Ben Jealous Visits the Wisconsin Chapter

Week 1: Volunteers are the heart of Sierra Club. And I'm so glad our new executive director, Ben Jealous, is taking his first month on the job to hear directly from volunteers across the country.

As a staff member in our Wisconsin Chapter, I am proud to work with volunteers who are dedicated to improving the lives of Wisconsinites. Together we work on issues like fighting for clean water, increasing access to the outdoors, advancing clean energy, stopping dirty pipelines, and expanding access to public transportation.

Jenny Abel and Victoria Gillet from the WI Chapter in Milwaukee
Jenny Abel and Victoria Gillet from the Wisconsin Chapter in Milwaukee. | Photo by Camila Duarte Rojas


When Ben Jealous visited Milwaukee last Sunday—Day 1 of his listening tour—we discussed a major issue we're working on currently: fighting a proposed expansion of a highway through majority-Black and Latinx neighborhoods, perpetuating segregation and environmental injustice.

Such highway projects will make it even harder to reach our climate change goals, and will only further entrench decades of disinvestment in public transportation, walking and biking infrastructure in Milwaukee.

Learn more about our campaign and how you can help!

The issue of transit access is not unique to Milwaukee, but a challenge that is repeated in communities across the country. Access to transit allows people to get and keep jobs and helps alleviate poverty.

In our common work for a safer climate and a livable future, Ben Jealous also spoke to us about his passion bridging political divides, like the rural-urban cultural challenges we experience here in Wisconsin.

We're grateful Ben took the time to meet with us and wish him luck as he continues his tour!

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