News
Check out the latest news about SOPHIA
Sophia2022 yearbook WEB (1).pdf2022 SOPHIA Annual Report is Now Available
The 2022 SOPHIA Annual Report can now be read online.
Thank you to all of the businesses and individuals that chose to support this publication through placement of an advertisement!
We hope you enjoy looking through it and feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested.
Madison Action Day 2023
'We are excited for Madison Action Day 2023 on April 27th! We will be meeting at the Wisconsin Masonic Center and making our way to the Wisconsin State Capitol Building together. Community members from all across the state will be joining us for this special event. We will have food, speakers and get to meet with legislators who make the decisions that impact our lives and our state!
Several members of SOPHIA's Criminal Justice Task Force attended the "Correcting the Narrative Awards Banquet" at Turner Hall in Milwaukee on September 1st
1. The event lifts up 8 formerly incarcerated individuals each year for the awards.
By showcasing the successes, humanity, and agency of people with criminal records, the event is helping to correct the false narrative about them.
Our dream of organizing a multicultural fair became a reality and it was a complete success.
The best thing is that we will have the sophia multicultural fair in 2023. We hope to have your presence and support. We are looking for vendors, organizations and sponsors.
Sophia yearbook 2021 WEB.pdf2021 SOPHIA Annual Report is Now Available
The 2021 SOPHIA Annual Report can now be read online. Click the link below to view it. Thank you to all of the businesses and individuals that chose to support this publication through placement of an advertisement! We hope you enjoy looking through it and feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested.
Celebration of Life for Judith Williams
Two years ago, Judith Williams, a SOPHIA leader as head of member Waukesha catholic Worker house, died suddenly. Judith had been active in SOPHIA since its inception.
Her celebration of life had been postponed due to Covid.
Community of the Living Spirit, a SOPHIA member, will be hosting a
Zoom Celebration of Life this Sunday, February 6, 2022 at 10 am.
Longtime friend, Kate Jolin, will be giving the homily.
If you would like to join, please email Bonnie Birk at bonniebirk4@gmail.com with your interest. She will send you the link.
January 16, 2022
Presentation and open discussion facilitated by the Criminal Justice Task Force of SOPHIA, and EXPO Wisconsin was a success!
We share some fragments of the event and soon we will be sharing the presentation with statistics and updated information . Thank you to everyone who participated!
November 6th, 2021
SOPHIA PRAYER BREAKFAST 2021
SOPHIA Prayer Breakfast and Fundraising was a success!
Thanks to everyone that supported this event.
We thank our speakers for sharing their wisdom and inspiration and calling us to action!
Thank you Carl J Fields who was the keynote speakers at the " Stand Up When It Matters"
SOPHIA would like to thank the staff and congregation of Ascension Lutheran Church Waukesha, to Marilyn Carpenter, chair for this year’s silent auction, and to all of you who attended our prayer breakfast this year.
Thank you for your generosity and contributions
April 15th, 2021
SOPHIA Participates in Madison Action Day
Virtual Madison Action Day was a success! Over 300 people attended the morning session and the recorded video on Facebook received 1,000 views. As part of this session, each affiliate submitted a video about their organization. To view SOPHIA's, click the link below and it starts at 34:34.
In the afternoon, SOPHIA met with Rep. Robyn Vining and her staff member, Maddie Palzewicz, Rep. Sara Rodriguez, Sen. Chris Kapenga’s staff member Sam Krebs and Rep. Cindi Duchow’s staff member, Jacquelyn Adamicki. Senator Dale Kooyenga visited with members of WISDOM’s MICAH (Milwaukee) affiliate. These visits can be watched by clicking the link below.
The main topics that SOPHIA presented to them were: alternative drivers licenses for undocumented Wisconsinites, alternatives to parole revocations/Earned Release Program and TAD (Treatment Alternatives and Diversion). These are a few of the priorities outlined in the WISDOM booklet linked below.
Thank you to everyone who participated!
Links
March 27th, 2021
SOPHIA Hosts Implicit Bias Training
More than 30 people attended SOPHIA's Implicit Bias Training today via Zoom. Three trainers put together a great 3 hour session that was filled with many topics and activities! Some of the topics included common language, coded language and what is implicit bias. Thank you to all who attended and thank you to the trainers for taking the time to plan and lead this important training session!
February 18th, 2021
SOPHIA Questions the Hiring of Officer Mensah
Many members from SOPHIA met with the current Waukesha County Sheriff to question and express their concerns with the hiring of Joseph Mensah, a former Wauwatosa police officer. The Wisconsin Examiner published an article today about SOPHIA's meeting with the Sheriff as well as information about Officer Mensah's past in Wauwatosa. Click here to read the article.
Click the video to listen to Sister Barbara's testimony
February 7th, 2021
Transit Equity Day Hearing
On February 4th, the chair of SOPHIA's Transit Task Force, Sister Barbara Pfarr, gave a testimony during the national Transit Equity Day hearing. Her testimony starts at 43:21 if you'd like to listen to it. Thank you Sister Barbara for taking the time to provide a testimony!
January 22nd, 2021
SOPHIA Supporters Attended a Candlelight Vigil
On Tuesday, Sister Barbara Pfarr and Carole Brinkman stood in front of the Dodge Correctional Institution as part of the candlelight vigils that were held at some of the prisons across Wisconsin. The purpose of these vigils was to remember incarcerated people who lost their lives to COVID-19 while in prison. Thank you Barbara, Carole and everyone else that attended for taking the time to participate.
January 14th, 2021
SOPHIA Launches a Collaborative Calendar for Waukesha County Social Justice Events
SOPHIA has officially launched a collaborative Social Justice Community Calendar! We worked together with Plowshare in Downtown Waukesha and additional organizations in Waukesha County will be invited to participate over the next couple of months. It is hoped that this will serve as a way for individuals interested in participating in social justice education and/or advocacy events and opportunities to find out when those are happening. Please bookmark or save the link to this calendar and check back often as new events will be added!
January 12th, 2021
2020 By the Numbers Infographic
We put together an infographic containing key numbers from the past year. Despite the pandemic, SOPHIA was able to accomplish a lot and made an impact in Waukesha County.
January 4th, 2021
SOPHIA Receives a Grant from The Allstate Foundation
Thank you to The Allstate Foundation and Allstate volunteer Kelly Goodman for helping communities thrive by volunteering with us. We appreciate the efforts that helped us to receive a $500 Allstate Foundation Helping Hands Grant.
December 15th, 2020
#GivingTuesday Fundraiser
SOPHIA's #GivingTuesday campaign raised almost $700! The campaign messaging centered around the fact that social justice has not been canceled (even though many other cancellations occurred in 2020) as well as that SOPHIA is continuing to strive for change in Waukesha County and has remained an active organization this year. Thank you to everyone who donated! We are grateful for your support!
December 7th, 2020
Annual Prayer Breakfast was a Success!
Our annual Prayer Breakfast fundraiser took on a drive-in and virtual approach this year and it was successful! Attendees had the opportunity to attend the October 3rd event from their cars in the parking lot of Church of the Resurrection in Pewaukee or from the comfort of their home. We also had an online silent auction with many donated items for people to bid on. This event raised over $5,000 and we are grateful for everyone that was able to attend and/or participate in the silent auction!
October 8th, 2020
Blessings to the School Sisters of Notre Dame!
As our dear friends at the School Sisters of Notre Dame transition to their new home at Mount Mary in Milwaukee, SOPHIA thanks them for all of their hard work and faithful commitment to social justice and our organization.
For those who don’t know, the SSND have decided to sell their property in Elm Grove as it is too big for their needs and expensive to maintain. With the move to Milwaukee, they will be leaving SOPHIA.
For over 170 years, from the time SSND arrived in Waukesha County (before it was Waukesha County), the Sisters have been active leaders in social justice issues. They drove many of the early school reform efforts, participated in the Civil Rights movement. They continue to push for immigration reform and, this summer, initiated a comprehensive education-to-transformation-to-sustained-action program aimed at undoing racism.
The Sisters have participated in SOPHIA prayer vigils, task forces and Madison Action Day. They faithfully contact their legislators in response to every call to action. They are currently part of the cadre of volunteers who are making phone calls for SOPHIA’s IVE, Intentional Voter Campaign.
From our heart to yours, SOPHIA wishes you continued blessings as you begin your new journey in Milwaukee. You have made a difference in the lives of many in our community and your legacy of social justice activism will live on for many years to come.