The exciting new ‘Community Chats’ discussion series from the UW-Madison Office of Community Relations explores ways that members of the Madison community are partnering with the university to address pressing public issues.
UW Community Relations Director Brenda González hosts the interviews with leaders at the forefront of social change. Each month they will discuss how their work is directly connecting and uplifting people in Madison and the surrounding region. ‘Community Chats’ was developed in the spirit of the LaMarr Billups Community–University Engagement Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to campus community partnerships.
“The Community Chats series reminds us to ‘never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world,’ and this group of leaders has indeed changed our world, our community here in Madison,” says Ms. González. “I am honored to have the opportunity to interview the amazing leaders that are part of the LaMarr Billups legacy that helps the university think how to better partner and co-create with community through a strong commitment to social justice and equity.”
In the first episode, Ms. González talks with Emily Auerbach, co-director and co-founder of the UW Odyssey Project, about her work with the program and asks her to share stories of Odyssey students. The UW Odyssey Project offers life-changing UW–Madison humanities classes for adult students facing economic barriers to college.
Watch the interview now and stay tuned for more from leaders in Madison.
Thank you to our colleague & friend Brenda González for her latest efforts to uplift impactful voices! See the UW News feature here.