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OPINION: Hope is the key to unlocking Milwaukee’s vast potential and moving our city forward | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Frank Schneiger
February 2, 2023
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.
Having grown up in two Milwaukee neighborhoods, Clarke Square and Washington Park, I have not lived full time in my hometown for more than a half century.
I am now, by definition, “an outsider.”
Outsiders, especially older ones, have a strong tendency to take trips down memory lane, back to the (supposed) Golden Age. And to tell people what they “should” do.
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I think – hope – I have avoided those fates, and that what follows is useful in thinking about pathways to a better future for Milwaukee neighborhoods. Useful in the sense that an outsider sees things that everyone has gotten so used to that they seem totally normal. Even if they should not be.
As Tolstoy said in “Anna Karenina”: “There are no conditions to which a person cannot become accustomed, especially if they see everyone else living in the same way.”
If the starting point for addressing any problem or challenge is naming it, here is what strikes me as some very important ones that are now so “normal” in Milwaukee that most people don’t even see them anymore.
To the outsider, this may be the most striking norm, a widespread – but not openly expressed – belief that real, large scale, substantive positive change can’t happen.
It starts with a default position that something, whatever that something is, isn’t possible. Or that we cannot afford it. Or, an important driver of pessimism, a zero-sum view of things, a fear that whatever someone else is getting, should have come to me. Or is coming out of my pocket.
Unexamined pessimism has two big consequences: First, it leads to thinking small about big problems, especially those related to poverty, resulting in self-fulfilling negative outcomes.
If you believe something isn’t possible, you will always be right. Instead of trying to find solutions to problems, the norm becomes blaming or blame avoidance.
“They” did it. “We” are innocent. Nothing changes.
And, second, this kind of pessimism seems to be generational. Across races and neighborhoods, older leaders are the most pessimistic and most wedded to a zero sum view of the world.
Making this negative worldview explicit should be a starting point for making certain that Milwaukee’s cadre of exceptional younger leaders remain hopeful and committed.
The opposite of pessimism is not optimism. It is hope, a belief that there can be a better future.
Driving down Center Street one day with a Milwaukee-based colleague, I asked, “If you had to name the single most important thing that the people in this neighborhood need, what would it be?”
Without any hesitation, he responded: “Hope.”
We then talked about how to get from here to there. How do you generate hope in neighborhoods where large numbers of people have given up.
There were three big answers: money, aka “resources”; short-term visible “wins”; and community peace.
A useful case study or example, again related to Center Street: An NNS article in which the father and his son drove the street and counted a large number of liquor stores and not a single healthy food market.
Here is a replicable model for real change that addresses that bleak reality.
Several years ago, in a Philadelphia neighborhood very similar to Milwaukee’s North Side, Brown’s Supermarket opened a prototype store. It was one that naysayers predicted would fail but has thrived and served as an anchor for revitalizing an entire neighborhood, including the hiring of people who have been incarcerated promoting healthy living in a community-friendly, non-lecturing, way.
Brown’s now supports replication of its model around the country. A powerful and visible sign of hope.
Unlike rejecting pessimism and building hope, dealing with victimization is trickier. How do you convince individuals, groups and communities that have repeatedly been victimized to not define themselves as victims?
There is a powerful answer to that question.
Once a group – or individual – defines themselves as a victim, there are no constraints on their behavior. Anything can be justified by what has been done to me/us.
Victimization inevitably leads to justifications for  destructive violence, social disintegration and isolation where cooperation would have been possible.
This needs to be explicitly rejected in the name of seeking to find ways to true brotherhood and sisterhood.
A few final thoughts on things that work in building healthy communities. Short-term, but substantive and visible, wins are critical to building hopeful communities.
Starting with people at a young age in supporting communities is also critical.
For example, large scale mentorship and after-school programs using alumni of Marquette, UWM, MSOE, Alverno and other schools could have a major impact in Milwaukee communities and serve as national models.
A final outsider thought: Given the foreseeable fiscal and political environment, there is a pressing need for the corporate and philanthropic sectors to think big about community change.
They also need to reject pessimism and the nickel and diming that results from it and apply proven models for supporting community change in Milwaukee communities.
Those models exist, some in Milwaukee, others in different cities. All beacons of hope and progress.
Frank Schneiger is the founder and president of Frank Schneiger and Associates, a planning and change management company serving the nonprofit and public service sectors.

author: Frank Schneiger


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52578319260_aee7e5721a_k-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 1, 2023

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: February 1, 2023

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

author: Ron Smith


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52578319260_aee7e5721a_k-2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 1, 2023


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Feb. 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 3, 2023
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
This recurring open mic night is open to poets, musicians, performers and creatives of all types to share their art. It is a great opportunity to see what Milwaukee artists have to say, or to share your art with a supportive community. The open mic takes place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3 at Arts @ Large, located 1100 S. 5th St.
Celebrate Black History Month with an African-inspired attire and fashion show, African and Caribbean-inspired hors d’oeuvres, marketplace, music and more at the Indaba African Ball. The ball takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 at the St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, located at 2450 W. North Ave. Tickets are $75 and support a concert and events series at the Indaba Band Shell throughout the summer.
There are more events tied to Black History Month happening this weekend. See a full list of events through the month by clicking here.
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Amani neighborhood residents (and only residents of the Amani neighborhood) are invited to monthly meetings to discuss topics related to the Amani neighborhood. These are recurring meetings that start at 8:30 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month. This month’s meeting is from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Dominican Center, located at 2470 W. Locust Ave. or online via Zoom here.
Naloxone, most often sold under the name “NARCAN,” can be used for emergency treatment of a suspected opioid overdose. However, properly using naloxone involves correctly identifying an opioid overdose and knowing the laws and procedures for its use. The Milwaukee Public Library will be providing free training on how to spot opioid overdose and properly administer naloxone from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 4 at Mitchell Street Library, located at 906 W. Historic Mitchell St.
Join the Urban Ecology Center for “Winterfest 2023;” a day of sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating, cross country skiing, s’mores, snacks and more. Winterfest is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Urban Ecology Center’s Washington Park location at 1859 N. 40 St. All ages welcome.
The League of Women Voters has published a voter guide for all races on the ballot on Feb. 21 and April 4. Vote411.org provides information on how to register to vote, where to vote as well as answers from candidates on the ballot in response to questions like what qualifies them to run for office and where they stand on particular issues.

created: February 3, 2023

author: Sam Woods


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16332830286_a457e2076e_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 2, 2023

created: February 2, 2023


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Out-of-state landlords are increasingly buying up property in Milwaukee. Here’s what that means for our neighborhoods. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
February 3, 2023
For the past 10 years and especially throughout the pandemic, predatory investors have been crowding out would-be homebuyers in Milwaukee.
Housing advocates say this phenomenon hurts not only low- to moderate-income homebuyers, but renters and ultimately neighborhoods as well.
“Looking back at what made Milwaukee special, it was homeownership,” said Wyman Winston principal consultant for Neighborhood Wealth and former executive director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, or WHEDA. “As homeowners left, we saw the quality of housing leave along with the physical and economic decline of neighborhoods.”
A series of reports produced in the last few years associate investor-owned rental properties with poorer maintenance, higher health risks and higher eviction rates when compared to those with homeowners and local landlords.
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According to a report by John Johnson, a research fellow in the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education at Marquette University Law School, out-of-state investors have targeted majority Black neighborhoods in Milwaukee.
Johnson found that out-of-state landlords now own 23.4% of rental houses in majority Black wards, an 8.7 percentage point leap since 2018. Yet from 2018 through mid-2022, the number of out-of-state-owned houses in majority white neighborhoods fell by nearly 100, the report said.
Winston said this is happening because Milwaukee historically has had low real estate prices compared to other parts of the country. This was a benefit to Milwaukeeans until the last market crash when new real estate entities came into being. These entities buy properties in large numbers, particularly single-family homes, then rent them out.
“From an investors point of view, buying in Milwaukee is just dirt cheap, and you can get a lot of money from your money,” Winston said. “Second, investors are taking the cash flow that is revenue from their tax-structured real estate deals and investing them here, and in many respects, that money is like grants, which mean it’s basically protected.”
But some question the criticism of out-of-state investors.
“As local investors, we may not be in favor of out-of-state investors. And there is a concern about there being no local presence to serve tenants,” said Heiner Giese, an attorney for the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin. “But if an investor buys a property that was already being rented out, how does that hurt the market?”
Giese said although some look at investors as competition for homebuyers, you could also look at them as help for renters.
“If the housing market is bad and homes are overpriced and interest rates are going up, it could be beneficial for people who can afford to rehab these homes to buy them,” he said.
Dorothy York, the vice president of real estate for Acts Housing, a nonprofit that helps low-income families become homeowners, said it’s important to not to paint all investors in the same light.
“Predatory investors are often out-of-state companies that come into usually low-income neighborhoods, take advantage of the community and have destabilizing effects on the neighborhood,” she said. “But we’ve had investors in Milwaukee for years that have been providing safe affordable rental units to people and those are essential.”
York said Milwaukee needs more owner-occupied housing.
“Homeownership is not only a wealth-building and stabilizing opportunity for people, it’s also a mind shift,” she said. “When you own a piece of your community, you’re more likely to take ownership and report those negative things that make your neighborhood unattractive.”
Many renters want to be homeowners but struggle because of investors and a low housing stock, advocates say.
To help them, groups have launched initiatives to create more homeowners in Milwaukee.
Acts Housing, for example, recently started an acquisition fund to even the market for Milwaukeeans looking to purchase homes. The fund will buy homes and resell them at affordable prices to residents.
But housing advocates say more can and should be done.
Winston suggests creating a rental housing registry.
“The city needs a rental housing registry that will allow them to know who owns what and how they are doing,” he said. “Right now, they have no real way of knowing what’s going on.”
He also suggests co-ops and land trusts for homeowners.
“These will help build generational homeownership,” Winston said, adding it also would “eliminate zombie properties by creating a support system for homeowners when they are struggling or in need.”
A co-op is a form of homeownership in which residents collectively own and control a housing unit, so expenses are split between everyone who resides in that unit.
Land trusts are nonprofit organizations governed by a board of residents and public representatives that provide community assets and shared equity homeownership opportunities.
York suggests considering Acts Housing if you are looking to sell your home.
“Your home would be going to a local family,” she said. “We may even pay more, and you’d be benefiting the community.”
In case you missed it: Labor shortage, outside investors strain affordable housing efforts in Milwaukee

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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52273498372_caddcc5822_k-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 2, 2023


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NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 things to do this February in Milwaukee neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 5, 2023
Continuing throughout February, three South Side restaurants are offering deals on bowls of phở. (NNS file photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
NNS reporter Sam Woods joined WUWM 89.7-FM, Milwaukee’s NPR and Joy Powers of “Lake Effect” for the February installment of our monthly “5 Things” feature.
This month includes things to do for Black History Month; “HOOPS,” a gallery exhibition and live play adaptation about the cultural significance of hoop earrings; gallery night at Sixteenth Street Health Centers; a Milwaukee Public Schools candidate forum; and “Phobruary.”
Listen to the interview here.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!

created: February 5, 2023


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50891155771_afc530d9cc_k-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 5, 2023


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Feb. 6 to Feb. 10 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 6, 2023
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Though Election Day is not until Feb. 21, you can vote early starting on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Information on early voting locations and hours here.
The Feb. 21 primary election includes races for Wisconsin Supreme Court, and possibly local judges and alderpeople, depending on where you live. The top two candidates from each race will continue to the general election on Tuesday, April 4.
The Incubator Kitchen Entrepreneur Program offered by the Turning Tables Tavern and Eatery is geared toward helping those interested in starting a restaurant to get the expertise on kitchen operations, staffing, business development and other aspects of starting a business. Those interested in starting a restaurant can attend an orientation for the program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Turning Tables Tavern and Eatery, located at 1034 N. Vel Phillips Ave. More information and other training dates here. RSVP is free.
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“HOOPS” is a portrait project by Milwaukee-based multidisciplinary artist Nicole Acosta that documents the cultural significance of hoop earrings to Black, Indigenous and people of color through portraits and personal stories from more than 60 people from Milwaukee, Chicago, Brooklyn and Los Angeles. There is a gallery exhibition featuring these photos and stories at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB, and an upcoming play by the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre adapted from the portrait project.
You can hear a script reading by actors in the play at the “HOOPS” gallery exhibition. This script reading runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB, located at 191 N. Broadway.
‘The Harlem Renaissance” is a production by Black Arts MKE that highlights Black icons of the Harlem Renaissance and early swing era, including Ella Fitzgerald, Jacob Lawrence, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Written by local playwright Malaina Moore, the play is geared for youths to get a feel for the lasting impact of the era through jazz, swing, scatting and themes of Black artistic revolution.
The play’s opening production is from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, and includes a one-hour performance and a 15 minute question-and-answer session. Other shows take place on select dates through Feb. 25. All productions take place at the Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, Marcus Center for Performing Arts, located at 121 E. State St. Click here for more information about the play and to reserve a date for your school to attend.
You can find more events related to Black History Month here.
Latino Arts’ “lunch and learn” series continues this month with a conversation featuring local Latina  entrepreneurs, artists and creatives. Tickets are $15 and include lunch. The talk runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 at Latino Arts, located at 1028 S. 9th St.

created: February 6, 2023


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52666627667_abccc188bc_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 5, 2023


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Post from Community: Looking for a job? Here are some opportunities. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Common Council - City Clerk's Workforce Development Office
February 6, 2023
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
This is the 120th update shared with you, regarding hiring and job training, and business opportunities from employers in retail, government, health care, manufacturing, transportation, and more!
Find a Job using DCMKE in three optional ways. Complete your job profile by texting @dcmke to 39197 or on our webpage DirectConnectMKE, or by searching DCMKE in the App Store and downloading the Yolobe App. Subscribe to our DCMKE YouTubeaccount and Like and Follow us on Facebook, & Instagram! For additional information, call Jason at 414-286-3357, or text @jthompson to 39197.
Reminder:  Goodwill Industries of Southeast Wisconsin will be hosting various employers for their February 2023 Calendar at three of their Milwaukee locations: 91st Street, Richards Street, and Bay View.  Visit any of these locations from Monday to Thursday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm to meet with Employers!  See attached flyers for details.  Remember:  You must register to attend.  See attached flyers!
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The City of Milwaukee is accepting online applications for Fire& Police Commission Investigator – Bilingual and for an Office Assistant III.  Click on the preceding hyperlinks to view job requirements and application guidelines.  Also attached is a full listing of numerous opportunities with deadlines in February 2023.
Potawatomi Hotel & Casino will be hosting Walk-In Interviews with On-The-Spot Offers on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Potawatomi Event Center located at 1721 West Canal Street, Milwaukee.  There are openings in 13 departments!  See attached flyer for application details.
Maximus will host a virtual Job Fair Session for Milwaukee College Prepat their Employer Spotlight event scheduled for Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm.  Milwaukee College Prep will be recruitingfor Food Service Workers at a starting wage of $15.35/hr.   You must register to attend this virtual recruitment event. See attached flyer.
Employ Milwaukee is hosting an On-The-Spot Manufacturing hiring event on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  The event will be held at 2342 N. 27 Street, Milwaukee.  10 manufacturing employers will be present!  See attached flyer for additional information and registration requirements.
Plan to attenda Community Resource Job Fair with 40+ Employers in all the Leading Industries on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Summit Place Complex, located at 6737 W. Washington Street in West Allis.  Email AgathaHodgson@maximus.com to register!  See attached flyer.  Walk-Ins are welcome!
The City of Milwaukee’s Water Department wants you to Work or Intern with Water!  Attend The One Water Career Fair at 3725 N. Sherman Boulevard on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  See attached flyer for registration details.
Make plans to attend Milwaukee’s FSET Training Fair, hosted by Maximus at 5201 N. 27 Street, on Friday, February 10th, 2023, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm!  Twenty-Seven Training Vendors will be present.  This event is targeted at FSET eligible participants, who must be 18 years of age and over and receiving FoodShare benefits.  This event may be crucial to building a lifelong career!
Union and Non-Union Trades Positions are available and will be presented for On-The-Spot Interviews at Employ Milwaukee on Thursday, February 16th, 2023 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  Returning Citizens are encouraged to attend! Average starting wages for apprentices stand between $18 and $21 per hour!  See attached flyer for eligibility requirements.
The Social Development Commission invites you to file your taxes for FREE!  If you made $66,000 or less last year, you can meet with an IRS-Certified Tax Professional and get your taxes done for free.  Click here for additional information, and learn about the VITA Program.  The tax Deadline is Tuesday, April 18th, 2023.
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is actively recruiting for an Application Systems Administrator, a Revenue Auditor, and for multiple temporary tax support staff.  Carefully review all three position descriptions attached here, which include contact names for inquiries.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is offering free Driver’s Education classes from Monday to Friday, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  Beginning in March, classes will occur throughout 2023 at The Ready Center, on 1916 N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue in Milwaukee.  Classes are open for teens aged 15 to 17 years old. See attached flyer for registration details.
Leading Transitions, LLC, invites qualified candidates to apply for the position of Annual Fund Director for the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum.  To apply, email your resume and cover letter to hr@bbcmkids.org.  See attached flyer for additional information.
Reminder:  MCFI is conducting Walk-In Interviews every 2nd Tuesday of the month from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Meet with Hiring Managers for various positions in Food Service, including Drivers, and more.  Bring your resume!  See attached flyer.  For more information, contact Carolyn Johnson at 414-439-2129 or at Carolyn.johnson@cfihope.org
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If you are experiencing challenges in paying your Municipal Services Bill, assistance may be a click away through the Low Income Water Assistance Program.  Eligibility is determined by a household’s income over the previous month.  Apply now at WisconsinWater.Help.
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Rental Housing Assistance is also available for eligible participants. Contact the following organizations:
Community Advocates Rent Assistance Program. For questions email renthelp@communityadvocates.net
Social Development Commission’s Milwaukee Emergency Rent Assistance Program: https://www.cr-sdc.org/services/mera or (414) 906-2700
The Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center is online at www.renthelpmke.org, by phone at (414) 895-7368, or by email at info@renthelpmke.org.
Take Root Milwaukee for assistance with mortgage issues/foreclosure
https://takerootmilwaukee.com/ or (414) 921-4149.
Housing Resources, Inc.: https://hri-wi.org/ or (414) 461-6330
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Milwaukee County continues to sustain a Medium COVID-19 infection level as of January 12th, 2023. Click here for information on a COVID-19 Hotline; Weekly Walk-in Clinics, Vaccine eligibility, and more!
COVID infections affect Milwaukee’s Communities of Color at disproportionately higher rates. We urge you to exercise caution and are vaccinated to maintain a lower spread of COVID-19.


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52564017125_f0cd6d6a2e_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 6, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 6, 2023


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Young Chinese woman interviewing for a job | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 6, 2023


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Community First hires two developers, makes plans to serve more residents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
February 7, 2023
Community First has received a $230,000 grant to fund the salaries of two local developers who have joined the organization and will help it serve more residents.
Community First works to improve the quality of life for Milwaukee residents – specifically senior citizens and their neighborhoods – by offering affordable housing opportunities for individuals and families.
The money comes from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s Diverse Developer Initiative, which funds initiatives that support “diverse developers of affordable housing,” according to its website.
Now, with two more developers on his team, Rafael Garcia, the executive director and founder of Community First, said he is excited to be able to help more of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Last year, with only two staff members, the organization was awarded the Mayor’s Design Award for converting MPS’ former 37th Street School into 37th Street School Historical Senior Apartments, which are affordable apartments for older residents.
“Now, we have the opportunity to continue doing projects like the 37th Street School Senior Apartments,”  a collaboration between Heartland Housing and Community First, Garcia said.
“We have the opportunity to do developments and strengthen the entire neighborhood around that with more resources.”
Community First is primarily responsible for administering the City of Milwaukee’s Neighborhood Improvement Program, or NIP, a housing rehabilitation loan program for low-income homeowners that uses federal funds.
“We’re keeping people in their homes, which consequently saves money for you, me, the government and taxpayers,” Garcia said. “The alternative is that a home becomes a boarded-up foreclosed home that’s a blight on the neighborhood that taxpayers are spending money to upkeep and/or it costs money to house people with homelessness. It costs money for services for people who are homeless.”
Michelle Long, one of the developers the grant pays for, was already with Community First but has moved into a new position as the organization’s lead development director.  She stresses the importance of affordable housing.
“Avoiding foreclosure means that we’re keeping one more unit of affordable housing available because once it becomes foreclosed it goes back into the world as something that may not be affordable,” she said. “So, for as long as we keep these people in their homes, that unit remains affordable.”
Long said she is excited to be part of Community First.
“When I came in, Community First was on the tail end of the 37th Street project,” she said. “So, it’ll be exciting to see a project from idea to completion.”
Alejandro Rodriguez, the newest member of Community First, came to Milwaukee from Mexico when he was 7 years old and spent most of his life on the South Side.
“Affordable housing is also workforce housing,” he said. “Sometimes people have this misconception that affordable means that it’s going to hurt the neighborhood when really, it’s going to make it better because now those people that work in the neighborhood can actually live close to where they work.”
He’s happy to be in a space where he doesn’t see others who look like him.
“Just being out there with people can influence someone that looks like you,” he said. “For me, following someone like Rafael and going into commercial real estate makes a small impact on the next people from my neighborhood.”
Both Long and Rodríguez are graduates of the Marquette University ACRE, or Associates in Commercial Real Estate, program with hopes of expanding their careers in commercial real estate.
Garcia said though the team is still small, he’s excited about the opportunity.
“I’ve spent a lot of time building relationships and putting people in a position to win, now I have these smarter people around me that I can connect with those relationships and set them in a position to win and push Community First forward,” he said. “We’ve always prided ourselves on being able to do a lot with a little and now we’ll be able to do more.”
For more information on Community First, you can check out its website.

created: February 7, 2023


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52564017125_f0cd6d6a2e_k-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 6, 2023


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OPINION: An open letter to the police chief: Surveillance and profiling are the not the building blocks for police reform | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ibtisam M. Abujad
February 7, 2023
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.
To: Mr. Jeffrey B. Norman, Chief of Police of Milwaukee,
Today, on the twenty-eighth of January, when I looked through my email notifications and noticed that members of my Muslim community have been invited to attend a meeting with the Milwaukee police, I stopped to think about what must motivate the police department to schedule an event on this very day.
Was it not just today that the “city of Memphis has released police body camera and surveillance video showing the January 7 traffic stop and violent police confrontation that led to the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols”?
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Sir, what is this invitation meant to do for our larger community in light of the traumas renewed by this occasion of police brutality? Are we at a place to ignore the ongoing violence in our highly segregated cities?
Sir, you must know that I am a Muslim and Palestinian doctoral student, and I teach at an institution located on the boundaries between these segregated neighborhoods.
Today at Marquette just so happened to be the day scheduled to discuss policing and surveillance in the young adult novel “American Street” by Ibi Zoboi.
I entered the class recognizing that I had a responsibility as an educator to acknowledge what had just happened yet again, to support students in navigating the oppression now commonplace in our current cultural landscape.
Before today, I had hoped that I would be able to say: We have moved a step in the right direction and if the movement to defund has resulted in reform, then so be it. Let us be reformed, then, and we can wait for the fruits of #8 Can’t Wait, a project by Campaign Zero to reform police departments.
What I realized, however, was that police reform is not truly acknowledging the racism perpetuated by policing as a system.
And then the invitation, sir.
I must tell you that I stood up in front of my class and described in pain the mechanisms of surveillance that have, in our current history, targeted racialized peoples in the United States: programs that track migrants who are denied human dignity and sanctuary, the CVE program that targets Muslims after 9/11 and inserts within these communities informants to dissolve trust and deconstruct any hope for mutual solidarity.
Surveillance does not counter violence; it perpetuates it.
And then, when the Black Lives Matter movement called for justice for those who are most oppressed, people throughout the globe stood in solidarity, but the movement then became a target for surveillance.
Have calls for justice now become so extreme?
Sir, I recall that we walked in solidarity on those days following the murder of George Floyd, confident that social justice would not be lost from that day onward.
We walked in downtown Milwaukee led by a young black Muslim woman, and the youth screamed out until their voices cracked. We held signs of brutal images of knees on necks and mirror images in other parts of the world where colonial states sanction other forms of bloodthirsty eradication.
When we stood then, the movement made us fearless in its humanity. We located hope in walking alongside one another on the streets of Milwaukee, and we forgot how dehumanization functions to displace us from within our communities.
I recall on a day 10 years ago when I stood in a large congregation of hundreds of my siblings in the Muslim community, and I heard leaders say: “Well, if they want to surveil us within our places of worship, then so be it. We have nothing to hide.”
At that moment, I regret that I did not speak about the dehumanization, the many forms of violence that the members of my community have endured and the injustice in the pitting of sibling against sibling.
This fitna, a vicious type of social murder, is especially experienced by those members of my community subjected to anti-Blackness and white supremacy coupled with anti-Muslimness.
And then today you invite us to share in a conversation with you, to embrace our roles in the maintenance of safety and security.
Do the safety and security that you discuss require our communities to be racially profiled, just like when former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke was asked about patrolling Muslim communities in Milwaukee, and he assured white supremacists, “Sure. And we already are”?
I cannot hesitate to speak now and say that racial profiling and the maintenance of civil liberties that he describes are complete opposites.
The murder of Black men by the police has historically been a result of this profiling and its entanglement in racist notions about criminality.
If there are limited resources, then why not funnel these into ensuring access to education and not the kind of education specifically aimed at growing the police force?
I often think about why an institution of higher education located in the areas that you patrol, situated within a community of people who are predominantly from historically marginalized backgrounds, is predominantly white.
As we make changes to this in our institution, we must realize as a community that resilience cannot be found in the forms of targeted policing to which the Milwaukee Police Department has subscribed.
It is located when we stop silencing calls for social justice from within our institutions, from our community members, from our students who are impacted the most.  We must immediately stop penalizing, punishing, detaining, incarcerating and eradicating those who do the important work.
What is truly the existential threat to safety in our community, sir, is the rife systemic racism and not Black members of the community or Muslims or migrants.
If the aim is to improve the “relationship” between the police and the residents of Milwaukee, I would encourage the police department to look inwardly and seek radical change in its investments in racist systems of surveillance and regulation.
Respectfully,
Ibtisam M. Abujad
Ibtisam M. Abujad is a doctoral candidate and instructor in the Department of English at Marquette University. She conducts research on race, gender, migration and Critical Muslim Studies.

author: Ibtisam M. Abujad


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Ron Smith
February 6, 2023


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COMMUNITYVOICESLOGO | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 6, 2023


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Post From Community: Advocate Health CEO Eugene A. Woods highlights key priorities during Milwaukee visit | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Advocate Health
February 8, 2023
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
As Advocate Health continues working to advance health equity and reimagine how care is delivered, CEO Eugene A. Woods visited the Milwaukee area this week to meet with Aurora Health Care teammates and community partners.
“Aurora has been a pillar of this community for decades and, as part of Advocate Health, we’ll forge an even stronger path forward together,” Woods said.
On Jan. 30, Woods addressed community members, as well as local business and faith leaders, at The George, sharing the health system’s commitment to improving the lives of those it serves, reducing inequities in care and advancing affordability. He was joined by Jim Skogsbergh, who will serve alongside Woods as CEO until his retirement in mid-2024.
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On Jan. 31, Woods visited the Milwaukee Mental Health Emergency Center, which aims to improve access to high-quality behavioral health services closer to where people live and work. There, he and Milwaukee Health Care Partnership leaders discussed the role of public-private consortiums in improving health care access and outcomes for low-income people in the area. The innovative joint venture among Milwaukee County, Aurora Health Care, Ascension Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin and Froedtert Health is just one example of Advocate Health’s commitment to improving behavioral health care.
“At its core, health care is inherently local,” said Cristy Garcia-Thomas, Advocate Health’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer and president of the Advocate National Center for Health Equity. “Collaboration between health care delivery systems and community partners is key to creating the kind of comprehensive, patient-centered care continuum that promotes healthy communities.”
Later, Woods and Nan Gardetto, a member of the Aurora Community Board, shared the importance of developing an intimate knowledge of the communities we serve and leading with empathy. “Everyone has had an experience with the health care system,” Gardetto said. “It’s admirable when leaders look beyond their roles as business leaders and put patients at the center of the decisions they make.”
Woods’ visit continued on Feb. 1 at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, the system’s flagship quaternary care hospital on Milwaukee’s south side, for a meeting with cardiac physicians from one of the world’s leading heart programs. He then spent time at Aurora Walker’s Point Community Clinic, the state’s largest free clinic, which cares primarily for the underserved.
Woods later visited Aurora Sinai Medical Center and its Aurora Healing & Advocacy Services Team, which for 35 years has been a leader in providing survivor-centered care to victims of sexual violence in Wisconsin. The hospital is also home to Wisconsin’s largest midwifery practice and the only Level III neonatal intensive care unit in Milwaukee. Woods met with maternal health teammates about the specialized care they provide Black mothers who are at higher risk for complications before, during and after pregnancy.
“We’re excited to work with Gene to advance racial and health equity, and to control the total cost of care for Milwaukee County residents,” said Carrie Killoran, president of the Greater Milwaukee patient service area and Aurora St. Luke’s.
Woods’ itinerary also included a tour of America’s Black Holocaust Museum, as well as meetings with Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce President Tim Sheehy, Greater Milwaukee Committee President Joel Brennan, Milwaukee Health Care Partnership Executive Director Joy Tapper, Generation Growth Capital Founder and Managing Director Cory Nettles, Hispanic Collaborative President Nancy Hernandez and other local leaders to get additional perspective on residents’ unique health and wellness needs, as well as what the community would like to see from the health system moving forward.
“I am proud of our organization’s longstanding commitment to the area and the trusted relationships we’ve cultivated with community members and business leaders,” Woods said. “Nothing is more important to us than striving to improve the health and wellness of all those we’re so privileged to serve.”
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the fifth-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs nearly 150,000 team members across 67 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $5 billion in annual community benefits.

created: February 8, 2023

author: Advocate Health


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image002.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 8, 2023

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Post From Community: Biden administration awards $800,000 grant to Milwaukee County to address reckless driving | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Office of the County Executive, David Crowley
February 8, 2023
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
This week, the United States Department of Transportation announced awarding Milwaukee County $800,000 in Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant funds. Milwaukee County will use the funds to create an SS4A action plan in collaboration with the municipalities within its borders.
“According to preliminary state data, Milwaukee County experienced over 100 fatal accidents last year. Road fatalities and serious injuries are an epidemic that demands action,” said County Executive David Crowley. “I appreciate President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg valuing the urgent need for action to keep our roadways safe and avoid unnecessary deaths. The time is now for collaboration between Milwaukee County and its municipalities to create a comprehensive, data-driven plan to increase safety for all who use our streets and roadways in Milwaukee County. This award moves us closer to that goal and will help us find strategies to keep drivers, bicyclists, transit riders and pedestrians safe.”
The award is part of seven grants for projects in Wisconsin totaling more than $2 million. The competitive grant program, established by President Biden’s historic infrastructure law passed last year, provides $5 billion over five years for regional, local, and Tribal initiatives to prevent deaths and serious injuries on roads in communities across the nation.
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“The grant award is a critical piece of funding to help us make mobility in Milwaukee County safer for everyone no matter what part of the county you’re in,” said Milwaukee County Department of Transportation Director Donna Brown-Martin. “Milwaukee County is committed to leading an equitable and inclusive approach to roadway safety and I look forward to working with our municipal partners on mapping a way that advances all of our shared goals.”
Milwaukee County and its municipalities are dedicated to developing and implementing an action plan based on the Complete Communities model, an integrated approach to transportation, land use, and community design for communities that provides a holistic quality of life and meets the needs of people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, and income levels. To achieve this vision, Milwaukee County will form an intergovernmental task force, consisting of public and private stakeholders, to manage the SS4A Action Plan development. The task force will demonstrate consistent progress toward the project’s goals to eliminate roadway fatalities and significantly reduce serious injuries by 80% by 2028 through evidence-based policy and design interventions in the areas of engineering, education, and enforcement.
Since 2020, Milwaukee County has integrated race and health equity considerations into all policy-making decisions. During the action plan development, the intergovernmental taskforce will overlay underserved census tracts with roadway fatality and injury data to ensure that projects ready for implementation in or near underserved areas are prioritized.


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Post From Community: Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant to keynote PEARLS’ Inspired to Lead Fundraiser & 30th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alaina Landi
February 8, 2023
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here
PEARLS for Teen Girls, a leadership development non-profit serving girls in 5th through 12th grade in Milwaukee, is hosting its 30th Anniversary Celebration and 15th Annual Inspired to Lead Benefit on Tuesday, April 18th, 2023 at The Bradley Symphony Center from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The benefit will be keynoted by New York Times bestselling author and internationally renowned speaker, Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant.
The event will kick off celebrations of PEARLS 30th anniversary of service to the Milwaukee community, highlighting PEARLS’ impact over the past three decades through powerful testimonies from current and former PEARLS participants.
Attendees will be able to enjoy complimentary heavy hors d’oeuvres, fun photo opportunities, chances to take home exciting raffle prizes and a cash bar prior to the programming. PLUS all guest will be privy to the first reveal of PEARLS new branding refresh.
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Early bird ticket sales will begin Monday, February 20th. To learn more about Iyanla Vanzant, visit https://www.pearlsforteengirls.com/iyanla.

author: Alaina Landi


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February 6, 2023

author: Name *


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Post From Community: Siebert Foundation announces appointment of Patricia Contreras, VP of Community Impact at Rockwell Automation, to board of directors | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Kalyani Grasso
February 8, 2023
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 Siebert Lutheran Foundation proudly welcomes Patricia Contreras to its Board of Directors. Ms. Contreras serves as Vice President of Community Impact at Rockwell Automation.
“Patricia brings a wealth of expertise in community relations, philanthropy, and talent engagement to the Siebert Board. Her deep Lutheran faith and roots in the Walker’s Point neighborhood will further enrich our pan-Lutheran Board,” said Charlotte John-Gómez, Siebert Lutheran Foundation’s President. “I am very excited to have Patricia as a thought partner and leverage her strategic strengths.”
Ms. Contreras was born and raised in Milwaukee and brings over 22 years of philanthropic investment experience to her role as a Siebert Director. She is passionate about social justice and helping the Latino community thrive. Among her other leadership roles, Ms. Contreras serves on the board of the Wisconsin Philanthropy Network. Past board appointments include United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Campaign Cabinet and Volunteer Council, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Committee for Hispanic Serving Institutions Advisory Board. Patricia was named in the Milwaukee Business Journal’s top 100 Milwaukee-area Power Broker list in 2023 and its 40 under 40 Awards in 2018.
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“I admire the dedication and mission of the Siebert Lutheran Foundation and look forward to learning from this incredible organization,” shared Ms. Contreras. “I believe in servant leadership, and this opportunity brings together my upbringing and passion for purpose-driven work.”
About Siebert Lutheran Foundation
The Siebert Lutheran Foundation maximizes collaboration, relationships, and funding to strengthen and grow organizations in the Lutheran Christian community that share the Gospel, educate children and youth, and serve the needs of our neighbors. Siebert is a private independent foundation and was established by the late Albert F. Siebert to fund Christian ministries identified with Lutheran churches and organizations within Siebert’s funding priorities in Wisconsin. Siebert Serves, an initiative launched in 2019, helps Christians maximize their life’s impact to God’s glory through customized philanthropy management services ranging from one-time grant-making to long-term disbursement of donor assets. In 2022, Siebert granted over $4.4 million to nearly 95 organizations and ended the year with $103 million in total assets. The Foundation has granted nearly $150 million since 1976. www.siebertfoundation.org

author: Kalyani Grasso


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Patricia-Conteras-Headshot-Small.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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February 7, 2023


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The county’s Mental Health Emergency Center is now open. Here’s what you need to know. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
February 8, 2023
Milwaukee County’s new Mental Health Emergency Center, or MHEC, aims to specifically serve residents who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
MHEC, officials and staff insist, is for emergencies and emergencies only, and it is best understood as a typical emergency room – just one meant specifically for people experiencing an emergency related to their mental health. The center opened Sept. 6.
It is for people who are, essentially, in “a life-or-death situation,” said Mike Lappen, administrator of the county’s Behavioral Health Division.
And just like a typical emergency room, the goal is to stabilize and transition people as quickly as possible.
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“Our role in the system of care is to assess, treat, stabilize and then get the patient to that next appropriate level of care as soon as possible,” said Kevin Kluesner, site administrator of MHEC.  “Ideally, this would take place in less than 24 hours.”
“People have to understand – this is not a place where you make an appointment to refill medication or you want to establish a mental health provider and you can’t get in for a while,” Kluesner said. “MHEC is for people who are actively a threat to themselves or other people.”
MHEC is also not designed for patients who are seeking or need long-term psychiatric hospitalization or housing.
MHEC is a bridge to ongoing care and hospitalization but not these things in and of themselves.
MHEC is located at 1525 N. 12th St., on the North Side of the city.
Its location is an important feature of the county’s attempt to redesign its entire mental health system.
The old county-run psychiatric emergency room “was in an aging facility, located where nobody lives,” Lappen said. “We looked at heat maps of folks, and 93% of those folks (using the facility) lived in the city of Milwaukee.”
About 70% of the residents who used the old psychiatric emergency room lived in 10 ZIP codes – eight of which were on the North Side, and two on the South Side, he said.
Nicole Waldner, assistant chief of the Administration Bureau of the Milwaukee Police Department, suspects that the location increases the likelihood of patients using the facility.
When the county operated its old mental health emergency room, in Wauwatosa, “people had to call us for a ride. A lot of the people who are in need of services don’t have transport, and we’d take them if that’s what they wished. Now, they don’t need to do that with MHEC in the city. They can just go there,” she said.
There are two entrances to MHEC – one for voluntary patients and the other for involuntary patients.
Voluntary patients can walk in or call the county’s 24-hour crisis line to arrange for their arrival. The number is 414-257-7222.
Police also often transport voluntary patients.
An involuntary patient is a person for whom the police are called, and an officer make a risk assessment and determines the patient needs to be evaluated.
The police will then transport the patient to MHEC for this assessment.
In either case, whether voluntary or involuntary, a patient’s general trajectory once at MHEC is the same.
Upon arriving at MHEC, a patient will undergo a brief medical assessment. If it is determined that the patient has an urgent medical need, he or she will be transported to a nearby medical emergency room. MHEC does not have the facilities for medical emergencies.
After the patient is medically stabilized, he or she can return to MHEC to address their mental health crisis.
After a patient is medically cleared, he or she will be assessed and triaged by a registered nurse and certified nursing assistant – both of whom have training and experience specific to mental health patients.
“They’re like teams working with patients,” said Kluesner.
Triage can look like different things for different patients. The nurse and nursing assistant may determine the patient can enter one of the milieus, a large common area where several patients are together that offers a comfortable, calmer place to decompress and engage with staff.
If a patient is more agitated or aggressive, the nurse and nursing assistant may determine the patient needs to be in their own care area, under one-on-one supervision.
After triage, a staff psychiatrist will determine what a patient needs in order to be stabilized, including short-term medication, rest or further engagement with staff.
After stabilization – meaning after the patient is no longer in crisis – the psychiatrist decides whether the patient can be discharged and connected to mental health services within the community or whether the patient meets criteria for an involuntary hold and requires admission to a psychiatric facility.
The criteria for an involuntary hold, governed by Chapter 51 of Wisconsin Statutes, is if someone is suicidal, homicidal or if they are somehow otherwise an imminent threat to themselves or someone else.
“Most patients,” said Kluesner, “do not meet these criteria and are connected to community resources that are as close as possible to the patient’s area of choice.”
MHEC has served an average of 132 patients on a weekly basis, as of Nov. 12, according to provisional data provided by MHEC. Twenty-four of these patients were admitted to a longer-term psychiatric facility, and the rest of the patients were referred to community-based resources, with particular emphasis on the county’s access clinics.
In addition to the new location, this reliance on community resources is also a significant shift in the philosophy and approach of the county’s mental health system.
There is much more of a “focus on community-based intervention, more upstream intervention – we want to do as much as we can to divert people – like expand housing availability, use peer support,” said Lappen.
Lappen said that having more community support helps avoid hospitalizations in the long run, which is “so much better for people – think about it. You can’t go to work, you know. It really disrupts their lives.”
If treatment can be delivered in a way “that avoids forcing treatment,” he added, then that will serve patients and their families much more effectively.

author: Devin Blake


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Ron Smith
February 7, 2023


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Wisconsin sees a sharp rise in deaths of residents in their 20s, 30s and 40s | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
February 8, 2023
More young people are dying in the state, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum, a nonpartisan, independent policy research organization.
The study, which uses data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that older adults in Wisconsin are dying at slower rates than they were 20 years ago.
Meanwhile, those in their 20s, 30s and 40s experienced a significant increase in mortality rates from 2001 to 2021, the time frame examined for the report.
COVID-19 is one recent reason for the uptick, according to the report. However, the primary culprit is a familiar one — opioids. More specifically — fentanyl.
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Another significant finding of the report was that the overdose mortality rate for Black Wisconsinites increased ninefold from 2001 to 2021. In 2021, the overdose mortality rate in the state for Blacks was 91 deaths per 100,000 residents, which is more than double the rate nationally for Blacks (42.9).
Desilynn Smith, clinical director at Gateway to Change, a treatment center located at 2319 W. Capitol Drive., said she’s seen an influx of patients in that age range, and even younger.
“I’ve had about a 60% increase in clients between 19 and 30 over the past two years, and I don’t see it easing up,” she said. She blames the increase in addiction and deaths on fentanyl.
What makes fentanyl so dangerous, she said, is that most people aren’t aware they’re using it.
“It’s not fentanyl alone. It’s fentanyl mixed with cocaine and other drugs,” Smith said.
According to Mark Sommerhauser, communications director and policy researcher for the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the death rate in the state for those ages 25 to 44 rose sharply over the past 20 years.
Broken down by cohorts, the death rate increased by 80% for the 25-29 group; 72% for ages 35-39; and 57% for those 40-44.
Overdose deaths accounted for well over half of the mortality rate increase among those groups. In total, there were more than 1,100 more deaths among this group in 2021 than there were in 2001.
“Their death is likely to have a really severe impact on other people,” he said. “Most dramatic would be for their children and their partners, but also people losing a brother, son or daughter.”
In Milwaukee County, 530 drug overdose deaths were confirmed in 2022, with 300 more deaths pending toxicology reports, according to Karen Domagalski, operations manager for the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Not all of the pending cases are overdose deaths, she said.
In line with trends identified in the report, a large percentage (42%), or 222, of the confirmed victims were between the ages of 25-44. Last year, 45% of drug overdose victims fell within that age range.
Smith of Gateway to Change lost her husband, Hamid Abd-Al-Jabbar, who worked as a violence interrupter for 414Life, in 2021 to a fentanyl overdose. She said since being hit personally, she’s been on a mission to increase peer-to-peer support for those struggling with addiction and to help individuals realize that the cocaine they’re using is likely laced with fentanyl.
“I don’t think there is any cocaine that’s not been affected,” she said. “People who don’t even realize it are becoming addicted to opioids.”
The report noted the disparity in overdose deaths among African Americans statewide.
In Milwaukee County, African Americans made up 39% of all confirmed drug overdose victims in 2022, compared to 37% in 2021. Two hundred and seven of the 530 confirmed drug overdose victims in the county were Black, compared to 249 whites.
Other victims include 53 Hispanics; eight Native Americans; five Asian/Pacific Islanders; two East Indians; and six individuals who were identified as  multi-race.
In terms of gender, 375 victims were men and 155 were women. The youngest victim this year was a 1-year-old girl who died from fentanyl exposure, while the oldest was an 83-year-old woman.
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors recently appropriated more than $11 million for treatment, abatement, harm reduction and other programs to help address the opioid epidemic.
“Milwaukee County is doing all we can to address acute community needs like affordable housing and fatal drug overdoses,” County Executive David Crowley said in a statement.
The funds will support 15 community projects over the next three years, including those that provide harm reduction supplies, education and treatment for justice-involved youths and opioid prevention projects.
The $11 million is part of a larger $26 billion national legal settlement against opioid manufacturers that helped to fuel the opioid epidemic. Wisconsin will receive $400 million from that settlement, $70 million of which will come to Milwaukee County.
Also in Milwaukee, county officials and local groups have begun work on a plan to install Nalox-Zone boxes for free in public locales. The vending machine style boxes will contain Naloxone, a prescription medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose; testing strips for fentanyl; and other free supplies.
The county will host virtual listening sessions from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 and from 10 a.m.to noon Thursday, Feb.  23 to get input from the community on how the settlement funds should be spent
An informational meeting for individuals to learn more about the plan to install Nalox-Zone boxes will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 3, at Tres Hermanos Restaurant, 1332 W. Lincoln Ave. Ideal candidates for the boxes, according to organizers, include restaurants, bars, gas stations, liquor stores, schools and libraries.
You can find a comprehensive list of substance abuse treatment services by clicking here.

author: Edgar Mendez


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52673813163_b117904ef6_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 7, 2023


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Here’s what BadgerCare Plus recipients need to know to keep their benefits | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
February 9, 2023
After March 31, those who receive BadgerCare Plus will have to return to the pre-pandemic process of reapplying and being re-evaluated for coverage.
Local health care professionals want them to be prepared. BadgerCare Plus serves people who need health care coverage but who may not qualify for Medicaid.
Because of federal legislation that went into effect in March 2020, those who have received BadgerCare Plus benefits have been able to keep those benefits without having to go through the renewal process as was required every 12 months before that time, said Caroline Gómez-Tom, enrollment network and accessibility manager for Covering Wisconsin.
But Gómez-Tom said, “People should not panic.”
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Covering Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization based out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison that helps people throughout Wisconsin understand and apply for health insurance.
Here are some crucial details to keep in mind:
First, people should understand that everyone’s date to reapply will be different.
Renewal dates will fall anywhere from June 2023 to May 2024, said Elizabeth Goodsitt, communications specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, which manages BadgerCare Plus.
People should receive a letter in March informing them of their renewal date. They will then receive a renewal packet 45 days before that renewal date, Goodsitt said.
Gómez-Tom said people should update any digital accounts related to Medicaid.
You can create an account on access.wi.gov, which is Wisconsin’s Medicaid website. You can also download the MyACCESS mobile app, “which is probably even easier than the website,” said Gómez-Tom.
These platforms can be used for communicating with the Department of Health Services, or DHS, about renewal dates and other important correspondence.
Winona Grieger, a navigator at Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, emphasized the importance of “paying attention” to any correspondence from DHS and “reading everything carefully” to make sure you  understand what is expected.
As far as collecting relevant paperwork to prepare for the renewal, Gómez-Tom counseled that recipients not “jump the gun.” DHS will be, for the most part, assessing people’s employment situation and want the most current pay stubs possible.
Additionally, there is a potential risk in trying to renew prematurely.
“We don’t want people to renew before their time to renew because that might risk them losing coverage sooner than they would otherwise,” Gómez-Tom said.
In addition to household income, household size is the other major factor in whether someone qualifies for Medicaid. UW-Madison maintains a chart (second page), outlining these thresholds.
Gómez-Tom advises caution in reviewing this information, though, because someone can look at this chart and determine they do not qualify.
“There are other factors that can affect it (eligibility),” she said, including yearly expenses and tax information specific to the applicant. “A navigator can take everything into account and determine that a person actually is eligible.”
“Throughout this whole process and transition, if people have any questions along the way – need help with finding their renewal date, what they will need for their renewals, doing the renewal itself, finding out other options if they find out they are not eligible – navigators are here to help,” said Gómez -Tom. “No question is too small.”
For people in the Greater Milwaukee area who have questions for a navigator, they can call or text 414-400-9489.
You also can go to coveringwi.org or wiscovered.com, where you can talk in real time with a navigator.
You can also call 2-1-1, a service that helps connect people to resources.
We’re here to help as well. To ask a question through News414, text “MKE” to 73224. Then text 7 to get in touch with a reporter.

created: February 9, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 8, 2023


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Feb. 10 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 10, 2023
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Those over 18 years old and receiving FoodShare can get help finding employment through the FoodShare Employment and Training Program at this training fair hosted by Maximus. The fair runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 10 at 5201 N. 27th St.
The City of Milwaukee has about $92.7 million to spend from the one-time funding received through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. This is a chance for residents to speak directly to elected officials on what issues matter to them and what should be priorities for investment. The in-person meeting will have Spanish translation and will run from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Mitchell Street Library, located at 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. More information here.
You can also attend a virtual meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, or fill out the online survey here.
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Get to know more than 40 Black-owned small businesses along with workshops, demonstrations, live entertainment and more. The expo runs from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Marquette Alumni Union, located at 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. The event is free to attend.
You can find more events related to Black History Month happening this weekend and the rest of February here.
You may not expect hearts, flowers and love-themed signs and symbols in a cemetery, but the Forest Home Cemetery is putting on a tour that highlights the life and love contained on its grounds. The tour takes place from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Forest Home Cemetery, located at 2405 W. Forest Home Ave. RSVP is $10.
Educator, organizer and poet Ajamou Butler is hosting a launch party for the release of his untitled book of poems. The event will also feature spoken word performances by Lea V Poetry and Kavon Cortez Jones and live music by Robyn Haze. The event is from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12 at 1935 W. Silver Spring Drive.

created: February 10, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 9, 2023


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Daddy/Daughter Dance is back after a two-year hiatus | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 10, 2023
For the first time since 2020, the Daddy/Daughter Dance at North Division High School is back.
The dance, now in its 20 year, is organized by Milwaukee Recreation in partnership with the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative.
Usually occurring around Valentine’s Day, the event has been lauded as a memorable opportunity for fathers, father figures and daughters to bond over food, dancing, gifts and a live DJ.
In previous years, the event has drawn over 1,000 dancers.
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The 2021 and 2022 dances were canceled because of  COVID-19 safety concerns.
Milwaukee Recreation said it is following Milwaukee Public Schools’ COVID-19 guidelines for this year’s event, meaning that masks are optional.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and the event continues until 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 at North Division High School, located at 1011 W. Center St. Daughters must be from 1 to 17 years old to attend. Any father figure (grandfather, cousin, uncle, family friend, etc.) is welcome to accompany a daughter.
“This is one of the best opportunities for dads, father figures, and daughters to celebrate one another and share an unforgettable experience,” Milwaukee Recreation spokesperson Claire McHugh said about the event.
For more information
Registration for the dance ends on Monday, Feb. 13. You can register for both the dinner and the dance or just the dance, which starts at 6:15 p.m. Register here.
From the archives
Daddy/Daughter Dance celebrates 15 years with sold-out event
Daddy, may I have this dance?


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52675593233_3db0fbdd09_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 9, 2023


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Feb. 13 to Feb. 17 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 13, 2023
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Get to know the candidates for the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, or MPS school board, and ask them questions about their platforms at this candidate forum. The forum takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Wantable Cafe, located at 123 E. Walker St.
The candidates for school board will not appear on the ballot until April’s general election, but there are primary races for some aldermanic, State Supreme Court and local judge seats on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Learn how to vote early here.
See 10 finalists from Milwaukee-area high schools deliver monologues written by contemporary Black playwrights. The winner will represent Milwaukee at New York City’s Apollo Theater for the national finals later this spring. The competition is free to attend and is at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the  Quadracci Powerhouse stage at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, located at 108 E. Wells St. More information here. Learn more about the competition here.
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“Co-regulation” in parental relationships refers to when parents help guide children through emotions with verbal prompts, modeling desired behavior or otherwise helping the child identify and process emotions in a healthy way. Wellpoint Care Network, formerly known as SaintA, will be hosting a workshop on co-regulation strategies for parents from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 8901 W. Capitol Drive. The workshop is free, and food and child care will be provided. Email aalter@wellpoint.org to sign up or fill out this form.
Paint masks in celebration of the tradition of “Carnival” while sipping “tinto” or wine. Carnival is a tradition of festivals and public celebration from Italy to Brazil that takes place in the weeks before the Catholic observance of Lent. This event focuses on the cultural history of Carnival in Brazil. The event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16 at Latino Arts, Inc., located at 1028 S. 9th St. Tickets are $25 and include masks, painting supplies, wine and tapas.
The Rev. Al Sharpton has been in the public eye for decades, often at the center of discussions about structural racism in the United States. “Loudmouth” spotlights Sharpton’s public life in order to determine “whether Al Sharpton has gone mainstream or if America has finally decided to listen.” As part of Milwaukee Film’s Black History Month programming, the one-time screening of this documentary will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Oriental Theatre, located at 2230 N. Farwell Ave. More information, including on cost, is here.
We’ve listed other events related to Black History Month this week and throughout the rest of the month here.

created: February 13, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 11, 2023

created: February 11, 2023


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NNS Spotlight: How Shawn Payne found his purpose (and a job) on the brink of homelessness | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
February 13, 2023
In late 2019, Shawn Payne lost his job as a limo and coach bus driver.
And when the pandemic hit in early 2020, he found it even more difficult to find new work and keep up with bills.
He ended up on the brink of homelessness.
But despite all of those setbacks, he wanted to do something meaningful.
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“I was spending a lot of time at the mosque whilst I looked for work, and I knew they were doing charities, so I just told the director to call me if he ever needed help, and he did,” Payne said.
He volunteered for months, helping with the security for the Milwaukee Islamic Dawah Center’s food pantry until he was offered a job.
He “was going to lose his housing yet still found time to volunteer at the food pantry and that stuck with me,” said Joanne Lipo Zovic, a mediator with Mediate Milwaukee, which helps settle disputes between tenants and landlords, who helped Payne. “He is an incredible human.”
Now he’s the logistics specialist, truck driver and outreach resource coordinator for Milwaukee Islamic Dawah Center, doing work that he’s passionate about.
“It’s really a dream job because as a Muslim, feeding the hungry is one of the best things you can do, so, I’m getting paid to do something I love,” he said.
Payne, who  already had his commercial driver’s license from his time as a limo driver, is the only one who can drive the center’s refrigerated truck to pick up fresh produce and food.
Through that job, Payne has loved connecting with Kofi Ali, the manager at the MA’RUF Center for Youth Innovation on the Northwest Side. The Muslim nonprofit works to improve the lives of marginalized and disenfranchised residents.
Ali also serves as the program manager at the Ibrahim House, a re-entry facility for those who have been incarcerated.  The program offers education, training and personal support, and Payne has joined Ali in his work there as well.
“Shawn is just a good team player, so it works out,” Ali said. “He knows how to do his job but also steps back and lets others do what they do.”
At the Ibrahim House, Payne works with people to ensure they make it to their classes so they get to the next step.
For him, this work is personal.
Payne went to prison when he was 18 and said it’s where he found Islam.
“According to Islam, one of the biggest charities you can do is be responsible for your community,” Payne said. “As someone who took so much from my community, I have to give back.”
Payne’s mother, Diana Griffin, has seen her son transform.
“In the past, I wasn’t sure things would go this way,” she said. “I’m proud of what he’s doing trying to make a difference in the community.”
Outside of work, Payne spends time with his two daughters and enjoys playing chess and pingpong.
He said, if his life has taught him anything, it’s patience.
“To grow, you have to forgive yourself and be patient,” he said. “And in forgiving yourself, you will forgive others.”


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Ron Smith
February 12, 2023

created: February 12, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 12, 2023


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New education campaign helps Milwaukeeans fight home-appraisal discrimination | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
February 14, 2023
Following a national outcry over discrimination in housing appraisals, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council has created a program to help those who may be facing such a hurdle.
The education outreach campaign provides information surrounding housing discrimination to those who feel they may be discriminated against and helps them find a legal remedy if needed.
“This has been on our radar a long time but became a more complex issue when it became a federal problem,” said Erika Sanders, the director of program services for the council.
At the beginning of 2022, a conversation about appraisal discrimination started after a judge found it plausible that race discrimination occurred in a Black couple’s lawsuit over a lowball appraisal in Maryland.
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The lawsuit sparked a national discussion and led to PAVE, a U.S interagency task force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity, to create an action plan to advance equity in this area.
“We are deeply concerned this is a real issue here,” Sanders said. “If the whole nation is battling this, there is no way Milwaukee is exclusive.”
The council’s worry is that appraisals are just another addition to the long list of things that contribute to the nation’s racial wealth gap.
“Homeownership is one of the major ways to build wealth, and if homes are being undervalued then it blocks opportunities,” Sanders said. “It overall impacts people’s quality of life.”
More to the point, this type of discrimination affects entire neighborhoods.
“Because of the way homes are appraised, this can leave communities undervalued and that becomes a quality-of-life issue,” she said. “Appraisal discrimination will just serve to reinforce racial disparities that already exist.”
One fear is that discrimination is built into the appraisal system.
“There has never been any formal overseer for appraisers, so they built systems the way it works for them,” said Sarah Jenkins, the program manager for the council. “Some of these discriminatory practices are common practice.”
Appraisal discrimination is illegal, and the council says if someone feels they are experiencing it they should reach out right away
Jorge Barreiro, the former president of the Wisconsin chapter of the Appraisal Institute, a professional association of real estate appraisers, said this has been a constant discussion since the beginning of the pandemic.
“If guidelines are followed accordingly, then this isn’t a problem anyone should run into,” he said. “But just like every other job, there are appraisers that don’t follow the guidelines.”
To get in front of any acts of potential discrimination, the institute holds training on biases and unconscious biases.
“We really just want to make sure appraisers know their biases so they can address them in advance,” he said.
According to Jenkins, signs of discrimination include language in the appraisal describing the racial or ethnic backgrounds of the homeowner or the surrounding neighborhood, an unreasonably low appraisal or if the comparable homes listed in the appraisal report don’t seem to share features with the appraised home.
If you’d like to know more about the red flags of discrimination and how fair housing laws apply to the home appraisal process, contact the Fair Housing Council at 1-877-647-3247 or check out the council’s website.

created: February 14, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 13, 2023


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We spent a below-freezing night with officials counting those who are homeless. Here’s what we saw. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
February 15, 2023
Temperatures were below freezing throughout the night, and it snowed off and on.
Around 10:30 p.m. Jan. 25, eight teams, totaling 23 people, piled into vehicles and exited the parking lot of the Housing Division of the Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services.
The reason for the late night: to count how many people who were:
Living outside.
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Unsheltered.
In tents.
At bus stops.
Under bridges.
It was the night of the annual Point-in-Time Count, a night where people experiencing homelessness are counted.
“This may very well be my favorite night of the year just because it is such a huge opportunity to have everybody out at one time and be able to cover every area,” said Beth Lappen, downtown outreach coordinator with the Housing Division.
In Milwaukee, the count is planned and executed by the Milwaukee Continuum of Care, or CoC. The CoC’s members include both the city and county as well as 100 other organizations that provide housing services.
The annual Point-in-Time count produces aggregated data that supports CoC planning efforts and is used as evidence to gain additional funding for homeless services from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD; the State of Wisconsin; and other sources of private funding.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development mandates the count be done every year, on the fourth Wednesday of January.
The count is used to help determine the ratio between need and supply of housing resources, said Nancy Esteves, the homeless management information systems manager for the Institute for Community Alliances, a nonprofit based out of Des Moines, Iowa, that helps manage data for the CoC. Providing this data is one of the conditions of receiving federal funding for housing and homelessness-related programs.
Milwaukee County receives about $11 million a year of this funding, Esteves said.
In 2021, the city received national recognition for seeing an extreme decrease in unsheltered people sleeping outside. The count of 17 people — a 70-percent decrease from the previous year — was the result of expanded street outreach, the use of funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act; efforts to reduce evictions; emergency hotel placements; and allowing Clare Hall on the Saint Francis de Sales Seminary grounds to be used for temporary shelter.
Eric Collins-Dyke, the assistant administrator of supportive housing and homeless services at the Housing Division, said the count “gives more of a clearer picture of the true nature of the issue over a yearlong span.”
Collins-Dyke and his van colleagues that night were tasked with counting people on the southeast portion of the city and surrounding suburbs, including Oak Creek. In the van with him were Shelly Sarasin and Nick Tomaro.
Sarasin is the co-founder of Street Angels Milwaukee Outreach, which helps people experiencing homelessness and provides them with food and basic hygiene items. Tomaro is the emergency preparedness environmental health director for the City of Milwaukee Health Department.
“It’s space that we started to get involved with during the pandemic and now are just kind of expanding that involvement,” Tomaro said. “Homelessness is a public health crisis. … I think it’s very important that health departments are involved in this work.”
“When you look at unsheltered homelessness, it’s an emergency in the sense that you’ve got a lot of very vulnerable people exposed to extreme elements outside.”
About halfway through the night, the three walked under a bridge at West Kinnickinnic River Parkway and South 31 Street and encountered four people: a man and woman who identified as a couple and two male friends who said they have known each other for many years.
They all asked for food, and the couple asked for sleeping bags.
About a week after the count, Collins-Dyke discussed the night.
“They’ve had a long history on the street,” he said. “They’ve all been on and off the street, in various housing programs, struggled with using consistently and, you know, have tried really, really, really hard to stay healthy and address those things from a harm-reduction standpoint, with the support of the outreach teams.”
All four were able to get a hotel room within 24 hours with the help of the Housing Division.
A lot of it, Collins-Dyke said, was a matter of luck.
“I’m really glad we connected with them because of how cold it got those next few days. They were just ready to go. It was sort of like perfect timing,” he said.
Not only does a bed inside meet obvious immediate needs, it also helps outreach workers know where to find their clients, Collins-Dyke said.
“It’s helpful to know that they’re in one spot consistently and have a tiny bit more stability to be able to have those conversations longer term,” he said. “They have a lot of things they have to do during the day to survive, like getting food, potentially showering, getting to appointments. So, now we know where they are all the time.”
The goal for service providers at this stage is to pursue long-term housing and other needed services with the person, such as medical care, mental health services and substance abuse treatment.
Sarasin and Tomaro both said there’s one specific obstacle that has not adequately addressed by the CoC: people with pets.
“It is one of the biggest barriers to shelter and housing,” said Sarasin. Pets are like people’s family on the street, she said, and “we would never ask families to separate. Why should we make people who have pets separate?”
Tomaro, a former veterinarian, said he helped advocate for people to be able to bring their pets into a warming room with them this year – “the first year that’s ever happened,” said Sarasin. “It has resulted in a lot of people not having to sleep outside because of that barrier. That’s important.”
Tomaro said during the count he encountered a man with four dogs that night as well as someone with three cats.
In addition to people with pets, Tomaro said he also noticed people sleeping in their cars.
“I don’t think that’s always acknowledged,” he said. “It’s a little bit more difficult for people to kind of visualize sometimes.”
Altogether, the outreach teams visited close to 200 different sites throughout the night, said Collins-Dyke. In the southeast region alone, 19 people were counted, more than the total numbers for both 2021 and 2022.
Collins-Dyke attributes several factors to the jump, including a warmer-than-normal winter, “a stagnancy of housing resources” and insufficient numbers of housing navigators, staff who are specifically tasked with helping a person go through the lengthy and bureaucratic process of applying and qualifying for housing.
The official numbers of the count will be released in March by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
All three providers were appreciative of each other’s work and recognized that all of the gaps and shortcomings in the system can only be overcome through collaboration.
“Our trio and collaboration – county, city and nonprofit – showed how well we can work when we break down the silos,” Sarasin said. “The three of us have been intent with each other on doing so.”
You can support the organizations that make up the CoC.  These organizations include Community Advocates, Guest House of Milwaukee, Hope House, Outreach Community Health Centers and many more agencies.
The Continuum of Care seeks volunteers yearlong. You can keep tabs of the organization on its Facebook page.
If you need housing assistance, you can seek help through rent assistance programs being administered by Community Advocates and the Social Development Commission. You could reach out to the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center, or RHRC, for other housing issues. Officials can be contacted at info@renthelpmke.org or 414-895-RENT.

created: February 15, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 14, 2023


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Post From Community: February 21: County Executive David Crowley to Deliver 2023 State of the County Address at 10 a.m. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brandon Weathersby
February 16, 2023
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
Tuesday, February 21, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley will deliver the 2023 State of the County Address in the UW-Milwaukee Student Union Ballroom at 10 a.m. It will be the County Executive’s first State of the County Address delivered in-person.  The speech will also be live streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
Ahead of the County Executive’s speech, Milwaukee County will host a resource and hiring fair on February 21 at 9:30 a.m. in the UW-Milwaukee Student Union’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Lounge. Representatives from County Parks, the Community Reintegration Center, the Department of Health & Human Services, Human Resources, and several other departments will be present at the fair to connect residents with key services and career opportunities.
Members of the public are invited and encouraged to register at county.milwaukee.gov/sotc2023.
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Members of the media are encouraged to RSVP as well. Media can RSVP by emailing press@milwaukeecountywi.gov or calling 414-469-3493.
Media will be allowed to set up inside UW-Milwaukee Ballroom once doors open at 9:30 AM.
WHAT: 2023 State of the County Address
WHO: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
WHEN: Tuesday, February 21 @ 10 a.m.
WHERE: UWM Ballroom, 2200 E Kenwood Blvd, Milwaukee (parking available at UWM Student Union Garage)

created: February 16, 2023

author: Brandon Weathersby


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Dwayne Burtin
February 16, 2023


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NNS Spotlight: How Michael Emem is transforming Milwaukee, one project at a time | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
February 16, 2023
One could measure, down to the square foot, what Michael Emem has done and is doing for Milwaukee.
A builder, home designer and real estate developer, Emem, 35, has participated in the design, construction or development of residences, large-scale projects and mixed-use properties throughout the city for over 17 years.
His portfolio includes an arts center in the Bronzeville neighborhood, a public library in the Harambee neighborhood, a community clinic in the Williamsburg neighborhood and the historic Wisconsin Gas Building.
A Milwaukee native, Emem has traveled an incredibly direct path to where he is now.
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“By the time he was a 3 year old, he told me he wanted to be a carpenter,” said Doris Louis, Emem’s mother.
When Emem was about 12 or 13, Louis bought him specialized software used by engineers and architects so he could learn more about design and construction.
He was 18 when he designed and built his first house, for his uncle – Louis’ brother – in the Lindsay Heights community.
“My son spearheaded the whole project,” Louis said.
After graduating from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School, which trains students in carpentry and construction, among other subjects, Emem worked for a general contractor for several years and then at a construction and real estate company.
In April 2013, he began working as the construction director at Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, overseeing the construction of affordable family homes in the city.
This was a position that not only allowed Emem to continue to advance professionally but also to do something for the city he loves.
“Michael grew up in the city. He grew up in a lot of the types of neighborhoods that Habitat for Humanity works in on a regular basis,” said Brian Sonderman, executive director of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity. “I think Michael has made a concerted effort to utilize his skills and experience to make this city better and stronger, and I really appreciate that about his values.”
After going back to school for business administration and finance and earning a real estate certification as well, Emem started his own company in 2018. He serves as its president and CEO.
The company, Emem Group, provides design, construction and development services for residential and commercial projects.
“It’s not all about the money (but) how can you take your gifts, your talents, your experience, your education and how can you use all of that to help make people and places better,” Emem said. “That’s why I’m so passionate about real estate. I believe real estate plays a major role in impacting people’s lives – the quality of their lives.”
“When you look at all the factors of a quality life – decent, affordable housing, having access to health care, education, all of these other things, they’re all centered around real estate within the community,” he said.
Emem has dedicated his life to making housing “first and foremost.”
“There are certain areas within the city of Milwaukee where most of the housing is just subpar: It’s dilapidated, hasn’t received any investment. Most of it is landlord-owned, absentee landlord-owned.
“If we can just change the physical environment that people live in, that will help change the mental and emotional environment of the people living in those neighborhoods,” Emem said.
He shared an example from his childhood.
“I grew up on 42nd and Garfield. I used to walk to the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club in the summer. If you’re familiar with Milwaukee … Grant Boulevard was sort of like a utopia when I was a kid,” he said. ”I felt the people living there had a better quality of life, better environment – they just seemed so happy and appreciative to be on Grant Boulevard.
“Just one block away, the feeling was very different – also the respect of the neighborhood was completely different,” he said. “We would walk Grant Boulevard, people wouldn’t litter. It was so well-kept, but literally one block away, in our neighborhood, that wasn’t the case.”
Emem, along with his wife and four children, lives in Brown Deer.
He credits his mother for helping him understand the relationship between real estate, neighborhoods and quality of life.
“If you bring something to people, it gives them hope,” Louis said. “Houses, apartments, townhouses, different buildings, libraries and all this kind of stuff – and it’s new and people feel like they are a part of it, it’s in their area, their neck of the woods. It gives them more pride, and they can help take care of their surroundings. A lot of times, it’s a mindset. If you can change someone’s mind, you can change the community’s.”
People can view the Emem Group portfolio, learn about the services it provides or contact the company via its website.
Catch up with the people and organizations who make Milwaukee great by reading “NNS Spotlight.”


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Ron Smith
February 15, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 15, 2023


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Ron Smith
February 15, 2023


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52534224090_6179fcc14b_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
February 15, 2023