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MLK Day & Weekly Events

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"Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily."

― Martin Luther King Jr.

"It has been my privilege to serve as an Alder for the City of Madison"! I have heard that phrase many times, and I have expressed the words myself with pride and gratitude on several occasions. In 2024, I am challenging myself and challenging you to have the courage to face "Privilege." Let's acknowledge it, let's name it, and let's use it.

Growing up in the oldest "colony" in America and in poverty, privilege was never a topic of discussion. My father was pulled from primary school to work on the farm, where he learned to fix farming machinery. As an adult, he shared his skills as a mechanic with others, including my brothers; being a car mechanic became his primary job. Abuelita and Abuelo adored us; they made each of us feel like we were their favorite grandchildren; they were simple people with strong family roots and values. Compared to our father and grandparents, we had all we needed to succeed: their unconditional love, food on the table, a roof over our heads, and access to education. Poverty tends to attract all sorts of trauma, health issues, and conflict and forces children to grow at a faster rate. Despite having more resources than our prior generations, life was rough for us and many others within our community. 

I moved to Madison from Puerto Rico over 30 years ago and have been in perpetual culture shock since my arrival. The silver lining is that the stage of shock has forced me to explore my privilege. Recognizing privilege takes work! The process is similar to the grieving steps: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and purpose. I remember my surprise when I realized I was privileged; I was so upset and ashamed. I didn't know what to do with that knowledge. It took me a while to accept my White privilege and a while longer to find the courage to use it in meaningful and purposeful ways. 

Dr. King said, "History is the long and tragic story of the fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture, but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups are more immoral than individuals."

MLK
Image credit:
Pixabay
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As an alder, privilege presents itself in many shapes. The frustrating thing is that privilege, just like grieving, is a personal journey. I can't teach you how to grieve, nor can I force you to self-reflect on your privilege. All I can do is work on my journey! I recognize I am privileged:

  • My skin is white; I pass for White every day of the week. I don't have to give my black children "the talk"! I didn’t inherit generational stories of brutality and unfair practices against my skin color. I will never know what it feels like to be black. 
  • I am an able-bodied person; blocked or lacking sidewalks, faulty elevators, stairs, and crossing the street are not barriers for me. I can enjoy nature on an unpaved path. 
  • I belong to the largest minority group in Madison; If I needed to use the pantry, I would have access to culturally relevant foods. Most service providers have Spanish-speaking interpreters. 
  • I communicate in 2 languages; I don't need an interpreter to help me get my message out; I can read and complete forms in both English and Spanish.
  • I own my house, I don't need to use the shelter, and I don't know what it is like to be a housing-insecure individual or sleep on the streets. I have my bathroom; I can shower multiple times a day, cook my meals, have access to do laundry, sleep in my bed, and don’t have to worry about 30-day rental agreements or facing eviction. 
  • I have a full-time job with benefits; my health insurance started my first day of work, including mental health services; my full-time job allows me to support my family; I don't have to have more than one job, which enables me to have the time to run for office. Many people in my community are not compensated appropriately for their skills, experience, and hard work; I am!
  • I have a supportive tribe that encourages me to be a better human; I am not alone! My tribe is a source of strength!
  • I am a US citizen; I don't need a Visa or Green card, I have access to Wisconsin Real ID, I have a driver's license, I don't fear ICE, I don't need a plan in writing for my kids to follow if immigration takes me away.
  • I am an alder; I hold a position of power and better understand city policies, ordinances, and statutes than most residents. I am one of 20 votes and have the power to influence decisions that impact people’s lives.

Recognizing our list of privileges is only the first step. The next step is to figure out how to put our privilege to good use. The most challenging step is to have the courage to let it go or to use it for others’ benefit. Today, we benefit from Dr. King's struggles and others that came before us. They built the road ahead, but the first steps on this journey are yours alone. Once you have a plan, you will find people along the way to support your personal growth.

In 2024, I am challenging us to be  intentional when using privilege's power and advantages. Change doesn’t come without pressure and conflict. Advocate for equitable access to nature, parks, city services, safe living conditions, safe streets, and access to housing. I challenge us to examine our roles in our communities as elected officials, newspaper editors, teachers, city staff, service providers, neighbors, corporations, and individuals; are we doing enough? Am I welcoming to new neighbors and new leadership? Is my headline propagating fear or contributing to building a better city? Am I willing to share access to resources in my community with others? 

We can each contribute; no matter how small it may seem, collectively, we have the power to transform our city into the best place to live for all. 

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of January 15, 2024

Streets Division Updates

  • Winter Information: The City of Madison has a hub for all things winter from how to use salt correctly to winter recreation opportunities to free sand locations to snowplowing update email signups.  All of that is available at www.cityofmadison.com/Winter

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found here.

  • Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 16, in virtual format at 4:30 p.m. Agenda items include the acquisition of property in Districts 12 and 13, approving contract amendments to complete work at the Royal Thai Pavilion in Olbrich Botanical Gardens, and providing Metro Transit with funding via Dane County for accessible transportation.
  • Transportation Commission: The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 17, in virtual format at 5:00 p.m. Agenda items include entering into agreements with Dane County to provide Group Access Services, Volunteer Driver Escort Services, and accessible transportation services, as well as approving the application for a pedal-cab service operator license for Badger Bike Taxi Cab.
  • Madison Food Policy Council: The Madison Food Policy Council meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 17, in virtual format at 5:30 p.m. Agenda items include approving contract language for City Agriculture Leases, approving a memorandum on land banking policy, and staff reports from the Business Development Specialist, Public Health Madison & Dane County, and Extension Dane County, UW-Madison.

Public Information Meetings & Sessions

Public Input Meeting - Galaxy Park, Thursday, January 18: Madison Parks is planning to make improvements to Galaxy Park in 2024! Galaxy Park is a mini park located on Madison's east side. The park currently offers a playground and sun shelter. Parks has prepared two plan options to add additional amenities.

Announcements & News Releases

Events 

  • Groove & Glide, Friday, January 19: Make the most of winter at a Groove and Glide event! Experience the fun and beauty of ice skating under the lights with fun music and games.  All ages and experience levels are welcome. Grab your friends, a date, or the whole family, and come have some fun on the ice. 
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, January 20: Outings in the Starkweather Creek area vary each month - be sure to check the starting location. Adventures typically at 10:00am on the 3rd Saturday of the month, year-round, and frequently start at the Goodman Community Center, unless noted otherwise. Outings include nature walks, canoe/kayak adventures, bicycling tours, and more, and are sponsored by the Madison Friends of Urban Nature, Madison Parks, Badgerland Bird Alliance, Goodman Community Center, Madison Audubon Society, and Friends of Starkweather Creek. No registration is required. Pets are not allowed.
  • Candlelight Snowshoe Walk, Saturday, January 20: Join Madison Parks, Wild Warner and the Friends of Cherokee Marsh in this free, family-friendly event at Warner Park. See the park by candlelight and warm up by the fire. Limited snowshoes will be available to borrow during the event, or bring your own or wear appropriate winter footwear. No registration is needed. This event will take place with or without snow cover but may be canceled if conditions are icy or otherwise unsafe.
  • Learn to Ice Fish, Sunday, January 21: Learn to Ice Fish with Madison Parks and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources! Participants will learn ice fishing techniques and how to properly, and safely ice fish. This is a free event offered during the Free Fishing Weekend and no fishing license is required. Advanced registration is required. This event is open to adults and children and is ideal for persons aged 7 years and older. Children must be supervised by a parent or adult guardian. Participants will be asked to sign a waiver for themselves and their children, upon arrival. 
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Warner Park, Sunday, January 21: The Art of Winter with Kathlean Wolf ~ At a time when the sun is dim and the landscape has faded to grayscale, the artistry of nature is hidden all around us. Join Wild Warner Naturalist Kathlean Wolf for a free guided walk or take a walk on your own to enjoy contrasts in the landscape, fallen leaves exposing the shapes of trees, dried summer plants creating snow-capped sculptures and ice and frost creating fantastic scenes.
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District 10 - Alder Figueroa Cole

Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole

Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole

District 10, Council President
Contact Alder Figueroa Cole

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