365 Amplified

This week on 365 Amplified , Rob Chappell, Omar Waheed, and Stephanie Díaz de León 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 remai...

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...

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...

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 Steinhafels . Support local nonprofit n...

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 la...

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. The...

This week, News 3 Now published an erroneous news story about Madison-based nonprofit Urban Triage, and Madison365 was the only outlet to correct the record . 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...

Hosts: Rob Chappell, Stephanie Díaz de León, 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...

Hosts: Rob Chappell, Stephanie Díaz de León, 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 corne...

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 hundred...

Two big stories to discuss on the podcast today: first, editor-in-chief David Dahmer joins the pod to preview the opening of Bernell's, Madison's first sports bar focused on women's sports. (Don't worry, they'll show the Packers too.) Then, Omar has a recap of the Sun Prairie Area School District, where voters passed a no-confidence motion against Superintendent Brad Saron. Finally, after the requ...

On this week's 365 Amplified, Omar and Rob talk through a tense Common Council session on a new men's homeless shelter that ended in confrontations between alders and protesters. Then, we go over a change at the University of Wisconsin, where the Office of Human Resources has eliminated its Equity, Inclusion and Employee Wellbeing Department, and what that might mean for the university's faculty a...

Today on 365 Amplified, Rob, Omar and Nick give an update on what we know -- and what we still don't know -- about who's been trying to enforce Madison parks rules with unhoused people on Madison's east side. Next, we've learned a lot about some disturbing allegations that led to the arrest of the Sun Prairie West High School Dean of Students on charges of child pornography and exploitation. There...

In this week's episode of 365 Amplified , hosts Stephanie Díaz de León, Omar Waheed, and Rob Chappell dive into a wide range of local and national stories — from media censorship and free speech battles to community leadership and grassroots democracy — before welcoming a special guest. Featured Interview: Huma Ahsan Madison attorney Huma Ahsan , candidate for Dane County Circuit Court Judge (Bran...

This week on 365 Amplified , the team dives into national, state, and local news—and sits down with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley , who has just entered the race for governor of Wisconsin. Highlights from this episode: Political violence and rhetoric: The hosts discuss the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, the responses from both the right and the left, and the broader implications...

On this week's 365 Amplified: The Dane County Sheriff's Office is ramping up enforcement on school bus safety Milky Way Tech Hub is giving away laptops Urban Triage is hosting its Harvest Festival this weekend and the North Side Festival is coming next weekend Shaunte McCullum from the Northside Planning Council joins the show with more details on that event. Plus, what annoys us most, and the tro...

On the podcast today, Rob, Nicholas and Omar get an update on the immigrant labor troubles in Monroe, and get a preview of the Wisconsin Badger volleyball season. Then, Joe Maldonado from UW Extension joins to preview the second annual Fathers in Focus confererence, coming up October 18. Read Omar's update on the Monroe dairy workers strike here. Read Nicholas's preview of the Badger volleyball se...

On this week's podcast, Stephanie, Omar and Rob dig into two big stories from this week's news: Workers in Monroe have walked off the job after W&W Dairy's new owners, Kansas City-based Dairy Farmers of America, is forcing employees to reverify documentation status. About 40 workers, most of whom have worked there more than 10 years, are asking for a severance package for those who can't verify. R...

Art House 360, a multicultural community arts space in Verona, officially opened with a ribbon cutting this week, and will host a fundraiser tonight. So we are revisiting our conversation with cofounders Monica Cliff and AJ Juarez from last month about where the idea and inspiration came from, and what the space hopes to offer the community.  

This week, Stephanie, Rob and Omar preview: Madison Black Restaurant Week Freedom Inc's Health Day Africa Fest Then, Rob reports on the event celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and why organizers say democracy remains under threat. Next up, the effort to recall a member of the DeForest Board of Trustees has successfully prompted a special election. Alicia Williams, who's run...

This week, Stephanie, Omar, Nicholas and Rob preview Dane Dances and give an update on the Village Board recall in DeForest -- including why it's important beyond the village. Then, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced last week that he will not seek a third term, setting up the first election with no incumbent since 2010. The pundit class has been speculating about who might run, so why not jo...

This week on 365 Amplified , Stephanie, Rob, Omar, and David dive into a packed episode featuring serious local issues, fun community events, and a deep look at a bold new arts initiative in Verona. 🧑‍⚕️ Janesville Nurses Strike Omar reports on the ongoing strike at Mercy Health East, where nurses are demanding a 7% raise, better health insurance, and basic security protections. Despite making $5...

This week on 365 Amplified , Stephanie rejoins the team for a packed episode featuring tough conversations about education, equity, and opportunity. 🎓 Sunsetting Diversity at UW? The team breaks down the University of Wisconsin's controversial decision to "sunset" the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA). What does that mean for scholarship programs like Posse and PEOPL...

This week on 365 Amplified, Rob Chappell, Omar Waheed, and Nicholas Garton cover a wide range of stories and conversations, from exploring the outdoors to diving deep into sports and fitness. Rob shares his experience at a foraging workshop with Color in the Outdoors, featuring Alexis Nikole Nelson, better known as @BlackForager, and author Sam Thayer. He recounts the lessons learned about wild pl...

Today, we announce the date and opening of registration for the eighth annual 365 Leadership Summit , the state's premier professional development, networking and community building event. Plus, we wrap up the sixth annual list of Wisconsin's Most Influential Asian American Leaders and share a bit of basketball news. Then, Rob Chappell visits Shakkiah Curtis at the Black Business Hub, where this w...