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Post from Community: PEARLS For Teen Girls offers free virtual summer programming | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Pearls for Teen Girls
June 16, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
PEARLS For Teen Girls is offering free, virtual summer programming from June 21st to July 29th to girls who will be entering 5th grade through 12th grade. Throughout the six weeks, girls will meet virtually once a week Monday-Friday from 2-3pm with their age group. Girls will also have the option to participate in four different clubs that give girls access to an additional four hours of programming: book club, arts and crafts club, cooking club, and beauty & wellness club.
The latter three will occur Monday, Wednesday, Thursday respectively from 3:30-4:30 pm while Book club will be held on Friday from 2-3pm. Book club was created through a collaboration with the Milwaukee Public Library, in which Librarians will share passages from their favorite YA books, audiobooks and graphic novels before engaging in casual discussion on favorites. In addition, programming staff will encourage girls to participate in four different Summer Challenges to inspire girls to get outdoors, visit parks, read books, perform acts of kindness, and create their own challenges.
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PEARLS For Teen Girls is committed to uplifting anyone who identifies as a girl with empowering programming that focuses on self-care, social emotional wellness and goal setting. PEARLS believes in the inherit value and worthiness of ALL girls and aims to instill that belief in PEARLS girls. If you or someone you know is interested in this free virtual programming, visit www.pearlsforteengirls.com/summer for more information and to sign up.
About PEARLS for Teen Girls
PEARLS for Teen Girls was founded as a volunteer effort in 1993 by a local entrepreneur and grew into a nonprofit in 2002, with the mission to improve the quality of life and strengthen the community through the empowerment and support of young women. PEARLS girls are provided with self-development tools, guidance, and support to strive for better, brighter futures by living out the PEARLS values: Personal Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, Respect, Leadership, and Support. Our research-based curriculum helps girls break through generational and systemic challenges and live to their fullest potential.To learn more visit: PEARLSforTeenGirls.com.

author: Pearls for Teen Girls


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Summer_Programming_Info_2021_SocialPost.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 15, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

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What you need to know about Juneteenth Day in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
June 16, 2021
Milwaukee will once again celebrate Juneteenth Day on Saturday — in person and online. The day marks the end of slavery in the U.S. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
Editor’s note: We’ve updated this explainer on Juneteenth Day that was originally published June 19, 2019.
Juneteenth Day is a day of celebration and remembrance. The tradition began upon the end of the Civil War and has carried on through the generations. Milwaukee is celebrating its 50 Juneteenth Day on Saturday, June 19.
What is Juneteenth Day?
Juneteenth Day celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that the Civil War had ended and with it, the enslavement of black people, according to Juneteenth Day Milwaukee, Milwaukee’s official Juneteenth Day website. This was two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
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Upon hearing the news, people broke out into celebration. Eventually, that day became known as Juneteenth Day.
McArthur Weddle, the former executive director of Northcott Neighborhood House, which is a multipurpose community center, said Juneteenth Day focuses on the importance of recognizing one’s heritage. Weddle served at Northcott for 42 years and retired in 2019. He is one of the main leaders behind Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Day celebration and was featured in an article in the Journal Sentinel for his efforts.
What is the history of Juneteenth in Milwaukee?
In 1971, Milwaukee celebrated its first Juneteenth Day, Weddle said.
Weddle said a Northcott Neighborhood House employee was visiting a relative who lived in the South. Her visit coincided with June June Day, what the locals called Juneteenth Day. Inspired by the celebration, the employee suggested Milwaukee throw its own celebration.
Fifty years later, Milwaukee continues to celebrate Juneteenth Day with an all-day affair that continues to grow with additional vendors, speakers and events such as the pageant.
How does Milwaukee celebrate?
Originally, Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Day celebration was held on a couple of blocks and featured a handful of vendors. These days, it spans four blocks and has hundreds of vendors, a parade and a Miss and Little Miss Juneteenth Day pageant.
“This is a day of celebration and of jubilation,” Weddle said.
What is the significance of Juneteenth Day?
While Juneteenth Day is a day of celebration, it also focuses on heritage and ancestry.
“Our ancestors gave up everything,” Weddle said.
The day is dedicated to reflecting on the past and progressing toward a brighter future. Weddle said Juneteenth Day is about fellowship and unity.
What’s happening Saturday?
Northcott Neighborhood House is celebrating its 50th annual Juneteenth Day. The parade will kick off at North 14 Street and West Atkinson Avenue and head toward West Burleigh Street and North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 19. The opening ceremonies and ensuing festival will take place on King Drive between West Burleigh Street and West North Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be vendors, entertainment, community resources and food and drink. Attendees are required to wear face masks.

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 15, 2021

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Homeownership gap for people of color in Wisconsin is wide; communities, nonprofits try to close it | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Gaby Vinick and Alexa Chatham (Wisconsin Watch)
June 17, 2021
ToGreg Lewis, the home was beautiful. Cozy and inviting, the two-bedroom house inMilwaukee had a finished basement, two and a half car garage, an attachedapartment and a yard.
Hehad his eyes set on it for 42 days, only to learn that the appraisal, orvaluation of the property, was lower than he expected. Lewis thought it wasgoing to be about $100,000, as another house on the same block sold for$130,000. Yet the appraisal only came in at $90,000 — meaning banks would belimited in how much they could lend him to buy the home.
Heblames the difference on racism. And he is not alone. Experts and some homeowners say historic racism continues toplay a role in depressing the value of Black-owned homes, especially inmajority-Black neighborhoods.
“Somehomes can be beautiful homes and the appraisal comes in short, and then you gotto deal with that because they find out that it’s a Black person that owns itand is selling it,” said Lewis, who had to take a pass on buying the house.
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Owninga home allows families to preserve and grow wealth, increases their capacity toborrow and lowers the cost of housing. Lower appraisals are among many barriers to building wealth faced by BlackAmericans.
Wisconsinhas one of the lowest Black homeownership rates in the country; just 26% of Black residents own
their own homes, compared to the white homeownership rate of 72%.
Expertssay that historic, discriminatory practices such as redlining — areas wherebanks refused to lend money — and racial covenants, which banned sales to Black buyers,have combined with modern-day racism and overall lower incomes to disadvantageBlack Americans, hurting their ability to buy a home.
Lewishas now stalled his house-hunting, discouraged by being outbid so many times.
“Ittook a lot out of me,” he said. “I went into a depressive state. Looking for ahouse is really excruciating, and at the end of the day, you want to findsomething that fits you, something that you like, so that’s the hardest part.”
TheNational Association of Realtors found in a 2019 study that owning a home remains elusive for many Black buyers, with 43% of Black households ableto buy the typically priced house compared to 63% of white households.
The Center for
Responsible Lending also found it would take 14 years for a Black household atthe national median income level to save for a 5% mortgage down payment andclosing costs for a median-priced house — and 11 years for a Latino family —while a white median-income family needs nine years to accumulate the sameamount of funds.
From homeless to homeowner
SheilaDeCuevas, a mother of four, struggled to find a home for 11 years, unable tosave enough money for a deposit or meet financial requirements for a loan.
“Therewas always problems with qualifications for any type of loan or traditionallending or any type of program, so we had a really tough time trying to getsomeone to help us,” she said.
DeCuevas rented for years without feeling secure after experiencing homeless with her then-2-year-old son. “A lot of people don’t understand because they have stable lives, but acquiring your own place brings peace of mind to a lot of people,” she said.
DeCuevaseventually worked with Acts Housing of Milwaukee, which helpslow-income families purchase and fix up their own homes. DeCuevas said ActsHousing improved her financial literacy, allowing her to buy her own home.
“Myoldest is already talking about ‘When I’m buying my own house,’ so they’re notthinking about renting,” said DeCuevas, who now works for Acts Housing as anoffice coordinator. “They’re not thinking about making other people wealthy,they want to make themselves stable and more wealthy.”
Homeownership’s spinoff effects
Homeownershipis a key metric for standard of living in several ways. Homes are often thelargest single asset a family owns, providing a source of wealth for currentand future generations. Homeownership also provides housing stability, whichcan help children do better in school and provide other benefits. It is abenefit that too many Black people do not enjoy.
KurtPaulsen, a University of Wisconsin-Madison expert on housing affordability,said little headway has been made in increasing Black homeownership, whichstands at 44% nationally compared to 74% for whites.
“Nationwide,the Black homeownership rate is still not where it needs to be, and in someways, has not significantly improved since the 1968 Fair Housing Act,” Paulsensaid.
Althoughhousing discrimination based on race is illegal through the Fair Housing Act, Paulsen said mortgage lenderssometimes deny Black households loans — or charge higher interest rates — dueto lower income and a higher debt-to-income ratio.
KacieLucchini Butcher is a public history project director at UW-Madison whoresearches housing inequity. Butcher emphasized the alarming implications oflow Black homeownership rates, including the ability of such families to buildintergenerational wealth.
Nationally,the average white household has a net worth of $171,000 — 10 times higher than
the average Black household’s net worth of $17,150. And in Milwaukee, Black Americans areworse off financially today than they were 40 to 50 years ago, found Marc Levine, UW-Milwaukee professoremeritus of history, economic development and urban studies.
SaidButcher: “If homeownership continues in the way that it does, and if access tohousing continues in the way it does, we are just going to see a continuedexacerbation of wealth inequality and of poverty. One of the best ways to fixthis is to get everybody housing.”
Historical barriers to homeownership
Buildingintergenerational wealth is not the only challenge Black Americans face.
UW-Madisonprofessor Kris Olds, an expert on urban planning and gentrification, saidhousing affordability remains a huge problem across Wisconsin, especially inMadison.
“Oneof the problems in Madison is so much of it (housing) is allocated to singlefamily zoning districts, and it’s quite expensive to access that,” he said.
PaigeGlotzer, assistant professor of history at UW-Madison and author of a book onthe history of housing discrimination, said bias still permeates the housingmarket in sometimes inconspicuous ways.
Glotzersaid a house owned by Black people or situated in a Black neighborhood willappreciate less in value than the exact same house in a majority whiteneighborhood and, “It’s sometimes hard to detect because you can always give acolorblind reason why you’re taking away value from a house.”
Levinenoted that a Black household in Milwaukee with an income over $100,000 is twiceas likely to live in a concentrated poverty neighborhood as a white householdwith income under $10,000 a year — meaning even a high income does not insulateBlack Wisconsinites from housing discrimination.
Redlining explained
Generationsafter the 1968 Fair Housing Act was enacted, white and Black homeownershiprates and conditions remain miles apart. This is especially true inMilwaukee, one of the country’s most segregated major cities.
“AfricanAmericans are more likely to buy lower-priced homes in segregated neighborhoodsbecause of historical segregation patterns,” Paulson said.
Amain reason for housing segregation is redlining, which began with the Home Owners’Loan Corporation of 1932 — when the Great Depression thrust America into ahousing crisis.
Thefederal government issued bonds to refinance the majority of Americans’mortgages. The government developed standards for which mortgages andneighborhoods it would refinance by color coding geographical areas by riskfactor. Green indicated the lowest risk. All-Black and neighborhoods with“inharmonious racial groups” were assigned the highest risk color — red.
Redliningwas “a close collaboration” between white federal policymakers, planners anddevelopers, Glotzer said.
“Redliningwas actually a form of lending discrimination,” she said. “There are hugehurdles in terms of getting access to credit, to capital, to money and to goodbanking that is still very much a huge determinant of how people can live. Andthat is, and continues to be, very much something really based on racism.”
Efforts abound to build
homeownership
Severalpublic agencies and nonprofits are working to help Black residents of Wisconsinbecome homeowners.
Real-estateagent Mo Simmons, who is helping Lewis buy a home, belongs to Take Root Milwaukee, a consortium of 50 communityorganizations, neighborhood groups, HUD-certified housing counseling agencies,real estate agents and lenders that helps residents buy, keep or fix a home.
“There’sbeen a lot of biases that have kept Black people from being able to obtainhomeownership,” she said. “But there’s now, in 2021, a lot more education and alot more resources …  and Take Root isproviding that,” she said.
Arecent Wisconsin Policy Forum
analysisfound that between 2014 and 2018, the city of Milwaukee spent $26.4 million tohelp existing homeowners fix up their properties but comparatively less — $3.5million — on increasing homeownership. The city also spent $19 million onexpanding the amount of affordable housing. The think tank suggested thatMilwaukee could better focus its efforts — spread across 20 housing programswith no single director — to boost the level of homeownership and affordablehousing in the city.
‘Everyone should own a home’
Oneresource is the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Association (WHEDA),created in 1972 by the Wisconsin Legislature, which holds over $2 billion inassets and serves as a lender for state residents in need of affordable housingfinancing. The organization issued 2,680 loans — totaling $366 million — tofirst-time homebuyers and working families in the 2020 fiscal year.
Joaquin Altoro, CEO of WHEDA, said increasingly, financialinstitutions are identifying potential owners of color and helping them buyhomes. “I’m not trying to change racism, I can’t do that by myself,” he said.“But I can change the fact that we put one, two, three homeowners in aneighborhood.”
Lewissaid he looks forward to the day he can finally buy a house — and possibly passthat asset along to his family.
“Ithink everyone should own a home,” he said. “That’s a start to building somegenerational wealth for Blacks.”
Reporter Zhen Wang contributed to this story, which was produced as part of an investigative reporting class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication under the direction of Dee J. Hall, Wisconsin Watch’s managing editor. The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with WPR, Wisconsin PBS, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.


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Post from Community: Nonprofit Executive Leadership Circles 2021-22 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management
June 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
<pThe Helen Bader Institute (HBI) for Nonprofit Management is pleased to announce that registration is open for the 2020-21 cohort of HBI’s Nonprofit Leadership Circle program. HBI’s Nonprofit Leadership Circle program focuses on the needs of nonprofit Executive Directors & HR Management, offering support to the top-level oversight of nonprofit organizations of various sizes and missions. Participants share challenges and strategies for personal and organizational success in a facilitated, informal, round-table format. Cohort members will have an opportunity to meet regularly to share their insights, gain practical solutions, and alleviate on-the-job isolation or stress.
Similar to other Leadership Circle programs, participants will meet monthly in groups of 6-10 facilitated by an experienced coach for 10 sessions throughout the year. Learn more about the program on our website.
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Leadership Circle participants are asked to complete a brief registration form to help match individual leaders to a cohort with similar leadership responsibilities, as well as similar life and work experiences.
There is a required annual membership fee of $300/year per participant.
Registration is available June 1-30!
Long-distance and scholarship options are available.
Register Here!
Questions? Contact Bryce Lord, Associate Director, Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management at balord@uwm.edu or (414) 251-8790.


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Post from Community: Wisconsin nonprofit compensation & benefit survey | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management
June 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Wisconsin’s nonprofit sector plays a critical role in the health and vibrancy of Wisconsin communities. We know that many who work in the nonprofit sector do so for the love and passion of a specific cause. Along with the Institute for Nonprofit Management Studies at UW-Whitewater, the Helen Bader Institute (HBI) for Nonprofit Management at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee firmly believes that nonprofit employees should be appropriately compensated for the great work they do in making a positive difference in the lives of Wisconsin residents.
Information about employee compensation and benefits is one of the top requests we get at HBI. Based on these requests, we acknowledge that last year’s crises have made considerable impacts on nonprofits regarding compensation and benefits. In response to your needs, we are launching this survey to provide timely and relevant information – focused on nonprofits.
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With that, our Wisconsin Nonprofit Compensation and Benefits Survey will be distributed May 3 – June 25, 2021, to nonprofits throughout Wisconsin. The subsequent report will provide nonprofits with valuable compensation and benefits data to inform their organizations and employees’ critical decisions. Nonprofits that participate in the forthcoming survey will receive a free copy of the report.
Learn more about the survey here!


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5 things to do and know the weekend of June 18 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 18, 2021
Voces de la Frontera is planning to march nine days starting Sunday, June 20, to raise awareness of driver’s licenses and citizenship for all. (NNS file photo)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Farmhouse Paint Bar open studio hours: Friday, June 18, Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20
The Farmhouse Paint Bar & Banquet Hall, 4511 S. 6th St., is having open studio hours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, June 18; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 19; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 20. Reservations are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. During open studio, participants can choose from canvas painting to wood sign making and more. Servers will explain how to perform the activity, but the projects are self-led.
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2. Yoga in the garden: Saturday, June 19
Soulshine Yoga and Groundwork MKE are bringing yoga in the garden. The class will take place at Peace Park, 3240 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 19. This is a class for beginners, but all are welcome. The suggested donation for the class is $5 to $10.
3. Voces de la Frontera march for driver’s licenses and citizenship: Sunday, June 20
Voces de la Frontera is planning to march for nine days to encourage the Biden administration to include citizenship in the upcoming infrastructure and jobs budget bill. The theme of the march is driver’s licenses and citizenship for all. The first march will begin at the new Voces offices, 1027 S. 5th St., at 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 20. Organizers plan to hold the final march and rally at the Capitol in Madison on Monday, June 28.
4. HOME: World Refugee Day with Lynden Sculpture Garden: Sunday, June 20
Lynden Sculpture Gardens is launching HOME 2021 on World Refugee Day. The event will take place at the garden, 2145 W. Brown Deer Rd., starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 20. The onsite schedule includes story time, a symbol carving workshop and more. A virtual program will take place on Facebook Live from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 20.
5. Tricklebee Cafe farmers market: Sunday, June 20
Tricklebee Cafe, 4424 W. North Ave., is hosting a farmers and makers market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 20. There will be produce, jewelry, self-care products, food from the Tricklebee kitchen and more available for purchase. This will be an ongoing market, to become a vendor, email tricklebeecafe@gmail.com.
Bonus: Juneteenth Day events: Saturday, June 19
Juneteenth Day is taking place on Saturday, June 19. This year, Milwaukee is celebrating its 50th annual Juneteenth Day. For the list of Juneteenth Day related events, read: 6 ways to celebrate Juneteenth Day this year.
Bonus: Lakeside at MAM: Friday, June 18, Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20
The Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr., is inviting the community to enjoy free outdoor fun through Lakeside at MAM. There will be live performances, family friendly activities and refreshments. Lakeside at MAM will be taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 18, Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20. Participants are encouraged to bring a blanket and an umbrella.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 17, 2021


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Post from Community: MKE Black launches summer marketplace series | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
MKE Black
June 18, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
MKE Black Inc. announced the launch of its Summer Marketplace Series, an outdoor marketplace focused on local Black-Owned businesses. The events will be held on the fourth Saturday of the month throughout the summer (June, July, August) at the Beerline Plaza, 3356 N Holton St, from 11 am – 3 pm.
MKE Black is raising the bar from their previous Food Truck Block Party events by expanding beyond food to include everything from clothing to arts to better represent the many diverse fields of Black Business Owners in the Milwaukee area.
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WHO: MKE Black, Inc
WHAT: Summer Marketplace Series
WHEN: Saturday, June 26th, July 24th & August 28 from 11 am – 3 pm
WHERE: Beerline Plaza, 3356 N Holton St, Milwaukee, WI
June’s event will also host the official launch of the “Love, Milwaukee” Campaign. Love, Milwaukee is a series of collaborations showcasing diverse community organizations and breweries throughout the summer. MobCraft Beer will be our featured guest brewery on-site to share some of their delicious and innovative brews for attendees to purchase.
This event will be open to the public. For more information or to be a vendor, visit https://MKEBlack.org.
About MKE Black
MKE Black is a 100% volunteer-run non-profit whose mission is to celebrate, promote, empower, and advance Black businesses, events, and culture in the greater Milwaukee area by providing resources, connections, and awareness in everyday life.

author: MKE Black


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Post from Community: LIT’s high school fellowship applications are OPEN | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Leaders Igniting Transformation
June 20, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Do you know any MPS high school students that are dedicated leaders? We’re hiring fellows this fall to join our LIT family. We are looking for High School Fellows that will help us organize a political and cultural bloc of young people by engaging them in leadership development, civic engagement, and our Invest Divest campaign. The fellowship takes place from August 9th to December 3rd, 2021. Fellows will work 8 hours per week and compensation is $16.67 per hour.
Requirements:
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Expectations and duties for the fellows include base building and campaign work through one on ones, outreach/events, and chapter meetings, leadership development through fellow trainings and other meetings, and civic engagement through tabling and voter education/registration events. The application will close on July 27, 2021 and interviews will begin soon after. You can find the application here.
APPLY NOW
If there are any questions, please contact Jasmine at jasmine@litmke.org.

author: Leaders Igniting Transformation


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 20, 2021


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Post from Community: Wisconsin nonpartisan redistricting committee launches portal to gather public input | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin People’s Maps Commission
June 20, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Wisconsin People’s Maps Commission (PMC) announced today a new public input portal at portal.wisconsin-mapping.org. Wisconsinites are encouraged to submit maps of their communities, redistricting plans of their own, and written comments to guide the work and recommendations of the PMC.
“We’ve said all along that these maps should be drawn with input from Wisconsinites across the state,” said PMC Chair Chris Ford. “After months of testimony from folks in nearly every corner of the state, we need the same kind of turnout for the map-drawing process. Having direct feedback from communities will help us draw fair, impartial maps.”
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Submissions to the portal will be used to draw maps that fit the PMC’s map-drawing criteria, found here. All submissions will also be published on the portal, providing transparency in the map-drawing process. Public input is crucial to create fair maps for Wisconsin.
The People’s Maps Commission was formed in January 2020 following the issuance of Executive Order #66 by Governor Tony Evers. The PMC members are residents of Wisconsin and were selected to ensure representation from across all of Wisconsin’s eight congressional districts.
Every 10 years following the U.S. Census, district maps dictating the lines for congressional seats, state senate seats, and state assembly seats are redrawn based on the population distribution or apportionment, of the Census. The apportionment of people throughout the state also determines how to prioritize resources for roads and bridges, schools, and healthcare systems.
At least 55 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties encompassing approximately 80 percent of Wisconsin’s population have passed resolutions or referenda supporting nonpartisan redistricting. According to a Marquette University Law School Poll, more than 70 percent of Wisconsinites prefer to have redistricting conducted by a nonpartisan commission.
For more information about the PMC and their work, visit wisconsin.gov/peoplesmaps.

author: Wisconsin People’s Maps Commission


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: June 21 to June 26 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 21, 2021
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, 930 W. Historic Mitchell St., is hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the Native community. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Milwaukee Rep’s “SoundStage MKE”: Ongoing
This summer, Milwaukee Repertory Theater is presenting “SoundStage MKE,” an audio play experience set in Milwaukee’s Downtown. SoundStage MKE takes listeners on a tour of Milwaukee beginning at the Milwaukee Public Library, 814 W. Wells St., and ending at the War Memorial, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, with many stops in between. SoundStage MKE consists of four original audio plays written by Marissa Carr, an Indigenous playwright, and “Soundbytes” written by Deannie Vallone. To access SoundStage MKE for free, click here.
2. Native community COVID-19 vaccine event: Tuesday, June 22
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The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, 930 W. Historic Mitchell St., is hosting a Native community COVID-19 vaccine event from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22. Enrolled tribal members and household members ages 12 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. Parental and guardian permission is required for youth ages 12 to 17. The Pfizer vaccine will be administered. To pre-register, call 414-383-9526.
3. Level Up: A virtual networking and mentorship event: Thursday, June 24
Leaders Igniting Transformation, or LIT, is hosting an event for young people of color. A panel of Black and brown leaders will be offering advice on how to level up your networking skills and mentorship game. The panel will take place online from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 24. To register, click here.
4. Latino Arts: Pinto con tinto: Thursday, June 24
Latino Arts is hosting a Pinto con Tinto, an evening of painting, wine and tapas. Participants will be painting talavera birdhouses. Tickets are $25 and include refreshments and the art supplies. Guests must be 21 or older and are required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. Pinto con Tinto will take place at Latino Arts, 1028 S. 9th St., from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 24.
5. MKE Black’s monthly summer marketplace: Saturday, June 26
MKE Black is hosting a summer marketplace the fourth Saturday of the month throughout the summer season. The first marketplace will take place at Beerline Plaza, 3356 N. Holton St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 26. The marketplace highlights Black-owned businesses. This month’s marketplace also marks the official launch of the “Love, Milwaukee” campaign, a collaboration between diverse community organizations and breweries. MobCraft Beer will be in attendance as the featured guest brewery. READ: New app aims to showcase Milwaukee’s black entrepreneurs and creatives
Bonus: Virtual kickoff for new Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan: Thursday, June 24
The City-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity is hosting a virtual kickoff event for the new Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 24. Learn about how climate change is affecting Milwaukee, what the planning process will look like and how you can get involved. Guest speakers will include Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, State Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde and Brenda Coley, executive director of Milwaukee Water Commons. You can register by clicking here. Translation will be available in both American Sign Language and Spanish. E-mail sustainability@milwaukee.gov with any questions.


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Post from Community: Come for the concert stay for the vaccination | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care
June 21, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Wisconsin National Guard brings vaccine to North Side entertainment venue beginning Wednesday.
Jam to live music, and get vaccinated while you’re at it. The Wisconsin National Guard will offer free COVID-19 vaccinations at a summer entertainment series at St. Ann Center’s Indaba Band Shell, 2450 W. North Ave. Vaccinations are scheduled to be available from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday, beginning June 23 through Aug. 25.
A mobile vaccination tent will be set up on the band shell grounds in conjunction with Indaba Nights, a family-friendly series of concerts, dance and dramatic performances held at St. Ann Center’s northside band shell.
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No appointment is needed for those eligible for vaccination. A team of National Guard soldiers staffing the site will include a physician’s assistant and medic. “Besides administering vaccines, we’ll be available to answer any questions about vaccine safety,” said Sgt. Jacob Petersen. The type of vaccine available will be determined the day of the event.
The band shell is located in a neighborhood hit hard by COVID-19 and now lagging behind in vaccination rates, the area covered by the 53205-06 ZIP codes.
The National Guard is ramping up its efforts to mobilize and bring the vaccine to popular sites where the community gathers. “Instead of you coming to us, we’re coming to you,” Petersen said. “This is another step toward convenience for anyone who’s been hesitant about getting vaccinated because of difficulty getting to a site or concern about waiting in line.”
“We want to make it as easy as possible for our neighbors to access the vaccine,” said Sr. Edna Lonergan, president of St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, an all-ages day care serving children, frail elders and adults with disabilities. “Maybe you come to the band shell to listen to some great music or to watch the Milwaukee Ballet or the Florentine Opera perform. You see the vaccination tent and decide, today’s the day to get vaccinated!”
The full schedule for the Indaba Nights entertainment series is posted on the St. Ann Center website: https://stanncenter.org/community/indaba-band-shell/.


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teju-national-guard.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 21, 2021


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Post from Community: National expert joins local dialogue on equitable economic opportunity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Zilber Family Foundation
June 21, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
To unpack the effects of racism and structural inequity on people, places and systems, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation is inviting community to engage with national and local experts, and one another, in a new action-oriented educational series beginning this month.
The Foundation’s virtual, three-part series – A Milwaukee for All – kicks off June 25 with an interactive exploration of equitable economic opportunities featuring Dr. Andre Perry, a nationally respected educator on race, structural inequity and education. A senior fellow with the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and author of “Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities,” Dr. Perry will participate in a lively dialogue with Foundation president and CEO Ellen M. Gilligan. He will address how building equitable economic opportunity starts with understanding historical inequities and placing value on Black and Brown people.
This signature discussion will bridge to a set of associated On the Table MKE conversations, the Foundation’s popular platform for community connection and collective action. More than a dozen local leaders will facilitate discussions on a range of topics pertaining to equitable economic opportunities and centered on community solutions. Guests can choose to join any of the following breakout rooms for learning and taking action together:
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The online event will take place 9 – 10:30 a.m., Friday, June 25. Participation is free for everyone.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW.
This special series in an extension of the Foundation’s overall strategic vision of A Milwaukee for All and presents an opportunity to work collectively toward a thriving, inclusive region. With racial equity and inclusion as its North Star, the Foundation is playing a catalytic role by bringing community and philanthropy together, particularly around early childhood education, the collective work of the ThriveOn Collaboration and matters of equitable economic opportunity.
“Many of the factors that add to or subtract from our quality of life are impacted by the access we have to economic opportunities,” Gilligan said. “We see protracted disparities in areas like employment, education outcomes and homeownership because those systems were structured in a way that excludes Black and Brown people from opportunities to progress and devalues the assets in their communities. I am excited to talk with Dr. Perry because his perspective on how we can better invest in people and drive corresponding policy change has the potential to inspire meaningful, practical solutions in Milwaukee.”
About the Greater Milwaukee Foundation
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is Wisconsin’s largest community foundation and was among the first established in the world. For more than a century, the Foundation has been at the heart of the civic community, helping donors achieve the greatest philanthropic impact, elevating the work of changemakers across neighborhoods, and bringing people and organizations together to help our region thrive. Racial equity is the Foundation’s North Star, guiding its investments and strategies for social and economic change. Leveraging generations of community knowledge, cross-sector partnerships and more than $1 billion in financial assets, the Foundation is committed to reimagining philanthropy, recentering communities and remaking systems to transform our region into a Milwaukee for all.


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AMFA-promo-june.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 21, 2021


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Post from Community: New Study: Half of parents think remote learning negatively impacted their child | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
UScellular
June 21, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The COVID-19 pandemic created a tumultuous landscape in education for students and teachers who juggled the everchanging in-person, remote and hybrid learning models. These unexpected barriers led UScellular to commit $100,000 to DonorsChoose to support teachers and their students this summer to help them prepare for the next school year. DonorsChoose is a non-profit organization that connects public school teachers with interested donors who want to support classroom projects.
In May 2021, UScellular, surveyed parents1 regarding their child(ren)’s learning during the pandemic. The results showed:
“Parents and youth have experienced tremendous effects on education as a result of the pandemic,” said Deirdre Drake, executive vice president and chief people officer at UScellular. “By teaming up with DonorsChoose, we’re addressing gaps in STEM education and helping educators receive vital funding to prepare youth for the careers of today and the future.”
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Teachers are able to request funding for their classroom projects by visiting DonorsChoose.org/teachers.  While funds last, UScellular will provide a 1:1 funding match for classroom projects that are within the regions that UScellular serves, $1,000 or less and have a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) focus. To provide better accessibility and equity to STEM learning, classrooms that receive UScellular funding will be in communities where 90% or more of the students are from low-income households. The $100,000 donation from UScellular will take place this summer to help teachers prepare for the return of students to classrooms in the fall, with 10% of the funding going towards projects that directly address summer school needs. According to a recent DonorsChoose survey, technology materials are in highest demand for both in-person and remote instruction.
“Our company cares passionately about our local communities,” continued Drake. “It’s through organizations like DonorsChoose that we’re able to build better communities and support educators who are critical to the success of youth across the country.”
UScellular has a longstanding commitment to supporting its local communities through donations and volunteerism. Since 2009, the company has donated more than $20.7 million along with countless experiences and technology items to nonprofit organizations across the country. For more information about UScellular’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, please go to https://www.uscellular.com/get-to-know-us/community-outreach.
UScellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier is building a stronger network with the latest 5G technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. To learn more about UScellular, visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with UScellular on  Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.
DonorsChoose is the leading way to give to public schools. Since 2000, 4.8 million people and partners have contributed $1 billion to support 1.9 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. As the most trusted crowdfunding platform for teachers, donors, and district administrators alike, DonorsChoose vets each request, ships the funded resources directly to the classroom, and provides thank yous and reporting to donors and school leaders. Charity Navigator and GuideStar have awarded DonorsChoose, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, their highest ratings for transparency and accountability. For more information, visit www.donorschoose.org.

author: UScellular


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Post from Community: Notice of community meeting for appointees to the City of Milwaukee Board of Fire & Police Commissioners | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission
June 21, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
On Saturday, June 26, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the City of Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission (FPC) will host a virtual community meeting on the appointments of Edward Fallone, Joan Kessler, and LaNelle Ramey to the Board of Fire & Police Commissioners. During the meeting, the appointees will discuss their backgrounds and answer questions from the community, which can be submitted during the registration process.
To attend and participate in the meeting, please use the link below to register:
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https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4768780257512624908
Shall a quorum of FPC Commissioners be present during the community meeting, no formal action will be taken.
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Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities through sign language and bilingual interpreters or auxiliary aides. For additional information or to request this service, please contact the Mayor’s Office at 414-286-2200.

author: Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission


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Post from Community: Virtual tobacco retailer and community education event this Thursday | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Tobacco Prevention Alliance
June 21, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Tobacco retailers and members of the community are invited to join us on Thursday June, 24, from 11-Noon to learn about the retail environment in Milwaukee and receive information and resources on tobacco compliance checks.
The virtual event is being hosted by the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance, in partnership with the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network, Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network, Wisconsin Hispanic Tobacco Prevention Network and 53206 Drug-Free Communities.
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That day individuals can also learn more about the Federal T-21 law which raised the age to purchase tobacco from 18-21, the Wisconsin Retailer Assessment Project findings, the Wisconsin Wins program, and WiTobaccoCheck.org, a website that provides free training for retailers.
Register for the event at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/158000217905.

author: Milwaukee Tobacco Prevention Alliance


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NNS Spotlight: ’Individuals are bigger than the mistakes they’ve made’: How one woman wants to transform the justice system | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Caroline White
June 22, 2021
Chantell Jewell (second from right) celebrating her daughter’s high school graduation and her son’s college graduation last year with her husband and children. (Photo provided by Chantell Jewell)
Chantell Jewell thinks now is the time to change the criminal justice system.
Jewell, the first Black woman to serve as the superintendent of the Milwaukee County House of Correction, is working on two new programs for residents of that facility in Franklin.
Jewell said the House of Correction is collaborating with community partners and other county offices to develop a Family Engagement Center where individuals enrolled in certain programs could participate in face-to-face family visits. Leaders also are planning to use a new “housing navigator” to help address the need for post-release housing before people leave the facility.
Jewell, 49, wants to use her new position to “create spaces for change” for individuals in the justice system.
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Jewell, who has worked in various roles involving or at the periphery of the justice system for nearly three decades, said throughout her life in Milwaukee, she has seen the “devastating impacts” that mass incarceration has had on communities, adding there is “a need for change and reform within the criminal justice system.”
Breaking down barriers
Now that she’s the superintendent, Jewell said her approach to reform starts with trying to analyze how larger systems, like housing and employment, for example, work together to create barriers and how the House of Correction can help individuals overcome them.
County Executive David Crowley appointed Jewell to the role in October, the County Board approved her appointment in December, and Jewell was sworn in this January.
County Executive David Crowley appointed Jewell to the role in October, the County Board approved her appointment in December, and Jewell was sworn in by Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson in January. (Photo provided by Chantell Jewell)
“Chantell is the right kind of leader for the House of Correction at a time when the county is focused on promoting racial equity, addressing disparities, reducing incarceration and promoting improved outcomes for residents across the board,” Crowley said in a statement after the board approved her appointment.
Stepping into her new role during a pandemic was a big concern, and ensuring the health and safety of those living and working in the facility has been her top priority, she said. COVID-19 cases in the facility spiked a few times last year, peaking at around 100 cases in April and to nearly 150 in November.
Currently, the facility has one confirmed case of COVID-19 among employees and one for residents, according to Milwaukee County’s COVID-19 Dashboard.
“I can never feel fully relieved as long as the virus is out there,” she said.
She supports Crowley’s plan for Milwaukee County to promote racial equity and become the healthiest county in Wisconsin. That effort was introduced in the 2021 county budget.
One part of the plan is the No Wrong Door approach, which aims to open communication and collaboration between different county services so individuals can get help addressing their needs no matter who or which department they contact for help.
The ultimate goal, Jewell said, is to reduce the number of times a person enters custody.
“Individuals are bigger than the mistakes they’ve made,” she said. “If we want our communities to shape up differently, we have to create opportunities for long-term change.”
‘The right person’
Mark Mertens, the administrator of the Milwaukee County Division of Youth and Family Services, worked with Jewell for about two years while she was a deputy administrator of the division. He said he was struck by how Jewell was able to use her past experiences to “understand and connect with the people being served.”
When she’s not working, Jewell likes to bake with her children and grandchildren. Last year, her hobby turned into a small business she’s calling Chantell’s Cakery. (Photo provided by Chantell Jewell)
“She’s someone who can really transform the system into more of a healing place,” Mertens said. “She’s exactly the right person.”
Jewell grew up in Lapham Park and graduated from Riverside University High School in 1989. As a first-generation college student and young mother, Jewell went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and corrections from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a master’s in Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University.
In the 1990s, Jewell began her career in youth justice, then worked as a probation and parole agent for about 20 years before moving to the re-entry department at Employ Milwaukee. Jewell briefly returned to work for Milwaukee County as a deputy administrator in the Department of Health and Human Services before applying for the superintendent position last year.
Jewell said these experiences have given her “a full-circle perspective” on the various pressures and obstacles those in the justice system face, and that is what fuels her work.
“My main concern is people,” Jewell said. “I care about what happens in my community.”
Outside of work, Jewell has a side-business, Chantell’s Cakery, which sells cakes and other desserts. She’s also the mother of three and grandmother of five children whom she calls “the sparkle of my eye.”
“Without the support of my family, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the things that I accomplished,” she said.
Her uncle, Rickey Jewell, said his niece makes him “very proud to be a Jewell.”
“She’s built to be where she is,” he said.

author: Caroline White


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51103098305_b09e9e4735_c | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 21, 2021


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 21, 2021


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Post from Community: Meda announces fourth annual “Million Dollar Challenge for Minority Entrepreneurs” | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Metropolitan Economic Development Agency
June 22, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Meda (Metropolitan Economic Development Association) has opened up applications for its fourth annual Million Dollar Challenge for Minority Entrepreneurs. The Meda Million Dollar Challenge is the largest BIPOC entrepreneurial competition in the country, awarding $1 million in financing to BIPOC businesses from across the nation.
This year’s competition will be a hybrid model with applications and finalist bootcamps online culminating in an in-person pitch event in the fall. The application form can be found here.
Applications open in June 2021 and the finalists will be announced in July. Finalists will virtually attend the Boot Camp for Successful Pitches in August and September. The final pitch event will take place September 21, 2021 during Twin Cities Start Up Week.
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Meda is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping BIPOC businesses succeed. The past three years of the Million Dollar Challenge resulted in 18 BIPOC businesses from nine states receiving financial awards, totaling nearly $4 million.
“The Million Dollar Challenge is the premier entrepreneurial competition specifically for BIPOC entrepreneurs to accelerate their business growth,” said Meda President and CEO, Alfredo Martel. “As we continue dealing with the effects of COVID-19 and racial injustice, it has never been more important than now to invest in our communities’ BIPOC businesses. Investing in them has proven to create jobs, boost economic development and increase equity – crucial needs in this time. We can’t wait to begin our fourth year of the Million Dollar Challenge to continue impacting supporting BIPOC entrepreneurs across the nation.”
Meda’s services include business consulting, financing solutions and corporate and government opportunities, such as contracts and funding opportunities. Since its inception in 1971, Meda has assisted more than 23,000 BIPOC entrepreneurs and helped start more than 500 minority-owned, small businesses. Studies reveal that there is large disparity between the success of non-minority and minority business due to lack of financial, human, and social capital as well as racial discrimination. Meda hopes to shed a light on this issue and do its part to kickstart opportunities through the Million Dollar Challenge.
About the Metropolitan Economic Development Agency (Meda): Meda was founded by a group of Minnesota business leaders who saw minority business ownership as a positive, long-term response to rising economic inequity within minority communities in our state. Meda provides business development services, access to capital and corporate and governmental market support for minority entrepreneurs. Over the years, Meda has helped launch more than 500 minority businesses and assisted more than 23,000 Minnesota minority entrepreneurs. Today, Meda clients employ 6,000 Minnesotans and have a combined annual revenue of $1 billion. Meda operates a growing Community Development Fund Institution (CDFI) that provides needed capital for minority businesses to become sustainable. Meda is also the host organization for the Minneapolis Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center, which has been recognized by the MBDA as the top performing center four consecutive years from 2016- 2019. For more information, visit meda.net.


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Post from Community: Nō Studios awards first round of artist grants | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Nō Studios
June 22, 2021
(Clockwise from upper left) BriJon, KoBe, Sypher Lady X, Cam Will, WebsterX and Browns Crew. (Photos provided by No Studios)
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Today, Nō Studios founder John Ridley announced that the first round of funding has been awarded from its recently established Nō Studios Artist Grant Program. The program, entirely self-funded by the Nō Studios collaborative, has pledged to give up to $100,000 annually to support Wisconsin artists, especially those in historically underserved populations, to help them realize the completion of their artistic endeavors.
The first round of recipients are six Wisconsin musicians who will receive a total of $25,000, including: KoBe, Browns Crew, Sypher Lady X, BriJon, WebsterX and Cam Will.
Future awards will be given quarterly to Wisconsin-based creatives working in a range of disciplines including, but not limited to, visual arts, photography, music, film, dance, fashion, poetry, creative writing and performance. The program is committed to distributing up to $25,000 quarterly to qualifying artists with special consideration given to those identifying as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, female or female identifying, disabled and/or veterans. Individual recipients are eligible to receive grants up to $10,000 each.
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“It’s very exciting for us at Nō Studios to celebrate and support six Wisconsin based musicians who are not only talented but using their voices to uplift their communities,” said Nō Studios founder John Ridley. “Our hope is that these grants empower these individuals to take their artistic expression to the next level. I look forward to seeing what they create and how they continue their work as change-agents.”
Nō Studios is partnered with gener8tor, a Wisconsin based platform that provides resources and connections to people working in the creative economy to help run the program. gener8tor is responsible for handling artist grant submissions, the juried selection process and providing programming support to selected artists through mentoring, professional development and networking opportunities.
The second application submission round will focus on visual art, with applications due by Aug. 1 and grants awarded in September. Individual artists living and working in Wisconsin are encouraged to apply at nostudiosartistgrant.com. gener8tor offers a series of webinars and virtual office hours to help artists with the grant application process. A jury of creative professionals from outside of Wisconsin reviews all applications and awards the grants.
ABOUT THE GRANT RECIPIENTS:
For full artist profiles, visit www.nostudios.com/artist-grant.
KoBe
22 year old KoBe is currently a journalism student at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. He is pioneering a new genre of dance music dubbed “Indie House.” KoBe plans to reinvest his grant money into the community, producing a music video to accompany his latest E.P. “Edge of the World,” showcasing Milwaukee’s vibrant music and dance scene.
Browns Crew
Browns Crew is a Latin hip hop duo consisting of El Sebas & Cristo Paz, two artists whose music is influenced by their culture and experience as Mexicans. In 2019, Browns Crew were named a winner at Summerfest’s 2019 Emerging Artist Series and awarded Radio Milwaukee 88Nine’s 2019 Song of the Year for their single release, “Mil Aires.” The duo plans to use their grant money to outfit their home studio so they can continue to create at a higher volume and quality.
Sypher Lady X
Originally from Zacatecas, Mexico, Sypher Lady X (SLX) was raised in the heart of Milwaukee’s southside and has spent the last decade as a hip hop artist and community activist in the city. She plans to use her grant award to invest in her craft, something she has never been able to do before.
BriJon
“BriJon” represents a human who has spent a very long time running away from her pain and making mistakes but is finally embracing it to create something beautiful. Through her music, BriJon strives to represent the sides of the woman that are frowned upon and overlooked, made to feel wrong and earning them the title of “angry” by those who simply don’t understand.
WebsterX
A full time experimental hip hop artist born and raised in Milwaukee, WebsterX has been recording, releasing and performing music for the last eight years. His music crosses boundaries in genre, living in hip hop, indie rock, pop and electronic spaces. A first generation American whose parents emigrated from Ethiopia, WebsterX plans to use his grant award to help produce his forthcoming album and lift others in his community through his work.
Cam Will
Cam Will has been creating his unique, uplifting brand of music full time for the past two years. He believes that his success will inspire others in his community to see what’s possible and plans to use his grant award to continue making music and marketing it directly to audiences.  He’s also launching a brand attached to his music called “NOV” through which he plans on organizing city events such as soccer tournaments, city clean ups, mentor sessions with up and coming youth and more.
About Nō Studios
Founded by Academy Award winner and Wisconsin native John Ridley, Nō Studios is both a member-driven physical space based in Milwaukee as well as a digital platform geared toward artists and art lovers. Nō Studios is dedicated to supporting talent, elevating artists, and most importantly to bridging communities through the shared appreciation of interpersonal expression.
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a turnkey platform for the creative economy that connects startups, entrepreneurs, artists, investors, universities and corporations. The gener8tor platform includes pre-accelerators, accelerators, corporate programming, conferences and fellowships focused on entrepreneurs, artists and musicians. gener8tor.com

author: Nō Studios


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 22, 2021


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New Fire Chief Aaron Lipski puts diversity, tackling staff burnout on top of agenda | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
June 23, 2021
Fire Chief Aaron Lipski is a fourth-generation City of Milwaukee firefighter (Photo provided by Aaron Lipski)
Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski almost never became a firefighter at all.
His great-grandfather, grandfather and father all served as City of Milwaukee firefighters, but Lipski said he never felt pressured to follow in their footsteps.
“They said to do something that doesn’t beat your body up so much,” said Lipski about his father and grandfather.
So he did, working for a few years as an emergency medical technician for Paratech Ambulance.
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Fate eventually intervened, and his father asked Lipski, then 21, if he was interested in taking the tests needed to join the fire academy.
“It was like a light switch went off, and I’ve never thought of anything else since,” said Lipski, who is now 47.  Along the way, he married his wife of 20 years, Krista, and they have a 15-year-old daughter named Isabella.
In the 24 years since his days at the academy, Lipski has risen through the ranks, going from firefighter to heavy equipment operator to lieutenant to captain to running the department repair shop to battalion chief to assistant chief. Now he sits at the helm of Wisconsin’s largest fire department.
Being at the top is something Lipski never would have imagined the day he responded to his first blaze two blocks away from the now-shuttered firehouse on North 30th Street and West St. Paul Avenue.
“I just remember how fast my heart was beating,” he said. “And just like that, it was out.”
Like most new members of the department at the time, his main job was to drag out the hose.
The scales of danger would rise quickly, and a few weeks later, there was another call, this one for a basement fire just around the corner. By the time firefighters arrived, Lipski recalled, smoke was pouring out of the house. When his chief rushed in the back door toward the blaze, Lipski followed behind. They knocked down the fire using five-gallon water pumps, common tools of the trade at the time. He learned quickly about the courage needed to work as a firefighter and the risks you take while doing so.
There’ve been many other pressure-filled situations since then. Civil unrest. People trapped in high-rise buildings. And in February 2020, Lipski and his team were among the first on the scene during the mass shooting at Molson Coors.
It’s not a job for everyone, Lipski readily admits, but one that he and other firefighters on his staff were born to do.
Chief Aaron Lipski (right) standing next to his brother, retired Deputy Chief Daniel Lipski. (Photo provided by Aaron Lipski)
Lipski served on an interim basis after former Chief Mark Rohlfing retired in October and was sworn in as chief this month. To say he took over the department during a difficult time would be an understatement.
“The workload is through the roof,” Lipski said during a virtual community meeting in January. The COVID-19 pandemic presented a number of challenges as did the impact of seven fire station closures since 2018.
Firefighters, like police, have been responding to an unprecedented number of murders, drug overdose deaths and deadly accidents caused by reckless driving on top of fires and other emergencies.
“Resources declined, but calls for help have not been declining,” Lipski said during the community meeting.
Still, in the face of adversity, Lipski said his team has risen to the challenge.
The workload is still heavy, Lipski said, but he thinks things have plateaued.
“The physical and psychological and emotional fatigue and the pressure is wearing guys down,” Lipski said. “Nobody signed up for this pace.”
Along with burnout and a shortage in local ambulance services, there are other lingering issues the chief seeks to address.
One of them is increasing diversity within his department, which is made up of 797 staff members (73 percent white, 15 percent Black, 9 percent Hispanic, 1 percent Asian, 1 percent Indian). Men comprise 90 percent of the total staff.
“I will tell you that the numbers people are upset about are true,” Lipski said. “We have to be truly invested in making the fire department representative of the city.”
Lipski is part of a committee of local leaders working to make that happen.
Milwaukee Municipal Court Judge Derek Mosley, who first met Lipski nine years ago, is part of that group. He said he received a call from Lipski shortly after he was named interim chief that convinced him he was the right man for the job.
“He said: ‘I want to make sure that every kid who lives in Milwaukee, no matter what side of town or their economic status . . . see firefighters that look like them and that they believe they can become one, too.”
“When you see it, you have an idea that you can be it,” said Mosley, who commended Lipski for appointing Sharon Purifoy as the first African American female deputy fire chief in the city’s history in December.
Nikki Purvis, chief equity officer in the city’s Office of Equity and Inclusion. said she first met Lipski in 2019 during the planning for the Democratic National Convention. She describes him as a passionate individual who cares about the city and advancing racial equity.
“There are areas for improvement, and he has been vocal about those opportunities,” she said.  “I’m excited to see how Chief Lipski  will lead and to be part of the process of diversifying the fire department.”
Although achieving that diversity is not a quick process, Lipski believes his department and others are making strides.
“We’re running out of chances to get it right, but I feel like we’re closer now than ever,” Lipski said.

author: Edgar Mendez


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‘Back with a vengeance’: Milwaukee sees rise in syphilis cases | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
June 24, 2021
The Keenan Health Center serves as the Milwaukee Health Department’s main location for sexual health services. The city is seeing a spike in syphilis cases. (File photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Milwaukee recorded 230 cases of syphilis from July 2019 to December 2020, an increase of nearly 150 from the previous 18-month period, according to data from the Milwaukee Health Department.
Officials from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said the syphilis trend reflects a 300% increase from pre-pandemic years in Milwaukee.
Julie Katrichis, director of clinic operations of the Milwaukee Health Department, said the likely cause for the increase is people not being able to access services when they needed them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many testing providers had reduced or suspended hours.
Syphilis can cause cold-like symptoms early on, which may have prevented people from being seen at the height of the pandemic due to safety protocols, she said.
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Some symptoms of syphilis include fatigue, a sore throat, a rash, hair loss or a headache.
Other sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhea and chlamydia, rose significantly in the last months of 2020, contrasting with reported data from earlier in the year.
Double troubles
Katrichis said the syphilis rates aligned with COVID-19 rates as well. The worst incidences of syphilis were in the 53215, 53208, 53206 and 53204 ZIP codes, according to data from the health department.
“The hardest-hit areas with COVID were also the hardest-hit areas for syphilis,” Katrichis said. “I think that we know that those areas of the city have to deal with more poverty and more distrust of health care.”
Katrichis said the disease disproportionately affected the city’s Black population, which made up about 65% of the cases, compared with about 14% each for white and Latinx people. (Details on other racial groups were not included in the most recent data from the Milwaukee Health Department.)
There has also been a statistically significant increase in syphilis cases among women, she said. There were seven cases of congenital syphilis in Milwaukee last year. In a normal year, one is considered significant due to the condition’s rarity.
“One case of congenital syphilis is really a sentinel event,” Katrichis said. “It means the health care system and public health failed, in my opinion.”
Katrichis said untreated syphilis in pregnant women can cause stillbirth and developmental complications for the mother and child.
The problem isn’t just a local one. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an increase across the board in sexually transmitted infections for the sixth consecutive year in 2019, and that congenital syphilis cases in the country quadrupled from 2015 to 2019.
Lisa Boyce, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Wisconsin, said pregnant women should be tested at least twice during their pregnancy. She also encouraged all sexually active people to get tested regularly and warned that some sexually transmitted infections may be asymptomatic.
Boyce said locations around Milwaukee have seen an increase in positive tests but said this may be a result of people resuming in-person services again.
Katrichis said the rise in sexually transmitted diseases underscored the need to continue funding prevention efforts, adding now is not the time to “take our foot off the gas.”
“There was a time when we almost eliminated syphilis; now we’re seeing it back with a vengeance,” Katrichis said.
What you should know
Places to get tested
Keenan Health Center, 3200 N. 36 St., (414) 286-8840
Planned Parenthood Wisconsin Avenue Health Center, 2207 W. Wisconsin Ave., (414) 931-8181
Planned Parenthood Mitchell Street Health Center, 1710 S. 7 St., (414) 645-8383
Planned Parenthood Capitol Drive Health Center, 801 E. Capitol Drive, (414) 967-4945
Planned Parenthood Northwest Health Center, 5380 W. Fond du Lac Ave., (414) 536-6690
Planned Parenthood Water Street Health Center, 435 S. Water St., (414) 276-8777
*Note – Planned Parenthood locations will also offer mail-in STI tests if they are requested by phone. However, syphilis and HIV testing are not available because they are blood-based.
Brady East STD Clinic, 1240 E. Brady St., (414) 272-2144
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers Community Prevention Center, 1243 S. Cesar Chavez Drive, (414) 897-5589.

author: Matt Martinez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 23, 2021


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NNS Summer Survival Guide: 15 things to do in your neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 24, 2021
Check out this year’s recurring summer activities, including Washington Park Wednesdays. (File photo by Adam Carr)
Summer is officially here and with it are a plethora of activities that make for great family outings, fun dates and solo adventures.
Last year, many events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But with vaccine rollout in full force, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Groups and organizations are hosting beloved Milwaukee events from weekly farmers markets to concert series and more.
Did we miss an event? Comment below or send an email to amartinez-ortiz@milwaukeenns.org with the subject line ‘Summer Activity NNS.’
Markets
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Alice’s Garden Evening Markets
Alice’s Garden Urban Farm, 2136 N. 21 St., hosts evening markets from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. Local creatives and vendors will be selling their handcrafted food, jewelry, clothing, soap, juices, herbal products and more. The last day of the market is Tuesday, Aug. 31. The garden also offers weekly yoga classes, poetry circles and its series “Grow Curious” with Gayla Trail.
Jackson Park Farmers Market
Jackson Park Famers Market, which is sponsored by the Jackson Park Community Association and Milwaukee County Parks, is taking place at the boathouse, 3500 W. Forest Home Ave., from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. The market will conclude on Thursday, Sept. 30. Attendees can purchase fresh produce, baked goods and more.
Fondy Farmers Market, 2200 W. Fond du Lac Ave., has returned. The market’s regular season is slated to begin Saturday, June 26. (NNS file photo)
Fondy Farmers Market
Fondy Farmers Market, 2200 W. Fond du Lac Ave., has returned. The market’s early season just ended, and its regular season is slated to begin Saturday, June 26. The market will be open four days a week: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. For more information on the market’s late season and winter market, visit the Fondy Farmers Market website.
Victory Garden Initiative farm stand
The Victory Garden Initiative, 249 E. Concordia Ave., is having a farm stand from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. The farm stand is free and will begin on Friday, June 25 and end on Friday, Oct. 22. Michelle Dobbs, the executive director, will also be offering farm tours from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays.
Vliet Street Oasis Market
The Vliet Street Oasis Market, 3743 W. Vliet St., is back. The market is open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The market includes local fresh produce, flowers, snacks and more.
Tricklebee Café Markets
Tricklebee Café, 4424 W. North Ave., is hosting a summer farmers market on Sundays. The markets take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following Sundays: July 25, Aug. 15, Sept. 5 and Oct. 3. Follow the Tricklebee Café Facebook page for more information.
Concerts
Washington Park Wednesdays
The Washington Park Wednesdays concert series is returning in July, but there’s a twist. This year, the first few concerts will take place at various locations through the Washington Park Wheels initiative. The concerts will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7, 14, 21 and 28. Locations vary and more information can be found on the Washington Park Wednesdays Facebook page.
Starting in August, the concerts will return to the bandshell, 4599 W. Lloyd St. The bandshell concerts will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25.
Rhythm & Blooms in Havenwoods
Rhythm and Blooms, a concert series based in Havenwoods, is back. The concerts will take place at the Green Tree Community Garden, 6767 N. 60 St., from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays July 8, 15, 22 and 29 and Thursday, Aug. 5.
Festivals and Activities
District 2 Summer Park events
County Supervisor Sequanna Taylor is hosting a summer event series for District 2. The series is split into family game time, movie nights and educational sessions. The times and locations for each event vary, but the events all take place on Fridays at one of the following parks: Harriet Tubman Park, 4759 N. 48 St.; Brown Deer Park, 7835 N. Green Bay Ave.; or McGovern Park, 5400 N. 51 St. For additional details, click here.
Clarke Square Basura Bash: Saturday, July 10, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11
Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative, in partnership with Safe & Sound, is hosting monthly garbage pickups and neighborhood cleanups known as Basura Bash. The locations of the cleanups are announced on the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative Facebook page. The upcoming cleanups begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 10; Saturday, Aug. 14; and Saturday, Sept. 11.
This year marks the ninth annual Heal the Hood block party. The celebration is taking place on North 9th and West Ring streets from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 17. Here, Ajamou Butler (left), founder of Heal the Hood, talks to an attendee. (NNS file photo)
Heal the Hood: Saturday, July 17
This year marks the ninth annual Heal the Hood block party. The City of Milwaukee and 414Life are co-sponsoring the event. The celebration is taking place on North 9  and West Ring streets from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 17. There will be music, food, resources, giveaways and more. Interested vendors can email HealTheHood@gmail.com or click here.
Puerto Rican Family Festival: Sunday, Aug. 1
The annual Puerto Rican Family Festival is back. The festival is taking place at Wilson Park, 1601 W. Howard Ave., from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 1. There will be traditional music, dance and food and more including a salsa and merengue dance contest, a domino contest and a baseball contest.
Bronzeville Week: Saturday, Aug. 7 to Saturday, Aug. 14
It is the 10 anniversary of Bronzeville Week. This year, the celebration will take place from Saturday, Aug. 7 to Saturday, Aug. 14. The week celebrates African American culture, history, art, commerce and entertainment with a variety of activities. It is hosted by Ald. Milele Coggs. The Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District is located in the 6 Aldermanic District. Follow the Bronzeville Week Facebook page for more details.
Silver City International Festival: Saturday, Sept. 11
VIA, formerly known as Layton West Boulevard Neighbors, is celebrating its 10 annual Silver City International Festival. The festival will take place in Arlington Park, 3439 W. Pierce St., from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. There will be music, performances, food vendors, art, children’s activities and more.
Mexican Independence Day and Parade: Sunday, Sept. 12
UMOS is celebrating Mexican Independence Day with its annual parade and festival. The celebration will take place at UMOS headquarters, 2701 S. Chase Ave., on Sunday, Sept. 12. The time of the festivities is being determined. Join the celebration and enjoy the music, piñatas, face painting, resources, food and more. For more information, call Carmen Lerma at 414-581-9845.


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Post from Community: Cousins Subs® and Milwaukee Bucks donate 4,000 meals to Boys and Girls Clubs across Wisconsin | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Make It Better Foundation
June 24, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Cousins Subs® and the Milwaukee Bucks teamed up to further their commitment to block out hunger by donating more than 4,000 meals to children and staff of Boys and Girls Clubs throughout Wisconsin. Cousins Subs hand-delivered party boxes of subs and dozens of cookies to locations across the state throughout the month of June.
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“Cousins Subs is dedicated to giving back to the communities it serves” said Justin McCoy, Vice President of Marketing at Cousins Subs. “We are thrilled that our partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks has allowed us to provide thousands of meals to children and staff at an organization that shares in our mission and legacy to make it better.”
During the month of March, the Bucks and Cousins Subs vowed to donate to a Wisconsin Boys & Girls Club location every time someone signed up for the Cousins Club Loyalty Program. This initiative expanded on the Bucks and Cousins Subs’ longstanding partnership to help block out hunger in Wisconsin through the Block Out Hunger campaign.
“We have long been admirers of the Block Out Hunger campaign between Cousins Subs, Hunger Task Force, and the Bucks,” said Kathy Thornton-Bias, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. “We couldn’t be more grateful that our Club members get to reap the rewards of this creative and impactful partnership. What a fun way to help kick off summer in our Clubs. Thank you, Cousins Subs and the Bucks, for fueling up our kids!”
Currently in its sixth season, the Block Out Hunger campaign pledges that for every block the Bucks tally during the regular season, the Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation donates $50 to the Hunger Task Force of Wisconsin to help fight food insecurity across the state. This season, the Bucks completed 334 blocks for a total of $16,700 donated to the Hunger Task Force of Wisconsin. Since 2015, the Bucks and Cousins Subs have donated $115,265 and 14,437 pounds of food through the Block Out Hunger campaign.
For more information about the Make It Better Foundation, please visit www.cousinssubs.com/foundation.

author: Make It Better Foundation


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 24, 2021


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Post from Community: Important announcement and request from Data You Can Use | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Data You Can Use
June 24, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Data You Can Use has exciting yet bittersweet news to share. We are beginning a search for a new President, following the recent announcement of our founder Kathleen Pritchard’s retirement. Katie will be retiring officially by the 4th quarter of this calendar year. Many organizations have benefited greatly from her leadership and guidance.  We all know these will be very big shoes to fill but the good news is that Katie has agreed to stay on to consult and ensure our new President gets off to a seamless start.
With this announcement, we would like to ask all of you to please review your networks and connections for anyone who would consider taking on this role and helping Data You Can Use move forward as we advance and elevate Milwaukee through data. The position has been posted and we will be accepting applicants until July 16, 2021.
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Here is the job posting link that you can share with your network. Additionally, we have engaged MRA, The Management Association, as a partner in this search process. Please reach out to our Executive Recruiter, Kristin.noack@mranet.org to refer individuals or ask questions about the search.
We cannot thank Katie enough for her tireless efforts in building Data You Can Use into what it has become today. We are happy for her as she moves into retirement, and excited about what the future holds for Data You Can Use.

author: Data You Can Use


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Post from Community: Kids’ mental health doesn’t take a summer vacation | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
SaintA
June 24, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
At the close of a particularly turbulent school year, students of all ages will be losing the structure, routine, and supportive services their schools provide. SaintA is now offering a number of Youth Summer Groups that incorporate a wide range of focuses and therapeutic approaches, including art therapy, meditation and mindfulness exercises, in addition to training on healthy coping mechanisms.
Many southeastern Wisconsin children and families are unable to access mental health care outside of school-based services, and as we collectively weather a widespread mental health crisis some refer to as ‘the second pandemic,’ the fallout from losing access to such services for even a handful of months can be detrimental and have long-lasting consequences.
“We often hear about the ‘Summer Slide’ as it refers to learning and educational outcomes, but the same concept applies to children’s mental and emotional wellbeing,” said Dr. Pahlavan, VP of Clinical Services at SaintA. “Especially in such a difficult year, with the pandemic causing a lot of families to experience loss of income, loss of loved ones, and disconnect from their typical support systems, making sure our kids are receiving the mental health attention they need is a priority.”
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Aware of the importance of ongoing care, the leaders in trauma informed care and school-based mental health at SaintA are filling that crucial gap in children’s mental health services by facilitating support groups and therapy opportunities throughout the summer to cater to the needs of children and families.
In addition to both Youth and Adult Summer Group offerings, the Clinic at SaintA provides individual, family, and group outpatient mental health services, with an expert staff well-equipped to address ongoing mental health challenges as well as the unique challenges brought on in the wake of COVID-19.
“The power of a compassionate, consistent approach to mental health is undeniable. The work in our Clinic, and the Summer Groups, gives our clients the opportunity to be heard, be felt, and learn how to thrive,” said Dr. Pahlavan.
About SaintA:
SaintA is an evolving, community-facing human services organization based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a national leader in recognizing and addressing the impact of trauma, SaintA has been caring for children for more than 170 years. Championing families, SaintA offers a comprehensive array of prevention, intervention and crisis resources to facilitate equity, learning, healing and wellness by restoring the connections that help children and families thrive. Learn more at https://sainta.org/.

author: SaintA


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Post from Community: Northwestern Mutual contributes $1.9 million to amplify neighborhood revitalization | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 24, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee residents are taking action to build stronger, healthier and safer communities by raising awareness of available health resources in their community, improving housing conditions and providing youth with educational programming. Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, is continuing to partner with residents to enhance community-led efforts by contributing $1.9 million in grants to 33 nonprofit organizations.
Since 2013, the company has invested in these neighborhoods by working directly with residents to identify specific areas of need and partnering with organizations dedicated to fostering safe neighborhoods, healthy and thriving youth and quality education. Each of the organizations receiving funding is committed to driving sustainable change and creating long- lasting impact in Milwaukee’s Amani, Metcalfe Park and Muskego Way neighborhoods.
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“Meaningful and lasting change happens when priorities and goals are shaped by the people living in those communities,” said Eric Christophersen, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. “Our efforts in these neighborhoods build upon the residents’ knowledge and experiences to ensure our support remains focused on residents and their vision of the future.”
Northwestern Mutual partners with designated neighborhood anchor organizations, Dominican Center, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges and Milwaukee Christian Center, to help residents as they lead revitalization efforts in Amani, Metcalfe Park and Muskego Way. Each anchor organization’s revitalization plans emphasize the neighborhoods’ priorities, goals and strategies.
Partner spotlight: Ezekiel Community Development Corporation
One of this year’s grant recipients and community partner in Northwestern Mutual’s Amani Housing Strategy is Ezekiel Community Development Corporation (CDC). Ezekiel CDC is an organization dedicated to improving housing conditions in Milwaukee’s inner city by rehabilitating homes in collaboration with local businesses and organizations. As part of the restoration process, Ezekiel CDC provides residents with on-site job training to learn transferable skills for the trade industry and helps foster homeownership in neighborhoods.
Of the 2,500 housing units in Amani, nearly two-thirds were built before 1939. Older housing can require more extensive maintenance, be more costly to heat, and are more likely to contain lead-based paint, which can cause serious health issues.
Earlier this year, Ezekiel CDC received an additional grant on behalf of Northwestern Mutual through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s Targeted Impact Fund program. Ezekiel CDC will use the grant funds to continue revitalizations efforts through the Amani Housing Strategy, which launched in 2019.
The community and neighborhood partners listed below are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents, families and children in Milwaukee neighborhoods.
To be eligible for funding, all grant recipients are required to demonstrate measurable impact and program outcomes.
Locally, Northwestern Mutual collaborates with partners to improve education and make Milwaukee a great place to live. Nationally, the company funds research to find better treatments and cures for childhood cancer, along with supporting families currently undergoing treatment and survivors living with the lasting effects.


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Northwestern Mutual_2021 Neighborhoods Grant Recipients | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 24, 2021


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5 things to do and know the weekend of June 25 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 25, 2021
This Sunday, Ko-Thi Dance Company will be teaching a dance class in Sherman Park, 3000 N. Sherman Blvd., as part of its outdoor summer series. (File photo by Andrea Waxman)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon .
1. Opening reception: “The Big Idea VIII: Stronger Together”
Latino Arts, 1028 S. 9th St., is hosting the opening reception of “The Big Idea VIII: Stronger Together.” The reception will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 25. The exhibition features work by local students and artists from the United Community Center Adult Day Center. Pre-registration is required, as are masks and temperature checks upon entry.
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2. Milwaukee Artist Resource Network: “postp(own)ed” gallery exhibition
The Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, 191 N. Broadway St., is showcasing its current exhibition, “postp(own)ed,” during its weekend exhibition reception. The reception will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 25 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 26. The exhibition features works that were unable to be completed or presented due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibiting artists are from the Greater Milwaukee area.
3. West Vliet Street neighborhood rummage sale
West Vliet Street is having a neighborhood rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 26. West Vliet Street runs east to west between North 43rd and North 62nd streets. The street features unique and locally owned businesses. The storefronts will be offering various deals, and food trucks will be present.
4. The Great Community Cooking Show: Curry
The HOME Refugee Steering Committee has a virtual cooking series, “The Great Community Cooking Show.” The committee is a part of the partnership between the Lynden Sculpture Garden and Tables Across Borders. This week marks the fifth and final episode of the 2021 season and features Myanmar chefs Abdul and Zinath. The theme is curry. The class will take place on Facebook Live from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 27.
5. Ko-Thi around Milwaukee dance classes
Ko-Thi Dance Company is doing an outdoor class series in various parks throughout Milwaukee for summer. The classes feature Ko-Thi team members and special guest artists. This week, the class will be taking place in Sherman Park, 3000 N. Sherman Blvd., at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 27. The classes are free and open to the public. Click here for future dates.
MKE Black’s monthly summer marketplace
MKE Black is hosting a summer marketplace the fourth Saturday of the month throughout the summer season. The first marketplace will take place at Beerline Plaza, 3356 N. Holton St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 26. The marketplace highlights Black-owned businesses. This month’s marketplace also marks the official launch of the “Love, Milwaukee” campaign, a collaboration between diverse community organizations and breweries. MobCraft Beer will be in attendance as the featured guest brewery. New app aims to showcase Milwaukee’s black entrepreneurs and creatives
Check out the NNS Summer Survival Guide: 15 things to do in your neighborhood