Alyssa Allemand

In fall 2023, the moment Ernesto Rodriguez of La Crosse had been waiting decades for had arrived. He finally became a U.S. citizen, more than 40 years after arriving in Wisconsin following the Mariel boatlift.

Maureen McCollum is host and producer of Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life.” McCollum’s goal with the program and her own radio production is to help people better understand one another.