365 Amplified

As promised after last week's grammar discussion, Rob talks through the etymology of the word "sincere" and Omar coins a new slang term. All that only after: We get updates on stories we've been following in the Sun Prairie Area School District and the Dane County Department of Human Services.' We look ahead to the CEOs of Tomorrow "Pitch and Launch" event this weekend We note a few local elected officials who announced this week that they're running again Rock County Board Supervisor Genia Stevens joins us to tell us why she's not running again, how Rock County JumpStart is expanding and what new endeavor she's launching We make note of the "Color of the Year" and the issues with this year's selection Connect: Full coverage at Madison365.org Support Local Journalism! If you appreciate our work, consider donating to keep 365 Amplified and Madison365 thriving. Visit madison365.org/donate to contribute. Every donation through the end of the year is doubled! Follow Us: Stay connected for real-time news updates and discussions on BlueSky, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn

In this week's episode of 365 Amplified, the team dives into a busy stretch of community events, local politics, sports news, and a thoughtful conversation with the leaders of the Urban League of Greater Madison Young Professionals. Highlights Holiday Black Bazaar returns bigger than ever, featuring 50+ Black-owned vendors, performances, and community gathering space at the Hub. Profile: Percy Brown — Omar talks about the new Carey Middle School principal and his winding journey through education and DEI work. Governor's race update — Mandela Barnes enters; the crew discusses timing, name recognition, new potential candidates, and what redistricting could mean for 2026. Judo phenom — Seventh-grader Ilion Hoskins heads to Peru to represent Team USA at the Pan American Championships. Sports roundup — Badger volleyball advances in NCAA play; Forward Madison re-signs Derek Gebhard and adds veteran defender Mark Segbers; the new Madison women's team unveils its branding December 12. Milwaukee soccer stadium — Still in the works, but no ground broken yet. Feature Interview Current and incoming YP presidents Kayla Conklin and Déja Mason join the show to discuss: YP's growth and Central Region Chapter of Excellence recognition Why affinity spaces matter for young Black professionals Goals for 2026, including community service, advocacy, leadership development, and food security work

On the podcast today, Rob talks through a few news items before chatting with Rodney Rave, who's running for Congress in Wisconsin's Third Congressional District, which covers most of Western Wisconsin. A former Ho-Chunk Nation legislator, Rave could become the first Indigenous person to represent the state in Washington. Today's episode is brought to you by Steinhafels. Support local nonprofit news at Madison365.org/donate. All donations from now until December 31 will be matched!

Rob's flying solo today, with a few news updates: a new Congressional candidate in western Wisconsin, an effort to support a beloved local musician who collapsed on stage after a heart attack last week, a recap of Madison College's first-ever trip to the national junior college men's soccer tournament, and a review of "Planets as Stars," the poetry-driven performance we previewed on the podcast last week. Then, he talks to Kynala Phillips, the editor of a new community journalism project at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and an alum of Madison365's internship. Finally, he offers a bit of the Madison365 origin story, our philosophy, what community journalism means to us, and why we need you your support. All donations are doubled when you give now at Madison365.org/Donate.

On the podcast today, Rob, Stephanie and Omar talk through some local news, including a summit of Milwaukee social justice nonprofits, a snow removal apprenticeship program and the Madison College soccer team's first-ever trip to the national tournament. Then, poet and performer Gina Cornejo joins the show to preview her new production at Theatre LILA, "Planets as Stars," opening this weekend. Then, we have an update on Channel 3000's unethical and erroneous reporting on Urban Triage and consider the larger context of racism and media ethics. Tickets for Planets as Stars are available here. Our preview is here.