A decline in volunteering, Protecting effigy mounds, Milwaukee’s ‘all-Muslim, Hijab-wearing’ girls basketball team

Air Date:
Heard On Wisconsin Today
A player with Milwaukee’s Salam Stars — an all-Muslim girls team — dribbles down court in a game against the team’s former players. (Mackenzie Krumme/ WPR)

We explore why people are volunteering less in Wisconsin. Then, we look at efforts to protect Native American mounds. Then, we learn about Milwaukee’s Salam Stars basketball team, which is the focus of a new graphic novel.

Featured in this Episode

  • Survey shows Wisconsin residents are volunteering less

    New research found that nearly 76 million Americans volunteered with a nonprofit between September 2022-2023. But Wisconsin is among a majority of states that have seen a drop in volunteering since 2019. The head of the agency that manages AmeriCorps projects in Wisconsin joins us.

  • Preserving Wisconsin’s Indigenous mounds

    Indigenous mounds were recently rediscovered at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee. A cemetery historian explains the plan to preserve and care for the mounds as well as educate visitors about them. Then, we learn about the Effigy Mounds Initiative’s work of caring for mounds around Wisconsin.

  • A slam dunk for the Salam Stars 

    A children’s author recently created a graphic novel about a Milwaukee based “all-Muslim, Hijab-wearing” girls basketball team. Author Hena Khan talks about her book, “We Are Big Time.” But first we hear a play-by-play of a basketball game between alum of the Salam Stars and the current players. 

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Kate Archer Kent Host
  • Jeanne Duffy Guest
  • Sara Tomilin Guest
  • Kurt Sampson Guest
  • Hena Khan Guest
  • Dean Knetter Executive Producer
  • Joe Tarr Managing Producer
  • Trevor Hook Producer
  • Richelle Wilson Producer
  • Mackenzie Krumme Producer
  • Tyler Ditter Technical Director
  • Sarah Hopefl Technical Director