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28839377830_21ba25aa7d_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
June 30, 2022


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 5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: July 4 to July 8 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 4, 2022
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
1. City firework shows: Monday, July 4
Firework shows at parks across the city take place on Monday, July 4. More details, including times and locations, here.
2. Community mural painting: Wednesday, July 6 through Saturday, July 9
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Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative is looking for volunteers to help paint a mural with artist Tia Richardson. No art experience necessary. Just show up and grab a brush. Volunteers are needed at 1734 W. Greenfield Ave. during the following dates and times:
Wednesday, July 6 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Thursday, July 7 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, July 8 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 9 from noon to 4 p.m.
3. Healing Spaces Initiative visioning sessions: Wednesday, July 6 and Friday, July 8
The Healing Spaces Initiative is a program turning vacant city-owned lots into relaxing parks and greenspaces. Two new parks, or “healing spaces,” are planned for lots in the Metcalfe Park and Harambee neighborhoods. Residents are invited to give input as to what they would like to see in their neighborhood park.
The Metcalfe Park visioning session runs from noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 6 at 2652 N. 36th St. and will be led by Metcalfe Park Community Bridges. The Harambee visioning session runs from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 8 at 2475 N. 5th St. and will be led by Northcott Neighborhood House.
4. Fanana Banana: “We Are MKE” art show: Friday, July 8
Fanana Banana, an art collective supporting Muslim, Middle Eastern and North African artists in Milwaukee, is putting on its first art show. The show,  “We Are MKE,” runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, July 8 at 710 W. Historic Mitchell St. The show will include artwork, art vendors, free food, music performances and activities for kids. Tickets are $15, and kids younger than 5 have free admission.
5. Music Under the Stars: John Stanford: Friday, July 8
Arts @ Large’s concert series “Music Under the Stars” is back, this time featuring neo-soul and R&B singer and musician John Stanford. The show runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, July 8 at Paliafito Eco-Arts Park, located at the intersection of South Third and West Walker streets. The event is free to attend.
BONUS: MKE Vegan Night Market: Thursday, July 7
Celebrate and experience Milwaukee vegan culture and food in the Hillside neighborhood from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 7 at 1726 N. 5th St.

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Sam Woods


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JOHNSTANFORD | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 3, 2022

author: Ron Smith


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What you need to know now that kids can get vaccinated | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
O. Ricardo Pimentel
July 5, 2022
Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, approved COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months to 5 years old.
Now the Milwaukee Health Department and the 16th Street Community Health Centers are actively inviting families to bring in their children in that age group for the vaccine – the city Health Department on a walk-in basis and Sixteenth Street primarily by appointment.
The same questions that confronted the age groups for whom the vaccines were already available are being raised. These go beyond where your child can get the vaccine to should your child be vaccinated.
And the short answer is: Yes.
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Just like the vaccines made available for the older groups, they should do so because these newer vaccines are safe, effective and keep the vaccinated COVID-free, medical experts say.
But there’s another reason: For the moment, these vaccines are free.
“That’s not likely to last indefinitely,” said Dr. Heather Paradis, a pediatrician and the Health Department’s chief medical officer and deputy commissioner of medical services for the city.
Why are the vaccines free at the moment? The CDC explains, “Vaccines were paid for with taxpayer dollars and will be given free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of insurance or immigration status.”
That means that there is a window of opportunity, said Paradis, particularly “for people who are uninsured or underinsured (and) who don’t want to receive a medical bill.”
‘It’s the best for them’
But that’s just the financial reason. The other compelling reasons to get the vaccine involve the health and safety of individuals and, consequently, the entire community.
This is a point stressed by both Paradis and Dr. Marcos De La Cruz, director of pediatrics at Sixteenth Street.
“It’s the same idea we’ve had in the past. … The sooner we can provide protection, it’s the best for them,” said De La Cruz.
It’s not just about self-protection for the child. It’s about prevention generally.
“Children don’t always display the symptoms, but they can spread the disease,” De La Cruz said.
Paradis echoes this.
“We know vaccinating this age group will help to decrease transmission and the severity of the illness,” she said.
That means, she added, fewer days of missed day care for the children, fewer school days lost for siblings they’ve exposed and fewer lost workdays for parents with sick children. In particular, vaccinating this younger age group represents protection for family members who are more susceptible to severe symptoms, especially grandparents.
The notion that young children need not be vaccinated because they are not susceptible is simply not true.
Both Paradis and De La Cruz say they’ve come across COVID diagnosis for children in the 6 months to 5-year age group.
And there’s this: Just as with older children and adults, “long COVID” represents a still not fully understood threat.
Long COVID, also known as post-COVID conditions, refers to the long-term effects that some infected with COVID can experience.
Paradis said children can also have longer-term effects such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating. The loss of taste or smell may last longer.
For some families, the CDC approval of COVID vaccines for this last age group was a long time coming. That was, no doubt, frustrating, but there is a silver lining.
“We’ve gotten so much experience (with vaccines) over almost two years (of the pandemic),” said De La Cruz.
He explained that vaccines are usually rolled out and the medical community learns about their efficacy over six to 12 months. But we’ve had almost two years to see the efficacy of vaccines, and this longer rollout allowed more study on this newest vaccine in particular for the children in this age group.
As with many ailments, treatment for severe COVID symptoms will differ from age group to age group. This extra time allowed the vaccine manufacturers to study the effects more fully for this youngest age group to minimize side effects or longer-term symptoms and to avoid hospitalizations.
“We know children are not just little adults,” Paradis said. “Many of these medicines and treatments are for older children and adults.”
The CDC approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID 19 vaccine for children. The Moderna vaccine will require two doses, the Pfizer is a three-dose series. No booster for this age group has yet been approved.
For more information
For information on where to get the free vaccine for children on a walk-in basis, go to the Milwaukee Health Department website.
Go to the 16th Street Community Health Centers’ website for information on vaccines– on an appointment basis.
To find other vaccine sites, go to healthymke.org.
If someone should try to charge you for a COVID vaccine, contact the Wisconsin Department of Health Services at 844-684-1064 or email DHSCovidVaccinePublic@wi.gov. This number and email address allows consumers to file complaints and ask questions about vaccine pricing.

author: O. Ricardo Pimentel


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51006339738_f78768db71_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 4, 2022


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Landlords are not always the ‘bad guys,’ report suggests | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 6, 2022
As a former landlord and the current attorney for the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, Heiner Giese said he sits through lots of eviction court cases.
And what he sees is a system in which landlords are taking the brunt of the blow when evicting a tenant.
“Our data shows that landlords rarely if ever receive any of the money owed to them when they evict,” he said. “And when they do, it’s less than what is asked, but the narrative built on other data would make people think otherwise.”
The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, or AASEW, is a trade organization representing owners and managers of rental housing in Wisconsin.
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As one indication of a narrative on evictions, Giese points to an article by The New York Times that says some tenants are being evicted for owing less than $600.
But the association’s report, “Comprehensive Study of One Month of Evictions Filed in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin,” said the biggest item not always taken into account by those decrying evictions is the financial loss sustained by landlords who pursue them.
“The reason for this is that many eviction cases are either dismissed (51% in this study), or a money judgment for damages is not sought (only 21% had judgments for any claim other than court costs) and a very small percentage of actual judgments are ever reported to be paid or satisfied (2.9%),” the report said.
“That right there shows you that the idea that landlords evict for profit is false,” said Giese.
Some housing advocates recognize that a blanket narrative of landlords doesn’t tell the full story.
“The Rental Housing Resource Center has been collaborating and working hard to prevent evictions and the AASEW has given us a platform to reach landlords,” said Deb Heffner, the housing strategy director for Community Advocates. “I think this report elevates the idea that we need a menu of options in order to properly support both tenants and landlords.”
Community Advocates works to ensure low-income families and individuals in Milwaukee are able to meet their basic needs.
The association’s report analyzed residential evictions filed in Milwaukee County in December 2019. It looked at each filing’s case number and name, filing date, the attorney representing the landlord, the attorney representing the tenant, the type of notice given, the dollar amount stated in the notice and the dollar amount listed in the complaint.
Giese, who said he has been involved in housing issues for over three decades, said nothing the association found came as a surprise to the organization.
‘People are quick to jump to a narrative’
“We had already expected what we were going to find when we started our research,” said Giese. “People are quick to jump to a narrative about how people must defend their homes from landlords, but no one is analyzing what’s going on” with landlords and evictions.
According to Giese, people must analyze the cost of evictions, maintenance of homes, property taxes and the cost of tenant turnover to a landlord before jumping to conclusions.
The report said sites such as the Eviction Lab at Princeton University can share missing and misleading information that does not pain a complete portrait.
The Eviction Lab is a team of researchers, students, and website architects who believe that a stable, affordable home is central to human flourishing and economic mobility.
“I think it’s a great report,” Peter Hepburn, a researcher with the Eviction Lab, said of the apartment association’s document. “The methodology is thorough and well described.”
According to Hepburn, the research that the apartment association did and the research that the Eviction Lab does is similar. One difference, however, is that the Eviction Lab looks at overall data while the apartment association took a deep dive into each case.
“There is data that is available in court records that is not always available in court data,” Hepburn said. “The apartment association intentionally sought out that information, which is important as well.”
The Eviction Lab collects and compiles national eviction data, going back to 1990. The site allows users to look at where evictions are occurring and who in those places are most affected.
The Eviction Lab was born out of Matt Desmond’s book “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” which examined evictions in the poorest areas of Milwaukee. It follows eight families struggling to pay rent to their landlords.
“People wanted to know if the struggles in Milwaukee were unusual, and the federal government collects little to no data on evictions,” Hepburn said. “Now that we’ve created this database, we can look at the risk factors leading people to evictions and the consequences of being evicted.”
Hepburn said while the apartment association might focus on those landlords who lose money when evicting, Eviction Lab examines cases where judgments are more than the requested amount.
The apartment association found that the average amount requested in an eviction complaint from a landlord is $1,436 and the average judgment granted is $2,672 when lost rent and damages are sought.
Giese said the report shows that landlords are not evicting for small sums as others suggest.
“We just want people to think more critically about what evictions look like for all parties,” he said.
He said the association is currently working on a report analyzing Milwaukee’s Right to Counsel program, which provides no-cost legal representation for low-income residents facing eviction or foreclosure. Right to Counsel Milwaukee is for Milwaukee County residents at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and is administered by United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. The Legal Aid Society provides legal advice, representation and community legal education.
The association is looking at how having legal representation is affecting the turnout of eviction cases.
For more information
Here’s how to keep up with the AASEW.
Here’s where you can find information about the Eviction Lab.

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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52096057881_912f672bd6_h | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 4, 2022


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Post From Community: Little Free Library unveiling & Summer Water Camp at The People’s Garden | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Natalia Fajardo
July 6, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The People’s Garden is pleased to open a little free library, where everybody can take and donate books.
Come to share with your neighbors, make art for the garden, take free books, eat home-made treats, and support this community space, which also belongs to you.
The People’s Garden is on S 21st, between Mineral and Scott (1102 S 21st)
More info: (414) 209- 4131
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https://www.facebook.com/events/425215856152780
Play, build art, and learn with your neighbors about the water on our faucets and showers (where does it come from? Is it safe to drink?), why we should protect our rivers and lakes, and how to build community and fight for our human rights to safe drinking water, open spaces, and a good life for everybody.
Bilingual English/Spanish. Priority for residents of 53204 zip, ages 12 and up.
4 Sessions at the people’s garden (1102 S 21st), 2 sessions on boats on Milwaukee rivers.
Free! Includes materials and dinner.
Pictures of the People’s Garden available at: https://www.facebook.com/vecinxsunidxsmke

author: Natalia Fajardo


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Post From Community: Botanicals & Bikes | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
david snell
July 6, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Bring your wonder for plants during this botanical inspired bike ride! We’ll meet at Menomonee Valley UEC and cycle slowly on the Hank Aaron State Trail to the Mitchell Park Domes. We’ll identify plants as we roll outdoors and visit 3 different biomes in the conservatory. Botanical infused water, admission to the Domes, and bike rental included! Space limited.
$10 – $15. See website.
For questions about this program, please contact Augie Rodenbeck at arodenbeck@urbanecologycenter.org.
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Registration is required for this event and will close 24 hours prior to event start time.

author: david snell


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282225319_10160248815988698_3458137879891425020_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 29, 2022

author: Name *


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Post From Community: Hunger Task Force offers drive-thru application and pick-up for senior farmers’ market vouchers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Shahree Douglas
July 6, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Hunger Task Force will accept applications at four drive-thru events, online and by mail-in for the annual distribution of seniors farmers market vouchers. The second in-person drive-thru event is Thursday, July 14 at Abundant Faith Church of Integrity starting at 9:00 a.m.
The Senior Farmers’ Market Voucher Program provides low-income seniors with $25 in vouchers that can be used to purchase eligible foods at farmers’ markets, roadside stands and community-supported agriculture programs. Seniors aged 60 and older (55 years or older for American Indians) who are Milwaukee County residents and meet the income eligibility requirements are encouraged to attend one of the drive-thru events or fill out the application online and have the voucher mailed to their home.
“The senior farmers market vouchers is a program seniors have come to expect in the summer months because it is so exciting to have support buying fresh, healthy, in-season produce at your local farmers market,” said Sherrie Tussler, Executive Director of Hunger Task Force. “We hope to help a record amount of seniors this year as food and gas prices continue to rise, making it difficult for seniors to afford healthy food options on a fixed income.”
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Hunger Task Force is the administrator of the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program for Milwaukee County and has nearly 4,000 vouchers available to distribute. This year’s senior farmers market vouchers are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last and one set of vouchers is available per household.
Seniors interested in the Senior Farmers’ Market Voucher Program can print out the online application at www.HungerTaskForce.org/seniors and bring a government-issued ID to one of the following locations:
7830 W. Good Hope Road
2601 W. Howard Avenue
4420 W. Vliet Street
Hunger Task Force is Milwaukee’s Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s leading anti-hunger organization. The organization’s mission is to feed people in need today and end future hunger. Hunger Task Force operates a food bank that provides healthy food absolutely free of charge across Wisconsin. As advocates, Hunger Task Force works to end hunger through strong public policy work, legislative analysis, education and community organizing. For more information, visit HungerTaskForce.org.
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author: Shahree Douglas


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Post From Community: Local media company teaches youth how to tell their own stories through podcasting | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mwanje Thompson
July 6, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Brilliant Voices is a free audio program on a mission to improve the lives of Black and Brown youth by providing them with the skillset to create their own media company through podcasting.
“Their voices matter. Their stories matter. I just want to be able to help them control their narratives before someone else does,” said Mwanje Thompson, founder of Brilliant Voices, an audio program presented by Audio Moguls Media. “We know the false narratives about our Black and Brown youth. It’s time to let them speak on their terms. I just want to give them a mic.”
There are a few programs for Black and Brown youth to enter the media industry. Brilliant Voices will teach students how to create, record, distribute and monetize their podcasts to kick start a career in audio production, screenwriting, broadcasting, or media development. The program aims to help students learn foundational entrepreneurship and technology skills by exposing them to real-world experiences and applications.
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Brilliant Voices is hosting three sessions during the summer. July 2nd focus was on podcasting, July 9th focus will be on entrepreneurship, and July 16th focus will be  Web 3 technology. Parents can register their children using the link here.
Audio Moguls Media is an audio content and tech company developing an ecosystem of audio intellectual property where every song, podcast, and audio becomes a digital asset. They use Web 3 technology to help audio creators and innovators retain control over their content. Brilliant Voices is an audio program presented by Audio Moguls Media to improve the lives of Black and Brown youth and justice-involved individuals by providing them with the skillset to create their own media company through audio.

author: Mwanje Thompson


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BVMKE-1500-×-1500-px.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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July 5, 2022


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Post From Community: Tobacco compliance checks show progress in Suburban Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Monique Plears
July 6, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Tobacco compliance checks conducted in suburban Milwaukee recently show progress in efforts to reduce youth exposure to tobacco. Only 3 of 30 retailers, or 10%, sold tobacco products to a minor during recent rounds of checks. This is a reduction from a 17% purchase rate in 2019, the last data available for Milwaukee County. The checks were led by the Suburban Milwaukee Tobacco Prevention Program in collaboration with law enforcement as part of the Wisconsin Wins program, a statewide campaign to decrease youth access to tobacco products and help retailers avoid fines. The legal age to purchase tobacco in the United States is 21.
Youths who conducted the checks said they were thankful to the majority of retailers for not selling tobacco and added that they were happy to play a role in keeping kids healthy.
“My experience was amazing. I was a part of something wonderful that is meant to keep the children who are underage protected from tobacco products,” they said.
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Retailers can access free, state-approved training to help their employees avoid underage sales at www.witobaccocheck.org. Tobacco users ready to quit can call 1-800-QUIT NOW (784-8669) or text “READY” to 200-400 for free help. Youths who are looking for free support to quit vaping can text VAPEFREE to 873373

author: Monique Plears


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June 29, 2022


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NNS Spotlight: How Your Move MKE uses hip-hop and chess to help youths | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 7, 2022
While attending Your Move MKE’s Hip-Hop Chess Club, Grant Reed-Ijomah found a community of friends— and an environment where he could be himself.
“It’s not like other groups that I’ve been to,” the 12-year-old said. “I have fun and learn to care about other people and not to judge.”
Your Move MKE combines chess, hip-hop music and other skills to teach youths self-awareness, discipline and leadership.
Grant said he has fun beat-making with Your Move MKE’s project director, Brandon “Ego” Kitts.
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Your Move MKE breaks its goals up into four cornerstone themes.
The Hip-Hip Chess Club is where youths come together. The club allows them and their families to express themselves. The gatherings include food, chess, music and even music performances from staff and youths who would like to perform.
Your Move MKE also has Making Moves Breakdancing, which teaches breakdancing; urban trade skills, which teaches youths building and construction-related skills; and an open forum that teaches writing, scripting and speaking.
According to group members, these focus points help improve youths’ mental health and their ability to navigate difficult situations while also teaching them skills that will improve their everyday lives.
“Since they started going to the group, my children are more willing to seek out new things and display more self-help skills,” said Lakeysha Reed, Grant’s mother. “I can see their confidence building when they are around other adults and children they’ve never met before.”
Reed said she started taking her children to the group because she thought it would be a helpful environment.
The group stemmed from the Hip-Hop Chess Club of Wisconsin.
“The group is great (but) we just wanted it to be more Milwaukee-oriented,” said Raquel (Rockz) Aleman. “It needed to be centered around this city.”
All the members of Your Move MKE grew up on the South Side and say their upbringings have a lot to do with their work.
“I moved all around the South Side growing up,” Kitts said. “I just want to give back to the community that helped raise me.”
All members of the group volunteer but are working to make this work their primary source of income.
“This is our main focus,” Aleman said. “We do other things to pay the bills, but this is our focus.”
According to Aleman, the ultimate goal is to purchase a building on the South Side and make it a community center.
“When we were growing up, there was so many community centers,” Aleman said. “There aren’t many anymore.”
She said the space would allow the group to expand on its breakdancing, trade skills and communication programs and provide a permanent space.
In the meantime, Kitts said he hopes to provide resources for residents in need.
“We (group members) live in poverty, too,” he said. “We’re just trying to help our community from within.”
Reed said Your Move MKE is one of the best things to happen to her children.
The “Hip-Hop Chess Club is one the best places you can go to be in a positive environment and enjoy yourself,” she said. “It’s a blessing.”
Your Move MKE hosts a monthly gathering on the third Friday of every month and organizers say volunteers are needed.
You can also donate to its fund-raising campaign.


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51895694551_2a67a707b2_k-3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 4, 2022


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Post From Community: Insects in the Water | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
david snell
July 7, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
(For families, age 5+) Curious about what lies beneath the surface of the water in the Washington Park lagoon? Discover what creatures are living amidst the lagoon habitat by scooping with nets and observing with hand lenses. Participants ages 5 and up are encouraged to join in on this exploratory program!
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$6.00 – $8.00. See website.
For questions about this program, please contact Augie Rodenbeck at arodenbeck@urbanecologycenter.org.
Registration is required for this event and will close 24 hours prior to event start time.


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281761298_10160248818543698_2602044411492095132_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 29, 2022


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Post From Community: Sculpture MKE bike ride | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
david snell
July 7, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
(For adults and teens) Join us as we bike downtown to explore Sculpture Milwaukee’s 2022 outdoor exhibit titled Nature Doesn’t Know About Us. We’ll park our bikes and be joined by Sculpture Milwaukee staff for an insider tour of this fantastic public art gallery. The exhibition features a dozen sculptures inspired by and made from natural elements – wood, water, wheat, metal, and concrete. Starting at Riverside Park we’ll gear up for our 2.3 mile ride. Be sure to bring water and maybe a snack for this art tour!
$25 – $30. See website.
For questions about this program, please contact Augie Rodenbeck at arodenbeck@urbanecologycenter.org.
Registration is required for this event and will close 24 hours prior to event start time.


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281835776_10160248820998698_6776891468347725218_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 29, 2022


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Post From Community: Zumba para familias | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
david snell
July 7, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Zumba for the whole family with our friends from Core El Centro! These Latin inspired dance routines are active and easy to follow with an instructor to guide us through each step. Adults, teens, and children ages 8 and older are invited to attend. Wear comfortable active-wear clothing and bring a water bottle to stay hydrated. Join us for a Friday evening- full of life!
¡Zumba para toda la familia con nuestros amigos de Core El Centro! Estos bailes Latinos son activos y fáciles para seguir con un maestro/a/e para guiarnos por cada paso. Adultos, adolescentes, y niños de 8 años y mayores pueden atender. Por favor vístase con ropa cómoda y activa y traiga una botella de agua para mantenerse hidratado. ¡Únase con nosotros para un Miércoles lleno de vida!
Free to $6, see website.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
For questions about this program, please contact Augie Rodenbeck at arodenbeck@urbanecologycenter.org.
Registration is required for this event and will close 24 hours prior to event start time.


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282582300_10160261701598698_1785999562032298184_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 29, 2022


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5 things to know and do the weekend of July 8 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 8, 2022
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
1. Inauguracion Biblioteca Comunitaria / Little Free Library Launch: Saturday, July 9
A new Little Free Library, where neighbors can take or leave books for free, is up in the Clarke Square neighborhood. Come celebrate with neighbors with art, free books and food between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 9 at the library’s location in the People’s Garden, located at 1102 S. 21st St.
2. Visions 2 Life block party and mural reveal: Saturday, July 9
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See the unveiling of a mural by the African-American Rountable’s Youth Council. The mural is the council’s answer to the prompt, “What is the young, Black North Sider’s role in the city’s future?” The block party and unveiling runs from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 9 at 4861 N. Teutonia Ave.
3. Metcalfe Park Youth Day:  Saturday, July 9
The entire family is invited to this block-party-style visioning session for a new park in Metcalfe Park, designed by youths for youths. There will be limited free bikes available through the Milwaukee Bicycle Collective as well as free food and resources from community partners. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 9 at 3707 W. Meinecke Ave.
4. African diaspora music and dance: Sunday, July 10 and every Sunday through Aug. 14
Join the Ko-Thi Dance Company every Sunday at different locations across Milwaukee for a free class focused on music and dance from the African Diaspora. This week’s class starts at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 10 at Brown Deer Park, located at 7835 N. Green Bay Ave.
5. Third annual Frida Fest MKE: Saturday, July 9 through Sunday, July 10
Celebrate all things Frida Kahlo with food, music, activities, live mural paintings, art vendors, interactive art installations and a Frida Kahlo look-alike contest. The celebration goes for two days, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 9 and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 10 at Farmhouse Paint Bar and Banquet Hall, located at 4511 S. 6th St.


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Ron Smith
July 7, 2022


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NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 things to do this July in Milwaukee neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 8, 2022
NNS’ Sam Woods joins WUWM 89.7-FM, Milwaukee’s NPR and Joy Powers of “Lake Effect” for the July installment of our monthly “5 Things” feature.
Listen to the interview here.
This month includes visioning sessions for the Healing Spaces Initiative; Arts @ Large’s concert series: Music Under the Stars; Fanana Banana’s “We Are MKE” art show; movie night at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society; and Bastille Days West.
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49231146148_440fb7bb1d_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 7, 2022


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‘When it’s rigid, it breaks’: How federal rules and market dominance fueled Wisconsin’s baby formula shortage | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Hope Karnopp / Wisconsin Watch
July 10, 2022
On a mid-June weekend, Raquel Urbina made seven trips to Milwaukee-area grocery stores in search of the hypoallergenic baby formula she needs to feed her 10-month-old daughter.
She had little time to spare. Her monthly supplemental nutrition benefits through the state’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program were set to expire in a few days.
On that Sunday, she finally succeeded in what felt like a “treasure hunt.” She found four cans of Reckitt Mead Johnson’s Enfamil Nutramigen formula at a Walmart in Greenfield, Wisconsin, about 10 miles from her home.
Stressful hunts for baby formula have dominated life for months for millions of parents and caregivers who rely on it to feed their children.
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The formula shortage resulted from pandemic-related supply chain issues and two shutdowns of an Abbott Nutrition plant in Sturgis, Michigan — first amid an investigation into reports of bacterial infections and more recently due to flooding. Federal rules require WIC programs to choose one vendor to provide formula, and Abbott is the sole supplier in most states.
The shortage affects parents of all backgrounds, but Urbina and others who navigate formula purchases through WIC face particular challenges. Not all retailers accept WIC, and before parents try to find formula in stores, they must first confirm which products the state allows them to buy with their benefits.
Under Wisconsin’s contract with Abbott that began in 2021, WIC participants can normally spend their benefits only on five Abbott-manufactured Similac formulas unless they request a special medical formula.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, which administers WIC, allowed parents to purchase other brands and sizes of formula soon after Abbott’s recall, but even locating scarce substitutes has proved difficult.
Some parents have formed online communities to help, including the Milwaukee Formula Parents Facebook group, of which Urbina is an administrator. She helps approve posts in the group, where more than 3,000 members swap tips, offer up extra cans and post photos of grocery store aisles to alert parents about what is in stock.
Activity in the group suggests that Nutramigen remains especially hard to find. That complicates life for Urbina, who switched brands at her doctor’s suggestion following Abbott’s recall of certain cans of Similac Alimentum, which she previously used.
But the only state-approved alternatives for Nutramigen are larger sized containers, not different brands — which Urbina didn’t learn until weeks after the substitutes were announced. Had she remained on the Abbott brand, she would have more options.
“It was discouraging, because as much as I understand that Similac parents were affected, I was a Similac parent at one point and so I had to switch to Nutramigen. And now I’m affected as well,” Urbina said. “I’m not given options, I’m not given alternatives.”
How could one plant’s troubles so severely crimp the nation’s infant formula supply? The challenges are rooted in the market’s consolidation, WIC officials and experts say.
“With one manufacturing plant being closed for a few weeks, it should not have this scale of a threat to the supply that our parents are facing right now,” said Camen Haessig, who chairs the Wisconsin WIC Association and directs the Wood County Health Department’s WIC program.
States began signing exclusive contracts with formula providers decades ago to secure large rebates — a trend that began amid worries about rising formula costs. Three companies hold the contracts across all states to provide formula through WIC, which accounts for about half of all infant formula purchases in the country.
Abbott, which did not respond to requests for comment, exclusively provides formula to WIC programs in two-thirds of states. Reckitt Mead Johnson and Gerber serve the remaining states.
While consolidation in the formula market existed before the contract system, smaller companies have found it difficult to compete.
The ripple effects from Abbott’s disruption illustrate the market’s vulnerabilities, prompting policymakers to consider how to prevent a future crisis.
Since 1989, the federal government has required states to pick one formula provider for WIC — or find an alternative way to save equally on costs. States continue to choose a single provider, thus limiting choices for enrollees. They award contracts to the manufacturer who bids the lowest net price: the wholesale formula price minus rebates for each container of standard formula that WIC families purchase.
The rebates enable Wisconsin to serve all eligible enrolled participants without a waiting list.
“For more than 20 years WIC has not turned away eligible applicants or put them on a waiting list due to lack of funds,” according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive-leaning think tank.
In Wisconsin, about 84,000 people participated in WIC in April. Nutritional risk, household size and income level help determine eligibility: a Wisconsin family of two making up to $33,874 annually can qualify, under DHS’ most recent standards.
In 2021, the state saved $20.3 million in rebates through the contract with Abbott. Nationwide, yearly savings from rebates are around $1.6 billion, supporting one in four participants each month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Even manufacturers who offer the most generous rebates benefit from the state contracts, which increase their brand’s visibility, reputation and availability — giving products more shelf space and even increasing sales to parents not enrolled in WIC.
Abbott offers Wisconsin a range of rebates, up to 134% of the wholesale price for the powdered form of Similac Advance, a basic formula. The company is also giving discounts — some as high as 186%  — on substitutes through August 31.
But alongside the economic benefits of rebates, the current shortage illustrates that exclusive contracts have “posed a lot of challenges,” Haessig said.
“When few companies — with highly centralized operations — command the overwhelming majority of the domestic infant formula supply, a single plant being shuttered for a few weeks can have catastrophic effects,” DHS spokesperson Elizabeth Goodsitt wrote in response to emailed questions.
Changing the bidding process could give participants more options, Goodsitt wrote, but the “financial trade off is unknown.”
Experts warn that abandoning exclusive contracts could increase program costs and jeopardize the state’s ability to serve everyone who is eligible.
Splitting out some of the contract or allowing a second company to join in the bid could help diversify the industry, said Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.
“But I think everyone’s got to be honest, it’s going to cost money because companies are unlikely to give the same level of rebates,” Abrams said.
Federal officials have voiced concerns about the infant formula industry’s lack of competition and supply vulnerabilities.
The Federal Trade Commission in May launched an inquiry of issues such as the effects of state WIC contracts on the formula market, families’ experiences purchasing formula through WIC and the impact of mergers and acquisitions.
The FTC said it will evaluate the results of its inquiry with the USDA to consider policies that boost market resilience.
The agency also investigated the formula industry in the early 1990s. A district court ruled in Abbott’s favor after the FTC sued the company, alleging that it conspired with others to rig the bid for Puerto Rico’s contract. Two other companies gave the federal government 3.6 million pounds of formula through a settlement of lesser complaints.
In its new inquiry, FTC solicited public input for a month and received just over 300 comments through late June, with multiple suggesting re-examining bidding practices.
Allowing WIC to contract with more than one company would benefit the program, the Wisconsin WIC Association commented. The National WIC Association called for “stronger, more uniform terms” in contracts to ensure that manufacturers are prepared when supply challenges arise.
In May, President Joe Biden signed the Access to Baby Formula Act, which requires new or renewed WIC contracts to include a manufacturer’s contingency plans for recalls, including how a manufacturer would protect WIC participants from disruptions.
But that protection won’t immediately affect Wisconsin’s WIC program, whose contract isn’t up for renewal until 2026.
Goodsitt said DHS is exploring intermediate steps, such as amending the contract to include contingency plans.
While the formula substitutions will be available at least through August, advocates hope that WIC will extend flexibilities for other foods and services that the federal government allowed during the pandemic.
WIC has “rapidly adapted” within months to ensure formula access during the shortage, the National WIC Association wrote to the FTC. “This significant shift in program services must translate to long-term stability.”
Aside from infant formula, nutritional services and health care referrals, WIC provides access to fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods. During the pandemic, the federal waivers allowed Wisconsin to widen food access, including to milk with any fat content and different bread and juice sizes.
The pandemic showed that people needed flexibility to access needed nutrition, said Maureen Fitzgerald, vice president of government relations for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
“WIC is a very prescriptive program. It is great for new moms and babies to get the nutrition that they need. But it’s also sometimes difficult because you have to have the specific brand and you have to have the specific size of that brand,” Fitzgerald said. “When it’s rigid, it breaks, frequently. And that’s what happened.”
During future emergencies, disasters and supply chain disruptions, the Access to Baby Formula Act allows USDA to adjust WIC program requirements, as long as the changes maintain nutritional quality.
USDA has extended most pandemic waivers until 90 days after the national public health emergency expires, which is expected to continue past mid-July.
The National WIC Association wants flexibilities to continue — including allowing participants to enroll or reenroll via phone or video. USDA early in the pandemic waived a “physical presence” requirement for applicants in all states. A bipartisan proposal in Congress to allow remote appointments permanently has yet to receive a hearing.
“Having those flexibilities has been so important for our families to be able to find our WIC items, because it is so specific,” Haessig said. “We are advocating and hoping that those will be extended. There’s a lot going on and going through Congress right now to advocate for those changes.”
Camen Haessig, who chairs the Wisconsin WIC Association, said families should not make their own formula or feed infants cow’s or goat’s milk before age one.
“If families do have questions about feeding their infants, they should reach out to their pediatrician or their WIC clinic,” Haessig said. “I just worry and wonder about all the families that are hearing misinformation that aren’t reaching out.”
WIC also provides breastfeeding support, including offering peer counselors and access to  breast pumps. More information about breastfeeding is available through DHS and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.
The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with WPR, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

author: Hope Karnopp / Wisconsin Watch


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Dwayne Burtin
July 6, 2022

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Dwayne Burtin
July 6, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
July 6, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
July 6, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: July 11 to July 15 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 11, 2022
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
1. Summer Vibes on Villard: Wednesday, July 13 and every Wednesday through Aug. 17
The weekly block party and local band showcase, “Summer Vibes on Villard,” begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 at 5151 N. 35th St. The event is free to attend. More information here.
2. Vecinos con Poder: City Budget 101:Wednesday, July 13
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Learn more about the city budget and how to participate in the process in this Spanish and English workshop from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13 at Ascension Lutheran Church, located at 1236 S. Layton Blvd. More information here.
3. Harambee Babies Unite: Thursday, July 14
National Coalition for Healthy Black Families hosts this opportunity to relax, discuss and “center those affected by racial reproductive disparities and those who work directly to change the status quo.” The event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 14 at Valor Creative Collective, located at 128 E. Burleigh St.
4. UCC benefit happy hour: Thursday, July 14
All proceeds go to United Community Center schools starting at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 14 at Indeed Brewing Company, located at 530 S. 2nd St. More information here.
5. North Side and South Side drive-thru job fairs: Thursday, July 14
Get leads on jobs with over 60 employers at the Common Council’s Drive-thru Job Fair from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 14 at the following locations:
Employ Milwaukee parking lot: 2342 N. 27th St.
Ross IES parking lot: 7800 W. Brown Deer Rd.
Basilica of St. Josaphat parking lot: 2333 S. 6th St.
BONUS: Bastille Days West: Thursday, July 14
Bastille Days moves to the West Side for the first time. Experience French music, food and culture between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 14 on West Vliet Street between N. 57th Street and N. 60th Street.


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Ron Smith
July 10, 2022


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Post From Community: Ascension St. Joseph celebrates 24 years of concerts in the park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Victoria Schmidt
July 11, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Popular local musicians will be featured during four free Wednesday concerts in July and August at the 24th Annual Concerts in the Park, sponsored by Ascension St. Joseph. It promises to be another outstanding season for families and music lovers to enjoy.
Help us celebrate more than 140 years of service to the community by attending our first summer concert on July 13 at 5:30 p.m.
When: Wednesdays from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
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Where: Sr. Jeanne Gengler Park, 5000 W. Burleigh St. (Across from Ascension St. Joseph)
The 2022 summer lineup:
July 13: Christopher’s Project – R & B Smooth Jazz (Featuring: Ascension Wisconsin’s Dr. O’ Rell Williams)
July 27: Quintessence Classic – Classic R & B, Dance Tunes, Jazz
Aug. 10:  Vincent Van Great – Hip-Hop, Funk, Contemporary R & B
Aug. 24: Gospel Ensemble – Male Gospel Ensemble
Free health screenings available for diabetes and high blood pressure.
Free parking is available in the Ascension St. Joseph parking structure. Participants are asked to bring their own seating.
Food: Food trucks, FREE ice cream and fruit smoothies will be available.
Farmer’s Market: Fresh produce for sale from the Mount Calvary Lutheran Church and Ascension Wisconsin Urban Garden.
Fun activities and games for children.
Performances may be canceled due to inclement weather. Rain dates are not rescheduled. Ascension St. Joseph gratefully thanks the Ascension Wisconsin Foundation for its support.
For more information visit: Concerts In The Park

author: Victoria Schmidt


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Dwayne Burtin
July 11, 2022


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Post From Community: MPL seeks high school graduates for work in schools, libraries and community organizations | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Eileen Force Cahill
July 11, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) is seeking high school graduates interested in 21st-century learning and fostering developmental relationships with students to work in Milwaukee schools and libraries beginning this fall. The program, a joint effort between MPL and AmeriCorps, seeks to help young people develop a love of reading, increase information literacy, and build relationships that help bridge the gap between in-and out-of-school learning.
During their service, MPL AmeriCorps members will work in libraries, schools and community-based organizations to teach standards-aligned classes to students in grades 4-10 on topics ranging from robotics to soil conservation to computer program coding. Members will also lead hands-on activities and provide homework help to students after school at MPL branch libraries.
MPL AmeriCorps members should be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalency degree. For their 11-month term of service, MPL AmeriCorps members will receive a $20,000 annual living stipend, health insurance, and funds that can be applied to student loans or future higher education opportunities. Additionally, members will receive weekly professional development, including resume workshops, interviewing skills, professional mentorship, and more.
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For more information or to apply, visit mpl.org/americorps or email mplamericorps@milwaukee.gov
About MPL AmeriCorps
The MPL AmeriCorps program is made possible by $1.5 million in funding from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and community volunteerism. The funding has been awarded to the Library through the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation, which MPL gratefully acknowledges along with generous support from Herb Kohl Philanthropies, American Family Institute and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. MPL AmeriCorps is also made possible by support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Special thanks also to partners in the Milwaukee area schools, including Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and Seton Catholic Schools. Additional partners are being finalized.

author: Eileen Force Cahill


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Dwayne Burtin
July 11, 2022


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Post From Community: Artist Talk and Demonstration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Miriam Sushman
July 11, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Artist Miriam Sushman will be demonstrating the indirect technique of mosaic installation and her method of cutting stained glass, at the exhibit Four The First Time on July 28th from 5 – 7 pm. The exhibit is on display at Urban Ecology Center at Riverside Park. (1500 East Park Place, Milwaukee, WI  53211) Sushman joins three other artists – Jonathan Ellis, Bev Richey and Adria Rosenthal Willenson, who are showing their work together for the first time. Each has their own distinct style. Their unifying themes are nature and abstract expressionism, displayed in paintings, mosaics, and mixed media.
To see more of the artists’ work click here:
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author: Miriam Sushman


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July 10, 2022


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Post From Community: Steam and Dream Adult and Youth Summit | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dr. Stacia Thompson
July 11, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Choo choo! The next stop on the Steam and Dream Summit Train is Milwaukee!!
The Summit is a unique experience for youth ages 12-17 and Adults to explore Technology and Entrepreneurship.
It is an engaging and unique experience that will equip youth ages 12-17 and Adults with the tools to pursue their dreams in technology and entrepreneurship. There will also be a fireside chat for High School Students and Adults with the hosts of the Earn Your Leisure Podcast!
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Register for this FREE event by clicking on the link below.
AmFam Steam and Dream Summit

author: Dr. Stacia Thompson


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NNS Spotlight: A love for data and a love for service: Victor Amaya’s journey | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 12, 2022
When Victor Amaya moved to Milwaukee with his parents, his father said they came to make a difference.
That memory has carried him through his work as an educator and nonprofit leader.
And now it helps to inform him his work as the president and executive director of Data You Can Use. The organization, according to its website, connects people who need data to people who have data and assists in accessing, analyzing, translating, interpreting and presenting this data. It shares office space at 1240 N. 10th St.
Amaya, 38, and his parents lived in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, before coming to the United States when he was 12 years old. They moved into a small apartment in the Muskego Way neighborhood on Milwaukee’s South Side.
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“It was tough,” he said. “We were undocumented. There was a language barrier. It was a culture shock, but it’s how I learned about other people.”
And interacting with other cultures helped him assimilate.
“Hip-hop taught me English,” Amaya said. “I would read the lyrics, and everything started connecting. That’s why I still have a love for it.”
According to his friend, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, connecting with people is something Amaya is great at. The two met in 2001 when Amaya worked as a camp counselor for a program in which Johnson was participating.
“He’s got this magnetic personality because he’s just kind. And even through the challenges he’s faced, he’s very confident in who is,” Johnson said. “He goes the extra mile to make people feel comfortable.”
Johnson said as their friendship progressed, Amaya was always supportive and willing to go the distance to connect.
“We all know the symbolism surrounding the 16 Street Viaduct,” which links the North Side and South Side, Johnson said. “Victor literally crossed bridges to connect and be a mentor for me.”
Amaya started his career as an educator with Milwaukee Public Schools where he got his beginning with data by using standardized test results to inform his instruction.
“I kind of just tripped over it,” he said. “I was getting all these test results with bar graphs and colors. I was like, besides explaining these to parents, I should do something with this information and that’s how love for data started.”
Amaya said he used the information to be strategic about what students needed because of where they were academically. He started putting students in groups, and he saw his students performing well and even outperforming their peers.
“It was working but it was literally me, after school, just trying to figure things out,” he said. “I left the classroom because I wanted to share what I learned and expand this practice.”
His data-driven instruction practice ended being an initiative in the school, and it eventually became his dissertation for his doctorate in Leadership in the Advancement of Learning and Service from Cardinal Stritch University.
“Victor has always been intrinsically motivated,” said Thomas Wild, Amaya’s high school teacher and lifelong mentor. “He sees a bigger picture for what he wants life to look like, and he creates it.”
Amaya said tripping over new things is constant in his life.
“I like to consider myself a practitioner,” he said. “I like to do things and learn from them and that’s what I’ve done.”
Amaya started at Data You Can Use in December, succeeding founding Executive Director and President Dr. Kathleen Pritchard. In his role, Amaya focuses on using data to track good things happening across the city.
“We always hear the negative statistics surrounding Milwaukee,” he said. “I don’t think those tell the whole story. It’s in our mission to look at those bright spots and highlight the things that bring pride and celebration to communities as well.”
Amaya said he doesn’t have much of a job-life balance because his work is a passion project.
“I value service without thinking about it,” he said. “Seeing the people around me accomplish their goals makes me feel accomplished.”
When he’s not working, he enjoys traveling, working out and spending time with his 13-year-old son.
“I want to see the city and its communities working to empower themselves,” Amaya said.
Data You Can Use will host its eighth Data Day, “Our Data, Our Neighborhoods: Building a More Equitable Milwaukee Together,”  from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 at Northwestern Mutual, 733 N. Van Buren St.
You can check out the organization’s website or email victor@datayoucanuse.org to learn more about Data You Can Use and how you can connect with its staff.


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Ron Smith
July 11, 2022


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Could new naloxone medication help stem overdose deaths in Milwaukee? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
July 13, 2022
Selahattin Kurter, executive director of West Grove Clinic, a local mental health and addiction treatment provider, says fentanyl and other synthetic opioids hitting the streets are getting stronger and stronger. He believes the increased potency of opioids is a major contributor to the record high number of overdose deaths the county has seen in recent years.
“What fentanyl and other opioids do is tell the brain to stop breathing,” said Kurter, explaining how the drugs cause overdoses. “So we need stronger counter meds during overdose that work the first time and not after repeated administration.”
His concern, he said, is that he’s hearing about more cases when multiple doses of Narcan – the brand name of the  naloxone medication commonly used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose – were needed to help someone breathe again.
“That’s precious time wasted,” said Kurter, whose clinic is located at 10012 W. Capitol Drive.
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Knowing that each second the brain goes without oxygen could mean the difference between life and death, Kurter sees promise in a new medication called Zimhi.
Zimhi, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October and launched in April, is a new naloxone medication from US WorldMeds. Prefilled into a 5 mg syringe, the medication reverses overdoses faster than other drugs on the market, said Martin Brukwicki, a company rep.
A national conversation
Use of more potent substances – called opioid antagonists – to save overdose victims has become part of a national debate. The City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force heard a presentation about ZIMHI in June.
Brukwicki explained that to bring somebody back from an opioid overdose, you have to remove enough of the drug from the system, whether you’re using Zimhi or any other naloxone. Zimhi, which is administered through an intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, helps victims reach that threshold faster, he said.
Kristen Grimes, director of prevention services for Vivient Health, said her organization isn’t familiar with Zimhi and doesn’t keep data on whether people use multiple doses of Narcan to treat an overdose.
But, generally, she said, “if there are more potent forms of opioids in the drugs, there is a chance that you will have to use more doses of Narcan.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one dose of naloxone may be needed when stronger opioids such as fentanyl are involved.
Grimes said that using Narcan as a harm-reduction tool has been effective. Her organization gave out more than 16,000 free doses of it in 2021 from its Milwaukee office. From those, 367 people reported that they saved a life using it, although she’s confident that number is severely underreported.
Captain Gregory Miller, community paramedic program manager for the Milwaukee Fire Department, said he’s also heard of instances where people had to administer more than one dose of the Narcan nasal spray to revive a victim.
The Narcan spray is used by emergency medical technicians and is also common in home kits distributed in the community. But paramedics from his department administer Narcan intravenously, similar to the way Zimhi is injected.
He cautions against speculation that more potent forms of fentanyl are the reason for increased deaths.
“It could be that (the Narcan) was delivered inadequately; there could be many reasons,” he said. “No one can attribute it officially to fentanyl.”
Still, he said, it is logical that increased potency of fentanyl in particular has driven the increased death toll locally and elsewhere.
He also expressed concern about the potential for medications such as Zimhi to remove opioids from the victim’s system. It’s especially problematic for someone who takes the drug to manage pain, he said.
“If we reverse all their opioid medications, all their pain receptors come back because all their medication goes away,” he said.
Some have expressed concern about Zimhi and Kloxxado, another high-dose naloxone approved recently by the FDA, creating unintended harm by triggering severe opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Brukwicki said the health care providers he’s spoken with are happy that the higher dose naloxone is now available.
“I have heard numerous stories where providers have told me that their patients have needed multiple doses of nasal administered naloxone in order to successfully reverse opioid overdose,” he said.
According to data provided by Karen Domagalski, operations manager for the Medical Examiner’s Office, there have been 237 drug overdose deaths with 106 probable cases (pending toxicology testing) through June 29. During the same time period last year, there were 293 drug overdose deaths. The pace doesn’t appear to be slowing.
There have also been 2,270 nonfatal overdoses through May, according to the Milwaukee County Overdose Dashboard. Naloxone has been administered 874 times through May, according to the dashboard. In 2021, there were 6,767 nonfatal overdoses.
Will Zimhi be utilized in Milwaukee?
When Brukwicki discussed the new drug during the City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force last month, interest seemed tepid at that time due to unfamiliarity with the medication.
But Rafael Mercado of Team HAVOC said he was interested in using it on a trial basis. Team HAVOC is a grassroots organization that works to prevent drug addiction and violence and provides free Narcan training.
“We’re willing to try it out and test it, but right now we have to utilize what we have,” he said.
Ald. Michael Murphy, chair of the task force, said he has asked Courtney Geiger of the Milwaukee Health Department to follow up with Bruckwicki to see if there’s potential for collaboration.
Brukwicki said the medication is being used in 17 states, including Wisconsin. He said the medication’s popularity and market access through private and state-funded insurance plans continues to grow as the demand increases.
“Every moment matters when it comes to an overdose,” he said.
Need help for yourself or a loved one?
You can find a comprehensive list of substance abuse treatment services by clicking here.

author: Edgar Mendez


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NEEDLE | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 12, 2022


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Post From Community: Kohl’s and Alverno College Announce Kohl’s Scholars for 2022-23 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Kelly Cole
July 13, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Today, Alverno College and Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) announce the recipients of the Kohl’s Scholars scholarships for the 2022-23 academic year. The Kohl’s Scholars program includes five $5,000 scholarships and opportunities to connect with Kohl’s women in leadership.
The 2022-23 Kohl’s Scholars are:
“The scholarship process represented Alverno’s and Kohl’s commitment to the advancement of women. I am thrilled to offer this opportunity to these five deserving students, and grateful to be able to partner with Kohl’s to make it happen,” said Cheryl Moore, Ph.D., executive director of Career Development at Alverno College. “Our goal with this partnership is to not only support students financially, but to offer them an experience of connecting with women that are making a difference within the Kohl’s organization, and to garner encouragement in those mentoring moments as they form their own career paths.”
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The Kohl’s Scholars program includes “A Day at Kohl’s,” a bi-annual event where students will meet with Kohl’s female leadership through a women’s leadership roundtable, tour the corporate headquarters and get a firsthand look at what it’s like to work in corporate retail.
“We are proud to award five deserving Alverno students with our first-ever Kohl’s Scholars Scholarship,” said Shanan Lesselyoung, Kohl’s senior vice president of human resources. “Kohl’s knows how valuable support, mentorship, and first-hand work experience is in the trajectory of an individual’s career. Because of that, we’re excited to provide this scholarship and networking opportunity for our five Kohl’s Scholars recipients as they continue their education and work toward discovering their career paths.”
Current Alverno undergraduate students were eligible for the scholarship, and priority was given to first generation college students and/or women of color, with preference given to students in their sophomore or junior year who are majoring in business, communication or STEM fields. Students were also chosen based on their understanding of Kohl’s philosophy of community service and their grasp of Alverno’s eight abilities – analysis, aesthetic engagement, communication, effective citizenship, global perspective, problem solving, social interaction, and valuing in decision making.
About Alverno College
Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy, music and liturgy, and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For 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.
About Kohl’s
Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a leading omnichannel retailer. With more than 1,100 stores in 49 states and the online convenience of Kohls.com and the Kohl’s App, Kohl’s offers amazing national and exclusive brands at incredible savings for families nationwide. Kohl’s is uniquely positioned to deliver against its strategy and its vision to be the most trusted retailer of choice for the active and casual lifestyle. Kohl’s is committed to progress in its diversity and inclusion pledges, and the company’s environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) stewardship. For a list of store locations or to shop online, visit Kohls.com. For more information about Kohl’s impact in the community or how to join our winning team, visit Corporate.Kohls.com or follow @KohlsNews on Twitter.

author: Kelly Cole


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July 12, 2022


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Organizations step up investments in minority-led Milwaukee businesses | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 14, 2022
It’s no secret: Some Milwaukee communities suffer from a lack of business investment that create opportunities.
COVID-19 brought many of the social inequities that feed into this neglect into view, and some Milwaukee organizations are trying to do something about it.
In April, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation upped its usual investments into minority businesses by issuing a new impact-investment loan of $1.54 million to Milwaukee-based JCP Construction.
According to Ken Robertson, the executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, this investment was a way to move more capital into a space that hasn’t had it.
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“This isn’t about equality,” Robertson said. “This is about equity and meeting people where they are.”
He said the Greater Milwaukee Foundation has plans to get more aggressive about investing in neglected communities.
“When you look out across the city, you can see the unevenness of investment,” he said. “Portions of this city will not be developed without support.”
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is unapologetic about honing in on those areas that need support rather than investing elsewhere across the city, Robertson said.
One of the principals in JCP Construction said the money will be put to good use.
“This started as a series of conversations about expanding JCP’s reach, and we are doing that now by strategically hiring new talent for our office,” said Clifton Phelps, vice president of business development of JCP Construction. “This investment has allowed us to completely invest in our company and increase paycheck dollars and hire staff we need to expand and compete with non-minority companies.”
JCP Construction is currently working on the ThriveOn King building on North Martin Luther King Drive; the Outreach Community Health Center on West Capitol Drive; and the new Safe & Sound building in Sherman Park.
In May, Northwestern Mutual announced a $5 million investment, targeting two Black-led, Milwaukee-based community development financial institutions to increase access to capital for Black and African American businesses.
Those two institutions, Legacy Redevelopment Corp.  and Northwest Side Community Development Corp., work with businesses at all stages to grow their enterprises.
Terese Caro, president of Legacy Redevelopment Corp., said institutions such as hers serve businesses that lack resources.
“These are nontraditional, nonpredatory loans that help prepare people for the next step,” she said. “We have to do a little more leg work to support small businesses.”
According to Northwestern Mutual, this investment is a part of a larger investment in the Black community.
“Our partnership with Legacy Redevelopment Corporation and Northwest Side Community Development Corporation is part of a larger effort stemming from Northwestern Mutual’s Sustained Action for Racial Equity (SARE) task force, which was created in 2020,” said Evan Reed, Northwestern Mutual’s senior director of impact investment strategy. “This task force takes a holistic look at racism and inequality from every perspective, including efforts we can undertake to help to close the racial wealth gap.”
Reed said it will take time to see results, saying this investment is about putting roots down and seizing new opportunities.
“We want to help each of these organizations strengthen their balance sheets to leverage additional investments towards scale and self-sufficiency,” he said.
Another initiative, the Black Business Boost program, is working to provide 100 Black entrepreneurs and business owners in the greater Milwaukee area access to key supportive services to start, strengthen or expand their business ventures.
The program assists start-ups, existing businesses and individuals who are in the idea stage of starting a business. Black Business Boost offers help with credit recovery and support; finding co-working space, incubation programs and accelerators; assistance with equity and loan support; business training; and one-on-one support.
The initiative, launched in October, is funded with support from PNC Bank and is being led by the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp., or WWBIC, in collaboration with the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee.
“WWBIC has always been there and has always recognized inequities,” said Wendy Bauman, the president of the organization. “We’ve always wanted to do more, and we’ve received an opportunity to do that.”
“My hope is that programs like this one won’t need to exist one day,” added Tiffany Miller, the Black Business Boost coach.


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52214588604_bbf19e91ee_h | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 13, 2022

author: Ron Smith


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TIFFANYMILLER | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 13, 2022


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Public Allies CEO lays off employees, citing ‘restructuring’ needs, but alumni call move retaliation | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 14, 2022
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story featured a different image. At the request of one of the people pictured, we are using a new photograph because the person did not want to be associated with Public Allies.  In addition, Reporter Sam Woods is an alumnus of  Public Allies.
Public Allies, a national nonprofit headquartered in Milwaukee with satellite sites across the country, announced last week that it would be laying off employees in what CEO Jaime Ernesto Uzeta called a “restructuring.”
The roughly 30 employees let go received no notice of their layoffs until the morning of July 7, effective immediately. A July 11 statement by the Public Allies national office confirmed that the employees were notified the morning of their layoffs.
In a statement, Public Allies said that employees would receive severance packages “above industry standard.” But there were no details of what this entailed.
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The nonprofit organization places people, usually 30 years old or younger, in apprenticeship programs with nonprofits that develop community-building skills. Alumni of the program locally include Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley; artist and educator LaShawndra Vernon; activist Elle Halo;  and entrepreneur Tonda Thompson.
Hundreds of alumni of the Public Allies program nationally, many of whom live in Milwaukee or did their apprenticeship in Milwaukee, challenge Uzeta’s claim that the firings were part of needed restructuring. Instead, they claim that those laid off were targeted for “openly voicing concerns about Uzeta’s leadership and negligent oversight of operations and programs.”
In a statement Monday, Uzeta said that “every metric indicated that the current structure of Public Allies was no longer tenable,” but he did not cite any particular metric used to determine the need for restructuring and has not responded to requests for clarification.
The alumni have since called for Uzeta and the Public Allies national board of directors to resign.
The statement says, “Join Over 400 PA Alumni and Demand Accountability for the Public Allies Layoffs and Closures.”
Uzeta did not respond to requests by NNS for comment.
Jeanne Duffy, executive director at Serve Wisconsin, declined to comment on whether she was aware of Uzeta’s plans before the layoffs or if she had spoken to him since then, citing an ongoing relationship with the organization. Serve Wisconsin distributes AmeriCorps funding from the federal government to programs throughout Wisconsin, including Public Allies.
Under Uzeta’s leadership, Public Allies received a $10 million gift last fall from Mackenzie Scott to support the organization’s Racial Equity Fundraising Campaign. The campaign aims to raise $75 million over three years.
In describing the campaign, Public Allies said that itis raising the money because it “has the experience and expertise to catalyze a dramatic shift and ultimately create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable future for all. But in order for us to be the change agents the country needs, we need to strengthen our core program and accelerate our work.”
Ninety-two percent of employees fired nationally are Black, Indigenous and people of color, or BIPOC, while 58% were Black women, according to alumni. Uzeta said in the July 11 statement that firings affected mostly BIPOC employees because the organization’s staff is majority BIPOC.
However, alumni say that the share of BIPOC workers at Public Allies dropped from 73% to 57% of staff due to the firings.
Though nine sites nationwide are to close as part of the restructuring, Milwaukee is set to stay open. However, its executive director Nanis Rodriguez was one of those laid off on July 7.
Uzeta said that Public Allies will continue the apprenticeship program, though sites may switch to virtual-only while now-vacant staff positions are filled.
Read more about the demands of Public Allies alums at savepublicallies.org.

author: Sam Woods


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NEWPUBLICALLIES | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 14, 2022


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PUBLICALLIESFILEPICTURE | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 13, 2022


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5 things to know and do the weekend of July 15 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 15, 2022
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
This year, Music on the Beerline is not a one-time event but a monthly series running through September. This month’s show includes Twan Mack and DJ Bizzon and runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 15 at The Beerline Plaza, 3350 N. Holton St.
Learn basic automotive skills and car maintenance in this class for up to 10 women. The class runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 16 at Al Hurvis Peak Transportation Center, 1101 N. 6th St. Email transportation@matc.edu to register.
Woman-owned businesses The She Shed, Knots & Braids macramè and Chelotzin will take over Urbal Tea and fill it with plants, macramé and gifts. The pop-up is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 16 at 3060 S. 13th St.
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Learn about 16 year-old Caroline Quarlls, who landed in Milwaukee in 1842 during her escape from slavery into Canada. A piece of her journey is tied to the land that is now the Fondy Farmers Market. This event celebrating Quarlls is hosted by the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and the Fondy Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16 at the Fondy Farmers Market grounds, located at 2200 W. Fond du Lac Ave.
The Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition is hosting a citywide vigil to reflect on the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on families and the community. The vigil takes place from 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 17 at Washington Park, 4599 W. Lloyd St.
Carvd N Stone, a weekly local positive news site, is raising scholarship funds for creatives from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, July 15 at Sugar Maple, 441 E. Lincoln Ave. More details on the scholarship here. READ: NNS Spotlight: Meet the woman behind Milwaukee’s newest source for positive news


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48866542728_2cf576772f_k-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 14, 2022


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Post From Community: $25 million capital campaign a “beacon” for educating Milwaukee children | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Grace Gregg
July 18, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
A tuition-free, public charter high school with a 10-year track  record of 100% college acceptance for graduating seniors has outgrown its current home, and today announced the public launch of a $25 million capital campaign to build a new, state-of the-art high school in Milwaukee’s reinvigorated Bronzeville neighborhood and pave the way for  a proposed new feeder middle school.
The Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy (HFCA) announced it already has raised $16 million through its Commit to the Future capital campaign and expects construction of the $20 million new high school on Vel Phillips Avenue, just south of North Avenue, to be completed in time for the 2023-2024 school year. HFCA is raising another $5 million in support of a proposal to  renovate the existing high school at 4030 N. 29th St. for a new middle school. A middle school  would require approval from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the City of  Milwaukee, which approved HFCA’s charter for the high school.
The new building will allow high school enrollment to grow from 325 students to 500 students.  The proposed feeder middle school would enroll approximately 325 students.
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“A new middle school would enable HCFA staff to reach students earlier and remediate  proficiency deficits in the sixth grade instead of the ninth grade,” said Dr. Howard Fuller,  distinguished professor emeritus at Marquette University and former superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. “The goal is for students to be better prepared for higher level  courses and dual enrollment in college. Expanding STEM education, including business,  technology, and health care career preparation, will help achieve the high school’s vision.”
The new high school also will add a gymnasium and auditorium for scholars to participate in  athletics, fine arts and other activities.
The capital campaign represents the pinnacle of longtime education reformer Howard Fuller’s  legacy in Milwaukee, and the progress that has been made since the former Milwaukee Public  Schools superintendent and a group of Black clergymen founded the Dr. Howard Fuller  Collegiate Academy in 2004, based on the belief all children can be educated in a loving, caring  environment that isn’t “just” a school. The school is open to all students in the city of Milwaukee.  Its new Bronzeville location is in a neighborhood that is reemerging as the heart of Black culture  and business in Milwaukee.
The mission of the Black governed and Black led school is to nurture scholars capable of  transforming their world by sending them to and through college. Milwaukee has one of the  nation’s largest achievement gaps between Black and white students and HFCA is focused on  changing that reality.
“What principal Judith Parker and the rest of the staff at HFCA have accomplished through  vision, dedication and determination is powerful,” said Cory Nettles, co-chair of the Commit to  the Future capital campaign, and Founder and Managing Director of Generation Growth Capital,  Inc. “They are guiding Black scholars to 100% college acceptance, preparing scholars to  succeed in college or another career path, and nurturing alumni to be the next generation of  HFCA teachers and leaders. But most importantly, they are preparing their students to become  socially and economically productive citizens.”
Along with Nettles, other capital campaign co-chairs include Patty Cadorin, retired BMO Harris  executive, and Thelma Sias, retired WE Energies executive.
Visit howardfullerca.org/commit to donate or learn more about the Commit to the Future capital  campaign.

author: Grace Gregg


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Dwayne Burtin
July 18, 2022


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee July 18 to July 22 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 18, 2022
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges hosts a paint and play event for the whole family from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at Butterfly Park, 3707 W. Meinecke Ave.
The Hunger Task Force is taking applications for the Senior Farmers Market Voucher Program, which provides low-income seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for eligible foods at farmers markets, roadside stands and community-supported agriculture programs. Milwaukee County seniors ages 60 and older can receive $25 in vouchers, which will be given on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, July 19 at Wilson Park Senior Center, 2601 W. Howard Ave. More details can be found here.
“King Richard,” the story of Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams, will be playing at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 21 at 2620 W. Center St. The event is free.
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Get paid $10 per hour to learn and receive a certification as an IT service center technician from the Milwaukee Area Technical College, or MATC. The last day to apply for this virtual 16-week bootcamp is Friday, July 22. Begin your application here.
Help repaint the mid-block mural, “Floración,” designed by artists Katie Avila Loughmiller and Whitney Salgado, members of the Latinas Unidas en las Artes, or LUNA, collective. The mural was originally painted last summer, and the artists are inviting the community to stop by and help repaint. All supplies will be provided. Stop by from 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday, July 22 at the intersection of West Washington and South 9th streets. In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled for the same time Friday, July 29.


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Ron Smith
July 16, 2022


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Post From Community: City of Milwaukee’s Independence Day Fireworks Rescheduled for August 2, 2022 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Department of City Development
July 18, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The City of Milwaukee is announcing that the postponed Independence Day fireworks have been rescheduled and will take place on the evening of Tuesday, August 2, in parks throughout the city.
The City of Milwaukee fireworks on August 2 will all begin at 9:15pm (CT) at the originally-scheduled County Parks:
This rescheduled date coincides with National Night Out and will not interfere with programming that is currently scheduled at the Milwaukee County Parks listed above.
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Additional updates will be available at Milwaukee.gov/july4th.


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July 13, 2022


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Post From Community: Free summer festival at the MMSD West Basin – Sat. July 23rd, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sarah Bregant
July 18, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Northwest Side Community Development Corporation (NWSCDC) is hosting a free family-friendly event outside at Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s West Basin (4350 N. 35th St, former Bee Bus Line site) on Saturday, July 23 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. to engage residents about the stormwater basin and green space project currently being designed at the site.
We’ll be enjoying summertime in Milwaukee by hosting a cookout with free food, a DJ, kids’ games, arts and crafts, giveaways, prizes, and more. Parking is available on site.
Event features include:
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All are welcome – don’t miss out!
The rain date will be 7/30.
RSVP on Eventbrite here!
Questions or comments can be directed to Sarah Bregant at NWSCDC – 414-444-8200 x.8104 or sarah.b@nwscdc.org

author: Sarah Bregant


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summer-festival-jpg.JPG | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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July 14, 2022


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Post From Community: Nonprofit creates connections between individuals with disabilities and community; expands to Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Karen Koethe
July 18, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
With a recent expansion to the Milwaukee area, the nonprofit organization Living Our Visions Inclusively (LOV Inc.) offers a new resource to people with disabilities seeking to build connections in community settings. It’s part of LOV Inc.’s broader efforts to build equity and inclusion for people with disabilities.
Working one-on-one with individuals, the organization’s Bridge Builder Project staff work to identify each individual’s goals, ranging from joining community-based interest groups – think Dungeons and Dragons or a Euchre league – or attending art classes or joining a gym.
“Our process centers on really getting to know each individual, their personal interests, and what they value in relationships,” said Zach Lillo, the organization’s Milwaukee-based Bridge Builder. “Then we begin the planning process, identifying barriers, and determining next steps.”
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Barriers such as accessible and convenient transportation and fear or anxiety around new people or spaces pose significant challenges to participating in community life, said Lillo.
That’s where Bridge Builder staff come in. Building a trusting relationship with each individual is an essential first step, followed by identifying safe and welcoming groups. The Bridge Builder and the person with disabilities attend new groups together, making it easier to try new experiences or activities. Additionally, Bridge Builders work to help each person learn how to set up their social schedule, get to the groups as independently as possible, and how to look for future groups on their own.
It’s a program that has seen a lot of success in Dane County and now is offered for the first time in the greater Milwaukee area.
Lillo, who served as a Bridge Builder in the Madison area for four years before moving to Milwaukee, recalls one such success story for an individual looking to get back into theater but needed some practice and a space they felt comfortable going to. Together with Lillo, they made a plan to attend an improv group.
“Learning to navigate spaces together is key to what we do. The individual I was working with had a stutter, and someone in the initial improv group laughed at them. This was a setback, but we processed how we can’t control how others react to us in the community, but shutting out the community is not the answer.”
From there, Lillo began to seek other options and connected with a theater professor who helped create a limited workshop in a safe space. It was a great experience that led to additional theatrical explorations, including hosting dramatic reading over Zoom during the pandemic and writing a musical.
To participate in the Bridge Builder Project, individuals should contact LOV Inc. LOV Inc. works closely with IRIS and Family Care. Private pay is also available. To learn more, visit lovinc.org.
CONTACT: Zach Lillo, zach@lovinc.org, 608-354-1076

author: Karen Koethe


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Post From Community: Sandia Loca! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
david snell
July 18, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
7:00 P.M. – 8:30 P.M.
Urban Ecology Center –  Menomonee Valley
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August is National Watermelon Month according to the Farmer’s Almanac! Learn some tips for picking the perfect watermelon and enjoy Sandía Loca made with freshly picked herbs from the community gardens in Three Bridges Park. We’ll hike to the gardens, learn about what’s growing, and then enjoy some Sandía Loca together to celebrate National Watermelon Month!
$5 – $7. See website.
For questions about this program, please contact Augie Rodenbeck at arodenbeck@urbanecologycenter.org.
Registration is required for this event and will close 24 hours prior to event start time.

author: david snell


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291161167_10160343788428698_6022303883145079759_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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July 18, 2022

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