The Changing Face of the Fox Valley

Published on February 25, 2022

The most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows us what we all can see: Racial and ethnic diversity in northeast Wisconsin is increasing. The number of Black, Asian, Native American, multiracial and Hispanic people increased 57% over the past decade. And it is wonderful to see!

But much more important than the numbers are the people behind them and their stories. We hear from Timber Smith, the City of Appleton’s diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator. We also sit down with Natalie Eilbert from the Green Bay Press-Gazette, and Duke Behnke from The Post-Crescent in Appleton about their series of reports, Home is Here: Stories Behind the Census. The series is part of a Journalism initiative called the New News Lab, a group of news organizations dedicated to preserving in-depth local reporting.