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ICE and surveillance | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Isiah Holmes
August 7, 2017
Supporters of undocumented immigrants gather recently at City Hall. (Photo by Keith Schubert)
Isiah Holmes, a writer and videographer, warns that undocumented immigrants are particularly at risk of being harmed by technological surveillance techniques used by law enforcement agencies.
With escalated ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids striking nationwide, Milwaukee is no exception. Information will be shared between local and federal law enforcement surely, but how will it be collected? If immigration operations increase here, then will surveillance follow?
Donald Trump built his campaign victory with immigration enforcement at the helm. Since taking office, he’s certainly lived up to some of those promises. Many, however, were unprepared for the nature and tone of the ICE raids to come.
In February, one undocumented Texas woman was derailed from imminent brain surgery by ICE agents, and then deported. Upon arrest, it becomes difficult for loved ones to locate many detainees. Whereas some are quickly deported, others languish in private prisons. Now, Hispanic communities are living in fear that anyone could be targeted. Many have expressed fear of going to work, or even to the store due to recent operations. Even those residing in the U.S. legally fear being questioned about friends, family and neighbors.
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Then “sanctuary city” rhetoric began flinging throughout the airwaves. In Milwaukee, the controversial Sheriff David Clarke quickly pledged that the county would be no home for the undocumented. Later, the Milwaukee Police Department changed its immigration policies to more regularly share information with ICE. These changes, spurred by hopes to retain federal grant money, came without public input or notice.
It’s not just raids and arrests Hispanic residents have to worry about though. Surveillance operations are also stepping up, including localized data collection. Law enforcement is using tools unbeknown to most people. Sometimes, even mayors and judges are kept in the dark. Questionable surveillance will become more pressing as ICE begins targeting suspected Hispanic gangs and gang members. In some cases, just living in a known gang area is enough to become a  target.
Among the devices aimed at Hispanic communities are cell site simulators. Colloquially known as Stingrays, Hailstorms or IMSI catchers, these produce fake cell phone towers  that capture user information from nearby devices. By and large, Stingrays are used to turn cell phones into effective geo-location pinpoints for tracking. They can also intercept, or even hack private messages, texts and emails. Although normally seeking a single device, Stingray can also collect other nearby data in the dragnet. Numerous civil rights organizations have decried the devices for violating privacy.
Strict regulations exist federally for Stingrays, but it is unknown how these are enforced. On the local level, it’s markedly difficult to penetrate the world of police cell surveillance. Even under open records laws, departments normally deny Stingray use.
The Milwaukee Police Department has deployed Stingrays hundreds of times, and outsourced them to nearby agencies. Logs of Stingray use obtained by Wisconsin’s ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) show police departments including Wauwatosa, West Milwaukee, Greenfield and others have requested their use. Even UW-Milwaukee Campus Police were included in the Stingray logs.
Activists and lawyers have long hoped a way to monitor data collection would eventually surface. This year, University of Washington researchers developed a device called Seaglass to do just that. Essentially, Seaglass detects cell tower activity and weeds out anomalies: things like an overpowering signal, broadcast network sifting or the tower itself disappearing entirely.
Seaglass conducted a pilot study in Seattle and Milwaukee using ride-share companies such as Uber. To learn more about Milwaukee’s readings, I contacted lead Seaglass scientist Peter Ney, who mentioned that several towers in Milwaukee seemed to disappear. That could have been caused by an active device in a police vehicle. Cell tower activity is normally stable. When towers do whatever they want, then there’s little other explanation.
The ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation also shared concerns with me that police surveillance flourishes in minority communities. Both asserted that residents in target areas must be aware of these operations, and called for transparency.
Milwaukee’s Stingrays originally came from the Harris Corporation, a defense contractor. Since ICE raids under the Trump Administration began, Harris’ stock price has gone up. In the past, Harris has won multi-million dollar immigration enforcement contracts.
As the contractor’s profits increase, one can expect augmented operations to follow. In this precarious age of immigration enforcement, those living in target communities best take heed. How to defend one’s self is a complicated topic — too complex for this one article. However, it all begins with being informed, and paying attention to the effects surveillance has on communities.

author: Isiah Holmes


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 7, 2017

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: August 7, 2017

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Adam Carr


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‘We Got This’ to acquire Borchert Field lots from city | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
August 7, 2017
Andre Lee Ellis meets with “We Got This” participants in the garden on the first Saturday of the 2015 summer program. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The Milwaukee Common Council last week authorized the sale of two vacant lots in the Borchert Field neighborhood to We Got This Milwaukee for $1 each. The resolution, sponsored by Alderwoman Milele Coggs, was adopted by a 15-0 vote.
Coggs said that as grassroots organizer Andre Lee Ellis described the work We Got This is doing in a community garden on one of the lots, “there literally wasn’t a dry eye” in the Zoning, Neighborhood and Development Committee.
Ellis, a resident of the block, created the community garden in the lot at 824 W. Ring St. on the northeast corner of 9th and Ring streets in 2012.
The second lot, at 3257 N. 9th St., is located across the street. There was a foreclosed house there until a few weeks ago when it was razed by the city. Ellis plans to install an orchard, several sheds to hold gardening tools and a temporary office for the organization, he said.
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“This is changing the narrative,” said Ellis. “It enlarges our territory and allows us to expand (our program).” There isn’t room for fruit trees in the existing garden, he said.
Ellis moved to the neighborhood in late 2011. Not long after that a young man was shot and killed on the block south of 9th and Ring, and Ellis started observing and talking with young male residents walking on his block. Noting that many did not have jobs or fathers in their homes, Ellis started befriending and advising some of them. In 2012, he got permission from the city to create the garden as a community meeting place.
The We Got This orchard will be established on the site of this foreclosed house, which was torn down recently. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
One day, a neighborhood mom asked Ellis for advice about her 12-year-old son, who was getting in trouble with the police. Ellis offered to give him a job working in the garden to keep him busy and out of trouble.
The boy’s friends started coming to the garden with him and Ellis’ mentoring efforts evolved into a grassroots program that now attracts close to 100 young men each Saturday morning in summer. The boys and teens clean up the neighborhood and grow vegetables in the garden. They are paid $20 for four hours work if they arrive by 8 a.m.
Ellis has enlisted adults in the community to speak with the boys about overcoming the difficulties of poverty in the central city, serve as mentors and role models, and donate money to pay the young men. He has also established a PayPal account for online contributions.
During the four summers that We Got This has operated, the number of boys and adult mentors has increased, even as some participants have left for other employment opportunities.
We Got This also brings the boys and mentors together in December for a formal dinner.
Sen. Lena Taylor, who has supported Ellis’ efforts since the beginning, said, “I’m extremely excited about Andre and the work he does,” which, she pointed out, increases public safety. Calls to the police from the immediate area have dropped dramatically, she said.
In addition, the program is helping some of the young men develop an interest in forestry or agricultural careers and entrepreneurship, as well as connecting them to scholarship opportunities, teaching job readiness and encouraging them to make healthy choices.
“Young men who don’t believe they are going to live aren’t interested in going to school,” said Taylor.
Coggs, who has worked with Ellis on many aspects of his program, said, “I am extremely appreciative of the work that Andre and the team of people with We Got This do … on 9 and Ring, and the difference they make in the lives of the young people they come into contact with.”
She added that she hopes that others see this work “as an inspiration and a (demonstration) of how much influence they each can have on their own block and their own community.”

author: Andrea Waxman


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 6, 2017

created: August 6, 2017


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New TFA summer institute pairs MPS mentors with future Milwaukee teachers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lydia Slattery / Wisconsin Watch
August 8, 2017
Reginald Kirby, Teach for America corps member, teaches an English class at Greenfield Elementary. (Photo by Lydia Slattery)
Reginald Kirby joined Teach For America-Milwaukee to make a difference in the classroom. As a black man, he wanted to show black and brown students that they can achieve their dreams.
The Kenosha native chose TFA-Milwaukee knowing about the city’s segregation problem, and said his goal is to spark hope in students through his teaching.
Kirby was part of the first regional institute this summer for Teach for America-Milwaukee, which teaches incoming corps members about opportunities and challenges in their new roles. Like Kirby, all corps members in the TFA-Milwaukee Institute will teach at schools in the city this academic year.
The summer institute partnered with MPS schools Greenfield Bilingual and Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education, where TFA corps members worked with students enrolled in summer programs. Every member was paired with an MPS teacher mentor.
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“We thought it would be a wise investment,” said Walter Bond, executive director of TFA-Milwaukee. “It would give our folks here a head start learning from Milwaukee leaders and building relationships with Milwaukee students and learn our history here. This will make them a better teacher in the process.”
Bond explained that TFA is not a teacher pipeline, but a leadership organization. TFA alum often go on to work in different sectors.
Becca Armijo, corps member advisor for TFA-Milwaukee, trains teachers going into special education. (Photo by Lydia Slattery)
The institute took several years to create and Bond said it will continue in future summers.
TFA is a national nonprofit organization that recruits college graduates to teach for at least two years at a public, charter or choice school in low-income communities. Members must complete several weeks of training at a TFA institute before they begin their jobs. Centralized training institutes are located in larger cities including Chicago, Houston and Atlanta.
“It (the Milwaukee Institute) also makes a compelling case for the folks who invest in our work. When you give dollars to TFA-Milwaukee, we are recycling those dollars in our community instead of Houston. We are Milwaukee tried and true from the bottom up,” Bond said.
“This expanded partnership provides professional development opportunities for veteran teachers and ground new talent from Teach For America in our mission and work earlier in their journey,” said Darienne Driver, MPS superintendent, in a press release.
In the institute, corps members learn the basics of teaching, including classroom management, lesson planning and building relationships with students, Bond explained. Many TFA members were not education majors in college, so the training gives them the skills to teach in a classroom, he added.
“The difference between the Milwaukee institute and other centralized locations is what they learn is highly contextualized,” said Bond. “Every member is paired with an MPS mentor teacher; those teachers aren’t just passing on general wisdom, those teachers are passing on knowledge about being a teacher in Milwaukee.”
The Milwaukee institute began in June and lasted seven weeks. In addition to MPS, other partners included Marquette University, Cardinal Stritch University and Alverno College, all of which trained members throughout the summer.
“In the morning they (members) teach four and half hours, and then in the afternoon and evening, they get workshops on pedagogy, strategies and best practices for teaching from TFA alum and university instructors,” said Michael Nguyen, senior managing director for TFA-Milwaukee.
More than 70 members were enrolled in the institute, Nguyen added. While many of them live in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin, corps members come from all over the United States.
Taylor Staples is a TFA corps member teaching seventh grade English Language Arts at Greenfield. Staples will teach English at Milwaukee Excellence Charter School.
Staples said that she was taught to approach students through a culturally relevant lens. “We are learning [to give] different students different care depending on their learning style. We think about who they are as people and the communities they come from and how that affects the classroom,” she added.
Kirby also taught English at Greenfield this summer. In the fall he will teach fifth-grade English at Milwaukee College Prep on Lloyd Street.
“We are learning a lot about making education relevant to the students, and we’re also learning a lot about classroom management and lesson planning,” he said.
Becca Armijo, a corps member advisor for TFA-Milwaukee and MPS teacher at Siefert Elementary School, trained members going into special education at Greenfield this summer.
“Something I’ve been focusing on with my corps members is holding high expectations (for themselves) and understanding their important role in education,” Armijo said. “I also work on the day-to-day realities of what it means to be a teacher,” including lesson planning and connecting with students. She added that teachers also have to be flexible, positive and open to students.
Chayce Cornett, who was a TFA special education corps member at Obama, worked with 15 students with different learning needs on geometry.
“I’ve always wanted to go into education policy, and I wanted to be in a school and community to understand what is actually happening,” Cornett said. “I wanted to see how policy-making decisions were affecting communities.”

created: August 8, 2017

author: Lydia Slattery / Wisconsin Watch


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36264982242_66f0fe8212_b | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 7, 2017


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On the Block: Giving back | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lydia Slattery / Wisconsin Watch
August 8, 2017
Mariah Robinson-Page grew up going to the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club, 3000 N. Sherman Blvd., in Sherman Park, and today she works there as a “pals coordinator” for 5- and 6-year-old children. While the Boys & Girls Club has changed, Robinson-Page said that the children participate in a lot of the same activities as she did as a child.


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ACLU, Urban Underground provide social justice training for youth | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Keith Schubert
August 9, 2017
Emilio De Torre and Kourtney Graves present Graves’ art project to attendees at the Summer Justice Institute. (Photo by Keith Schubert)
Jaylah Rayford, a sophomore at Pius XI High School, was dubious when she signed up for the first-ever Summer Justice Institute sponsored by ACLU of Wisconsin and Urban Underground.
Rayford has had a tough time growing up in an unstable household. She spends most of her time working at Culver’s, taking care of her mom and focusing on her studies. With all of those responsibilities, there is little time for her to think about her future.
“In the beginning, I thought the ACLU program was going to be real boring. I thought I wasn’t going to like it. … Now I know I can make it out of Milwaukee and follow my dreams,” said Rayford.
The two-week day camp, geared toward students from Milwaukee Public Schools and surrounding school districts, focused on civic engagement, leadership, and mental and physical health, as well as current events and social justice issues. The camp ran from July 24 to Aug. 4.
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“We wanted to have programming that’s almost on a collegiate level, while sharing information that students aren’t getting in high school,” said Emilio De Torre, director of community engagement for the ACLU.
Students stand with Congresswoman Gwen Moore (far left, in red) after her keynote address. (Photo by Keith Schubert)
The ACLU and Urban Underground have been a close team for more than 12 years, facilitating workshops for young people, said De Torre. “We were a likely partner from the beginning because of the work that we do. So it was a beautiful match,” added Sharlen Moore, co-founder and director of Urban Underground.
When brainstorming programming for the institute, the organizers knew it was important to introduce the young people — the majority of whom are black or brown — to a diverse group of speakers and also to make sure there was a high level of fun and engagement, Moore said.
“Based on what’s going on right now in our community and society, it was critical that we talked about topics that were impacting young people of color,” said Moore.
“Some [students] are into cybersecurity, some are into LGBT rights, some are into BLM (Black Lives Matter), some are into how to be an effective political leader and others are into how to advocate for their own liberation or to be an effective ally. And it’s beautiful to see this all coming together,” emphasized De Torre.
The students participated in a broad spectrum of workshops. Activities included everything from martial arts classes to yoga, and guest presenters from Congresswoman Gwen Moore to local college professors. The group also took a civil rights bus tour that followed the path the NAACP Youth Council took in 1967 during the fair housing marches.
The guest speakers were a big deal for a lot of the young people. “They got access to people they would usually never get a hold of in this intimate of an environment,” said Jarrett English, youth organizer at the ACLU.
“We came up with a rock-star list of speakers who really believe in these young people,” he added.
After listening to the speakers about growing up poor in Milwaukee and facing challenges on par with her own, Rayford said she is now much more confident about pursuing her dream of traveling the world as an adult. During her time at the institute she wrote letters to several international embassies inquiring about opportunities to study abroad.
“The hunger and talent of these young people is incredible,” said De Torre. “I’m sitting here on my lunch break editing letters to embassies. Who would have thought?”
Students designed a flag at the Summer Justice Institute during an arts and crafts workshop. (Photo by Keith Schubert)
Alemitu Caldart, an incoming freshman at Shorewood High School, said she enjoyed the broad diversity of speakers. “I think that listening to each one of their stories and hearing their perspectives was one of the coolest parts of the camp.”
Caldart signed up for the institute because she is interested in social justice issues. “We’re not learning this stuff in school and we need to know about social justice and racism and sexism. We’re going to be the next generation living in the real world, and we have a chance of changing social norms, so we need to know about these things.”
She is excited to incorporate what she learned at the camp into her everyday life. “I’m going to bring these social justice topics up more with my family, my friends and at school to make sure they understand them as well.”
The ACLU also runs a much larger program called the Youth Social Justice Forum at UWM where 400-500 students participate annually. “What we saw from the forum is that they’re always hungry for more,” noted English.
The level of engagement was much more intense at the institute compared to the forum, he said. “If the forum is a bachelor’s level course, then the institute is a master’s course.”
Nicholas Smith, an incoming freshman at Rufus King, said the institute taught practical information. “We learned about police brutality and how to prepare yourself in case a police officer questions you. They taught us if they search your bag you’re supposed to say ‘I do not consent to this search of my property.’”
Caldart noted police brutality isn’t easy to talk about. “I have read comments from people in which they believe police brutality doesn’t exist, and that’s why I was very happy that we talked about it,” she said.
De Torre said the students were taught to always be polite when interacting with the police. They were told that if they feel they were treated unfairly, they should file a complaint. “The time to debate with police is in court, not on the street, otherwise you could get physically hurt,” he said.
English commented that young people need to be engaged early. “The well-being of our nation literally depends on these young people understanding why social justice and all of these fights for equal rights are so important.”

created: August 9, 2017

author: Keith Schubert


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 8, 2017


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Making the most of transit investments; city seeks resident input on neighborhood growth | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
August 9, 2017
A new study in Milwaukee is asking the question, how can the Milwaukee Streetcar positively impact neighborhoods beyond the downtown area?  The answer will come, in part, from the residents who live in those neighborhoods.
Public engagement started this month during Bronzeville Week as ideas and concerns were shared by people who live near routes where the Streetcar system could expand.
With funding from the Federal Transportation Administration, City government is partnering with local firms and an internationally respected leader in transit oriented development planning, Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill.  The year-long effort will develop strategies and policies that maximize positive commercial and residential development while respecting and maintaining the character of affected neighborhoods.
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The Milwaukee Streetcar is now under construction with track installation work downtown.  The initial 2.5-mile route is likely to be extended in the future with connections both north along King Drive to Bronzeville and south to Walker’s Point.  This transit oriented development planning effort is focused on those two neighborhoods.
“Extending the streetcar improves transportation, but it’s more than that.  It will strengthen the business climate on King Drive, in Bronzeville, and help create jobs,” Deshea Agee, Executive Director of the Historic King Drive BID, said.  “We need a clear plan to make sure we are maximizing economic potential and preserving what’s great about our neighborhoods.”
Both the Historic King Drive BID and Harbor District Inc. were among the partners that helped secure federal funding for the transit oriented development planning grant.
In addition to the input from neighborhood residents and businesses, the planning efforts will incorporate in-depth market analysis to determine how best to attract economic activity and expanded housing options. Planners will also identify strategies to avoid displacement of existing residents and businesses by future development.
Recommendations could include modifications to the City’s zoning code, new policies to set appropriate density and intensity of development, consistent plans for streetscaping, signage, and infrastructure, or new financing strategies to promote investment.
Over the next year, planners will develop opportunities for significant public engagement.  Ideas and perspectives offered during that engagement will be incorporated in the strategies presented to policymakers.   A website has been launched with information about the study, movingmkeforward.com, where public comments can be shared.  The study team will soon finalize a date for initial public meetings to provide input on the project that will take place during September of 2017.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 9, 2017


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Annual District 3 National Night Out tries to bridge police and community divide | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Hailey Richards
August 10, 2017
Officers chat with community members. (Photo By Hailey Richards)
As children ran up a steep hill past resource booths and toward carnival games at last week’s National Night Out event in Washington Park, adult attendees approached Milwaukee Police Department Capt. Shunta Boston-Smith to give her handwritten notes.
“I’m holding dozens of notes from community members detailing crimes and issues in their neighborhoods,” said Boston-Smith. “At events like this people are actively reaching out to us.”
Boston-Smith added, “We are trying to spend time with community members in a positive environment while offering ourselves and other resources to the community.”
Featuring free food, live entertainment, raffles and carnival games, the event was sponsored by Jammin’ 98.3 and Metro PCS. Dozens of businesses and community groups, including Washington Park Partners, Running Rebels and Safe & Sound, contributed funding and volunteers.
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Washington Park is at the center of six neighborhoods in District 3, according to Boston-Smith.
“Every officer here is volunteering their time to get to know community members and build relationships and trust. Our goal is to create a connection to the neighborhoods in District 3 so that we can work together to reduce crime,” Boston-Smith noted.
Children dunked one another in the dunk tank as police officers chatted with community members standing in line for roasted corn on the cob. The Milwaukee Police Band played songs from the Disney hit film “Frozen” under the ivory bandshell as kids sang along.<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"			xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"			xmlns:trackback="http://madskills.com/public/xml/rss/module/trackback/">		<rdf:Description rdf:about="https://milwaukeenns.org/2017/08/10/annual-district-3-national-night-out-tries-to-bridge-police-and-community-divide/"    dc:identifier="https://milwaukeenns.org/2017/08/10/annual-district-3-national-night-out-tries-to-bridge-police-and-community-divide/"    dc:title="Annual District 3 National Night Out tries to bridge police and community divide"    trackback:ping="https://milwaukeenns.org/2017/08/10/annual-district-3-national-night-out-tries-to-bridge-police-and-community-divide/trackback/" /></rdf:RDF>
Community members wait in line for free food and beverages. (Photo By Hailey Richards)
Milwaukee native Alex Robbins, 32, attended the event with his three nephews for the live entertainment and food, after hearing about it on the radio.
“The atmosphere here is kid-friendly and very welcoming, but I worry about the times when we’re not all here to have a good time,” said Robbins.
Robbins added that fellowship once a year is not enough to bridge a deep-rooted gap between the Milwaukee police and the community.
“I want my nephews to grow up feeling like they can trust the police, but when we see shootings and brutality in the media it’s hard to think one day every year will change that. I really do not think it’s possible,” said Robbins.
As an African-American woman, Boston-Smith said she understands the feelings of distrust, but her goal is to maintain contact with community members after the event to continue forming bonds.
“One of the big raffles we have is a community block party. We plan to work with a specific neighborhood to bring the block party to life while strengthening the bond we already created at the event,” said Boston-Smith.
Quellnya Cellars, who lives in MPD District 1, said she enjoyed the event, but expressed sentiments similar to those of Robbins.
“The police are kind people who have families and are just like us; I know that. I just can’t fully believe that once we leave this park the comfort level will remain,” said Cellars.
Cellars added that National Night Out is a great way to create a positive relationship between police and younger community members who do not hold an ingrained distrust.
“This event is important for children. Especially if they create a bond now with the local police, in the future the divide won’t seem so big,” said Cellars. “As for me, I think it’s too late.”
For Shomari Bratchett, 24, the first step to creating a relationship between Milwaukee Police and the surrounding community is honesty.
“We can come to this event every year but until we are all honest about why there is this discomfort and mistrust we cannot fix anything,” said Bratchett.
According to Boston-Smith, relating to community members in an open, honest manner is one of the main purposes of National Night Out.
“Look, we can agree to disagree but that shouldn’t stop us from working together,” she said.

author: Hailey Richards


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City of Milwaukee Health Department to host final Back-to-School Health Fair of 2017 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Health Department
August 11, 2017
With the start of the school year just days away for some area children, Mayor Tom Barrett and the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) will hold the final Back-to-School Health Fair of the season on Friday, Aug. 11 at Hayes Bilingual School (971 W. Windlake Ave.). The event will run from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and offer free school-required vaccinations for children without private insurance, as well as lead testing, vision screenings, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, and more, including back-to-school haircuts.
“Our annual Back-to-School Health Fairs offer families an opportunity to get their children ready for a healthy school year,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “We are thankful to our generous sponsors for their support and to all the organizations providing services and resources at the events.”
The annual health fairs are presented by the City of Milwaukee Health Department and United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County in partnership with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Children’s Community Health Plan, and Molina Healthcare. Community partners include Anthem BlueCross and BlueShield, MHS Health Wisconsin, Independent Care Health Plan, and Milwaukee Urban League.
“Each year we serve thousands of attendees at our annual Back-to-School Health Fairs,” said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. “Ensuring that families have access to required vaccinations and important health screenings is essential to keeping schools and our community healthy year-round.”
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Free backpacks and school supplies will be provided to children with an up-to-date shot record, or those who receive vaccinations and lead testing at the fairs. Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to receive gifts and services. For more information, call (414) 286-3521 or visit Milwaukee.gov/health.

author: City of Milwaukee Health Department


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Grassroots leaders unite to defeat Sheriff Clarke | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
August 11, 2017
One of the tens of thousands who marched through Milwaukee on a Day without Latinos, Immigrants and Refugees in February. (Photo courtesy of milwaukeestories.org)
Leaders of a new community coalition are taking aim at Sheriff David Clarke.
Formed earlier this year, the Coalition for a People’s Sheriff was inspired by “incompetent,” “unethical” and “inhumane” actions of Sheriff David Clarke, according to coalition leaders. The coalition initially sought to influence Gov. Scott Walker’s appointment to replace Clarke after he was offered a position as Assistant Secretary for Office of Partnership and Engagement at the Department of Homeland Security. But after allegations of plagiarism, final approval was delayed and fell through at the end of June. Now, the coalition is setting its sights on the 2018 election and beyond.
In a June letter, the coalition asked Walker to ensure an appointee would treat prisoners with dignity and respect, not enroll in the federal 287(g) program, protect the First Amendment rights of all people, work with diverse and marginalized populations and commit to ending privatization, “over-incarceration” and “state violence against Black communities.”
The letter was signed by State Rep. David Bowen and 14 organizations including UBLAC (Uplifting Black Liberation and Community), Ex-Prisoners Organizing (EXPO), ACLU of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, Wisconsin Transgender Health Coalition and Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Some of the organizations involved have called for Clarke’s removal.
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“We want a sheriff that actually upholds the law and actually is for the people,” said Annia Leonard, a youth organizer and member of UBLAC. UBLAC is an advocacy organization led by black women, queer and trans individuals. “We don’t need any more manipulation and we definitely don’t need any more dehumanization.”
In an emailed statement, Clarke called coalition leaders “insensitive mush minds,” “misguided miscreants” and “rabble-rousers.” He said the platform is “nothing more than warmed-over liberal talking points,” while emphasizing the “right and need” for the United States to enforce its borders and the importance of separating “human predators” from the rest of society.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz stands outside the Voces offices on South 5th Street. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
“I will not be bullied by this group of socialist misfits,” Clarke wrote.
“When we’re treated as less than human beings, that’s detrimental to everyone,” said Mark Rice, assistant state director of EXPO. He pointed out that some people who Clarke calls “human predators” are in prison for “crimeless revocations” — the process of re-incarcerating individuals on supervision for violating a rule. “This tears families apart and drains resources that could, instead, be used to build stronger communities.”
Voces de la Frontera Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz said people are reacting to an “aggressive assault” on marginalized groups nationwide. Because of that assault, she added, “there is an opportunity to demand more and expect more.”
“I think the one silver lining in the moment that we’re in right now is that … we’re able to, now, really connect those struggles (of marginalized groups),” she said.
“We need champions — champions that have ties to an organized community — to really deliver on the kind of changes that we need,” added Neumann-Ortiz. “In these times, we know that the people must stand up for themselves or things will get very bad very quickly.”
Marina Dimitrijevic, state director of the Wisconsin Working Families Party, said the coalition isn’t at the point where it can run its own candidates yet.
Earnell Lucas, a 25-year officer with the Milwaukee Police Department, has stated that he will run for sheriff in 2018. He has contributed to Clarke’s campaigns, most recently in 2009. Lucas said he would not implement 287(g) — which grants local police the authority to enforce immigration laws — under any circumstances, adding that the backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement has been more disconcerting than the movement itself.
“I’m a person who’s never forgotten where he’s come from,” Lucas said.
Progressive Moms of Milwaukee, a coalition member, will hold an event for community members to meet Lucas at 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at Highland Community School, 1706 W. Highland Ave. No coalition members have formally endorsed Lucas.
Ultimately, it will be up to voters to decide what kind of candidate they want, said Livia Rowell-Ortiz, a trans activist and board member of Genderqueer MKE, an education and advocacy group. Rowell-Ortiz is the daughter of Neumann-Ortiz.
Regardless of what happens in the 2018 election, the coalition will continue to move forward, according to those interviewed. Leonard said members are beginning to understand each other better and learn how they can best work together. According to Rice, it’s important to start organizing now to “lay the foundation for change later.”
“There’s a lot of power in bringing all of these diverse perspectives and individuals together,” Rice said. “When we’re building a movement like that, then it’s going to have more of an impact and it’s going to help to amplify our voices and realize that we’re all in this together.”
It’s essential that people are honest about inequalities, injustice and racism so they can be addressed, according to Dimitrijevic.
“It’s time to start having some real talk,” she said. “The next step … is action. And that’s what this group wants to do.”
The initial goal is to vote Clarke out, said Rowell-Ortiz, but added, “This isn’t just about Clarke,” noting there are other ways to achieve change.
“Our community, the City of Milwaukee, and others can definitely move towards that goal, regardless of who’s in power.”

author: Jabril Faraj


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 10, 2017


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 10, 2017
Statement-from-Sherriff-Clarke


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March On Milwaukee 50th Anniversary begins with 200 Nights of Freedom Kickoff at City Hall | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
March On Milwaukee 50th
August 11, 2017
Commando Fred Reed holds a photo from his personal collection depicting the Commandos and Father Groppi. (Photo by Adam Carr)
The March On Milwaukee 50th Coordinating Committee is hosting the 200 Nights of Freedom Kickoff in the City Hall Rotunda (200 E Wells St.) on August 28, 2017, from 5:30-7:30pm
This event kicks off the 200 Nights of Freedom initiative, which takes inspiration from the original timeline and spirit of Milwaukee’s Open Housing Marches. During this 200-day period, our focus will be  of our local civil rights heroes and  of Milwaukee’s simmering activist spirit through public events, policy initiatives, digital dialogue, and other programming.
Networking and socializing begin at 5:30pm and the evening’s program will run from 6:00-7:30pm. Speakers will include original marchers, elected officials and Milwaukee youth of today. All are welcome at this free event and refreshments will be provided.
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The March on Milwaukee 50th Coordinating Committee is an intergenerational group of organizers, artists, professionals, academics, and elders who participated in the original marches. Our first meeting took place in February 2016, and since, over 100 community individuals, organizations and institutions have participated in the planning process.
Beginning on August 28, 1967, the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council/Commandos, Father James Groppi, Alderperson Vel Phillips and a host of activists and community members marched for over 200 consecutive nights to demand an end to housing segregation. The marches signified Milwaukee’s contribution to the Black Freedom Movement in America and helped inspire federal fair housing legislation. This moment was indeed the pinnacle of civil rights activism in Milwaukee.
For more, visit our website at 200nightsoffreedom.org, find us on Facebook, or e-mail March on Milwaukee 50th at info@200nightsoffreedom.org

author: March On Milwaukee 50th


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 11, 2017


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Milwaukee Teens selected for prestigious statewide leadership board | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lorraine Lathen
August 11, 2017
The youth will lead educational advocacy efforts, provide direction to Wisconsin’s youth tobacco prevention program
Today, the FACT Movement announced that Olivia Smith and Danielle Foster, members of the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network FACT group, and Nia Kamara a member of the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network FACT, were selected to serve as a member of the State Youth Board of Directors for Wisconsin’s youth tobacco prevention program. The high school students and tobacco prevention advocates were selected because of their remarkable leadership skills and commitment to spread the truth about tobacco.
Founded in 2001, FACT is a youth-driven movement where teens in grades 7 – 12 work together to conduct school and community based advocacy initiatives that educate teens about the dangers of tobacco. Since its inception, FACT members have helped lower youth smoking rates by supporting proven policies like higher tobacco taxes and smokefree air laws. The Milwaukee area youth are among a group of 22 teens from throughout Wisconsin who will serve a one year term where they will provide overall leadership, guidance and feedback to FACT.
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FACT is part of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Tobacco Prevention and Control Program and is managed by the American Lung Association. It was developed out of a statewide concern about teen tobacco use and has educated hundreds of thousands of youth over the last 16 years. For more about FACT, visit FACTmovement.org.

author: Lorraine Lathen


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SPARC, a growth-training program for Milwaukee businesses who want to scale, accepting applications | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Scale Up Milwaukee
August 11, 2017
SPARC is a growth-training program for Milwaukee businesses who want to scale. Scale Up Milwaukee, the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, and WWBIC designed SPARC for central-city businesses with revenues between $100,000 and $1 million*. SPARC participants will be connected to important new resources including financing, marketing, legal, and workforce training.
Apply for SPARC if you:
The application is available on August 14 at ScaleUpMilwaukee.org/SPARC
Questions or referrals:
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Contact Elizabeth Cizinsky at elizabeth@sumke.com or 414-905-0118.

author: Scale Up Milwaukee


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Ryan Braun at SHARP Literacy rally | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
SHARP Literacy
August 12, 2017
(Photo courtesy of SHARP Literacy)
At a rally on August 10, Ryan Braun celebrated SHARP Literacy students and their academic accomplishments at the conclusion of SHARP’s eight-week Summer Learning Gain Initiative, which involved approximately 300 students at eight locations throughout the city of Milwaukee including Browning Elementary, COA Youth & Family Center, Journey House, Kluge Elementary, Milwaukee Christian Center, Neighborhood House, Neu-Life Community Development, Our Next Generation and Thurston Woods Elementary.
At the outdoor rally at Browning Elementary School, Braun addressed 150 students from Silver Spring Neighborhood Center’s Browning and Thurston Woods Elementary Schools about SHARP Literacy’s summer program and congratulated them on their academic successes over the past eight weeks. Kids then participate in a variety of baseball-themed activities, enjoyed ice cream from the Brewers Treat Truck, and met the Famous Racing Sausages TM.
SHARP Literacy partnered with Ryan Braun and Brewers Community Foundation to promote the Summer Learning Gain Initiative, a SHARP educational program that uses summer break to support academic success by helping urban school students catch up on previous learning loss and make strides toward exceeding academic expectations the following year.
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author: SHARP Literacy


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 12, 2017


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New teen center at Sherman Park Boys & Girls Club offers welcoming, safe space | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lydia Slattery / Wisconsin Watch
August 14, 2017
Teenagers at the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club gather in the newly renovated center. (Photo by Lydia Slattery)
Cary Morris, 16, began attending the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club, 3000 N. Sherman Blvd., in Sherman Park when he was 6 years old.
“I think it’s a family,” said Morris, who works with younger children at the club. “Everybody just comes together and that’s how we become a family.”
On a recent afternoon Morris and more than 30 other teenagers were gathered in the club’s new teen center to write and later perform their own raps under the guidance of Donte Daughtry, teen coordinator at the club.
The teen center provides space for young people to socialize and participate in age-specific programming. It includes a new computer lab with a half-dozen computers; a theater performance area with a large screen, stage and projector; a game area with video games, pingpong table, pool table and foosball; and a quiet spot to study.
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The brightly decorated 3,130-square-foot teen center was created in response to the Sherman Park unrest a year ago. The club previously provided a much smaller area for teens.
Donte Daughtry, youth program coordinator at the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club, helps teenagers come up with lyrics for their raps. (Photo by Lydia Slattery)
“I’m so jealous that this wasn’t here when I was coming to the (Mary Ryan) Boys & Girls Club,” said Daughtry, who lives in Sherman Park and attended the club throughout his childhood. “But I’m grateful the kids get to experience this new space.”
HGA, an architecture, engineering and planning firm, donated the design for the center based on input from the club’s teens, said Rebecca Ehlers, senior director of marketing and communications for the Greater Milwaukee Boys & Girls Clubs. The largest youth-serving agency in Milwaukee, the organizations serves 43,000 youth annually.
“The great news is they (HGA) really listened and the kids are thrilled [with] the end product,” Ehlers said.
The center officially opened in June for the beginning of summer programming and serves approximately 50 teens per day during the summer. The Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club reopened in February after it was closed to the public for significant renovations at the end of August 2016.
The teen center cost $250,000 and was funded by financial and in-kind contributions from Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Lowe’s Companies, HGA Architects and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Ehlers added.
“I think it (the new teen center) is super dope,” said Charlysse Baker, a member of the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club who provided input to HGA during the design process.  Baker, a youth worker at the club who has been a member for nine years, helps out by serving lunch or supervising children.
“This is an investment in the community that these kids don’t always see,” said Vincent Lyles, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Boys & Girls Clubs. “We’ve not only stayed, but we’ve also improved.”
Lyles added that the new space shows that families and children can rely on the Boys & Girls Clubs. “We’re welcoming you to come in and check it out.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 13, 2017


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 14, 2017


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St. Ann Center Good Earth Celebration Spotlights Arts and Environment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sharon Selz
August 14, 2017
(Photo courtesy of St. Ann Center)
With excavators towering in the background, St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus hosted the Good Earth Celebration on Friday, Aug. 11. The event spotlighted the major soil cleanup underway on the center’s 7.5-acre campus that will prepare the property at 2450 W. North Ave. for construction of a brand-new community band shell.
About 9,000 tons of soil affected by petroleum-based pollutants and metals will be excavated and trucked to a landfill. Another 6,000 tons of dirt will be capped by clean soil—making it safe in accordance with federal and state regulations. It will then be graded to form a hill that will serve as audience space for a 350-capacity band shell.
The cleanup has been years in the making, said Sr. Edna Lonergan, president of St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, a day care for children, the elderly and adults with disabilities. She told the crowd gathered at the celebration, “Years ago, when we were planning to build our north side campus, we had a picnic for people in the neighborhood and asked what they would like to see on this property. They said they would love a walkway lined with trees and lit up to create a safe place to walk and meditate and be at home with God and nature.”
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The walkway will lead to the Indaba Community Band Shell, designed by Zimmerman Architectural Studios, expected to be completed in time for the 2018 outdoor concert season. “There’s tremendous talent in this neighborhood,” Lonergan said. “Even our young children have great artistic talent. We can’t wait to see them entertaining us in this beautiful band shell.”
Pastor Ollie Taylor of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and Fr. Byron Haaland led a blessing of the construction site. Entertainment was provided by children from St. Ann Center’s Summer Camp program, the Omo Orisha drum and dance group, and an intergenerational choir made up of the center’s day care children and adult clients.
The community celebration brought together partners in the cleanup project, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Commission, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, City of Milwaukee, Dakota Intertek Corp and TRC Environmental Corporation. The cost of the cleanup project will be offset by $147,000 in grants from WEDC and $400,000 in U.S. EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants.
“What St. Ann Center has done is a perfect example of how we take an underutilized or abandoned property and get something very positive out of it,” said Dave Misky, assistant executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee. “This development has the three elements of sustainability—there are people working here, people enjoying the space and people cleaning up the soil. The City is proud to be part of this project and to partner with everyone to make this a reality.”
Jon Peterson, U.S. EPA project officer, emphasized the importance of federal, state, county and city working together with organizations such as the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, who oversee St. Ann Center’s corporate ministry. “We are so happy to be able to give money and advice on how to redevelop property like this and make it into something more beautiful than it ever was before,” he said.
St. Ann Center purchased its two-block parcel in 2014 for $1 from the City of Milwaukee. Between 1951 and 1969, many buildings on the property were demolished to prepare for construction of the Park West Freeway. After the freeway project was canceled, the remaining buildings were demolished. The vacant land was a neighborhood concern until purchased by St. Ann Center.
The cleanup has been years in the making, said Sr. Edna Lonergan, president of St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, a day care for children, the elderly and adults with disabilities. She told the crowd gathered at the celebration, “Years ago, when we were planning to build our north side campus, we had a picnic for people in the neighborhood and asked what they would like to see on this property. They said they would love a walkway lined with trees and lit up to create a safe place to walk and meditate and be at home with God and nature.”
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The walkway will lead to the Indaba Community Band Shell, designed by Zimmerman Architectural Studios, expected to be completed in time for the 2018 outdoor concert season. “There’s tremendous talent in this neighborhood,” Lonergan said. “Even our young children have great artistic talent. We can’t wait to see them entertaining us in this beautiful band shell.”
Pastor Ollie Taylor of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and Fr. Byron Haaland led a blessing of the construction site. Entertainment was provided by children from St. Ann Center’s Summer Camp program, the Omo Orisha drum and dance group, and an intergenerational choir made up of the center’s day care children and adult clients.
The community celebration brought together partners in the cleanup project, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Commission, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, City of Milwaukee, Dakota Intertek Corp and TRC Environmental Corporation. The cost of the cleanup project will be offset by $147,000 in grants from WEDC and $400,000 in U.S. EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants.
“What St. Ann Center has done is a perfect example of how we take an underutilized or abandoned property and get something very positive out of it,” said Dave Misky, assistant executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee. “This development has the three elements of sustainability—there are people working here, people enjoying the space and people cleaning up the soil. The City is proud to be part of this project and to partner with everyone to make this a reality.”
Jon Peterson, U.S. EPA project officer, emphasized the importance of federal, state, county and city working together with organizations such as the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, who oversee St. Ann Center’s corporate ministry. “We are so happy to be able to give money and advice on how to redevelop property like this and make it into something more beautiful than it ever was before,” he said.
St. Ann Center purchased its two-block parcel in 2014 for $1 from the City of Milwaukee. Between 1951 and 1969, many buildings on the property were demolished to prepare for construction of the Park West Freeway. After the freeway project was canceled, the remaining buildings were demolished. The vacant land was a neighborhood concern until purchased by St. Ann Center.

author: Sharon Selz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
August 14, 2017

author: Name *


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A year after Smith shooting in Sherman Park, family hosts ‘Back to School Bash’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Keith Schubert
August 15, 2017
Children were given free school supplies at the bash. (Photo by Keith Schubert)
With nearly 50 Milwaukee Public Schools opening on Monday, many families spent the weekend preparing for the first day of school. But Sunday also marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting of Sylville Smith and subsequent unrest in Sherman Park.
To bring the two together, Change 4 Sylville, a community organization started by the Smith and Haynes families, hosted a “Back to School Bash” in his memory. “We lost Sylville Smith last year due to police brutality,” said Thaddeus Ashford, Smith’s cousin. “A year later, we wanted to give back.”
Sylville Smith’s brother, Cavais Smith (left), passes out school supplies. (Photo by Keith Schubert)
The event took place Sunday in Sherman Park. Activities included free food, face painting, a book bag and school supplies giveaway, live music and a bike raffle.
Smith was shot by police officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown, who was charged with reckless homicide for the shooting, but was acquitted by a jury in June. He is still in prison on charges unrelated to the shooting.
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The Sherman Park neighborhood experienced disturbances for two nights after Smith was killed, including the burning down of a BP gas station. The bash was a call to Sherman Park residents to come and celebrate Smith’s life and bring people back to the park, said Ashford.
Smith’s sister, Sherelle Smith, added, “We planned the event for us to give something back to the community so they can remember this day not as a bad day, but as a positive one,” she said.
“This is what black culture is, having barbecues. So it’s nice to be out here a year later getting the kids excited for school,” said Donnell Lewis. His son, Donnell Lewis Jr., will be starting first grade at Barack Obama School of Career & Technical Education. He was so excited to start school he refused to take off his new backpack for the entire five-hour event. “I was never this excited to start school,” joked Lewis.
Children paint each other’s faces at the Back to School Bash in memory of Sylville Smith. (Photo by Keith Schubert)
Ashford noted that since the shooting a lot of people have said they don’t want to come back to Sherman Park. “We’re trying to bring life back to the area,” he said. “Maybe these families that are out here today can make people feel safe and see Sherman Park in a different light.”
Markasa Tucker, lead organizer for UBLAC (Uplifting Black Liberation and Community), helped Smith’s relatives facilitate the event. “Their energy could be going into something else. For them to be able to pour love back into the same community and space where their brother was taken from them is remarkable,” she said.
Vaun Mayes, who has worked extensively in Sherman Park through his Program the Parks initiative, said he was happy to see the large turnout. “We lost a lot of our park kids after what happened a year ago. … So having the community feel comfortable to come back here is a great thing.”
Smith said she plans to organize an event every year.
“Clearly … people want to come out here and engage,” said Tucker. “This will leave a mark on the city so everyone knows a year later that this is what the Smith and Haynes family did.” She added, “This is what they wanted to give back to the community.”


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Midtown Center is giving away 600 free backpacks and supplies to families | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Cavalier Johnson
August 15, 2017
Purchasing school supplies can be a financially stressful time for families. Alderman Cavalier Johnson of the Milwaukee Common Council is inviting the public to the Midtown Center Back-2-School “Superstars and Supplies” giveaway event on Saturday, August 19, from 11 a.m to 2 p.m.
Alderman Johnson says 600 kids ages 5 to 14 years old will receive free backpacks and school supplies, in person only. “This is a great support to families, and a positive way for kids to kick off the school year. I am grateful to our event sponsor Midtown Center,” Alderman Johnson said.
This will be a fun event for students and families. Attendees will be given a raffle ticket to enter for prizes including gift cards for back-to-school items and Milwaukee Bucks tickets. Plus, an annual talent show featuring local students will also take place, hosted by Andrea Williams of Energy 106.9 FM and Jammin’ 98.3 FM.
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What: Midtown Center back-to-school event
When: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, August 19
Where: Southwest corner of Midtown Center 60th and W. Capitol Dr.

author: Ald. Cavalier Johnson


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MPS launches new Black & Latino Male Achievement Department | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
August 15, 2017
This fall, Milwaukee Public Schools is launching the new Department of Black and Latino Male Achievement to address the disparities in academic and life outcomes for Black and Latino boys and young men. In late July, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors unanimously approved four staff members for the department, who begin this week.
The department will report directly to Superintendent Darienne Driver and will work to analyze data and adopt local and national best practices that result in improved academic and life outcomes for this population.
“When we examine student achievement data for all of our students, our Black and Latino male students are consistently below their peers. This is simply unacceptable, we can and will do better,” said Dr. Driver. “We believe that it is critical to improve outcomes for all our young people. Focusing specifically on Black and Latino male achievement will benefit all students in our district.”
Initial strategies of the department will include:
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The National Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA) will support the Department of Black and Latino Male Achievement through a strong partnership. CBMA has selected Milwaukee as one of five priority cities and has worked closely with district and community leaders to identify proven strategies and to coordinate resources to improve academic and life outcomes for boys and men of color.
The staff for the Department of Black and Latino Male Achievement includes a mix of internal and external MPS employees with diverse perspectives and experiences.
Juan Baez, Ed.D., Director, Black and Latino Male Achievement: An alumnus of Milwaukee’s North Division High School, Baez is a former Milwaukee Public Schools principal who led turnaround efforts at both Hopkins-Lloyd Community School and Alexander Mitchell Integrated Arts School. Most recently, Baez oversaw the district’s Educator Effectiveness Program.
Lanelle Ramey, Director, Black and Latino Male Achievement: An alumnus of Riverside University High School, Ramey most recently was Senior Director of programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. Through his work, he regularly partnered with Milwaukee Public Schools and MPS Recreation. Ramey is a volunteer committee chair and mentor for MKE Fellows, an organization that supports Black male youth who are heading to college and returning to Milwaukee to work and live.
Paul Moga, Coordinator, Black and Latino Male Achievement: A proud MPS alumnus, Moga is a former English teacher and department chair of Riverside University High School. He most recently served as a Culturally Responsive Teacher Leader for MPS, providing professional development for teachers and administrators in culturally relevant, student-centered classroom practices, emphasizing increased student engagement and celebration of culture. He also served as a member of the district’s Equity Commission.
David Castillo, Planning Assistant, Black and Latino Male Achievement: A native of Los Angeles, CA, Castillo most recently worked as a special education teacher at Milwaukee’s Pulaski High School, where he also coordinated Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) for the school. In addition, Castillo provided support in developing and leading the school’s Freshman Academy. A Teach For America alumnus, Castillo worked this summer training new teachers through Teach For America in Milwaukee’s summer training institute.
* Pictured (Left to Right): Juan Baez, David Castillo, Paul Moga, Lanelle Ramey

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 15, 2017


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On the Block: Profit, poverty and ownership | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
August 15, 2017
Stacey Cooper, 51, has owned her home in Harambee for 11 years. Cooper, her mother and other longtime residents care for their property. She wishes others would do the same.


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MPS Foundation inspires alumni to ‘Leave a Legacy’ with inaugural dinner and awards ceremony event | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
August 16, 2017
It’s an event 170 years in the making. On August 25th, 2017, the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation, Inc. will host its inaugural awards dinner for MPS alumni, friends and other supporters — inspiring guests to ‘leave a legacy’ for students across the public school district.
In addition to a full-course dinner and cocktail hour, held at the Italian Community Center, guests of the event will take in the Foundation’s first-ever awards ceremony, which will recognize the achievements of several distinguished MPS alumni. Among the nine honorees includes Allan H. “Bud” Selig, Commissioner Emeritus of Major League Baseball, and Milwaukee Brewers’ founder and former president.
The Alumni Awards Dinner will honor individuals in seven categories. The full list of awardees includes:
The special event subsequently marks the kickoff of the Foundation’s annual giving campaign. Since 1998, the MPS Foundation has served to promote educational excellence and strengthen community participation through its various fundraising efforts. Despite being the largest public school district in Wisconsin, data shows MPS students consistently receive the lowest rates of funding per pupil in the state.
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Last year, the non-profit organization received contributions of about $$1,088,899 — an increase of approximately 39% over 2015. The funds are used to support high-quality educational events, corporate partnership programs, project grants and classroom resources, which help improve academic achievement of the nearly 76,000 students attending Milwaukee Public Schools. The organization also provides more than $60,000 in college scholarships, annually.
MPS Foundation Executive Director, Ann Terrell, says she hopes the event will help shine a light on the need for private funding support.
“We’re hoping that memorable events such as the Alumni Awards Dinner will not only spotlight the many notable alumni coming out of our school district, but also engage former students and community members in a great cause,” Terrell said. “We have been able to extend the impact of several pioneering programs for students and we are honored to support MPS’ continued progress. The MPS Foundation is poised to create long-lasting partnerships and collaborations between businesses, nonprofits, communities of faith, other foundations and the school district.”
The Alumni Awards Dinner accompanies a weekend full of alumni activities:
Friday, August 25, 2017
Saturday, August 26, 2017
To purchase tickets or to make a donation to the MPS Foundation, please visit: http://www.mpsfoundation.net/.


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Business incubator workshop encourages entrepreneurs in diverse neighborhoods to open shop | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Russell W. Stamper, II
August 16, 2017
Ms. Clean Cleaning Service owner Nakita Deberry, seeking funding to expand her business, makes her pitch at the December 2016 St. Ann Center business incubator. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II and the St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care are offering a free “business incubator” workshop from 1:00-5:00 Thursday, August 31 at St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus. About 20 diverse entrepreneurs from Business Improvement District (BID) 32 will get hands on training and facetime with investors to help fund their companies or expand their current businesses.
This session is an amazing opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to gain incredible feedback with a 45-minute session on how to improve their business plan, plus two hours of one- on-one consultations with business coaches and investors. Alderman Stamper will also meet with each entrepreneur. As the Chair of the Common Council’s Community and Economic Development Committee he says, “The business incubator series gives aspiring entrepreneurs the support they need for their idea to grow and makes business ownership accessible to everyone. Ultimately, this will help Milwaukee’s north side business community expand.”
Applicants need to fill out a questionnaire (please download from Alderman Stamper’s webpage – Milwaukee.gov/district15) explaining their business idea, aspiration, and target customers by Wednesday, August 23. The program is free to anyone opening or expanding a business in ZIP Codes 53205, 53206 or 53210. Spaces are limited, RSVP and return paperwork to Alderman Stamper’s office – Russell.Stamper@milwaukee.gov or District 15 – Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53202, OR:
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John Jansen
St. Ann Center
2801 E. Morgan Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207
Questionnaire Accessible Online: www.StannCenter.org/biz
Or Email: JJansen@StAnnCenter.org

author: Ald. Russell W. Stamper, II


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 16, 2017


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Distinguished co-author of $2 a day: Living on Almost Nothing in America added as keynote for SDC Summit on Poverty | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
August 16, 2017
Can you imagine living in the United States on two dollars a day? What if the only income your family had was from donating plasma? The appalling reality is that, after two decades of groundbreaking research on American poverty, Kathryn J. Edin, co-author of $2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America, observed households across this country surviving on virtually no cash income. According to the New York Times, this is “A remarkable book that could very well change the way we think about poverty in the United States.” The book is co-authored by H. Luke Schaefer, an expert on calculating incomes for the poor.
Edin, whose work turned the world of sociology upside down, has just been added as a keynote luncheon speaker for the 2017 SDC Summit on Poverty presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to be held Italian Conference Center September 6 and 7. The Medical Society of Milwaukee County is sponsoring Edin’s appearance at the summit on Wednesday, September 6. In addition to her keynote Edin will be available for a book signing.
“SDC is grateful to the Medical Society of Milwaukee County for their partnership and for bringing Ms. Edin, one of the nation’s leading researchers on poverty to the summit,” said SDC CEO George Hinton. “The Medical Society of Milwaukee County approached SDC, the largest anti-poverty agency in the state, because we both understand the epidemic of poverty, including the physical and mental health issues that are interconnected with it. Their recognition and desire to help people in poverty, partner with SDC and educate the community, exemplifies both their leadership on health in the county and their forward thinking.”
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“The Medical Society is honored to host Ms. Edin and be recognized as the Premier Partner for the Social Development Commission Summit on Poverty,” said Kathy Schmitz, Executive Director, Medical Society of Milwaukee County. Ms. Edins’ book is a harrowing account of a “new form of poverty” that has emerged in this country, and Milwaukee is no exception. “Studies now show a direct link between poverty, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and health outcomes. Good health, however, is not an option when abhorrent living conditions include no heat, running water, food, and an abusive environment. Physicians have a significant role to play in this issue by identifying and treating adverse childhood experiences to impact good health.”
Edin has authored 8 books and some 80 journal articles. The hallmark of her research is her direct, in-depth observations of the lives of low-income women, men, and children. Edin is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. She is a Trustee of the Russell Sage Foundation and an affiliate of the poverty research center at the University of Wisconsin.
SDC’s partnership with MSMC will further benefit attendees through the addition of a fifth workshop conducted by experts form the Medical Society of Milwaukee County. The session will educate attendees about the opioid crisis happening across Wisconsin. Emergency room physician, Dr. Jillian Theobald, of Froedtert Hospital will provide information about opioid drugs that are having a significant impact on our community.
Keynote speaker Kevin Powell was originally scheduled for the first day of the summit, Wednesday, September 6. Powell is an author of 12 books, international speaker, activist and advocate for social justice, and a voice who educates and analyzes existing barriers in the political landscape and at the human level. To accommodate and benefit summit attendees, Powell graciously adjusted his schedule in order for SDC to provide a deeper understanding of the poverty epidemic through the addition of Edin, as an additional keynote. Powell will now deliver his keynote on the second day of the conference, Thursday, September 7.
Registration for the Summit on Poverty presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is available on SDC’s website at cr-sdc.org by clicking the banner or feature box on the home page, or by selecting the event in the navigation at the top of the page. The event is free and open to the public.
Sponsorships are available to support this critical, free event. Donations of any amount are also encouraged.

author: Social Development Commission


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Milwaukee Film announces full Black Lens program lineup | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Film
August 16, 2017
The 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival, presented by Associated Bank, is excited to announce this year’s festival lineup for the Black Lens program. Now in its fourth year, the program features documentary and fiction films by African American filmmakers that explore a range of topics rooted in the black community and are relevant to all.
The lineup includes Academy Award winner and Milwaukee Film Board Member John Ridley’s new documentary Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992, a 20th anniversary, 35mm screening of the classic film Love Jones, and two shorts programs titled Black Lens Shorts: Family Matters and Black Lens Shorts: Lost & Found.
Geraud Blanks, Black Lens co-programmer states, “Adding additional films, including two shorts programs, means a greater diversity of voices and perspectives. We have more women and mixed-race directors, writers, and producers than ever before, in-large part because of our ability to expand our programming this year. The added room also made honoring Love Jones and bringing Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 back to Milwaukee possible without eliminating deserving films from emerging filmmakers.”
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“The addition of a second shorts program is exciting, as it helps us to strengthen the mission of Black Lens,” states Donte McFadden, Black Lens co-programmer. “We want to make Black Lens a destination for African American filmmakers to screen their work. The shorts program allows for us to introduce many emerging filmmakers from across the country and allows Milwaukee residents the chance to see films that they wouldn’t see anywhere else.”
A Black Lens Kickoff Party, presented by Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, will take place at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee on Saturday, September 23. The event is free and open to the public. The Black Lens program is sponsored by Jammin’ 98.3.
The 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival will take place at the Landmark Oriental Theatre, Landmark Downer Theatre, Fox-Bay Cinema Grill, Times Cinema, and Avalon Theater from September 28th – October 12th. Festival Passes and ticket 6-Packs are now on sale at mkefilm.org/tickets.
FILMS
72 Hours: A Brooklyn Love Story?
(USA / 2017 / Director: Raafi Rivero)
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/149212950
Three short days separate 18-year-old Caesar from leaving Brooklyn for a prestigious upstate university. But between his long-time girlfriend calling it quits and his crew already planning for his imminent exit, Caesar finds himself pulled between the comfort of a world he’s always known and the exciting promise of a bright future. A vibrant, textured work that powerfully captures the dizzying nuance of teen love and the thrum of a rapidly-changing borough, 72 Hours is an exacting portrait of what it means to be young, gifted and black.
ACORN and the Firestorm
(USA / 2017 / Directors: Reuben Atlas and Sam Pollard)
It’s a story whose reverberations will be felt across the political landscape for many years to come: ACORN, America’s largest grass-roots community organization (teaching low- and medium-income families across the nation to advocate for themselves), shuttered by a pair of amateur journalists posing as a pimp and prostitute, igniting a media firestorm that helped spawn the Breitbart News empire. This real-life political thriller does much to explain our current divisive state, persuasively drawing a line from ACORN’s bankruptcy to our polarized present and its constant cries of “fake news.”
Black Lens Shorts: Family Matters
An evening of shorts that tackle the notion of family in all of its complicated glory – whether it’s protecting the ones you love, leaning on them for support, bringing each other together or tearing each other apart, these shorts (alternately funny, thrilling and sad – just like family itself!) have something for everyone!
Amelia’s Closet (USA / 2016 / Director: Halima Lucas)
Cul-De-Sac (USA / 2016 / Director: Damon Russell)
Gema (USA / 2016 / Director: Kendrick Prince)
The Homecoming (USA / 2016 / Director: Paulina Bugembe)
Night Shift (USA / 2017 / Director: Marshall Tyler)
New Neighbors (USA / 2017 / Director: E. G. Bailey)
Black Lens Shorts: Lost & Found
This second series of Black Lens shorts at this year’s MFF showcase the infinite possibilities in the world of contemporary black filmmaking – watch these characters undergo a journey of discovery (in search of acceptance, love, recognition, and more) while covering a wide array of topics ranging from gun violence and love to classic folklore and the radical art of self-acceptance. A fascinating night at the movies.
90 Days (USA / 2016 / Directors: Jennia Fredrique Aponte, Nathan Hale Williams)
Dear Mr. Shakespeare (USA / 2016 / Director: Shola Amoo)
The Forever Tree (UK / 2017 / Director: Alrick Brown)
Hold On (USA / 2017 / Director: Christine Turner)
See You Yesterday (USA / 2017 / Director: Stefon Bristol)
#WhereIsBeauty (USA / 2016 / Director: Angela McCrae)
You Can Go (USA / 2016 / Director: Christine Turner)
Destined
(USA / 2016 / Director: Qasim Basir)
One unforgettable moment in a young man’s childhood in Detroit creates two startlingly alternate paths: in one, he’s Rasheed, an ambitious architect seeking to ascend the corporate ladder, while in the other he’s Sheed, a drug kingpin who has remained on the streets of his childhood, seeking to exert his will over them. A gripping urban crime thriller with a unique approach to cinematic storytelling, Destined weaves between these two stories, each echoing and diverging from one another in mysterious ways, with both Rasheed and Sheed moving inexorably towards their ultimate fate.
Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
(USA / 2017 / Director: John Ridley)
Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=6JGY-GjzKp4
25 years later, the Rodney King verdict and the subsequent riots are still etched in our minds. Culminating a decade of struggle with a justice system unequipped to deal with issues of race and class, the riots seem both entirely preventable and utterly unavoidable. Director John Ridley (Jimi: All Is By My Side, MFF14; Milwaukee Film Board Member) avoids simple moralizing or tidy conclusions as he examines the lead-up to and events of that day, instead letting those who lived through the experience speak for themselves in this heartbreaking portrait whose power is only magnified on the big screen.
Like Cotton Twines
(USA / 2016 / Director: Leila Djansi)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AKgApSQohI
American volunteer Micah sees his teaching job in Ghana as an opportunity to reconnect with his ancestral roots while also helping young Ghanaians reach their fullest potential. But when 14-year-old Tuigi, one of his brightest students, must abandon her studies in exchange for a life as a sex slave as recompense for her father’s transgressions, Micah finds himself stuck in the middle of a culture clash, desperate to extricate Tuigi from the cycles of history and tradition that threaten to swallow her whole.
Love Jones
(USA / 1997 / Director: Theodore Witcher)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNMoQ_Cqt4E
Nina (Nia Long) is not looking for love when she meets Darius (Larenz Tate) at a poetry slam. Despite the scorching chemistry that instantly ignites, both insist the relationship is purely physical and certainly not a case of the love jones. A witty, sexy portrait of young Black love and romance (set in a middle-class, bohemian milieu that Hollywood still struggles to showcase 20 years on) that is a generational classic, this film will receive a rare 35mm screening at the historic Oriental Theatre!
Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities
(USA / 2017 / Director: Stanley Nelson)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8hmqpAzjRo
Over the course of 150 years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have paved the way for Black intellectuals, revolutionaries, and artists alike to pursue higher education and defy stereotypes among their peers in an unapologetically Black environment. Now the remarkable story of their role in African-American history is finally told. Fest alum Stanley Nelson (The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, MFF15) returns with this captivating panorama of HBCUs from their conception to the modern day, a stirring portrait of perseverance in pursuit of knowledge.
Unrest
(USA / 2017 / Director: Jennifer Brea)
28-year-old Jennifer Brea is in the prime of her life as a PhD student and soon-to-be newlywed, when a sudden fever leaves her perpetually bedridden and desperate for answers. A host of unsatisfactory diagnoses lead her to discover an abandoned online community of those similarly afflicted (with what is commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). A medical mystery nestled in an intensely personal portrait of a husband and wife’s healing journey, Unrest shines a light on a condition that confounds the medical community through its panoply of personal perspectives on suffering.
PRESS NOTE: The 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Press Accreditation Application is now open at mkefilm.org/accreditation. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 5th, 2017. Applicants are encouraged to apply early.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Download film stills for some of the above selections here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qltl8ka7e7pl9a2/AABdLCC6ijBEAV3YiL_35fbxa?dl=0

author: Milwaukee Film


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Treasure Walk introduces teens to ‘hidden gems’ in Lindsay Heights | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Hailey Richards
August 16, 2017
Samuel Alford gives a tour of Alice’s Garden. (Photo By Hailey Richards)
Born and raised on Milwaukee’s North Side, Destiny Yarbrough, 17, couldn’t imagine why she would want to take a tour of the Lindsay Heights neighborhood.
“Honestly, I never wanted to spend time here because it seemed like a stereotypical ghetto, with nothing to offer,” said Yarbrough.
However, by participating in youth programs at Neu-Life Community Development, she learned that Lindsay Heights is home to “hidden gems” that are worth exploring.
Yarbrough and about a dozen other Neu-Life teens participated in a recent Treasure Walk in the neighborhood. “[It] is so interesting because Neu-Life found literal gems in the community for us to explore,” Yarbrough said.
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The event marked the conclusion of Neu-Life’s “Pay It Forward” community service projects, which expanded to two weeks this year thanks to support from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, according to Dave Libert, Neu-Life community development manager.
Destiny Yarbrough and Chania Johnson decide which location to visit next. (Photo By Hailey Richards)
Yarbrough, who works with younger children at Neu-Life through the city’s Earn & Learn program, credits “Pay It Forward” for broadening her view of Lindsay Heights.
“Meeting the people in the community made it seem more real than the idea I had in my mind,” she said.
Treasure Walk participants started at Johnsons Park with a map of local businesses to visit. At each business, they received a sticker signifying that they had been there. At Alice’s Garden Urban Farm, the teens were given a tour and learned about the opportunities available to them.
Local organizations such as Running Rebels, The Juice Kitchen and Tandem also supported the walk.
“Our goal was to build community awareness, not only through interacting with neighbors but through interacting with local business,” said Libert. “The Treasure Walk is just the catalyst for getting young adults to interact and appreciate the community,” he added.
Neu-Life held such walks annually in the past. The organization worked with Alice’s Garden to bring it back this year and to focus on the neighborhood’s unique businesses, including Fondy Farmers Market, Hayat Pharmacy and Walnut Way Conservation Corp.
Chaina Johnson, 16, said that participating at Neu-Life has changed her understanding of Milwaukee, while helping her create personal goals.
“I never understood [the concept] of food deserts,” said Johnson. “Working with Neu-Life and actually getting up close with the neighborhoods gave me a clear understanding of the people and neighborhoods in Milwaukee.”
She added that she now wants to work as a community organizer. “Lindsay Heights is just one area that allows me to see all of Milwaukee’s potential,” she added.
Samuel Alford, an apprentice at Alice’s Garden, wants to inspire young people such as Johnson. He said the walk allowed the teens to learn that Lindsay Heights offers an abundance of resources.
“Alice’s Garden is an aesthetic jewel and a healing space. When the kids come in for tours I want them to recognize that there is agriculture in this food desert,” said Alford.
He added that he hopes that with help from Neu-Life, the young people will bring gardening to their own backyards.
“Alice’s Garden is just one place out of many that exist and thrive in Lindsay Heights,” said Alford. Spreading the word about the area can help the community to thrive, he added.
Yarbrough said that working at Neu-Life and participating in the walk caused her to see things differently .
“Lindsay Heights is a neighborhood that everyone shouldn’t judge by its cover,” she said. “[People should] recognize everything great it has to offer.”


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Retired organizer reflects on career of ‘stitching’ people together | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
August 17, 2017
Talibah Mateen-Hooper enjoys walking in Kilbourn Reservoir Park in the Riverwest neighborhood. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
As Talibah Mateen-Hooper walked from the hilltop in Kilbourn Reservoir Park down toward its northern border on Meinecke Street, she spied a gaggle of children playing. Recognizing her, they ran squealing, calling out and throwing themselves at her with hugs. Like a fairy godmother, she conjured up bottles of bubbles, perfect for a summer afternoon.
“I always carry bubbles in my car and whenever I see a young lady with kids, struggling, I stop and ask her if I can give bubbles to the kids,” Mateen-Hooper said. Once she has done that, she engages their mother in conversation. “Wherever I meet people, I always engage them,” she said, adding, “People want to be part of things.”
Better known as Mateen, she retired at the beginning of this year after almost 20 years as a community organizer at SDC and Safe & Sound. Known for her warmth, outgoing personality and skill as an organizer, she is missed at Safe & Sound, according to two former colleagues. But at 64, she welcomes the opportunity to spend time with her grandchildren, care for her elderly mother and uncle and “do me,” she reports.
Mateen thinks of her work connecting people in city neighborhoods as stitching together a quilt. “I introduce people to other people who are doing things so not only do they learn from me, they learn from other people in the neighborhood.”
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Safe & Sound colleague Adrian Spencer compared Mateen to a butterfly. Shadowing Mateen in her first year as an organizer, Spencer said she enjoyed watching her “work a room.” Working citywide, Mateen would introduce people wherever they went. “She would float around like a butterfly, smiling and greeting everyone and having these little quirky conversations and then pass them off … to me,” Spencer said.
Mateen-Hooper runs into some children she knows playing in the park. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Citing Andre Lee Ellis, the founder of the We Got This youth employment and mentoring program in Borchert Field, and Brenda Hart Richardson, a resident leader in Amani, Mateen said she met many wonderful people in the neighborhoods working on a grassroots level.
Richardson also engages neighborhood residents and introduces them to each other, said Mateen. That’s important “because when people feel that they’re by themselves, it’s easy for them to be afraid. But if people know others who’re going to stand with them, they feel that everything’s going to be all right.”
Her close friend and neighbor, Betty Glosson, said Mateen “never meets a stranger. She’ll walk up to anyone, especially if there’s something she can help them with.” She has a real passion for young people and talks to them wherever she meets them, Glosson added.
“They’ll walk by with their heads down but before they get too far, (Mateen will) have their heads popped up and they’ll be laughing because she’s just that kind of person,” Glosson said.
Mateen “adopted” a family in Africa many years ago and supported their children’s school expenses, according to Glosson. One of the daughters continued her education through college and though they have never met, she remains in contact with Mateen.
“She does the same thing here in Milwaukee. If she sees someone and they have a need, she’s willing to go in her pocket. She doesn’t hesitate at all,” Glosson said.
Mateen’s kindness and genuine friendship have touched Melvin Lawrence, a friend of 40 years, on several occasions, especially when he suffered tragedies and losses, he said.
After the deaths of his 25-year-old daughter at the hands of her boyfriend in 1994 and recently, with the passing of his mother, Mateen supported him with all kinds of help, including a monetary donation, which he said “really lifted up (his) spirits.”
Like Spencer, Damien Smith, Safe & Sound’s District 5 youth organizer, received a warm welcome, and a lot of guidance and encouragement from Mateen when he joined the staff three years ago.
As an example of Mateen’s work, Smith described a program she created to deter at-risk youth from getting involved in illegal activities.
Over a period of weeks, the program takes young people through the points of contact a person charged with a crime has with the criminal justice system, Smith said. First, the youth meet with police for a dialog that includes “genuine conversation,” according to Smith. Next, they talk with incarcerated individuals, as “a cautionary tale.” Then public defenders tell them about the trial process and they visit courtrooms, Smith explained. Finally, the youth speak with people who have overcome the challenges of criminal activity and incarceration.
Such face-to-face interaction carries a powerful message, Smith said.
Looking back over what she’s learned through her career, Mateen said, “The most important thing is that you’ve got to spend time with the young people.
“Sometimes it breaks your heart the things they tell you,” she said, noting that most would blossom in a less harsh environment. “We’ve got to do better by our kids,” by setting good examples and not approaching them with criticism but rather with love.
Glosson has lived across the street from Mateen near 25 and Vliet for 30 years and sees her every day. The two met in the 1980s when Mateen worked as a waitress at the Interlude, 3937 W. Vliet St., where Glosson was part owner. Later, they moved onto the same block.
An organizer since the 1960s, Glosson has mentored Mateen and the two have worked on many community projects together.
“I think if you have information you should pass it on. I have a lot of experience in organizing and I share it with (Mateen) and she takes it and runs with it and makes it her own,” said Glosson.
Improving the quality of life in communities has always been important to Mateen. Even when she worked as a property manager, before becoming an organizer, she was drawn to helping people, giving out resource information and creating programs for residents, she said.
Born in Chicago, Mateen moved with her parents and siblings to Milwaukee when she was 10. The second oldest of eight children, she said her parents were able to buy a house and build a good life here. A wife, mother of two adult sons and grandmother of five, Mateen is caring for her 88-year-old mother and 89-year-old uncle, both in varying stages of dementia.
A lover of tropical places including Hawaii, Belize, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, all of which she has visited, Mateen hopes to go to Africa, Costa Rica and Bora Bora someday. Until then, she enjoys swimming almost daily and spending time with her grandchildren who live here.
“I always wanted to live in another country,” she said, “but due to babies, due to parents, due to uncles, I haven’t had an opportunity to do that.”

author: Andrea Waxman


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Walnut Way announces new director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Walnut Way
August 17, 2017
Walnut Way Conservation Corporation is pleased to announce the placement of Executive Director, Antonio Butts, by the Board of Directors. Butts, who grew up in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood has served on the Board for a number of years, most recently as Treasurer. He has been heavily involved in the organization, leading the way in setting financial practices for sustainability and growth to support the mission of community revitalization.
His professional engagement and development has most recently included Market Director at Fondy Food Center and consulting services in community engagement, leadership development, and organizational design.
(Photo courtesy of Walnut Way)
In making the announcement, Board of Directors President, LaVonda Graham, emphasized Antonio’s vision for Walnut Way’s growth in the coming years. “His passion places Walnut Way in a role that is central to helping our neighbors and communities, in which we serve, realize their dreams to live well, work, and serve in Lindsay Heights. Antonio brings his own unique set of skills and experiences as a business owner and community developer. His work ethic is stellar, as is his integrity. As a Board, we see in him a leader who can inspire by example as well as by his ability to grasp the details to chart a course forward. He consistently guides with a narrative of positive possibilities.”
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Butts stated that he is “deeply honored and humbled that the Board has expressed its confidence in me, and entrusted Walnut Way’s mission to grow wellness, work and wealth in its neighbors, staff and partners to my leadership.”
Walnut Way has a long history of looking to its own neighbors to fill leadership positions; more than 65% of the Board and staff live and serve in Lindsay Heights. This practice ensures that Walnut Way’s core values – honesty, fairness, trusted relationships, accountability, respect and excellence – remain the foundation of decision-making through succeeding generations.
Butts replaced Acting Director and Founding Board Member, Francesca Dawson, who made her impact by strengthening administrative practices and serving on several projects to advance the organization. Walnut Way would like to express gratitude to Ms. Dawson for her involvement in the organization and neighborhood leadership for over 15 years.

author: Walnut Way


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 17, 2017

author: Adam Carr