Raising Up Black Voices with the 2nd Black Arts Matter Festival
While studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Shasparay Irvin ‘20 felt that, as prevalent and valued as the arts are in Madison, there was a lack of diversity in the arts presentation that she saw. Shasparay, a Black interdisciplinary artist and slam poet, resolved to change that. While completing her bachelor’s degree in theatre and African American studies, she began an eight-month process to create an event series, called...
The Local Impact of your Wisconsin Union Support
You like supporting local companies? We do, too, at the Wisconsin Union! We do our homework to make sure we find quality, ethically sourced local ingredients, foods and beverages. And, with so many fantastic, innovative companies in Wisconsin, it’s not hard to find the best of the best right in our state’s backyard. Let’s back up a little and give you some background on the Union. We’re a non-profit organization that anyone 18...
‘I Can’t Breathe’
In his last conscious moments, George Floyd pleaded for the chance to breathe and called out for his mother as a Minneapolis police officer held a knee against his neck for seven minutes. Floyd, a Black man, died on May 25 at the age of 46 while in police custody. The world would soon hear his last words. Not in the moment he spoke them, but throughout the months to follow, his words echoed across the world, in news stories, in...
Ways to have a More Sustainable Wisconsin Union Experience
By Maddie Boulanger You can make a difference for our planet during your visits to our buildings, called Memorial Union and Union South, and our markets and cafes. We, at the Wisconsin Union, promise to do our part to think green, act green and challenge ourselves to incorporate new green practices into what we do. Some examples of how we aim to lessen our environmental footprint include composting food scraps in our kitchens, using...
How to Union in Fall 2020
Welcome back students, staff, and faculty! We are so excited to have you back in Memorial Union and Union South with us or enjoying our programming virtually. The Union looks a little bit different this year, from ordering through Grubhub at most dining options to reserving meeting spaces, we will share all the ways campus community members can use our buildings, services and programming this fall semester. As you may know, only...
A Gift to Last a Lifetime from the Union Team
Our spring and summer grads missed out on timeless traditions. Pictures in the larger-than-life Terrace chair was just one moment our 2020 graduates deserved but couldn’t experience because of COVID-19. They worked tirelessly over the course of their college careers, conquering every challenge along the way, only to have their graduation plans upended by the sudden changes necessitated by the pandemic. We wanted to do something...