UW-Madison School of Human Ecology

06/05/2026

A recent WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR feature examines the term “Black-on-Black crime” and why many experts believe it creates a misleading narrative about crime and race.

Associate Professor of Consumer Science and Human Development & Family Studies David Pate explains that the phrase is often reinforced by media coverage that disproportionately highlights crimes involving Black individuals, shaping public perceptions in ways that can perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

Research and experts cited in the article note that most violent crime is intraracial, where offenders and victims are likely to live in close proximity, regardless of race. The article encourages a broader conversation about the social and economic factors that influence crime, including housing segregation, concentrated poverty and systemic inequities.

Understanding crime requires looking beyond labels and stereotypes. As Pate emphasizes, meaningful conversations about public safety must consider the larger systems and conditions that shape communities:

The term “Black-on-Black crime” has existed for decades, perpetuating the idea that Black people are the biggest threats to each other. A listener wanted our Beats Me series to tackle the topic.

06/04/2026

06/03/2026

06/03/2026

For decades, many Inuit mothers have made the difficult decision to travel outside of their remote communities to receive midwifery care at birth centers— often leaving weeks before giving birth. Professor of Civil Society & Community Studies Zoua Vang was recently featured in a CBC/Radio-Canada (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) article about her research on this gap in healthcare, specifically the experiences of Inuit women who live in Nunavut, the largest and northernmost Canadian territory. Vang's project highlights the importance of culturally safe healthcare, community knowledge and keeping families together during childbirth.

Community-based, Inuit-led midwifery offers a path toward care that respects culture, strengthens family connections and supports Inuit self-determination:

The Arviat Cultural Safety Project is trying to improve maternal health in Nunavut. It shares birthing stories of women and the change they’d like to see with midwifery in Nunavut.

06/03/2026

Money actually can buy happiness, most people just spend it on the wrong things!

Join us on June 10th, 2026 at 10:30 AM CST for a free, in-person talk hosted by Oregon Area Senior Center / Council on Aging in Oregon, WI, featuring presenter Christine Whelan, Clinical Professor of Consumer Science at the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology. This event will not be available virtually.

More information here: https://hubs.li/Q046rb-B0

06/02/2026

🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride Month, ! UW–Madison is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community all year round. Visit our go.wisc.edu/YouBelong for LGBTQIA+ resources, spaces, housing options⁠, and student organizations.⁠
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06/01/2026

Jennifer Gaddis, associate professor of Civil Society & Community Studies, was recently quoted in an NPR article where she emphasized that healthy school meals require more than good intentions—they also require investment. As schools face pressure to reduce ultra-processed foods and serve more fresh, nutritious options, many districts are balancing those goals with limited budgets, staffing shortages and aging kitchen facilities.

For millions of children, school meals are a critical source of daily nutrition. The conversation isn't just about what's on the lunch tray, it's also focused on ensuring schools have the resources needed to provide healthy, appealing meals for every student. Creating healthier school meals is a shared goal, but lasting change requires support for the people and systems that make those meals possible: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/14/nx-s1-5688946/school-lunches-dietary-guidelines-maha

U.S. school districts worry it could get even more expensive to prepare a meal under new federal dietary guidelines, as they also contend with cuts to programs that helped them buy local food.

05/29/2026

In a recent article from The Good Men Project, Alvin Thomas, associate professor of Human Development & Family Studies, shares his thoughts on how Black fathers and father figures manuever in systems that overlook them. He challenges societal stereotypes and acknowledges the fathers, uncles, coaches, teachers and mentors who quietly show up every single day.

Research shows how systems and environments often fail to welcome fathers into caregiving spaces. Thomas' work pushes back against harmful narratives and shines a light on the emotional connection, dedication and presence many fathers bring to their families. He continues to remind others that fatherhood is not always defined by biology, but by consistency, care, guidance and love.

Read the full article here:

How Black fathers and father figures maneuver in systems that overlook them

05/28/2026

Congratulations to Associate Professor of Civil Society & Community Studies Carolina Sarmiento, who received a 2026 Innovation Grant from the 4W Initiative, a University of Wisconsin-Madison group that supports education, applied research and impactful engagement to promote gender equity, global well-being and women’s full participation in society.

Sarmiento won for her proposal “Advancing Domestic Worker Justice Through a Community-Based Research Partnership in Orange County, California,” which outlines a strategy to help strengthen domestic worker power, raise labor standards and improve enforcement of worker protections in Orange County: https://4w.wisc.edu/grants/