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Let the games begin! Multi-sport complex at Browning Elementary School transforms community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Cynthia Crawford
February 26, 2019
Arvind Gopalratnam and Paul Williams explain the importance of community-building at the new multi-sport complex at Browning Elementary School. By Cynthia Crawford.
Editor’s note: This article is one of an occasional series profiling the 12 finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation, or MANDIs. The multi-sport complex is a finalist for the Brewers Community Foundation Public Space Award, which honors public space that helps build the community.
Browning Elementary School’s playground used to be a dead zone of 55,000 square feet.
But in 2017, the space was transformed into a multi-sport complex with six basketball courts, one futsal court, a soccer field and a 200-meter track.
Since then, the complex has changed the way community members and students play outside and also is used by the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center that shares a building with the school at 5440 N. 64th St.
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Johnson Controls and the Milwaukee Bucks financed the $150,000 construction cost, and the organizations will give an additional $600,000 over the next 10 years to fund youth-focused community programs. Programming will include organized sports groups and more casual activities such as cookouts.
Tony Williams, Browning’s security supervisor, said the space has improved the experience of playing outside for students and community members. He moved to the surrounding Westlawn Gardens neighborhood in 1995 and is excited to see how the complex is helping the area to improve.
Bango greets MANDI judges for a site visit at the multi-sport complex at Browning Elementary School. By Cynthia Crawford.
“Parents come around a lot more now and are more involved and they have no worries,” said Williams. “Back then it was always ‘Is this a safe place to come?’”
Williams said he still remembers how it felt to see the complex for the first time.
“Everyone wanted to know what was coming next, and when it came, it was the best ever,” Williams said. Staff members now use the complex as much as students and are able to have more interactions with them, he said.
Playworks, a company based in Prior Lake, Minnesota, designed the complex.
Its design is meant to promote social inclusion, said PJ Dever, Playworks program director of Wisconsin. There are multiple basketball courts so players of all skill levels can have a comfortable place to play. The foursquare spaces have lines as guides on where to begin, and different colors show which games are played in certain areas.
Playworks also has trained fourth- and fifth-grade students as junior coaches who monitor the other students during recess and make sure the space is being used properly.
The project was led by Johnson Controls, the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Public Schools, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center and the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee.
The Silver Spring Neighborhood Center hopes the complex will improve outreach to the Westlawn Gardens neighborhood, said Devin Hudson, development director of the center.
Browning’s principal, Raymond Unanka, said he believes the complex has improved the behavior of the students. He has noticed a decrease in suspensions and has seen the way students have learned to conduct themselves when playing outside.
Arvind Gopalratnam, vice president of social responsibility of the Milwaukee Bucks, said all parties came together not only to create a space, but also to engage with the community.
“Everybody is benefitting from what has happened here,” said Unanka. “The community, our children, the parents, our staff, it is all inclusive.”

created: February 26, 2019


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 25, 2019

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: February 25, 2019

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

author: Adam Carr


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‘Read-in’ makes black history come alive through the power of poetry, prose | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Analise Pruni
February 26, 2019
Rep. Kalan Haywood and Ald. Milele Coggs show the next generation the power of poetry during the Black History Month Read-in at the Milwaukee Public Library MLK branch. (Photo by Analise Pruni)
When Leonard Glover brought his two children to the Martin Luther King Library in the Harambee neighborhood, he accidentally wandered into the fifth-annual Black History Month Read-in.
“Let’s go on in and look, get a little history and learn something,” Glover remembers telling his kids.
Speakers read excerpts or poems aloud from books written by African-Americans about African-Americans, such as Maya Angelou’s poem “Caged Bird,” and young people in the room were then asked to comment on what they meant. One young audience member interpreted Langston Hughes’ piece “I, Too” and said it was about what it means to be an American.
The event, which was sponsored by Ald. Milele Coggs and City Treasurer Spencer Coggs, showcased works by African-American authors and also highlighted Milwaukee’s own black history leaders.
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“Did you know that people have the ability to make history every single day?” Coggs asked. “In front of us today for your first reader, you have a young man who has made history right here in Wisconsin who is from Milwaukee.”
She was talking about Kalan Haywood, who became the youngest state representative in Wisconsin’s history when he won office in 2018 at age 19.
“I’m going to read, but I get a little nervous reading books in front of people,” Haywood said.
He read Hughes’ “I, Too,” which begins “I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother…”
Rep. Kalan Haywood reads “I, Too,” a poem by African-American writer Langston Hughes, to children and their families. (Photo by Analise Pruni)
Haywood said he tries to come to the event every year. He added that reading is the key to success in educating students about Black History Month.
“Coming out and being a part of sharing not only what I’ve done but also feeding back into the community and the children and their future is always important,” Haywood said.
Though Glover had heard of Haywood and Coggs, he had not met them before the event. He said it is good for his children to see examples of role models in the community.
A Q&A at the end quizzed the children on some of the important people in black history that they had discussed.
Coggs asked them who 4 Street was renamed after. When a child correctly answered “Vel Phillips,” they received a bag of “city swag” from Coggs. Phillips was the first African-American woman to serve on Milwaukee’s Common Council and to become a judge in Wisconsin.
Coggs said she “grew up” in MLK Library and was inspired to begin the Black History Month Read-in by her love of literature.
“I’m always thinking of ways to bring young people into the library so that they can be touched and influenced as much by the library as I was as a kid,” Coggs said.
At the end of the evening, the youth and community leaders formed a circle and sang in unison:
“Look at mister- he’s black and beautiful. Look at miss- she’s black and beautiful. Singing power to the future.”

author: Analise Pruni


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2019 “This Is How We Roll” Fashion Show call for models is now open! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
This Is How We Roll
February 27, 2019
We are searching for 50 wheelchair users, men, women, and children, of all ages to model our retailer’s clothing and promote our mission.
6th “This Is How We Roll” Fashion Show
Fundraiser & Community Awareness Event to benefit the Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation.
When: Sunday, April 7, 2019 from 2:00PM ~ 5:00PM
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(Seating & Raffle begins at 2:00PM)
Hair & Makeup begins prior to – TBD
The Model Application & Audiovisual Consent Form can be found and submitted online at:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSckGgtwCtADjP-JPPiFN4qFx1G8CitL6VfL0U5Tyo__tAMP7A/viewform
* Completed applications must be received by Wednesday, March 13, 2019!
Important:
All participating models will need to commit to getting fitted for their personalized runway outfit at their assigned retail location, prior to the event and on event day.
Space Is Limited! If we receive more than 50 applicants, a random drawing will be held to determine the final model list. Applicants will be notified via email.
Event information can be found on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThisIsHowWeRollFashionShow
Any Questions?
Contact Jenny Addis, Fashion Show Director, addisjenny@yahoo.com, 715-802-3456 or Debbie Bebeau, Model Director, djbebeau@yahoo.com, 414-531-9912.
*Note: Models must be Wheelchair users.

created: February 27, 2019

author: This Is How We Roll


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 27, 2019


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2019 General Fundraising letter copy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 27, 2019
2019 General Fundraising letter copy


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Inspired to Lead event brings Milwaukee area leaders together | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Pearls for Teen Girls
February 27, 2019
On Wednesday March 13, 2019 PEARLS for Teen Girls, Inc., a development organization serving Milwaukee teen girls, will host their annual Inspired to Lead event at Discovery World is an intimate evening of conversation and inspiration and will be emceed by Peter Feigin, President of the Milwaukee Bucks and Denise Thomas, President and Owner of the Effective Communication Coach, with a panel of past PEARLS Girls of the Year.
Through powerful personal stories the panelists will explore the questions: What inspires individual leadership? What are the best strategies for inspiring leadership in others, especially in the face of today’s challenges?
BMO Harris Bank is this year’s event beneficiary. The event will be held at Discovery World in downtown Milwaukee on March 13, 2019 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM with networking and a silent auction beginning at 5:30 followed by a program and panel conversation with plated hors d’oeuvres at 6:30. Tickets are $75 each or $750 for a table of ten. Visit the PEARLS website for online registration or call 414-265-7555 the PEARLS office to reserve your seat today. https://www.pearlsforteengirls.com/itl19
PEARLS for Teen Girls was founded as a volunteer effort in 1993 by a local entrepreneur and grew into a nonprofit with the mission to improve the quality of life and strengthen the community through the empowerment and support of young women. PEARLS girls are provided with self-development tools, guidance, and support to strive for better, brighter futures by living out the PEARLS values: Personal Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, respect, leadership, and support. In 2016, PEARLS was able to serve 1,827 girls. Our research-based curriculum helps girls break through generational poverty, racism, teen pregnancy, and low academic achievement in Milwaukee. To learn more visit: pearlsforteengirls.com
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author: Pearls for Teen Girls


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It Takes a Village: Community Baby Shower & Resource Fair | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
It Takes A Village
February 27, 2019
In celebration of World Doula Week 2019, six women-owned businesses decided to organize a Community Baby Shower & Resource Fair for expecting moms in the city of Milwaukee.
With Wisconsin leading the nation in black infant mortality rates, this event was created to raise awareness about healthy birth outcomes and the importance of doula services in the community.
The inaugural, “It Takes A Village: Community Baby Shower and Resource Fair”, will take place at Sherman Phoenix, Saturday, March 23, 2019 from 10a-4p.
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We are excited and hope that the community responds to our call to donate to the expecting families that attend. We currently have 4 drop off locations accepting baby item donations on our behalf;
1.) Coffee Makes You Black
2.) Gee’s Clippers
3.) The Bronzeville Collective MKE
4.) HoneyBee Sage Wellness Apothecary (located inside Sherman Phoenix)
(Milwaukee Bucks Downtown Office location pending)

author: It Takes A Village


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MATC to seek Hispanic Serving Institution designation and partner with HPGM on scholarships | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
February 27, 2019
(Photo courtesy of MATC)
Milwaukee Area Technical College today announced plans to seek a formal designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) from the U.S. Department of Education. As part of this endeavor, MATC also announced a partnership between HPGM and the MATC Foundation to offer two-year scholarship opportunities. This is the first time HPGM has partnered with a two-year college to offer scholarships.
Earning the HSI designation brings financial Title V resources that help to improve student services; provide innovative instruction that helps retain students; support partnerships with four-year colleges; and provide education, counseling and financial information to help improve financial literacy. The designation requires enrolling at least 25 percent Hispanic undergraduate students. The college currently enrolls 16.4 percent Hispanic students in postsecondary courses.
MATC President Dr. Vicki J. Martin said that MATC wants to expand educational opportunities and to improve success for students of Hispanic heritage, while enhancing services provided to all students. “This is a case of more than ‘it takes a village,’” she said. “More than that, it will take a city, two counties and all of our key partners to make this happen. We’re all about offering opportunity to all our students.” (The MATC District includes all of Milwaukee County and most of Ozaukee County, and small portions of Waukesha and Washington counties.)
The college has set a goal to reach the 25 percent enrollment within five years, but hopes to reach that mark sooner. “We won’t rest until every student gets the opportunity they deserve,” Dr. Martin said.
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Griselda Aldrete, president and CEO of HPGM, spoke at the event about the partnership with MATC. “The foundation of everything we do at HPGM is our commitment to attracting, retaining and recruiting Hispanic talent for the businesses and communities we serve,” she said. “MATC has a proven track record in supporting this mission. We are thrilled to begin our partnership with the college and be an even greater resource for Hispanic talent in our region.”
HPGM has pledged $10,000 toward the scholarship and the MATC Foundation will match it with another $10,000. Both full-time and part-time MATC students who meet eligibility requirements can earn the scholarship,with full-time students receiving up to $4,000 toward tuition over the course of a full academic year and part-time students receiving up to $2,000 per year. Tuition for a 12-credit semester at MATC costs between $1,800 and $2,400. Students can learn more about criteria and find application steps at:  https://matc.academicworks.com/opportunities/6728
Aldrete and Dr. Martin were joined in making the announcement by Karina Belen Blas Rodriguez, deputy consul, Mexican Consulate in Milwaukee; Alfonso Morales, chief, Milwaukee Police Department; Tom Barrett, mayor, City of Milwaukee; Jose Perez, alderman, 12th District, City of Milwaukee; Dr. Wilma Bonaparte, vice president, MATC Mequon Campus, who will lead the initiative and who serves on the HPGM board; Bertha Gonzalez, MATC student; and Dr. Arturo Martinez, MATC associate dean and interim director of the MATC Education Center at Walker’s Square..
The announcement was made at MATC’s Education Center at Walker’s Square, in the heart of Milwaukee’s Hispanic community at 816 W. National Ave.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 28, 2019

created: February 28, 2019


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‘Who can live and raise a family on $7.25 an hour?’ Milwaukee service workers hope for higher wages | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Analise Pruni
February 27, 2019
The Judiciary & Legislation Committee will vote on Ald. Tony Zielinski’s proposal to officially support Gov. Tony Evers’ initiative to raise Wisconsin’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. (Photo by Analise Pruni)
Lorenda Smith has worked at a Burger King in the Harambee neighborhood for five months. On her first day as a cashier, two police officers were on the premises for an “incident,” and after that, she had to clean up after more than a dozen youths left a whirlwind of half-empty soda cups, bags and trash strewn across the tables.
“We do more than what we get paid to do,” Smith said. As a mother of three with a baby on the way, she said that $8 per hour simply is not enough to pay the rent and other bills and to take care of her children.
Under a resolution by Ald. Tony Zielinski, the City of Milwaukee would officially support Gov. Tony Evers’ plan to increase the minimum wage in Wisconsin to $15. Zielinski said that between one-fourth to one-third of city residents live on incomes below the official federal poverty line.
“Who can live and raise a family on $7.25 an hour?” Zielinski asked. The wage is the same as the current federal rate.
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Advocates are discussing ways to address the issue in Milwaukee as groups work to secure the $15 minimum wage and union rights for Wisconsin service industry workers with the support of the new governor.
The service and hospitality sector includes janitors, hotel housekeepers, cashiers, cooks, food industry workers and other similar positions.
It has been nearly 10 years since the minimum wage was raised from $6.50 to $7.25 in Wisconsin, while costs of living have increased, Zielinski added.
“It’s vital we start addressing this disparity once and for all,” he said.
In this 2014 file photo, low-wage workers demonstrate for higher wages at a local McDonald’s franchise. Ald. Tony Zielinski is floating a proposal to officially support Gov. Tony Evers’ initiative to raise Wisconsin’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. (Photo By Raina J. Johnson)
Living wage advocates such as Peter Rickman say the path to $15 per hour and a union is paved with “concrete gains and material victories.”
As president of the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers, or MASH, he has been involved in movements to secure these goals. MASH was born out of the Alliance for Good Jobs that created an initiative to secure $15 and a union for all service workers and employees involved in the construction of the Fiserv Forum and surrounding developments.
“We wanted to focus in on this arena area on the jobs that typified the ‘good jobs crisis’ as we put it here in Milwaukee,” Rickman said. “In that effort to win a community benefits agreement, we secured everything we sought out for,” including a path to a $15 an hour wage floor by 2023.
He added that the agreement went into effect in 2017 and by August 2018, 1,200 to 1,300 arena workers were working at $12.50 per hour. The deal also secured the right for workers to organize a union and to bargain for a union contract to raise wage standards further. Also, half of those service industry jobs were to be filled by people from ZIP codes with the highest levels of poverty and unemployment.
“Service and hospitality jobs in our city disproportionately employ people of color and other folks who have otherwise been left behind by this economy,” Rickman said. “We’re not going to just get more people into building trades jobs to address economic and racial inequality and injustice. We need to turn the jobs that exist and will exist into good family-supporting jobs.”
Democrats in Congress recently introduced the Wage Act of 2019, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2024.
“Those of us who are really interested in tackling this challenge of raising wages are focused on a number of policy measures that could be moved through executive authority at the state level and then here in Milwaukee at the local level,” Rickman said.
Ossie Kendrix, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce, said he sees the potential minimum wage increase as a positive for small business owners. It could reduce employee turnover and increase morale because providing higher wages will show the employees that they are valued, he said.
However, he added, any raise should be done gradually so that small business owners can afford the change. He said larger corporations can more easily cover these expenses.
Zielinski said he does not know how long it will take for his proposal to gain traction. He is working with Rickman, other grassroots labor organizers and Evers to see what kind of bargaining power the new administration can bring to the cause.
The ordinance was originally presented at a Judiciary and Legislation Committee meeting in January. It is currently being held until Zielinski, Rickman and others can identify the most effective ways to enact the policy change.
Marc Freedman, vice president of employment policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said in an opinion piece that politics, not economics, is driving the discussion on increasing the minimum wage.
“Economic growth is what allows employers to pay higher wages, not mandates from on high,” he said. “And what we’re seeing in the economy now, higher rates of growth than in past years, is indeed being accompanied by companies announcing increased starting wage levels.”
Meanwhile at Burger King, Smith said she believes corporate companies can afford to pay their employees livable wages but will only do so on their terms.
“They [Burger King] have us come in at the crack of dawn and work until the evening time,” she said. “You’ve got to go through loops and turns and twists just to get a 50-cent raise.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 26, 2019


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Is Milwaukee safe? What you need to know about the city’s lead crisis | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
February 28, 2019
Is Milwaukee safe? What you need to know about the city’s lead crisis
Editor’s note:  This story has been updated to reflect the Public Safety and Health Committee will not be discussing lead at its meeting.
The accusation was simply damning.
Thomas J. Welcenbach, a mapping specialist and member of Get The Lead Out coalition, alleged during the Feb. 14 meeting of the Common Council’s Steering and Rules Committee that 40 infant deaths along a stretch of North Avenue from 2012 to 2016 could have been caused by lead exposure — with water being the source.
He also accused the city of doctoring maps to give residents the false impression that they were safe from lead exposure.
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“You’re drawing an inference,” Ald. Robert Bauman fired back, directing his ire to the table where Welcenbach; Robert Miranda, spokesman for the Freshwater for Life Action Coalition; Paul Schwartz, a Washington D.C-based national lead and water expert; and others sat. Bauman challenged the group to provide stronger evidence to back up its allegations.
Miranda responded: “We’re asking the city to provide data to put these concerns to rest; the people want to know.”
The issue of lead poisoning continues to be a magnet for controversy in Milwaukee, where more than 1 in 10 children tested in 2016 had blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter. That’s the point at which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends public health officials act.
Here’s some things you need to know about the lead controversy in Milwaukee.
In 2016, Mayor Tom Barrett announced an increase in funds and plans to eventually replace all lead laterals in Milwaukee. Among the first targets were to be day care centers, though those efforts have been hampered by disorganization. In December 2017, the Common Council voted to strengthen its response to the threat of lead exposure.
Beginning in January 2018, the wheels really flew off the bus. That’s when Milwaukee Health Commissioner Bevan Baker resigned after failing to ensure that families of 8,000 children with elevated lead levels in their blood were notified. At issue was the Milwaukee Health Department’s  handling of the lead crisis in general, as bombshell after bombshell revealed severe mismanagement, poor tracking and follow-up on children who’d tested with high blood lead levels. Those problems were documented in an internal report from the Milwaukee Health Department and a state audit of 108 cases in Milwaukee of children who had elevated blood lead levels.
Despite opposition from Barrett, the Common Council, appointed Patricia McManus as interim health commissioner in February 2018. McManus was replaced by current commissioner Jeanette Kowalik in September. The department is dealing with local, state and federal investigations related to its lead program. Kowalik is in the progress of reorganizing several departments within the Milwaukee Health Department, including the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.
Kowalik also recently helped support the creation of a new board of health to increase transparency and ensure that state laws are being followed, among other tasks. Barrett allocated $20 million in the 2019 budget to lead follow-up, abatement and to fund additional staff for the lead prevention program. Recently, Gov. Tony Evers announced a plan to include $70 million in funding to create a forgivable loan program for municipalities to fund lead water pipe replacement.
Lead is a naturally occurring element that is found in products such as paint, gasoline, plumbing materials and batteries. Exposure can be toxic. Though lead poisoning can occur in adults and also is dangerous for pregnant women, it’s most common and damaging to children.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no safe blood-lead level for children. Lead poisoning in children may result in developmental delays, learning difficulties and a host of other problems. Because lead exposure often occurs without obvious symptoms, it can easily go unrecognized.
The Milwaukee Health Department Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program recommends that children be tested three times before the age of 3. The city’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is responsible for providing follow-up care for children who test with high lead levels and for identifying the source of contamination by completing a lead inspection and risk assessment. But the program has come under fire for not following the state’s lead testing guidelines and for the care of children with elevated blood lead levels.
The city has maintained that its water meets all federal guidelines. Lead is not found in Milwaukee’s public water system, according to a statement on the Milwaukee Health Department web page. Critics have argued, however, that because water is tested at the treatment facility before it flows through lead service lines, the tests can’t determine if the water people drink, cook with and bathe in at home is lead-free.
The city has acknowledged that lead may dissolve from water service lines, especially when pipes are replaced or construction occurs. This is something water watchdogs have been saying for years. Barrett has stated that Milwaukee residents living in a building constructed before 1951 (an estimated 70,000 homes) should purchase a faucet filter that protects them from lead exposure.
Click here to learn if your home is served by a lead service line and here to find out if you qualify for a free water filter. Another tip to ensure your water is lead free is to flush your drinking or cooking water for several minutes before using.
The city has launched efforts to replace lead service lines with copper lines, a process that will take decades. According to data on the City of Milwaukee website, 621 lead service lines were replaced in 2017; 910 in 2018; and 65 so far this year. As of last year, the city still had more than 75,000 lead service lines. The cost of replacing the lines has been estimated at $750 million.
The list includes elected officials, community leaders, health advocates and others. The two most vocal groups are members of two local watchdog groups: Freshwater for Life Action Coalition and Get The Lead Out.
Members of Freshwater for Life Action Coalition have criticized the practice of replacing only the city-owned portion of the lead service line, which experts say can release loose lead fragments into the water stream and spike lead levels. The groups also have accused the city of downplaying the role of water in lead poisoning and have criticized the city’s efforts to examine the issue more thoroughly. The current stance by the health department and some city leaders, including Barrett, is that elevated levels of lead in children is primarily caused by exposure from paint, and not the water.
The City of Milwaukee Public Safety and Health Committee meeting is at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, March 7 at City Hall in Room 301B. Freshwater for Life Action Coalition, Get The Lead Out and representatives from several city departments, including the health department and Milwaukee Water Works, will be at the meeting, according to Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton.
Here’s more NNS coverage on the issue.
Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Milwaukee Health Department websites.

author: Edgar Mendez


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Feast Of Crispian In Residency At Milwaukee Repertory Theater announces first-of-its-kind National Veterans Theater Festival | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
March 1, 2019
Feast of Crispian, a non-profit theater organization that uses the works of Shakespeare to work with military veterans, is proud to announce the first-ever National Veterans Theater Festival, which will take place at Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Stiemke Studio May 23-26, 2019. The festival will offer Milwaukee veteran and civilian audiences a chance to see performances by a wide array of veteran actors and artists who will explore issues of race, returning home, and processing their (military) experiences.
“The festival is an important cause for the health and well-being of our veterans who have put their lives on the line for us,” says Feast of Crispian’s Nancy Smith-Watson. “And it will also be a powerful showcase for the talent and the stories of these amazing performers.”
The festival is a result of Feast of Crispian’s residency at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, which is one of the largest professional theaters in the country. “The whole organization of Feast of Crispian, staff and veterans, are incredibly excited about what the partnership with The Rep means for us,” Smith-Watson says. “The level of recognition will be significantly raised both locally and nationally. That means we can reach more veterans and include more of the civilian population in bringing our national warriors fully home.”
“We at Milwaukee Rep are thrilled to provide an artistic home for Feast of Crispian and all artists involved in the National Veterans Theater Festival,” said Milwaukee Rep Artistic Director Mark Clements.  “This festival provides a rare opportunity for Milwaukee to experience a variety of stories from talented Veteran performers from across the country, showcasing the breadth of the military experience and how we as civilians and non-civilians can gain understanding and empathy for each other.”
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author: Milwaukee Repertory Theater


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Summit on Black Male Youth set for March 18 and 19 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
UW-Milwaukee
March 1, 2019
The sixth annual Summit on Black Male Youth is set for Monday, March 18, and Tuesday, March 19, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This year’s theme, “Black Boys Thriving: Reimagining the Narrative,” is designed to expose young men to options and opportunities in their futures, according to Gary Williams, one of the organizers. He is associate professor of educational policy and community studies and director of the Institute for Intercultural Research.
The UWM African American Male Initiative, which organizes the summit, brings in presenters from the community and the university to engage, inform and embolden young men from public and private schools in southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, according to Williams. The Monday sessions will focus on young men in middle school, and the Tuesday sessions will focus on high school students. More than 1,000 young men are expected to attend interactive sessions on the UWM Campus each day.
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Included among this year’s sponsors are Bader Philanthropies, the City of Milwaukee, City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention, Country Financial, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Milwaukee County Office of African American Affairs, the University of Wisconsin Credit Union, Social Development Commission, Wells Fargo and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

author: UW-Milwaukee


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‘We believe that they can come home and be a positive force for change:’ How one program helps people transition out of incarceration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
March 1, 2019
Guests pushed tables together to form a circle at the Alma Center’s most recent welcome home ceremony. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Last week was a homecoming of sorts for Avery Stewart, who met his nephews for the first time.
Stewart had just finished serving a three-year sentence at Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution a week earlier and was starting a new life back in Milwaukee, where he lives with his sister.
Besides hanging out with his nephews, ages 2 and 5,  Stewart also attended a welcome home ceremony at the Alma Center, 2821 Vel R. Phillips Ave. as part of his participation in the Alma Brothers Smart Reentry program.
The event felt like a graduation party: plates of fried chicken and roasted potatoes, djembe drums, thoughtful gifts, encouraging words, hugs, handshakes and well wishes.
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And in a sense, it was. Those gathered were honoring the beginning of a new chapter, and four men returning from prison to Milwaukee were the guests of honor.
“We’re having a party to celebrate these men in a way they haven’t been celebrated in a long time,” said Julie Landes, director of operations at the Alma Center.
Wisconsin incarcerates black men at a higher rate than any other state in the country, and more than  half of African American men in their 30s and half of men in their early 40s have been housed in state correctional facilities at some point in their lives, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
“We want them to know that they are loved, they belong, and we are happy they’re back,” said Becky Redmond-Walker, re-entry services manager at the Alma Center. “We believe that they can come home and be a positive force for change.”
Alma Center staff members, family members, along with representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Division of Community Corrections, the U.S. attorney’s office and community-based organizations, attended the gathering and offered the men resources such as literacy or employment support.
As part of the ceremony’s ritual, each man was given the floor to say what he wanted, and then guests and staff told stories and called out positive characteristics in him.
William Cainion (left) gives a thumbs up to a man inside prison who just earned his GED through a video conference. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
William Cainion, a re-entry guide at the Alma Center, said Stewart is driven and cares about others, and then he presented Stewart with a box.
Usually the Alma Center provides each man with a welcome home package with basic necessities, including T-shirts, socks, underwear, a wallet, a planner and hygiene products.
But the box for Stewart contained something different.
It was full of books to study to become a certified personal trainer.
“They were mine,” Cainion said. “And I know that you want to be a personal trainer, so I want you to have them now.”
Cainion’s job was created as part of a pilot program called Alma Brothers Smart Reentry, which started in February 2018. The program aims to significantly reduce recidivism and curb violent crime in Milwaukee by pairing men with a re-entry guide and a family support specialist for the last 12 months of their sentences, as well as for the first 12 months after they are released.
Stewart is among a cohort of 85 men from the ages of 18 to 30 who were deemed high risk by the Department of Community Corrections.
Through biweekly video conferences, letters and emails, the re-entry guides get to know the men. Cainion said they build strong relationships and discuss what it will take to successfully return to the community and their families, setting goals along the way.
All of the re-entry guides have been incarcerated themselves. This helps them build trusting relationships with the men while they’re still in prison.
“We have these shared experiences, so I can really be empathetic,” Cainion said.
Janet Robinson (left) serves a family-style dinner at the welcome home ceremony. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
After the men return home, the guides provide practical support such as driving them to the DMV to get an ID or a driver’s license, connecting them to education or employment opportunities or going with them to sign up for public assistance. Cainion said the men can call the guides at any time if they are struggling to make ends meet or feeling pressures to fall back into an old lifestyle.
“We want them to work, to go to school, to become something, but we also want them to work through things, because if you don’t work through what got you there, you go back,” Cainion said.
In addition to the re-entry guides, the other key piece of the Alma Brothers Smart Reentry program is the role of family support specialists.
Janet Robinson, a family support specialist, said time stops in a sense for men when they are in prison, while everything outside keeps moving. She said this can present challenges for everyone involved when someone returns home. In her role, Robinson works to provide support for the men’s families before release.
“When you build that relationship, you’re also healing that family, because you’re going to find that there are issues that the family outside may be concerned about regarding their loved one who is inside that may come up when they get back home,” she said. “These are things that need to be identified and worked out.”
Besides trying to heal relationships, support specialists work with families to plan and ensure the men have somewhere to stay when they come home. State recidivism data indicate that the first several months post-release are critical, as the highest number of re-offenses occur within the first three months.
Robinson said some men leave prison homeless, which is just one of the risks that heighten their chances of reoffending in the initial months post-release.
Reggie Moore, director of the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention, said that difficulty securing and maintaining employment with a criminal record is another risk that “could lead someone back to activity involving violence, as either a perpetrator or a victim.”
“The more we can support our returning residents with housing, mental health, employment and education, the more we set them and our communities up for success,” Moore said.
It’s too early to tell if the program is yielding positive results, but Stewart said he feels confident and ready to start his next chapter. “I’m turning a new leaf, so I’m feeling pretty positive these days,” he said.
“Having the Alma Center in my corner to hold me accountable has made a huge difference in my life,” he said.

author: Allison Dikanovic


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5 things you need to know this week in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Elyse McFeggan
March 4, 2019
(Photo by Adam Carr)
1. The School Board’s final forum will take place on Wednesday, March 6
The Milwaukee School Board elections are coming up on April 2. The last forum of the election will be held this Wednesday, March 6 at Zablocki Public Library, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave. The doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the forum begins at 6:30 p.m. All 11 candidates will attend and be available to meet and answer questions. Interpreters and light refreshments will be available. Voter information is available on the City of Milwaukee website.
2. Lead crisis: Public Safety and Health committee meeting Thursday, March 7
The City of Milwaukee Public Safety and Health committee meeting has been moved to this Thursday, March 7 at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall, room 301B. Learn more about Milwaukee’s lead crisis and check if your home is safe.
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3. MAM to hold Community Conversations: Restoring Rights on Thursday, March 7
The Milwaukee Art Museum will hold a panel discussion on re-entry and restoring rights to formerly incarcerated residents this Thursday, March 7 at 6:15 p.m. in the Lubar Auditorium. Dasha Kelly, cultural organizer and founder of Still Waters Collective, and Rob Smith, history professor at Marquette University will moderate. There will also be an express talk at 5:30 p.m. on the San Quentin Project.
4. Registration deadline for 9th annual Girls’ Day at city hall extended until Wednesday, March 6
Girls’ Day at City Hall will include panel discussions and workshops as well as networking opportunities for young women. It is hosted by Allderwomen Milele A. Coggs, Chantia Lewis and Nikiya Dodd. The event will take place on March 14 from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. All girls must be accompanied by a chaperone and group registration is available. To register, visit Milwaukee’s common council website.
5. Milwaukee parking services extends winter regulations until March 15
Milwaukee is experiencing a longer winter than the city planned for. Parking Services has extended its side parking regulations until March 15. Check out the rules and affected areas on the Milwaukee parking services website. Overnight winter parking regulations may extend for some areas, too.

author: Elyse McFeggan


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2019


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Not so fast: Groups hope to show you that good food can come to those who wait | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 4, 2019
Adults at Cross Lutheran Church can take cooking classes and learn how to make a healthy version of their favorite meals. (Photo provided by Linda Radder)
For the past few years, Cross Lutheran Church at 1821 N. 16 St. has been trying to educate community members on the importance of eating healthy. The church serves residents living in 53205, one of the poorest ZIP codes in Milwaukee.
Linda Radder, a faith community nurse, has been at the church for nearly 15 years. During that time, Radder noticed that community members often worked multiple jobs and, as a result, chose to eat fast-food items for their convenience.
The church wanted to change that and began looking for ways to offer nutrition classes for the adults participating in the Adult Center and Men’s Wellness Group and for students at Shalom High School nearby.
Community members pick up healthy foods at Cross Lutheran Church’s food pantry. (Photo provided by Linda Radder)
“Many people want to eat differently,” she said, but they don’t know where to begin.
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The church began hosting cooking classes, and when those classes ended, the church continued to look for ways to serve its community.
Recently, the church’s program, Bread of Healing Empowerment Ministry, received a Nutrition Education Grant. It was one of eight organizations in Milwaukee to receive the grant from co-sponsors Kohl’s Healthy Families and the American Cancer Society.
The recipients of the grants, which totaled $200,000, ranged from clinics and schools to faith-based organizations. Chosen for their diversity, the recipients included groups such as The Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, Groundwork Milwaukee and Southeast Asian Educational Development of Wisconsin. Sponsors hope to reach 3,000 individuals through the recipients’ efforts.
Radder said that Cross Lutheran Church first partnered with the American Cancer Society and Kohl’s Healthy Families in 2016 through its HEALE Program, which stands for healthy eating and active living environments.
Through the grant, the church plans to offer cooking classes, in which participants can learn how to make their favorite recipes healthier. It will also offer nutrition education programs to adults and students. It hopes to engage 300 people in some form of nutrition education.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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‘An enduring ecosystem of disadvantage:’ New report takes comprehensive, distressing look at Milwaukee’s 53206 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 5, 2019
Adults and youngsters hold signs during an “I am 53206” march and rally in 2016. (Photo by Naomi Waxman)
Concentrated poverty, extreme joblessness, mass incarceration and declining incomes for those who are employed.
That’s a brief and bleak glance into several issues highlighted in a new report analyzing social and economic challenges plaguing the 53206 ZIP code area of Milwaukee. And although some of the findings from the UW-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development study did show small signs of improvement, the picture is far from rosy for residents of the neighborhood bordered by North Avenue and West Capitol Drive, and North 7th to 27th streets.
Here are some of the report’s key findings:
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According to UW-Milwaukee professor Marc L. Levine, who authored “Milwaukee 53206: The Anatomy of Concentrated Disadvantage In an Inner City Neighborhood 2000-2017,” the study provides an in-depth look at over two decades worth of data on factors that significantly impact 53206 residents, including employment and poverty rates. Among the key issues the report analyzed were how poor children who grew up in the area fared as adults; the comparison of 53206 to the rest of the city and suburbs; and whether it was actually the most incarcerated ZIP code in the nation.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 4, 2019


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Anti-Semitic incidents increase in Wisconsin for fifth consecutive year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Jewish Federation
March 5, 2019
Wisconsin is experiencing an alarming rise in anti-Semitic incidents, according to the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s 2018 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents. Mirroring the rise of white supremacy, racism, and anti-Semitism in the U.S. and across the globe, new data shows an unprecedented number of local anti-Semitic incidents.
It is the fifth consecutive year of increased incidents, with a 20 percent increase from 2017.
“What’s most alarming is the change in tenor and tone,” said JCRC Chair Ann Jacobs. “The anti-Semitic incidents of 2018 were meaner, scarier, more personal, and unsettling.”
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JCRC showed not only a 21% increase in overall anti-Semitic incidents, but a shocking 166% in incidence of vandalism.
“Perhaps most troubling is the renewal of conspiracy theories about Jews,” said JCRC Director Elana Kahn. “We are seeing the revival of old, hateful tropes of Jews as puppet-masters, working behind the scenes to destroy America through race-mixing and the nefarious use of power.”
“Such conspiracy theories,” noted Jacobs, “have a direct connection to the horrific attack on the synagogue in Pittsburgh last October. We need to understand the potential outcomes of hateful theories, attitudes, and language.”
Trends include:
·       20.5% increase in incidents.
·       166% increase in vandalism.
·       Increase in vitriol and violent language in all incidents.
·       Increase in the use of classic conspiracy theories of Jewish power, Jewish control, and Jews as puppet-masters.
·       Increase in references to Nazism, Holocaust, and white supremacy.
·       26% of incidents involved youth or took place on school campuses.
·       45% of incidents took place online.
“We must all be vigilant against this rise of hate,” said Kahn. “We know that other communities are experiencing a similar erosion of civility. We must do a better job of stopping hateful language, interrupting all bigotry, and committing to building a safer community together.”
The JCRC works year-round to respond to and prevent incidents through ongoing interfaith and intercultural relations, ongoing efforts fighting bigotry against all people, and its Hours Against Hate initiative.
The JCRC strongly encourages individuals and institutions to report all incidents. We ensure full confidentiality.
·       Email ElanaK@MilwaukeeJewish.org<mailto:ElanaK@MilwaukeeJewish.org>
·       Call 414-390-5736
Each reported incident is corroborated and reviewed before any action is taken. The audit is reviewed by the JCRC’s Anti-Semitism & Constitutional Law Task Force and the JCRC Board before the final approval process of the JCRC Community Council.
If you have any questions about the audit, or would like additional resources, please contact Elana Kahn at Elanak@MilwaukeeJewish.org<mailto:Elanak@MilwaukeeJewish.org> or 414-390-5736.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation envisions a just community that reflects American and Jewish values. The mission is to speak as the representative of the Jewish community on issues of public affairs and public policy by convening and mobilizing the Jewish community through education, advocacy, social justice, and support for Israel.

author: Milwaukee Jewish Federation


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How to keep your children’s teeth healthy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Dental Association
March 5, 2019
Arielle Williams observes proper brushing technique demonstrated by Smart Smiles dental assistant Calandria Duncan. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Oral health is tightly connected to overall health, and it’s critical that kids establish good oral health habits at an early age. The Wisconsin Dental Association offers the following tips to encourage healthy dental habits in kids:
Avoid sugar. Cavities can be prevented by cutting down on the sweets. By limiting the amount of sugar consumed, there are few opportunities for dental plaque to form. If plaque is not removed by either brushing, flossing or naturally by saliva, the mouth becomes more acidic, which can lead to decay. Some healthy alternatives to sugary snacks include water, cheese, crackers and apples.
Brush and floss together. Make brushing fun by doing it together! Show kids the right way to hold the toothbrush and how to move it gently along their teeth and gums. Maintaining regular brushing and flossing routines as a family allows caregivers to set good examples and monitor kids to be sure they’re brushing the right way, and for the proper amount of time.
Don’t overdo it on the toothpaste. A recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that 40 percent of children ages 3-6 use excessive amounts of toothpaste when brushing their teeth. The recommended amount of toothpaste for children of these ages is a pea-sized amount, and even less for those under the age of 3. Anything more than that can lead to fluorosis, causing white lines or streaks in the teeth.
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Make routine dental appointments. Children should start going to the dentist for routine cleanings and check-ups by the time of their first birthday or when the first tooth appears. Appointments are recommended every six months, unless the dentist suggests otherwise. By going the dentist’s office early and often, children can become comfortable with their dentist and build a foundation for healthy smiles at a young age.
Check for fluoride. Fluoride is one of the best and safest ways we can all prevent cavities. It plays an essential role in protecting our teeth by making them stronger and more resistant to acid. Make sure that children are receiving a sufficient amount of fluoride by checking the levels in your drinking water and toothpastes. If there is any doubt, ask the child’s dentist about prescribing additional supplements.

author: Wisconsin Dental Association


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Repositioning nonprofits as a force for systems change || March 13, 2019 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Frank Martinelli
March 5, 2019
Register for this event here.
Attend the March 13, 2019 leadership briefing to learn about the Nonprofit Repositioning Initiative, an effort to provide resources, tools, and network building opportunities to increase capacity of nonprofits to deepen their impact at the underlying systems level and provide more permanent solutions to crucial community problems.This effort is based on a TEDx Talk delivered in Milwaukee by Frank Martinelli of the Center for Public Skills Training.
Milwaukee . . . In spite of the valiant efforts of many caring people and organizations over a long period of time, life has not improved for many Milwaukeeans. If things are going to really change, we need to shift attention from modest service goals that provide temporary relief to some to courageous actions that challenge and change the economic, social and political systems that are the root cause of the many problems we face.
In order for this shift to occur, we must reassess our work in the nonprofit sector — especially those organizations working in low income communities. Too much of our work stops at providing services to individuals in communities ravaged by unjust economic, social and political systems. And this work must, of course, continue.
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At the same time, nonprofits need to direct more efforts at actually changing the underlying systems that produce so much of this pain and injustice. While we continue to provide services to individuals in need, we must now reposition the community based nonprofit sector as a powerful force for social change at the underlying systems level.
So, for nonprofits that want to move in this direction, how does the journey begin? There are four key strategies that can help reposition nonprofits in this way:
And for each of these strategies, there are resource organizations ready to help nonprofits move their impact to the root cause level. Learn more about these four strategies and the resources that can make it happen in Milwaukee.
For more information, contact Frank Martinelli at frank@createthefuture.com
This program is based on a TEDx Talk delivered in Milwaukee by Frank Martinelli of the Center for Public Skills Training. Frank has been involved Milwaukee’s nonprofit sector for many years ― as a community organizer, volunteer, staff director, board leader, and as a trainer and consultant to nonprofits. View the TED Talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JqUkGj4IFQ

author: Frank Martinelli


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The War on Drugs is taking its toll on our communities. Why won’t we talk about it? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Paul Mozina
March 5, 2019
A discarded needle lies in an alley near West Greenfield Avenue. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Editor’s note: Got something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to Info@milwaukeenns.org.
Paul Mozina, a retired IT professional and an activist who has opposed the War on Drugs since the early 1980s, feels there has not been enough conversation about the war’s effects on communities of color.
I have been critical of both the Milwaukee City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force and the Office of Violence Prevention’s Blueprint for Peace for failing to even mention the War on Drugs and the myriad ways it is traumatizing our community.
The harmful effects of drug prohibition have accrued over three generations in Milwaukee since it was ramped up by Richard Nixon, who intentionally targeted minority populations and the anti-war movement. The cumulative damage may take generations to heal, and we should start the process by ending the War on Drugs—ALL DRUGS.
Here is a partial inventory of harms that drug prohibition is causing the Milwaukee community:
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I think it is fair to assume that a percentage of these statistics also is connected to drug prohibition. What is the impact of all this trauma-inducing violence on the survivors, friends, family and witnesses?
Undoubtedly, much of the other crime and violence in Milwaukee is related to drug deals gone bad or attempts to get money to buy drugs. Consider the car thefts and reckless driving that often accompanies mobile drug markets.
The War on Drugs has led directly to the introduction of fentanyl into the illicit drug supply and it now accounts for over 59% of the opioid overdoses.
Pregnant women who are using controlled substances do not get the medical care they need before and after giving birth because of fear of losing their child and being incarcerated. This results in a higher rate of infant mortality, especially among black and brown babies.
People who cannot get a safe dose of the substance they need to “get well” from a legally regulated market are exploited by human traffickers.
The choice to inject drugs is driven largely by the consumer’s desire to maximize the return on their risky acquisitions and this leads to HIV, hepatitis C and many other harmful effects. And again, people of color are the most impacted.
People being incarcerated for drug crimes may result in family members being evicted or foreclosed on.
Even a short time in jail can cause a person to lose his or her job, possessions and housing.
Ex-felons have the odds stack against them in a myriad of ways, especially in the areas of employment, housing and education.
Drug laws have been disproportionately enforced on people of color for three generations now.  Does this foster respect for the law?  What is the cost of trust lost?
A significant percentage of the time and resources of the Milwaukee Police Department is spent enforcing the drug laws or responding to the violence and crime that accompanies drug prohibition.
The “Broken Windows” strategy of policing, which is a weapon in the War on Drugs, has resulted here in the ACLU Stop and Frisk lawsuit. This has not only cost the city millions of dollars, it has eroded the trust between the people and the MPD.
The hypocrisy of criminally stigmatizing people who self-medicate with arbitrarily controlled substances, while we are awash in prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco (that kill far more people), deadens the conscience and erases the distinction between right and wrong.
We must recognize the harms that drug prohibition causes and acknowledge that there is no quick fix for a problem that has festered for three generations. Let’s talk about it.

author: Paul Mozina


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Twelve healthy food & nutrition classes start next week at Walnut Way | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Walnut Way
March 5, 2019
Neighbor Night Series Begins March 12th
This year we are reinvigorating our Neighbor Nights with 12 classes focused on healthy eating and nutrition. Each instructor will teach 6 classes to help you on your wellness journey. All classes are free thanks to support from American Cancer Society. Classes begin March 12th!
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At Healthy Mindful Eating Circles
Join Chef Anomalous Campbell in this 6 part healthy eating series with hands on cooking demos, outdoor classes at local gardens, farmers markets, and at the Walnut Way Center.
We will discuss how to minimize processed food intake. Learn the difference between organic, regular conventional and irradiated foods. Discuss the importance of meal prepping, reading food labels, and how to shop for budget friendly healthy foods at local grocery stores.
ABOUT CHEF CAMPBELL
Anomalous Campbell in an imaginative and healthy full service chef and owner of Anomaly Catering.
She’s held healthy eating workshops at Carmen High School, vegan cooking classes in partnership with Alice’s Garden, Walnut Way and other organizations to provide healthy meals for meetings and events.
ABOUT BRIDGETT WILDER
Bridgett Wilder is a north side Milwaukee resident who became a widow at the age of 36 with nine children, ages 4 months to 16 years.
In 2018 she graduated from Mt. Mary University with a degree in dietetics and launched Perseverance Health and Wellness Coaching and Consultation Services, LLC., that helps individuals improve their health by way of nutrition.

author: Walnut Way


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938b7b2b-fa24-4c2f-aeec-bd17ea256013 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 5, 2019

author: Adam Carr


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 5, 2019


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NNS reporter Allison Dikanovic goes live on WGLB 1560AM | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
March 6, 2019
NNS reporter Allison Dikanovic recently joined hosts Dennis Walton and Saryea Murchison on WGLB-AM 1560’s “Morning Mix.” They spoke about changes that are coming to our youth justice system with the closing of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons and how community members can get involved.
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author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 6, 2019


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 6, 2019
“Track 1” from Untitled – 03-01-19. Track 1.


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‘Scrap it, start fresh, and think:’ What Milwaukee can learn from New York City on housing young offenders | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
March 6, 2019
Vincent Schiraldi of Columbia University Justice Lab fields questions last week from community members, including youths who have had firsthand experience in the justice system. “It struck me right away that the focus of that law, Act 185, was too much on facilities,” Schiraldi says. Act 185 is the state law that mandates the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake by 2021 and replaces the youth prisons with several new regional facilities. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
For a refresher on what the closing of the youth prisons will mean for Milwaukee, click here.
Reports chronicled instances of abuse, excessive use of force and inadequate mental health care. Among them: the death of a 15-year-old boy who died after being pinned down by prison staff members.
The U.S. Department of Justice opened investigations. Advocates pushed for change.
And public outrage reached a boiling point.
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The failure in New York draws obvious parallels to Wisconsin’s situation with Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons as both states have experienced moments of crisis that prompted significant changes to their youth justice systems.
A new report from the Columbia University Justice Lab suggests that though not perfect, the path of reform that New York City took years ago has yielded largely positive results that could be a model for Milwaukee.
Through an initiative called Close to Home, New York City restructured the way its youth justice system worked as a whole by moving its young people from state-run facilities upstate into community-based programs, and, in some situations, into small residential care homes with limited security measures in the city.
By 2016, New York City stopped sending any of its children to state-operated youth prisons. Today, only about 100 youths in all of New York City are in any kind of residential facility, and there are only 12 who are in a locked facility. That’s out of a population of more than 8.6 million people.
With less than a month until the deadline for Milwaukee County to submit its grant proposal to the state requesting funding to build and open a new locked facility in the city, researchers from the Columbia Justice Lab visited Milwaukee last week and spoke with leaders and advocates from the Milwaukee Community Justice Council, Youth Justice Milwaukee and Milwaukee County about its findings. They offered insight as well as concern regarding the state and county’s current plans for reform.
Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls are Wisconsin’s two youth prisons. They are located in Irma, Wisconsin, about three and a half hours away from Milwaukee. Over the past several years, the youth prisons have undergone criminal investigations and been subject to numerous lawsuits for allegations of abuse, neglect and excessive use of force
Vincent Schiraldi, former commissioner of probation for New York City, one of the report’s authors and an expert witness who testified in the case against Lincoln Hills, warned of the danger of building a new facility with too many beds.
“It struck me right away that the focus of that law, Act 185, was too much on facilities,” Schiraldi said. Act 185, the state law that mandates the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake by 2021, replaces the youth prisons with several new regional facilities, some run by the state for those deemed Serious Juvenile Offenders, and some run by counties for youth with less serious offenses
“They should basically scrap it, start fresh, and think: What are the services we need to provide to the kids?” he said. “And then after that figure out who do we really need to keep in our custody?”
Mary Jo Meyers, director of Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, agreed that services and programs need to be prioritized and said she talked with Kevin Carr, secretary of the state Department of Corrections, about the potential of having more locked facility beds than needed if both the county and the state build new centers.
Although county and state leaders may question the need for multiple new facilities in Milwaukee, the county still is moving forward with its building plan. County officials remain committed to the current timeline to bring youths home from Lincoln Hills and Cooper Lake as soon as possible, which requires completing the grant proposal with facility plans by March 31.
The county is purchasing land from the City of Milwaukee at either 6101 W. Mill Road or 6600 N. Teutonia Ave. and also is hiring a construction firm to build its new facility.
Meyers said building a facility will cost $37.5 million, adding the county predicts a $2 million gap in financing. Act 185 only allocates $40 million for all of the county-run facilities throughout the state to compete in this grant process.
Meyers said the cost accounts for creating space so the county can carry out its desired quality of programming–including green space and classrooms–as well as to maintain a ratio of 1 staff member for every 5 youths.
The county-run secure facility will house about 40 beds, separated into pod units of about eight to 10 youths. Meyers said there will be one unit for girls and the rest will be for boys. She said the county has been working with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to forecast the number of beds it will need.
“We’re really trying to do this at the right size so we can do all the things we learned about from the New York model as far as best practices,” she said. “In order to do that, we can’t just build a new facility. There’s a lot more to it as far as whole system.”
Schiraldi said New York City reduced the number of youths sent to residential placements by shifting its model from relying on institutions to investing in community-based programs and small homes. He said the first step leaders took was to re-evaluate and redefine which youth needed to be in custody.
“It’s kind of a fundamental question you rarely get to ask,” he said. “Is what we were doing yesterday and all the yesterdays for the past 20 years the best we could do, or should we rethink the whole thing?”
Stakeholders involved in different aspects of the youth justice system worked together to come up with a new criteria for sentencing and agreed that only youths they defined as high-risk would be placed out of their homes, he said. They were sent to home-like settings in the city that were unidentifiable from street view and housed no more than six to 12 youths.
The city expanded its infrastructure of community-based programs to put lower-risk youths on a trajectory away from the justice system. This required buy-in and cooperation from judges and prosecutors.
Schiraldi said leaders originally contracted too many beds for residential programs, out of fear of overcrowding, but that the opposite actually happened: The city ended up with extra, empty beds and had to cancel contracts with providers. Schiraldi said this was a good problem to have because it showed their approach worked.
“Thankfully we had the ability to make some facilities go away because they were contracts,” Schiraldi explained. “Once you build something here in Milwaukee that’s built with government money and has civil service employees in it, it’s going to be really hard to close that facility.”
Besides contracting too many placements, New York City also struggled with youth running away from the facilities in its early months. In the following years, Schiraldi said leaders boosted staff training and came up with solutions to reduce the number of youths who ran away.
New York City admittedly fell short in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in its system. Even after Close to Home, 90 percent of youth in the justice system were youths of color, and all of the youth placed in secure facilities were youths of color, even though youth of color comprise only 40 percent of the city’s youth population.
A bill circulating in the state Legislature could delay the reform process by at least six months, postponing the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake until July 2021.
Any changes in the funding will surface in budget discussions in the coming weeks and months. In his proposed budget, Gov. Tony Evers recommended modifying Act 185 so that the state could accept and review county grant proposals for facility funding on a rolling basis.
The need for both state-run facilities and county-run facilities is part of the current language of Act 185, which requires youths in the Serious Juvenile Offender program to be placed in state custody.
Mark Mertens, administrator for Milwaukee County Division of Youth and Family Services, said he would like to change the categorization of a Serious Juvenile Offender so more youths could remain under county care, but that classification is set in state statute.
Local advocacy group Youth Justice Milwaukee has been advocating for utilizing and funding community-based programs such as mentoring, job training and mental health care instead of building new facilities since its inception in 2017. It has also voiced its preference for small, home-like care settings rather than larger facilities.
Research and data show that smaller is better, said Sharlen Moore, co-founder of YJM. “Young people are more successful when they’re in environments with smaller numbers of young people so there is more of an opportunity for services to be tailored to their needs.”
In light of the Columbia Justice Lab case study, Moore said that the group will push back against the plan to build potentially two new facilities in Milwaukee County. Both the county and the state have proposed facilities on the city’s Northwest side.


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Alverno College student honored as Newman Civic Fellow | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Kelly Cole
March 7, 2019
Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the 262 students who will make up the organization’s 2019-20 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Among the honorees is Alverno College student Donna Lewis-Taylor. This is the third year in a row an Alverno student has been named a Newman Civic Fellow; Katherine Watson was selected for the 2017 cohort and Alejandra Gonzalez was chosen for the 2018 cohort.
Lewis-Taylor, a sophomore majoring in Accounting with a minor in Sociology, is a first-generation college student. On campus she serves as the president of the Black Student Alliance; she also volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the Milwaukee Reentry Council, which works to reduce recidivism among a high-risk population upon release from prison. She is a recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Scholarship, which honors a student’s excellence in leadership and community service.
“Ms. Lewis-Taylor’s passion for justice and social change reflect her belief in humanity’s ability to transform, but to do so we must ‘live on purpose,’” said Andrea Lee, IHM, PhD, president of Alverno College. “She exemplifies the purposeful life as a mentor, an advocate, and as someone whose compassion is demonstrated through her willingness to lead conversations on tough topics.”
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The Newman Civic Fellowship, named for Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman, is a one-year experience emphasizing personal, professional and civic growth for students who have demonstrated a capacity for leadership and an investment in solving public problems. Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides a variety of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference of Newman Civic Fellows in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. The fellowship also provides fellows with access to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.
“We are proud to recognize each of these extraordinary student leaders and thrilled to have the opportunity to engage with them,” said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. “The stories of this year’s Newman Civic Fellows make clear that they are committed to finding solutions to pressing problems in their communities and beyond. That is what Campus Compact is about, and it’s what our country and our world desperately need.”
The Newman Civic Fellowship is supported by the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation. Learn more at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship.
About Campus Compact
Campus Compact is a national coalition of 1000+ colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Campus Compact supports institutions in fulfilling their public purposes by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. As the largest national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, we provide professional development to administrators and faculty to enable them to engage effectively, facilitate national partnerships connecting campuses with key issues in their local communities, build pilot programs to test and refine promising models in engaged teaching and scholarship, celebrate and cultivate student civic leadership, and convene higher education institutions and partners beyond higher education to share knowledge and develop collective capacity. Visit www.compact.org.
About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

author: Kelly Cole


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donna_lewis_taylor.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 7, 2019

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Alverno Community Conference will focus on empowering women | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
March 7, 2019
Alverno College will host its annual Community Conference on Friday, March 29, centered around the theme of Empowering Women. Griselda Aldrete, president and chief executive officer of Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, will serve as the keynote speaker of the event, which is open to the public.
The annual day of learning, which provides an opportunity for the extended Alverno community to share research, new initiatives and best practices, includes workshops, discussions and creative activities. More than 20 breakout sessions will be offered on a variety of topics, including the 2019 Alverno Report: the Status of Girls in Wisconsin, developed by the college’s Research Center for Women and Girls; executive women and power; Latina leadership; and more.
Aldrete, who will speak about using mentorship to improve ourselves and our communities, has far-reaching experience in community leadership, outreach and financial management. She has received several prominent awards for her community service and the advancement of Hispanics.
For more information about the 2019 Alverno Community Conference or to register, visit alverno.edu/communityconference. Additional questions can be directed to the Assessment and Outreach Center at 414-382-6020 or alverno.outreach@alverno.edu.
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The event is sponsored by the Johnson Financial Group.
About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

author: Alverno College


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Alv_Com_Conf_Logo_2019.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 5, 2019


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Black Lives / Black Lungs: How big tobacco targets African American communities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Nelson Sederstrom
March 7, 2019
An estimated 45,000 African Americans die each year from tobacco-related illnesses, according to the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network. While this number is in itself staggering, African American smokers are more than 10 times as likely to smoke menthol cigarettes than their white counterparts. How are these two statistics related?
Exploring this and other trends was the goal of the Black Lives / Black Lungs forum, lecture, and screening held Thursday, February 21, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Union.
“Menthol advertising is disproportionately directed at and placed in black communities,” Lincoln Mondy narrates during his film, Black Lives / Black Lungs. “Tobacco companies have used predatory practices to push their product on these [groups] for decades.”
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In what could best be described as a double-edged sword, the tobacco companies provided an avenue for black empowerment and visibility through advertising, but were simultaneously building brand loyalty to a product with deadly effects.
The UW Milwaukee Student Union, continuing its series of lectures celebrating Black History Month, hosted the panel of community members, professionals, and advocates featuring distinguished clinical psychologist Dr. Phoenix Matthews of the University of Illinois-Chicago to begin to unpack the facts, myths, and rhetoric surrounding the issue of menthol marketing to the African American community.
The event was sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, CVS Health Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance, and SPARK: Tobacco-Free Colleges and Universities.
A screening of Black Lives / Black Lungs, a short film created by Mondy during his tenure as a Truth Initiative Youth Activism Fellow, was followed by “The Menthol Exemption: An Example of Public Policy Gone Wrong,” a formal, public health policy-oriented presentation by Dr. Matthews.
In “The Menthol Exemption,” Matthews made a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act signed into law by President Obama in 2009. All flavored cigarettes were banned by the legislation, with one exemption: menthol.
The presentation provided an in-depth, data-filled and eye-opening insight into tobacco usage habits and patterns, preferences, and quit attempts, which were all correlated to menthol and the larger African American community.
“You can see quit rates are lower. It’s a very hard thing to do,” Matthews said during their lecture. “But they are disproportionately lower among African Americans.”
The panel received questions and provided insights on how to tackle the strong ties between tobacco and various African American community institutions.
Maya Randolph, a panelist and Milwaukee high school student active in the Neu Life FACT program, participates in Wisconsin Wins checks, undercover age-compliance checks done in unison with Milwaukee Police Department. Randolph said that menthol seemed to be more heavily advertised in predominantly black areas within the city.
“They advertise them with stickers all over the store, on the windows from the outside,” Randolph said.
The Milwaukee Collaborative Project recently confirmed Randolph’s observation, noting that within the 53209, 53205, and 53206 zip codes, which have a population that is nearly 80% African American, menthol promotions are displayed by 69% of retailers, compared with 30% and under for two other zip code clusters studied within Milwaukee, both of which had proportionately higher white and Latinx populations.
According to one study from the University of California that reinforced much of the material presented during Black Lives / Black Lungs, the tobacco industry purposely sought out relationships with powerful black organizations nationwide, with three inherent goals: “to increase African American tobacco use, to use African Americans as a frontline force to defend industry policy positions, and to defuse tobacco control efforts.”
Furthermore, recent publications by the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network have determined you’re more likely to be targeted by tobacco companies if you’re young, black, or poor.
Many long-standing African American institutions are split in their support of proposed menthol restrictions. Although the NAACP is a strong proponent of the recent FDA proposal to ban menthol, local efforts have been stymied by industry-funded attempts to create fear of the potential for increased criminalization of black men who continue to use menthol products.
In order to combat an issue with so many components as this, one must be prepared for all circumstances.
“You must,” Dr. Matthews explained emphatically, pausing for emphasis: “Anticipate high levels of resistance. From unanticipated areas.”
The 2019 theme of Black History Month, Black Migrations, seeks to implore movements to new areas and new social realities. The hope is that a migration from these tobacco-related ills can now become a reality through raising consciousness and inspiring community action.

author: Nelson Sederstrom


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black lives seated.JPG | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 4, 2019


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 7, 2019


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Famed Syrian classical guitarist playing Milwaukee concert to benefit refugees on March 10 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Hanan Refugee Relief Group
March 7, 2019
Who: Ayman Jarjour, Julliard-trained classical guitarist – http://aymanjarjour.com/
What: Concert to benefit Syrian refugees
When: Sunday March 10, 7:15 p.m.
Where: St. Sebastian Church, 5400 W. Washington Blvd., Milwaukee
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About the Artist: Jarjour performs a wide range of the classical guitar repertoire, ranging from the traditional Spanish/Latin American, through Baroque and Classical, to contemporary music.  Jarjour received a BA from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid, Spain and an MA from Julliard. Since his recital debut in Damascus, Syria, Ayman Jarjour has been actively performing in the Middle East, Europe, the United States, Africa and the Far East.
His solo performances with orchestra include the world premiere of Olypmus (concerto for guitar and orchestra) by Evis Sammoutis with the Hessle Sinfonia. He played the Syrian premiere of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Solhi Al Wadi and Concierto Andaluz with the Syrian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nahel Halabi. In New York, he has performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall as winner of Artists International’s Special Presentation Award.
Jarjour lives in Scotland with his family and on tour in the U.S. to perform benefit concerts for Syrian refugees.
About the Charity: Jarjour will play an hour-long concert to benefit the Hanan Refugee Relief Group – www.hananrrg.org, a woman-run organization that does not take any administrative fees — 100% of donations benefit refugees.

author: Hanan Refugee Relief Group


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Legacy: New business hub for minority entrepreneurs to open on MLK Drive | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin
March 7, 2019
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The African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (AACCW) is pleased to announce the groundbreaking development of Legacy: a new innovation and co-working space designed by and for African American entrepreneurs. Construction for the new business hub is underway, and Legacy will open its doors in July 2019 at 1920 N. MLK Drive in Milwaukee.
“We were inspired by leaders like Victor Barnett and Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter, and named the space Legacy as a tribute to entrepreneurs who have and are making the world a better place,” said Ossie Kendrix, president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin.
“There’s a lot of discussion in Milwaukee about fostering entrepreneurship, but we lack dedicated support for underrepresented, minority entrepreneurs. Legacy fills that need by providing access to workspace, mentorship, networking opportunities and business development resources.”
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Totaling 4,212 square feet, Legacy will house AACCW’s offices, as well as innovation and co-working space for entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Unique to Legacy’s coworking space, the business hub will also feature SHARED, a community kitchen created specifically for bakers and cooks, providing access to commercial-grade kitchen amenities, or simply more cooking space during peak seasons.
The Legacy construction team includes general contractor JCP Construction, whose offices are also located in Bronzeville. Wauwatosa-based Galbraith Carnahan Architects have been selected as architects to design the new business hub.
“We’re excited to welcome Legacy and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin to Dr. Martin Luther King Drive Jr. Drive,” said Deshea Agee, Executive Director of Historic King Drive BID 8. “The African American Chamber of Commerce provides another anchor institution to Milwaukee’s Bronzeville area, as it is transforming and creating a legacy of its own. As we look to build the best King Drive in the nation, investments in new businesses and entrepreneurs are what we need to make a strong impact. Legacy and SHARED will help us move the needle in the right direction.”
AACCW launched a Legacy fundraising campaign to raise $500,000 for the completion of the new innovation and co-working space. For more information about Legacy or to pledge a donation, visit www.Legacy.AACCWi.org.


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Let’s reimagine youth justice in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jermaine Reed
March 7, 2019
(Courtesy of Department of Corrections)
Editor’s note: Got something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to Info@milwaukeenns.org.
Jermaine Reed is the executive director of Ujima House in Milwaukee.
An important discussion is taking place about what happens after Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons finally close. Fortunately, the Milwaukee community has the power to reimagine youth justice in our city, in our neighborhood, and even on our block.
The clear lesson of that failed prison is we cannot keep sending our young people hundreds of miles away, to be locked up without meeting their most basic treatment and healing needs. We need them in our communities where we can be intentional about how we work to repair harm and heal their trauma.
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I’ve worked in the foster care system for two decades, doing what I can to bring stability and hope to children in limbo. Far too many young people end up in the juvenile justice system because their lives are engulfed by chaos.
For three years, I’ve run Ujima House, a non-secure facility in the heart of the inner-city of Milwaukee. We work with “at-promise” young men ages 12-17 who are struggling with their mental health, are involved in the foster care and youth justice systems. Our goal is to make sure they feel emotionally and physically safe – something that has often been missing from their lives.
We are currently expanding our capacity to work with 10 youths at a time. While our small size is important, perhaps the most important distinction is that we aren’t just a “facility” – we’re a home for the young men who stay with us. We take care to create a safe, stable environment that provides cultural, mental and educational support. Critically, Ujima House doesn’t have bars on the windows or doors. Juxtaposed with a prison like Lincoln Hills, we recognize the power of giving young people a sense of belonging, ownership and dignity.
When we remember these young people are our next-door neighbors, it becomes easier to teach, love, and support them – and to give them the second, third, and fourth chances they need. If we want a young man to go from stealing cars to digging out his neighbors’ cars in a snowstorm, we need to engage him, not abandon him when he needs us most.
Engagement means asking a new young person who comes through the door about what’s important to them. What kind of food do they like? What music do they listen to? What do they think about the art on our walls? How can we connect? When young people are valued and respected instead of treated as a number in the system, youth typically don’t run away — even without bars and locks, even if they have a history of such behavior. When a program is individualized, small and home-like and includes their families, young people have little reason to run.
Family connection is absolutely critical, but our current system has family separation built in. We don’t need to double down on the trauma young people have been through by keeping them away from their loved ones.
Last Christmas, we ensured that all the young men staying at Ujima House were able to be with their families for the holiday, even if it was only to share a meal. And a truly reimagined youth justice system is capable of going the distance to promote healing.
The mother of one young man we worked with lived in Chicago, so we drove him there to see her, his great-grandmother and his two siblings. The young man later said it was best Christmas gift he could get.
Right now, Milwaukee has an opportunity to create a juvenile justice system that connects young people to mentors, families, and opportunities. More bars and locks simply divide communities. Success means we must embrace young people with love in our hearts right now. We can no longer let fear push our children away.

author: Jermaine Reed


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Jermaine-Reed | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 6, 2019