Gov. Tony Evers will be in Milwaukee April 11 to speak at a statewide conference addressing issues of inclusivity.
“Toward One Wisconsin: A Conference on Overcoming Barriers to Inclusion” will include an appearance by Gov. Evers who will speak on his commitment to equity and inclusion for all state residents, and also issue an inclusivity proclamation at the conference.
His talk is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. on April 11 in the atrium of the Hyatt Regency, 333 West Kilbourn Avenue.
More than 400 attendees will participate in the conference, which will seek answers to the question, “What will it take to make Wisconsin inclusive to all?”
“What the conference aims for is to create space for cross-cutting conversations and insights into best practices in providing the same opportunities for everyone in Wisconsin,” said Eric Giordano, executive director for the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service,” which is hosting the two-day conference.
Over 100 panels and presenters will highlight collaborative and innovative approaches, best practices, cutting-edge research, and success stories that focus on these four conference tracks:
- Track I: Increasing Opportunities for Inclusion in Wisconsin’s Workforce
- Track II: Creating Inclusive Communities
- Track III: Raising the Next Generation of Inclusive Leaders
- Track IV: Building Health Equity in Wisconsin
The final session on Friday will feature a conference-wide discussion, led by a high level panel of experts, on how to measure and create benchmarks around issues of inclusivity, diversity and equity for our state and take concrete steps for improvement.
Four nationally recognized keynote speakers will headline the two-day conference at the Hyatt Regency:
- Dasha Kelly Hamilton, the conference artist-in-residence, is a nationally respected writer, performer, facilitator and creative change agent. She has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada and appeared on the final season of HBO presents Russell Simmons’ “Def Poetry Jam.”
- Pardeep Singh Kaleka is a former Milwaukee police officer and now a teacher and social activist. His father was one of six people killed at a shooting in 2012 at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek.
- Edward Lee Vargas, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized speaker on creating high performing school systems. He brings a wealth of highly successful multistate and international leadership experiences and accolades as superintendent of schools in several states.
- Thomas Frank is an American political analyst, historian and journalist. He co-founded and edited “The Baffler” magazine and has written several books on American electoral politics and propaganda, advertising, popular culture, mainstream journalism and economics.
Conference co-chairs are former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governors Rebecca Kleefisch and Barbara Lawton, Church Mutual President and CEO Rich Poirier and Marian University Senior Vice President and Ascension Wisconsin Market Board member George Koonce.
WIPPS is one of the presenting sponsors for the conference, along with Church Mutual Insurance and Ascension.
