Home is a simple word, but the experience of finding home is personal, complex, and always evolving.
The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters invites people across Wisconsin to join our Finding Home series and explore what it means to find home through the lenses of science, arts, history, literature, and civil discourse.
In every region of the state, people shape their sense of home through cultural expression, ecological knowledge, and community care. Many are also noticing changes in the places they know best, from shifting seasons to new pressures on land, housing, and water. Finding Home programs explore how people respond with creativity, stewardship, and resilience.
At its core, Finding Home brings people with different perspectives together with the goal of deepening understanding and identifying shared values and common ground.
Today’s Finding Home story features Alyssa Birkeland, Director of Programs & Operations for the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum. For Alyssa, home in Wisconsin is deeply connected to the state’s natural beauty. Growing up visiting the lake where her grandparents lived, she developed a close relationship with Wisconsin landscapes: the waters, rolling hills, and abundant natural spaces that make the state unique.
Alyssa believes that reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy is essential for Wisconsin communities. She emphasizes the importance of making conversations about complex energy issues accessible by meeting people where they are and connecting through everyday conversations. Rather than relying on complex jargon, statistics, and lectures, Alyssa focuses on using relatable language and building genuine relationships.
She believes that when people feel heard and respected, they are more open to discussing energy challenges and solutions. By fostering natural conversations and finding common ground, Alyssa helps create opportunities for productive dialogue around the future of energy in Wisconsin.
