An estimated 300 youth in Dane County are homeless every night. In this workshop, we will explore why this is the case, what is being done to prevent youth homelessness, and how we can further address this issue. 

Presenter Bio: Will Altaweel is a Youth Counselor in the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program at Briarpatch Youth Services, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the lives of youth and families. Will is also a West High alumnus, having graduated with the class of 2017. 

Learn how the past century of urban planning and street design has prioritized people who work office jobs in downtown over everyone else. This practice is inequitable, and makes walking, biking, and using transit more challenging and unsafe for women, children, people of color, and people who work non-office hours. We will also explore some street transformations on www.urb-i.com/before-after 

Presenter Bio: Sonia Haeckel is a transportation planner at Toole Design, a firm that is a leader in planning and engineering for walking, biking, and transit across North America. At Toole Design, Sonia typically helps cities figure out where future bikeways and sidewalks should go. She also makes bicycle wayfinding plans, and recommends ways to make it safer for kids to walk or bike to school. She is also a mother of a freshman at West. 

Opportunity is not distributed equally in most cities, including Madison. Decisions about where and how we invest in things like housing, highways and schools can have a big impact on life outcomes in neighborhoods. This session will review 20th century urban planning practices that damaged BIPOC communities and current challenges and solutions for the equitable city. This will be a discussion - be ready to share something from your own experience. 

Presenter Bio: Jason Valerius, AICP is Executive Director of the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission. He has worked as a community planner for the past two decades helping communities across the Midwest address topics like housing, recreation, population change, sustainability and urban design. He enjoys community engagement efforts, finding ways to get people involved in guiding the future of their community. 

We will be having a round table discussion speaking about the inequities of the population that we serve face. 

About the Presenters from the YWCA:

Libby Tucci: Race & Gender Equity Practitioner - Lead

Kiana Burnette: Restorative Justice Community Program Manager

Andrea Gaines: Residential Housing Manager

Katey Nelson: Operations Director 

Have you ever been curious what someone who was in prison felt and experienced when they were released? Join Dani Crutcher & John Givens from JustDane for an enlightening workshop dedicated to exploring the transformative power of restorative justice. Through the authentic story of someone who was in prison for many years (starting when he was just in high school), you will witness firsthand the profound impact of empathy and understanding in the pursuit of healing and redemption. 

Presenter Bios:

Dani Crutcher: 

John Givens:

Uncover your strength within at 'Resilience Revealed'— Discover the power of resilience while exploring the dynamics of racism, restorative justice, mental health, housing challenges, and the transformative influence of equity. Join us for an interactive conversation led by Myesha Thompson, who has and continues to conqueror life challenges and will share insights to help amplify your voice and resilience in today's ever-changing world. 

Presenter Bio: Myesha Thompson, a driven Chicago native, is a trailblazer in finance, government, all things life skills, advocacy, and real estate. Although she was a teen mother, she continuously defies the odds. “I proudly disrupt the status quo. My journey is a testament to breaking barriers and redefining norms, continually pushing boundaries to create meaningful change." Stepping into real estate, included building a family home and acquiring an investment property less than a year after the completion of her new construction home. She's a supportive landlord and public servant in Wisconsin, championing equality. Through the creation of a life skills focused based program called the 'Circle of Life Balance,' Myesha empowers individuals towards true self-sufficiency in life skills coaching, housing, health equity, and financial autonomy. Her mission is clear: "Empower, build wealth, and advocate for all, no matter the circumstances." 

Learn about the significance of the field of social work and its contributions to addressing inequities in housing, addictions, mental illness and structural racism. The presenter will share her path from being a failing high school student to now serving on a national initiative. 

Presenter Bio: Rachel was raised by a Jewish family in the south who was very involved in the civil rights movement. Her mom was the only white plaintiff involved in desegregating the Louisville, KY school system and she spent much of her childhood at marches and protests. She became a Social Worker and has worked in the area of addressing homelessness, substance use and mental health for 30 years. Rachel also serves as the Associate Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations' Systems Alignment Innovation Hub (SAIH) co-leading a national team that is supporting racially marginalized community organizations to dismantle inequities through public health, medical and social services research that elevates culturally responsive and inclusive practices. 

Learn how to take an idea for social change and take the next steps in formalizing your concept into a bigger cause. Presentation will touch on research, fundraising, marketing, organizing volunteers, and basic needs for getting started. 

Presenter bio: Rowan Childs founded nonprofit, Madison Reading Project 10 years ago in response to learning about the discrepancies in literacy rates in Dane County. Rowan wanted to help provide fun new books to kids they could keep, grow their home libraries and literacy skills.

Background: Rowan grew up in England, Germany, and Chicago, and attended many schools throughout. Books and travel were always her constant companion. She has a background in sales, marketing, and community development which all of those skills helped her create and run a successful nonprofit. 

Data is a fancy word that basically means "information." In this workshop, you will learn how to access public information about your school, neighborhood, and city. Bring your charged Chromebook! 

Presenter Bio: Blair Mosner Feltham is a public school worker and advocate. She has taught social studies in California and Wisconsin and currently works as the Equitable Multilevel System of Supports site coordinator at Sun Prairie East High School. She is also a member of the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education.