Ex Fabula Fellows are community members who use personal stories to inspire community-led dialogue around some of the most pressing issues in the Greater Milwaukee area–segregation and economic and racial inequality. Read Rochelle’s blog about her experience as a Fellow. 

Season 10 Fellowship events:

• For 2018-19, we will not host a new cohort of Fellows; you can let us know if you’d like to hear about future cohorts here.
• We are presenting several Fellowship events in partnership with local schools, businesses, and community groups. These events will feature the 50+ Fellows from the previous three cohorts. Please contact us if you’re interested in hosting an event!

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Why is a storytelling group focusing on race and equity?

1. Milwaukee is the country’s most segregated urban area; Wisconsin is the worst state at protecting African American children, the place that incarcerates the highest percentage of African American men, and more.
2. In order to strengthen community bonds, we need to explore the things that divide us.
3. Scientific research shows that storytelling has the unique ability to meaningfully connect people and create the conditions for empathy.

News

Here are some of the great things that were written about the Fellowship!

• “Race, health and housing dominate discussion at Ex Fabula event”, article by Talis Shelbourne in Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.
• “Community Event Discusses Handling Topics of Race and Segregation with Children”, article by Evan Thomas Casey in the Shepherd Express.
• “Stories Worth Sharing: Ex Fabula seeks to spur conversations about race”, article by Joshua M. Miller on p 92 of M Magazine’s November 2016 “Giving” issue. (PDF of article)
• “New Storytelling Fellowship Hopes to get People talking about race“, article by Jabril Faraj on Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and also published on OnMilwaukee.com
• “Storytelling Group Engages Milwaukee In Conversation On Race”, interview with Megan McGee on Central Time on Wisconsin Public Radio
• “On the Record”, Milwaukee Record’s podcast. Megan McGee and Leah Delaney talk about Ex Fabula and the Fellowship.

Fellows’ Stories

Read

Fellow stories were featured in a segment on WUWM 89.7’s Project Milwaukee: Segregation Matters series in March 2017.

• “Ex Fabula Fellows Foster Tough Conversations about Race and Segregation in Milwaukee” by Ann-Elise Henzl (written transcript and audio)

This story was produced in association with Wisconsin Life, a program of Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television. It aired around the state of Wisconsin in February 2017.

• “Camp Memories and White Privilege” by Elaine Maly (written transcript and audio)

This story was published in Humanities Booyah, an online magazine dedicated to the public humanities.

• Rochelle’s Story: Piecing together family history by Rochelle Fritsch (written story)

These stories were published in partnership with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

• “Overcoming the Special Ed Label” by Nakia Hood
• “Roadblocks to Higher Education” by Rossetta Hall
• “Privilege Hiding in Plain Sight” by Jennifer Hoepner
• “The Talk I Don’t Want To Have” by Rochelle Fritch
• “Camp memories” by Elaine Maly
• “Fighting the Cloud of Disempowerment” by Cris Siqueira
• “The ‘awful reality’ of prejudice” by Blanche Brown
• “Moving Furniture While Black” by Nakia Hood
• “Race and equality: Michigan vs. Penn State” by Shawn Mitchell

Take Action

• Take Harvard University researchers’ online tests to explore subconscious bias. Click “I wish to proceed” and then select a test such as “Race” or “Skin tone”.
• Peruse YWCA of SE Wisconsin’s list of “Racial Justice Resources”
• Check out Rid Racism Milwaukee’s calendar of events
• Explore the online museum curated by America’s Black Holocaust Museum
• Get involved with SURJ Milwaukee (Standing Up for Racial Justice) via their facebook page

Thank you to all the prior funders of the Fellowship!

Greater Milwaukee Foundation

Northwestern Mutual Foundation

Wisconsin Humanities Council

Wisconsin Arts Board

Thanks as well to the Zeidler Center for Public Discussion, our partner for many interactive outreach performances.