Publications

Race to Equity: 10-Years Later

The 10-Year Report unpacks how race, class, and, in some cases, gender impact Black Dane County residents.

DACA Recipients in Wisconsin

One of the most impactful federal policies we have to support immigrants in Wisconsin is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. 

State Budget: Mental Health

Main Takeaways Everyone in Wisconsin, regardless of their county, age, or profession deserves to live in a community that supports their wellbeing. This means...

State Budget: Worker Power

Main Takeaways Behind every workforce are individuals and caregivers working all hours to build thriving families, communities and businesses. The governor's...

State Budget: Immigration

Main Takeaways Wisconsin is home to nearly 300,000 immigrants, and they are vital contributors to the economic and social fabric of our communities. Despite...

State Budget: Youth Justice

Tough-on-Crime Narratives Uphold Wasteful Spending and a Developmentally Inappropriate Juvenile Justice System Main Takeaways Wisconsin relies far too much on...

Language Access in Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths. But when children and their families face language access barriers, they are often excluded from critical information and services, which can hinder their development and well-being.

Wisconsin Youth Conversations

healthTIDE and Kids Forward hosted four Healthy Food Youth Conversations with 30 middle and high school Latino, Black, and Asian students from Milwaukee, Appleton, and Stevens Point, which took place between December 2023 and January 2024.

Explained: End Juvenile Life Without Parole in Wisconsin

Wisconsin relies far too much on incarceration and blames children for system-wide failures. Instead of incarceration, a better investment for Wisconsin’s youth is in basic needs such as health, housing, and employment.  Wisconsin should reimagine a community-based continuum of care grounded in youth voice, emerging adult research, and cross-system collaboration. 

Testimony: End Juvenile Life Without Parole in Wisconsin

Kids Forward supports SB801/AB845, which would eliminate juvenile life without parole. This critical advancement towards a more developmentally appropriate juvenile justice system will reduce and repair harm, decrease racial disparities, increase child and family wellbeing, and increase opportunities for community-based alternatives to incarceration. 

Rich Get Richer under Proposed Tax Plan

From Racine to Rhinelander, everyone in Wisconsin deserves the freedom to make a good living and care for our families. However, the tax plan proposed by Republican legislative leadership would further rig the rules in favor of the wealthiest and make Wisconsin’s glaring racial disparities even worse. The four proposals leave everyday families even further behind because none of these tax proposals effectively target families who are struggling to make ends meet.

We provide community partners and decision makers with the insight, tools, research, and analysis they need to advocate for a Wisconsin where every child and family has the opportunity to thrive.

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