Our Mission: We are an interview-based student organization structured around the creation of a yearly publication to promote empathy and understanding in the larger Wisconsin community. Our goal is to interview and tell the stories of a truly diverse group of people: rural and urban, conservative and progressive, of all ages, all educational levels, and all walks of life. These interviews, dubbed Artifacts, will be compiled into this yearly publication by May 1 and will be made available in both physical and digital mediums. Fundamentally, the project itself is designed to be a sustainable, long-term means of fostering outreach and understanding among divided social groups and to promote a more tolerant, humane way of life

A Note from the Authors: Born out of the political turmoil of late 2020, spurred along by the lofty prospect of rekindling democracy, this project bloomed. A tall order by any measure. Latter perturbations revealed something greater, the promise of nurturing deeper human connection. Whether we recognize it or not, there exists an intrinsic comfort in unity, an allure so many of us strive to mediate through our shared patchwork of identities and beliefs. Our hope is that, in reading these stories, our readers open themselves up to the experiences of others; both those they find easy to empathize with and those they do not. Through this empathy, the bonds which connect humanity may grow in strength.

We extend a special thanks to Jacqueline Stuhmiller for encouraging this project from the very beginning.

Biographies of the Founders

• Alex Nelson (he/him) – Fourth-year biology and neuroscience major at UWM.
  • What motivates my continued involvement with AoU is its potential to serve as a vehicle for empathy: uniting seemingly disparate groups through shared experience. By pedestaling common denominators of the human condition, our “Artifacts”, we give agency to the unifying characteristics that are so fundamental, yet often sidelined, in daily life. I believe that unity stems from the relentless desire to quilt our patchwork of backgrounds and beliefs into something more cohesive, and AoU creates an excellent medium to do so.
• Lindsay Van Der Wegen (she/her) – Third-year accounting major at UWM.
  • I am concerned with the current trend of escalating hostility in discussions with people of different opinions and experiences. I believe that this project takes the first difficult, but necessary step toward fostering widespread empathy and understanding in the state of Wisconsin.
• Sydney Steinbech (she/her) – Graduate of UWM with a degree in Anthropology.
  • I am passionate about AoU because it encourages individuals to find a shared humanity within people who act, believe, or identify differently. This process of building empathy requires courage, vulnerability, and a deep desire to break down the barriers between people of diverse backgrounds in Wisconsin. I appreciate the opportunity to explore and express empathy in pursuit of fostering a community that recognizes the value of differences.
• Tiff Polzin (she/her) – Graduate of UWM with a degrees in Musical Theatre and Psychology.
  • I greatly value my work with AoU because it has given me the opportunity to receive and share the greatest gift of all: someone’s story.
• David Deschpande (he/him) – Graduate of UWM with degrees in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
  • My understanding of peace centers on, “proactive, intentional unity,” a mission which is initially difficult, but immensely rewarding and radiative. I see AoU as an exposition of this shared passion. It illustrates the understanding and vulnerability which I know is necessary for the fulfillment of our universal human need for unconditional love and support.

Link to Presence to see Current Members/Meeting Information

Fall 2021-Spring 2022 Publication

Contact Information: Alex Nelson, nelso624@uwm.edu