The stories in this Covid-19 series offer a time capsule into life in Wisconsin during this extraordinary time. From a minor league baseball player to a barber to a farmer to an ER nurse, these are stories of resilience and people using their creativity and skills to support their community. Below you will find stories that share our lives, our shared future, our Wisconsin.
I’m from Fall Creek, Wisconsin, which is a very small town. Growing up, I was surrounded by a family of storytellers. Photos by Andi Stempniak My dad’s a public speaker, and my grandparents love to tell stories. My paternal grandmother has been writing poetry for longer than I’ve been alive, and my mom’s mother used …
“I love creating characters with important life lessons to learn.” Read More »
When my family first came to Green Bay, it was a big change. I came from the second largest city in Mexico to a small town, and the adjustment was difficult. Photos courtesy of Rogelio Contreras Just the language difference was more difficult than anything. All I knew about Green Bay was that summers were …
The Wisconsin Historical Society Press published ‘Hope Is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic’. In this series, we feature five writers who share their experiences as they explore hope in the era of COVID-19. BJ Hollars both edited and contributed to the book. March 10, 2020 was my last presentation in a public …
The Wisconsin Historical Society Press published ‘Hope Is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic’. In this series, we feature five writers who share their experiences as they explore hope in the era of Covid. Yia Lor contributed an essay to the book. I am from Chippewa Valley. I spent much of my childhood …
The Wisconsin Historical Society Press published ‘Hope Is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic’. In this series, we feature five writers who share their experiences as they explore hope in the era of Covid. Jay Gilbertson contributed an essay to the book. I live with my husband in Prairie Farm, it’s a very …
The Wisconsin Historical Society Press published ‘Hope Is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic’. In this series, we feature five writers who share their experiences as they explore hope in the era of Covid. Jamie Vue contributed an essay to the book. Being from a family of refugees grounds me and is where …
The Wisconsin Historical Society Press published ‘Hope Is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic’. In this series, we feature five writers who share their experiences as they explore hope in the era of Covid. Louie V. Clark III contributed an essay to the book. My wife and I got married in 1975 and …
I have lived in La Crosse since I was nine. I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, and I lived there until my family came to America. Photo courtesy of Xong Xiong My main memory of that place was that I was free. Even though I was confined to the one-mile radius of …
“Concern for a just and equitable world is a driving force for me.” Read More »
I wasn’t always Barby the book fairy. I was born and raised on the South Side of Milwaukee. Photos courtesy of Barbara Cerda My parents are immigrants from Mexico, my mom grew up here and my father came when he was seventeen. I became a teen mom when I was fifteen years old, and again …
I grew up in Decatur, Illinois, a couple generations removed from our family farm. My dad was a heavy equipment operator. Mom was, as I like to say, a comfort food gourmet. Photo courtesy of Bill Stork We had one of those houses where Dad had a bullet heater and jack stands in the garage; …
I’ve been playing soccer since I was three. Pretty much my whole life. Soccer is one of the most important things in the world to me. Photo courtesy of Tikeh’s famly I also love to read, so I decided to put these two things together and write a book. I am twelve years old now, but …
“I have my whole family to thank for everything.” Read More »
My parents were both immigrants from Mexico. When my mother was working, her brother Hector was our babysitter. He was always a jokester, he was like one of the kids. Photo courtesy of Juan Jimenez He taught us to love films and music. Big band swing, salsa, merengue, anything you can dance to, he really …
