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The last time Lisa Caruthers visited the Wisconsin State Capitol, it was on a school trip when she was about seven or eight years old.
“That was the last and only time that I had visited the State Capitol.”
Until last week. More than a half-century later, the now-64-year-old returned as part of a large group of residents visiting Madison on Feb. 26 for “Black Advocacy Day,” hosted by the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus.
“A lot of people, particularly African-American people, feel that they don’t have a voice or a say-so,” Caruthers said. “Coming up here is giving us that opportunity.”
On Black Advocacy Day, residents get a chance to meet elected officials and let them know how they can truly serve their constituents. As a whole, the Black Caucus campaigns for the best interests of African Americans, and all people of color, throughout the state. Currently, there are 11 Black legislators in Wisconsin, 10 of whom are members of the caucus.
“Black Advocacy Day was something that my predecessor — now-judge Lena Taylor — and Michelle Bryant started,” said State Senator Dora Drake, the current Chair of the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus. “And it really was an impetus to engage people into the policy and advocacy process at the state capitol.”
Last fall, the caucus held a statewide listening tour that visited Green Bay, Racine, Madison, Milwaukee and Beloit. In these town halls, the lawmakers heard concerns from Black residents on several issues impacting various industries.
“We’ve had amazing conversations and feedback,” Sen. Drake said. “We were able to hear [from] Black residents that are farmers. That’s the conversation I don’t think is talked about as much in Wisconsin because a lot of us are in more urban populated areas, which is OK. But that’s just the nuance of the need, why we had to travel.”
Sen. Drake said the feedback helped inform the caucus’ Black Policy Agenda, the priorities of which include affordable housing, education and literacy, environmental and infrastructure needs, and criminal justice reform. There’s also a focus on healthcare and mental health.
As a recently retired nurse of more than 40 years, that last area was an important issue for Caruthers to bring to the Capitol. “One of my major concerns is how nurses and doctors are forced to do more with patients with less time,” she said. “It’s stressing out the healthcare system. I actually had a nurse that said to me she wished she had time to talk to her patients.”
DeShawn Calvin hasn’t fully embarked on his career path just yet, but the 18-year old was inspired by his Capitol visit. “I just had a meeting today that just really gave me a greater motivation to get into this and speak for our people.”
The Assata High School senior said that during his time with one state representative, he got a better understanding of how bills move through the legislature.
“I would say that spoke to me [about] how they’re just not really passing nothing,” Calvin said. “If we wanna change, it really has to start with yourself … then you will have to start it with others around you. Everyone has to participate in this. It’s not a one-man job.”
Collective action is something Maia Pearson understands. She’s a community organizer and vice president for the Madison Board of Education who came to Black Advocacy Day to talk about community development, special-education reimbursement and fully funded education in Wisconsin.
“I know most of the legislators here,” Pearson said, “but I think it’s good to be amongst other Black people in our community, understand what folks are really trying to advocate for, learn more about organizations and what they represent, and make that community connection.”
She added that her visit was an extension of the advocacy from her grandparents and others who don’t always make it to Madison.
“I did go to some of the statewide visits that they had,” Pearson said, referring to the listening tour. “And even in those spaces, my grandma was there. You had people who just wouldn’t have the natural connection to the Capitol, per se, so they’re truly the people who are on the ground, living every day.
“They don’t necessarily see that, so they came to those things, and they were able to capture what those folks really cared about. And those are the people that we are trying to make sure that we’re making policy to affect their lives for the better, right?”
Sen. Drake said caucus members will focus on building out policies to be ready for the next state budget session in 2027. She also encouraged residents to truly understand who and what is on their ballot this year, including the upcoming governor’s race and a proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution that would ban affirmative-action practices in state and local government.
“We can’t afford to be on the sidelines any more, and I think it’s a rude awakening everyone’s realizing,” Sen. Drake said. “We all have a part to play in it, and that’s the best part to realize.”
