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Nowhere to go: Why Wisconsin’s homeless youth go uncounted and underserved | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Princess Safiya Byers (Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service) & Francisco Velazquez (Wisconsin Watch)
February 27, 2020
Diana Sanchez, 19, experienced homelessness while she was living in Milwaukee during her senior year of high school. At one point in the school year, she says she was regularly escorted from her school by police after staying too long in the building due to not having anywhere to go. Here, she is photographed at a family friend’s house in Camden, N.J., on Feb. 9, 2020. She now lives in New Jersey with her mother. (Photo by Hannah Yoon for Wisconsin Watch)
“Lost.”
That’s how Diana Sanchez, 19, describes the way she felt when she was 17 years old with nowhere to go after being escorted from her school by the police.
Sanchez would start her day at her Milwaukee alternative high school just like any other student. But once classes finished and all her friends had left, she would hang around, talking to teachers and walking the halls until one of the many couches she slept on became available at the homes of extended family or friends.
Once the school’s staff started to leave, Sanchez was told she had to go as well.
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Still she would linger  — until her principal would call the police to force her from the building. Sanchez recalls this happening two or three times a month over a three-month stretch.
“Nobody was focused on me having nowhere to go,” she said.
Sanchez’s story is not unusual. Young people’s behavior can be criminalized either because they are facing homelessness, or youth can become homeless because they have been incarcerated, said Claudine O’Leary, a community educator, youth advocate and independent consultant. And for a variety of reasons, some young people don’t report that they are homeless. This leaves them in vulnerable positions — undetected by institutions that offer shelter, food and other services.
Diana Sanchez, 19, was homeless for a stretch of her senior year of high school in Milwaukee. After school, she often had to wait for a couch to become available at the home of extended family or friends. She was photographed in February in Camden, N.J., where she now lives. (Photo by Hannah Yoon for Wisconsin Watch)
Nearly 22,000 people in 2017 received shelter and services from Wisconsin agencies that collect and report such data, according to a report by the Wisconsin Interagency Council on Homelessness, a body the Legislature created in 2017. That included almost 500 unaccompanied youths aged 17 and younger.
But Wisconsin’s true number of homeless youth is likely higher, due to barriers that dissuade them from reporting their status, experts say.
Milwaukee Public Schools alone serves as many as 5,000 students each year in its homeless education program — including those who are staying in shelters, awaiting foster care placement or living doubled-up with another family.
The Legislature last year sought to eliminate one roadblock for homeless youths seeking services. Gov. Tony Evers in November signed legislation easing access for certain 17-year-olds seeking shelter facilities or transitional living programs.
Experts call the bill a good first step but say more is needed to solve the problem.
‘We can’t track what’s not reported’
Sanchez’s final stretch of high school, from 2018 to 2019, proved particularly tumultuous, she recalled. She said her mother lived in New Jersey and, “overwhelmed” with family issues, couldn’t take care of her. Sanchez’s grandmother briefly had custody before dying, and even that relationship proved contentious. Sanchez hopped from an aunt’s home to an uncle’s — feeling unwelcome in both and looking for other options.
Sanchez looked for shelters in Milwaukee, she said, but struggled to find services allowing her to stay for more than a night. Some options targeted only pregnant women. So she started couch surfing with folks outside of her family, leaving her beholden to other people’s schedules.
“I stopped looking for resources, and stopped looking for shelter,  and I started looking for friends,” she said.
Diana Sanchez, 19, struggled to find a place to sleep while homeless during her senior year of high school in Milwaukee. She says she looked for shelters in Milwaukee but could not find services that allowed her to stay for more than a night. She is seen here in Camden, N.J., where she now lives. (Photo by Hannah Yoon for Wisconsin Watch)
Many options for Milwaukee’s vulnerable youth house people involuntarily. They include group homes and detention centers where authorities place youths who get into trouble. That reinforces a stigma around homelessness that prevents some youths from telling anyone about their challenges, youth advocates say.
“Most youth don’t want to be found because there are so many implications to being found. They could end up in a group home. They could get wrapped up in the system, or they could end up in the same unsafe space that they ran away from,” said Audra O’Connell, executive director of Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center, a nonprofit that provides services to young people who are runaways, homeless or face other obstacles.
That leads authorities to undercount homeless youth, limiting resources to serve them.
Audra O’Connell is the executive director of Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center, a nonprofit that provides services to young people who are runaways, homeless or face other obstacles. “Most youth don’t want to be found because there are so many implications to being found,” she said. (Courtesy of Audra O’Connell)
“Because so many of our youth don’t report homelessness, there is no funding out there for them. We can’t track what’s not reported,” said Sharlen Moore, co-founder of Youth Justice Milwaukee, which advocates for restorative justice programs as an alternative to youth prisons.
Sanchez avoided being swallowed by the criminal justice system. Though she dealt with the police escorts from her school, those brushes with authority didn’t escalate. But experts say homelessness can put young people on a more precarious path.
Something as small as having a fight in school can lead a minor to be assigned a caseworker or even entered into the court system, said O’Leary, the youth advocate in Milwaukee. Not having a guardian can make matters worse.
“If you have a parent, they can come and advocate for you, and you may just get a ticket,” she added. “But if you are not staying at home, they consider you a greater risk factor, and they send you to court.”
Some young people, meanwhile, break the law on purpose just to find a place to sleep, said DeShanda Williams, director of homeless and runaway services at Pathfinders Milwaukee, which offers services for youths in crisis.
But many who enter the criminal justice system struggle to escape its grip. One in three youths released from detention committed a new offense within the next year, according to a 2014 Department of Corrections report.
Seeking solutions
Milwaukee offers drop-in shelters, group counseling, health services and housing resources to young people, but many are geared at specific demographics — those who are pregnant, have a criminal record or are a victim of sex trafficking, for instance.
DeShanda Williams is the director of homeless and runaway services at Pathfinders Milwaukee, which offers services for youths in crisis. She says that the city’s resources are often targeted at specific populations — like pregnant teens — which can leave other youths without reliable shelter. (Courtesy of DeShanda Williams)
“The problem isn’t necessarily that the city doesn’t have resources, because we do,” Williams said. “The problem is that most of these organizations work on grants, and these grants are meant to target certain groups, and the youth don’t always fit into those groups.”
The Wisconsin Legislature last year sought to ease one restriction. Act 22, introduced by 19 bipartisan Assembly lawmakers, allows unaccompanied 17-year-olds to enter shelters or transitional living programs — even if they are not already being supervised by a social service agency.
“No kid should have to worry about where they are going to sleep at night, but the reality is that there are thousands of homeless and unaccompanied kids across our state,” Evers, a Democrat, said in a statement when signing the bill into law.
O’Leary called the bill a positive step in helping homeless youth, but said larger systemic changes are needed — such as larger investment in more transitional living programs. Such programs house young people for longer periods of time and connect them with services to find more permanent options.
In its 2017 report, the Wisconsin Interagency Council on Homelessness recommended that the state consider ways to expand access to “host homes” — in which families would volunteer to house young people for various lengths of time. “Typically, a community network works with a service provider to recruit hosts, train host families, provide case management to youth, and connect the youth” to services through a local school district, the report said.
Such programs differ from foster care, because the youths also participate voluntarily.
The La Crosse-based Family and Children’s Center, a regional nonprofit, runs a host homes program that serves some of the roughly 200 reported homeless teens in La Crosse. “The program aims to prepare youth to leave the program and be ready for an independent living situation and be able to fully participate in the community,” the nonprofit said in its 2018 annual report.
Sanchez wishes she had access to that type of program during her years in Milwaukee. After graduating from high school, she scraped together money for a plane ticket to New Jersey, where she found a job at the clothing company, FILA, and lives with her mother. The situation isn’t perfect, but it’s much more stable than her recent years in Milwaukee, Sanchez said.
“You get to a place where you’re going through so much,” she said. “You aren’t afraid to beg anymore. Some nights are just so cold.”
A version of this story was originally published by NNS and this version with expanded reporting was produced by Wisconsin Watch.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 26, 2020

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: February 26, 2020

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

author: Adam Carr


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diana_sanchez_01_published-1170×781 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 26, 2020


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diana_sanchez_02_published-771×515 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 26, 2020


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5 things to do this weekend: Feb. 28 to March 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
February 28, 2020
Friends of Center Street Park is throwing together a last minute Family Skate Night for Saturday, Feb. 29. (Photo provided by Friends of Center Street Park)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some events that can enrich your weekend. 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. “Framing Black Performance: Selma and the Poetics of Representation”: Friday, Feb. 28
Courtney Baker will give a lecture titled “Framing Black Performance: Selma and the Poetics of Representation” at UW-Milwaukee’s Curtin Hall, 3243 N. Downer Ave., Room 175 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. Baker will provide an in-depth analysis of the film “Selma” and how it deals with representation as well as how cinema plays a role in the African American struggle in the 21st century.
2. The 35th annual Black Excellence Awards: Friday, Feb. 28
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The Black Excellence Awards, hosted by the Milwaukee Times, is back for its 35th year. The awards honor and celebrate the achievements of African Americans from Milwaukee. It also doubles as a scholarship fundraiser for high school seniors. The ceremony will take place at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28.
3. Elections 101 training: Saturday, Feb. 29
Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing, also known as EXPO, is offering training on elections. The group will be breaking down what the different levels of government are and what they do, how bills become laws, how to register to vote, who is on the ballot and so much more. The training will take place at Welford Sanders Enterprise Center, 2821 N. Vel Phillips Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29.
4. Panel discussion: State of the black man: Saturday, Feb. 29
Leaders in the black community are participating in a panel discussion regarding the state of the black man in 2020. The discussion will take place in City Hall, 200 E. Wells St., from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29. The event is free and open to the public.
5. Family night at Milwaukee Rec’s Twilight Centers: Saturday, Feb. 29
Milwaukee Recreation is hosting Family Night at its various Twilight Centers. There will be an open gym, a game room, open swim (sites vary) and more at various sites. The sites include South Division High School, 1515 W. Lapham Blvd., Pulaski High School, 2500 W. Oklahoma Ave., Bay View High School, 2751 S. Lenox St., and Madison High School, 8135 W. Florist Ave. Family Night will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29.
Bonus: Family skate night at Center Street Park: Saturday, Feb. 29
Friends of Center Street Park is hosting family skate night at Center Street Park, 6420 W. Clarke St., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29. Skates will be available to borrow for free but supplies are limited. The group is also looking for volunteers to hand out skates. Individuals interested can email centerstreetpark@gmail.com.

created: February 28, 2020

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 27, 2020

created: February 27, 2020


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After a tragic week, we offer hope (and love) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
February 28, 2020
Editor’s note: After a week filled with tragedy, we thought we would try to give you a reason to smile by republishing two articles that will give you hope.
First, young artists from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee are celebrating Black History Month by expressing their creativity and paying homage to their heroes.
Students created artworks of influential African Americans, including historical figures, world leaders, athletes and celebrities. This is the fourth annual Black History Month Art Contest sponsored by U.S. Cellular.
And we know Valentine’s Day is over, but for these couples, love is ever present.
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In case you missed it:
•An NNS Valentine’s Day: ‘We never would have met each other if we weren’t in these organizations’: Activism is a common thread for South Side couple
•An NNS Valentine’s Day: ‘There are no separate lives for us’: Love and service go together for North Side couple

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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Here’s what this summer’s DNC could mean for you | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 28, 2020
The Fiserv Forum will host many of the DNC’s activities, but the effect will be felt throughout the city. (File photo by Andrea Waxman)
The Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee and Democratic National Convention Committee on Tuesday hosted conversations about what Milwaukee residents can expect when the DNC comes to town this summer.
Here’s what we’ve learned:
If you own a business and want to get plugged in to the DNC, register on the Host Committee’s vendor portal.
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“We want to ensure the economic impact of this event is widely experienced,” said Lafayette Crump, deputy chief of staff and vice president of diversity and inclusion for the Host Committee.
Over 1,000 businesses are currently listed on the portal from across the region, ranging from construction companies to independent artists. Crump says that the Host Committee will be directing visitors to the vendors listed on the portal, so those who are registered are more likely to be found by outside media, delegates, etc. coming to the event.
“Registration doesn’t guarantee you business, but it does increase the chances,” Crump added.
If you have questions about the process, email the Host Committee at vendors@milwaukee2020.com
The DNC is looking for 15,000 volunteers to help staff the event. So far 12,000 have “expressed interest,” said Neisha Blandon, vice president of engagement and opportunity at the Host Committee.
“We’re constantly recruiting,” said Blandon, “and we’re only just ramping up.”
To boost recruitment, the Host Committee has partnered with the Milwaukee Public Library to have electronic sign-up stations at each branch. Library staff have also been trained to assist those who need it.
You can also register to volunteer through the Milwaukee 2020 website.
Blandon said volunteer needs are continually shifting. If you don’t see something you want to do listed right now, Blandon advises residents to come back periodically to see what new opportunities have arisen.
While many of those attending or volunteering at the convention will be from the city, most will be coming from out of state or commuting from out of town. That means that traffic all around the city, but especially within the security zone downtown, will be heavier than usual.
The convention team is working closely with City Hall, Mayor Tom Barrett and the Milwaukee Police Department,” said Danielle Decker, the DNC’s director of intergovernmental affairs. “We’re doing everything we can to support them on existing efforts to curb some of the reckless driving and traffic challenges we’re seeing now.”
To cut down on congestion, Cameron Moody, the DNC’s senior director of operations, said there will be a Park and Ride system in place.
“We know many volunteers will be coming out of town, and we don’t want to add to the traffic problem,” added Blandon.
In case you missed it: Can Milwaukee’s communities of color cash in on the Democratic National Convention?

author: Sam Woods


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OPINION: ‘To end the continued violence of racial division in the world’: The legacy of Frantz Fanon | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Tosin Gbogi
February 28, 2020
Editor’s note: Got something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
Tosin Gbogi is an assistant professor of English and Africana studies at Marquette University. For Black History Month, he reflects on the work of Frantz Fanon, the influential thinker from Martinique, and his lessons for understanding the complexities of race and racism today.
Born in Martinique on July 20, 1925, Frantz Fanon was a psychiatrist and foremost thinker of Africana social and political thoughts as well as the cultural life-worlds that imbue those thoughts with meanings. Best known for his two books, Black Skin, White Masks and The Wretched of the Earth, Fanon’s writings were mainly rooted in a theoretical elucidation of racism, colonialism and the practical approaches to combating them. By deeply engaging with these axes of racial oppression, Fanon laid some of the groundwork for later developments in several fields, including post-colonialism, decolonialism and critical race and ethnic studies.
In The Wretched of the Earth, Fanon presented what has now become one of his best-known arguments: revolutionary counter-violence as the way out of colonial violence. His analysis here sprang directly from his firsthand experience of colonial violence in the Algerian War of Independence, perhaps best fictionally represented by Assia Djebar in the novel, Fantasia. But Fanon’s understanding of violence here is not entirely in terms of its physicality, but expansively subsumes the multiple forms of symbolic domination, which though unsaid, unseen and ungraspable, ramify outwards in what seems to be a perpetual cycle of flow. For Fanon, these symbolic forms are rooted in the discursive formations of modernity and the Enlightenment project. In religion, the black subject was considered a heathen; in language, they were considered a thoughtless figure whose childish mumbling had yet to evolve into a full-fledged language; in value, their very presence was not just indicative of an absence, but also the negation, of values. In other words, the black subject had no moral code, knew no God, was doomed to the ribald pleasures of the body and was as violent and uncontrollable as the wild. This explains, as Fanon points out, the language of bestiality in which the black body was described and understood in colonial narratives and discourse.
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This Black History Month, I wish to stress that the very conditions of racial terror—whose origins of course go back to trans-Atlantic Slavery—which destroy(ed) the black subject by turning them against their inner selves, against their fellows, against their cultural worlds and against the world which “looks on in amused contempt and pity” (in Du Bois’s words) are still very much with us. While not floating freely to be grasped in their immediacy, in their rawness, in their unmitigated expressions, they are the taken-for-granted assumptions whose inflections slip out from their repressed state from time to time, sparking nation-wide protests and movements—such as Black Lives Matter—and becoming the specter of sensationalism in global media. Those conditions, and the many assumptions that they catalyze, also continue to determine who qualifies as a subject or a citizen in many parts of the world. Or even the types of bodies that are qualified to freely travel across physical and socioeconomic borders of a supposedly borderless, global world.
Fanon is gone, but the conditions he wrote about and against are still very much with us. To remember him in this symbolic month is to remember that he calls us all to action: to end the continued violence of racial division in the world.

author: Tosin Gbogi


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: March 2 to March 7 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 2, 2020
The Victory Garden Initiative is in search of volunteers to help with some spring cleaning. (Photo provided by Victory Garden Initiative)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some events we think you shouldn’t miss. 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. Love Your Block MKE grant info sessions: Monday, March 2 to Wednesday, March 4
Love Your Block MKE is giving nine neighborhoods in Milwaukee mini-grants of up to $1,000. The money will help fund a project on a vacant city-owned lot within certain boundaries. Love Your Block MKE is hosting three informational sessions: Martin Luther King Library, 310 W. Locust St., from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 2; Washington Park Library, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3; and Mitchell Street Library, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St., from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. The deadline to apply for the grant is Wednesday, April 1.
2. EXPO monthly meeting: Tuesday, March 3
Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing or EXPO, is hosting a meeting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 at 2821 N. Vel Phillips Ave. Sumayyah and Nyla Al-Mujaahid and Yolanda Perkins will be giving presentations on topics pertaining to voting.
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3. Victory Garden Initiative spring cleaning: Wednesday, March 4
The Victory Garden Initiative, 249 E. Concordia Ave., is looking for volunteers to help with some spring cleaning from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. The group has plans to unveil a new kitchen and community space. Volunteers will have an opportunity to see the renovated space firsthand.
4. “Women Rising: Celebrating a decade of women”: Friday, March 6
In honor of International Women’s Day, Freedom Road Socialist Organization is hosting “Women Rising: Celebrating a decade of women leading struggle.” The event will take place at Village Church, 130 E. Juneau Ave., from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 6. There will be a discussion as the group takes a look back at the female leaders from the last decade.
5. Fight for Air climb: Saturday, March 7
The American Lung Association is hosting its annual Fight for Air climb at the U.S. Bank Center, 777 E. Wisconsin Ave., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. The funds go toward research to help those with lung disease. To register, click here. Participants will climb the 47 floors or 1,034 steps of the U.S. Bank Center.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 1, 2020


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NNS on WGLB radio: Reporters Edgar Mendez and Damia Causey discuss domestic violence in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
March 2, 2020
(Photo by Adam Carr)
Edgar Mendez and Damia Causey joined Saryea Murchison and Dennis Walton at WGLB radio to discuss the increase in domestic violence incidents in Milwaukee and resources available to help.
Causey also discusses her own experience as a survivor of domestic violence.
In case you missed it: ‘Far too common’: Tragedy is latest example of how cases of domestic violence continue to plague Milwaukee
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In case you missed it: From victim to advocate: Natalie Hayden’s triumph over domestic violence
In case you missed it: Places in Milwaukee where you can find help for domestic violence


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 2, 2020


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OPINION: There are better fixes for Milwaukee’s school funding needs than the MPS referendum | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ricardo Diaz, Robert Rauh and Henry Tyson
March 2, 2020
(File photo by Jabril Faraj)
Editor’s note: Got something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
Ricardo Diaz is the executive director of United Community Center; Robert Rauh is the CEO of Milwaukee College Prep; and Henry Tyson is the superintendent of St. Marcus Lutheran School. They argue that the upcoming MPS referendum would fall short of reaching “every child” and offer alternative funding solutions.
When Milwaukee residents vote in the presidential primary April 7, they will also face an equally important referendum question for an increase in yearly funding for Milwaukee Public Schools. Our city’s children definitely deserve more funding for their education, but there is a better way.
No one will deny the fact that the challenges facing educational institutions in Milwaukee are real. More funding is indeed needed and warranted. However, there are several things all voters should consider as they make their decision about the proposed $87 million referendum, which would raise taxes by 8.5%, adding about $20 per month to the rent or house payment of most residents.
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While 100% of city taxpayers will pay the $87 million price tag of the referendum, just 56% of children living in the city will benefit. That is because increased funding from this citywide referendum will only support children attending MPS district-run schools – not the 44% of students enrolled in public charter schools, nor those attending private schools with the help of a state-funded tuition voucher. These students also face significant funding gaps compared to children attending MPS and neighboring suburban school districts.
Dr. Keith Posley, MPS superintendent, wrote in a recent online statement: “Milwaukee Public Schools is committed to providing the best education for every child in our city.” However, the current plan will leave out nearly half of  Milwaukee’s children. That certainly does not meet the definition of “every child.”
Like all school districts in Wisconsin, MPS is funded by a combination of local property taxes, state funding and federal funding.
It is true that MPS has seen its revenues drop over the past decade. But this is not the fault of city taxpayers. Milwaukee residents have faithfully funded the district at a consistent rate, even when adjusting for inflation. Unfortunately, the state has not kept up its contributions. After accounting for inflation and declines in MPS student enrollment, state funding to MPS is down considerably.
Milwaukee taxpayers should not be called upon to fill in for the state’s neglect of our city’s children.
There are two steps we can all take together that would benefit many more Milwaukee children without double dipping on city taxpayers.
First, the state should fully fund full-day 4-year-old kindergarten (K4) students in the city. Study after study shows the long-term benefits of investing in quality early childhood education. Currently, the state funds just 60% of the costs of full-day K4. If K4 were fully funded, MPS would receive an additional $20 million per year in state funding, and the other 44% of children in our city would likewise benefit.
Second, the state should increase to the national average its funding rates for students with special education needs. Right now, MPS and other public schools in the city and state receive about $0.26 on the dollar for students with special needs. This is far below the national average of $0.60. If this change were implemented, MPS would receive more than $50 million per year in additional funding. Children accessing special education at other public schools would also benefit from this change.
While these two upgrades would have a big, positive impact, neither idea is new nor controversial. In fact, Gov. Tony Evers and the bipartisan Blue Ribbon Commission on Education Funding have voiced their support for both measures.
Instead of pushing for an MPS referendum that would benefit just 56% of students, educators from all types of schools across Milwaukee must unite with others across the city to push the governor and state legislature to make these changes in the next biennial state budget, if not before.
Milwaukee’s education funding shortages are the result of state funding cuts. Voting “yes” on the referendum and placing an $87 million burden on city residents is neither the best nor most just resolution to a problem that impacts all of the city’s students.
Voters in Milwaukee should join Dr. Posley in being “committed to providing the best education for every child in our city.” However, the MPS referendum does not accomplish this vision. Let’s unite together for a more equitable solution and lobby our state elected officials to pick up their fair share.
In case you missed it: OPINION: MPS referendum: ‘We have an opportunity to make our city stronger’


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Post from Community: Education endowment established by local couple | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Clarene Mitchell
March 2, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Sheldon and Celeste Cuffie were both raised in central city Milwaukee by hard working families. They both went on to excel as corporate leaders as a result of the strong examples that their fathers lived before them on a daily basis.
On Tuesday, March 24, 2020 they will officially launch the Cuffie Stevens Endowment in honor of Jonathan Cuffie and Tom Stevens. Jonathan Cuffie was the first Black foreman and expeditor at Grede Foundries in Milwaukee and Tom Stevens owned a successful construction trucking business for many years. There is a large body of research showing the disparities gap when it comes to Black STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) college students.
Sheldon and Celeste hope to change this by providing financial support to STEM students of color. Both Sheldon and Celeste are graduates of Concordia University of Wisconsin and believe in the mission of the school, thus the endowment was established at their alma mater. The Cuffie Stevens Endowment allows others who would like to pay it forward the opportunity to directly have a meaningful impact in lives of underrepresented students.
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WHAT: Launch of Cuffie Stevens Endowment
‘Connections, Concordia, & Charity’
A networking event and fundraiser.  The individual ticket price it $20. All funds raised from the ticket sales go towards the endowment.
Attendees will not only be supporting the education of deserving students, they also will be making key connections and learning all about the valuable opportunities that Concordia has to offer.
5:30-6:15 p.m. – Networking and hors d’oeuvres
6:15-7:15 p.m. – Program
7:15 p.m. – Tours of the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center
WHO:
Clarene Mitchell on Authentic Connections on LinkedIn
Dan Sem on the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and Ozaukee’s Entrepreneurial Space
Sheldon Cuffie on Cyber Security and You
Celeste Cuffie on Meaningful Connections
WHEN: Tuesday, March 24, 2020 from 5:30 – 8 pm.
WHERE: Concordia University in the Robert Plaster Collaboratorium (RP115), 12800 N Lake Shore Drive Mequon, WI 53097
Donations to the Cuffie Stevens Endowment may be made through the Concordia University Wisconsin Online Giving page. To ensure participation to their cause, please select Endowment in the “In support of” menu and include Cuffie Stevens Scholarship in the special instructions/comments box.
Click here to be directed to the Online Giving page.

author: Clarene Mitchell


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Jonathan-Cuffie-and-Tom-Stevens.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 2, 2020

author: Name *


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Post from Community: Women’s leadership collaborative to host salary negotiation workshops | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Tempo Milwaukee
March 2, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Milwaukee’s Women’s Leadership Collaborative (WLC) said today it will take on gender pay equity by putting tools in working women’s hands to help them advocate for themselves.
The group will hold “A Day for Pay Equity” on Thursday, April 2, 2020. WLC is bringing the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) proven two-hour salary negotiation workshop to 20 Milwaukee-area locations, with the goal of training 1,000 women that day. The workshops are free, however a donation to support the WLC’s efforts is suggested.
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AAUW’s WorkSmart is designed for women negotiating for a new job, raise, promotion or better benefits. Attendees will learn about the wage gap, how to identify and articulate their personal value, how to conduct objective market research to benchmark a target salary and benefits, and strategies for making the ask. Select sites will offer StartSmart, which is designed specifically for college women who are approaching the job market. The WLC program aligns with AAUW’s pledge to train 10 million women in salary negotiation by 2022.
“On average, Wisconsin women employed full time lose a combined total of nearly $14 billion every year due to the wage gap. Current projections show Wisconsin’s pay gap won’t close until 2067,” said Jennifer Dirks, President & CEO of TEMPO Milwaukee. “That may sound insurmountable, but there’s much both individual women and organizational leaders can do to shorten, and ultimately, close that gap.”
WLC is coordinating with local businesses, professional associations and nonprofit organizations to host the 20 workshops. Current workshop hosts include Alverno College, the AAUW Milwaukee and West Suburban Milwaukee branches, Cardinal Stritch University, Carthage College, Junior League of Milwaukee, ManpowerGroup, Marquette University, MATC, Milwaukee Women inc & Woman’s Club of Wisconsin, MRA, MSOE, Mueller Communications, Professional Dimensions & YWCA Southeast Wisconsin, TEMPO Milwaukee, TEMPO Racine & University of Wisconsin-Parkside, TEMPO Waukesha, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin Women in Government, and Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee.
Johannah Karstedt St. John, CEO of Professional Dimensions, noted that given Wisconsin’s well-documented pay equity gap – where the average woman makes 80 cents for every dollar paid to a man, and the wage gap widens considerably for women of color – “gaining skills to negotiate their salaries and benefits is something women can do right now for better economic security.”
Lead sponsors for the April 2 event are the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, AAUW Milwaukee branch and the three organizations that comprise the Women’s Leadership Collaborative: Milwaukee Women inc, Professional Dimensions and TEMPO Milwaukee. Additional sponsorship opportunities remain.
“The Women’s Leadership Collaborative believes it’s critically important that we not only build awareness for issues affecting women, but provide education, information and resources that will help to drive real change in the lives of individual women, the organizations we lead, and our communities,” added Jackie Mortenson, Director of Services for Milwaukee Women inc.
For more information or to register for a workshop, please visit: www.wlcmke.com/april-2.
About Women’s Leadership Collaborative (WLC)
Established in April 2019, the Women’s Leadership Collaborative (WLC) is a collective of professional women focused on achieving equity. The WLC is focusing on pay equity as its first major issue. The collaborative, inclusive of Milwaukee Women inc, Professional Dimensions and TEMPO Milwaukee represents the strongest collective of professional women ever formed in Milwaukee. For more information visit www.wlcmke.com.

author: Tempo Milwaukee


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April-2nd-WLC.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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February 27, 2020


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Sherman Park native Joe’Mar Hooper pledges to take Safe and Sound to new heights | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 2, 2020
New Safe and Sound Executive Director Joe’Mar Hooper hopes to build on the organization’s success and bring even more partners to the table.
As a Cream City native and product of Milwaukee Public Schools, Joe’Mar Hooper has an insider’s perspective of Milwaukee.
“I’ve seen positives and negatives. I’ve seen many challenges . . . and I’ve seen the development of downtown and how that impacts the community,” said Hooper, who starts March 9 as the new executive director of Safe and Sound.
Hooper has served in nonprofit and business sectors.  Among his past roles: director of business, community and family partnerships at MPS, where he oversaw My Brother’s Keeper and other programs; health operations administrator for the Milwaukee Health Department; and deputy city treasurer. Most recently, he worked as Wisconsin market leader for CommonBond Communities, a regional organization that works to increase affordable housing.
It was his past job experiences, the fact that he’s served on numerous boards and committees and that he is a longtime Milwaukee resident from Sherman Park that helped to convince John Kordsmeier that Hooper was the best fit for the job.
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“He is very in tune with what’s going on at a very real level in these neighborhoods,” said Kordsmeier, a retired executive at Northwestern Mutual who served as head of the search committee and is board chairman at Safe and Sound. “He’s also been responsible for selection of boards of directors, strategic planning, fundraising and has a lot of experience working with youth.”
In his new role at Safe and Sound, which  works to unite residents, youths and law enforcement to improve public safety in Milwaukee, Hooper said he plans to shore up the organization’s mission by forming more  strategic partnerships.
“We need the business community, law enforcement and grassroots groups to get involved, and we need to leverage all of those pieces to get things done,” he said. “I think my biggest challenge is to make sure I can bring as many people along with me as possible.”
Kordsmeier believes that the connections that Hooper has built with the business community, people within city and state governments and with foundations and others positions him well to achieve his goal.
“We have an obligation to grow our presence in the Milwaukee area. [Hooper] is the right leader at the right time for this position,” he added.
Hooper succeeds Katie Sanders, who left in the fall to become chief planning officer of the Milwaukee Public Museum.
Hooper, who is married and has two children (one will graduate from his alma mater Rufus King in the spring), said he chose his new role because of the organization’s reputation.
“I had known about Safe and Sound and seen the positive impacts that they had in the community,” he said.
Safe and Sound currently serves 11 areas in Milwaukee, including the Amani, Harambee, and the Sherman Park neighborhoods on the North Side, and Clarke Square and Layton Boulevard West on the South Side. The organization provides technical assistance, facilitates youth programming, forms awareness and outreach campaigns and helps residents launch block watches and other initiatives.
“I want to take us to even greater heights. This organization is very well-positioned, but there is no shortage of need, so we’ll all need to work together,” Hooper said.

author: Edgar Mendez


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‘It can take a toll’: How caregivers can help themselves and their loved ones | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Bridget Fogarty
March 3, 2020
Linda Hopgood, shown with her father, has experience caring for older adults as a social worker and volunteer. But when her 87-year-old dad’s medical condition began to decline while she was juggling jobs, she became overwhelmed. “As a caregiver you need to take care of yourself,” she says. “I’ve seen both sides.” (Photo provided by Linda Hopgood)
Linda Hopgood is a nurturer by nature.
Having worked for years as a social worker and a volunteer with local organizations for senior citizens, the North Side resident is used to caring for older adults. But when her 87-year-old father’s condition began to decline because of Alzheimer’s last year and juggling jobs became overwhelming, she decided to retire.
“He became my priority,” Hopgood said. “It was challenging in the way that I had to go from taking care of my own life to helping him as well. It has been an honor— but a challenge.”
Many caregivers in Milwaukee feel the same, said Becky Schmidt, outreach coordinator at the Milwaukee County Department on Aging, 1220 W. Vliet St.
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“There is a great pride caregivers take in caring for a loved one,” she said, “but it can take a toll.”
According the National Center on Caregiving, evidence reveals that providing care for a loved one can cause harmful physical, mental and emotional consequences for the caregiver.
However, research also demonstrates that negative impacts on caregivers’ health and well-being can be alleviated by primary care interventions and assessments that address caregiver needs.
Hopgood turned to organizations where she had volunteered and found the Caregiver Support Network, an organization run through Milwaukee’s chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 620 S. 76th St.
The Family Caregiver Support Network offers information, education and support services to assist caregivers of adults ages 60 and older, as well as older adults caring for loved ones with disabilities.
Kathy Czarnecki, the program’s manager, said it can be hard for people to self-identify as caregivers. The first step in assisting caregivers, she said, is encouraging them to open up and express what they need so that case managers can figure out how to help them best.
“People call, we talk about their situation, and we come up with a plan,” Czarnecki said. “Not me, we.”
Working together gives caregivers some control back in a situation that can feel chaotic, Czarnecki said.
Often, the plan calls for respite care paid for by funding and grants, Czarnecki said.
Respite care brings a professional caregiver into the picture to give unpaid family caregivers a break. It is one of the most important resources caregivers can use to take time for themselves or their own wellness. Receiving a respite care grant takes an expense off of the family and lessen their worries, Czarnecki said.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program and the Alzheimer’s Family and Caregiver Support are the two funding sources available for Milwaukee residents.
National Family Caregiver Support Program is a need-based option for caregivers, and funding varies on a case by case basis, Czarnecki said.
Alzheimer’s Family and Caregiver Support, which is specifically for caregivers who look after someone with Alzheimer’s or long-term dementia, can provide up to $4,000 a year for respite care or other support options.
Czarnecki and her team of two case managers are certified life coaches who assess a client’s situation in person or over the phone and determine what grants they are eligible for. They can also connect clients with the local personal care and home agencies that provide respite care to ensure that the professionals and care receivers are a good match.
“I am advocating for my caregivers but I am also teaching them to advocate for themselves,” Czarnecki said.
Hopgood is  working with Czarnecki to create a new service called the Caregiver Coalition. The group, which will be made up of professionals and family caregivers in the Milwaukee area, will meet monthly to discuss the challenges caregivers face. It will also serve as a space for caregivers to learn more about how to navigate the legal and financial aspects of elder care.
“As a caregiver you need to take care of yourself,” Hopgood said. “I’ve seen both sides.”
Czarnecki encourages anyone caring for a parent, sibling, friend or spouse to connect with the Family Caregiver Support Network at 414-479-8800.
“We get what it’s like to be a caregiver, and we bring those skills and passions to our work,” she said.
The Milwaukee County Department on Aging, 1220 W. Vliet St., serves as an entry point for enrolling in long-term care options such as Medicaid care programs and assisted living. It also connects residents to senior centers, community programs, transportation and other resources across the city. Call the Aging Resource Center at 414-289-6874 for more information.n. For family caregivers caring for someone under the age of 59, call the disability resource center at 414-289-6660.
The Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Network, 620 S. 76th St., is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 414-479-8800 if you would like to speak with a case manager.
Check the Milwaukee County Resource Data Base for a comprehensive list of agencies that offer short and long-term support.
Choose a category of your needs and type in your ZIP code on the Senior Resources website to find agencies and assistance near you.
St Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, 2450 W. North Ave., offers caregiver support groups, pastoral care, spiritual services and more. Check out its website or call 414-210-2450 for more information.
Use your phone to call Impact at 2-1-1, which can connect you to caregiving resources. You can also go online to the 2-1-1 Wisconsin website to find the caregiving resources in your neighborhood.
Did we miss any resources? Post it in the comments below or send us an email at infor@milwaukeenns.org.

author: Bridget Fogarty


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NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 Things to know this March in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
March 3, 2020
Venice Williams prepares pot pie filling in the Tandem’s kitchen in 2018. (Photo by Adam Carr)
NNS’s Adam Carr visited the WUWM studios for an interview with Joy Powers of “Lake Effect” for our monthly “5 Things” preview, focusing on events we feel you should not miss in March.
This month’s list includes the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of “Eclipsed” and its SHEroes campaign, second Annual César E. Chávez Celebration at the Marcus Center, 10th Annual Girl’s Day at City Hall, Pi(e) Day with Venice Williams at The Tandem and Swan Day MKE 2020.
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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2020
“0303d”. Released: 2020.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2020


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OPINION: Let’s make Amani ‘a community where all will want to live’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brother Rice Bey
March 3, 2020
(Photo courtesy of Amani United)
Editor’s note: Got something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
Brother Rice Bey, president of the Amani United Neighborhood Association, writes a passionate appeal to his neighborhood and city to join arms in working towards a brighter future for the Amani neighborhood.
The glory of Amani is in the welfare of the people.
We see this daily in our efforts to beautify the neighborhood with cleanups. We see this when our residents practice civic responsibility and attend meetings and hearings to improve the neighborhood. We see this in the day-to-day camaraderie of neighbors who live in Amani.
If you take pride in your community and want it to continue to thrive, then you should become part of the Amani United movement happening right now in your neighborhood. In this movement, YOU have the power to change the plagued condition of the neighborhood and uplift its people. We want all of the good people to come together and work to start making the changes we want to see in Amani.
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Amani has many residents who have lived in the neighborhood a long time, some as long as 40 years or more. That is a long-term commitment and investment that we should promote and protect. At Amani United, we believe that these residents are experts in their own lives, so let’s discover their abilities and employ them according to their merits so that all families can prosper and bring that long-term commitment to the neighborhood. Let’s connect residents with education and training programs that will secure their future and bring happiness to their lives.
More than 20 community partners and organizations are in Amani and are investing in residents willing to come together to build a better community. This partnership coalition works together to connect residents with resources and to continue the prosperous revitalization efforts already underway. What are YOU willing to do?
We have a moral obligation to want better for our future generations. Let’s embrace the arts and watch the youth flourish. Let’s use science to help improve our whole culture and promote it to Amani’s youngest residents planning their futures. Let’s give our youth a safe space where they can grow and learn and play, and that they can share with their own children and grandchildren.
Let’s be studious in our interest, be diligent in our affairs, and faithful to the trust that we place in each other. Be patient with this change and hold fast onto fidelity, and you’ll see that the neighborhood will receive the proper reward — it will become a community where all will want to live and a neighborhood where all who live here will truly thrive.
About Amani United
Amani United is a neighborhood association in the Amani neighborhood of Milwaukee. The organization works to bring residents, partners and friends together several times a month with committees that work on three main areas outlined in the Amani Revitalization Plan. The areas include safety, education and well-being, as well as housing and economic development.
If you would like more information, or if you would like to join Amani United, contact President Brother Rice Bey at 414-444-9930 or amaniunitedpresident@gmail.com.

author: Brother Rice Bey


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Post from Community: Ignace Indian Health Center to remember Georgianna Ignace at April 3 Red Shawl Gala | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, Inc
March 3, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Georgianna Ignace, who made a lifetime commitment to assure culturally-based programs and health care services are provided for Urban Indians in the greater Milwaukee area, will be honored at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center’s (GLIIHC) 15th Annual Red Shawl Gala on April 3 (Friday), at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 1721 W. Canal St.
Georgianna, a member of the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin, founded the Red Shawl Gala and leaves a legacy that will impact the health of future generations of Native American Indians for decades to come, said her son, GLIIHC Chief Executive Officer Lyle Ignace, M.D., M.P.H.
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“The primary purpose of the Red Shawl is to gain community support for our mission to improve the health, peace, and well-being of Milwaukee Indians from all of Wisconsin’s 11 tribes,” said Dr. Lyle Ignace, of the Menominee and Coeur d’Alene Tribes. “My mother was relentless in her work to secure health care for low-income Urban Indians.
“Contributions allow us to provide sustainable health care services and programs that are responsive to the needs of the community, assuring a stronger future for Milwaukee’s Native children, youth, elders and families,” he said.
The gala will feature live and silent auctions of Native art and jewelry, along with a memorial to Georgianna Ignace. To donate to the Red Shawl Gala in honor of Georgianna Ignace go to: redshawl20.givesmart.com.
WHO: Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center
WHAT: 15th Annual Silver Anniversary Red Shawl Gala
WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 3, Registration/Hors d’oeuvres/Electronic Bidding
WHERE: Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 1721 W. Canal St., Milwaukee
WHY: To Honor Georgianna (Georgia) Ignace
GLIIHC grew out of an awareness in the 1970s of the poor health of Milwaukee’s Native American community. Since its inception, GLIIHC has tripled in size and besides the medical clinic, houses a pharmacy, dental clinic, behavioral health center and a fitness center.
“The health center weaves our culture into healing our clients,” Dr. Lyle Ignace said. “According to our traditions, in order to heal, we must address every part of a human being and this includes the mind, body, spirit, and emotions, and our community as well.”
For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact Anne Egan-Waukau at anneeganwaukau@gmail.com, or call her at (262) 370-0142.


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6 events to celebrate Women’s History Month in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Bridget Fogarty
March 4, 2020
Sola Thompson (from left), Ashleigh Awusie, Matty Sangare, Jacqueline Nwabueze and Nancy Moricette star in “Eclipsed.” (Photo provided by Milwaukee Rep)
Milwaukee is filled with inspiring and strong women, and March gives us extra reason to recognize them.
Here are some of the spaces celebrating and supporting women of color in Milwaukee throughout Women’s History Month.
Honoring 100 Boss Women of MKE: Saturday, March 7
Enjoy a dinner dedicated to celebrating and connecting Milwaukee’s empowered women through dinner and conversation. The event will be hosted by Nō Studios, 1037 W. McKinley Ave., on Saturday, March 7, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Purchase your tickets here, or register for free if you are a Nō Studios member.
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Mother n Daughter Pajama Party: Friday, March 20
The “Mother n Daughter Pajama Party” will be a night of fun, food and empowerment, building stronger and healthier mother-daughter relationships. Hosted by Mahogany C.A.R.E.S, the evening will run from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Project Hope Youth Program, 3248 W. Brown St. For more information or to get your tickets, click here.
Girls Summit: Saturday, March 28
This event is for middle-school and high-school-aged girls and all who want to see girls of Wisconsin thrive. The day-long event is hosted by Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls at Alverno College, 3400 S. 43rd St., and will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28. Mari Copeny, who helped to bring the Flint water crisis to national attention, will be this year’s keynote speaker. You can reserve your spot for the summit here.
It Takes A Village: Community Baby Shower & Resource Fair: Saturday, March 28
Birthworkers United Inc. will host the second annual community baby shower and resource fair during World Doula Week on Saturday, March 28. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Last year’s event brought together over 30 health and wellness vendors and more than 1,000 participants.
Women in Mission: Celebrating the Missionary Call of Women: Sunday, March 29
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee will host the fourth annual Women in Mission celebration on Sunday, March 29 from 2 p.m.to 4 p.m. Hosted at the St. Ann Center Bucyrus Campus, 2450 W. North Ave., the event will feature awards for and presentations from the two honorees of the 2020 Frances Cunningham Bridge Builder Award and the 2020 Rosemary Huddleston Being Present award recipient. Enjoy refreshments and celebrate the work of female missionaries from across the world. All are welcome to register for this free event here or by calling 414-758-2280.
Eclipsed: Throughout March.
Set in the midst of the Liberian Civil War, “Eclipsed” is a play about five women and their tale of hope and resilience. The play runs through March 29 at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, 108 E. Wells St., and a full schedule can be found on the Milwaukee Rep’s website.
Out of 100 nominations, 12 candidates were chosen to be honored as “Milwaukee SHEroes,” women of color who exemplify dedication to the community.


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Women’s History Month: Meet three ‘SHEroes’ of Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Claudia Delgadillo
March 4, 2020
(Photos courtesy of Milwaukee Rep)
In front of every good man stands an excellent woman.
If you don’t believe us, check out the 12 Milwaukee women being honored during Women’s History Month by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
Each week, three women, who will be called “Milwaukee SHEroes,” will be saluted during the run of the play, “Eclipsed.” The play centers around five extraordinary women and their tales of hope and resilience during the Liberian Civil War.
Although the run of “Eclipsed” was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns, for $15, you can view a live recording by clicking here.
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The 12 SHEroes were chosen from more than 100 nominations and will be honored on the opening night of the play Friday, March 6.
This week, we feature Shayvon McCullum, founder of Secure Bridges; Kai Gardner, founder of Tables Across Borders; and Katie Avila Loughmiller, founder of Latinas Unidas En Las Artes , or LUNA.
Shayvon McCullum is the founder of Secure Bridges. (Photo provided by Milwaukee Rep)
Who: Shayvon McCullum
What she does: McCullum grew up in the 53206 neighborhood, bouncing between many houses up and down Burleigh Street. She has worked in healthcare for 18 years. She has created programs for both uninsured and under-insured patients. Working three jobs at any given time, she is also the sole caregiver for two growing children.
Community engagement has been a major part of her life, and cooking and feeding those in need are her priorities.
Who: Katie Avila Loughmiller
What she does: Avila Loughmiller is an interdisciplinary social practice artist who explores her own cultural complexity and female identity while also doing work that strengthens and builds community.
Katie Avila Loughmiller is the co-founder of LUNA. (Photo provided by Milwaukee Rep)
Avila Loughmiller has been an artist-in-residence at Santa Fe Art Institute, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Little House Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, Wildacres Residency Program and MKE<->LAX. She is the co-founder of LUNA, a Latina artist collective, and a founding member of Heard Space, a women of color-led performance arts collective, both based in Milwaukee. In addition to her art practice, she has a strong commitment to education and has taught South Africa, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston and currently teaches in the theater department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She can be heard on “We heard we’re funny,” a comedy radio show on Riverwest Radio (WXRW 104.1 FM).
Who: Kai Gardner
Kai Gardner is the founder of Tables Across Borders. (Photo provided by Milwaukee Rep)
What she does: Kai Gardner is active in many communities and has served on the boards of Hillel Milwaukee, JCRC Milwaukee, the Friendship Circle Wisconsin, NCJW Milwaukee, SEA Literacy Project, Hands and Voices and various disability rights groups. She has a long history of advocating for various marginalized and vulnerable communities via her work in medical and legal services case management.
Gardner works as the program coordinator of refugee health and social services at Advocate Aurora, is the Milwaukee community engagement director for EDOT and a co-facilitator for Nurturing Diversity Partners. She volunteers and develops projects extensively with refugee, immigrant and differently abled populations.
She also organizes the “Unity Brunch,” a networking event linking local communities and activists across missions and cultures.
Biographical information provided by Milwaukee Rep.

author: Claudia Delgadillo


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49605925291_f37f3b7c18_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2020


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Post from Community: Social Development Commission become a commissioner and make an impact on poverty in Milwaukee County. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
March 4, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
SDC is seeking candidates to fill two seats for the Board of Commissioners. Candidates will be up for election for the community representative seats that serve on behalf of districts 1 and 2 comprised of low-income residents living in Milwaukee County. Members of the community interested in having their name appear on the ballot must meet requirements for candidacy.
To Become a Candidate:
To have a candidate’s name appear on the ballot, candidates are required to collect at least 50 signatures from residents in their district. Candidates are urged to collect at least 50 additional signatures in case of discounted names. Nomination forms used to collect signatures can be picked up beginning Friday February 21, 2020.  They can be picked up at SDC’s Receptionist Area, located at 1730 W North Avenue between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Signatures are to be collected and returned to SDC’s Executive Department no later than Monday March 9, 2020 by 5:00 p.m.
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A notarized affidavit must also accompany each of your completed nomination forms.  You must have the affidavit notarized prior to filing the papers (50 signatures and affidavit) with SDC.  Candidate(s) can be written in on the ballot on Election Day.
Your Biographical Information application (Bio) & Photo (head shot) must be completed and dropped off with your nomination forms.
Candidacy Requirements:
The SDC Board of Commissioners provides guidance and leadership to the Social Development Commission. SDC is the largest Community Action Agency in both Milwaukee County and the state of Wisconsin. The agency delivers numerous programs impacting the lives of Milwaukee County residents experiencing poverty. The leadership of the Board assists SDC in achieving its mission, Empowering Milwaukee County residents with the resources to move beyond poverty.
Here’s your chance to use your voice to impact your community.
District 1
Social Development Commission – Teutonia Site
6850 North Teutonia Avenue
District 2
Mary Ryan Boys and Girls Club
3000 North Sherman Boulevard

author: Social Development Commission


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5 things to do this weekend: March 6 to March 8 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 6, 2020
Milwaukee Public Schools is hosting its annual “Celebrating abilities” family forum this weekend. (Photo provided by Milwaukee Public Schools)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some events that can enrich your weekend. 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. League of Women Voters presents forum on lead poisoning: Friday, March 6
The League of Women Voters is presenting a forum on lead poisoning at the Johnson Controls Volunteer Center, 200 W. Pleasant St., from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, March 6. The forum, titled “Lead Issues in Milwaukee – Spotlight on the North Side,” will focus on the history of lead poisoning in Milwaukee and the resources available.
2. African Diaspora dialogue session: Friday, March 6
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The Africa Business Coalition and the Greater Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce is hosting African Diaspora Dialogues at the King Commerce Center, 2745 N. Martin Luther King Drive, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 6. Dr. Melida Harris Barrow will be the keynote speaker. This is the inaugural event for the groups’ dialogue sessions. Registration is required and free.
3. Fourth annual special education family forum: Saturday, March 7
Milwaukee Public Schools is hosting its fourth annual “Celebrating abilities” special education family forum at Marshall High School, 4141 N. 64th St., from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, March 7. This is an opportunity to learn about special education services, programs and summer opportunities offered through Milwaukee Public Schools. All are welcome to join. There will be breakfast and lunch, a resource fair and workshops. To learn more, click here.
4. Milwaukee Public Library’s book bash: Saturday, March 7
The Milwaukee Public Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., is celebrating the city’s love of reading with Browser’s Book Bash from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. Browser the Library Lion will be joined by Curious George and the Cat in the Hat. This family friendly event includes face painting, a dance party, silly stories and more. Here is the full schedule.
5. Bembé Drum & Dance Brazilian carnaval: Sunday, March 8
Bembé Drum & Dance is hosting a Brazilian carnaval at No Studios, 1037 W. McKinley Ave., from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 8. The event will feature samba drummers and dancers, the Bembé Youth Batucada and Samba Da Vida. There will also be art, food, music, dance and film screenings. Tickets cost $15 for an individual and $35 for a family. To learn more about Bembé Drum & Dance, click here.
Bonus: Adult game night at Sherman Phoenix: Saturday, March 7
Sauce & Spice is hosting adult game night at the Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $20 for VIP, which include pizza and a drink. There will be a variety of games to play including, UNO, Dominos, Jenga, Spades and more.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 5, 2020


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: March 9 to March 14 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 9, 2020
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some events we think you shouldn’t miss. 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 .
Gov. Tony Evers wants to make sure that everyone in Wisconsin is counted during the 2020 census. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)


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Dwayne Burtin
March 8, 2020

author: Dwayne Burtin


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‘Health is wealth’: A dietitian’s journey from bettering her own health to empowering others | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Caroline White
March 10, 2020
Perseverance isn’t just the name of Bridgett Wilder’s business. It’s the story of her life.
Wilder, a native of the Lindsay Heights neighborhood, is a dietitian, single mother and the owner of Perseverance Health and Wellness Coaching and Consultation Services. Her journey hasn’t been easy.
Within just a few years, her mother, 37-year-old husband and 6-year-old daughter died. In the wake of her grief, she began to focus on her own health for her sake and that of her nine children. Unhealthy eating and exercise habits left Wilder overweight and battling diabetes.
She adopted the mantra “health is wealth” to remind herself just how valuable and central health is to the rest of life.
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“If you can eat your way into poor health, you can eat your way into improved health outcomes,” says Bridgett Wilder, who has lost 150 pounds and now runs a health and wellness business. (Photo provided by Bridgett Wilder)
Since her weight loss journey began about a decade ago, Wilder has lost over 150 pounds by learning about nutrition and changing how she approaches food. Her personal journey into the world of health and wellness inspired her to change her career to help others do the same. At 45, she graduated in 2018 from Mount Mary University, where she studied dietetics and psychology.
“If you can eat your way into poor health, you can eat your way into improved health outcomes,” Wilder said. “The problem is: People sometimes don’t have the information on how to do that.”
Through her business, Wilder teaches her clients to adjust their mindset around diet and to understand their own negative eating behaviors to achieve long-term results by sharing her story and providing expertise and guidance.
In addition to her small business, Wilder has taught programs at Walnut Way Conservation Corp. at 2240 N. 17th St. Last year, she ran a free program called Neighborhood Healthy Eating Circles where she taught a hands-on approach to nutrition education. She took participants on grocery store tours, provided healthy food samples and explained how to read nutrition labels.
The class was made possible by grant money from Kohl’s Healthy Families and the American Cancer Society. Kim Abell, a health specialist at the American Cancer Society,   said one aim of teaching health classes at organizations ingrained in neighborhoods is to ensure the classes are catered to the community’s common obstacles.
“We know Lindsay Heights is a food desert, so access to healthy food is a huge barrier in that neighborhood,” said Abell, who oversaw Neighborhood Healthy Eating Circles and other health pilot programs taught during 2019 throughout the city.
In food deserts, lack of access to quality food and lack of knowledge about nutrition can leave residents at a higher risk of developing cancer, heart disease or other illnesses related to poor diet and exercise. The risks are serious, but Abell said that learning about healthy eating doesn’t have to be scary.
“Little changes add up,” Abell said. “Inspiring people to get creative in the kitchen with the food they have access to can make a big difference.”
Wilder and Abell suggest shopping at farmer’s markets, growing food in home gardens, learning how to make healthy versions of favorite foods and seeking out information about nutrition online or in classes around the city. The community health pilot programs funded by Kohl’s Healthy Families and the American Cancer Society ended last year, but Walnut Way Conservation Corp. hosts a variety of programs centered around nutrition, wellness and other topics.
Although the obstacles can be daunting, Wilder emphasized that almost every aspect of life is dependent on maintaining good health.
“We can’t take care of our children if we aren’t healthy,” Wilder said. “Financial gain is worthless if we aren’t healthy.”

author: Caroline White


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Dwayne Burtin
March 9, 2020


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collage-featured | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 9, 2020


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collage | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 9, 2020


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Family and community outraged over release of acid attack suspect | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 11, 2020
Clifton A. Blackwell, the suspect charged with first-degree reckless injury as a hate crime and use of a dangerous weapon, was released from jail Feb. 13 on a GPS ankle monitor two days after posting a cash bond of $20,000. (Photo provided by TMJ4)
The family of the man injured in an acid attack in November on the South Side expressed anger Wednesday that the suspect in the case is out of jail.
“We are outraged that he was released,” said Priscilla Villalaz, the sister of Mahud Villalaz, who suffered second-degree burns to his face, cheek, neck and injuries to his left eye in the Nov. 1, 2019, attack. “We’re trying to find out why he was released and why we didn’t know about it.”
Clifton A. Blackwell, the suspect charged with first-degree reckless injury as a hate crime and use of a dangerous weapon, was released from jail Feb. 13 on a GPS ankle monitor two days after posting a cash bond of $20,000.
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Villalaz’s family said he wasn’t notified of Blackwell’s release until he received a letter dated March 3 from a pre-trial case manager at JusticePoint, which oversees GPS and other pre-trial monitoring for the county.
Blackwell’s daily whereabouts are being tracked, according to the letter from JusticePoint.
“Should Mr. Blackwell come within 500 feet of your reported address, the Court will be notified,” read part of the letter.
Blackwell called Villalaz an “illegal” after asking “Why did you invade my country?” and “Why don’t you respect my laws?” before throwing battery acid on his face, a complaint said.
“Knowing someone would do that to someone just because of where he thinks you’re from is scary,” says Miguel Leon, owner of Taqueria La Sierrita.
Weeks after the attack, business owners in the area expressed concern that another racially motivated attack could occur. Blackwell, 61, is white, and Villalaz, 42, is a Peruvian-born U.S. citizen.
“I just don’t want something like what happened to (Villalaz) to happen to me just because of the color of my skin,” said Miguel Leon, owner of Taqueria La Sierrita, in a November interview with NNS. The acid attack occurred outside his Polonia restaurant on South 13th Street and West Cleveland  Avenue.
News that Blackwell was no longer in custody began making the rounds on social media Tuesday.
A post about his release on the Facebook page of Chef Paz, a local Peruvian restaurant, was shared more than 200 times and had generated much outrage.
“So sad, how about the safety of other people … so now the southside community have to be scared all the time?” read one comment.  “How can this man not be behind bars?” read another.
The district attorney’s office has not yet responded to questions about what the terms of Blackwell’s release are, when and how the victim was notified, and whether it was common to release a hate crime suspect from jail.
A bail bond hearing for Blackwell was held on March 5, during which he requested a modification of the terms of his GPS monitoring, according to online court records. Details of those modifications state that the defendant is permitted weekly release for “medical, meetings with Attorney, one trip to check cashing, two trips to grocery store of choice, all with verifications.”
Villalaz’s attorney, Craig Mastantuono, chose not to comment other than to confirm that neither he nor the family had been notified of Blackwell’s release or of the court hearing on March 5. .
Blackwell is due back in court on April 8, at 8:30 a.m.
: South Side neighborhood where acid attack occurred finds itself in uncomfortable spotlight


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Dwayne Burtin
March 11, 2020


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acid-attack | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 11, 2020


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Women’s History Month: Meet three ‘SHEroes’ of Milwaukee, Part 2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Claudia Delgadillo
March 11, 2020
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater is in the second week of the run of the powerful play “Eclipsed,” which also means three new women, whom the Rep calls “Milwaukee SHEroes,” are being honored for their leadership and dedication to their community. The play centers around five extraordinary women and their tales of hope and resilience during the Liberian Civil War.
Although the run of “Eclipsed” was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns, for $15, you can view a live recording by clicking here.
Featured this week are: Dasha Kelly Hamilton, founder of Still Waters Collective; May yer Thao, assistant deputy director of Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development; and Lisa M. Edwards, founder of Proyecto Mamá.
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Who: Dasha Kelly Hamilton
What she does: Dasha Kelly Hamilton is a writer, performance artist and creative change agent.   She delivers sessions to campuses, classrooms, correctional institutions, association conferences, social service agencies, municipal departments and team retreats.
Her nonprofit, Still Waters Collective, has curated poetry programming and spoken word events in the region for almost 20 years. The work has impacted more than 13,000 youth, provided professional development to more than 100 young people and created platforms for thousands of voices to be honored and heard.
Kelly Hamilton has written for national, regional and local magazines; produced three collections of poetry; recorded four spoken word CDs, and published two novels. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has taught writing courses at Mount Mary University, Alverno College and UW-Milwaukee. She served as an arts envoy for the U.S. Embassy to teach, perform and facilitate community building initiatives in Botswana and the island of Mauritius.  A former Artist of the Year for the City of Milwaukee, she was recently named the city’s 11th poet laureate.
Who: May yer Thao
What she does: May yer Thao (pronounced “mine-za”) was recently selected by Gov. Tony Evers as assistant deputy director for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. As assistant deputy director, she is charged with the organization’s equity, inclusion and culture strategies to impact the areas of organizational infrastructure, leadership pipeline development (recruitment/retention) and procurement.
Thao formerly was executive director of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, a statewide economic development organization. During her tenure, she led the organization to deploying the most business microloans in its history (over $2 million in loan funds) while leveraging over $10 million in private funds to minority and women-owned businesses throughout the state.
Thao is co-leading efforts to ensure that Wisconsin’s Asian American/Pacific Islander communities are included in preparations for the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee. She is a co-founder of ElevAsian, a group committed to elevating Milwaukee’s Asian American community.
Thao came to Milwaukee 14 years ago. She and her husband, Phoun Say Thao, have two children, CyaSha and TsuChi Thao.
Who: Lisa M. Edwards
What she does:  Lisa M. Edwards is a licensed psychologist and professor in the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at Marquette University. She teaches, conducts research and mentors graduate students.
Edwards’ passion is supporting the mental health of pregnant and postpartum Latina mothers. She launched Proyecto Mamá, a community resource for perinatal Latina mothers in the Milwaukee area. Proyecto Mamá is designed to gather information that can be used to ensure that Latina mothers receive the mental health care they need and deserve.
Thanks to a Greater Milwaukee Foundation grant, Edwards also recently started Círculo de Mamás, a wellness support group for pregnant and postpartum mothers at Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers.
Edwards, who is Colombian, grew up in Florida and came to Milwaukee 15 years ago. Edwards, her husband and two daughters enjoy exploring local parks and restaurants, going to Brewers games, and traveling to visit family in South America.
*Biographical information provided by the Milwaukee Rep.
In case you missed it: 6 events to celebrate Women’s History Month in Milwaukee


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Adam Carr
March 10, 2020


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Adam Carr
March 10, 2020


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Adam Carr
March 10, 2020


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Adam Carr
March 10, 2020


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Post from Community: Milwaukee County Housing Division leaders receive extraordinary honor, United Way’s Gwen T. Jackson Award | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services
March 12, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
At the recent 2020 United Way Annual Meeting, Milwaukee County Housing Division leaders James Mathy, Housing Administrator, and Eric Collins-Dyke, Assistant Administrator, received the prestigious Gwen T. Jackson Community Service Award for their work in ending homelessness, aligning with United Way’s goal to ending family homelessness by 2025. The Gwen T. Jackson Community Service Award is presented to United Way volunteers who best exemplify a spirit of volunteerism and dedication to their community.
“James and Eric are unique in that government officials are not typically recipients. The fact that they are receiving one of our highest honors speaks to their outstanding dedication in developing an innovative and effective approach to address this critical issue in our community,” said Nicole Angresano, United Way Vice President, Community Impact. “They exemplify the spirit of the Gwen T. Jackson award as champions of the effort to end homelessness.”
The United Way recognition highlights the system is making progress toward reaching the goal of ending homelessness. The Housing First philosophy provides housing to those most in need without pre-condition. Housing staff has learned the most vulnerable members of the community can only solve one life-changing problem at a time. When someone is living outside, without a roof over their head or knowing where their next meal is coming from, that is the most important problem.
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“I know I speak for our entire organization, when I say we are fortunate to work with dedicated individuals who look beyond barriers to create real and lasting change that will have a positive impact on our community for generations to come,” said Mary Jo Meyers, Director, Department of Health and Human Services. “James and Eric lead a team on the cutting edge of this work nationwide.”


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March 9, 2020


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Post from Community: Alverno College student honored as a Newman Civic Fellow | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
March 12, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the 290 students who will make up the organization’s 2020-2021 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. The 2020 cohort—the largest group of Newman Civic Fellows to date—includes Alverno College student Cassandra Abarca. This is the fourth year in a row an Alverno student has been named a Newman Civic Fellow; Katherine Watson was selected for the 2017 cohort, Alejandra Gonzalez was chosen for the 2018 cohort, and Donna Lewis-Taylor was part of the 2019 cohort.
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Abarca, a sophomore majoring in Business and Management and in Spanish Language and Cultures, is a first-generation student. On campus she serves as the vice president of Alverno’s chapter of Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, is a member of Alverno Business Leaders Empower (A.B.L.E.), and is involved in Campus Ministry. She also volunteers for Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WIBIC).
“Cassandra came to Alverno passionate about economic justice for all communities in Milwaukee,” said Dr. Andrea Lee, IHM, president of Alverno College. “She believes that advocacy concerning, and education on, issues facing minorities is essential to creating positive outcomes for Milwaukee’s and our nation’s future. As an emerging minority businesswoman, I have no doubt that Cassandra will make an impact on our community through her dedication and determination.”
The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program for students from Campus Compact member institutions. The students selected for the fellowship are leaders on their campuses who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
The fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, who was a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education. In the spirit of Dr. Newman’s leadership, Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors may nominate one student from their institution for the fellowship.
Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides the students with a variety of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional, and civic growth. Each year, Fellows are invited to a national, in-person conference of Newman Civic Fellows and participate in numerous virtual training and networking opportunities. The fellowship also provides fellows with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.
“We are proud to recognize each of these extraordinary student leaders and thrilled to have the opportunity to engage with them,” said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. “The stories of this year’s Newman Civic Fellows make clear that they are committed to finding solutions to pressing problems in their communities and beyond. That is what Campus Compact is about, and it’s what our country and our world desperately need.”
The Newman Civic Fellowship is supported by the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation. Learn more at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Campus Compact supports institutions in fulfilling their public purposes by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. As the largest national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, we provide professional development to administrators and faculty to enable them to engage effectively, facilitate national partnerships connecting campuses with key issues in their local communities, build pilot programs to test and refine promising models in engaged teaching and scholarship, celebrate and cultivate student civic leadership, and convene higher education institutions and partners beyond higher education to share knowledge and develop collective capacity. Visit www.compact.org.
About Alverno College
Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy, music and liturgy, and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

author: Alverno College


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March 6, 2020


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Post from Community: It Takes A Village: Community Baby Shower and Resource Fair | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Vanessa D. Johnson, RN, CLS, Doula
March 12, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
In celebration of World Doula Week 2020, Birthworkers United, Inc. will be organizing the 2nd annual, “It Takes A Village: Community Baby Shower & Resource Fair” for expecting families in the city of Milwaukee.
With Wisconsin leading the nation in black infant mortality rates, this event was created to raise awareness about healthy birth outcomes and the importance of doula services in the community.
The 2nd annual, “It Takes A Village: Community Baby Shower and Resource Fair”, will take place at the new Sherman Phoenix business development, Saturday, March 28, 2020 from 10a-4p.
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There will be an amazing interactive resource fair with over 15 community vendors, as well as a special Paint & Pamper Party for expecting individuals and new parents! Registration required. The pampering services will include;
1.) Full Body Massage and Chair Massage
2.) Canvas Painting
3.) Belly Painting
4.) Spa Pedicures
5.) Professional Makeup with Photography
6.) Manicures with Hand Massages for Dads and Moms
7.) Facials for Dads and Moms
8.) Prenatal Yoga Class
9.) Infant Massage Class
10.) Prenatal Line Dance Session
Register @vipsocio.com Search Milwaukee Events
For more information, sponsorship, or donation information;
ittakesavillagemke@gmail.com
414-768-2268
FB and IG@birthworkersunited

author: Vanessa D. Johnson, RN, CLS, Doula


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March 12, 2020


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Post from Community: Legacy Redevelopment Corp. names new president and board chair | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Legacy Redevelopment Corporation
March 12, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Legacy Redevelopment Corporation (LRC), a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides strategic lending solutions to Milwaukee’s underserved markets, has named Terese Caro, MBA, its new president. Caro joined the LRC team in July 2016, bringing years of commercial lending expertise to her roles as vice president and chief lending officer. As president, Caro replaces José A. Mantilla who will remain on as a senior advisor through the end of the year. LRC also named Richard Lincoln as its newly elected board chair.
“On behalf of the LRC board of directors, I congratulate Terese and look forward to watching her continue to drive our organization forward,” Lincoln noted. “In her years with LRC, Terese has consistently proven herself to be an exceptional leader who embodies the LRC mission to foster financial independence, sustain growth, and revitalize communities.” He continued, “Terese has a true passion to provide Milwaukee’s small businesses with the capital they need to open their doors and grow, along with the education, tools, and development needed to ensure long-term success.”
Caro has spent nearly 30 years in banking and finance, managing a diverse portfolio valued at over $500 million in loans and assets. As LRC’s vice president, she oversaw a $10.9 million loan portfolio consisting of small business, new construction/rehab and commercial/retail real estate loans. In addition, she has been instrumental in forging local partnerships to pursue opportunity zone redevelopment projects.
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“We also owe a debt of gratitude to José for his insightful leadership and are thankful that he will remain on as an advisor through 2020 to ensure a seamless transition,” Lincoln said. “Since joining LRC as president and CEO in 2016, José has led significant developments for our organization and for Milwaukee as a whole, including a revitalized organizational focus on new construction and acquisition rehab.”
Previously, Mantilla held leadership roles at three Milwaukee financial institutions, M&I Bank, Legacy Bank and North Milwaukee State Bank, as well as at KeyBank, N.A. in Cleveland. Both Legacy Bank and North Milwaukee State Bank were minority-owned and -operated.
A long-term LRC board member, Lincoln brings over 50 years of public and private sector experience to his new leadership role, having played the lead role in the construction or rehabilitation of more than 3,000 multi-family housing units and over 1.5 million square feet of office and retail space in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. He retired as senior vice president of Mandel Group, Inc. in 2015 and remains professionally active as a development and finance consultant to a variety of regional real estate development initiatives. Lincoln assumed the board chair role from Troy Reese, president of T.L. Reese Construction.
Since 2003, LRC has provided hundreds of loans valued at over $18 million and created or retained thousands of jobs. Learn more at lrcmke.com.

author: Legacy Redevelopment Corporation


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March 11, 2020


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Post from Community: United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County announces reducing barriers to employment & advancement grant application | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
March 12, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County’s Diversity Leadership Society is leading an initiative to reduce barriers to employment and advancement for local, diverse individuals.
Despite the strongest economy in a generation, Milwaukee’s African-American unemployment rate of 9% is nearly twice the national average (5.5%). It’s also triple Milwaukee’s Caucasian rate of 2.7%, reflecting the nation’s largest unemployment racial disparity.
At the same time, employers in our community’s largest sectors, manufacturing and health care, continuously struggle to find workers with the specialized skills and credentials their fields demand.
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GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
United Way announced today that the grant application process is now open for organizations who work and support one or more of the following four key priorities of this initiative:
• Education, training, and credentials: offer financial support to programs that help adults learn to read, earn their GED or other employment credentials, and teach English as a Second Language (ESL).
• Transportation: support programs that help adults recover their driver’s license and assist youth in obtaining their initial driver’s license.
• Involvement in the justice system: advocate for laws that promote expungement of records from public databases for non-violent offenders. Studies have shown that most employers are reluctant to hire applicants with criminal records, even for non-violent convictions.
• Diverse Talent Retention: enlist the help of outside consultants to develop a survey tool to understand why diverse talent is leaving the region at such a high rate.
Special consideration will be made for organizations applying for funding with an additional organization to maximize impact.
For more information or to apply for a grant, visit UnitedWayGMWC.org/reducing-barriers-grant