JUSTICE FOR ALL IN WISCONSIN
LWVWI Issues Briefing 2024
LWWI Issues Briefing 2024
JUSTICE FOR ALL IN WISCONSIN
This year, we explore what justice means for key populations in Wisconsin including Native/Indigenous peoples and lands, unfair judicial sentencing practices, and discriminative legislation targeting the LGBTQIA+ community.
SESSION INFORMATION
Thursday, nov.14
Justice Matters
for Native
Americans
Learn from GLIFWC's* Jason Schlender and Olivia Gower about Anishinaabe (Native) law, treaties, and policies and laws impacting treaty rights. Then, hear from Wisconsin Conservation Voters' Maria Haskins about barriers to voting for the Native American population in Wisconsin and beyond.
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*GLIFWC: Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission
SATURDAY, NOV. 16
Justice Matters
in Our Judicial System
Judge Everett Mitchell will discuss sentencing inequity in Wisconsin, record expungement, prison conditions and lack of diversity amongst Wisconsin's judges. Speakers Kate Donovan and Peter Horton of Redistricting Data Hub will talk about prison gerrymandering in our state and its impact on districting as well as voting rights for incarcerated individuals.
tuesday, nov. 19
Justice Matters for the LQBTQIA+ Community
Hear from Fair Wisconsin's Abigail Swetz, Executive Director, and Sean O'Brien, Policy & Advocacy Director, about anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation in Wisconsin and our country at large. This session will focus on the impacts of this legislation on minors and schools, and what it means for LGBTQIA+ future generations. Following is a panel discussion featuring Dr. Britt Allen, MD, and Dr. Ronni Hayon, MD, about barriers to providing essential care for those in the LGBTQIA+ community.
SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, NOV. 14
Justice Matters for Native Americans
SATURDAY, NOV. 16
Justice Matters in Our Judicial
System
TUESDAY, NOV. 19
Justice Matters for the LGBTQIA+ Community
6:20pm - 6:30pm
Zoom opens and attendees are invited to sign on
6:30pm - 6:40pm
General welcome and land acknowledgement
Dorothy Skye, LWVWI Board President
6:40pm - 7:00pm
Indigenous Historical Background & Native Law (Ashinaabe Law)
Featuring Jason Schlender, Executive Administrator
Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission
7:00pm - 7:20pm
Policies Impacting Treaty Rights
Featuring Olivia Gower, Litigation Assistant
Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission
7:20pm - 7:40pm
Barriers for the Native Vote
Featuring Maria Haskins, Native Vote Manager
Wisconsin Conservation Voters
7:40pm - 7:55pm
Q & A
7:55pm - 8:00pm
Wrap up and Farewell + Closing announcements
9:20 - 9:30am
Zoom opens and attendees are invited to sign on
9:30am - 9:35am
General welcome
Debra Cronmiller, LWVWI Executive Director
9:35am - 10:35am
Sentence Inequity, Record Expungement, Prison Conditions & Lack of Diversity in Wisconsin's Judges
Featuring Judge Everett Mitchell
Dane County Circuit Court Judge
10:35am - 11:15am
Prison Gerrymandering & its Impacts on State Legislative and Congressional Districts
Featuring Kate Donovan (Director) & Peter Horton (Senior Data Analyst) of Redistricting Data Hub
11:15am - 11:25am
Q&A
11:25am - 11:30am
Wrap up and Farewell + Closing announcements
6:20pm - 6:30pm
Zoom opens and attendees are invited to sign on
6:30pm - 6:35pm
General welcome
Kole Torres, LWVWI DEI Manager
6:35pm - 7:15pm
Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legislation's Impacts in Wisconsin and Beyond
Featuring Abigail Swetz (Executive Director) and Sean O'Brien (Policy & Advocacy Director) of Fair Wisconsin
7:15pm - 7:45pm
Barriers to Providing Essential Care for Members of the LGBTQIA+ Community (Panel Discussion)
Dr. Britt Allen and Dr, Ronni Hayon
*THIS PORTION OF THE EVENT WILL NOT BE RECORDED. This is a precaution we are exercising to ensure the safety of our presenters.
7:45pm - 7:55pm
Q & A
7:55pm - 8:00pm
Wrap up, Final Farewell + Reminder to complete feedback survey
REGISTRATION
There is no fee to attend this virtual event, but registration is required. Closer to the event, you will receive an email with links to access all sessions via Zoom.
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*If you have issues getting into the program or fail to receive an email with Zoom links, please contact lwvwisconsin@lwvwi.org
SPEAKER BIOS
JASON
SCHLENDER
Executive Administrator,
Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission
Jason Schlender was born in Madison, Wisconsin, raised on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation, and is currently the Executive Administrator of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). He has also served as Vice Chairman of the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board and Chairman of GLIFWC’s Voigt Inter-Tribal Task Force. He graduated from Hayward High School and holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Superior, a Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Education from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
OLIVIA
GOWER
Litigation Assistant,
Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission
Olivia is a Litigation Assistant in the Division of Intergovernmental Affairs at GLIFWC. Her work at the Commission involves reviewing, drafting, and editing of stipulations in the LCO v. Wisconsin case; analysis of and commenting on natural resource policies that affect treaty rights; review of and education on harvesting regulations; and intergovernmental relations. Olivia is originally from southern Oregon and studied anthropology and political science at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Olivia plans to attend law school in the future where she hopes to focus her legal education on tribal law and policy.
MARIA
HASKINS
Manager & Organizer
Wisconsin Native
Vote
Maria attended the College of Menominee Nation in 2008 where she developed an interest in the voting process. She graduated with a master's degree in social work, but unexpectedly found herself fostering a keen interest in Indigenous rights and application of their cultural practices to address environmental concerns. This newfound passion redirected Maria to organizing work, where she continues to deepen her understanding of Indigenous rights and environmental stewardship. Maria has committed herself to fostering positive change, rooted in Indigenous values, driven through involvement with organizations like Wisconsin Native vote where she can actively contribute to building a sustainable and just future.
THURS, NOV. 14
Justice Matters for Native Americans
LISTED IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
SAT, NOV. 16
Justice Matters in Our Judicial System
LISTED IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
JUDGE EVERETT
MITCHELL
Dane County Circuit
Court Judge
The Honorable Reverend Everett Mitchell is a fierce advocate for education and equity. Judge Mitchell was elected to the Dane County Circuit Court and presides over the Juvenile Division in Branch Four. As a juvenile court judge hears cases involving family re-unification, juvenile delinquency, and other civil and criminal proceedings. Judge Mitchell also oversees Dane County’s High Risk Drug Court Program.
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*Adapted from The Madison Times
KATE
DONOVAN
Director
Redistricting Data Hub
Kate Donovan is the Director of the Redistricting Data Hub (RDH). She joined in September 2020 as a Support Specialist, before her promotion to Support Team Lead, then Director in July 2023. In her position she coordinates data collection efforts, leads trainings, and provides support through the Help Desk. She was previously an award-winning and tenured associate professor of political science and statistics instructors at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York.
PETER
HORTON
Senior
Data Analyst
Peter is a Senior Data Analyst on the Redistricting Data Hub project, having joined the organization in 2020. Originally, from the Maryland suburbs of DC, Peter graduated from Amherst College with a B.A. in Math and assists the Redistricting Data Hub by producing reports and redistricting-related datasets.
TUES, NOV. 19
Justice Matters for the LGBTQIA+ Community
LISTED IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
ABIGAIL
SWETZ
Executive Director,
Fair Wisconsin
Abigail Swetz (she/her) comes to Fair Wisconsin with an extensive history of policy, communications, public education, and advocacy experience driven by a deep passion for LGBTQ+ rights and queer liberation. She is an award-winning teacher, having been named the 2017 Educator of the Year by GSAFE, and has been recognized for her writing and performance at theater festivals. A powerful public speaker, she spoke at the Women’s March on Madison alongside student poets, and is a spoken word artist in her own right. A former foster parent teacher and GSA advisor, and new adoptive parent, Abigail believes strongly in ensuring that Wisconsin is not only safe and welcoming today, but also a state where LGBTQ+ rights are protected and our community celebrated for many generations to come.
SEAN
O'BRIEN
Policy & Advocacy Director
Fair Wisconsin
Sean O’Brien (he/him) currently serves as the Policy and Advocacy Director at Fair Wisconsin. He joined Fair Wisconsin in October of 2020 as the GOTV Coordinator and later transitioned into the role of Advocacy and Organizing Strategist. Sean first became active in Wisconsin politics during the 2011 Act 10 uprising and the subsequent campaign to recall Governor Walker in 2012. In 2016, he worked with For Our Future and interned for State Representative Chris Taylor, shortly before working on Governor Evers’s 2018 campaign and later in his office. Sean was active on his college campus as the founding voice for the Queer Student Center, the President of Edgewood SAFE, the Vice-President of the Edgewood College Democrats, and Vice President the Edgewood College Pre-Law Society. Sean graduated Magna Cum Laude from Edgewood College in 2020 with a B.S. in Political Science and a minor in Photography.
BRITT
ALLEN, MD
Doctor of
Medicine
In the interest of safety, Dr. Allen's information is being kept confidential.
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NOTE: THE PANEL DISCUSSION FEATURING DR. ALLEN AND DR. HAYON WILL NOT BE RECORDED.
RONNI
HAYON, MD
Doctor of
Medicine
In the interest of safety, Dr. Hayon's information is being kept confidential.
​
NOTE: THE PANEL DISCUSSION FEATURING DR. ALLEN AND DR. HAYON WILL NOT BE RECORDED.