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OPINION: Our community should decide how $400 million in COVID recovery money is spent. Period. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Melody McCurtis
June 7, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank)
Editor’s note: Have 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.
Melody McCurtis
The pandemic is still here, even if there’s talk of going back to “normal.” Black and brown folks in Milwaukee have never had a satisfactory “normal.” We don’t want to go backwards — we want real change, real accountability and investment.
Through the American Recovery Plan Act, or ARPA, the federal government is sending nearly $400 million in funds to Milwaukee over the next two years to help relieve the impact of the pandemic. Half of those funds just arrived in our city.
These funds must be invested directly in communities — Black and brown ones.
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In order for that to happen, we need a truly participatory budgeting process that gives people the power to make real collective decisions on where and how funds should be spent.
We cannot be committed to equity if we are not honest about how the usual decisions have furthered the wealth, health and opportunity gaps within a majority Black and brown city.
Black and brown folks should be valued.
My neighbors in Metcalfe Park have testified at hearings online and in person, e-mailed leaders, called their officials and attended multiple input sessions. They are demanding real decision-making power with real dollars to support their solutions.
Community members are the experts. They know what they need.
In fact, Black folks are natural experts of participatory budgeting. Historically, we have had to survive with little to nothing, no access to opportunities and no real investment. So, we’ve learned to prioritize what’s important.
Since the beginning of the pandemic in Milwaukee, we have seen the community step up and provide access to food, health, mutual aid, housing and more, with minimal to no support from our city, and city-allocated resources. We have been on the front lines.
Patrice Gransberry, a community member in Metcalfe Park, recently told me in conversation:
Melody, if we decide we want to have a community barbeque, and we all collectively write out a list of what we need, then everyone signs up to contribute what they can, that’s participatory budgeting, Right?
In other words, we know how to identify an issue, see what we have collectively and solve the problem. Imagine what we could do with ARPA dollars.
On May 14, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges joined over a hundred community members, organizations and businesses throughout Milwaukee — mostly from the North and South Sides — to send a collective letter to the mayor and Common Council demanding that these funds be invested in the community. While the mayor and some alders hosted virtual sessions, rolling out their priorities and asking for feedback, we are still waiting on a response to our letter.
Our community needs real investment, not just statements claiming that we are valued, but action that shows real value. We should be the ones determining how dollars are spent in a way that ensures that our community thrives, because Metcalfe Park and our surrounding communities have endured constant oppressive conditions in Milwaukee, and these were heightened due to this pandemic.
As a city with a majority Black and brown population struggling with wealth, health and housing disparities, we need to put the following into action:
1. None of these funds will be spent until a clear community-led process is created.
2. Create a participatory budgeting trust with a budget of $200 million — $100 million for each round of ARPA dollars. This money should be distributed among each aldermanic district, with more funding to marginalized districts, to allow residents in each district to have decision-making power on how the large influx of money should be spent. Through this participatory process, residents along with their alderperson would propose how funds should be invested, and residents would vote. This would ensure that communities have real decision-making power on what their neighborhoods need. There are over 650 examples of participatory budgeting in the United States, including Seattle, New York City, Chicago and Durham.
3. The Milwaukee Police Department receives $0 in funding. The MPD budget currently exceeds $295 million and the MPD received $9.8 million in CARES Act funding during the city budget process last year. Our community has been vocal in demanding that the police are defunded in order to prioritize investments in essential community needs.
4. Provide housing assistance, including rent, mortgage, utilities deferment or cancelation, long-term eviction moratoriums and direct funds to invest in community-led housing initiatives and community land trusts.
5. Direct funds to support youth-led organizations that support our youth with access to mentorship, jobs, internships, positive youth development programs and more. Direct funds to support artist and art groups, and recreation spaces in the community.
6. Direct funds to support preventative care, health and well-being of our community that creates real access to health care, mental health response teams, preventative health services and the COVID-19 vaccine. Direct funding to support community-based mutual aid groups.
Melody McCurtis is the deputy director of priorities and organizer at Metcalfe Park Community Bridges.

author: Melody McCurtis


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Post from Community: MKE hosting free airport job fair to fill vacant positions | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County
June 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Interested applicants are invited to come to the Airport to learn more about positions available within various restaurants, retail shops, service providers, airlines, TSA, and more. Free parking and free bus passes will be available to all job seekers.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a resume and photo identification. Representatives from the various companies will collect information, conduct interviews, and even hire on the spot for many open positions.
COVID protocols are in place for this event. All attendees must wear a face covering and be aware of their surroundings to allow for physical distancing. Hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the job fair. Light refreshments will be provided.
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WHO: Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
Retail and concession partners, Various airlines (including Delta and United) and other service providers, Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Plus, many other employers who are ready to hire!
WHEN: Tuesday, June 15, 2021, 10 A.M.- 5 P.M.
WHERE: Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, South end of Concession Mall, near entrance to Concourse E 5300 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, Park in Hourly Parking – vouchers will be provided

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Milwaukee County


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MKE Airport Job Fair flyer.pdf 06.01.2021 copy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 7, 2021

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Where you can find a job in Milwaukee this month | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Common Council - City Clerk's Workforce Development Office
June 7, 2021
Some employers are hiring in Milwaukee. Check out this listing furnished by the city. (Stock photo)
Are you or someone you know looking for a job?
Here are some places that are hiring in the Milwaukee area.
This list is furnished by the Common Council – City Clerk’s Workforce Development Office.
Word of Hope Ministries in partnership with SEEK Careers/Staffing, will be hosting employers from the manufacturing and financial sectors for an In-Person Job Fair scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 9. You must register to attend by calling 414-447-1965, Ext. 230.
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Next Door Foundation is accepting online applications for a bilingual parent educator, a family advocate specialist and early childhood teachers. Visit www.NextDoorMKE.org to apply.
Equus welcomes eligible adults ages 18-24 years to apply for The Transform Milwaukee Job Program, which offers immediate short-term paid work experience for U.S. citizens who have “aged out” of the foster care or juvenile justice systems. No experience is required. Call 414-533-4784 for information.
The United States Postal Service is now hiring in Milwaukee for city carrier assistant and tractor-trailer operator.  Visit www.usps.com/careers for other USPS opportunities.
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin is hosting various employers the month of June at all three of its locations in Milwaukee from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday. Employers hiring the week of June 7 include Center for Health Careers, CapTel, Milwaukee County House of Corrections, Amazon, and Aramark.  Remember: You must register to attend.
Marcus Cinemas is hiring in Milwaukee. Part-time and full-time positions are available. Click on this hyperlink to review and apply.
Maximus will host Celestial Care at its Employer Spotlight event scheduled for Tuesday, June 8 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Celestial Care is recruiting full-time and part-time caregivers. You must register to attend this virtual recruitment event by contacting Agatha at AgathaHodgson@maximus.com.
Athea Laboratories is hiring machine operators for the first and second shifts. Previous experience as a machine operator is a plus. Competitive health, retirement and tuition benefits are offered. Visit its career page.
Transfer Pizzeria Café will be reopening for in-person dining this summer.  Positions are open for shift managers, line cooks and prep kitchen staff. You can email your resume to Maggie McCanna at maggie@transfermke.com. You can also fill out an application here.


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Serious personnel manager taking resume from young job applicant on work interview at modern company office | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 6, 2021


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New online tool helps individuals clean up criminal and eviction records | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
June 8, 2021
The Legal Tune Up online tool walks individuals through the process of removing eligible criminal and eviction records. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
A new tool could help individuals remove employment and housing barriers with the click of a few buttons. Legal Tune Up, an online service, lets users quickly check whether criminal, housing or other blemishes on their record are eligible for removal from public databases.
“Clearing those barriers can better their opportunity to improve their life economically, mentally and physically,” said Marsha Mansfield, executive director of LIFT Dane, the Madison-based group that created the tool.
Mansfield said that LIFT Dane and other partners in the effort, including Legal Action of Wisconsin, Employment and Training Association of Dane County and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, created Legal Tune Up to address challenges people face accessing legal help to clear their record.
“We use public records that other decision makers are using against people, but use those records to help people,” she said. “The tool cleans records that employers and landlords are looking at.”
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Here’s how it works
Users can visit Legal Tune Up and enter a few basic pieces of information: first and last name and date of birth. Once you enter that information and hit search, the tool will scan databases including the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Program, better known as CCAP, for records that can be removed, including some criminal and eviction records.
Not all records can be removed. But criminal charges that didn’t result in convictions or charges that were dropped are eligible.
Legal Tune Up can help you remove evictions from your record in cases where an agreement was made between parties or by the judge to remove the records from public access or in eligible cases where there is no monetary judgment or that judgment has been fulfilled, Mansfield said.
Once the tool identifies records eligible for removal, it will walk you through the next steps, even sometimes automatically filling in paperwork with information specific to your case. It also will help you send forms electronically to the Wisconsin Department of Justice to begin the process. It typically takes the Department of Justice six to eight weeks to process those requests.
LIFT Dane is still working to add services that can also help you address child support, recover your driver’s license and access job training and other opportunities, Mansfield said.
Not an expungement
One thing that is important to note is that the tool cannot help you remove criminal convictions, a process known as expungement. Expungement means having misdemeanor or nonviolent felony convictions removed or sealed from your record. It’s a process that doesn’t happen often in Wisconsin, which has one of the toughest expungement statutes in the country.
“We’re not talking about hard-core criminals. We’re talking about people that made a mistake,” said Shanyeill McCloud, founder of Clean Slate Milwaukee in a February interview with NNS. Clean Slate Milwaukee provides expungement services to eligible individuals. McCloud has been working with legislators and other groups to reform expungement laws in Wisconsin.
Expungement legislation in Madison
On June 2, their push to make expungement easier in Wisconsin moved one step closer. Assembly Bill 69/Senate Bill 78 was passed by the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee by a vote of 5-2.
If approved by the full Assembly and Senate and signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers, the bill would still limit expungement eligibility to individuals who have been convicted of nonviolent and low-level crimes. But it would change the requirement that an expungement decision be made by a judge at the time of sentencing and expand eligibility to those ages 25 and older. No date has been set yet for a full floor vote in the Assembly on the bill.
Democratic State Rep. Evan Goyke of Milwaukee, who co-authored the bill with Republican Rep. David Steffen of Green Bay, wrote in his monthly update to constituents that the legislation would create “more opportunities for thousands of Wisconsinites with a prior conviction.”
Marshfield said her team is also keeping a close eye on the developments in Madison. If the bill passes, she said, they hope to secure funding so that the tool can be used to support expungements in the future.
The ultimate goal is to help individuals in the state have better opportunities to move forward.
“We want to make a difference for people statewide and help them have a better life,” she said.

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 7, 2021


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Post from Community: Big Brothers Big Sisters June Mix@Six at the landing of Hoyt Park – Beer Garden | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee
June 8, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Join us at our June Mix@Six!
Are you ready to start empowering the potential of youth in Milwaukee and Waukesha? Learn about mentoring at our Summer Mix@Six! Join us at an outdoor beer garden at The Landing at Hoyt Park and enjoy raffles, networking, complimentary pizza, and hear first-hand experiences from current mentors.
What: Big Brothers Big Sisters Mix@Six
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When: Tuesday, June 22 at 6:oopm
Where: The Landing at Hoyt Park 1800 N Swan Blvd, Wauwatosa, 53226
*No Littles/Children please!
Register today at: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ehzewn2v0757174d&llr=9o7etzbab


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MIX_SIX.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 8, 2021

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Post from Community: Get on board! Connecting leaders to nonprofits | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Young Nonprofit Professionals Network
June 8, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network – Greater Milwaukee Chapter, in partnership with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County’s Project LEAD and Jobs That Help, is hosting Get On Board: Connecting Leaders to Nonprofits, a virtual board matching event with over 30 local nonprofit organizations on June 23rd from 5:30pm-7:30pm.
Community members interested in pursuing an opportunity to join the boards or committees of local nonprofits will be able to virtually visit with representatives from nonprofit organizations of their choice, choosing from 30+ nonprofits in our community.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Registration is now open until June 14th for board seekers, and the event is free to participate in. Register today!
Participating Nonprofits

author: Young Nonprofit Professionals Network


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Get-On-Board-2021.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 7, 2021


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Post from Community: Tenor High School… where 3 + 1 = success | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Seeds of Health schools
June 8, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
While most high school students equate four years with the traditional amount of time spent in high school, at Tenor High School, students are done in three. But there is more to the story – students spend their fourth year taking classes at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), getting a head start on a four- or two-year degree or certificate, or preparing for their careers after high school. That is the magic of Tenor High School, one of the powerful charter schools under the umbrella of Seeds of Health, Inc., Wisconsin’s only K4-12 charter school agency in the state of Wisconsin.
Seeds of Health Executive Director Marcia Spector explains the secret behind Tenor High School: “The mission of Tenor High School has always, and will always, remain the same: to prepare Milwaukee students for successful entry to post-secondary education and career opportunities through the dual completion of a high school diploma and a Milwaukee Area Technical College program certificate or technical diploma, and/or credits in a post-secondary degree program.”
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3 + 1 = Success
Under Tenor’s unique 3 + 1 model, students graduate with dual certification – a high school diploma and a Milwaukee Area Technical College program certificate or technical diploma, and/or credits in a post-secondary degree program. Tenor students complete all their high school requirements in three years and attend MATC their fourth year.
Spector explains, “It’s the only 3 + 1 school in the state of Wisconsin. Nobody else has a program like this dual certification school. Tenor students take three years of high school classes and then go to MATC their 4th. Upon graduation, students can leave with their certificate in an area of trade, continue their studies at MATC and earn an associate degree, or take the credits earned at MATC to a 4-year university.” Whichever path students choose, they are on the road to be successful and workforce ready.
The Magic Behind the Tenor Model
According to Tenor High School Principal Tyson Tlachac, “Since Tenor’s beginning, more than 500 students have participated in the ‘3 +1′ program, experiencing their 4th year at MATC. That has led to students continuing at MATC to receive a certificate, associate degree, or entering a 4-year degree program.”  The Class of 2021 is a testament to the fact that Tenor Students (even when faced with a global pandemic) have the resources available to help guide them to future success and are closely supported and advised by Tenor guidance counselors Carol Pook and Charmin McGlaston. Pook and McGlaston work closely with Tenor seniors to help them determine their post high school plans – whether continuing with their education or entering the workforce, and also help students find and secure scholarships and other means of financial support.
Numerous Tenor students receive scholarships and aid each year thanks to these efforts by Tenor counselors. The students also work hard, taking a variety of courses at MATC that can be applied towards a two or four-year degree. One student, Lizeth Galindo, has taken several MATC courses and earned a Nursing Assistant diploma. Lizeth will attend Alverno College with $20,000 a year in scholarships to help her. Another 2021 graduate, Liliana Negron, will continue her education funded by an impressive number of scholarships, totaling $224,000 per year.
Many Tenor students work hard both academically and in part-time jobs to achieve their dreams of attending college. Tenor senior Luis Landeros is an example of this as he has spent his weekends, days off and summers working construction with his dad and will be taking 35 college credits and a GPA of 3.829 to the University of Chicago this fall. Luis also attended a virtual pre-college summer program at Harvard in 2020 and will begin college with $72,229 worth of assistance. Like many Tenor students, success runs in Luis’ family – his older sister is a 2019 Tenor graduate studying dietetics at Mount Mary, while his younger brother is a Tenor student.
Nanya Khoungmuang has earned the Wisconsin Academic Excellence Award which gives her $2,250 per year to attend MATC, Nayele Garcia – Velazquez heads to MATC with a $1500 scholarship, and Aneila Capetillo earned an MATC General Scholarship.  A generous scholarship offered by Dennis and Deborah Conta helps MATC bound students cover costs of their education. Other students like Giselle Perez-Villa plan to attend MATC to earn an associate degree in Graphic Design, while others like Diamond Roman will use MATC as a launching pad for further education- starting at MATC with a two-year degree and then transferring to MIAD.
The statistics on the graduating class of 2021 are impressive – 100% of the class had the opportunity to apply for admission to MATC and for the MATC Promise with support from the Tenor High School Staff. 89% of Class of 2021 applied for admission to MATC, and 91% of students applied to one or more colleges or universities.  Finally, 100% of students who earned technical diplomas related to construction and manufacturing received information and introductions to programs to assist with applications for employment and apprenticeships! Tenor students are well supported upon graduation!
Regardless of the roads students take post-graduation, they all have something in common. Tenor High School students recognize the tremendous advantages the 3 + 1-year template provides and work hard to maximize their efforts during their Tenor career.  Colleges and organizations recognize the hard work of students and often offer scholarships to these dedicated students.  Similarly, employers sense that Tenor High School students are purpose-driven and dedicated and are happy to hire Tenor graduates.
Tenor High School & Its Expanding Program
While this magical high school may have been one of Milwaukee’s best-kept secrets, it’s not going to be a secret for long.  This fall, Tenor will expand its program when it moves into the former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel building at 918 N Vel Phillips Avenue. This move will allow Tenor to offer more students the chance to experience the magic of a 3+1 education while learning in the heart of Milwaukee’s downtown.  The new location is just two blocks from MATC and adjacent to the proposed location for MATC dorms. The location near FISERV Forum and across the street from the Panthers Arena puts students in the heart of a thriving area where Tenor will be perfectly positioned to form partnerships with area businesses and introduce students to the possibilities that Milwaukee offers.
The new building will be equipped with traditional student safety protocols and will adhere to new COVID safety protocols and design considerations. The building’s layout allows for utilization of Alice Safety Protocols (for situations involving active shooters and other emergency situations) and works well with the new considerations of hallway traffic patterns and overall health safety brought on by COVID distancing measures.
Preparing Students for Success in Our Changing World
While many things have changed since the start of the pandemic, one thing hasn’t. Tenor High School students receive caring, individualized instruction and guidance throughout their educational experience.  Tenor High School has been recognized locally and nationally over the past ten years as an outstanding school. In addition, Tenor is a certified Project Lead the Way school and participates in WIAA sports. Tenor students enjoy the small class sizes, dedicated teachers and administrators, and school-sponsored activities that allow students to build communication, leadership, teamwork and decision-making skills that open the door to future academic and personal success.
Principals Tyson Tlachac and Brenda Jeske Schmidt say it best, “Tenor prepares students with a rigorous curriculum in a safe and engaging environment. Small class sizes, dedicated teachers and administrators, and school-sponsored activities allow students to build communication, leadership, teamwork and decision-making skills, giving them many opportunities to experience both academic and personal success.”
Students who are eager to get a head start on their post high school education and careers should consider Tenor High School.
Founded in 1983, Seeds of Health, Inc. is the only K4-12 charter school agency in the state of Wisconsin serving approximately 1,300 students in three high schools with a total of four locations and a K4-8 elementary program. The individual and unique education programs at each school serve a broad range of student needs – from at-risk to the college bound. Seeds of Health is Milwaukee’s innovative “home grown” answer to imaginative, collaborative and cutting-edge education options, with the vision to positively impact the growth and development of urban children. For more information, please visit www.seedsofhealth.org.

author: Seeds of Health schools


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SOH-Logo.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 7, 2021


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Post from Community: Amy Lindner selected for United Way Worldwide Fellowship Program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
June 9, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Amy Lindner, President & CEO of United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County has been selected to participate in United Way’s Fellowship Program. This fellowship program is an accelerated development course designed for core leaders of United Way who are high performers and proven capacity for leadership.
“We are so proud that Amy Lindner was chosen to be a member of this year’s Fellowship Program,” said Linda Benfield, Board Chair for United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. “It is a leader like Amy who will engage with the next generation of donors and carry United Way’s mission into the 21st century.”
Selection for the fellowship program is based on an individual’s performance, mastery of skills and core competencies, and potential for leadership. Applications came from the nearly 13,000 people serving in local United Ways around the world, and across all departments. Admission to the program is highly selective, with participation limited to just 30 applicants each year.
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“People first leadership means building a diverse pipeline of leaders for the global United Way Network,” said Amy Dinofrio, Vice President of People & Culture at United Way Worldwide. “Identifying and supporting those team members who are high-performing and high-potential enables United Way to drive a culture of top-performing talent to advance the mission and serve every person in every community.”
United Way Worldwide’s 2021 Fellowship Program runs through October 2021. For more information please visit:


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NNS Spotlight: ‘There is a solution to this problem’: One company’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 9, 2021
Morgan Phelps, the CEO and founder of Colorful Connections, was done talking about diversifying the workplace. Instead, she put her words into action. (Photo provided by Colorful Connections)
The first time Morgan Phelps moved to Milwaukee she didn’t have a lot of expectations.
“As a transplant, I was blessed to find friends early on,” she said. “When I moved back, it was a different climate.”
As a Chicago native, she was accustomed to growing up in a segregated city. But she found Milwaukee “cliquey” and wanted her new city to do better.
Phelps is the CEO and founder of Colorful Connections, which helps businesses recruit diverse talent and create supportive workplaces.
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“It’s always been something that’s been needed,” Phelps said of the company she launched in 2019.
The idea for Colorful Connections came to Phelps while she worked for a major agency that was looking to attract diverse professionals. At the same time, she was running a group for professional women of color seeking career opportunities.
There was this disconnect, she said. Here was a group of diverse professionals looking for jobs, but those in charge of hiring didn’t know where to look or how to find them.
“Talking is awesome,” she said. “But after a while, you need to progress into action. Otherwise it’s just talk. There is a solution to this problem.”
And that solution evolved into Colorful Connections.
The company has local and national clients, including American Family Insurance, Wisconsin Voices and the Hmong Chamber of Commerce.
Phelps works with clients in two major ways. She helps them recruit talent and offers workshops and training to establish supportive and equitable workspaces.
“You might be further from your goal than you think,” Phelps said. “And hiring one person isn’t going to fix that.”
Amy James, an HR generalist at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, said the foundation initially connected with Phelps to learn more about her work. Then a year ago, it reached out to Colorful Connections to recruit new talent.
“It was nice to have an organization that understood what’s important to us, especially around racial equity and inclusion,” James said.
Katie Avila Loughmiller, the innovation and special operations manager for Colorful Connections, joined the team in June 2020. As an artist and writer, much of Avila Loughmiller’s work centers on racial equity and social justice.
“It doesn’t matter if you hire someone from a diverse background if the company is not equipped to support them,” she said, adding that diversity and inclusion work is an ongoing journey.
Social change starts with the individual, Avila Loughmiller said. And that means being able to talk about uncomfortable subjects, especially at work.
“We need to be having these conversations about privilege and about what diversity means,” Avila Loughmiller said. “Do it at work. Do it at home. Do it with friends and family. That’s how we’re going to see progress.”

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 8, 2021


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Post from Community: GLIIHC lights the Hoan for MMIWR awareness | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, Inc
June 9, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Join us for a neighborhood cleanup as we pick up liter off our Mother Earth! How we take care of the earth reflects the way our women are treated. Everyone who comes to the neighborhood cleanup will be entered into a raffle to win Red Dress earings, MMIWR keychains, or MMIWR ribbon shirts made by local Native American artists.
The winners will be announced at the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse, must be present to win. We will meet there after the cleanup and Avery Nahwahquaw will share an honor song for our missing and murdered relatives. We will share some words and prayers, and the City of Milwaukee will light up the Hoan Bridge red in honor of MMIWR.
6:30-7:30pm: Neighborhood Clean-Up at Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center (930 W. Historic Mitchell St)
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8:00pm: Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse for gathering, song before lighting of the Hoan bridge at 9pm


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MMIWR_Light-The-Hoan_crop.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 9, 2021


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Post from Community: Milwaukee Public Schools announces virtual program option for 2021-22 school year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
June 9, 2021
(Photo provided by MPS)
Editor’s note: Have 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.
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) announced the development of a virtual program that will be offered as a full-time learning option for students for the 2021-22 school year. Families can share their desire for this virtual option by filling out this survey which is also being sent via email and U.S. Mail.
All enrolled students are currently assigned to in-person learning five days a week. Any student that participates in the program will receive instruction from teachers fully dedicated to remote learning. Classroom teachers based in schools will only teach in-school students.
“We are elated to offer this option for students and families who desire to remain virtual,” MPS Superintendent Dr. Keith P. Posley said. “As we prepare for a full return to school buildings, our desire is that all of our young people have access to the best possible education, whether virtual or in-person.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Enrollment in the virtual program is limited and based on availability. Surveys must be returned by Monday, June 21 to be considered. Families who choose for their child(ren) to remain in-person do not have to take action.
For more information about this virtual option, please visit mpsmke.com/survey.

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 9, 2021


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8 places where teens and young adults can find jobs in Milwaukee this summer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 10, 2021
Teenagers and young adults can find employment opportunities at various organizations throughout Milwaukee. Here middle school participants work on an art activity led by teen leaders. (File photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
School is out, and now is a great time to make some money.
Elected officials and community leaders are encouraging youth to seek summer employment opportunities. These paid positions teach young people valuable skills that will benefit them as they prepare for their future.
Milwaukee youth can explore employment opportunities at the various organizations and agencies below.
Did we miss an employment opportunity for youth? Comment below or send us an email with the subject line ‘Youth Employment Opportunity’ to info@milwaukeenns.org.
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1. Earn & Learn
Earn & Learn is the City of Milwaukee’s youth employment program. Youth are connected to various organizations throughout the city. The program lasts six to eight weeks and participants work 20 hours a week. The program is still accepting applications. In-person registration will take place at Employ Milwaukee, 2342 N. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 12. Call 414-270-7550 or email earn.learn@employmilwaukee.org with any questions.
2. Neu-Life Community Development
Neu-Life Community Development, 2014 W. North Ave., offers the Youth Work Innovation Center program to students in middle and high school. The youth assist on project-based workgroups and classes for which they are paid. To apply, click here. If chosen, youth will be asked to do an in-person interview.
3. Milwaukee Christian Center
Milwaukee Christian Center has a YouthBuild program for young adults ages 18-25. The program provides education and hands-on construction training. Participants will help build homes for low- to moderate-income families. The program is currently accepting applicants for July and September. For more information call Lois Nugent, the YouthBuild coordinator, at 414-902-5394 and leave your name and phone number.
4. We Got This
We Got This is ready to launch its ninth annual summer program for boys. The program is open to youth ages 12 to 16, but space is limited with only 40 spots available and pre-registration is required. This year, participants will be paid $40 for their work. The program takes place every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon throughout the summer. To learn more about the program, read James Causey’s latest article.
5. Sam’s Place
Sam’s Place, 3338 N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, is looking to hire part-time employees. The café currently has a host position and a dishwasher position For more information, call 414-837-5127. Applicants who are younger than 18 are required to have a work permit.
6. Wheel Fun Rentals
Wheel Fun Rentals, 1400 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, is hiring part-time and temporary employees for the summer season. The position offers applicants a chance to build their customer service skills and is a suitable job for high school and college students. Click here to apply . For more information, call 414-242-0047.
7. Wisconsin State Fair
The Wisconsin State Fair is looking to people for admissions, facility, public safety and more. To apply for the jobs, interested individuals can go to the Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center, 640 S. 84, located inside Wisconsin State Fair Park The hiring center will open on Wednesday, June 16. Its hours of operations are from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Individuals must be at least 16 years old. They are required to work all 11 days of the fair.
8. Milwaukee County Zoo
Milwaukee County Zoo needs seasonal workers for the summer season. Applicants must be 16 or older to apply. Applications for the zoo can be found on the Milwaukee County Career website, which is available here. The county jobs are listed alphabetically by department.
In case you missed it: Where you can find a job in Milwaukee this month


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Here are places you can get vaccinated in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
June 10, 2021
You can get vaccinated at pop-up clinics across the city this weekend. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
On any given day, you can find pop-up vaccine clinics throughout Milwaukee. But the time might be especially right to get a shot if you haven’t already.
A new variant of COVID-19, known as the Delta strain, has made its way to the United States and is expected to overtake the B.1.1.7. strain, known as the Alpha variant, as the dominant strain in the country.
Dr. Ben Weston, director of medical services for the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, said in a media briefing this week that the Delta strain was expected to be about 40% more contagious than the Alpha variant.
Weston said the Delta strain may cause more severe illness as well. However, he noted that the vaccines were still effective against the strain and urged those who are unvaccinated to get a shot.
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“With this more contagious and potentially more severe variant rising in the United States, now is the time to get vaccinated,” Weston said.
Below is a list of pop-up vaccine clinics in the Milwaukee area for this weekend. There are also a number of places to get your vaccine practically any day of the week.
To find nearby vaccine locations, use HealthyMKE.com or vaccines.gov. To get a vaccine via the Milwaukee Health Department, visit this link or call (414) 286-6800. Major health systems and area pharmacies will also be able to assist you.
Thursday, June 10
Gee’s Clippers/Hayat/Anthem/Unite WI vaccine clinic: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Gee’s Clippers, 2200 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Appointments encouraged, walk-ins accepted. Click here to schedule an appointment.
North Division High School: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 1101 W. Center St. Walk-ins accepted.
South Division High School: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 1515 W. Lapham Boulevard. Walk-ins accepted.
Bucks Playoff Party Vaccine Clinic – 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Fiserv Forum, 1111 Vel R. Philips Avenue. Attendees can enter a raffle to win a ticket to the Bucks playoff game against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, June 13.
Friday, June 11
Milwaukee Public Library, Washington Park Branch – 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., 2121 N. Sherman Boulevard
Gee’s Clippers/Hayat/Anthem/Unite WI vaccine clinic – 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Gee’s Clippers, 2200 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Appointments encouraged, walk-ins accepted. Click here to schedule an appointment.
Consuldado de Mexico en Milwaukee: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., 1443 N. Prospect Ave. Walk-ins welcome.
Rogers Street Academy: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 2430 W. Rogers St. Walk-ins accepted.
Roosevelt Middle School: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 800 W. Walnut St. Walk-ins accepted.
Spiritual Israel Church: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 2415 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Appointments encouraged, walk-ins accepted. To schedule an appointment, click here.
Saturday, June 12
Gee’s Clippers/Hayat/Anthem/Unite WI vaccine clinic: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gee’s Clippers, 2200 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Appointments encouraged, walk-ins accepted. Click here to schedule an appointment.
Community Baptist Church of Greater Milwaukee: 10 a.m. to noon, 2249 N. Sherman Blvd. Walk-ins accepted.
Faithful Mission Pentecostal Church: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 935 W. Keefe Ave. Walk-ins accepted. Click here to schedule an appointment.
Summerfest Grounds: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 200 N. Harbor Drive. Appointments encouraged, walk-ins accepted. Click here to schedule an appointment.
Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lao Buddhist Temple, 1925 W. National Ave. Walk-ins accepted.
Northwest Catholic School: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., 7140 N. 41 St., walk-ins accepted.
Sunday, June 13
Kingdom Faith Fellowship: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., 4200 N. Holton Ave., Walk-ins accepted.
Milwaukee Community Kickball League Pop-up: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Beckum-Stapleton Field, 900 N. Brown St. Walk-ins Welcome.
New Direction Christian Church: 10 a.m. to noon, 2127 W. Garfield Ave. Walk-ins welcome.
St. Rafael the Archangel Church: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2075 S. 32 St. Walk-ins welcome.

author: Matt Martinez


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5 things to do and know the weekend of June 11 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 11, 2021
There are two neighborhood cleanups happening this weekend and each needs volunteers. (NNS file photo)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Neighborhood cleanup with Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center: Friday, June 11
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, 930 W. Historic Mitchell St., is hosting a neighborhood cleanup from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 11. Following the cleanup, the group will gather at the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse near the Milwaukee Sail Loft, 649 E. Erie St., to view the lighting of the Hoan Bridge. The bridge will be red to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives.
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2. Northwest Side Community Development community resource fair: Saturday, June 12
Northwest Side Community Development Corp. is hosting a community resource fair. This fair will be held at Lincoln Creek, 4343 N. 44th St., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 12. There will be community resources, live entertainment, food trucks and raffle prizes. Over 20 organizations will be there including Acts Housing, Wisconsin Voices, and Groundwork Milwaukee.
3. Community cleanup at Sunshine Park: Saturday, June 12
County Supervisor Priscilla Coggs-Jones is hosting a community cleanup. The cleanup will take place at Sunshine Park located at West North Avenue and North 14th Street, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 12. Volunteers do not need to pre-register and can simply show up at the park.
4. St. Joe’s Accountability Coalition reintroduction: Saturday, June 12
The St. Joe’s Accountability Coalition is reintroducing itself with a health equity event. The group will meet at Sherman Park, 3000 N. Sherman Blvd., from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 12. Attendees can learn about the Community Benefits Agreement, receive COVID-19 vaccinations and more. To register for the event, click here.
5. March with Pride for Black Lives Matter: Sunday, June 13
March with Pride for Black Lives Matter is celebrating its second annual march. The celebration will take place at the Henry Maier Festival Park, 2000 N. Harbor Drive, from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 13. There will be a march at 2 p.m. followed by a community block party with vendors and food trucks. READ: LGBTQ+ voices from within the Black Lives Matter movement


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Families with children could soon get extra financial help. Here’s what you need to know about the expanded child tax credit. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
June 11, 2021
The expanded credit will give $3,600 per year for each child from birth to 5 years old, and $3,000 for each child ages 6 to 17. (Stock photo)
Parents and those responsible for raising children will get some extra financial help this year because of the expanded child tax credit funded by the American Rescue Plan.
The Internal Revenue Service will use information from 2020 tax returns to determine who receives the extra funds. Similar to the stimulus checks issued earlier this year, the money will be automatically deposited. No additional steps need to be taken.
Here are some things you should know:
1. If you haven’t filed taxes yet, you may still have time.
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Julie Kerksick, a senior policy advocate at the Public Policy Institute at Community Advocates, said there will be special portals on the IRS website that allow people to file their taxes in order to receive the credit. She expects these portals will be launched by the end of June.
2. How much money can I get?
Typically, the child tax credit gives $2,000 per year for each child on your tax return. The expanded credit will give $3,600 per year for each child from birth to 5 years old, and $3,000 for each child ages 6 to 17.
The amount will be reduced for married taxpayers filing a joint tax return with an income over $150,000, for head-of-household tax filers with an income over $112,500 and for single taxpayers over $75,000.
3. When can I expect to get the money?
The money will be paid in monthly installments beginning July 15. The expanded credit only runs from July to December, meaning you won’t get a full year’s worth of benefits. During a roundtable discussion earlier this month, Kerksick said there is an effort underway to make the changes permanent.
4. Grandparents raising kids should apply
Susan Conwell, executive director of Kids Matter, which helps neglected youth throughout Milwaukee, said that some grandparents may qualify for the tax credit.
“One thing they need to make clear is that they’re raising children,” Conwell emphasized
5. Who benefits from this?
The Internal Revenue Service estimates about 88% of children in the U.S. will benefit from the increase. Jon Peacock, research director at Kids Forward, a Madison-based child advocate group, said in a roundtable discussion with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and other Wisconsin community leaders that roughly half of the recipients in Wisconsin will be children of color.
Kerksick said:  “This extra money could be the difference between keeping a roof over your head, putting gas in your car, being able to buy food.”
6. What can I do if I have questions about the process?
Kerksick said those with questions can contact her at jkerksick@communityadvocates.net. Those inquiring about the tax credit should put “CTC question” in the subject line of the email.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 10, 2021


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Meet three Class of 2021 grads you will be lucky to work for one day | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
June 11, 2021
(Left to right) Madysen Brown, Omari Wilondja and Alexandra “Lexa” Moreno-Romero.
Milwaukee, meet the Class of 2021.
These three young people are all accomplished academics, but they also offer important perspectives on sexism, the power of an education and the media’s influence on teens.
They serve as a reminder that while the cap and gown make for a great photo, it’s the experience they symbolize that matters.
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Alexandra “Lexa” Moreno-Romero (Photo provided by Alexandra “Lexa” Moreno-Romero)
Alexandra “Lexa” Moreno-Romero has always loved school. This is partly because she missed out on her K4 year because she was helping her mother with tasks around the house.
Her mother, who moved from Zacatecas, México, with Lexa’s father before Lexa was born, had a difficult pregnancy that left her homebound when Lexa was going to start school. Lexa had to skip her K4 year to help her mom with small tasks, such as helping make meals and moving furniture while her mom rested.
Lexa still remembers this whenever she experiences hardship.
“It was a really big moment in my life,” she said. “When things are hard now, I think to myself: ‘If 4-year-old Alexandra could do that, I can do anything now.’”
When she finally started school, it was love at first class.
“On my first day of school I was excited because I felt I missed out, even though everyone was crying because they had to leave their parents,” she said. “Elementary school was a blast. I was very much a teacher’s pet until middle school.”
Lexa said it was in middle school that she began noticing how the world treated her differently from others, particularly her male peers.
“Sometimes I felt a little lonely in middle school because no one else was questioning sexism around us, such as teachers only asking the boys for help with physical tasks, or some of the boys saying I cheated on worksheets because I finished before them.”
Lexa still remembers a writing assignment when she talked about how sexism was affecting her. She felt nervous when the teacher called her over to ask where she learned these ideas, but soon it was clear that she was not in trouble for expressing herself.
“I remember the teacher saying, ‘When you grow older, you’ll understand how far ahead you are.’”
Lexa stayed ahead of the curve all the way through Carmen High School of Science and Technology, South Campus, where she graduated as valedictorian after taking AP and honors classes. She also racked up a slew of extracurriculars that included being the vice president of her school’s League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, chapter and representing the 8th District on Milwaukee’s Youth Council.
However, Lexa said it hasn’t always easy. When COVID-19 shifted her school to virtual learning, she initially had a tough time adjusting emotionally. She said “everything went downhill” during the pandemic, and she found out how much she relied on the structure that in-person school provided.
“I had an identity crisis when school shut down. I was asking myself: ‘If I am not a student, who am I? Who is Lexa without school?’ ”
Nevertheless, Lexa persisted. She started therapy and continued pursuing her academic dreams, eventually landing a full-ride scholarship to the University of Chicago. She plans to study psychology while also keeping her eye on law school or a Ph.D. program afterward, though she also wants to take time to explore her options.
“It’s been a journey, but I’m so excited for what’s coming next.”
If there is one thing Omari Wilondja knows, it’s the power and freedom that comes with an education.
Omari was born in Kigoma, Tanzania, after his parents moved there from the Democratic Republic of the Congo as refugees. Omari spent his first 13 years in a refugee camp there, where he remembered feeling stuck. Each day meant waiting in lines for food, and he said most people didn’t go to school because it was expensive and not advanced.
So when he got the news that his family would be moving to the United States, he couldn’t believe it. He said the only people who left Tanzania to go to school in the U.S. were the children of lawyers, doctors or political figures, not refugees.
“When I was told we were moving to the U.S. I thought it was a joke. I had only known the U.S. from TV and movies. I expected no hunger or poverty anywhere,” Omari said. “It wasn’t as perfect as I expected, but it was still a big opportunity for me.”
When Omari landed in Milwaukee after four consecutive flights, he found that there were two main challenges standing between him and success in his new country: mastering English and getting used to the culture.
Omari said he had learned English primarily through cartoons before moving here and had some catching up to do to keep up in class. People made fun of his accent, but he didn’t care. By his junior year he was taking classes with native English speakers.
As for American culture, Omari said, it took some time to get used to how overly polite people could be here.
“Everyone was saying ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ all the time to everything,” he said. “That took getting used to.”
Omari credits South Division High School’s environment with giving him the opportunities to succeed and feel at home. Beyond participating in student government and various clubs, Omari remembers the atmosphere that made him feel comfortable being himself.
“Being in South’s environment changed my life,” Omari said. “The teachers took time to explain things to me, everyone was from different countries, and most of the students spoke multiple languages.”
After graduating, Omari plans to attend UW-Madison, where he received various scholarships to pay his way in full. He plans to study business with an emphasis on management and human resources, partly because of his experience as a Swahili translator for Strong Blocks, a real estate company that helps people go from renting to owning a home.
“I want to be a bridge between people from different backgrounds,” he said, adding that he’s also considering a career in international relations where he could bridge gaps between his two home countries: Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“Education is my passport to my future,” he said.
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Madysen Brown (Photo provided by Madysen Brown)
Some people will say that TV and movies are strictly for entertainment and do not need to be based on reality. However, Madysen Brown will tell you that kind of thinking can have adverse effects on how teens evaluate their self-worth.
While she loves shows like “Euphoria,” which stars Zendaya as a high schooler struggling with sobriety, Madysen said that some viewers may mistakenly blur the distinction between reality and fiction.
“Relatability in TV and movies is important because I don’t want people to think you have to do drugs in high school or lose your virginity at a certain age to be normal,” Madysen said. “Did you actually ask anyone if they went through any of this? I can’t relate to it at all.”
Madysen’s relationship with media stretches back to watching movies like “Suicide Squad” with her mom and dad and visiting Universal Studios as a kid while on vacation with her family. Now, she’s already gone viral on TikTok and is also working on a script for a TV show called “Status Quo.”
“I appreciated my high school experience being mellow,” Madysen said. “TV teens are not a rite of passage.”
She is graduating as Messmer High School’s co-valedictorian with her friend. During her time in high school, she volunteered with Meals on Wheels during the COVID-19 pandemic. She will be heading off to California State University at Fullerton in the fall on a scholarship, where she will study communications and journalism, with a focus on the arts.
In college and beyond, Madysen wants to make media that reflects real people of color and LGBT experiences on screen.
“I want to make realistic stories for people so they feel seen, heard and felt.”
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Dear Class of 2020: Here are some pearls of wisdom from your fans
Showing off Milwaukee’s beautiful, resilient Class of 2020

author: Sam Woods


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51233413357_a5dae84c35_b | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 10, 2021


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OPINION: How the March with Pride for #BlackLivesMatter forever changed me and my community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Montell Infiniti Ross
June 11, 2021
Montell Infiniti Ross (right) addresses attendees at the 2020 March with Pride for #BLACKLIVESMATTER. (Photo provided by Montell Infiniti Ross)
Editor’s note: Have 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.
(Photo provided by Montell Infiniti Ross)
With June being the official month of Pride, I reflect on the experience of being not just a gay man, but a BLACK gay man.
I can’t help but think about the similarities between being Black and gay. You see, I have experienced being looked at as “less than” due to my cultural upbringing as well as my sexual orientation. I have been ostracized in rooms filled with either heteronormality or no racial diversity.
Many times, these situations can create self-doubt. Sometimes it comes from where you would least expect it, showing its face at times when you’re most vulnerable. But this adversity can compel you to step outside of your normal self and find the motivation to say, I WILL CREATE CHANGE.
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One year ago, I felt a lot of these inner emotions, leading me to say, “It’s time to create CHANGE.”
We, as a community, as a city, and as a nation, suffered two big blows to “normal living.” We were hit with a pandemic that created sudden unknowns, leading many of us into a downward spiral. We didn’t know what to do or where this would lead us.
Along with the pandemic, a MOVEMENT was activated from “sleep mode” and brought ALIVE with the death of George Floyd. The nation united to say “ENOUGH!” and a full reminder that BLACK LIVES MATTER came storming through like a super loud alarm clock going off all at once in everyone’s ear.
For me, it came to a head last June, when my alarm clock said, “IT’S TIME TO WAKE THEM UP.”
So, I streamed a live video filled with frustration, sorrow and anger, asking my community to UNITE as one and stand TOGETHER in solidarity with a people that has suffered from systemic racism, oppression and police brutality for too long. We channeled those emotions, frustrations, angry moments, and most important, the ability to stand TOGETHER, to show the city of Milwaukee how our PRIDE will always unite us.
Just four days later, a new march was born — the March with Pride for #BlackLivesMatter. Over 2,000 people unified as ONE, in spite of race, gender, sexual orientation and anything else that could be used to separate us. Through quick planning, passion and commitment, we marched through the streets of our city and reminded our community that until change actually happens, we’ll stand hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm, shoulder-to-shoulder.
The March with Pride for #BlackLivesMatter brought hope that I had started to lose. It brought a sense of being proud to represent not only our LGBTQ+ community, but most important, my BLACK community under this beautiful umbrella.
It brought “hard-to-have” conversations with those who could finally say, “I accept my accountability and my privilege, and it’s time I find a way to utilize it in a more effective way.” It brought on relationships and connections that were needed in my life that have become more powerful than I ever would have imagined.
It brought a NEW me to stand strong on who I am today. Many of these feelings, emotions and thoughts would not have been obtainable without the experiences that we’ve walked through this last year. I couldn’t appreciate them more, because without them, I couldn’t be who I am. They have shown me so many ways of NEW living, NEW voice and NEW attitude that that will also be a reflection of where I come from.
As this weekend approaches with a CELEBRATION of the movement that was begun a year ago, I say THANK YOU to those who have played a role in unifying us as a community, as a city. Along with our supporters, allies, loved ones, friends and family, we are moving the needle of EQUALITY, CHANGE and ACCEPTANCE for not just the LGBTQ+ community, but for our fellow Black and brown community members.
I invite you all to walk through in this experience with us on Sunday so that what I’ve felt growing inside me can be poured into you.
Remember, we ARE a family and family ALWAYS stick together.
The March with Pride for #BlackLivesMatter Anniversary Celebration is taking place on Sunday, Jun. 13, at 2 p.m., beginning at the Summerfest grounds.
Broderick Pearson, known by the stage name Montell Infiniti Ross, is a community activist, educator and medical research associate.

author: Montell Infiniti Ross


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: June 14 to June 19 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 14, 2021
Robert Smith, the resident historian of America’s Black Holocaust Museum, will be moderating the panel for the “Systems of Racial Violence” discussion series. (NNS file photo)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Boys & Girls Clubs summer programming: Monday, June 14 and Monday, June 21
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is ready to begin its summer programs. Programming at the Legacy Clubs will begin on Monday, June 14 with school-based clubs set to open on Monday, June 21. Click here to enroll or contact your club manager. Clubs provide a safe space for children and teenagers and offer various activities and healthy meals and snacks.
2. Ma’ruf Center commUNITY barbeque: Monday, June 14
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The Ma’ruf Center for Youth Innovation is hosting a community barbeque. The theme is “stop the violence.” The barbeque will take place at the Ma’ruf Center, 2110 W. Hampton Ave., from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, June 14. The event is free and open to the public.
3. Native Wellness Garden: Sunflower garden planting: Tuesday, June 15
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center’s Native Wellness Garden will be planting a sunflower garden. The event will take place at the garden, 3780 S. 6th St., beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15. The clinic’s Health Promotion and Disease Prevention team will also be in attendance.
4. “The Black Fatherhood Project”: Documentary screening and discussion: Wednesday, June 16
The Black Child Development Institute of Milwaukee is screening Jordan Theirry’s 2013 documentary, “The Black Fatherhood Project.” The screening and talk back will be held at the Abundant Faith Church of Integrity, 7830 W. Good Hope Rd., from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 16. This event is free and open to the public. The documentary looks into Thierry’s personal history, explores the roots of Black absentee parenting, covers conversations on parenting and more.
5. Systems of Racial Violence: A discussion series: Thursday, June 17
The Milwaukee Public Museum and America’s Black Holocaust Museum are hosting the second part of their panel discussion series, “Systems of Racial Violence.” The series is a part of the Nelson Mandela exhibition currently on display at the Milwaukee Public Museum. This session’s theme is “The Long Struggle: Resistance Movements Against Apartheid and Jim Crow.” The panel discussion will be moderated by Robert Smith, the resident historian of America’s Black Holocaust Museum. It will take place on Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 17.
Bonus: Mission Fuel pitch event and celebration: Tuesday, June 15
Cardinal Stritch University’s Mission Fuel’s fourth cohort is hosting a celebration. The cohort consists of seven nonprofit organizations, including TransCenter for Youth, Escuela Verde, Progress Center for Black Women and more. Members of the organizations will pitch their strategy ideas designed to diversify revenue streams and create more vibrant social enterprises. The event will take place online from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 15. To register, click here.
Bonus: Metcalfe Park mural draft rollout: Monday, June 14
Metcalfe Park is getting a street mural. Community partners including Imagine MKE, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, Artists Working in Education, Quan Caston, a community artist, and several more are getting ready to roll out the mural design. The event will take place in Butterfly Park, 3717 W. Meinecke Ave., from noon to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 14. There will be resources, music, barbecue and more.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 13, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
June 13, 2021


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Post from Community: Second round of public meetings scheduled for transit enhancement study along and near 27th Street | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
June 14, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Work continues on the North-South Transit Enhancement Study—a feasibility study exploring options for improving transit along and near 27th Street in Milwaukee County. Milwaukee County and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission are seeking more public feedback during the second round of public meetings scheduled for June 22-24. In addition to these meetings, the study team is working with several community organizations to do grassroots neighborhood engagement along the corridor. More information, including registration for the virtual meetings, is available at mkenorthsouth.com.
Connecting With Bus Riders and Residents in the Corridor
In addition to hosting virtual public meetings, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) and Milwaukee County are partnering with community organizations to connect with bus riders and residents to collect feedback about what they would like to see in a transit enhancement in the 27th Street corridor. Staff from the organizations are working with the study team to survey current bus riders at stops and share information and collect feedback at neighborhood events and community gathering spaces throughout the remainder of the study.
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Carrie Cooper, project manager for the study explained, “We received stakeholder feedback early in the study indicating that we may not be reaching residents in the corridor or current bus riders though our traditional public involvement methods, many of which have been limited due to the pandemic. By partnering with organizations that are experts in community engagement and well known in the neighborhoods, we hope to better connect with residents, businesses, and transit users in the 27th Street corridor. It is so important that the outcome of this study reflects the needs and priorities of the residents and businesses that this potential investment will serve.”
The study corridor runs primarily along 27th street, with route options spanning nearly the entire length of Milwaukee County, and is home to about 150,000 residents and 84,000 jobs. Of the population in the corridor, approximately 73 percent are people of color, 25 percent live in poverty, and 21 percent do not have access to a car—population groups that are often underserved by existing transportation options.
“The North-South Transit Enhancement Project will bring tremendous benefit to underserved communities and communities of color where frequent, efficient transit services improve quality of life for so many. Racial equity is a top priority of Milwaukee County government, and we strive to address and correct policies, practices, and power structures that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, favor white people and create barriers for black, brown, and indigenous people,” explained Donna Brown-Martin, Director of the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation.
Register Now for Virtual Public Meetings
The second round of virtual public meetings for the study is scheduled to take place June 22-24 at the dates and times listed below. The meetings will take place on Zoom and provide an update on the study and include breakout rooms to discuss route options, station locations, and transit types being considered for the corridor.
Tuesday, June 22 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM
Spanish Only: Wednesday, June 23 | 6:30 – 7:30 PM
Thursday, June 24 | 6:00 – 7:00 PM
To register for the meetings, visit mkenorthsouth.com.
Spanish and American Sign Language interpreters will be provided for the meetings on June 22 and 24. For assistance registering, or additional accommodations email info@mkenorthsouth.com or call the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission at (262) 547-6721 within three business days of the meeting.
Comments may also be submitted in any of the following ways:
Web: Contact page at mkenorthsouth.com/contact
E-mail: info@mkenorthsouth.com
Mail:  P.O. Box 1607, Waukesha, WI 53187-1607
Fax: (262) 547-1103
About SEWRPC
The Regional Planning Commission is the official areawide planning agency for infrastructure and land use for Southeastern Wisconsin. The Commission serves the following seven Southeastern Wisconsin Counties: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha. Under State law, Commission plans are advisory to local and State governments.


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Route-Options-Map.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 14, 2021


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Here is a list of resources to help keep our kids safe and engaged this summer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
June 15, 2021
Many organizations in Milwaukee, including the Urban Ecology Center, offer summer programming for youth. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
Last summer, the COVID-19 pandemic severely limited or shut down nearly all youth programming in Milwaukee or pushed it virtual. But, thankfully, this year, many programs are up and running and seeking youth to serve.  The changes couldn’t come at a better time, with most schools letting out and the city once again dealing with spiraling violence.
This guide provides some resources to help keep you and your kids safe and engaged this summer. If you’d like to add your organization’s programming to the list, please email info@milwaukeenns.org.
SAFETY, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND HEALING RESOURCES
414 Life
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414 Life is a violence interruption team based in Milwaukee neighborhoods and hospitals through partnerships with Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin and Uniting Garden Homes.
Project Ujima
Project Ujima, based out of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, works with youths who have experienced violence and end up in the hospital. The project provides crisis intervention, case management, social and emotional support, youth development and mentoring and mental health services.
Sojourner Family Peace Center
Sojourner Family Peace Center provides services, support and safety resources to victims of domestic violence. Its 24-hour hotline and crisis shelter number is (414) 933-2722.
COMMUNITY POLICING
Alert Neighbor Program
The Alert Neighbor Program encourages residents in 15 Milwaukee neighborhoods to report negative activity. To learn more about or participate in the Alert Neighbor Program, here is the program overview (PDF) and the program information sheet (PDF).
Safe and Sound Inc.
The mission of Safe and Sound is to “unite residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods.” You can find its neighborhood safety resources here. See where Safe and Sound works here, and what events it’s organizing this summer here.
YOUTH PROGRAMS, RESOURCES AND CENTERS
Beyond the Bell Milwaukee
Beyond the Bell is a collaborative effort to ensure that youth have access to coordinated and quality programs and services. This initiative is currently focused on programs and services for youth ages 12-18. Find information on how to contact Beyond the Bell here.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Boys and Girls Clubs offers safe spaces and activities for youths from kindergarten to high school all over the city to learn, play and hang out. More than 40 clubs in Milwaukee are offering summer programming this year. Find a club near you or enroll here.
COA Youth and Family Center
COA offers programming and safe spaces for youths of all ages—including athletics, art and gardening—all summer long at its two locations: 909 E. Garfield Ave. and 2320 W. Burleigh St. For more information on specific opportunities, look here.
HeartLove Place
Located at 1927 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., HeartLove Place is a faith-based organization that offers youth programming and family resources. Find more information here.
Hmong American Women’s Association
The Hmong American Women’s Association, or HAWA, has several programs geared toward Southeast Asian youths that focus on “empowering leadership in youth through community organizing and involvement.”  More details are here.
Journey House
Journey House offers youth development, athletic and art programs on Milwaukee’s near South Side at 2110 W Scott St. You can find the different options here.
Ma’ruf Center for Youth Innovation
Ma’ruf is a youth center located at 2110 W. Hampton Ave. It offers a mentorship program for males and females on Mondays and Wednesdays and a tutoring program on Monday-Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The organization also provides martial arts, grappling and judo classes and will run a creative arts/literacy program later this summer. Other programming includes leadership development, a barbershop and gaming classes. Sign up to donate, volunteer or participate here.
Milwaukee Christian Center
Milwaukee Christian Center has a youth development program at Kosciuszko Community Center, located at 2201 S. 7th St.
Milwaukee Public Libraries
Beginning on June 7, patrons will be allowed to resume browsing materials in the stacks for both children’s and adult materials in all branch locations. (Browsing remains restricted at the downtown Central Library.) Libraries will still offer curbside pickup and virtual activities for youth and adults. Learn more here.
Milwaukee Public Schools
MPS is offering both in-person and virtual summer programming for youth from K-5 through 12th grade. Options include credit recovery, school-to-work transition, and career exploration programs. Learn more and register for the free summer programming here.
MKE REC (Milwaukee Recreation)
Milwaukee Recreation provides a variety of programming for youth, adults and families in Milwaukee. Learn more here.  In addition, Community Learning Centers, or CLCs, will launch on June 21. Here is a list of CLC sites.
Neu-Life
Neu-Life works to empower and instill leadership in neighborhood youths through a wide array of programs and is located at 2014 W North Ave. Check out more here.
Pius XI High School
Pius is offering a range of opportunities through its 2021 Summer Camp Series. Courses include athletics, 3-D modeling and photography. There is a fee for the classes. Learn more about the camp here.
Program the Parks MKE
Program the Parks MKE works to provide community support, activities, food and project-based employment opportunities for youths in local parks. Follow the group’s Facebook page for more information.
Silver Spring Neighborhood Center
Silver Spring is located in Westlawn at 5460 N. 64th St. and has programs for all ages. You can learn more here.
Summit Educational Association
Summit runs a seven-week Summer Olympics Program for students in the fourth-eighth grades. Learn more and register for their programs here.
Urban Ecology Center
The Urban Ecology Center has branches in Washington Park, Riverside Park and the Menomonee Valley and offers programs that help connect youth with nature. Learn more about the center’s Summer Camps or other programming here.
Urban Underground
Urban Underground offers paid summer leadership programming for youths ages 13-18 through the City of Milwaukee Earn and Learn program. Find more information here.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
The UWM School of Continuing Education is hosting in-person programming this summer through its College for Kids and Teens program. Courses range from creative arts and chemistry to designing computer games. Learn more and register here.
We Got This
We Got This is running its ninth summer program on Saturdays beginning at 8 a.m. The program runs from June to August and is for youth ages 12-16. Register by filling out the application and turning in to Running Rebels or the We Got This Garden or call.
To learn more about violence prevention efforts and strategy in Milwaukee, check out the Blueprint for Peace.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 14, 2021


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6 ways to celebrate Juneteenth Day in Milwaukee this year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 16, 2021
Celebrate Juneteenth Day on Saturday with in-person and virtual events. (File photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the host and details of the Bike Your Block event.
This will be the 50 year that Milwaukee celebrates Juneteenth Day, which commemorates the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, first heard that the Civil War was over and that they were free.
Juneteenth Day takes place every year on June 19.
While the pandemic affected last year’s celebration, groups throughout Milwaukee are preparing to celebrate both in person and virtually. Check out the list of Juneteenth Day celebrations below.
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Did we miss a Juneteenth Day event? Comment below or send an email to amartinez-ortiz@milwaukeenns.org with the subject line ‘Juneteenth Day Event.’
1. Northcott Neighborhood House parade and pageant
Northcott Neighborhood House is celebrating its 50th annual Juneteenth Day. The parade will kick off at North 14 Street and West Atkinson Avenue and head toward West Burleigh Street and North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 19. The opening ceremonies and ensuing festival will take place on King Drive between West Burleigh Street and West North Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be vendors, entertainment, community resources and food and drink. Attendees are required to wear face masks.
Bike Your Block: A Juneteenth Day group bike ride
RISE Cycles is hosting Bike Your Block, a solidarity ride to celebrate Juneteenth Day or Emancipation Day and in honor of Black lives. The group will be meeting at the Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 19. To register for the event, click here. Following the bike ride there will be free refreshments, bike clinics, giveaways and more.
DreamBikes will be leading a group ride to Bike Your Block event. Cyclists will be meeting at DreamBikes, 2021A N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., to bike over to the Sherman Phoenix at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 19.
Safe & Sound’s virtual celebration
Safe & Sound is doing a virtual Juneteenth Day celebration. The event will feature singers, dancers and spoken word artists. It will focus on rebuilding Black Wall Street through youth entrepreneurship. The celebration will be streamed live on Safe & Sound’s Facebook and YouTube pages from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 19.
4. Alice’s Garden’s Juneteenth Day celebration
Alice’s Garden, 2136 N. 21 St., is throwing a Juneteenth Day celebration from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. There will be music, food and various activities. Gwen Holland, a genealogist known for her passion in documenting and preserving African American lineages, will be discussing genealogy from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. as part of the festivities. Monica White, the author of “Freedom Farmers,” will be discussing her book from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Alice’s Garden will also be planting Mandela’s garden from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. The event is a part of the garden’s Juneteenth Day celebration and its partnership with the Milwaukee Public Museum for the “Mandela: Official Exhibition,” currently on display.
Vibez Creative Arts Space Juneteenth Day painting
Vibez Creative Arts Space will be joining the Juneteenth Day celebration at Alice’s Garden, 2136 N. 21 St. The locally owned business will be doing an in-person painting event starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. Tickets can be purchased here and cost $13.77. Supplies can be picked up at the Vibez Creative Arts Space, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. after 3 p.m. on Friday, June 18.
Versiti is honoring Juneteenth Day and World Sickle Cell Awareness Day with blood drives. According to Versiti, 1 in 13 African American babies are born with the sickle cell trait. There will be three blood drives happening in Wisconsin on Saturday, June 19. Here are the locations and times: Mt. Zion Assembly Healing Temple, 4300 N. Green Bay Ave., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; New Covenant Missionary Church, 2315 N. 38 St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Greater El Bethel House of Worship Sanctuary, 7841 W. Appleton Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click the links to register.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 15, 2021


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OPINION: As Milwaukee gears up for its 50th celebration of Juneteenth Day, let’s separate fact from fiction | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Clayborn Benson III
June 16, 2021
Clayborn Benson III leads an educational program at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum. (File photo by Sophie Bolich)
Editor’s note: Have 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.
On June 19, 1865, there was a day of celebration and jubilee in Galveston, Texas, when thousands of Union troops, under the leadership of General Gordon Granger, marched through Texas announcing the end of the Civil War and the end of enslavement for some 250,000 enslaved African people. The announcement came with the caveat that African Americans had been freed more than two and a half years earlier (on Jan. 1, 1863) when President Abraham Lincoln issued an executive order that most of us know as the Emancipation Proclamation.
Today we call and celebrate this occasion as Juneteenth Day or the Day of Jubilee. It is a day in which African Americans celebrate — in their own ways throughout this nation — in a manner like the Fourth of July or Cinco de Mayo.
This year in Milwaukee, we will be celebrating the 50 Anniversary of Juneteenth Day. This day of celebration in Milwaukee has attracted more than 100,000 people each year, walking shoulder to shoulder, curb to curb, as they eat, dance, listen to music, engage with corporate vendors, fire department staff, utility companies and politicians walking the route—from city aldermen to the governor’s office. It’s a time of reconnecting with friends, neighbors, long-lost classmates, former teachers and relatives, akin to a family reunion. As Milwaukee celebrates Juneteenth Day this year, other Wisconsin cities like Appleton, Beloit, Racine, Kenosha and even Burlington, will be doing the same.
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Clearly, it’s an important day of celebration for African American people, but it comes with a painful message: The emancipation that we celebrate has been tainted with misinformation that questions the legitimacy of this holiday. In fact, some cities and states don’t celebrate Juneteenth Day at all, and some celebrate it on weekends, when it’s more convenient.
I hope to clear up some of the misinformation surrounding Juneteenth Day.
First, Abraham Lincoln, our 16 President, signed the Emancipation Proclamation as an executive order that—from the very beginning—raised concerns at the very heart and intent of the proclamation. One might question Lincoln’s actual intent about drafting and signing the Emancipation Proclamation. For example, did he want all enslaved people to be free? I would venture to say “no” because the proclamation did not do that. This is evidenced by the thousands of African Americans living in Virginia and Louisiana and the border states of Maryland, Kentucky, Delaware, Missouri and West Virginia who remained enslaved. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation only applied to the Confederate seceding states, not the border states.
Again, this calls into question Lincoln’s intent for drafting the Emancipation Proclamation. He stated to Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, who was pressuring Lincoln to abolish slavery completely and nationally, that “my paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery.” For years, I heard this quote but still did not believe the harsh implications of it. After all, Lincoln is the one who wrote and signed the Emancipation Proclamation. His signature is clearly marked on the 13 Amendment of the Constitution that gave African Americans total freedom in 1865. And Congress further supported that amendment with the 14 and 15 amendments. The 14 Amendment gave African Americans the rights of citizenship and the 15 Amendment gave African Americans the right to vote.
When I read “Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln’s White Dream” by Lerone Bennett Jr., I was even more troubled to learn that President Lincoln loved and promoted The African Colonization Society, and he encouraged the state of Illinois to sponsor its efforts to send enslaved African Americans back to Liberia, West Africa. In Bennett’s book, he states the following:
Between 1854 and 1860, Lincoln said publicly, at least two times, that America was made for the White people and ‘not for the Negroes.’ At least eight times Lincoln said publicly that he was in favor of white supremacy. And, during a speech in Ottawa, Ill., he explicitly stated — at least 21 times — that he was opposed to equal rights for Blacks.
Further, a Milwaukee businessman, Jonathan J. Mayers, had ties to the African Colonization Society. In fact, he even traveled to Africa to explore creating an African settlement in Nigeria in response to the African Colonization initiative.
On this 50 Anniversary celebration of Juneteenth Day, we will find people walking, dancing, eating, listening to music and singing, and our kids running around playing. The Juneteenth Day ceremony master will pour the libation, calling for our ancestors to come and bless this moment in time, “free at last, free at last . . . ”
We are, at least, temporarily free to dream of freedom.
My reason for writing this is to let people know that the Emancipation Proclamation put into law by Abraham Lincoln raises all kinds of questions, but we do still have the right to celebrate Juneteenth Day as our day of freedom. We should rejoice and be grateful for the right to raise our families, to educate them and to enjoy this beautiful country we call America, never forgetting what our ancestors had to go through, never forgetting that we are African people and have the same rights as anyone else. While it may be the 13 Amendment to the Constitution that freed African Americans, let us continue to observe Juneteenth Day as our day of reflection and freedom, acknowledging that we still have a long way yet to go.
So, break bread with your family and friends, greet those you haven’t seen in a while, buy from vendors, and when police are on the rooftops, wave to them. Shake the hands of politicians and know that our ancestors have paid in blood for this day. And, in the many days to come, as a tribute to them, we have a responsibility to be the best that we can be, as we continue the fight for equality.
Clayborn Benson III is the founding executive director of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum.

author: Clayborn Benson III


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Post from Community: Help us keep youth tobacco-free | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jacey Gray-Hall, FACT
June 16, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The COVID-19 pandemic made it a tough year for everyone, especially for us teens. We’ve dealt with virtual school, quarantine, and other things that make teenage life stressful. Some of my peers turned to tobacco to deal with that stress, and that really worries me because I’ve learned about all the damage that tobacco can cause to your body and how it affects your life.
Some of them think that tobacco is not dangerous. They look at all the flavors and all the devices they are sold in, and think, how can something that looks and tastes like this be harmful. In fact, four out of five youth tobacco users started by using a flavored product. Vapes also make it much more likely that they will end up using other forms of tobacco in the future.
But, you can help stop this. Preventing youth tobacco use starts by not letting young people have access to the products in the first place. That’s what’s so important about the Wisconsin Wins program.
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As a volunteer with Wi Wins, I let store owners know why it’s so important that they check IDs, keep an eye out for adults who purchase tobacco for kids, and take other steps to help keep us safe. The retailers and clerks have responded to that message, and as a result, underage tobacco sales in Wisconsin have declined. We are thankful for that!
If you’re a retailer, please visit Wiwins.org and learn more about our efforts and about problems associated with flavored tobacco. You can also get free training to help retailers avoid underage tobacco sales by visiting Witobaccocheck.org.
Thank you for helping teens like me avoid a deadly lifetime addiction.
Sincerely,
Jacey Gray-Hall
Shorewood FACT

author: Jacey Gray-Hall, FACT


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Post from Community: Local soup kitchen hosts golf-on-your-own Golf Classic: The Gathering hosts its 14th Annual Unprecedented Golf Classic | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
The Gathering
June 16, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Gathering is a local community meal program that provides close to 60,000 free meals a year to the hungry and homeless populations. June 15 through October 15 the nonprofit is hosting a one-of-a-kind, golf-on-your-own Golf Classic to raise money to support feeding the hungry.
“We’re excited to continue our golf outing tradition,” says Lyn Hildenbrand, Executive Director of The Gathering. “Although it looks a little bit different this year, our goal is to raise $18,000 to support our programming. We came up with this idea when COVID hit, to move the event to our digital platform.”
Beginning June 15, through October 15, the public can learn more and register online to golf-on-their-own at Brown Deer Golf Course, where Tiger Woods turned pro. Included with registration are 18 holes, golf cart, lunch or dinner, drink tickets and tournament entry. Registrations are purchased through The Gathering online and then golfers are directed to schedule their tee time with Brown Deer Golf Course.
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Additionally, The Gathering is hosting a virtual silent auction, open to registrants and the public. Visit www.thegatheringwis.org/events to access the silent auction, sponsorship information, golfer registration instructions and digital event program.
About The Gathering of Southeast WI, Inc.
The Gathering was founded in 1982 and over the years, has provided the community with a Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner program that run throughout the week across four different meal sites. The Gathering provides other programming such as the Bag Lunch Program and Fresh Produce Preservation Project. Its Mission is to provide meals to the hungry and homeless population who would otherwise go hungry or without. The Gathering works with over 2,000 volunteers and serves nearly 90,000 meals in a fiscal year with only 10 paid staff members. To learn more visit, www.thegatheringwis.org
About Brown Deer Golf Course
“Test your golfing skills on the course where Tiger Woods turned pro and where the top female professionals play in the Symetra Tour’s PHC Classic; the qualifying tour for the LPGA. The golf courses unique and individual holes are carved out masterfully with a stream running throughout the entire course. The course was originally designed by George Hansen and founded in 1929 and was partially redesigned by Andy North and Roger Packard.”
Source: http://mke.golf/browndeer/

author: The Gathering


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Post from Community: New research to include fathers in improving health of moms & babies | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
June 16, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
WHAT:
The African American Breastfeeding Network Inc. and the School of Human Ecology and School of Social Work, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, are partnering on “Black Fathers, Equal Partners in Advancing Maternal and Infant Health.” This groundbreaking project is aimed at better understanding how fathers can be a part of improving the health and well-being of mothers and babies. The initiative is funded by a 12-month grant from the UW-Madison Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR).
Black infant mortality is higher in Wisconsin than any other state in the nation. Maternal mortality is five times higheramong Black women than white women in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has had persistent inequalities in maternal and infant health. Research demonstrates that partner support during pregnancy is associated with positive maternal child health outcomes and that fathers play a central role in children’s health and development — yet fathers are a largely untapped resource for reducing racial disparities in maternal and child health.
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WHO:
WHEN AND WHERE
Date: Friday, June 18 @ 10:30 a.m.
Place: Big Daddy’s Barbecue and Soul Food
2730 N. Humboldt Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53212
CONTACT: For more information or additional story accommodations please contact: Vivian King (on behalf of AABN) at (414) 899-3027.