The Wisconsin Idea

Rural America

Bad Prison Food Can Cause Health Problems that Linger After Release

Due to unhealthy food, people in prisons and jails experience high rates of diabetes, heart disease, mental health issues and illnesses related to foodborne pathogens.

Lela Nargi

Ketanji Brown Jackson Is Now a Supreme Court Justice—And Progressives Are Thrilled

"At a time when the Supreme Court is preparing to make decisions on reproductive health, climate change, voting rights, and workers' rights, Justice Jackson's perspective has never been more necessary."

Brett Wilkins

Labor

The Incredible, Winding Path of a Working-Class Nurse in Wisconsin

A conversation with long-time artist, activist, and registered nurse Susan Simensky Bietila in Milwaukee.

Maximillian Alvarez

Feature

The Weapons Industry Sees the War in Ukraine as a Goldmine

Arms companies are exploiting Russia's invasion to push a military spending frenzy.

Sarah Lazare

Dispatch

A Former Sundown Town Passed Reparations and Rent Control. Now It's Fighting to Keep Them.

Culver City’s first Black Mayor, Daniel Lee, wants to make California the bastion of progressive politics some imagine it to be.

Paige Oamek

Labor

Student Loans are a Burden for Black Educators. Cancel Them.

A conversation with Stacy Davis Gates, the vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, about why canceling student debt is a labor issue.

Paige Oamek

Feature

What Happens After Movement-Backed Politicians Take Office

As the “co-governance” model gains traction, here’s a look into the promises and pitfalls—and how organizers are reimagining electoral politics.

Mark Engler and Paul Engler

Labor

The Amazon Union Campaign Won By Following the Lead of Workers

Amazon Labor Union shows us an essential ingredient of successful union campaigns: democratic autonomy.

Shaun Richman

Labor

How Workers Used Amazon's Captive Audience Meetings Against the Company

Workers flipped the script on the e-commerce giant by turning anti-union tactics into organizing opportunities.

Sarah Lazare