By: Community Shares of Wisconsin
On September 17 at The East Side Club, Community Shares of Wisconsin will honor local leaders and organizations who are advancing social and environmental justice in our community. The public is invited to attend the awards ceremony. Tickets purchased in support of this event help Community Shares award $6,000 in donations to local nonprofits. To purchase tickets, visit communityshares.com.
Change-Maker Award Winners
Monique Minkens, nominated by End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
Winner of the Liesl Blockstein
Community Leadership Award
Monique embodies the essence of exceptional leadership and working at the grassroots level for social change. She is also the first Black Executive Director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin. Her work centering anti-oppression and structural change to combat domestic violence has added terrific value to the organization’s work. Monique has also demonstrated her strong leadership by steering End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin through the recent changes in federal grant funding requirements and leading the organization to participate in a national lawsuit that has enabled End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin and coalition members to continue to serve immigrant and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Mikayla Sandin, nominated by RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center
Winner of the Linda Sundberg Civil Rights Defender Award
Mikayla Sandin has an unwavering commitment to advancing equity and justice for Indigenous communities and survivors of violence. As a Sexual Assault Advocate at The RCC, she leads and mentors a team of advocates serving UW–Madison, ensures survivors receive compassionate, survivor-centered support, and has been instrumental in expanding access to culturally responsive services for Indigenous survivors. Recently, she organized a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) workshop, creating space for connection, support, and dialogue around violence impacting Indigenous communities. Mikayla also collaborates with sexual and domestic violence service providers statewide to advance advocacy efforts.
Sandra Rivera, nominated by Nuestro Mundo, Inc.
Winner of the Sally Sunde Family Advocate Award
Sandra Rivera has been an essential member of the Nuestro Mundo Community School for over 15 years, serving as the school’s only social worker and supporting over 300 students and their families every day. Her deep compassion, tireless advocacy, and boundless generosity make her a cornerstone of the school. She goes above and beyond to ensure that every student has what they need to be successful—including arranging for food to be sent home, finding transportation to medical appointments, and making home visits to build trust with families. She always listens closely to parents and offers creative and compassionate solutions.
CSW Collaboration Award Winners
Midwest Environmental Advocates, River Alliance of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Conservation Voices
Even at extremely low levels, exposure to PFAS has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and other serious health problems. To take action on PFAS pollution, these three nonprofits collaborated on multiple public education and legislative advocacy campaigns since 2021.
CSW Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Steve Starkey, nominated by OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center
Steve Starkey has been working in social justice organizations in Wisconsin for more than 45 years. Steve helped found OUT! newspaper (the first statewide LGBTQ+ publication), was Executive Director of Wisconsin Community Fund for 12 years, and co-founded the Social Justice Center. He also served on the board of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, the GALVAnize pride parade committee, and the board of the New Harvest Foundation. Steve has been in his current role as Executive Director of OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center since 2006.
The Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 Community Change-Maker Awards is UW Credit Union. Special thanks to our friends at Willy Street Co-op for their support of Community Shares of Wisconsin through the Community CHIP® program.
