The David Austin Memorial Award is presented for commitment and work toward creating a just and fair society through progressive public policy and electoral efforts that bring new ideas and new people into the local conversation. Former Progressive Dane Co-Chair and Elections Co-Chair David Austin dedicated his personal and professional energy to building a better community for all.
This year Progressive Dane is proud to present the David Austin award to former Madison Alder Marsha Rummel. Marsha served as a Progressive Dane-endorsed alder for fourteen years (2007-2121). She exemplifies many of the qualities envisaged by this award. She gathered and took action on the opinion of all residents, not just the most influential, and worked long and hard to hear and respond to those concerns. Her weekly blog was a gold mine of useful information about city government, and she probably holds the record for the most public meetings convened to discuss development projects and other critical neighborhood issues. She was always ready to connect people with others who could help or who were working on the same problems. Her thoughtful questions and statements encouraged her colleagues to dig deeper on controversial questions and to avoid easy answers. She came to the Common Council with a deep commitment to democratic processes and to racial and economic equality. “[T]he stakes are so high and the outcomes fundamental to the quality of people’s daily lives and the future of our planet”, she wrote in 2008.” We can’t afford to let class hatreds, racial privilege or ideological superiority divide us.”
Named for a Progressive Dane member whose personal courage and activism in labor, social, and political causes was an inspiration to all who knew her, the Kathy Schroeder Memorial Award is given in recognition of outstanding long-term service to progressive causes.
Progressive Dane is proud to present the Kathy Schroeder Memorial Award to Annie Kraus. Since becoming Director of Development and Operations at the Social Justice Center, Annie has been actively involved in our community creating safe spaces and community resources for all our neighbors, those with and without houses. Throughout the pandemic Annie has worked tirelessly supporting the McPike encampment and people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, the Dane County Community Defense fund, the Little Free Food Pantry on Willy St, and multiple restorative justice circles. Her deep empathy, especially for those most vulnerable, drives her work on a daily basis as she gives so graciously of her time and energy to multiple community projects. As Co-Chair of Progressive Dane, Annie has also brought her considerable administrative and technical skills to the party supporting our back office operations.
The Progressive Change Agents Award honors a local organization or leader who disrupts the status quo of inequity in our community by taking meaningful actions that exemplify extraordinary dedication to uplifting the most marginalized voices of Dane County; that show a strong commitment to achieving justice through an intersectional lens; that mobilize community members to engage in political acts; and that align with and advance our progressive values.
Progressive Dane is proud to present the Progressive Change Agent Award to Shadayra Kilfoy-Flores. Shadayra was born and raised in the Wil-Mar neighborhood, where she is now raising her own children. She is serving her second term as a member of the Marquette Neighborhood Association. Shadayra’s experience in public service and community involvement began when she was in elementary school going with neighbors to visit retirement homes. In high school she volunteered on the Multicultural Teen Council, the Dane County Youth Board, Briarpatch and attended the Encampment for Citizenship, in CA. She was awarded the Hispanic Youth of the year UMOS award and a Dane County Proclamation. She was the first youth to ever receive a scholarship from Centro Hispano. After attending Antioch College, she returned to Briarpatch and Centro Hispano where she ran a number of youth programs throughout Madison. Shadayra went through the Grassroots Leadership College once as a developing leader and twice as a coach. She is a certified Community Peacemaker, trained in restorative justice practices
Last year she was elected as the Vice Chair of Madison’s Police Civilian Oversight Board after years of organizing and advocacy to establish this oversight board.. Through the PCOB she completed training by the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement and is trained to facilitate community discussions around policing. She completed the United Way’s Boardwalk Academy and became a Certified Community Partner with the City of Madison’s Department of Civil Rights. Shadayra knows the power of community involvement, the power of leadership development, and the need for restorative justice practices. ProDane is inspired by the way she continues to offer her energy, support and insight into creating a safer and more equitable community for all.
