Citizen Action Weekend 2025 Newsletter, Friday, August 15th
Friday, August 15th
Join Citizen Action Today!
Citizen Action launches 2025 – 2026 State Legislative Session Campaign
It’s time to set the agenda for the 2026 Election!
Get involved in Citizen Action’s campaigns in support of legislation in the 2025 – 2026 State Legislative Session. The following are bills Citizen Action is working with state legislators to draft and introduce in the Fall of 2025.
Learn more about each bill:
- BadgerCare Public Option
- Hospital Accountability Act
- 2% of Income Utilities Cap
- Climate Accountability Act
To join our healthcare organizing, contact: Kristie.Tweed@citizenactionwi.org
To join our organizing fighting climate change, contact: Kat.Klawes@citizenactionwi.org
Join Citizen Action Healthcare State Action Team
If you want to join with fellow Citizen Action leaders from around the state who volunteer to help lead Citizen Action’s healthcare organizing, contact: Kristie.Tweed@citizenactionwi.org
Citizen Action Milwaukee area organizers attend Gamaliel Training.
Citizen Action’s Milwaukee-based organizers (North Side Rising Team and Ruben Aquino) attended a week-long organizer training that reflected on our own self-interest and getting clarity on others’ self-interest by doing structured 1 to 1’s. The training improved our organizers core skills, including proper use of agitation to better understand someone else’s self-interest and move them to build power. The team learned that the most important thing to remember is that our self-interest must coincide so we can do the necessary community work without letting our personal relationships get in the way. Build a base with a purpose and goal.
Contact Maletha Jones Healthcare- 414-676-5516; Keviea Keviea Guiden Energy Burden Organizer Keviea.guiden@citizenactionwi.org or 414-841-3839; Valerie Valerie Ricks Green Jobs
Citizen Action North Side Rising launches Housing Resource Team
Citizen Action North Side Rising new Housing Resource Team held its first meeting this Thursday August 14th. The Housing Resource Team is another way for folks to get involved if you’re having any issues or concerns about housing.
The team is led by members who address real life issues around energy burden (extremely high utility bills) and how they can assist communities on the North Side of Milwaukee and get connected with contractors to weatherization upgrades for their homes. This is an opportunity for folks to take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act resources. These resources are available for the next two years which means the clock is ticking and folks should respond and get involved today.
Climate change is real and it’s happening right in front of our eyes. Milwaukee was just hit by a horrific 1000 year rain storm over the past weekend which damaged and destroyed countless homes and businesses. We are currently targeting homeowners but renters can apply as well by communicating with their landlords. IRA rebates can be used for free energy audits to assist with the insulation process, energy efficient appliances and so much more.
Time is of the essence, get involved today, become a HERO in your community by getting the word out asap. Please join us for our next meeting on Aug 21, 2025 at 6:00 – 7pm at 4716 W.Vliet St.
For more information please contact Keviea Guiden Energy Burden Organizer at Keviea.guiden@citizenactionwi.org or (414) 841-3839
Citizen Action Southeast Organizing Co-op Weekly Update
🏥 Medicaid Team Meeting – Thursday, August 28
Join us for our next Medicaid team meeting as we organize to protect and expand health care access.
🏘️ IRA Housing Team
We’re launching our new housing team! The focus: making sure IRA funds get to people so they can improve their homes and strengthen our neighborhoods.
🌍 Climate Team – First Meeting in September
Our climate team is kicking off soon. Join us in building people power to win big changes for our future.
🚪 Summer Canvassing
We’re gaining new members every week. Canvassing is fun, outside, and full of great conversations—come out and join us!
🍗 BBQ – Sunday at 4 PM @ Kern Park
Good food, community, and connection. Bring a friend—it’s the perfect way to close the weekend.
Wisconsin’s air permitting system is broken and it is putting our health at risk
The Department of Natural Resources cannot deny permits based on health or environmental harm if technical boxes are checked, which means industry wins while our families breathe polluted air.
Join us on Wednesday, August 20 at 4:30pm on Zoom for a powerful conversation with Dr. Brittany Keyes of Healthy Climate Wisconsin, Jayne Black of Moms Clean Air Force, and Kat Klawes of Citizen Action of Wisconsin to learn how this system fails communities, what it means for our future, and how together we can demand accountability and protect the people of Wisconsin. Hosted by 350 Wisconsin, Moms Clean Air Force, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, and Healthy Climate Wisconsin.
Investing in real community safety. Sign WISDOM petitions.
Nearly all of us in Wisconsin—Black or white, Native or newcomer, Asian or Latine—want to look out for our families and leave thriving communities for generations to come. But right now, our state is at a crossroads.
From the crumbling prisons in Waupun, Green Bay, and Milwaukee, to the heartbreaking cases of people like Israel Saldana and James (Shareef) Williams—men who’ve spent 30 years behind bars despite growing, mentoring others, and being ready to come home—it’s clear that the system is broken.
For too long, wealthy corporations like ICSolutions and fear-driven politicians have pushed policies that prioritize punishment and profit over healing and hope. Wisconsin now has some of the highest incarceration rates for Black and Indigenous people in the country. Meanwhile, investments in mental health care, food programs, and treatment alternatives—things that actually keep us safe—are being slashed.
With Governor Evers not seeking re-election, he has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead with courage and compassion.
We’re calling on him to:
- Shut down the failing prisons that endanger people inside and drain state resources
- Commute excessive sentences and bring people like Israel and Shareef home
- Invest in real community safety—affordable housing, mental health care, diversion programs, and opportunities for all
✍🏽 Sign both petitions now to tell Governor Evers: the time for bold action is now. Our communities are watching—and so are the future leaders who want our votes.
🔗 Sign to close Wisconsin’s dangerous prisons and fund real safety »
🔗 Sign to commute excessive sentences and bring our people home »
Apply to Citizen Action’s Movement Politics Academy 2025 Fall Class.
The Citizen Action Movement Politics Academy is a training space dedicated to giving every day folks the opportunity to learn how to run for office and campaign manage through values-based campaigns, and achieve bold reforms needed to make Wisconsin a more just and equitable place for all.
It’s a place that will cover a wide range of both campaign and movement topics, including messaging, volunteer and time management, as well as political education around values like healthcare and climate justice.
The academy is for EVERYONE – women, trans and nonbinary folks, folks of color, youth, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the working class, Veterans regardless of discharge status, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The fall academy will start Wednesday, October 1st, going every Wednesday from 6-7pm until November 19th. Applications are open NOW until Thursday, August 28th.
So what are you waiting for – apply today!
Attend virtual The ‘Fundamentals of Organizing’ training, August 25th & 26th, 4:30pm – 8:00pm
People’s Action Institute and Citizen Action of Wisconsin want to engage hundreds of thousands of people in our movement. We are making a deep investment training our leaders in the fundamentals of organizing.
The ‘Fundamentals of Organizing’ training is a two-part training that is held quarterly and has an emphasis on building relationships grounded in mutual self-interest that balances an expansive sense of how a multiracial democracy should operate and a long-term vision for the world with the realities of building power in the world as it is today.
FOCUS: Fundamentals of Organizing with a focus on power, self-interest, one-to-one relational meetings; and the foundation of power organizations.
Introduction to Deep Canvassing: The Proven Method to Change Hearts and Minds, Tuesday, August 26th, 5 – 6pm
This is an information session, not a training. This session will help you understand if you want to attend our three-session 101: Foundational Skills of Deep Canvassing training.
Are you an organizer, community leader, or activist looking to engage with your community around deeply polarizing issues? Are you an individual hoping to understand how to have compassionate, non-judgmental conversations across lines of difference? Or, are you someone who’s heard about this thing called “deep canvassing” and you’re curious to learn more?
This is an info session, not a training
This information session will be followed by a full Deep Canvass Institute: Foundational Skills of Deep Canvassing, Tuesday, September 9 – Wednesday, September 10
5 – 8pm CDT.
Listen to “Climate Change in Wisconsin: A whole new ballgame! Ascension drowns quality care.” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
Will the 1000 year flood in Southeast Wisconsin finally convince policymakers that the climate crisis is already impacting Wisconsin? The appropriate response would be to quickly enact the Climate Accountability Act, which requires Wisconsin for the first time to adopt an accountable climate action plan that cuts greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and maximizes the economic benefits especially for people in urban and rural areas currently locked out of economic opportunities. We encourage our listeners to contact their state legislators and urge them to support the new Climate Accountability Act
We get into the weeds of the scandalous news that Ascension Wisconsin will outsource its ICU Doctors, further imperiling care for patents. This is what happens when you put big profit-maximizing monopolies in charge of health care with virtually no oversight. Robert tells us about developing state legislation to re-regulate the hospital industry in the public interest.
Fair maps advocates are rightly appalled by the national gerrymandering fight instigated by President Trump and apparently matched by California Governor Gavin Newsom. But, is it realistic to ask Democrats to unilaterally disarm in the face of attempted authoritarian consolidation? Robert tells us that Ruth Conniff makes a strong case for holding onto the principle, but can progressives hold onto abstract norms in the face of the shredding of democratic norms by a would-be authoritarian movement? Robert argues that outcomes have moral consequences, and that pro-democracy forces must find a way to uphold the principles of democracy while being effective in preventing Trump and his MAGA allies from rigging the 2026 election.
We close with an honest conversation about the short-sighted state budget, which leaves a structural deficit for the next two year budget, potentially forcing cuts to critical services even if the Democrats win a trifecta, unless they are willing to reverse decades of regressive tax cuts dolled out to corporations and the wealthy.
Listen to the show.
Learn more about the Climate Accountability Act.
Learn more about Hospital Accountability Act
Sign petition supporting workers organizing a union at Group Health Cooperative (GCH) in Madison.
Social media post of the week
