What change do you want to see in Madison?

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Oct. 16, 2024

I was one of 1,270 people who filled Monona Terrace last night for the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce's 71st annual dinner. The keynote speaker was Jonah Berger, bestselling author of "Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way," "The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind," "Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior" and "Contagious: Why Things Catch On."

He shared insights on how we catalyze change, which is what the chamber is calling for: Embrace change and plan for the future so greater Madison's population growth is met with infrastructure and community resources that will support it.

The chamber's annual event always energizes me, not just because of the specific message it sends me home with, but because it reminds me that a shared vision for Madison exists. Especially in these divisive times, I'll take any reminder that our community is, in fact, a collective, and it takes collaboration to get big things done.

Speaking of big things, the next time you read this newsletter next month, we'll have a 47th president. As the countdown begins to Nov. 5, Neil Heinen offers his thoughts on a diplomatic approach to this year's election in his latest column that you can start reading below.

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Andrea Behling is editor-in-chief at Madison Magazine and an award-winning writer. She curates this monthly newsletter. Reach her at abehling@madisonmagazine.com.

From Neil Heinen: Elections bring a host of mixed emotions for me. I deplore the current state of U.S. politics, and I am angered by the inability, or unwillingness, of so many politicians to rise above today's zero-sum political world, and saddened by the impact it all has on our country. There is a baseness to politics, and many politicians today that is repulsive. And yet I still view elections with respect and even hope.

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At last night's Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce event, chamber president Zach Brandon (pictured speaking) and his team asked a question that we want to pose to you as well:

With our population estimated to grow by 300,000 by 2050, what are the two most important issues for greater Madison to solve?

-Mental health: Addressing mental health challenges and increasing access to mental health services.
-Public health: Promoting public health initiatives, such as disease prevention and health education.
-Active lifestyles: Encouraging active lifestyles through investments in parks, trails and recreational facilities.
-Health care access: Ensuring access to affordable and quality health care for all residents.