DEFINITION /WĪLD/ NOUN: 1. UNCULTIVATED
The vision behind the WiLD Project is to cultivate Wisconsin’s greatest resource—its people—as a source of renewal for our state. This leadership development effort will teach people how to engage others around their own core values, structure effective leadership teams, and make strategic choices that lead to measurable, effective action for change.
TRAINERS
Trainers are recruited from the Leading Change Network, a global community of practice that brings extensive organizing experience leading workshops and developing local training capacity. A growing cohort of Wisconsin trainers have taken active roles in leading training sessions—and over 120 facilitators developed to lead small group work.
DAN GRANDONE
Founder and Coordinator
NNEKA AKUBEZE
Trainer
ABEL R. CANO
Trainer
JACOB WAXMAN
Trainer
Dan is a Wisconsin native and founder of the WiLD Project. Moved by his faith and experience working in the inner-city schools of Houston, Texas, Dan was called to community organizing.
TESTIMONIALS
The WiLD Project has made a major impact on the way I approach organizing. Since my involvement, I’ve been able to train dozens of native leaders, learn new skills, and enhance the Native Vote program. I’m excited to see how we build a stronger Wisconsin together.
Matt Dannenberg
We applied these powerful organizing tools to our culture and the tragic situation we faced in Wausau, WI. We built relationships across the Hmong and white communities, formed a team, strategized and organized one of the largest public gatherings of Hmong people in our city’s history. On May 31, 2016—1,000 people stood in solidarity against bullying!
Mao Khang
The WiLD training has proven to be one of the most diversely attended, nurturing, challenging, and human-honoring community organizing trainings I have attended over my 30-year journey in social justice.
Tammy Rivera
WiLD changed my perception of the world. The training gave me the chance to share a space with those who have seen the worst and are using their experience to make the world better. This is the most inspirational and humbling experience I’ve had. It has changed my life for the better!
Tanisha Sabhaney
We were looking for a training approach that would allow us to focus on our core values and provide a foundation in organizing based on developing lasting relationships among the people in our communities who care most about public schools. The WiLD trainings have exceeded expectations—our teams are learning the basics of effective organizing, they have used these practices to build stronger relationships further empowering our statewide advocacy network. Grassroots groups are taking the WiLD framework back to their teams and customizing it to strengthen and grow their efforts. We have found the professionalism and dedication of the WiLD training team to be inspiring and invaluable.
Heather DuBois Bourenane
