• "It is my belief that 'those closest to the problems are closest to the solutions but have the least amount of resources'. All people have value. we have the responsibility to exercise our right for democracy"

Sharyl McFarland is a Milwaukee organizer who has spent decades working for social justice and human rights. Her advocacy work addresses problems common in Wisconsin and across the United States, including voter suppression, racial inequalities, mass incarceration, homelessness, rights for immigrants, poverty, the lack of adequate transportation, healthcare, and more.

Sharyl worked extensively in an attempt to shut down MSDF (Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility). The facility opened in October 2001 and holds 1,040 inmates at medium security. She shared her family's story of mistreatment and misman- agement of the facility. Her son, who was 17 at the time, served three weeks at the facility before being sent to the House of Corrections.

"We need to talk about what's going on," she said. "We cannot help our community if people are keeping everything bottled inside because they feel ashamed, they feel nobody will help them, they feel nobody will listen. I'm listening, there's other people listening and we really need ... to hold people accountable for what they are doing."