Whitburn Center

Whitburn Center
WisACT Past Events

WisACT Past Events

WisACT monthly meetings cover a wide range of topics related to civic trust, peaceful engagement, and cross-partisan dialogue. They feature panelists and speakers representing a diversity of viewpoints. WisACT, a democracy resilience network, is a program of the Whitburn Center for Governance and Policy Research at UW-Oshkosh with major support from The Carter Center of Atlanta, Georgia. See below for information about past events and links to video recordings.

2026 Events

July 2026: Yes and Civics: Improv Tools for Stronger Connections and Communities

For 15 years, Danger Boat Productions has used improv comedy to bring people together — across the country and throughout Minnesota — for conversations about politics, community, and the things that divide us. In this interactive session, Tane Danger shares what he’s learned building projects like The Theater of Public Policy, Sketches of Minnesota, and the Constructive Dialogue Workshop, and what happens when you put “yes, and” at the center of civic life. Along the way, he’ll lead the group through some of the actual improv exercises his team uses — so you’ll leave not just with ideas, but with a few tools of your own for having better, more human conversations.
 
Featuring: Tane Danger, Co-Founder of Danger Boat Productions and Host of The Theater of Public Policy
June 2026: Preparing for Safe and Inclusive Fall Elections

Join community members, advocates, and organizers for a conversation about building safe, inclusive, and informed elections this fall. Together, we’ll share experiences, explore effective strategies for communicating accurate information, and discuss the challenges and opportunities emerging in our communities.
 
Topics for discussion:
  • Stories and insights from people engaged in this work
  • Strategies for sharing trusted election information
  • Group conversation: What is happening in your community?
  • Opportunities for action and engagement

Whether you’re already involved in election-related efforts or simply interested in supporting civic participation, this event offers a space to connect, learn, and collaborate.

Call to Action: Leave with new ideas, stronger connections, and practical ways to help foster safe, inclusive, and accessible elections in your community.

 
Dialogue Participants Include:
  • Michael Lueder
  • WI Rep. Amaad Rivera-Wagner
  • Ali Khaleel
  • Faith Roska
May 2026: “Learning From ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland” Panel

Members of WisACT’s new Community Resilience Team participated in “Political and Religious Healing in a Contested Space: A Learning and Planning Retreat” hosted by Rethinking Conflict and The Carter Center (TCC) in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from March 21-28, 2026. Several of the participants will serve as panelists for a discussion about their experiences and how what they learned applies to the Wisconsin case, and engage in a dialogue with Rev. Dr. Gary Mason from Belfast, director of Rethinking Conflict, which helped facilitate the conference in partnership with The Carter Center.

Click here to read a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article published by the panelists on this topic: If we want peace in the US, we should learn from Ireland | Opinion
 
Dialogue Participants Include:
  • Dr. Paul Van Auken, Ph.D
  • Arielle Goodman
  • Rev. Ellen Rasmussen
  • Rev. Dr. Gary Mason