Who Are Wisconsin Schools Really Working For?
365 Amplified
This week on 365 Amplified, Rob Chappell, Omar Waheed, and Stephanie DĂaz de LeĂłn dig into Wisconsin’s latest school district report cards and ask a hard question: who actually benefits from how schools are graded? The conversation explores racial achievement gaps, how DPI weights “economically disadvantaged” students, and why some districts can earn top scores while deep racial disparities remain. The crew also reacts to the newly announced women’s soccer team, Rally Madison, unpacking the name, branding, symbolism, and fan response — plus what it says about women’s sports,...
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The No Wax Cloud Dancer Edition
365 Amplified
As promised after last week's grammar discussion, Rob talks through the etymology of the word "sincere" and Omar coins a new slang term. All that only after: We get updates on stories we've been following in the Sun Prairie Area School District and the Dane County Department of Human Services.' We look ahead to the CEOs of Tomorrow "Pitch and Launch" event this weekend We note a few local elected officials who announced this week that they're running again Rock County Board Supervisor Genia Stevens joins us to tell us why she's not running again, how Rock County JumpStart is expanding and...
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It's Bazaar & Gala Season
365 Amplified
In this week’s episode of 365 Amplified, the team dives into a busy stretch of community events, local politics, sports news, and a thoughtful conversation with the leaders of the Urban League of Greater Madison Young Professionals. Highlights Holiday Black Bazaar returns bigger than ever, featuring 50+ Black-owned vendors, performances, and community gathering space at the Hub. Profile: Percy Brown — Omar talks about the new Carey Middle School principal and his winding journey through education and DEI work. Governor’s race update — Mandela Barnes enters; the crew discusses...
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Will Rodney Rave be Wisconsin's first Native member of Congress?
365 Amplified
On the podcast today, Rob talks through a few news items before chatting with Rodney Rave, who's running for Congress in Wisconsin's Third Congressional District, which covers most of Western Wisconsin. A former Ho-Chunk Nation legislator, Rave could become the first Indigenous person to represent the state in Washington. Today's episode is brought to you by . Support local nonprofit news at . All donations from now until December 31 will be matched!
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What is community journalism? with Kynala Phillips
365 Amplified
Rob's flying solo today, with a few news updates: a new Congressional candidate in western Wisconsin, an effort to support a beloved local musician who collapsed on stage after a heart attack last week, a recap of Madison College's first-ever trip to the national junior college men's soccer tournament, and a review of "Planets as Stars," the poetry-driven performance we previewed on the podcast last week. Then, he talks to Kynala Phillips, the editor of a new community journalism project at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and an alum of Madison365's internship. Finally, he offers a bit of the...
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A "cosmic romp" & local news controversy
365 Amplified
On the podcast today, Rob, Stephanie and Omar talk through some local news, including a summit of Milwaukee social justice nonprofits, a snow removal apprenticeship program and the Madison College soccer team's first-ever trip to the national tournament. Then, poet and performer Gina Cornejo joins the show to preview her new production at Theatre LILA, "Planets as Stars," opening this weekend. Then, we have an update on Channel 3000's unethical and erroneous reporting on Urban Triage and consider the larger context of racism and media ethics.
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A false news story, a response and what it all means
365 Amplified
This week, News 3 Now published an erroneous news story about Madison-based nonprofit Urban Triage, and . On the podcast today, Rob, Nicholas and Omar talk through how that went down and what it means for the larger landscape of journalism and media. Plus, this weekend, Midwest Mujeres is hosting its fifth annual "Yo Quiero Dinero" storytelling event, so founder Araceli Ezparza and production manager Jonathan Delgado join the show for a preview, and Omar has a recap of the annual Black Parents Summit with Madison schools. It's NewsMatch time! Your donations in support of nonprofit local media...
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FoodShare ends this weekend
365 Amplified
Hosts: Rob Chappell, Stephanie DĂaz de LeĂłn, Omar Waheed Guest: Prenicia Clifton Episode Overview This week, the team covers the end of SNAP benefits and its impact on Wisconsin families and small businesses, the return of Madison Nonprofit Day, the growing threat of media capture, and a few lighter conversations to close the show — including conspiracy theories they wish were true. SNAP Benefits Ending Nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites are about to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as of November 1. Rob, Stephanie, and Omar discuss what this means for food...
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Pumpkins, politics & a rising Disney star
365 Amplified
Hosts: Rob Chappell, Stephanie DĂaz de LeĂłn, and Omar Waheed Guest: Nate Buescher, UW–Madison freshman and star of Disney Channel’s Electric Bloom Runtime: 53:38 On this week's podcast, we catch up on a range of news stories from the week, and get acquainted with a new neighbor who's a rising Disney star. 🌟 Leadership Summit Preview The eighth annual 365 Leadership Summit is just around the corner, happening Monday, November 3, at the Madison Concourse Hotel. Stephanie and Rob preview the lineup: Opening panel “Leadership Unscripted” with Henry Sanders, Dr. Sagashus Livingston,...
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"Fascism aims to divide us:" a conversation with Francesca Hong
365 Amplified
Rob and Omar kick off this week’s 365 Amplified with stories making headlines across Madison365: Hmong New Year 50th Anniversary – A preview of this year’s celebration marking 50 years since Hmong families began arriving in Wisconsin, emphasizing renewed connections with elders and cultural traditions. Indigenous Business Conference – Omar reports from Milwaukee’s Potawatomi Casino, where hundreds of Indigenous entrepreneurs and tribal leaders gathered to discuss sovereignty, new trade opportunities, and economic independence. Funding Cuts for Nonprofits – At Madison’s...
info_outlineThis week, the team is back from a much-needed break and ready to break down the big news in Madison and across Wisconsin.
🧑‍⚖️ Local Elections Are Here (April 1!)
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The gang discusses the impact of local elections, including the upcoming Madison Common Council races and the statewide constitutional amendment on voter ID.
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Confusion around election dates? We break down what’s real and what’s political misdirection.
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Rob and Stephanie unpack why these “small” elections actually matter—local government = big consequences.
Interview: Joanne Pritchett
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We hear from the challenger for District 9 Alder, on her motivation to run, her advocacy style, and environmental concerns in Madison’s west side.
Most Influential Native American List
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Rob highlights Madison365’s sixth annual list celebrating influential Native American leaders statewide.
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The team reflects on how the list has grown and the importance of representation across professions—judges, teachers, CDFI leaders, and more.
Encore Prom & Wisconsin’s Aging Population
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Want to relive prom with purpose? Verona’s Encore Prom is back—this year’s event supports older adult programming amid Wisconsin’s aging demographic surge.
- Read more here.
Nerd Bugs Makes the INC. 500 List!
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Madison’s own Dr. Ronak Mehta lands on Inc. Magazine’s Female Founders 500 for her educational plushie startup, Nerd Bugs.
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Omar shares how the company began as a children’s book idea and turned into a national health education tool—with cute, anatomically-correct organs.
- Read the story here.
âš˝ Soccer, Shots, and Showdowns
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Forward Madison advances in the U.S. Open Cup and prepares to host a second-division team for the first time ever.
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Rob dreams of the ultimate “Jager Henny Derby” and defends his love for Jägermeister.
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Plus: a surprise sports education moment on “escort parades” for local teams—and what the 365 crew would want to be celebrated for.
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Full coverage at Madison365.org
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