Bird on a Wire

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, political organization founded in 1920, encourages informed and active participation in all levels of government. LuAnn joined 30 years ago to learn how to take action on a variety of issues like disability rights after her husband’s paralyzing construction accident. Recent efforts to disenfranchise voters by making it […]

Sat Aug 19, 2023

40:19

LuAnn Bird sits down with Mandela Barnes, former Lt. Governor and resilient advocate and organizer. In a candid conversation, Barnes shares his journey from State Assembly to a close U.S. Senate campaign loss by 1%, highlighting the enduring power of community engagement. Explore the captivating dialogue between LuAnn Bird and Mandela Barnes, where they uncover […]

Sat Aug 12, 2023

50:48

“It’s not okay to bully. It’s not okay to show disrespect. It’s not okay to have easy accessibility to drugs and guns, but it’s more than okay to be gay and be a valued member of the community.” Listen to Will Radler, a proud gay man and creator of Knockout Roses, share the story of his journey through prejudice, […]

Sat Aug 5, 2023

53:45

Alan Borsuk, Senior Fellow in Law and Public Policy at Marquette University and longtime education columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talks about the status of education in Milwaukee.  Are we closing the gaps in learning? According to Alan, “We can do better.”

Guest: Alan Borsuk

Fri Jul 28, 2023

48:31

The Parkland School Shooting catapulted Tyler Kelly, a student activist to get involved in advocating for common sense gun reforms that will save lives. This conversation highlights the absurdity of counting on lock-downs in our schools to save children’s and teachers’ lives instead of passing researched legislation that would reduce gun violence.

Guest: Tyler Kelly

Sat Jul 22, 2023

48:17

Lu Ann Bird is Nicole Otto. Nicole is a mental health counselor who works with children. In this episode, LuAnn and Nicole talked about some of the difficult realities young people face when it comes to challenges with mental health.  There’s a great quote that they reference that’s actually come up more than once in […]

Guest: Nicole Otto

Tue May 23, 2023

49:46

Lu Ann Bird is joined by The PerSisters. The Persisters is a group of women that got involved in political action following the 2016 election and the Women’s March. They started the PerSisters with a few women in Wauwatosa and the group has now grown to a community of hundreds. Now, they meet every Friday and […]

Guest: Lisa Williams

Fri Apr 28, 2023

51:16

Dr. Wilkinson is a resident of the district where LuAnn ran for Assembly, and they met while LuAnn was campaigning and knocking on doors. Wilkinson is a doctor and a surgeon who has treated victims of gun violence, and that has inspired her to get involved in efforts to pass gun safety legislation.

Guest: Katheryn Hope Wilkinson

Thu Apr 13, 2023

40:34

Porterfield is the lead singer and songwriter of the acclaimed folk band Field Report. He helped create the “Bird Songs” concert series and he is now running for his local school board.

Guest: Chris Porterfield

Wed Mar 29, 2023

50:22

State Rep. Evan Goyke of Milwaukee joins the podcast.

Guest: Evan Goyke

Tue Mar 14, 2023

39:15