Shaundel Spivey on evolution of B.L.A.C.K., Inc., La Crosse School Board and DEI fight

Shaundel Spivey in the WIZM studio Thursday for La Crosse Talk PM, discussing the evolution and programs run by B.L.A.C.K., Inc. He’s the co-founder and executive director of the La Crosse-based nonprofit. We also talked about the La Crosse School Board and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion fight in Madison and beyond.

La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

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Spivey is a Milwaukee native who moved here to attend UW-La Crosse, where he got his Bachelor’s in political science and a Master’s in Student Affairs Administration, and never left the city. He’s also working on his doctorate.

We talked about the evolution of B.L.A.C.K. (Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge), which got nonprofit status in 2017, and some of the programs it’s doing that Spivey is most proud of.

In terms of the school board, we got his perspective from his time there, but also how the upcoming election only has two candidates for three open seats.

We also hit on the fight — which is now over — in Madison, where Republicans coerced the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents into severely rolling back D.E.I. initiatives for already approved pay raises that were behind withheld and building projects that had already gotten bipartisan support.