About Us
Hear, Here La Crosse
Hear, Here Downtown began as a set of classes taught in the Public and Policy History Program and the Photography Minor at UWL in 2014-2015.
Here, Here North was produced by UWL classes in History, Art, and Marketing Departments throughout 2023-2024. It launched in 2024 with major funding from the City of La Crosse.
The project has evolved into a community venture. Those who listen using their mobile phones can stay on the line and record their own stories. If the stories fit the objectives, they are re-recorded and added to the program.
Hear, Here shares the diverse stories and voices of Downtown and North Side. We seek out the stories of business people, tourists, and those that call La Crosse home. We also hear voices of people who experienced La Crosse long ago by including stories from the UWL Oral History Program at the UWL Murphy Library Special Collections and Area Research Center.
We began with 28 stories in April 2015, with the tell-tale Hear, Here signs hanging in the downtown area to mark story locations.
Our goal was to have 60 stories by 2020, expanding both the diversity of our stories as well as our community impact. We surpassed our goal and have begun to expand! As we grow into North La Crosse, so does access to the rich history which surrounds us every day.
We have 74 stories currently operating in downtown La Crosse and 77 in north La Crosse.
Our Mission
- Create a safe space for sharing stories.
- Represent all populations and experiences, especially those that are excluded in popular tellings of history.
- Enable a constructive atmosphere for the discussion of controversial topics.
- Promote relationships between people and community spaces.
- Generate community involvement and sustainability of the project.
- Maintain the project’s accessibility for everyone.
Land Recognition Statement
Hear, Here recognizes that the Greater City of La Crosse occupies the ancestral homelands of the Ho-Chunk people. We thank our Ho-Chunk community members and their ancestors for their stewardship of the land on which we live, work, and grow.
We prioritize Indigenous perspectives through consultation with community members and leaders. We are committed to the ongoing process of decolonizing historical narratives and practices. And we encourage you to reach out to the Three Rivers House and La Crosse Public Library Archives to learn more about the Ho-Chunk Nation and the land that we occupy.
We thank Indigenous activists and scholars from the past, present, and future who have taught us the skills and strategies for this work, including Amy Lonetree, Truman Lowe, Tom Jones, George A. Greendeer, Matthew Stewart, Tracy Littlejohn, Henry Greengrass, and Dan Green, some of their stories are a part of this project.
Hear, Here sees itself as a vehicle for all stories in the community-both those that praise and challenge traditional views. It is an opportunity for people to have public conversations about how we might create a more ideal and just city.
We at Hear, Here hope that stakeholders of La Crosse will see the stories as an opportunity for education, growth, and positive change.
Prof. Ariel Beaujot & Prof. Sierra Rooney (2024)
Class of 2023-2024
Shaylin Crack, Brooke Dreier, Charlie Dyar, Adeline Hendrix, Lila Huowers, Kit Kirsch, Gavin Klein, Hunter Kopp, Sara Krueger (web design), Alec Lass (assistant director, Hear, Here North), Adam Lien, Quaid Morgan, Joe Piotrowski, Hailey Reseburg, Jay Strain, Zach Warnke, Destiny Ziel, Kevin Coughlin, Kaley Lutker, Will Pritchard, Eleanor Wright
Prof. Ariel Beaujot
Class of 2018
Samuel Anderson, Katrina Bjornstad (phone system design), Kaitlyn Frye, Jeffrey Hicks, Olivia Hoff, Kevin Hundt, Bryar Kramer, Sara Krueger (web design), Andrew Miller, Christopher Seitz, Kimberly Thompson, Allison Winkler, Linda Xiong
Prof. Ariel Beaujot
Class of 2014-2015
Ethan Clark, Jennifer DeRocher (assistant director), Eric Harmsen, Roman Lulloff, Hannah Seich (web design), Ethan Mohoney, Calli Niemi (phone system design), Callie O’Connor, Ariel Reker, Lexi Schroeder
Interns
Cristian Noriega, Mercedes Fowler, Gretchen Iverson, Katherine Butzen
Community Members
Teri Holford, Susan Hessel, Emily Lovell, Glen Jenkins, Carolyn Mahlum-Jenkins, Laura Godden (archivist)
Prof. Kathleen Hawkes
Class of 2023-2024
Julien Allison, Jimmy Czupryna, Matthew Koronka, Genevieve Payne, Ian Rickert, Trinity Reitmann, Tyler Backes, Abbie Griffin, Tyler Neuman
Class of 2015
Michael Tompkinson, Amy Bye, Andrew Helman, Ashley Kalbus, Chuck Snyder, Shellady Udoni, Tyrell Luebker
Class of 2018
Jenna Arts, Alec Carlson, Hailey Hudzinski, Hunter Hulley, Colton Janz, Liz Jenner, Chynna King, Tyler Kraeger, Julia Mielke, Taryn Mills, Hannah Ottevaere, Gordon Patterson, Alyssa Sachs, Michelle Wozny
Class of 2019
Caycee Bean, Douglas Nicholas, Emma Huebner, Madisyn Janusiak, Colleen Logterman, Peyton Medick, Marie Oldenburg, Seth Polfus, Sydney Smith, Noah Stockheimer, Arianna Struver, Amber Boesel, Jane Cimperman, Brian Draheim, Sophie Fox, Cassidy Herman, Aaron Ickler, Emilee Kress, Chelsea Markland, Kacey Mortenson, Tekla Nimmow, Isaiah Ohman, Austin Vanburen, Sam Van Dong
Prof. Lisa Lenarz
Class of 2023
Madison Atkinson, Chloe Kuester, Isabella Sauceda, Marlie Voigt
Prof. Lisa Lenarz
Class of 2024
Madison Atkinson, Madison Conroy, Lynzeekay Fox, Sarah Herrmann, Chloe Kuester, Hallie Moran, Isabella Sauceda, Alexis Steggall, Marlie Voigt, Amy West, Allison Zawistowski
Prof. Nese Nasif
Class of 2023
Molly Banks, Nathan Barknecht, Marcus Bean, Bryce, Bohn, Kennedy Cortes, Grace Crothers, Jessi Domurat, Zach Fausel, Amber Floryance, Stephanie Franz, Keller Frinzi, Sophie Howard, Marisa Jirousek, Ryan Kuesel, Maxwell Meleski, Jessica Miller, Dakota Nyberg, Colton Quade, Emma Quilter, John Schwalbach, Wyatt Simon, Tyler Stoltenberg, Lydia Stumpf, Josh Szeklinski, Tony Tadepalli, Jared Taylor, Christian Timmins
Prof. Marc Manke
Class of Fall 2023
Riley Beazley, Ellen Cervantes, Lauren Cordy, Lauren Drake, Jenna Holler, Austen Kelley, Brooke La Plount, Jillian Reiter, Brooke Riesen, Isabella Sauceda, Lexie Seeley, Lisa Thao, Astoria Wichelt, Alyssa Johnson, Emily O’Brien, Madeline Thomas
Review Daniel Kerr
Review Shawn Micallef
Review Víctor M. Macías-González
Review Susan McLeod
Review Christopher Stuart Taylor