For mother-daughter duo Jeanette and Alisson Burda there is one litmus test for any product in their store: if it makes them happy, it will likely make their customers happy too. Despite being located near other neighborhood boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops on Monroe Street, the bright blue exterior of Artsy Fartsy, their vibrant art and gift shop, demands attention from people passing by.
Jeanette Burda, a former ninth-grade social studies teacher, didn’t make it a week into retirement before she and her daughter toured the space. Alisson, who is also a practicing clinical social worker, had been selling her art at fairs and Dane County Farmers’ Market for years alongside her mom. Now in their own shop, the pair hopes to inspire customers to create something beautiful with their art supplies or find joy in their large collections of funny greeting cards and stickers. Above all, the Burdas aim to foster an environment for underserved groups within and outside their community, and do not shy from advocating for vulnerable populations.
What do you think is the biggest challenge our community faces?
JB: We are very lucky because we live in this little bubble politically, and everyone is pretty much like, “Ach, it wouldn’t happen here.” But I think that we are now facing a challenge and we should be more active than we are. I talked to some people who were at the protest marches and they said, “There was a great turnout, there were a lot of people,” but then it stopped after that, because we all get busy. We’re not facing the same challenges that other cities face, but that complacency might hurt us in the future.
AB: I think for members of our community of color that it is not as equal as we try to think it is.
JB: We also don’t recognize the population of low income people here who are unhoused and are struggling.
AB: I think we like to feel like we’re very supportive and liberal and stuff, but we’re not. We need to do a lot better by our neighbors.
What do you wish people in our community understood better?
AB: Politically, I think we need to be more active and not feel so safe. And support our neighbors of color.
I also think, in terms of small businesses, we need to continue to support them. Costs are higher, so really getting out and shopping locally is important. I think people want these cute neighborhoods, but then they don’t come and shop here. They go for convenience to the bigger stores, and then we’re not here the next day.
What is one change you would make if you could that would make life better for people in our community?
AB: At this point, we need some major government overhauls and political party overhauls.
JB: I think the politics have for a while affected the educational system and other things that we feel, and that everybody feels. So I think the upheaval, the change (needed) to get rid of Trump and fix the government goes all the way down to the different levels.
AB: I think also we need to have better access to healthcare and mental healthcare. Our insurance system is pretty terrible. And the education piece, to be able to afford education easier. It’s a bit of a dumpster fire right now for everybody.
We both love the bubble and see its problems.
What in our community gives you hope?
AB: The youth. Not only in my job as a therapist, but just in the news and watching kids come in, they’re so smart and caring and more fluid thinking. Not all, but I think many give me hope when I talk with them or see how they care for each other and are more accepting or just able to flow with different thoughts and ideas. Also the people who are very active out there and trying to do really hard things in scary places. Minnesota and Minneapolis are very sad and scary, but how the population rose up to support each other was very hopeful at times.
JB: I agree, and there’s good things happening. A former student of mine, he started his own corporation and he’s building two buildings now. One is up on Park Street, and the building has apartments dedicated to people coming up out of foster care who have no place to go. So there’s people doing really good things in the city.
