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Black leaders point to racism as root cause for joblessness among black men | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
October 30, 2015
Kalan Haywood Sr., founder and president of the locally headquartered developer Vangard Group, speaks during the “fishbowl” discussion. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
At a recent summit meant to tackle the high black male unemployment rate in Milwaukee, black leaders said the problem is rooted in racial discrimination, compounded by lack of access to job opportunities and lack of outreach to black communities and individuals.
“[Equal opportunity] is a very basic principle — we all say we live by it,” said Ald. Ashanti Hamilton. “Matter of fact, we swear by it in this country. But, often times, we’re unwilling to admit that we have structures in place that were designed for the specific purpose of keeping folks out of the process.” Hamilton addressed a crowd of more than 150 public sector, nonprofit and corporate professionals.
The summit, hosted by the Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin (UEDA), was part of an annual summit series. UEDA Executive Director Kristi Luzar said the summits, which have previously focused on transit and business corridors, are “outcome driven” and topics for breakout sessions (known as labs) are chosen through feedback from members, partners and the City of Milwaukee. Luzar said takeaways from the event will be incorporated in a city report that will inform the work of the Black Male Achievement Advisory Council and the federal My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge in Milwaukee in 2016.
Mayor Tom Barrett spoke of a “renaissance” in downtown Milwaukee, touting the new Northwestern Mutual development and future projects, such as the new Bucks arena, The Couture development and a recently approved streetcar project. He also noted some successes of the Residents Preference Program (RPP), which mandates 40 percent participation of underemployed and unemployed workers on projects that receive more than $1 million in direct financial assistance from the city. Barrett pointed out that, for many unemployed individuals, some of the best jobs are in construction.
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Barrett said the challenge is to “ensure that the people who live in this city, particularly in the economically distressed parts of the city, play a role.” He said the city has to do a better job of making sure the opportunities that are available are also accessible.
In breakout group focused on 21st century skills, attendees brainstorm ways to address black male unemployment. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
“There’s an economic imperative. There’s also a social and a moral imperative that we do a better job of making sure that people have an opportunity to support their families, just as we all want to support our own families,” Barrett noted.
A mixed-race roundtable discussion that included professionals in academia, construction, healthcare and the public sector, attempted to unpack the issue, touching on the skills gap and exploring nontraditional educational pathways, thinking creatively about employing black males and addressing the issue of confidence.
Kalan Haywood, founder and president of Vangard Group, a developer headquartered in Milwaukee, suggested a larger issue is how to get the word out to men of color about job opportunities. He noted that Vangard has implemented the RPP requirement on projects that don’t receive city funds, saying “it starts at the top.”
“How dare I build a project in the city and have young boys and men (of color) walk by it, drive by it and not have opportunity to be part of the development,” he said. “We have all these numbers about jobs that they never hear about. So, we have to find a way to meet them at a position and a level that they understand, that they’re comfortable with. The onus is on us to make sure we expose them to opportunities.”
And, UWM Professor Marc Levine pointed out that, although the “project economy,” automation and skills issues exist across the country, black male joblessness is particular to Milwaukee. He said cities such as Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., Boston, Washington D.C. and Atlanta have “substantially lower black male non-employment (joblessness) rates.”
“Twelve percent of African-American males in Milwaukee have a college degree, versus 37 percent of white males … but only 11 percent of Latino males have a college degree and, yet, the Latino male non-employment rate is one third the black rate in Milwaukee,” said Levine.
He added, “It isn’t like everybody’s got to be a rocket scientist to get a job,” noting, “most projections show that almost two-thirds of the growth in jobs over the next 10, 15 years are going to be in jobs requiring a high school diploma or less.”
Jamie Elder, who works with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, criticized the Milwaukee Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (MMAC) — the only major local business association that did not support the event. “They’ll do trade missions to China, they’ll do trade missions to everywhere else in the world but they won’t cross Vliet Street, they won’t cross Walnut.”
Reggie Moore, founder and executive director of the Center for Youth Engagement, said one of the reasons individuals don’t have access to employment opportunities is a lack of connections. “Who you know gets you in the door, what you know keeps you there. But, if you don’t even have access to opportunity, you can’t even get in.”
Moore added, “I don’t think there’s a question on whether race plays a role.”
Shanyeill McCloud, of Clean Slate Milwaukee, which helps ex-offenders expunge their criminal records, left the summit halfway through because she said the people being talked about weren’t represented.
“I can’t even stomach it,” said McCloud, who was in a breakout session focused on education and barriers to employment. “They’re not talking about the real issues.”
Luzar said UEDA, who she described as “a convener,” tried to get individuals who fit the target demographic at the event but admitted that holding the summit during the day may have been a barrier because of jobs or other commitments. She said that although stipends were offered, the time commitment was substantial and the subject matter is complex. “What we rely on, to some extent, is that the people in the room are getting that feedback (from unemployed black males) already.”
But Haywood said there’s nothing better than going directly to the source; for example, doctors would always want to examine and speak directly to the person they’re diagnosing.
“We could come up with the cure, right now, for back pain,” he said. “Then we’re going to go out to the community and talk to the people that we’re trying to serve and they’re going to say, ‘Well, it’s not my back that was hurting. I had a headache,’ or ‘I had a knee-ache.’ We need to get the people at the table to at least deliver to us what the true issues are.”
This dynamic was on display in the entrepreneurship lab where Milagro Jones, a recent hire at Public Allies who has been homeless for the majority of his life and has been incarcerated twice, helped to steer the conversation. The session touched on the need to reach out to individuals where they are and the need for organizations working in the community to be accountable, among other topics.
The summit was a positive experience for Jones, who said that in rooms full of professionals, he often comes in thinking that people don’t like him or want him there. “You could almost call it a paranoia,” said Jones. “I look like the people that I see being oppressed all over the world,” whether it’s someone who is killed by a drone or shot by a police officer and forgotten.
“I feel unwanted; I feel unloved by society,” he said, adding that people working with black males in Milwaukee, “need to be honest with themselves … and stop trying to hide from the truth and the reality,” referring to the plight of many African-Americans.
Brandon Rule of Forward Community Investments, a mission-based small business lending firm, noted the reason many of his counterparts are in prison is for dealing drugs, which he equated to an entrepreneurial business. “Clearly, we have a plethora of black entrepreneurs,” Rule said. “So, how do we go about changing what we view as entrepreneurs and not scolding them for being entrepreneurs?”
Rule, who came from an impoverished background, said he is grateful that he and Jones were able to connect, calling it a mentorship opportunity. “Today was a way for me to talk to him, for him to learn and for everyone who was in that room to understand what we go through on a daily basis,” he said, emphasizing that more interactions of this sort are needed.
Haywood added, “Anybody can dig themselves out of a hole if they see somebody they can relate to.”

created: October 30, 2015


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 29, 2015

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: October 29, 2015

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

author: Adam Carr


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College Possible receives $725,000 in new grants | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
College Possible
October 30, 2015
College Possible Milwaukee’s continued success has helped secure two grants for a combined total of $725,000 from Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation. While Wisconsin continues to fall short in national efforts to close the academic achievement gap, College Possible Milwaukee, supported by Great Lakes funding, offers programming that interrupts the alarming trend of Milwaukee’s struggle to level academic success and graduation rates among all demographics. A $600,000 grant will help more than 300 low-income Milwaukee students increase ACT scores and an additional 800 enrolled college students stay in school. A separate, two-year $125,000 grant will help ensure continued, sustainable support for programming. This means more low-income students ultimately earn a college degree, break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families, and help us build a competitive workforce.
“This grant helps ensure that more low-income, Milwaukee students earn college degrees,” said Edie Turnbull, executive director of College Possible Milwaukee. “Our partnership with Great Lakes gives our students the necessary support to be successful on college campuses nationwide.”
Both College Possible and Great Lakes seek to strengthen a durable and lasting partnership in working toward closing the degree divide. Great Lakes’ support over the years has been instrumental in enabling College Possible’s coaching of low-income, first-generation students to and through college. With guidance through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support by dedicated AmeriCorps members, College Possible students see a more than 19% increase on ACT scores on average. Overall, 94% of College Possible students earn college admission in the face of socioeconomic barriers; College Possible students are 10 times more likely to earn a four-year degree than their low-income peers.
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“Great Lakes is pleased to renew our support for College Possible Milwaukee because they share our goal of making college a reality for more low-income students, students of color and first-generation college students,” said Amy Kerwin, Great Lakes Vice President – Community Investments. “Their efforts have proven results, and our commitment will help College Possible continue its programming so that even more Milwaukee students can succeed in high school, college and beyond.”

author: College Possible


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On the Block: My brother’s keeper | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
October 30, 2015
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Eric Jefferson struggled with a seizure disorder for much of his life, which caused him to drop out of college. About 15 years ago, Jefferson found the right combination of medications. Now, he’s finishing his master’s in education and looking forward to living a fuller life, which includes giving back to his community.
Read more about Eric Jefferson at milwaukeestories.org.
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author: Jabril Faraj


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YWCA receives $80,000 Racial Equity & Inclusion Fund grant | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
YWCA Southeast Wisconsin
October 30, 2015
The YWCA Southeast Wisconsin has been awarded an $80,000 grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Racial Equity & Inclusion Fund. The grant will fund a community readiness assessment aimed at developing employment solutions for unskilled job seekers.
“Employment inequities must be addressed before we can achieve racial equity in Milwaukee” said Paula Penebaker, President and CEO of the YWCA Southeast Wisconsin. “I’m thankful to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for recognizing this need in our community and making racial equity and inclusion a funding priority.”
A disproportionate number of individuals who are poor, unskilled, and unemployed or underemployed in the US are people of color. The employment disparity is particularly devastating for African Americans. In March 2015, the Economic Policy Institute released a study indicating that Wisconsin has the highest unemployment rate among African Americans (19.9%) in the nation. They estimate that 1 in 5 working-age African Americans in Wisconsin are without a job.
The YWCA will use the community readiness assessment model designed by the Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research. The model scores a set of open ended questions that are used to measure the attitudes, knowledge, efforts and activities, and resources available in Milwaukee for addressing this issue.
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Information collected from the assessment will be used to develop partnerships among employers and the YWCA to uncover effective solutions for employing the target population.
The YWCA has extensive experience administering programs for economically disadvantaged individuals and has offered employment and training programs since 1995. Much of the YWCA’s work has focused on preparing job seekers for employment.  The community readiness assessment will engage employers in the conversations and eventual action steps toward resolving the issue of unemployment among unskilled job seekers.
“We take our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women very seriously,” said Penebaker. “This assessment will help ensure that the YWCA is doing the right work that will gain the support of local employers and help unskilled job seekers in the most effective way.”

author: YWCA Southeast Wisconsin


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Neighborhood House teens host haunted halls fundraiser | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Emmy A. Yates
October 31, 2015
Kids of all ages and costumes made their way to Neighborhood House’s annual Haunted Halls event held at 2819 W. Richardson Place. Teens at Neighborhood House, a community center with a 70-year legacy, designed and created the two-day event of spooky activities to benefit their teen program.
For only $3, attendees were able to participate in activities such as face painting, crafts, word scrambles, scary snacks and various games. There was also a small haunted house in the basement where older attendees were able to test their bravery in the darkness.

created: October 31, 2015

author: Emmy A. Yates


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Residents, city officials celebrate Innovations and Wellness Commons opening | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wyatt Massey
October 31, 2015
Walnut Way Conservation Corp. held a grand opening Friday for its Innovations and Wellness Commons, which brings four organizations to Lindsay Heights to promote healthy living. Nearly 100 residents attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which featured remarks by city officials, including Mayor Tom Barrett, and free samples. Later, Walnut Way workers led tours of the Commons, which houses Outpost Natural Foods, The Juice Kitchen, Fondy Food Center and Milwaukee Center for Independence.

author: Wyatt Massey


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2015 Día de los Muertos Parade | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sue Vliet
November 2, 2015
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The 6th Annual Día de los Muertos Parade took place in the Walker Square and Walker’s Point neighborhoods on Saturday, Oct. 31. Despite the rain, community members came out to celebrate the lives of those they have lost. The parade featured costumes, puppets and a marching band, followed by music, food, entertainment and traditional Aztec/Mexican dancers performing a sacred dance in honor of the dead.

created: November 2, 2015

author: Sue Vliet


text:
Biased Lending Evolves, and Blacks Face Trouble Getting Mortgages | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 2, 2015
The New York Times

author: Andrea Waxman


text:
Breast cancer now as common among black women as white, report says | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 2, 2015
PBS NewsHour


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Día de los Muertos celebration includes piñatas for first time | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Karen Slattery
November 2, 2015
Most everyone knows about piñatas. They are used for many celebrations in Mexican-American families, except for the Day of the Dead. Until now.
Día de los Muertos is a time to reflect on people who have passed away and to honor their memory. So, when a small group of friends — artists and activists — invited members of the public to a storefront at 1220 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive to create large piñatas for this year’s Day of the Dead celebration, some might have wondered about the combination.
But visual artist Jose Alfredo Chavez described the holiday — not meant to be sad or scary — as a “joyful and colorful way to celebrate life.” He added, “I have no problem mixing piñatas with the Day of the Dead because culture evolves.”
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Organizers were careful to explain the meaning of both traditions to those helping to make the piñatas. The community members worked on weeknights and weekends through October to build both piñatas and relationships. Their piñatas were a gift to people who gathered at Walker Square Park Saturday to celebrate the lives of people they’ve lost.

author: Karen Slattery


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 1, 2015

created: November 1, 2015


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Grant Will Work To Improve The Health Of People Released From Prison | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 2, 2015
Wisconsin Public Radio


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Libraries: Milwaukee’s best-kept secret | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Raina J. Johnson
November 2, 2015
Summer-Nicole Eddi, 8, at Harambee’s Martin Luther King library on MLK Day. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Raina J. Johnson, a freelance writer, challenges the Milwaukee Public Library to step up its outreach and literally meet people where they are.
I marvel at the height of the stacks, many towering over my 5-year-old son. I watch as he carefully browses, touching each book spine with wonder and curiosity — whispering the alphabet and letter sounds.
We are regular patrons but every time I go to a Milwaukee Public Library, I wonder where all the people are. There is much to do and discover — activities and knowledge to be gained for all ages, but the question remains: in predominantly minority and lower socioeconomic status neighborhoods, is the library the best-kept secret?
Recently, I attended a conference at Marquette University that sought to examine ‘The Future of the American Public Library.’ Hosted by the university and the Journal Sentinel, panelists included library experts Wayne A. Wiegand of Florida State University and Miguel Figueroa, director of the American Library Association’s Center for the Future of Libraries; Mayor Tom Barrett; and Milwaukee Public Library director Paula Kiely.
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Barrett called libraries “community centers,” adding that they have the role of “binding neighborhoods together.” But taking a deeper look, is that really the case in Milwaukee? We know the disparities between whites and African Americans are wide and deep. What if we began to rethink our libraries as true centers of community and places of learning exchange, offering new ideas and initiatives to draw people in week after week?
“Libraries are more relevant than ever before…we are trying to meet people where they are in their lives,” Barrett said at the conference.
The libraries do host a variety of programs for people, from learning to use your electronic device, to job search help, summer reading programs, after-school homework help for children and others, but when these programs and services are offered, how is the outreach being done, especially to someone who is new to the community or hasn’t stepped foot in a library in years?
I lived two blocks away from a library, and not once did someone from the branch knock on the door, or leave a flier by the mailbox indicating that I was a few hundred feet from a world of wonder. I understand that staffing and budget cuts are always major concerns, but libraries are needed and relevant, so long as they keep evolving.
So why not have someone from the branch or a volunteer library advocate go door-to-door in the neighborhoods on a Saturday morning and get people invested in their library and the services provided, or register minors for library cards? That is the definition of meeting people where they are.
At the conference, Figueroa challenged librarians to not “divorce or separate themselves” from their work but instead, think broader in terms of how their work can influence the communities they are in.
I agree. We cannot continue to put the onus on community organizations, potential patrons or library contractors to market and seek out services and activities in the library.
In my opinion, the public library is truly one of Milwaukee’s most underutilized best-kept secrets. It is not enough that we continue to renovate our libraries. We need to also focus on outreach and awareness to build the brand and value of the library system, create centers of community and effect neighborhood change in the cool, renovated spaces.

author: Raina J. Johnson


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16143054319_2997cae568_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 1, 2015


text:
Teens Grow Greens Program Aims to Cultivate More Than Vegetables in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 2, 2015
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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On the Block: Luminary art | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 3, 2015

created: November 3, 2015


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 2, 2015


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Opponents question MPS board decision to combine Carmen, Pulaski | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
November 3, 2015
Carmen South students display signs during the October board meeting. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
At the end of a long night at the Milwaukee Public Schools central office building, 5225 W. Vliet St., School Board Directors Larry Miller and Carol Voss exchanged a short, apologetic embrace. Miller and Voss — who were on opposite sides of a vote to place Carmen, an MPS charter school, under the same roof as Pulaski, a longstanding traditional high school — were able to put disagreements behind them.
Tensions were high during an almost two-hour discussion over the proposal. Board members took shots at one another and, at one point, the new Pulaski principal. Cheers and boos were frequently heard from the crowd of about 300 students, teachers and parents who packed the building’s auditorium for the board meeting.
A 5-4 vote in favor of the proposed partnership resolved the heated debate. Carmen Schools of Science and Technology will move into the Casimir Pulaski High School building, where the two programs will operate side by side. The new Carmen campus, its third, will enroll 200 9th graders in 2016-2017.
In a surprise turn of events, District 2 Representative Wendell Harris was the deciding vote. Harris, who was voted in this year on a wave of pro-union support, had been staunchly against charter schools that do not employ union teachers. Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association (MTEA) President Kim Schroeder used the words “disappointment” and “bewilderment” to describe the union’s reaction to Harris’ vote. Pulaski Principal Lolita Patrick appeared emotional after the decision; both she and Carmen Head Patricia Hoben declined to comment.
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MPS Board Director Wendell Harris (right) shocked many with his vote in support of the partnership proposal. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
“I was very confused,” said Pulaski Special Education teacher Karina Tweedell. “I was just really confused about the speech that Mr. Harris gave today as opposed to what I’ve heard from him before.”
Tweedell, who has been at all the meetings about the potential partnership, said that at the last board meeting in September Harris had echoed teacher concerns that “this is not a good idea and we are going to observe, basically, a different form of segregation, not based on race but based on class or parent involvement.”
Harris, who has worked at several MPS schools including Pulaski said, “I was on the front lines of all these schools that were in chaos.” Harris said a letter he received from Patrick, as well as a visit to Carmen, where he was impressed by the school’s climate, helped change his mind.
“I have more to lose in support than anyone that will be voting on this tonight,” he said “This is really a gut-wrenching conversation for me. But I’ve come to a point where it’s absolutely about the children.”
Five community meetings have been held since Sept. 16 at locations around the city to solicit feedback from Pulaski families. During the October board meeting, Katie Polace of the office of board governance stated that MPS has had “close to 1,200 interactions with constituents” about the matter — at the community meetings, committee meetings, through email and two petitions. She said the majority of the feedback was in support of the partnership.
“This is a great opportunity and I would love for other students to have that same great opportunity,” said Carmen senior Enrique Santos. Santos, who attended MPS middle schools, was accepted to Carmen after being placed on the waiting list at Ronald Reagan High School. He called it “a tragedy” for students to be denied a seat at the high-performing Carmen South, which currently has a wait list of more than 300.
A large contingent of Carmen students, who were transported to the meeting via bus, cheered after the votes were counted. But board members and others raised concerns that the Pulaski community was not adequately engaged in the feedback process. District 6 Representative Tatiana Joseph, whose district includes Carmen South and is adjacent to District 7, where Pulaski is located, said students and teachers from Pulaski “didn’t feel included in this decision.”
“The children and the teachers are able to name their problems,” said Joseph. “They can tell you to the ‘t’ why their school is failing. If we at the district haven’t had a chance to go and talk to them about this, shame on us.”
Some attendees noted that the auditorium was clearly divided, along both racial and school lines. During the 2013-2014 school year, the last for which data is available, Carmen South was 97 percent Hispanic. In the same year, Pulaski was 54 percent African-American, 30 percent Hispanic and 7 percent white. Gail Hicks, a former special education teacher and education activist, said she’s concerned that African-American parents weren’t involved in the process as much as the Hispanic Carmen South parents were. “Both entities need to be represented, and both entities are not being represented. That is the problem.”
Tweedell noted that many of her students’ parents are single or work multiple jobs. “With the sort of community that we are currently serving, they might not have the resources to come out and be as proactive as this other Carmen community.”
Tweedell added, “I’m not buying the rhetoric that we hear, that this partnership will benefit us. If you really want to benefit Pulaski, you could simply invest more in Pulaski and give us more resources.”
The motion that eventually passed, which was introduced by MPS Board President Michael Bonds, requires the MPS administration to bring the board a comprehensive plan detailing the program this month, including a timeline to implement an International Baccalaureate (IB) program. In an effort to allay fears of critics, the amended motion also included a requirement that Carmen’s enrollment in the building be capped at 800 and that the campus retain the Casimir Pulaski name. But Bonds said, “the public has made its voice clear,” stating that there was, “overwhelming support” for the partnership.
“Both sides have made some pretty solid arguments and both sides have made some disgusting arguments,” said Bonds. “At the end of the day, I believe we’ve got to do what’s best for our students and what’s best for the district.”
But Vice President Miller questioned the ability of the partnership to positively affect Pulaski, especially given the lack of community involvement. “There’s great work going on at Carmen. But will this proposal lead to great work going on at Pulaski?” he said. “To say that the only way that we can meet the needs of large numbers of students at Pulaski is through this proposal I think is misleading.”
Joseph added that this is not an issue about performance. “This is an issue about equity and fairness. As a person of color living in District 6 for the last 24 years of my life, I have lost count of the many times we have not been taken into consideration around decision-making that affects our everyday lives.”
Joseph and Miller spoke of possible alternatives, based on conversations with stakeholders as well as a needs assessment. Both mentioned the need for a middle school in the area, as well as for a bilingual IB program. Had the partnership been voted down, Miller was prepared to bring an alternative motion, containing both of those proposals.
“That’s a plan that really does meet the needs of that particular community,” said Miller.
But, in the end, it may have been too late for a traditional solution. “We’ve had all kinds of opportunities to do something at Pulaski and we have not done so,” said Harris, who emphasized the need to improve educational opportunity at all MPS high schools.
Myra Edwards, senior adviser to Mayor Tom Barrett, said, “I think we have to figure our way back to providing a robust, meaningful, comprehensive high school experience for young people in this community. And, I think that this is that incremental step in the right direction.” Barrett’s office sent a letter to the MPS Board urging members to approve the partnership.
After the vote MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver said, “The work starts now.” But Tweedell commented, “We’re already not getting along and we haven’t even started sharing the building.”
Schroeder said he hopes MPS will get both of the school staffs together to “have the tough conversations,” pointing to the schools’ substantially different discipline policies as well as the need for them to work together, not against one another. “Carmen’s coming in with an attitude of ‘We need to build Carmen.’ Pulaski’s coming in with an attitude of, ‘We need to build Pulaski’ … how do you make it so it’s not competitive?”
“I had some hope that this would not pass today and it was shattering to see that it did,” said Tweedell. “We definitely, as a staff, will figure out a plan of how we could benefit the students better.”
Added Edwards, “I think when you clearly sit down with an agenda to make something better for kids, you squelch all that,” she said of the antagonism. “I think there’s an opportunity, in the future, [for] all these folks to come together and really talk this thing through.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that Carmen’s third campus will be housed at Pulaski High School and to correct Ms. Polace’s first name.


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Running Rebels celebrates 35 years! The Circle Continues | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Cozette McLemore
November 3, 2015
(Photo by Sue Vliet)
While many families and youth in the area were gearing up for the official start of the NBA season or prepping their costumes for Halloween, The Running Rebels Community Organization (RRCO) and their supporting community partners, families and friends were all abuzz at their Annual Scholarship Event taking place at the Italian Community Center in Downtown Milwaukee on Friday, October 23th. Over 400 attendees celebrated the organization’s 35 years of service to the community, as well as the achievements of deserving youth and staff, in an elegant evening of fellowship, gratitude, and continued dedication to service.
The evening was highlighted by musical performances by community partner, Express Yourself Milwaukee, as well as Running Rebels’ own Rebel Life Entertainment. While guests enjoyed a plentiful meal, Running Rebels alumni Branden Joseph, Nate Cooper, Shelby Parrish, and Ward Jenkins were inducted into the Running Rebels Basketball Hall of Fame. Special dedication awards were given to former RRCO employee Clifton Phelps, currently one of the owners of JCP Construction, and Volunteer of the Year, Charles Stanton. The Master of Ceremonies for the evening were RRCO alumni and board member Nate Cooper, and staff member Derrick Shoates.
Through support by generous donors including BMO Harris, RC Insurance, Gruber Law Offices, Byneset Consulting, T.L. Reese Corporation, JCP Construction, Ritz Holman CPAs, Swick Technologies, Express Yourself Milwaukee, the Holton Youth and Family Center, WCS, Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, and a host of anonymous and individual donors and supporters, over $15,000 in scholarships were awarded to the following deserving recipients: Nicholas Truog ($3,000, Marquette University), DeMarcus Harris ($2,000 Morehouse College), Demetrius Moore ($2,000 Stillman College), Alethia Tilford ($1,000 Howard University), Natasha Malone ($1,000, Texas Southern University), Sydnee Matthews ($1,000 Bowling Green State University), Tarif Garret ($1,000 MSOE), Nicholas Stokes ($750 Morehouse College), Elliott Stokes ($500 Tennessee State University), Dae’Kwuan Walton ($500 Riverland Community College), Roy Jones $500 (University of Wisconsin-Richmond), A’Jeanette Gordon ($500 Kentucky State University), Deon Canon ($500 University of Wisconsin-Stout), Kejuan Carter ($500 MATC), Deviandre Newsom ($500 Northern Arizona University).
Special for our 35th Anniversary was the debut of our 35th Year Logo limited edition clothing, which is still on sale at the Running Rebels building, and the retirement of our “gold banner”, that has stood the test of time through parades, booths, and photoshoots. Alumni, staff, and friends alike signed the banner to commemorate it. The evening was topped off by a dedication song to Founder Victor Barnett written by his wife and Co-Executive Director Dawn Barnett. He was celebrated by other RRCO staff members for 35 years of continued support to the community and youth.
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Several attendees received door prizes throughout the evening. Jessie Peer, Clifton Phelps, and Gladys Weathersby won the raffle, with the top prize of a $500 pre-paid Visa gift card going to Judy Ball.
Next on deck for the Running Rebels is the annual Fresh Coast Basketball Classic (FCBC), taking place over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Running Rebels and the board of the FCBC cordially invite you to join them for a college fair on November 19th and exciting city-suburban high school basketball showdowns at the UWM Klotsche Center on November 27th and 28th . For more information please visit: www.freshcoastclassic.org, or www.runningrebels.org. Use the social media hashtag #RRSB2K15 to see posts from attendees throughout the night!

author: Cozette McLemore


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 3, 2015


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2078 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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November 3, 2015

author: Name *


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Concern over vacant properties dominates Sherman Park town hall meeting | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Marlita Annette Bevenue
November 4, 2015
Ald. Russell Stamper of the 15th District hosted a recent town hall meeting at Washington High School. (Photo by Marlita A. Bevenue)
A small group of Sherman Park residents took the opportunity last week to share frustrations ranging from broken streetlights to a need for more police in the area at a town hall meeting hosted by 15th District Ald. Russell Stamper. But the majority of the meeting at Washington High School, 2525 N. Sherman Blvd., revolved around the topic of empty homes and vacant lots in the neighborhood.
One resident noted that vacant lots have become a place where young people congregate and hang out, which is intimidating to some neighbors.
“I live near two vacant houses,” said Camille Mays. “The grass is high in those lots and there’s garbage everywhere, and that attracts rodents.” Mays said she believes in meeting with city officials to keep them informed about neighborhood issues.
Camille Mays attended the town hall meeting to voice her concerns regarding neighborhood development and vacant homes in the area. (Photo by Marlita A. Bevenue)
“I come to as many community meetings as I can,” Mays said. “It’s important to gather with other concerned neighbors, and it’s important to show your aldermen and city leaders that you care about what’s going on in your neighborhood.”
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City Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux outlined the actions the city is taking to address vacant properties.
“It wasn’t always the case that the city was the best neighbor when it comes to maintaining those vacant lots,” said Marcoux. “We didn’t really take care of them that well. But now the city’s forestry operation is in charge of this, and that department is working hard to make sure those lots are cut, they’re maintained and the trash is picked up.”
Marcoux also pointed out that the city is making progress in refurbishing many of the abandoned properties and getting them back on the market for people looking to purchase a home.
“The city sold over 400 homes this year. These were vacant properties that now have families living in those houses, adding to the quality of life on that street,” said Marcoux. “Many of those homes that were sold were recycled right here in Ald. Stamper’s district.”
Residents also raised concerns about drug dealing in the area. Stamper encouraged them to report all suspicious and criminal activity to the police and continue to contact him directly to discuss public safety problems.
After the meeting, Gregg Vosswinkel, a code enforcement officer from the city’s Department of Neighborhood Services met individually with residents who complained about vacant properties. He took notes on the locations of the unoccupied homes and vowed to investigate.
“This is why I come to these meetings — to see, in person, who I need to talk to and work with to change our community for the better,” said Mays. “I’ve noticed that when you do have a complaint, all you need to do is contact the right person from the right department, consistently follow up with the contact, and they do work with you to come up with a solution.”
The two-hour meeting also featured brief presentations by Bevan Baker, Milwaukee’s commissioner of health, Municipal Court Judge Phillip Chavez and other officials from the sanitation, neighborhood services and public works departments.

created: November 4, 2015

author: Marlita Annette Bevenue


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How to volunteer in November | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
November 4, 2015
November offers two opportunities to help local food bank programs, one by sorting non-perishable food and the other by lending a hand at a 5K fundraiser. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
Give thanks and pay it forward by volunteering. Volunteer Milwaukee, a service of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee features a calendar full of events for volunteers, both one-time and ongoing. Here are a few of the opportunities in November.
Prison Toy Program
Package and wrap holiday gifts for children of incarcerated parents. Mornings or afternoons Nov. 14-18 at The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County Distribution Center near 60 Street and Silver Spring Drive.
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Contact: Faithe Colas, 414-302-4300
Fresh Coast Classic College and Resource Fair
Greet, direct and hand out information to high school students from Milwaukee Public Schools or assist vendors at the college fair at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Nov. 19 between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Contact: Heather Aschoff, 414-773-9823
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Centro Hispano Milwaukee needs volunteers to unload, sort and box non-perishable food items for economically challenged families, most from near south side of Milwaukee. Nov. 21 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Contact: Aldira Aldape, 414-384-3700
Drumstick Dash 5K
Help raise funds for Feeding America that will help feed people throughout the holiday season and beyond. Register participants, hand out water, collect donated food or help on the racecourse. Nov. 26 from 6:30 a.m. to noon.
Contact: Pahoua Xiong, 414-831-6326

author: the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee


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Center puts healthy, tasty spin on school lunches | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 5, 2015
jsonline.com

created: November 5, 2015


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Greater Milwaukee Foundation presents free day at Holiday Folk Fair International | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
November 5, 2015
(Photo courtesy of International Folk Fair)
The closing day of Holiday Folk Fair International will be free to the public for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s November Gift to the Community. Free admission on Sunday, Nov. 22, provides access to a unique and compelling celebration of cultures, including traditional music and dance performances; food and shopping vendors with global wares; arts, crafts and demonstrations.
Holiday Folk Fair International is a program of the International Institute of Wisconsin, a nonprofit social service organization dedicated to racial, cultural and ethnic understanding. The annual event, now in its 72nd year, honors the cultural heritage of the people living in southeastern Wisconsin.
“Embracing diversity and celebrating the unique contributions of all people are key characteristics of a thriving, inclusive community,” said Ellen Gilligan, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. “Holiday Folk Fair International provides a special opportunity to immerse yourself in ideas and expressions that represent our region’s history as well as its future.”
As its theme, the 2015 Folk Fair will “Celebrate the Culture of Light,” allowing guests to learn how light is incorporated into the music, food, dance and art of the Fair’s participants. Event hours on Nov. 22 will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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On Nov. 22, the Folk Fair will feature:
“The Holiday Folk Fair International, produced by the International Institute of Wisconsin and celebrating 72 years of sharing cultural heritage with people from throughout Wisconsin and the midwest, is honored to be selected by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation as a ‘Gifts to the Community’ recipient,” said Al Durtka, president of the International Institute of Wisconsin.  “Building community is tied into everything that the International Institute does, and community is evident throughout Folk Fair, as more than 50 ethnic groups impart their history and culture through food, music, dance and crafts.  This gift will enable more individuals from throughout our area to experience Folk Fair, expanding the community we share with one another.”
Holiday Folk Fair International is held at State Fair Park Exposition Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., in West Allis. Call (414) 225-6225 with questions or visit greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/gifts for additional information.
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has been celebrating its 100th year of service throughout 2015 by presenting monthly Gifts to the Community, offering everyone an opportunity to access special places and resources throughout the region. The Foundation’s most recent Gift to the Community resulted in record-setting attendance at Discovery World, as 28,000 people visited the science and technology center Oct. 3-4. More than 233,000 people have participated in these experiences so far this year.
The Foundation’s final centennial Gift to the Community will be revealed next month on FOX 6 Milwaukee.

author: Greater Milwaukee Foundation


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 5, 2015


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How For-Profit Colleges Hang on to Federal Funding | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 5, 2015
Pro Publica


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Local veteran launches first of its kind organization | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 5, 2015
88NINE Radio Milwaukee


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On the Block: ‘Work doesn’t cut it’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
November 5, 2015
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/231604027″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Leon Douglas grew up near 35th and Center streets. Douglas was smart and popular but ended up selling drugs and committing other crimes to get by; he spent 17 years, off and on, in prison. He got out two months ago and is back on the street — this time, homeless — but he’d rather have it that way.
Read more about Leon Douglas at milwaukeestories.org.
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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 4, 2015


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Tribal Clinic Deploys A Gym To Fend Off Diabetes | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 5, 2015
National Public Radio


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Alma Center recognized for innovative domestic violence program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 6, 2015
Staff, graduates, local dignitaries and friends of the Alma Center gathered recently for a formal presentation of a national award created to highlight local programs that can serve as models for ending domestic violence.
A panel of family violence experts selected Alma Center to receive the Celebrating Solutions Award for its innovative approach to healing abusive men and breaking the cycle of intergenerational violence. The award, which comes with a $10,000 gift, was presented by the Mary Byron Project, a Louisville-based nonprofit that seeks to attack the root causes of domestic abuse.
Chosen from among more than 300 nominees, the Alma Center addresses abusive men as trauma victims. It works to help them heal through its Wisdom Walk to Self Mastery, a healing circle that draws on indigenous wisdom and current neurological science, and the Men Ending Violence program. It also offers classes to help men become better fathers and find employment.
In addition to the award presentation, an open house at the nonprofit’s offices, 2821 N. 4th St., included a silent art auction, community mural painting and testimonials by program graduates. Local African-American artists, ArtWorks for Milwaukee teen artists and other artists donated more than 150 pieces to the auction.
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Mayor Tom Barrett proclaimed the day Alma Center Day in Milwaukee.
Paul Fowler, who graduated from the Alma Center in April, said it took him five years because he dropped in and out. Like most of the men who are helped by the center, Fowler connected with it through the criminal justice system.
Violence toward intimate partners often leads to lost families, homes, jobs and freedom. “You come here, you’re angry, you’re embarrassed, you’re shamed,” Fowler said.
But his mentor and teachers stuck with him and he was finally able to achieve self-knowledge and control, and find peace, he said.
“Some people actually took the time to sit here and teach (us) why we are mad, what we can do about it, how we can talk to each other,” he said. “It’s like therapy. You get to sit here and talk to everybody and figure out what led (you) here.”
Facilitator James Mosley explained that men who are traumatized by pain and violence when they are young internalize the fight, flight or freeze response and it becomes automatic and, seemingly, as uncontrollable as blinking or sneezing.
Once these men have faced what they have done to themselves and to others, and also what has been done to them, they can understand how they came to this place and they can heal and change their behavior, Mosley said.
Most of the 250 men who Alma House helped last year were referred by one of Milwaukee County’s three courts devoted to hearing domestic violence cases. Offenders now meet with Alma House representatives at the time of sentencing. While earlier paths to the program resulted in three-month waits, the current setup allows the men to begin the program within two weeks. And the “show up” rate has gone from about 50 percent to about 80 percent, according to Terri Strodthoff, founder and president of Alma House.
The reason offenders are motivated to buy into the Alma House program when they begin is that staff members listen to them, Strodthoff said. They often express gratitude for that, she added, and they come to realize that people care about them.

created: November 6, 2015


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Latino students explore cultural identity through Dia de los Muertos celebration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
November 7, 2015
Isabel Castro paints her friend Diana Diaz’s face in the traditional style before their Dia de los Muertos celebration at Escuela Verde. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
This year’s Day of the Dead festivities gave a group of Milwaukee high schoolers the opportunity to study and understand practices and traditions central to their family histories.
At Escuela Verde, a public charter school at 3628 W. Pierce St., vibrant, intricately cut decorative tissue paper strips called papel picado hung from the ceiling, streaming bright pinks, blues and greens in every direction. Flowers made from the same material were scattered across the tables. Upstairs, an altar featured a rainbow of decorations, photos of deceased loved ones and a plate overflowing with loaves of pan dulce. Downstairs, high school students with faces painted with the beautiful skull designs finished final preparations for their Day of the Dead celebration.
“A lot of people misinterpret what Dia de los Muertos is,” said Isabel Castro, a junior at Escuela Verde. Castro and about 20 other students organized an event celebrating the holiday at their school as part of their bilingual class.
The students built this ofrenda, or altar, to honor loved ones who have died. They designed it according to custom, to include suggestions of earth, air, fire and water. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
“We have students that are of Mexican descent, and they are beginning to explore Day of the Dead differently. Some have seen their parents put up flowers at home, but now they can get into the whys and learn all the different aspects because it’s very traditional,” said Cynthia Gonzalez, faculty adviser for the students’ project.
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Gonzalez said that planning and facilitating the event was part of her students’ mission to be “bilingual, biliterate and to explore their biculturalism.”
“Not only are they organizing, but they are mobilizing everyone else around them,” said Nicole Acosta, a local artist who supported the students and co-founded the Day of the Dead parade in Milwaukee with Latino Arts. Acosta taught the students traditional techniques and helped plan activities for their event.
The students engaged their peers in Mexican traditions through four different workshops: building an ofrenda (altar), decorating calaveras (skulls), making cempazuchi flowers (tissue paper marigolds) and discussing the historical significance of the day.
Marylenni Vargas, a freshman at Escuela Verde, found personal significance in creating the ofrenda, complete with photos that students brought in of family members who had died. She said she hoped to honor her late brother because it hurt her to think that the best memories and parts of his life weren’t always remembered.
“It’s a way to value the dead ones and really remember them because most of the time, people just forget about the past,” Vargas said. Acosta said one of the main purposes for the altars is to facilitate healing from loss, especially for a younger generation that has experienced violence.
“It’s pretty powerful if you think about it. It’s a way to cope with what’s happened in the past and to reflect on our lives now and how precious they are,” Castro said.
Activities such as decorating skulls and images such as dancing calaveras brought that point home to the students. “Death in the United States is scary. No one wants to talk about it,” Gonzalez said, explaining the holiday as a way to “celebrate familia.”
The meaning behind the day gave Marysol Bermudez, a junior at Escuela Verde, a new appreciation for her Mexican heritage. “I never really looked at my culture this way,” she said. “I want more youth my age to see how beautiful our culture is because they should appreciate it.”
Acosta said the importance of holding onto and passing on this cultural identity is why she got involved with the event. “Over time, a lot of our identity is erased to become part of this American life, and on the way we lose sight of our roots and where we come from,” she said.
Escuela Verde’s entire student body of about 100 participated in the celebration, and those who organized it are already talking about how to expand the event next year to include other schools and members of their wider community.
“We are the future,” Vargas said. “We will make the tradition even bigger than it is.”

created: November 7, 2015

author: Allison Dikanovic


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 6, 2015


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Three job opportunities at Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers
November 7, 2015
The Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers’ Department of Environmental Health is continuing to accept applications from candidates for three positions:
Click each to download a .pdf of the job description for each position.


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Asst Project Coordinator Environmental Health 10152015 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 7, 2015
Asst Project Coordinator Environmental Health 10152015


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Community Engagement Specialist | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 7, 2015
Community Engagement Specialist


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 7, 2015


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Environmental Health Educator 10152015 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 7, 2015
Environmental Health Educator 10152015


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Borrowing While Poor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 9, 2015
The Atlantic

created: November 9, 2015


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Confusion And High Costs Still Hamper Obamacare Enrollment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 9, 2015
National Public Radio


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County Board creates Office of African-American Affairs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 9, 2015
jsonline.com


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Poor Latino Immigrants Breathe the Worst Air in the Country | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 9, 2015
The Atlantic CITYLAB


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Three years later, UCC makes good on pledge for Walker Square playground | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
November 9, 2015
Bruce Guadalupe Community School students rush to the playground in Walker Square Park during recess. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
United Community Center (UCC) has made good on a three-year-old commitment to pay $20,000 to Milwaukee County toward the Walker Square Park Playground Project, following a vote Thursday by the county board to accept the organization’s donation.
Jennifer Steiner, marketing director at UCC, said in a statement, ”The United Community Center has fulfilled our commitment to the Walker Square Park and sent a check for our $20,000 pledge to the Milwaukee County Parks Department. We are proud to partner with Milwaukee County in caring for this wonderful community asset.”
Some Walker Square residents have complained about what they describe as excessive use of the playground by Bruce Guadalupe Community School students. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
The commitment of funds was made in recognition of the benefits that the playground provides for Bruce Guadalupe Community School (BGCS) students, who regularly use it for recess and other activities, according to county documents. BGCS is housed within UCC and the park is directly across the street.
The payment was made after a September NNS report highlighting 2012 emails from UCC to the county, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, which showed that UCC had not followed through on a pledge of $20,000 toward the playground’s reconstruction. At the time, Pascual Rodriguez, principal of BGCS, denied making the commitment, while Juan Ruiz, deputy director of the UCC board and its Chief Finance Officer, said the organization was still waiting for an invoice for the project, which was completed three years ago. The county claimed that an invoice could not be created unless a contract had been signed.
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Soon after the article was published, UCC began the process of paying $20,000 to the county. The money will go to playground debt payment, including that from the Walker Square Park playground, said Megan Haeger, contracts and projects manager for the parks system, in an earlier interview with NNS.
Sam Wilson, who owns a home near UCC and is a member of the Walker Square Neighborhood Association (WSNA) board said, “It’s nice to see (UCC) make good on a promise to help pay for fixing up the playground their students spend hours on every school day.”
Some WSNA members and other Walker Square residents have been at odds with UCC in recent years over what they consider excessive use of the playground by BGCS students and parking congestion around Walker Square Park they say is caused by UCC employees, among other issues.
In a previous statement to NNS Steiner stated, “We are committed to working with the Walker Square Neighborhood Association and neighbors to help alleviate these problems as much as possible.” She said UCC serves an average of 2,000 people a day, many of whom reside in the area.

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 8, 2015

created: November 8, 2015

author: Adam Carr


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Leaf Deadline Extended: Rake your leaves into the street by November 22, 2015 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works
November 10, 2015
(Photo by Caroline Roers)
City of Milwaukee residents now have until Sunday, November 22, 2015 to rake their leaves into the curb lanes for pick-up by the Department of Public Works (DPW). DPW Sanitation crews currently are collecting leaves and will make one last sweep of all City neighborhoods after November 22, concluding leaf pick-up on Wednesday, December 9, weather permitting.
NOTE: Significant snowfall will curtail leaf collection operations for the season.
Another important reminder: Do not put leaves in plastic bags to place at the curb. Simply rake your leaves into the curb lane. One exception: Compostable bags are good to use, but make sure the bags you use are compostable!
After final pick-ups on December 9, residents are encouraged to mulch their leaves and leave them on their lawn, compost them, or take them to a City Self-Help Center for composting.
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Leaves and brush, along with other yard waste, are banned from landfills and must not be placed in garbage or recycling carts. DPW collects leaves, brush and yard waste separately from garbage and composts it, which conserves natural resources while saving the City money.
Tips for a successful fall leaf collection:
Sanitation staff collects an average of 15,000 tons of leaves each year between mid-October and the first week of December. Last year 15,360 tons of leaves were collected.

created: November 10, 2015


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 10, 2015


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On the Block: One nation; one school system | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Marlita Annette Bevenue
November 10, 2015
Veteran educator Ruth Ann Williams taught hundreds of students throughout her 41-year run as a teacher with Milwaukee Public Schools. As the number of charter schools in the city continues to grow, Williams shares her perspective on why Milwaukee should have one educational system that serves all children.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 9, 2015


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Youth-serving organizations seek role in city initiative to curb youth violence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wyatt Massey
November 10, 2015
The city’s Office of Violence Prevention will hire a plan development manager and a coordinator to work with community organizations to end youth violence. (Photo by Brittany Carloni)
With more than 35 years of experience working with youth, Victor Barnett, executive director and founder of Running Rebels, has experienced ups and downs in Milwaukee. With 63 homicides during the first five months of 2015, the city seems to be in a particularly troubled time. However, Barnett sees opportunity in the violent social landscape.
“A lot of our young people are in a dark tunnel,” Barnett said. “With all the negative stats that we have, I think Milwaukee is in the best position … to make a change.”
A step in that direction comes in the form of two new roles in the city health department’s Office of Violence Prevention. Mayor Tom Barrett’s 2016 city budget allocates $150,000 for a plan development manager and a coordinator to address youth violence by working with community partners.
Mark Nicolini, city budget and management director, explained that the new positions are in the health department because violence is a public health issue, affecting more than the immediate victim. The Common Council approved the mayor’s budget on Nov. 3.
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Running Rebels will be part of the Youth Violence Prevention Initiative. The organization offers after-school programming, such as music, arts and sports, to expose young people to new opportunities and build healthy relationships with adults. Barnett hopes that the city’s plan will connect organizations so they can learn from and help one another, which he said has rarely occurred during his decades of community work.
Running Rebels will participate in the city’s new plan to address youth violence. (Photo by Kenya Evans)
“Milwaukee is real strong on tradition,” he said. “Sometimes the way we’ve done it is the way we want to keep doing it. Sometimes we have to do things differently.”
Representatives of the Office of Violence Prevention met with more than 40 community leaders, youth-serving organizations and neighborhood groups in developing the positions. Relationships among the groups had been developed during Coming Together, an annual citywide gathering of youth and community workers to discuss gun violence.
Tim Balke, United Community Center (UCC) director of youth programs, called the initiative a “great idea.” He added, “Forward-thinking approaches like these will allow for greater change and sustained impact.”
UCC uses goal setting as part of its violence prevention programming, which includes volunteering and giving youth leaders roles within the organization. Keeping young people engaged in their communities creates a sense of neighborhood pride, but these programs require financial resources. The city’s initiative could help keep programs running over the long term, Balke said.
The new workers will start in 2016 by developing a strategic plan for addressing youth violence based on conversations with organization leaders, parents and youth. “A big focus will be identifying gaps in service, researching best practices and evaluating current programming,” Nicolini said.
Barnett said he worked with Urban Underground, Center for Youth Engagement and We Got This on the plan and has met with the mayor several times to discuss what is needed. “We have community organizations sitting down, talking about what we need to do,” he noted.
Pardeep Kaleka, co-founder of Serve 2 Unite, said he is excited about the new positions, but hopes city officials will take the time to address issues such as unemployment that affect youth violence and not become discouraged if results are not immediate. “Someone needs to look at the policies and see what’s the best approach.”
Serve 2 Unite works with third graders to seniors in high school to facilitate discussions about issues affecting local and global communities. Kaleka was not involved in developing the city’s plan.
Programs focused on providing youth basic job skills will allow them to find work and keep them from searching for other ways to make money, such as stealing and selling drugs, which can lead to violent behavior. “Nothing stops a bullet like a job,” Kaleka said. Unemployment for 16- to 24-year-olds nationwide was 12.2 percent in July 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Barnett emphasized that, to be successful, the new appointees must remain connected to what is going on at the neighborhood level to address youth violence. Work is being done, he said, and the city has the resources to strengthen existing programs through collaboration. “Milwaukee has everything it needs right here. … If we do it right, we can fix our city.”


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Homeless will get boost from Housing Trust Fund awards | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Michael Murphy
November 12, 2015
The Common Council has approved the Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Advisory Board’s $600,000 in funding recommendations for eight projects that will construct new homes for those in need, rehabilitate existing housing stock and make foreclosed homes more attractive to new buyers.
The projects will leverage an investment of more than $6.9 million in local construction and rehabilitation work over the next year, said Common Council President Michael J. Murphy, chair of the advisory board.
President Murphy said the largest 2015 project would fund a housing complex proposed by Wisconsin Community Services, Thurgood Marshall Apartments, an initiative to create permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and those suffering from chronic alcoholism. “This transformative program not only acknowledges that housing is a basic right, but it will also bring resources to the individuals who need them most,” President Murphy said.
“By supporting the Thurgood Marshall Apartments and other projects like it, we are taking steps to make the eradication of homelessness in Milwaukee a reality,” he said.
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“The City of Milwaukee’s Housing Trust Fund has made a significant difference for Milwaukee families and neighborhoods, by making supportive housing, homeownership and rental housing more affordable for people who want to live here,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “Creating affordable housing, jobs, and resources to homeowners to repair their homes is a win- win-win for the city. I applaud the commitment of the members of the Housing Trust Fund Advisory Board to the city of Milwaukee.”
President Murphy said the seven 2015 projects selected by the advisory board for funding will also create jobs and valuable opportunities for construction workers, carpenters, and those in the trades. “The board takes its work very seriously and is cognizant that the projects selected are healthy investments for Milwaukee that bring critical economic activity and dollars into local businesses and into the lives of workers and their families,” he said.
This year, a total of 19 requestors proposed projects seeking $2.3 million in HTF funding. Of these recommendations, eight were selected to receive funding.
The 2015 HTF awards include:
The projects were approved during the full meeting of the Common Council on November 2.

created: November 12, 2015

author: Ald. Michael Murphy


text:
Ingram Place Apartments on Holton | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 12, 2015
UrbanMilwaukee.com


text:
LIFE AFTER LOCKUP | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 12, 2015
PreciousLivesProject.org


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On the Block: ‘You adapt to your environment’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
November 12, 2015
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/232651405″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
M.D. Dangerfield Jr. grew up in Chicago, where he saw poverty and violence everywhere. Dangerfield’s family moved to 35th and Lisbon when he was 9 but gang violence and killings, some of which he witnessed, were a still a reality, even in school. Somehow, he still found a way to learn.
Read more about M.D. Dangerfield Jr. at milwaukeestories.org.
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author: Jabril Faraj


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 11, 2015

created: November 11, 2015


text:
Regulators Urge Broader Health Networks | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 12, 2015
The New York Times


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Teen Pregnancy: ‘Flipping the Message’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 12, 2015
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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Civil rights murals mark entry to new Harambee park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Karen Slattery
November 13, 2015
Fidel Verdin was tired of looking at vacant lots in the Harambee neighborhood so he decided to do something about it.
The neighborhood resident organized an effort to create a park on an empty lot on the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and West Ring Street.
Named Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Place, the park is a site for public art, educational programs and urban agriculture.
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A mural depicting 1960s civil rights activists demonstrating for fair housing in Milwaukee stands at the entry to the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Place. (Photo by Karen Slattery)
“This is an open-source learning space that will be ever-evolving,” Verdin said. “Our big thing is educating the community about different ways to activate areas in their neighborhoods.”
Two large murals mark the park’s entryway. Each depicts the struggle for fair housing laws in the city. The works, by artists Nicolas Lampert and Paul Kjelland, were formally presented to the public in a recent ceremony, featuring appearances by the widow of Fr. James Groppi, Peggy Rozga, Milwaukee Commandos leader Prentice McKinney and Claudette Harris, another veteran of the civil rights movement.
The park was made possible through a team effort that included representatives from Summer of Peace, HeartLove Place, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Groundwork Milwaukee, the City of Milwaukee’s Home Gr/Own initiative, Walnut Way, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Community Design Solutions and Architecture 350) and Growing Power.
Supporting partners include the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Zilber Family Foundation, David J. Frank Landscape, Northwestern Mutual and Fund for Lake Michigan. A Bloomberg Award for Partners for Places also helped to make the space appealing to the public.
“This was just an abandoned green space for 20-plus years,” Verdin said. “I want the young people in the neighborhood to understand that, with a determined idea, you can take nothing and create something.”

created: November 13, 2015


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 12, 2015


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22944852042_4b731b40fa_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 12, 2015


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NNS on Lake Effect Radio: Milwaukee Municipal Court | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 13, 2015
NNS reporter Brendan O’Brien goes on the air with Mitch Teich of WUWM Lake Effect Radio to discuss courtroom disparities for poor residents Milwaukee Municipal Court.
Read the full Special Report
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author: Dwayne Burtin


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 13, 2015


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22039552951_5060ba3f39_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 13, 2015


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DACA Immigration Program: DACA Recipients’ Wages Increase, Continue Education | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 16, 2015
Latin Post

created: November 16, 2015


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LBWN hosts annual neighborhood gathering | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Emmy A. Yates
November 16, 2015
The highlight of LBWN’s annual neighborhood gathering was the opportunity for participants to share their personal stories with neighbors in small breakout groups. The room buzzed as each person in the circle spent a few minutes talking about his or her life.
Community members of all ages and backgrounds came together at the annual event at 1501 S. Layton Blvd. In addition to enjoying a community dinner, participants were able to cast their votes in the Love Where You Live photo contest, followed by treats and refreshments. Winners of the most improved home contest also were announced.

author: Emmy A. Yates


text:
Milwaukee AIDS/HIV Rates Alarmingly High Among African-Americans | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 16, 2015
Milwaukee Courier


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Tom Barrett wants to bolster program on hiring city residents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 16, 2015
jsonline.com


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Your School Shapes How You Think About Inequality | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 16, 2015
National Public Radio


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￼¡El Urban Ecology Center está contratando personal! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
November 17, 2015
The Urban Ecology Center at 37th and Pierce is hiring Bilingual Environmental Educators. The main role for the job is to teach environmental science programs in English and Spanish for school age children.
We have both part time positions and full time positions with benefits available.
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For more information or to apply, visit https://urbanecologycenter.bamboohr.com/jobs/
Come work with our innovative community of non-profit professionals!
Work in a creative, high- energy open office in a state-of-the-art green facility!
El Urban Ecology Center, que se encuentra en la calle 37 y Pierce, está contratando Educadores Ambientales Bilingües. El objetivo principal del trabajo es enseñar programas de ciencias ambientales, en español e inglés, a niños de edad escolar.
Estamos ofreciendo posiciones de tiempo parcial, y de tiempo completo con beneficios disponibles.
Para más información o para llenar la solicitud, visite la página web: https://urbanecologycenter.bamboohr.com/jobs/
¡Venga y únase a nuestra comunidad innovadora de profesionales sin fines de lucro!
¡Trabaje en una oficina creativa y llena de energía, ubicada en un edificio vanguardista!
¡Mande su solicitud hoy!

created: November 17, 2015

author: Urban Ecology Center


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 17, 2015


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Community involvement, more dialogue with police key to public safety | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wyatt Massey
November 17, 2015
Chief Edward Flynn (left) of the Milwaukee Police Department answered questions from community leaders, moderated by Eric Von of WNOV 860. (Photo by Wyatt Massey)
Adrian Spencer tried to keep her head down. She tried to ignore the violence in her community. Then, there came a point at which her family’s safety spurred her to action.
“Because I was directly affected by the violence in the community, I decided to get involved,” she said.
Her efforts led to the creation of the 2nd Street Pocket Park in 2008 and the Harambee Tot Lot in 2014. Spencer, like many other neighborhood leaders, started her efforts at the grassroots level, collaborating with organizations such as Riverworks Center, Northcott Neighborhood House and the Home Depot’s Team Depot. Her decision to get involved in improving her community led to her role as Safe & Sound’s District 5 community organizer.
Adrian Spencer (seated, right), Safe & Sound District 5 community organizer; Paula Butler (standing, left); and Jeanette Mitchell (standing, right) discuss community safety at the symposium. (Photo by Wyatt Massey)
Spencer’s story was featured at the recent Neighborhood Safety Symposium held by LISC Milwaukee. The one-day conference assembled national and local experts to share success stories, build partnerships and discuss issues affecting Milwaukee neighborhoods. The approximately 160 attendees raised concerns about safety at the local level and the ways neighborhoods can organize to decrease crime across the city.
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“Safety and security are big topics in our neighborhoods,” said Chris Grandt, Riverworks director of neighborhood development.
Chief Edward Flynn of the Milwaukee Police Department called crime the greatest deterrent of community development because of its multiple effects on local economies. Crime drives out development, hinders further growth of organizations that stay and prevents future development.
“Our problem right now is that we have more young people getting involved in more dangerous crime earlier,” Flynn said.
Flynn asked neighborhood leaders to help foster dialogue with police officers in neighborhood centers, so that community interactions are not occurring solely on the streets.
Laura Bray, executive director of LISC Milwaukee, said neighborhood leaders must think strategically about how they can work together and with the police department. “What people say is there’s not a real conversation with the police department and community people in our neighborhoods.”
According to Bray, more conversations can lead to greater police involvement in community building. This is especially important given the lack of equal representation in law enforcement and recent conflicts between police and black communities across the country.
Flynn acknowledged that MPD lacks sufficient African American officers, calling it “one of our greatest challenges,” but noted the success of the Fire and Police Commission’s Police Aide Program for 17-19 year-olds and Students Talking it Over with Police as ways to build interest for careers in law enforcement.
Community policing is another way of increasing involvement. “We solve crimes because people told us who did it, and that requires community policing,” Flynn said. This also can lead to greater interest among young people to become police officers.
Keynote speaker Greg Saville, senior partner at AlterNation a consulting firm that builds safe neighborhoods, agreed that community policing curbs crime. “No matter how you cut it, in my view, crime is best tackled in the neighborhood,” he said.
Neighborhoods can organize to advocate for themselves at the city level, Saville noted. The former police officer and urban planner challenged neighborhood leaders to imagine the many possible futures for Milwaukee and recognize that they have the power to create the future they want.
Involving members of the community during every step in the planning processes is crucial for long-term neighborhood development, Saville said. “You don’t do things to people, you do them with them.” He advocated for micro-level community development in which neighborhoods create and maintain public spaces with help from the city.
“We think about neighborhood development as one size, fits all. It doesn’t,” he said.
Crime typically occurs in public areas, so mobilizing community members to mold these areas to fit local needs will change how people interact with the space, but it’s not easy, added Saville. “You know the old phrase, ‘This isn’t rocket science’? This isn’t rocket science, it’s harder,” he said.
Hard, but not impossible. Spencer, Grandt and Jacob Corr, community prosecutor in MPD District 5, pointed to a resident-led taskforce they created in 2013 to address safety along Keefe Avenue as an example of what can be accomplished. The group closed two drug houses and the community experienced a 20 percent drop in crime between 2013 and 2014.
Dr. Michele Bria and Charles Brown of Journey House showcased the success of the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative and the construction of the local football stadium. People are seeing the effects of community investment, Bria said, explaining that success is the result of effort, time and belief by neighborhood residents.
The success of Riverworks Center, Journey House and others underlines the power of neighborhoods to create positive social change. Innovation happens when people come together. “People come up with amazing, amazing ideas,” Saville said.

author: Wyatt Massey


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 16, 2015


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Students’ needs inspire MPS safety assistant to launch ‘Mama Mac’s Closet’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
November 17, 2015
MPS safety assistant Kimberly McLaughlin created “Mama Mac’s Closet” to provide much-needed clothing and supplies to students at South Division. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Schools)
During a winter season about 10 years ago, MPS safety assistant Kimberly McLaughlin noticed many South Division High School students weren’t wearing coats.
“My kids come from all over the world and don’t know about the Wisconsin winter,” said McLaughlin, who has served as a safety assistant at South Division for 21 years.
So she began collecting coats from parents, staff and the community. Word spread quickly that
Donations that fill Mama Mac’s Closet continue to benefit South Division students as well as nearby community members. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Schools)
“Mama Mac,” the nickname McLaughlin is known by to students and staff at South Division, was seeking items for those in need.
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That led to other donations including clothing for children and adults and hygiene products. The outpouring of support led to the opening of Mama Mac’s Closet.
“Word has spread on the south side about Mama Mac’s Closet and families are really grateful and appreciative,” McLaughlin said. Besides helping South Division students and their families, donations to the closet also have benefitted people at many shelters.
McLaughlin has received numerous cards and letters thanking her for the help she has provided through the years.
“I just want everyone to know how important it is to help the students and families, not just from South Division but the surrounding community,” she said. “The response has been outstanding and I couldn’t do it without everyone’s help.”

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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City, county approve plan to create municipal identification card | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
November 18, 2015
County Supervisor Khalif Rainey addresses supporters of the municipal ID at a recent rally at the Mitchell Park Domes. (Photo by Joe Brusky; courtesy of Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association)
Guadalupe Romero, who lives on the South Side, knows all about the struggles associated with not having access to a state identification card.
“When I’m somewhere and they ask me to show my ID, I put my head down and put up my hands out on my side to show them I don’t have one,” Romero said.
The scene has played itself out many times over the years, she said, including the time she couldn’t pick up a morphine prescription for her brother-in-law, who had part of his foot amputated days prior.
“That time I cried,” Romero said.
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Romero once had a driver’s license, but a state law that took effect in 2007 prohibited those without proper documentation from obtaining or renewing a license.
A small girl holds a sign during a rally for supporters of the municipal ID held recently at the Mitchell Park Domes. (Photo by Joe Brusky; courtesy of Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association)
Although she won’t be able to get her license back, Romero will have access to a municipal ID soon, which supporters say will open the door for undocumented residents and others to access vital services and also improve public safety.
The changes come as a result of recent votes by the Milwaukee Common Council and the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors to establish a work group to set guidelines for the IDs and also seek agreements from local institutions to accept them.
The city and county are splitting the $300,000 cost of the effort.
County Supervisor Khalif Rainey, who co-sponsored the legislation, said the lack of a proper ID not only prevents people from accessing medical care but also prevents them from getting gym memberships, bank accounts, library cards and other basic services that affect their quality of life.
He said creating a municipal ID also provides an opportunity for discounts at local institutions such as the library, zoo and the museum. Rainey added that municipal IDs have created similar opportunities in New York City and other places in recent years.
The new IDs will be a boon for many members of the community, said Sam Singleton, communications coordinator for Voces De La Frontera, a local immigrant rights group. Voces has been working for years to help undocumented residents obtain identification cards, touting it as a public safety issue. According to Singleton, many undocumented residents without identification are afraid to report crimes to law enforcement.
“How can you report crimes without ID and then, without one, police have the right to arrest and fingerprint you?” Singleton asked.
Many groups, including those providing services to domestic violence victims, the homeless and the LGBT community, also celebrated the decision to create a municipal ID.
Karen Gotzler, executive director of the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, said in a statement,  “LGBT homeless youth, victims fleeing abusive situations, immigrants, and especially transgender people whose identity and name do not match birth records need the legitimacy that a Milwaukee ID will provide.”
County Supervisor Peggy West said the state ID program created a vicious cycle of exclusion for underrepresented groups and hopes the new cards will alleviate those problems.
“I can’t imagine trying to function in society without a proper ID,” said West, who added that basic services such as picking up certified mail, picking up prescriptions and even cashing a check require an ID.
The municipal IDs cannot be used to vote in local or national elections, according to West.
And while Romero said she’s happy that a municipal ID plan has been approved, she’s not quite ready to celebrate.
“I’ll feel much better when I have it in my hand,” Romero said.

created: November 18, 2015


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 18, 2015


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Social Development Commission offers free ACT workshops for Milwaukee County high school students | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
November 18, 2015
High school students planning on continuing their education following graduation from high school are well aware that if they plan to attend a college or university, the results of their ACT test strongly impact a school’s decision whether or not to grant admission. The Social Development Commission (SDC) is offering FREE enrollment for ACT Wings Workshops for Milwaukee County high school students, grades 9 through 12.
Students participating in the two half-day sessions receive free instruction and materials, ACT practice exercises in all five test areas (English, mathematics, reading, science and writing), an ACT preparation book, Personal Study Plan guidance, strategies and tips for success and individual follow-up for participants.
The no cost workshops and will be held at the Social Development Commission, 4041 North Richards Street, Milwaukee.
ACT Wings Workshops are offered on weekdays and Saturdays. Weekday sessions take place 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM and Saturday sessions are held from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Workshops in November will occur November 21, 23, 24 and 25. December session will take place December 2, 5, 9, 12 and 16.
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Online registration is encouraged at www.cr-sdc.org under the Education & Training section of the Programs page. Interested parents and student may also contact Willie Mae Hill at 414.906.2790.
Funding for the ACT Wings Workshops is provided by the Youth Services division of the City of Milwaukee.
For more than 50 years, the Social Development Commission has operated as the Community Action Agency for Milwaukee County. SDC serves as a planner, coordinator, and provider of human service programs for low- income individuals and families residing in Milwaukee County. The agency is an intergovernmental commission and is governed by a board of 18 citizens from Milwaukee County, each of whom hold the title of “Commissioner.”

author: Social Development Commission


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We can honor our veterans by helping them quit tobacco | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Leonor Rosas
November 18, 2015
Earlier this month we celebrated Veteran’s Day. It was a day to give thanks for the soldiers who put their lives on the line to protect the freedom that most of us take for granted. Time and again, these brave men and women have sacrificed so much for our safety, and now we can help them beat an opponent that’s taken the lives of too many veterans: tobacco addiction.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that veterans are more likely to use tobacco than the general population, especially when they suffer from depression or posttraumatic stress disorder, and another report finds that veterans are also less likely to have smoke-free rules in their homes.
I was married to a Vietnam War vet who passed away at the age of 58… he smoked heavily. He started smoking in the service. What was life like for a twenty year-old young man in the jungle in the middle of a bloody war? What was it like to see friends shot before their eyes? What was it like to not know if you would ever return home? I learned about these feelings from painful conversations over a 28 -year span of time. I felt the fear from the stories told over and over in the middle of the night when the children were sleeping and the nightmares invaded.
I felt it in my heart from wiping the tears from his eyes and cradling him in my arms as he spoke of the dying babies, the sobbing mothers, the dismembered friends.
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The years have passed and so has he… I know he is in a place where the dreams cannot torment him. I gained respect for these young men ripped from their home without a clear reason for why they fought or who they could trust.
These young folks who fought in Vietnam, in World War II in Philippines, Normandy, Burma at sea, land and air, fought as they fight now in places far away: Afghanistan, Iraq…They are and were young and full of dreams and full of fear… fear that will not leave them after the last shot is fired at them or they shoot back… fear that will remain in their souls for years to come.
I thank them all for their courage and sacrifice… my heart breaks when I hear about the casualties … but more so for those for whom the war is and will be their constant companion tills their death…I cannot thank them enough for all they’ve done!
Tobacco becomes their stress relief but invades their bodies and shortens their lives. Thankfully, there are resources to help veterans break their tobacco addiction. They can find quitting assistance at www.ucanquit2.org or call the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line for free at 1-800-QUIT NOW. I encourage all veterans who use tobacco to take advantage of these free resources. You’ve helped so many through your service, now it’s time to help yourself.
Sincerely,
Leonor Rosas
Wisconsin Hispanic Latino Tobacco Prevention Network

author: Leonor Rosas


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Gorman plans to build, rehab Milwaukee housing while training ex-felons for construction jobs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 19, 2015
Milwaukee Business Journal

created: November 19, 2015

author: Andrea Waxman


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How Milwaukee Became a Human Trafficking Hub | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 19, 2015
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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On the Block: Missed opportunities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
November 19, 2015
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/233719765″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Christopher Lee was born in Milwaukee to a 16-year-old mother. Lee, who is the oldest of three, had “too much responsibility” as a child. He joined the military and served in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm but ended up coming back to Milwaukee. He wishes he would have been able to see more.
Read more about Christopher Lee at milwaukeestories.org.
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text:
Sleep Disorders, Stress Causing Sleepness Nights for Communities of Color | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 19, 2015
Latin Post


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Smoking is down statewide, but new numbers show tobacco affects some more than others | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Community Advocates
November 19, 2015
The Great American Smokeout is Thursday November 19. This year, there’s both good and bad news when it comes to tobacco use in Wisconsin. The good news is that according to new data from the state’s Department of Health Services, overall smoking in Wisconsin sits at an all-time low of 17%. The bad news? The same data show Wisconsin’s most vulnerable populations smoking at alarming rates.
The Department’s 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) reports that the following groups smoke at rates nearly double the state average of 17%:
“While these findings aren’t entirely surprising given previous data, it is unacceptable that the disparities are still growing year after year and warrants immediate action” said Deb Heffner, Coordinator for the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance. “We cannot stand by and accept that an individual is more prone to smoke or have any other health disadvantages because of the race or zip code they were born into or because of any other socially determined circumstance.”
In addition to the groups listed above, adults that identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer/Questioning are as much as 40% more likely to smoke than the general public. Also, nearly a third of Wisconsin adults diagnosed with depression currently smoke.
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Here in Milwaukee the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance is taking steps to address tobacco-related disparities through a comprehensive approach that includes education and collaboration. We draw on the best practices of coalition work, utilizing individuals and community partners to reach these vulnerable populations and ensure they have a voice. One example we are proud of is the development of a workgroup to specifically address the LGBTQ+ disparities, which is comprised of stakeholders and representatives from LGBTQ+ communities and serving organizations.
Heffner stresses the urgency of the work. “Tobacco still remains the number one leading cause of preventable death in the United States today, and costs us over $170 billion in healthcare each year. Health equity can be achieved by eliminating differences in tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke between groups. It starts with awareness to these disparities and then well -enforced and comprehensive tobacco control policies.”
For more on the City of Milwaukee’s efforts to address tobacco use in Wisconsin, visit our website or find us on Facebook. If you use tobacco and want to quit, call the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT NOW for free help and medications.

author: Community Advocates