal with them.”

The moving process Zoe Bayliss looked at other houses before finding a solution with MCC. Those options were expensive and would have

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required raised rents and extensive fundraising, members said.

Once the group settled on the Langdon property, Zoe Bayliss officers Maloney, Nortman and Sara Hartke, the business manager, moved into the new house over the summer to facilitate the renovation with MCC before the Aug. 15 move-in date.

Officers were supposed to add finishing touches like painting and decoration while MCC was meant to supply the bulk of the work.

“We were going to take the reins and make it a home,” Nortman said.

However, when the three moved in, crucial aspects were unfinished. There were large gaps left from the fire shaft, broken windows and an unfinished kitchen. Many bedrooms, including the one Nortman lived in, were under active construction.

Nortman said initial conditions at the house were so bad that MCC workers entered with hazmat suits.

“The renovation process was an experience,” Nortman added.

With no kitchen, officers lived off microwave and toaster ovenmade food. Without a sink, they resorted to using dishes sparingly and washing them outside.

Despite 30-hour work weeks, renovation was a slow, grueling process — sometimes up to 12 hours a day. As the summer continued with minimal progress, there was more urgency for MCC to get things completed.

While MCC was agreeable during the process, there were still issues.

“We sent [MCC] this itemized list: What is the plan for MCC to get these things done? How much time [will it take]? Is this under control?” Nortman said.

“We had to push a little bit harder than we would have liked to with MCC to make sure that they finished all the projects that they had told us were going to be done,” Maloney added.

As MCC struggled to find contractors and workers for the project, officers asked friends and family to pitch in.

Completing the house became a group project, they said.

“My dad put up all the curtain rods in the house. My mom helped to clean basically the entire house,” Maloney said. “Sara’s parents came, and her dad installed our new reverse osmosis water tap in the kitchen.”

With helping hands from friends and family, the house was ready by Aug. 15.

Move-in day was an emotional moment for residents and staff who stuck with Zoe Bayliss for the support, community and people despite facing an existential threat.

“I met a lot of my best friends at Zoe Bayliss,” Nortman said.

“I stayed because of the kids, even if they’re not really kids,” added Phil Loder, a former Zoe Bayliss chef. He felt the cooperative became a family that inspired its residents and let them thrive.

Members and alums said support shown for Zoe Bayliss throughout this process illustrates its community and importance.

“It’s an environment that’s really supportive to [its residents],” Maloney said. “We provide for them and so it makes them want to give back.”

“I couldn’t stomach the idea of not giving absolutely everything I had to make sure that this place kept existing,” Nortman added. “I feel like it does something that no other place can do.”

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Agriculture is changing, and small farms bear the brunt. But a few stand strong.

By Alexander Tan STAFF WRITER

Protection and stewardship of the land is the Brattset Family Farm philosophy. Nestled in the rolling fields of Jefferson County in southeastern Wisconsin, the 290-acre organic grazing farm is composed of pastures, prairies and a herd of humanely raised beef cattle.

The picturesque operation, run between the Jurcek and Brattset families, takes dedication and sacrifice.

“We could probably make more money growing corn,” Kirsten Jurcek told The Daily Cardinal. “There’s just not that much money in agriculture.

But it’s a peaceful lifestyle and a great way to raise a family.”

But the Brattset Family Farm’s success is not something every family farm experiences.

Jurcek’s farm resides in an agricultural community where there were once dozens of small dairy farms, but in their place remain a scant few holdouts and a new highway. Their town echoes a nationwide trend: that the viability of family farming is waning.

Less than a decade ago, America’s dairyland boasted over 10,000 farms, most of them small family operations.

But in recent years, about 40% of dairy farms have gone out of business, according to PBS Wisconsin.

For several years, Wisconsin has led the nation in farm bankruptcies.

Simultaneously, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), or factory farms confining over 1,000 cattle, have risen to dominate the dairy market.

‘Get big or get out’ For decades, agribusiness has strongly favored larger firms. Today, four corporations control most of the farm-to-table supply chain, according to the Guardian.

Current data from the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shows Wisconsin has 327 CAFOs, most of which are dairy farms in Manitowoc County and Brown County. CAFOs comprise the majority of the nation’s milk supply, and their cheaper products cater to larger clients like Walmart.

Unlike the Brattset Family Farm and other small grazing pastures, cows in CAFOs are usually fed cheaper grain to promote faster growth at a detriment to the animal’s health. This harm is what necessitates the broad

use of antibiotics in livestock feed today — a practice that threatens public health with antibiotic resistance.

“With there being so many large farms, there’s such a surplus of milk that the milk price is just very eroded from what the cost of production is.

Farmers have been forced to sell out their herds and quit dairy,” Jurcek said.

Larissa D., who asked to not be identified with her last name, is a UW-Madison agricultural and applied economics alumna who grew up working on her parents’ crop and dairy farm. She put this scale advantage into perspective.

“Say you’re spraying pesticide.

Some high-end tractors have GPS now, so a wealthy farm can perfectly line up each row, while we just kind of have to eyeball it. Those small savings add up row after row,” she told the Cardinal.

Legislation also favors larger-scale production. CAFO bottom lines are propped up by policies like grain subsidies and lackluster pollution regulation, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. “‘Get big or get out’ was the message to family farmers,” Larissa said.

Some family farms succeed despite CAFOs Growing up on her parents’ farm working alongside her mother, Jurcek was familiar with the hard work and humble pay of small agriculture.

When she left for university, she had different plans. For over a decade, she was a hydrogeologist, working in environmental engineering and on cleanup projects. It wasn’t until she became a mom that Jurcek came back to agriculture.

Brattset Family Farm devised a rotational grazing system to keep the cattle grazing on fresh, tall grass all year, and they placed their ecologically important land into a conservation easement. As a byproduct, the land supports wildlife and pollinators, protects local waters, limits use of mechanical equipment and sequesters carbon. Today, the Jurcek and Brattset families have grown the farm together and specialize in 100% grassfed and finished beef.

Though industrial farming offers a cheaper product, Jurcek says her farm has been profitable because it fills a niche.

“Most of our customers are repeat customers because they want a qual-

ity product, and they’re willing to pay for it,” Jurcek said.

Her business and sustainabilityoriented operations thus rely on consumer awareness.

“It’s important for consumers to support people who are trying to [sustainably] farm, and not just once in a while,” Jurcek said. “A lot of people go to the farmer’s market just to have a good time, but what’s in their shopping cart when they leave Costco?”

While CAFOs outcompete small dairy farms, small beef farms are growing in Wisconsin, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The only competition Jurcek noted were mass retailers who sell beef labeled “grass-fed,” but aren’t telling the full truth. “Grass-fed” but not “100% grass-fed and finished” cows could be born on a pasture, then immediately taken to a CAFO and fed grain for the rest of their lives.

Larissa’s family farm has also continued business because of unique circumstances in northern Wisconsin.

“My area has not had as many CAFOs,” she said. “The past 10 years, we’ve had a lot of Amish and Mennonites move in, and they’ve almost been fighting developers by purchasing up land and holding it for generations.”

Most small farmers face hard choices between adapting and leaving CAFOs are not the only challenge for small farmers, who are also coping with rising input costs and a decrease in young people willing to take over.

“Farmers are spending more time in the fields because they can’t afford to upgrade their aging equipment.

When the next generation inherits those depreciating assets, they’ll be in poor shape,” Larissa said. “The days get so long.”

What’s more, barriers to entry are too high to promote turnover. Today’s starting costs for a new farmer near Larissa could be $2 million, she said.

Her family farm started with her Norwegian ancestors who obtained the land through the Homestead Act, and many existing farms today were similarly accrued and passed down.

Jurcek’s family farm grew with the support of other local farmers, but farming communities are changing as well. The loss of small dairy farms and subsequent depopulation has had far-reaching con-

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sequences for rural communities reliant on agriculture.

“We used to join forces more, whether it be sharing labor, sharing equipment, borrowing things when you had a breakdown. There was a lot more community,” she said. “We just have fewer people involved in agriculture, much less understanding of agriculture and much less appreciation for the food that we eat.”

Jurcek pins the blame on the market and public awareness.

“As long as the American consumer has wanted cheap, crappy foods, that’s what the American farmer has produced.”

Advocacy as the future of small farming in Wisconsin Small and family-run farms in Wisconsin see a path forward through community and cooperation beyond diversifying into beef and other products: grassroots advocacy.

Farming communities can market better to the general public, advocate for legislative action and defend environmental interests.

Brattset Family Farm is part of such a community. In Jefferson County, a group of 12 rotational grazing farms work together in marketing products, bartering supplies and “just helping each other out,” Jurcek said.

Jurcek is also the president of the Kenosha-Jefferson-Racine-Walworth chapter of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, which she says has been a key voice for small farmers in issues such as water quality, affordable healthcare and conservation efforts.

Jurcek said the union is also working to return more control to local governments. Laws such as Wisconsin’s livestock siting rule —

which prohibits local governments from regulating livestock facility siting and expansion if the government previously zoned that area to allow agricultural uses — dramatically obstructs local officials’ right to resist corporate agribusiness interests and limit CAFOs. The DNR has not advanced regulations to curb the public risks of unchecked CAFOs. “In some places, people have manure running from their taps,” Jurcek said. “The closest [CAFO] to us is two miles away, and we can smell it.”

Toxic nitrates and bacteria from manure can contaminate the water table and aquifers, which supply drinking water for two-thirds of Wisconsin residents. The resulting effects can damage the ecosystem and tank property values for nearby residents.

Jurcek said previous administrations also legislated away grants meant to support new farmers and sustainable farming. She hopes advocacy and union support can bring such benefits back, but it is a slow process.

“If more people work collaboratively, we could change our rural communities,” Jurcek said. “We can make change over food if we start engaging young children about their food and where it comes from.”

Jurcek said her plans for the foreseeable future include working with new farmers and educating more people about regenerative farming.

“I think a shining star is that more young farmers are interested in rotational grazing, and our goal would be to give opportunities to those who want to steward the land the same way we do.”

Bombay Fast Cafe: one couple’s mission to provide healthy, home-cooked Indian food

By Noe Goldhaber COPY CHIEF

When Milind and Madhuri Ranada’s children were attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, they were unsatisfied with the vegetarian and Indian food offerings for students on campus.

They decided to do something about this and help all students — not just their children — by providing affordable and healthy food from their home city of Mumbai.

“My kids grew up on this campus, they attended this college and they didn’t find many options for vegetarian food… they wanted their mom to do something. So we said, ‘Let’s make a food cart that will help students.’

Our goal is to serve students, but

of course, all are welcome,” Milind Ranada said.

The Ranadas designed Bombay Fast Cafe themselves — from the menu to the food truck itself. Milind Ranada designed the stainless steel truck before it was manufactured at a friend’s workshop in Philadelphia.

“It suits our workflows and equipment,” Milind Ranada said. “That’s what enables us to serve every single plate steaming hot.”

The Ranadas hope to serve “fast food” during the weekday lunch rush at Library Mall, but not in the word’s traditional definition. The menu is directly inspired by Indian street food.

“I won’t call it fast food because it has that connotation… but it is very

quick, healthy, energy-giving and authentic food,” Milind Ranada said.

The menu consists of several plates, including a Vada Pav potato veggie burger, Falafel and vegetables cooked with Indian spices and sauces. Each meal costs under $10, affordable compared to a salad at Sweetgreen, which can run north of $15.

“Every plate is designed so that it has good fun, good taste, authentic spices, a lot of proteins, fibers, everything,” Milind Ranada said.

Milind Ranada said UW-Madison’s culture and the energy of young people on campus remind him and his wife of Mumbai It’s what cemented their desire to be on campus and own a food truck,

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he added.

“My wife and I are very fond of campuses and consider them a special type of active place,” Milind Ranada said. “The young atmosphere

and energy here is very similar to the demographics in Bombay. It’s a very young country, the average age is around 30. I just like this place. It’s very beautiful… very open-minded.”

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Madison Tenant Power tackles tenant exploitation amid city housing crisis

By Hannah Angsten STAFF WRITER

Year after year, Madison rent prices increase at a rate unseen among other major U.S. cities. As prices rise, housing options become increasingly limited, forcing renters to either stay put or face the unforgiving market.

This pressure to obtain lease renewals instills fear in many tenants about challenging landlord mistreatment, allowing landlords to get away with illegal and wrongful action, said Paul Matthews, a member of renters’ rights organization Madison Tenant Power (MTP).

“It’s very scary knowing you can lose your shelter because you stood up for yourself. Even more scary is knowing that you could potentially get your neighbors kicked out because they joined with you to do the right thing,” Matthews said.

Concern over tenant exploitation inspired local renters and members of the Democratic Socialists of America to create MTP. The grassroots organization, formed in 2019, helps tenants assemble to advocate for better living conditions.

MTP took inspiration from the Madison Tenant Union, a key local renters’ rights organization that existed from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.

Unexplained rent hikes, repairs and security issues, health concerns and harassment are common abuses Madison residents endure because they are unsure of how to take action, said John Cook, a founding MTP member.

“It started because I was looking for a way I could actually make a difference in people’s lives and help people organize,” Cook told The Daily Cardinal. “There’s so little help, and there’s so much exploitation that happens here.”

Madison’s housing market favors landlords

The nature of Madison’s housing market renders it extremely difficult for residents to stand up against mistreatment without fear of losing their only housing option, according to Matthews. The city’s vacancy rate — the percentage of available housing units that are unoccupied at any given time — sits at around 2.5% as of early 2023, far lower than the 5% vacancy rate the city deems healthy.

Rental and housing markets with low vacancy rates generally favor landlords and increase risks for vulnerable tenants, Matthews said.

“If landlords don’t like what you’re doing, they can get you out on the next lease renewal and they will fill that spot,” Matthews said. “They feel like they have a lot more leverage in situations to make things unfortunate for us who are just trying to have a place to live.”

Landlord retaliation is illegal in Wisconsin. However, Cook said it is extremely hard to prove and therefore provides a real threat to residents who are considering speaking up.

“After the place that they’re in, homelessness is a real fear of the most exploited renters in the city, and that becomes a fear of speaking up, a fear of organizing,” Cook said.

Group seeks community conversations between renters The Tenant Resource Center is another major resource for tenants in Madison. The center provides information on laws surrounding tenants’ rights and what landlord actions are prohibited.

While the resource center plays an important role in identifying illegal action, MTP helps tenants address those indiscretions, Cook said.

“What MTP attempts to do through tenant organizing is give people an answer by saying you can change the balance of power

between you and your landlord by not just being alone, but by making demands collectively, insisting on them collectively and acting collectively,” Cook said.

MTP’s main function is facilitating tenant organization by visiting neighborhoods and knocking on residents’ doors to help them kickstart the problem-solving process, Matthews said. Connecting with other residents allows them to survey who else feels mistreated and is willing to take action.

“Landlords really don’t like it when we talk to each other. That’s why they discourage common spaces inside the building,” Matthews said.

“This is one of the main opportunities for them to start talking about things and how to maybe try and do something about it.”

From there, it’s up to residents to use the organization MTP helped form to demand change.

Matthews said forming an alliance with neighbors is the most important step in addressing mistreatment because it reduces the threat of retaliation and shifts power away from landlords.

A Madison tenant who requested to remain anonymous said MTP helped them take action against their landlord in response to multiple years of excessive rent hikes and unresponsive maintenance.

“Madison Tenant Power assisted me every step of the way,” the tenant said. “They suggested I knock on my neighbor's doors and try and combine support for a letter requesting rent negotiation.

They briefed me on how best to strategically communicate with our property manager to get them to ultimately negotiate.”

With MTP’s help, the tenant said they were able to negotiate lower rent prices for some units, a significant step toward regaining adequate

FATIMA WARRAICH/THE DAILY CARDINAL

living conditions.

“Based on further conversations I've had, everyone is experiencing some form of hike, but many are simply desensitized to it,” they said. ”Fighting it at all is probably not even a thought in their minds, and I'd bet many wouldn't even know where to start. That's why we need organizations like Madison Tenant Power.”

A ‘tenant bill of rights’ for more concrete protections Now meeting every other week in-person and virtually, MTP’s membership has grown significantly since its inception.

Currently, MTP is developing a “Tenant Bill of Rights,” which they are hoping to propose to Madison Common Council members next fall. Matthews, a lead project organizer, said the initiative would establish more concrete and enforceable tenant rights.

“When people feel like they have more clear and certain rights, they are going to feel more

empowered to take that next step of organizing against their landlord,” Matthews said.

To begin this process, MTP identified potential laws that could pass without being blocked by state law. They then moved on to “power mapping,” identifying points of power that are most likely to enact the proposed changes.

They chose the Common Council as their target because they believe alders would consider the group’s proposed measures.

With few tenant protections currently outlined in local and state law, MTP hopes the Tenant Bill of Rights will establish more concrete guidelines for tenant treatment.

“I would love to see people get organized and get militant,” Cook said. “I would love to see a more militant culture of renting in Madison, where people are willing to push through what their rights are and to push for more rights as well.”

Atwood Community Garden provides fresh produce, resources

By Marin Rosen SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Members of the Trans Resistance Action Committee (TRAC) gathered Saturday at the state Capitol to urge Dane County to terminate its insurance contract with a subsidiary of SSM Health after they stopped providing gender-affirming surgeries over the summer.

The Dean Health Plan by Medica has insured the county’s 3,000 employees for the past four years.

While gender-affirming care is clearly stated in their contract with the county, SSM Health has ceased administer-

ing gender affirming surgeries at their Aesthetic Center in Middleton.

SSM Health is a Catholic, not-forprofit health system whose decision follows months of increased pressure from the Catholic Church to stop Catholic health care providers from administering gender-affirming care such as surgery, hormone therapy or puberty blockers.

In response to SSM Health’s decision, TRAC, a newly formed grassroots community organization that advocates for trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people’s rights in the Madison area,

CHRISTOPHER HOVEL/THE DAILY CARDINAL

took to the Capitol steps Saturday to call on the county to drop SSM Health as a provider.

“Obviously [SSM’s decision] is seen as a blatant attack on the lives of not only the trans county workers of Dane County, but also the trans community as a whole. So, we’re out here trying to raise awareness and urge Dane County to terminate their contract,” said TRAC member Cae Dallman.

Dallman also referenced the county’s recent decision to declare Dane County an official transgender sanctuary, urging them to support this resolution with real action.

“We’d really like them to put their money where their mouth is in that regard and show us that [it] wasn’t just words on paper,” Dallman said.

Logan Bitz, another TRAC member, said SSM’s decision reflects larger issues facing trans communities everywhere.

“I think it’s just really indicative of the times right now that are extremely hostile towards trans people,” Bitz said. “And we know it’s just about trans people because the same procedures are still offered to cisgender people at the Aesthetic Center. You

can get a breast augmentation as a cis woman, you can get a vasectomy…it’s just hypocritical.”

Kim Sveum, a spokesperson for SSM Health, told The Daily Cardinal in a statement that the health system “welcomes and respects all people who come to us for care, including our transgender patients,” though SSM did not say why they decided to stop offering gender-affirming surgeries.

“We remain committed to honoring the diverse individual needs of every person we work with and serve – and have a more than 150-year history of providing high-quality, compassionate care to all,” Sveum said.

Dane County searches for different providers Despite SSM’s decision to stop providing gender-affirming surgeries, Dean Health spokesperson Scott Culver said the health plan will continue to support LGBTQ+ employees.

“Dean Health Plan remains committed to supporting the health care needs of the communities we serve, including our LGBTQ+ members,” Culver told The Daily Cardinal.

Although the county’s contract with Dean Health includes other providers that continue to offer gender-

affirming services, SSM’s end to these procedures at the Aesthetic Center means that many patients won’t have access to the health care they need until the county finds a new provider, according to Bitz.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said the county received no advanced notice of SSM’s decision.

“When we learned of their decision, we immediately contacted our insurer,” Parisi said. “DeanCare informed us that gender-affirming services would still be covered under our policies but that SSM would no longer be providing that service themselves.”

The county’s current contract expires next year, at which point the county will choose from a number of bids they are currently soliciting from new providers. Ensuring that providers offer gender-affirming care for county employees is a top priority, according to Parisi.

“As we did the last time we issued a request for bids, we will require any policy to include gender-affirming surgery and services,” he said.

“Dane County is steadfastly in support of our LGBTQ+ employees and their families.”

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dailycardinal.com

Turning passion into progress

By Ava Wojnowski STAFF WRITER

Many have tried to create something in place of buying it, but it takes an extra step to turn these creations into a business.

Some University of Wisconsin-Madison students have turned their do-it-yourself passion projects into their own businesses, fueling a locally focused economy in the process.

Ashley-Grace Dureke, a recent graduate from UW-Madison, sells a variety of beaded jewelry and crocheted accessories. She started her company, Madewithgracebyag, two years ago and continues to produce and sell her work.

“I started two years ago mainly out of boredom, but also because my mom makes jewelry and I watched her do that as a child,” Dureke said. “It was just a hobby, and then my friends wanted to buy pieces from me, so that’s when I started selling them.”

Dureke said her products are valuable to student customers because they are customizable, making each purchase one-of-a-kind.

“My work is just another form of self-expression, and I feel like that’s something that’s invaluable on a huge campus like UW-Madison,” Dureke said. “No two pieces are the same, just like no two people are the same. There’s a connectedness with my pieces and brand as a whole, but it’s the people who own the pieces who shine and create that impact I strive for.”

Matthew Horester, a senior at UW-Madison majoring in graphic design, creates cloth-

ing and accessories out of his bedroom and basement for his clothing company, Threadlock.

He mainly makes t-shirts and sweatshirts with dimensional, hand-stitched elements.

“The MakerSpace near Union South planted the idea of clothing design in my head all the way back in my freshman year,” Horester said. “Since then, students have been the most supportive customers and professors have been the most helpful advisors for various projects. I really am grateful for the university’s creative resources and for Madison’s encouragement of their artist communities.”

Horester said much of his inspiration comes from the city of Madison, and he has worked to apply this to his designs.

“Madison is unlike anywhere else I’ve lived to make things,” Horester said. “Madison’s soul can be so youthful and artistic and inspiring, but it can also be dark, solitary and brooding. While living and working here, I have attempted to convert these hues into something physical. A lot of the products on ‘Threadlock’ do encapsulate the creative, childlike, tactile side of Madison, but I would be lying if I said Madison’s more mysterious side hadn’t inspired some of my favorite garments on the site.”

Lindsey Swiggum, a 2023 UW-Madison graduate, started her company, Loop.d.loppz, to sell a variety of crocheted items.

Students often believe they lack time to pursue DIY passions, she said.

HAILEY JOHNSON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Swiggum doesn’t buy that.

“I would always meet students who tell me about their passion for creating art that is unique to them. But when I ask if they have considered selling, I hear the usual, ‘I don’t have time,’” Swiggum said. “With the confidence in my own work that has grown over the years, these are now some of my favorite topics to debate and debunk.

I love to share resources with others to help them find a space where they can create, or a space to sell their work.”

Swiggum always dreamed of selling her own art, but she says turning a passion into a hobby has its ups and downs.”

“On one hand, it can be exciting to share my passion with others and make money off of something I enjoy doing. On the other hand, something called the overjustification effect can occur,” she said. “There have been times when I have no way

to decompress after a hard day because crocheting — a previously calming and rewarding activity — feels like a draining and tiring activity.”

Swiggum attributes much of her success and confidence to the art community around her.

“The local art community in Madison is huge and so welcoming,” Swiggum said. “Me and my small business would not be where I am today without this community.”

Another UW-Madison alumni, Alex Lutz, started her own gameday wear company called Recess Apparel in 2017 during her sophomore year.

Lutz said she was often displeased with limited women’s clothing options while getting ready for Badger game days.

She decided to take matters into her own hands.

“At the time, there really weren’t any companies or products out there that were really

geared towards women or really geared towards trends,” Lutz said. “I would go to the bookstore to find my gameday apparel, and it was all unisex sweatshirts or just the same repetitive design. So I started making my own clothing for myself, and I’d buy patches from the bookstore and use those to kind of revamp my clothing or upcycle some old sweatshirts I had.”

Lutz has since turned this hobby into her full-time job and has expanded beyond UW-Madison. During this expansion, she recognized she would need to work with students at other campuses to get their opinions.

“The campus rep program is a huge aspect of our business and how we have been able to grow, Lutz said. “That was the biggest thing when we decided to take it to the next level, finding people who could essentially be a sales rep, a brand ambassador, and who actually wanted to wear these products. They were helping sell the products and promoting them on campus to their friends.”

For Horester noted the overall satisfaction he feels when students find a unique piece to showcase their personalities.

“I have always felt that a particular garment can completely alter someone’s confidence and demeanor,” Horester said. “I love giving my peers the opportunity to own and wear something they can truly call theirs, some article they can feel special wearing and can be confident is just as unique and unreproducible as they are themselves.”

50 years later, WORT-FM continues to embrace its blossoming community

By Ella Hanley STAFF WRITER

WORT-FM is a nonprofit, non-commercial radio station that’s been operating for nearly 50 years within Madison and its surrounding areas.

Beyond its 13 staff members — seven full time and six part time — the station operates completely on local volunteer work. According to its website, WORT sees at least 300 volunteers through its doors per week. “[WORT] would not exist without all of the volunteer labor, knowledge, expertise and creativity that we have,” Chali Pittman, WORT news and public affairs director, told The Daily Cardinal. “Thousands of people have been volunteers at one point or another, and it’s all local – not just Madison, but also suburbs within and even surrounding Dane County.”

WORT’s community creators shape its content, Pittman said.

“We have a very robust network of people who will send us tips and ideas for shows. They submit it, and it gets blasted out to all of our hosts directly,” Pittman said. “You want to be tied to your community and know what they’re thinking.”

WORT has a wide range of programs on a weekly basis, including a comedy show, “Mel & Floyd,” and the “8 O’Clock Buzz,” an hour-long upbeat morning news show with a mix of interviews, news, culture and music.

The nonprofit station receives nearly all its funding from listener donations. Staff members attend local events, concerts and festivals in order to meet and engage with community members and incentivize donations.

The station also reaches out to local businesses that align with its mission statement for additional

funding and support. But, given the station is a nonprofit, there are no advertisements.

“Most radio stations you listen to on your radio are commercial, and their goal is to sell you something. Legally, we literally cannot try to sell you anything,” Pittman said.

The station, similar to other public radio stations such as WPR and NPR, utilizes “underwriting,” a scaled-back advertising form to acknowledge local businesses and their support.

WORT doesn’t list prices or give superlative language in its underwriting, and there are no calls to action, just an acknowledgement of support. “We actually probably don’t have a lot of competitors, because I can’t name another radio station that airs an hour-long news broadcast,” Pittman said. “I can’t name another radio station that plays the types of music we play.”

While WORT continues to maintain its radio presence, the station is expanding into other platforms.

“People like to talk about the decline of radio,” Pittman said. “We’re in the biggest audio boom since radios were invented, and it’s called podcasts.”

Especially with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, podcasts have become increasingly popular over the past decade. WORT has uploaded multiple podcasts available on streaming platforms like Spotify, and all the podcasts at this time were broadcasted on air before being uploaded.

WORT’s mission of bettering its community includes providing opportunities for others to learn, according to Pittman.

“The place we really shine right now is assisting other groups and community members with learning the basics of audio and allowing them to use our

studio space,” Pittman said.

WORT invites anyone to join the station — no experience required. The station also offers unpaid internships.

“It’s not just a great kind of skill, it’s a great way to meet people and meet your community. I got involved with WORT when I was a student at UW, and I just never left,” Pittman said.

Editor’s note: “The Student Dive,” a weekly radio segment and podcast run by The Daily Cardinal, airs on WORT.

CHRISTOPHER HOVEL/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Opinion

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Thursday, November 9, 2023

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What will Madison look like in 10 years?

By Claire Zimmerman STAFF WRITER

Madison is a Midwest gem that has created a balance between being a capital city and a major college town. Its blend of demographics and vibrant history creates an appeal that cannot be found elsewhere.

However, Madison’s soaring housing crisis, defined by rapid population growth and luxury redevelopments throughout the city, risks killing its special status. An influx of modernity threatens the historical and cultural values the city prides itself on.

Starting with the city itself, many of the downtown areas will be subject to massive changes in the coming years to accommodate the city’s growing population. Recent population projections estimate a 115,000 increase in residents by 2050, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison has just this year exceeded an enrollment of 50,000 students.

A surge in modern, high-rise apartment buildings is set to reshape Madison’s skyline, outshining the current mixture of historic houses, apartments and local businesses, all in response to the pressing housing demand.

The housing developments are happening quickly. The Oliv and Verve apartment complexes are currently under construction and are already open for the 2024-25 leasing year. Oliv, located on West Gorham Street, and Verve, just a block away on West Johnson Street, feature expensive units and glamorous amenities.

These are not the only two buildings in the works. There are two more proposals for new apartment complexes in the area, the first being on the corner of West Johnson and Bassett Streets next to The Lux apartments, and another on the corner of West Johnson and North Broom Streets that would surround The Equinox apartments.

These new apartments, if built, would add four new high-rise buildings to a two-block radius downtown and demolish many affordable student rentals, including the La Ville apartments and surrounding houses.

These projects are part of a larger influx of high rises that will modernize Madison into a much more commercialized version of itself. The influx of high rises and the demolition of classic rental houses will dramatically impact Madison’s iconic college town charm.

What is now a cohesive blend between a city and a college town will soon feel much more like a cookie-cutter city with the

new surplus of modern high rises. Some argue that this change may begin to strip away the city’s identity as a vibrant college town and turn it into a generic metropolitan area.

Over the past three years, the businesses in Madison have also been in the midst of a revival. New chain restaurants and stores have been emerging on State Street and empty storefronts are quickly filling up, spurring a sense of rejuvenation. However, this comes at the cost of local, family-owned establishments.

This trend is not slowing down, and in the near future it is likely that the commercialization will continue. Between restaurants, bars and local shops, many favorite historic spots may begin to disappear.

One of the first big shifts began with Red Shed, an iconic local dive bar that has existed since 1969. Wando’s bar purchased the building in April, forcing Red Shed to move to a new location on State Street. For a place with extensive history and tradition, it is a shame to see the loss of the iconic Red Shed facade. It will soon reopen at 508 State Street, but it will never be the same as the original.

Following this move, there have been several other proposals to remove or relocate other beloved venues. Madison property developer The Carey Group made a proposal this year to demolish Vintage Spirits & Grill, a classic bar and restaurant downtown in the heart of student life. Their intent is to redevelop the site into more housing units for students.

Another iconic bar and restaurant, Essen Haus, may also fall victim to this trend. There was a recent proposal to tear down the authentic German restaurant in order to build a hotel and residential building on the site. Essen Haus and its neighboring bar, Come Back In, are favorites among students and residents of the local community.

It would be a great loss to see these beloved Madison businesses come to an end or even be relocated because of redevelopment.

Such redevelopment will cause the city to lose its history and local charm. Losing these cherished business means saying goodbye to places steeped in history and filled with generational memories.

These impending changes throughout the city raise concerns about the erosion of Madison’s cultural and community identity. While expansion and improvement are generally seen as signs of progress, there is overall apprehension about the direction this progress is taking. The rapid population surges and development projects, fueled by an increased admission of university students, pose significant problems

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Within the next decade, many sections of the iconic college town may be unrecognizable. that threaten Madison’s spirit.

In the ongoing discussion about Madison’s future, it’s essential to balance growth and redevelopment with the preservation of what makes the city so attractive. The changes are inevitable, but finding a way to retain Madison’s unique character and charm is a challenge all residents are deeply invested in.

Claire Zimmerman is a junior studying journalism. Do you agree that modernization of Madison will affect the city’s vibrant identity within the next ten years? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com

State Street sellout: How Madison’s hub went corporate

By Owen Puckett STAFF WRITER

Nestled in the heart of Madison, Wisconsin, State Street stands as a vibrant testament to the city’s rich history, diverse culture and strong sense of community. For decades, the bustling thoroughfare has drawn locals and visitors captivated by its unique blend of historic charm, eclectic shops and lively street life.

However, recent years have witnessed a wave of commercialization that threatens to transform this iconic street, prompting urgent conversations about preservation, identity and the future of State Street.

Recent proposals from local developer JD McCormick aiming to dismantle key pieces of State Street’s architectural legacy make this transformation’s stakes starkly clear.

Under this proposal, buildings at 428-430, 432-436 and 444 State Street faced demolition, a move that ultimately displaced cherished local establishments including Sencha Tea Bar, B-Side Records and Freedom Skate Shop.

Buildings at 430 and 436 State Street, constructed in the late 19th century, have been recognized by Madison’s Landmark Commission for their historical significance. Their unique architectural details and irreplaceable materials embody the historic aesthetic of State Street, and their potential loss represents more than just a change in scenery — it marks a severance from the past.

Today, Chipotle, Raising Canes and Jimmy Johns line the historic street, erasing years of local innovators and entrepreneurs. It’s a pattern so recognizable in this country it verges on cliché — the small-time store built by the community for the community is pushed out by gray, faceless Corporate America.

The deep connection between State Street and the local community is embedded in its very fabric,

shaped by the residents, students and government over the decades. In its heyday, State Street thrived as a regional shopping hub and entertainment district, with retail businesses peaking at 133 stores in 1921.

This retail dominance began to wane with the advent of the automobile era in the 1950s and 1960s,

its community of stakeholders.

David Sims, author of the book “Soft City,” describes a neighborhood as a “state of mind” rather than a physical space, which resonates profoundly with current discourse surrounding State Street.

The concrete promenade has long served as a welcoming space, encouraging pedestrians to embrace Madison, fostering social interactions and building a sense of community. It is a place of unique experiences enriched by diverse stories of those who have walked its length, whether they have ties to the University of WisconsinMadison or not.

Right now, State Street feels like it’s slipping away — like sand tumbling through an hourglass.

Every year, we come back and there is another red ribbon to cut. It doesn’t happen overnight, but little by little. This Ship of Theseus is changing.

What happens when it is unrecognizable? What happens when local Madison vendors are boxed out of their own space and unable to make a livelihood helping out students from the center of the city?

HENRY A. MOORE/THE DAILY CARDINAL Every local restaurant replaced by a What does losing the historic identitiy of State Street large chain makes the street that much dimmer. mean to this university and community?

As we stand at this critical juncture, the choices made today will undeniably shape the future of leading to a dramatic transformation of the urban State Street. The challenge lies in striking a balstreetscape. From 148 retail stores in 1937, the number ance, ensuring the street’s transformation does not plummeted to 66 by 1972, illustrating a trend that strip away its soul but rather preserves its role as a would continue in the decades to come. vibrant community space.

The opening of Lucky Apartments on University The imperative to protect the unique qualities that Avenue in 2007 marked a significant shift in this tra- make State Street special is paramount, safeguarding jectory, introducing luxury, student-oriented housing its identity not just for the current generation but for developments to Madison’s urban landscape. These those yet to come, ensuring its legacy endures amidst mixed-use complexes, featuring commercial spaces the wind of change. on the ground level, have gradually replaced small Owen Puckett is a junior studying political science. businesses and single-family homes, contributing to Do you agree corporatization of State Street threatens the city’s economic growth but also fostering a dis- to change its identity? Send all comments to opinion@ connect between State Street’s built environment and dailycardinal.com

special pages 8 • dailycardinal.com

Thursday, November 9, 2023 • 9

A PEEK INTO MADISON DIY MUSIC

Local band Boxing Day captivates indie music lovers

By Molly Sheehan STAFF WRITER

In a prolifically rich musical landscape, indie band Boxing Day has managed to captivate and charm audiences within the University of Wisconsin-Madison community and the greater city of Madison.

Thriving on passion, determination and a shared love of music, band members Jan Grzywacz, Ella Scott, Shayfer Huitt, Annika Maxey and Chris Norcross encapsulate the essence of what it means to nurture talent in the indie music scene.

Boxing Day, winner of WUD Music’s 2023 Battle of the Bands, got their start in the close-knit community of Ogg Residence Hall’s music studio.

However, it was much more than proximity that shaped their formation, Huitt said.

He remembered how band members bonded over their musical interests and their shared experiences of recording tracks and performing live.

They were all on the same page about their collective musical pursuits as a band, he said.

“We try to write for the Boxing Day sound, blending our tastes into something more unified,” Scott said in an email.

The “Boxing Day sound,” as band members described it, is a sonic tapestry woven with a harmonious blend of creative endeavors and emotions that transcend the boundaries of mere melodies.

The band’s process in creating this unified sound is nothing if not a collaborative journey — an amalgam of perspectives — resulting in music that echoes and resonates beyond the venues they perform in, members said. However, collaboration is far from easy.

“Some of us definitely thought collaboration in a band setting meant spontaneously making a full song during a jam session,” Scott said. “It’s definitely more of a continuous process than some of us first thought.”

Nevertheless, Boxing Day has curated a delicate balance between individual artistic freedom and collective cohesion.

The release of their first song, “Your Voice,” in early July marked a poignant chapter in the band’s journey. They initially intended “Your Voice” to be a quiet folksong for Chris’s solo project, “Croix Du Nord.”

“Bringing the song to the rest of the band made it what it is today,” Grzywacz said.

“With each show and rehearsal, we added more and more to it until it became a piece of our own.”

Its title, inspired by the poignant first line of the chorus, “I need the sound of your voice,” encapsulates the ache of longing for someone in its purest form. Norcross said he wrote “Your Voice” about his girlfriend, Ava. Beyond the melodies and harmonies, the band draws listeners in with music that aims to express the intangible and articulate the unspoken.

Each of Boxing Day’s live performances caters to a wide variety of devoted listeners, showcasing their adaptability. They tailor setlists to suit each venue and show, creating an intricate blend of older originals, covers and new material.

During their show at the High Noon Saloon on Sept. 3, the band covered “Scott Pilgrim vs. My GPA” as per their friend Arthur’s recommendation. It was an instant hit with the crowd, who knew every word.

“We enjoy playing shows and playing for other people and want them to have fun and dance and sing to our music,” Maxey said. “The topics of our songs are far-ranging and relatable so that anyone can find solidarity within the Boxing Day world.”

Boxing Day’s passion and unwavering dedication to their music, both live and recorded, is something they hope reminds listeners that music is meant to be experienced collectively — and serves as a testament to the power of shared experiences and the emotional depth of human connection.

Moving forward, the band plans on tracking and producing music themselves, including their next single, “Bluff,” and an upcoming debut album.

LEFT: THE BOOBZHAUS ‘BASEMENT VENUE’ HOSTS MUSIC SHOWS IN MADISON FOR THOSE WITH ‘THE ADDY.’ PHOTO COURTESY OF LIAM HENN

Arthur Machado believes in Madison’s DIY music scene

RIGHT: MIO MIN MIO PERFORMS AT THE NOTTINGHAM COOPERATIVE, OCT. 13, 2023.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATY KELLY

By Lillian Mihelich STAFF WRITER

Music is born out of artists, but it is spread by the individuals who resonate with it.

At the local level, there is a recipe for bands’ success. One of the main ingredients is people like Arthur Machado, a University of Wisconsin-Madison senior who supports musicians and is willing to carve out the necessary space for them to perform.

“If people are going to do this, they have to do it because they care about the bands and have faith that those bands are going to get big,” Machado said.

Machado’s apartment wall is embellished with a staggering array of album covers, some of which are produced by local bands he’s met over the years. He jokes about his closet being 90% band T-shirts.

When asked about his work booking Milwaukee band Bug Moment at a skate park event, his mustache wrapped around his mouth into a toothy smile.

It would be indolent to glue Arthur to one description. He’s a freelance journalist, a talent booker for local and statewide bands, a radio host, a talent buyer, the editor-in-chief of music publication EMMIE Magazine, a band member in Mio Min Mio — and a student.

Machado doesn’t have his own venue to host gigs, but he has an established network and industry expertise. He’s formed friendships through student music organizations and connected with others over platforms such as Twitter, making him a flexible booker. He said bands often reach out to him via social media, and he’s become familiar with a noticeable community crowd at his events.

Machado connected bands to DIY venues like Nottingham Cooperative, Madison Manor and Dead Prairie. He’s also booked bands at three University music venues: Der

KATY KELLY OF MINNEAPOLIS BAND BASKETBALL DIVORCE COURT PERFORMS AT THE NOTTINGHAM COOPERATIVE ON OCT. 13, 2023 DRAKE WHITE-BERGEY/THE THE DAILY CARDINAL

Rathskeller, the Memorial Union Terrace and The Sett.

Machado moved to the United States from Brazil five years ago and didn’t have pre-existing ties to the music industry, but he felt entering it came naturally.

He values connecting small bands to venues because he believes in giving artists platforms he feels they deserve.

DRAKE WHITE-BERGEY/THE THE DAILY CARDINAL

It’s a hobby for Machado, one that has championed small artists and welcomed people looking for under-21 venues in Madison.

“I do think there’s a lot of value in doing small-scale community work,” Machado said. “If I don’t do it, and if there’s not people that think like me that are doing it, no one else will.”

Madison has a robust network of larger venues. But Machado has noticed factors such as lasting COVID-19 capacity restrictions and percentage cuts from artist pay that make it difficult for smaller bands to perform at mainstream venues.

For example, if Arthur has a band make the trek out from Minnesota, but the venue hosting takes a large percentage of their ticket profits to cover fees, he’d be disappointed if small artists’ profits were weak.

Sometimes, they need to sell out shows to move on to the next venue, a difficult feat for indie musicians.

“You don’t have anywhere that focuses on booking

local bands [or] focuses on bringing smaller touring acts, so the biggest thing I’ve been trying to do when booking is filling that gap,” Machado said.

Machado strategically fills this aperture by evaluating a band’s genre, who their supporters are and where their music would meet the excitement of a crowd. If he knows a band will have a large number of friends show up to their show, he’ll schedule a lesserknown opener beforehand.

Machado brings an anti-gatekeeping mentality to music. He’s tired of the “cool kid” mentality that worships competition and superiority. What Machado wants is for bands to be treated equally, regardless of numbers and popularity. In the past, he’s made a conscious effort to diversify setlists at the venues he works for.

“There’s very much this cool kid stigma, where you go to these places with a carefree attitude, smoking a cigarette and assuming people don’t know what you’re talking about. That’s silly,” Machado said.

Recently, he saw over 150 people at his Halloween event. Machado said it was a fulfilling moment and was grateful the event gained traction.

Despite being a name in the established local music scene, Machado explained his successes with an unavoidable casualty. His imposter syndrome experience still prevailed when he discussed his work.

But Machado has been widely involved in the music scene since his early days as a sophomore at WUD Music, and he has a resume built from these meaningful endeavors. He hopes to bring all of his wisdom into the music industry after he graduates.

By now, Machado has established lasting relationships with the bands in Madison. He aids them because he enjoys supporting them. And because it’s fun.

“If you do a lot of small-scale community work, I think that sets the foundation for both your fans, for yourself and all of the staff and promoters that helped you to get there,” Machado said. “No one that does that successfully does that to be cool. They do it because they care.”

Boobzhaus boasts underground talent for punks with the addy

By Gabriella Hartlaub ARTS EDITOR

Boobzhaus is not your typical music venue.

In fact, it’s not even above ground.

A part of a class of sites called “basement venues,” Boobzhaus is buried beneath the moist soil of a rundown college house. Tickets are not available in advance, and there’s no barcode scan when you walk in the door.

As you go down the stairs, you enter a stage that’s next door to the house’s laundry room.

But all of those things melt away in the face of the music.

Gavin Urhmacher, a Boobzhaus’ creator, manager and resident, said basement shows radiate “a certain kind of energy” that draws DIY music enthusiasts and facilitates a communal culture.

If you’re looking to see a Boobzhaus show, you won’t find the address posted anywhere online. Their posters and Instagram posts proudly display, “Dm a Punk for addy.”

Urhmacher said the added privacy protects the owners who live above the venue and is a Madison DIY scene mainstay. It’s an insular scene, and getting in is tough.

Urhmacher not only books bands for Boobzhaus but also manages and performs vocals for a local punk band, Supercritical. He said his roommates all have professional music experience, something that gave them a unique perspective when building the venue.

“We figured we were able to accommodate artists and audiences in a way that maybe some other basement venues haven’t before,” Urhmacher said.

The venue originally started as a basement practice space for those who live in the house. It only became Boobzhaus through happenstance and necessity due a chronic lack of space in Madison’s DIY community, Urchmacher said.

“There are only a few spots that you can rely on being open year to year,” he said of local DIY venues. “It’s just like, ’Hey, we have a space, it might work.’”

Creating Boobzhaus required a bit of engineering from Urchmacher and his friends.

“We [had] to snake 50 feet worth of extension cables from the laundry room into the performance area and make sure everything is rated to carry the amount of power that we’d be pulling,” he said.

With two DIY Madison venues being shut down in the past year, there has been a “com-

munal need,” as Tone Madison describes it, for new DIY venues to keep Madiosn’s scene afloat. These spaces are often ones run by musicians like Urhmacher, who are not explicitly profit-oriented but create thriving spaces for up-and-coming bands to play music and attract attention.

It’s the connection between Urhmacher and other venues that allows him to bring in bands touring across the Midwest.

“I’ve had more lineups fall into my lap,” Urchmacher said while explaining how Boobzhaus books bands. “Two of the shows we did closer to the summer were touring acts, and they were looking for a Madison venue.”

Boobzhaus is now engrained in Madison’s DIY ecosystem and will continue to be a shelter for shows featuring small, independent artists, Urchmacher said.

And for anyone wondering how the name came to be — Urchmacher has an answer for that, too.

“The vast majority of people who live in the house are queer and enjoy breasts,” he said.

OSHKOSH BAND TINY VOICES PLAYS AT THE NOTTINGHAM COOPERATIVE ON JAN. 28, 2023.

DRAKE WHITE-BERGEY/THE THE DAILY CARDINAL

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A college storm chaser finds his career in tornado-filled skies

By Whitney West STAFF WRITER

When most people wait out headache-inducing hail or whipping tornado winds, Charlie Bourdo fills with adrenaline. For him, extreme weather means another day of chasing his atmospheric passion.

Bourdo is a storm chaser, motivated by his love for the sky.

“It’s like seeing the atmosphere in motion,” he said.

As a fourth-grader growing up in Oconomowoc, Bourdo became enamored by storm chasers on the Discovery Channel. Their scientific instruments and their fearless sense of adventure caused his mind to spiral with wonder, he said.

Once Bourdo bought a small camera of his own, his fascination turned to clarity, and he knew he needed to pursue chasing deeper.

Bourdo, now 19 years old, forecasts and drives to extreme weather events around the upper Midwest to document thunderstorms, tornadoes, the aurora borealis and more for his YouTube channel and freelance job.

Between weather events, Bourdo is a freshman at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee studying atmospheric science.

“It’s been a passion ever since I was young,” Bourdo said. “I just loved thunderstorms.”

Before college, weather chasing started as an independent passion project, so Bourdo had to teach himself weather forecasting, photography, videography and editing in his free time.

“It was a big learning curve,” Bourdo said. “For the first few years, I really didn’t know what I was doing. Over

the past couple of years, I’ve developed more of a forecasting process.”

Bourdo pursues up to 40 storms during a busy year, but chasing them is risky.

He often walks a fine line between great footage and dangerous situations.

During a storm in Illinois this year, Bourdo saw baseball-sized hail eerily descend into a nearby field as he wrapped up filming.

“Me and all my friends just started speeding down the road,” he said.

Bourdo safely escaped a concussion and a car crash. Some storm chasers speed toward the best footage, but Bourdo has learned to take a step back and prioritize his safety.

“A lot of times, the most dangerous part is falling into a herd mentality,” Bourdo said. “So for me, it’s follow-

ing my own intuition.”

Storm chasing continually guides his personal growth.

“In the past, I’ve been a bit more cautious,” Bourdo said.

“It’s definitely helped broaden my horizons and make me a more adventurous person.”

Bourdo hopes to continue blending his lifetime passion into a lifelong career. As a freelance journalist for Limitless Media, Bourdo’s footage appears on large news outlets, including Time Magazine and The Weather Channel.

Whether he’s following northern lights or elephant trunk tornadoes, Bourdo’s motivation is his draw to the atmosphere and the community.

“You got to be a little bit crazy to do this,” Bourdo said. “Everyone in the weather and the storm-chasing world, we’re all characters in our own way. That makes it a little more fun.”

COURTESY OF CHARLIE BOURDO

‘Wisco Birder’ builds a space for birders of color

By Britta Wellenstein STAFF WRITER

ALTHEA DOTZOUR/UW-MADISON

Birds have always been a remarkable thing to University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty member Dexter Patterson. A communicator, educator and photographer by trade, birding provided him an outlet to get outside and learn.

“The ‘it’ [of birding] for me was this continuous knowledge of learning,” Patterson told The Daily Cardinal. “This lifelong learning process of always getting something new.”

However, Patterson felt hesitant to enter the birding space.

“I always loved birds. But growing up, I never felt like that was something I could share with people,” he said.

“I never really saw people of color birding, and I never saw people like me that were considered birders.”

Patterson began documenting his birding on Instagram, where he’s known as the “Wisco Birder,” utilizing his communications background to bring others with him on his birding adventures.

“It was one of those passions that just kind of stayed within me until I got to a point in my life where I was like, ‘You know what? I love these little things, and they make me happy, and maybe they might make somebody else happy.’

So I decided to put myself out there,” Patterson said.

In 2021, he started the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin with Jeff Galligan, a the board of director member at the Madison Audubon. Together, Patterson and Galligan provide a space for all people to learn about birds and enjoy the outdoors together.

“From the beginning, I wanted to focus on the people who have never been birders or beginning birders that may be intimidated by the scientific nature of birds in general,” Patterson said.

The BIPOC Birding Club leads birding field trips and events in local parks and nature preserves in the Madison and Milwaukee areas.

The club focuses on creating a safe space for people of color to explore the outdoors, but it is open to anyone curious and willing to learn.

When on a birding walk, Patterson reminds his group to just pay attention.

“You don’t need to be a pro,” he said. “If you see a bird, you’re being helpful.”

Patterson enjoys how birding provides a new lens to view science — one of internal curi-

osity and personal connection.

“They need to understand [that science] impacts my life,” Patterson said. “We need to shift to being a part of that solution and showing people this is how it impacts your life.”

He takes this approach with birding, aiming to create a story out of observations. His work generates learning opportunities and sparks conversations about climate change impacts.

“Years ago, you rarely would see an American White Pelican in Wisconsin, and now they nest here… you’re starting to see these migratory ranges change,” Patterson said. “There’s a story here that could be told. These birds are being impacted and so are their environments.”

“It is most definitely a conversation starter for something as important as climate change,” he added.

Inside the insect world: Collector turns class project into passion

By Sydney Spiegel STAFF WRITER

While many of us are inclined to swat away bugs from our peripherals, insects are a welcome interest for University of Wisconsin-Madison student Taylor Snorek.

Although Snorek lacked a passion for bugs for most of her life, a project for her entomology class turned into a hobby.

After being tasked with capturing creatures from all ten insect orders, insect collection went from a tedious school project into a newfound passion.

“When it comes to trying to catch certain insects, like flies, it can be challenging,” Snorek said. “But spending time with bugs is always very rewarding.”

Even now, after her course finished, Snorek often walks through Picnic Point to catch critters.

The process of collecting

bugs is simple, she said. With the help of nets and special jars, Snorek can capture any bug that comes her way.

Although there are very few bugs she shies away from, her few attempts at capturing a wasp were shortlived and may not be on her bucket list moving forward.

Additionally, some invertebrates like gnats require a more grueling process.

“Itty-bitty bugs like gnats take a lot of patience,” Snorek said. “You take a point of a triangle of cardstock, bend it, line it with glue and place it on the right side of the bug.”

However, what she does hope to continue is her curiosity. Snorek’s classroom experience taught her to look at different bugs, classify them and note miniscule differences most people miss with an

untrained eye.

Snorek said she first got interested in bug collecting when she discovered how fascinating it was to observe different insects’ countless intricacies under a microscope. From her class and free time, Snorek has garnered a collection full of beetles, moths and dragonflies.

Of those she has collected, her favorite insect is a “beautiful” dragonfly, an insect that she was originally unable to collect for her course. However, the bug later appeared in her life.

“On my birthday, my coworker told me there was a dragonfly on the windowsill of our lobby,” Snorek said. “So I finally caught one, and it was so exciting.”

Following this victory, she now pursues a praying mantis.

Beyond collecting, Snorek is part of the entomology club

at UW-Madison and finds bugs crawling into other areas of her life, like art and jewelry. Snorek said she has found a great community and is happy to share her collection and knowledge with fellow bug lovers.

There is much to learn about insects, and while Snorek does not plan on focusing her studies on bugs, she said it’s necessary to learn their ecological importance.

Bugs may be a gateway to understanding ecosystem functionality, and she hopes to use her new knowledge of the creatures to gain a better understanding of the world.

“I’m looking forward to all the new experiences I’ll continue having thanks to my interest in insects, like trying bug cuisine at Swarm To Table this year,” Snorek said. “They have shown me so much.”

COURTESY OF TAYLOR SNOREK

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Little Free Libraries promote equity literacy for Madison kids

By Sophie Walk

LIFE & STYLE EDITOR EMERITUS

We all remember the feeling of sitting down criss-cross applesauce in some small corner of a room with a book in our small hands. The feeling of the crisp pages between our fingers and the images flashing through our heads.

The Madison Reading Project’s Little Free Libraries are built with wood and nails, but they are also built with a love of reading and a desire to make books accessible to all.

“We just hope that every child can have a good memory of just sitting and getting lost with a book,” Hornung said.

Invented in 2009 by Todd H. Bol as a memorial to his late mother, Little Free Libraries flourished and now cover all 50 states as well as 91 countries.

In Madison, nonprofit group Madison Reading Project (MRP) noticed some preexisting boxes needed a little extra love and wanted to build more little libraries in their community.

MRP works with schools, community centers, boys and girls clubs, and other community partners to support Little Free Libraries.

With their help, MRP has grown the number of libraries they own or sponsor to 30 locations in the Madison area.

Melissa Hornung, current Little Free Libraries Program assistant, started out as a volunteer for MRP about five years ago. With great love for the company, she was excited to have a more involved role in the creation and maintenance of the Little Free Libraries.

She has an inside look into the process of getting a library box added to an area.

“If an organization that serves youth — birth through 18 — is interested, they can reach out to us through our website,” Hornung said.

“Sometimes it comes up in a conversation with a community partner, a volunteer or somebody who’s donating something to us and knows of a great site.”

Certain locations take precedence over others. The first priority is to have library boxes where kids are, like near schools or parks. Once a location is chosen, the next step is to contact the correct people and confirm if digging in that area is allowed and safe. When given the go-ahead, MRP and their partner choose a day between late spring and late fall to avoid digging in frozen Wisconsin winter soil.

“The install takes a little less than an hour, and you dig a post hole to a depth of between two-and-a-half and three feet, and then put a post in, level it and then attach the box onto the post,” Hornung explained. “Then, fill it with books — the fun stuff!”

Volunteers at MRP then waterproof the boxes, a step necessary in the unpredictable Wisconsin weather, and a new Little Library is born.

MRP has a partnership with Madison Area Builders Association and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County through their Mackenzie Regional Workforce Center.

Through this partnership, adults and kids come together to construct library boxes and learn about work in skilled trades.

Books in the Little Free Libraries are rotated out constantly. MRP supplies new books, or community members bring some of their own to add for new readers to enjoy.

“The greatest advantage is providing choice to kids, choice and access to books. Choice is so important to kids, being able to choose a high-quality book, a diverse book, a book that represents you,” Hornung said. “Our goal is to stock them with high-quality, high-interest books that kids will love to read.”

The Little Free Library program aims to promote literacy for ages birth through 18, with a deep understanding of how book access affects learning outcomes.

Children from impoverished households have access to fewer books and other reading materials than their more financially stable peers, according to Scholastic. With less access to books, children miss out on reading being a

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pleasurable meaning-making experience — an experience that carries enormous value and usefulness.

“The reading rich get richer and the reading poor miss out on more academic growth with every passing year; children are caught in a vicious cycle of intellectual deprivation,” Scholastic researchers wrote.

Little Free Libraries breaks down that barrier by providing high-quality books for free to all kids in numerous neighborhoods. Even during the pandemic, Little Free Libraries was a way to safely get books into kids’ hands.

MRP understands the importance of reading at all HAILEY JOHNSON/THE DAILY CARDINAL ages, and the little libraries Little Free Libraries expand book access for all. help enliven this idea.

“Reading is one of the best ways we can learn about the world around us, how Little Free Libraries can benefit people of and it feeds our imagination, helps to improve all ages and promote community involvement our communication skills,” Hornung said. “I and outreach, Hornung said. Parents and kids like how it brings the community together.” alike love the Little Free Libraries and what Hornung shared some stories of they stand for. moments where different members of the “I was just doing one today and a community were touched by the Little parent walked by and said she was Free Libraries. so excited for her daughter to come While picking up supplies for a home from school and be able to pick library installation, a worker at a local out a book because she loves reading,” Home Depot was so intrigued by the Hornung said. project that he volunteered to help with MRP and their Little Free Libraries aim to future installments and repairs. connect kids with books as well as communiIn another case, while getting permis- ties, Hornung said. They provide kids with sion to dig from Diggers Hotline, a free ser- access to a wide variety of books and offer vice that is used before any kind of digging adults opportunities to volunteer, enabling to make sure no damage is done to under- them to share their life-long love for reading, ground lines, a worker shared that he was all free of charge. an English major in college and would “send “We just hope that every child can have this request right away!” a good memory of just sitting and getting These instances are just a few examples of lost with a good book,” Hornung said.

Slow Food UW: ‘A place for everyone’

By Cate Schiller STAFF WRITER

By 11:50 a.m. on Wednesdays, a line of hungry visitors snakes through the hall, up the stairs and out the door of The Crossing Campus Ministry on University Avenue. On the menu this week: homemade sheet pan pizza, kale caesar salad and old-fashioned apple cobbler — all for just $8 a plate.

Welcome to Slow Food UW, a studentrun nonprofit organization committed to providing good, clean and fair food to the Madison community.

Founded in 2007 as a small-scale way of bringing local Wisconsin crops to campus, Slow Food has grown into a bustling food hall with a team of over 50 student employees, from chefs to cashiers to interns and everything in between.

“We just love making everyone happy with our food,” said Graham Stigler, Slow Food co-director.

Slow Food welcomes hundreds of guests into The Crossing every week for their “Family Dinner Nights” on Mondays and their cafe lunches on Wednesdays. Looking to foster a community around their food, they set up their dining hall with dozens of connected tables, encouraging their guests to make new friends while eating.

On Monday, Oct. 23, the organization served 116 smiling customers during family dinner, their biggest crowd this semester.

“It’s really fun to see people meet someone new because they happened to sit next to each other at our family dinner,” Stigler said.

The kitchen staff, a team of 5-10, create

unique and “trendy” menus each week based on the produce shipments they receive from local farms. Supplemental ingredients are sourced from Willy Street Co-op, a natural foods cooperative local to Madison. Once the week’s recipe list is finalized, the team starts preparation on Sundays and Tuesdays, 24 hours before meal service.

on the fly.

“There is something special about being in that kitchen,” Kim said. “Cooking with your friends, listening to music and bonding over the food, it’s just magical.”

Slow Food explores several cuisines each week. Recently, lunch and dinner guests enjoyed Kenyan-inspired stew and flatbread, butternut

LIAM BERAN/THE DAILY CARDINAL

All are welcome at family dinners and cafe lunches hosted by Slow Food UW. According to Celeste Kim, co-director and a previous cafe director, working in the kitchen is one of the best parts about being involved with Slow Food. Kim and the rest of the kitchen staff see it as a creative outlet, often workshopping recipes together or coming up with menu items

squash soup and fresh-baked soft pretzels. For Halloween week, Slow Food served “spooky” cauliflower wings on Monday and vodka pasta on Wednesday.

The food is the star of the show for new diners and onlookers. But community

is the main appeal for repeat guests.

“Seeing the happy environment this cultivates always leaves an impact on me,” Kim said. “I come here every week just to be able to see that.”

Despite being located in the heart of the UW-Madison campus, Slow Food likes to emphasize their doors — and their community — are open to anyone.

“If you ever get the chance to grab dinner at Slow Food, you know how amazing the people are,” said UW-Madison senior and fundraising intern Megan Keefe. “Being able to get to know your peers and eat an awesome meal is what makes Slow Food what it is, a place for everyone.”

Ultimately, the organization looks to combat food insecurity and inequality in the Madison area, an issue that often goes unrecognized. Slow Food supports local and sustainable food production, collaborating with other student-run organizations and advancing Madisonarea social justice efforts.

All meals, whether you just get a side dish or the “works,” are under $10, and the organization has a “no questions asked” policy when it comes to affordability concerns. They believe nourishing, delicious food should be available to everyone.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Kim said. “If you’re hungry, you need to eat. We’re here to provide that for you.”

Slow Food hosts its family dinners at The Crossing every Monday from 6:308:30 p.m., and their cafe lunches every Wednesday from 12-2 p.m. All are welcome, no matter the circumstances.

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A Facebook post inspires a former gymnast

By Jordyn Hawkins STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF DONOVAN BRENDLER

Volunteer soccer coach giving back to community

By Grace Cannizzo STAFF WRITER

After school hours, Donovan Brendler volunteer by helping coach the boys junior varsity soccer team at Madison East High School.

Brendler has been able to pass on his soccer wisdom to the players and learn from them in return while fostering a positive, openminded environment.

Brendler got his start coaching after finding extra time in his schedule and expressing interest to Madison East’s head coach.

“It’s fun to go out. You get to participate a little bit and build these relationships with the kids,” he said.

Brendler feels he has certainly built these relationships, both as a coach and a mentor.

For Brendler, coaching is a way to recreate the support he felt as a student athlete for dozens, if not hundreds, of boys who play soccer at Madison East.

His face lit up as he recalled playing at Madison College and his favorite coach, Cory Sims,

who he admired for their patient guidance.

“Instead of telling me exactly how to do something, he said, ‘Can you get the ball in that area?

However you want to do it, whatever skills you have, can you do that?’

And if I can’t, what are some ways to do that?”

Brendler said.

Brendler is trying to keep that same mindset, meeting each kid where they are at and guiding them to progress while avoiding harsh criticism or burdensome pressure.

He believes offering feedback and suggestions to his players is more constructive than commanding them what to do.

“It’s more important than me forcing my way, or how I play, or how I think the game should be played,” Brendler said.

Brendler learns from his players in return.

He understands there are things happening in each of these players’ lives aside from soccer and seeks to be “patient, to give some empathy, some grace” while creating an environment

where practice can be an escape, even when players are upset or frustrated during practice.

Brendler’s holistic coaching style allows him to know each individual on his team and serve as a guide for them.

He has coached many different players but Brendler recalls his work paying off when coaching a player who had little experience. The player improved significantly by the end of the season, which Brendler attributes to his hard work and willingness to learn.

He explains that they talked a lot about what to do in different game situations and that “…those conversations paid off little by little.”

More than anything, volunteer coaching is Brendler’s way to give back, and he aspires to make the same positive impact on his players that his favorite coaches gave to him.

“It’s about doing the good things that I’ve learned from my coaches and not doing the bad things that I’ve experienced from other coaches,” he said.

A post on Facebook reignited Hannah Aeschlimann’s passion for gymnastics.

In 2018, Ashley Wu, one of Aeschlimann’s former coaches, posted that she needed assistance coaching the Madison United Gymnastics team.

Aeschlimann, was juggling work obligations at the time that challenged her commitment. But she remembered the positive experiences her high school gymnastics coach fostered — experiences she hoped to deliver for a younger generation.

“I loved the team I was on and loved all the relationships I had with my team when I was that age,” Aeschlimann said. “I wanted to be a part of that again.”

Starting in 2018, Aeschlimann became one of many gymnastics coaches volunteering throughout the Madison Metropolitan School District.

Aeschlimann volunteers with Madison United Gymnastics, a co-op team established in 2006 for students from La Follette High School and Madison East High School. The team practices and holds its meets at Madison East.

Aeschlimann first started gymnastics in middle school, attend-

ing Badger Gymnastics workshops. She also did four years of high school gymnastics at Madison Memorial High School and was on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s club team for a semester before transferring.

Her favorite part of coaching is being able to see the students try to perfect a new skill for the first time. She also enjoys being able to see them build and improve their skills and routines throughout the season, regardless of their skill set.

“It is so cool to see kids that have been doing gymnastics their entire lives cheer for their teammates that have only been doing gymnastics a very short time and help each other out,” she said.

Coaching girls from two different schools is difficult, Aeschlimann said. The students have to build a team bond and personal relationships despite not seeing each other often.

Luckily, there are families that host team dinners on nights before meets, events Aeschlimann believes foster friendships and trust between her athletes.

Aeschlimann strongly believes school sports and physical activities are huge benefits to the Madison community. She loves how

students are given opportunities to set and achieve goals as well as cooperate with others while building relationships.

She is especially proud of the close relationships she builds with her students. Many students have asked her to write recommendation letters or invited her to their graduation parties. When given the opportunity, Aeschlimann is eager to go support students who participate in sports outside of gymnastics.

Many students come back to visit Aeschlimann, and she loves being able to hear about their lives in college or any other posthigh school plans.

The parents are very supportive and always cheer for the team from the stands, Aeschlimann said. She loves being able to see parents at meets, especially parents that have students in different grades on the team.

With the gymnastics season starting soon, Aeschlimann is extremely excited to be able to see gymnasts, parents and other coaches return alongside new head coach Meghan Blake-Horst.

Practice began Monday, Nov. 6, in preparation for their first meet on Dec. 2.

COURTESY OF HANNAH AESCHLIMANN

Badgers for Special Olympics leads the way in sporting accessibility

By Caroline McGartland STAFF WRITER

Volunteering is an important aspect of campus students’ lives, especially when it means helping others through inclusivity and understanding.

Whether for the love of the position, to support people or to gain experiences, Madison volunteering yields positive impacts on the community.

One volunteer organization at the University of WisconsinMadison whose passion breaks down barriers is Badgers for Special Olympics (BFSO).

Special Olympics is a global organization that supports athletes who have intellectual dis-

abilities through programs.

Athletes have the opportunity to compete on sports teams or in individual sports and have the chance to qualify for national tournaments, according to Daisy Lang, president of BSFO. Lang said she loves getting to serve as a partner and play on the BFSO team.

“It is so much fun to play alongside the athletes and compete on the teams,” Lang said.

“Everyone is so supportive, and I love cheering on my teammates during the game.”

Lang was first introduced to the program her freshman year when attending the Unified Group Fitness Class

and understood how important the organization’s work is for the community.

“I immediately fell in love with the environment and the mission,” Lang said. “All of the athletes and partners are some of the kindest and most supportive people I have ever met.”

Athletes serve on the board of BFSO and become leaders in the organization, coming up with new ideas on how to improve BFSO. Lang said BFSO tries to be an inclusive organization and a place where “everyone is accepted and included.”

Lang’s involvement with the program started because she wanted to find a new way

to be involved in the world of athletics at college after high school sports.

“There is no better feeling than giving someone the opportunity to play the sports they love,” she said. “I didn’t realize how lucky I was to have this opportunity. My involvement in the Special Olympics has made me realize how fortunate I was that I got to participate in the activities that I loved growing up and has fueled my passion to give others this same opportunity.”

Through her involvement, Lang said she understands the barriers to adequate health care that exist for those with

intellectual disabilities.

“My mission through BFSO is to give people of all backgrounds the opportunities and means to live a healthy and active life,” Lang said. “After college, I want to pursue a career in medicine where I plan to continue this mission and help people adapt to healthy lifestyles, no matter their intellectual abilities.”

Daisy’s passion for BFSO shows how people’s dedication to volunteer organizations truly makes a difference on others, but on the volunteer as well.

Not only is Daisy making a difference in the Madison community, but she is learning from the athletes as well.

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Leopold’s provides ‘transformative’ haven for Madison jazz musicians

By Anna Kleiber & Gabriella Hartlaub THE DAILY CARDINAL

Leopold’s Books Bar Caffe holds the unique distinction of being both a bar, bookstore and cafe. It also acts as a live music venue and underground sanctuary for jazz performers.

Opened in 2021 by Sam Brown, Leopold’s has hosted many jazz artists since.

The Madison jazz community suffered setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With venues closing, artists out of work and a lack of audiences. Leopold’s emerged near the end of the pandemic as a place where artists could perform and feel like their craft was respected and appreciated. “[Madison’s jazz community] is a small but fantastic community,” Brown said. “We’re just lucky to be a part of it.”

That sentiment is shared by the jazz groups that perform at Leopold’s, including Gian Compuesto, who heads Madison’s Gypsy Jazz Jam. “Sam is super cool,” Compuesto told The Daily Cardinal. “He’s so supportive of what we do.”

Brown said Leopold’s has been lucky enough to partner with “some of the best” jazz musicians

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in Madison. These groups attach themselves to Leopold’s because there are not many venues or bars that consistently provide gigs on weeknights.

Sam said Leopold’s draws crowds by providing local jazz groups a place to perform on weeknights.

Many customers are surprised when greeted with jazz music while entering Leopold’s. But Brown has found that when they do start to listen, customers enjoy the atmosphere jazz music creates.

Brown described Leopold’s jazz scene as “transformative”

and said it gives people a reason to go out and commune during the week.

“It’s one of those things that you don’t expect necessarily,” Brown said. “I think we offer experiences that other places don’t offer.”

It’s the metropolitan atmosphere created by both the bookstore and the jazz that drives customers to Leopold’s for weeknight jazz, Compuesto said. It’s also something that pushes performers toward Leopold’s as well.

Compuesto said that he feels the atmosphere of Leopold’s mixes well with the environments in which jazz is meant to be played in. He described it as having a “French cafe” feel and said it all works together to transport the audience to a different place.

In creating an inviting experience for customers, Brown’s attitude and appreciation for the music also create a welcoming experience for artists.

Compuesto said, in contrast to Leopold’s, some venues will “throw” jazz artists into a corner and tamp down the volume of their music.

“It’s almost like a borderline inconvenience that we’re there,” Compuesto said.

The partnership between Leopold’s and jazz groups creates an experience that both artists and customers can enjoy.

“It’s one of those things that you don’t expect,” Brown said.

“It’s transformative.”

UW students redefine Madison as a place for indie film

By Paige Stevenson

their screenings.

Madison may not look like a city with a swiftly developing film scene, but University of WisconsinMadison film students continue to exhibit unmatched spirit and perseverance in their efforts to redefine their community as the place to go for film.

Jared Rosenthal, film student and Badger Film Group founder, said Madison’s film community stands out because of the Midwest people and culture that surrounds it. But Rosenthal said what really makes Madison a good place for filmmaking is the fact that its students are able to connect with the community while still staying true to themselves.

UW’s Cinematheque, a theater located in Vilas Hall, stands as a physical example of Madison’s position within the film world as the city begins to host a plethora of new film festivals and attracts more film students. The Cinematheque screens a large variety of lesserknown arthouse and international movies, ranging from 35mm French classics to high-definition stories from Nigeria.

It’s a refuge for filmgoers in a local theater industry decimated by recent closures.

“We’ve lost 11 theatrical screens here in Madison, so we at the Cinematheque have sometimes been the only theatrical exhibitors of independent cinema,” said Jim Healy, Cinematheque’s director of programming. For the Cinematheque, this means more of a student presence at

International, indie films drive Cinematheque’s success

STAFF WRITER

Healy believes the draw of the Cinematheque, even beyond the pandemic, is the selection of films offered.

“By not being a multiplex cinema that shows whatever is going to make the most money that weekend… means to stand apart from a monolithic culture, and that is represented by international cinema,” Healy said. “Multiplexes don’t regularly show movies from Iran or France.”

The Cinematheque rarely screens modern, box-office hits.

Instead, they focus programming on smaller films that represent the American indie film scene and showcase the success and creativity of international pictures.

Every story is unique as each culture and filmmaker approaches their work with diverse perspectives and styles that wouldn’t necessarily appear in more commerciallyoriented films.

Rosenthal feels exposing student filmmakers to international films illustrates unique film techniques and serves as valuable inspiration for students to push the envelope of film.

If students see avant-garde, oddball indie films as successful works of art, they may be more willing to get experimental with their own art and film things they are truly passionate about.

“It all comes down to just creativity and being diligent,” Rosenthal said. “Whether it’s international or not, obviously there [are] differ-

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ent values in different cultures and countries. Taking inspiration from any film is going to help create your own style.”

These personal perspectives are reflected in film students at Madison. The Cinematheque’s roots in student culture sets it apart from other schools, especially for students like Rosenthal.

Much of Madison’s independent film community stems from the school itself and the connections students make with each other through pathways like the Cinematheque and the Madison Film Festival, which Rosenthal launched in August.

Their efforts to provide students with a broad, globe-spanning agenda of independent film fosters a desire to learn from different film cultures and forges connections between local and international ideas.

“Students understand the culture and what the community needs. It’s about finding the balance between

telling your own story and also finding a way to get a community to rally behind that story,” Rosenthal said.

Coming-of-age genre films lead Madison’s renaissance The exploration of coming-ofage themes in student productions points to the continuity between student filmmakers and films shown at the Cinematheque.

Coming-of-age films explore characters who must grapple with the world they live in, decide what they stand for and how they’ll fight for it.

Healy said this can be an extremely isolating experience, especially in a world that praises conformity and silences against-the-grain thinking.

“It’s something cinema can portray, not just loneliness… but the idea of standing up against something that seems monolithic and overbearing,” Healy said.

Although Rosenthal said plenty

of Madison student filmmakers experiment with coming-of-age films, he and others have worked on films about war and jazz, too.

No matter what project he’s focused on, he puts all his energy into it — a quality other UW-Madison film students share.

These filmmakers have a perspective very similar to the ones depicted on screen, he said, and their work feels more authentic as a result.

“At the end of the day, it’s really just make believe with a few cameras, so every story is unique in its own way,” Rosenthal said. “Give it everything you got, and that means fighting through the pain because there are inherent struggles to every single film you make.”

Rosenthal knows building Madison’s film reputation will take time. But he’s optimistic that as Madison film students go on to bigger and better things, they’ll give back to the community that supported their success, further cementing Madison as the hot new place for film.

Until then, Madison will continue to harbor a plucky indie film scene.

“With this unified sense of community effort of creatives coming together here over the last few years… it makes sense why people would want to tell stories and learn and grow here,” Rosenthal said.

Maybe this is just because it’s a small, growing community of eager film students with unique perspectives on film, but UW-Madison film students will tell you this is because it represents the key virtue behind indie film: authenticity.

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B-Side Records: A small business with an impactful history

By Mary Bosch STAFF WRITER

Despite being forced to move in 2022 to a new 514 State Street location, B-Side Records is thriving in its new home.

“It was one of those situations where it was a good thing to be kicked out,” said Steve Manley, the store’s owner. “It’s bigger, it’s cleaner, it’s a better building, and it’s a better landlord,” because “it’s a family, not a development corporation.” “​​I think people feel less claustrophobic here. They’re less uncomfortable about just coming in,” he added.

“This space is more open and more welcoming,” while the previous space felt more “bottlenecked.”

The move was tricky, with over 5,000 records and a very delicate neon sign needing transport.

Once it was all in the new store, “it was a puzzle.”

Manley worked to “figure out how to make it look similar with the same fixtures, bins and cabinetry.”

After the store’s opening in 1982, Manley immediately started hanging around, introducing himself to the original owners and securing a part time job. From that point, he became a manager and then owner.

“I’ve always loved music and loved sharing music, so it was kind of the perfect thing for me to do.”

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CAMERON SCHNEIDER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

A close-up shot of a B-Side Records tote bag illustration is photographed.

CORA SPYCHALLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Steve Manley, the owner of B-Side Records in Madison, Wis.

CORA SPYCHALLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

CDs, ranging in varying genres from Country to Blues, are displayed along B-Side's walls.

With the creation of music downloads, the 2000s were a rough period for record stores all over the world. Manley cites Record Store Day, first occurring April 19, 2008, as the spark of revival. Celebrated at independently owned record stores around the world, it’s meant to celebrate the unique culture of record stores often with limited edition vinyl and CDs. “I was so skeptical, but it really is the point when vinyl started coming back,” Manley said.

Now his primary customers are college students, not just “eccentric old guys.” Although this is partly due to location, it’s also something he never expected.

People find community in music, and the record shop is another extension of that.

“People get excited about shared experiences and shared tastes, and it’s fun for people to listen or search together,” Manley added.

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A diverse arraignment of records, CDs and vinyls sit neatly on the record store's shelves.

CORA SPYCHALLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

CORA SPYCHALLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

A variety of alphabetized CDs sit stacked together on shelves.

CORA SPYCHALLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Scott Lonzaga, a sophomore at UW-Madison, looks through a stack of vinyls while shopping in the store.

Manley attributes B-Side’s 41 years of success to the “rustic” feel of the store.

“Some people appreciate a local eccentric business as opposed to a corporate entity that just plants their franchises everywhere,” Manley said.

“It’s kind of fun to have people walk into a place that isn’t designed by some corporate entity. It’s designed by real people who were into it, and I think that makes a difference,” Manley added.

The shop has a large variety of music — from David Bowie to John Coltrane to Mitski — as well as styles from reggae to German techno, so there’s something for everyone. The 40-year-old B&W speakers are always playing tunes, adding to the ambience of the place.

On the wall is a cross stitch tapestry of the original interior of the old location. The image pays homage and shows how far they’ve come.

Although they’ve faced hardship, B-Side hopes to stay in business for years to come.

“We’re just happy to still be here after 41 years,” Manley said. “We’re lucky we made it through the worst part.”

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D.I.Y. Bucky Badger!

by Zoe Kukla, Henry Moore, Liam Beran, Hailey Johnson, Maile Llanos, Rachel Barnes, Mary Quinn, Fatima Warraich, Ellis Gray Williams, Kaitlin Stifelman

dailycardinal.com