We are excited to announce that the founder and President of Forward Together Wisconsin will kick off the 2025 Midwest Climate Summit in Madison! Mandela Barnes helped launch the Midwest Climate Collaborative in 2022 and we are honored to welcome him back as both, the MCC and his efforts in Wisconsin, continue to grow. He will share inspiring stories of how partners, working together across sectors, have leveraged federal dollars to advance equitable climate work in Wisconsin.
Barnes has carved a distinguished path, rooted in his dedication to community organizing and advocacy to address climate change. Born in Milwaukee in 1986, Barnes’s journey into public service was inspired by his parents—a public school teacher and a United Auto Workers member—instilling in him the values of economic justice, racial equity, and sustainability. His professional life began early, working as a political field organizer during President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, later serving as a community organizer with Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied with Hope (MICAH), and eventually representing the 11th District in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 2013 to 2017. His tenure as the 45th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin from 2019 to 2023 marked him as the first African American to hold the position, reflecting his commitment to breaking barriers and fostering inclusive progress.
Beyond his political roles, Barnes’s leadership in Forward Together Wisconsin signifies his ongoing commitment to empowering communities, defending freedoms, and mobilizing communities across the state, especially focusing on diverse communities like Milwaukee. His work, characterized by a blend of grassroots strategy and effective communication, aims to energize voters and advocate for working-class champions, underscoring his belief in organizing as a continuous, year-round effort to amplify community voices and effect change.