text:
In wake of Wisconsin’s racial justice protests, curfew tickets raise equity and speech questions | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Clara Neupert and Jim Malewitz (Wisconsin Watch)
April 28, 2021
Theenvelope looked like any other — slightly wrinkled, a handwritten addressscrawled across the front.
ButJared Cain said he felt violated after looking inside. He saw a ticket forbreaking the curfew Milwaukee adopted to regulate protests after MinneapolisPolice Officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, bykneeling on his neck.
Caindidn’t interact with Milwaukee police during local protests early morning onJune 1, but police cited a video he streamed publicly as proof that he was outpast 9 p.m. The listed penalty: $691.
Drivinghome after saying goodbye to a cousin leaving for the U.S. Army, Cain recallsnoticing blocked-off streets, a car on fire and people everywhere. The media entrepreneur pressed record on his phone camera.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Officersinside Milwaukee’s Fusion
Center,part of a nationwide network where law enforcement agencies look for criminaland terrorist activity, later spotted Cain’s video on Facebook and issued thecitation. Within a week, Cain said FBI agents arrived at his door to ask aboutany involvement with antifa, a loosely organized movement thatmilitantly opposes right-wing ideology.
“Ididn’t even know what antifa was,” Cain said. “I was totally baffled, because Ithought that they came about the ticket — because the ticket wasunlawful.”
TheMilwaukee Police Department cited at least 170 people for curfew-relatedviolations between May 30 and June 2, 2020, a Wisconsin Watch analysis showed.Police later voided citations against 86 people, citing “procedural errors” inthe citations — in many cases after taking them into custody. At least sixreceived tickets by mail based on online footage.
Blackresidents make up about 39% of Milwaukee’s population, but they accounted for64% of the 162 cited where race was recorded, followed by white (26%), Hispanic(9%) and Asian American (1%) recipients.
FBIagents visited multiple people cited for curfew violations, according toattorneys representing some who challenged the infractions.
Laterin the summer and fall, two other Wisconsin cities — Kenosha and Wauwatosa—  enforced curfews during protests of separate police shootings of Blackmen.
Cityofficials call curfews a tool for maintaining order when vandalism and violencemix with otherwise peaceful protests. But critics say the curfews did more tochill speech.
Officialsin Kenosha and Wauwatosa are now defending their curfew enforcement in federalcourt, and the issue returned to the national spotlight this month as lawenforcement in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center aggressively responded to protests following the fatalpolice shooting of Daunte Wright on April 11 — days before a jury convicted Chauvin of murdering Floyd.
NicoleMuller, an attorney who represented dozens who received citations, saidMilwaukee residents remain “traumatized” by last year’s curfew enforcement.
Askedwhether Milwaukee police would recalibrate curfew enforcement, Jeff Fleming, aspokesperson for Mayor Tom Barrett, said, “Previously, and in futuresituations, establishing a curfew is not taken lightly.”
Inan email, a Milwaukee Police Department spokesperson said the department is“constantly reviewing our past practices, as well as other jurisdictions’ bestpractices, to improve our services.”
Theemail confirmed one change following last year’s protests: Police will stopissuing curfew citations by mail.
Curfews trigger lawsuits
Policeare more likely to keep protest crowds peaceful by targeting people whoendanger the public, while protecting the speech rights of others, decades of research shows. But criminologists are lesscertain about curfews.
EdwardMaguire, an Arizona State University professor, suspects they help quell riots.But he remains unfamiliar with research on the issue, he said, echoing colleagues who say such questionsremain largely unexplored.
Curfewuse should be limited to riot control, focusing on people committing violenceor property damage, Maguire recommended.
“Ifthey are used to quell non-riotous protests, then they run the risk of makingpeople angrier,” he said. “They also run the risk of violating people’s civilrights, which could lead to costly lawsuits.”
Alawsuit in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee claims that Kenosha law enforcementexclusively arrested about 150 racial justice protesters for violating thecounty’s curfew — over nine nights last August and September — while ignoringarmed vigilantes and counterprotesters who also walked the streets after a police officer shot
Jacob Blake.
Lawenforcement made 252 total arrests
during that period, and Kenosha saw more than $50 million in
property damage. One vigilante, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, faceshomicide charges for shooting two people to death after claiming he arrived to
protect the city from protesters.
Meanwhile,50 people are suing Wauwatosa, alleging they were “ticketed, arrested, and/orharassed,” during October protests after the Milwaukee County district attorneyannounced that Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah would avoid charges for
fatally shooting 17-year-old Alvin Cole. That lawsuit accuses Mayor DennisMcBride of illegally issuing a curfew without consent from the city’s CommonCouncil.
McBride— who pushed to reduce curfew penalties from $1,321 to $313 after morethan 60 people were cited — broadly denies the allegations.
“Wedo not know what might have happened if we had not prepared” for theannouncement about Mensah, McBride told Wisconsin Watch. “We do know thatunlike Kenosha, during the emergency period in Wauwatosa no one was killed, noone was seriously hurt, no serious property damage occurred.”
Criticssay the curfews only reinforced racial grievances that seeded unrest.
“They’renot listening to the decades of science behind the escalation,” said RyanClancy, a white Milwaukee County supervisor who was arrested for violatingcurfew on May 31. “They’re listening to a small, loud group of people who areresponding to this misplaced fear, rather than taking a step back and lookingat why people are taking to the streets.”
Marching in Milwaukee
Floyd’sdeath came as Milwaukee also grieved Joel Acevedo, who died in April 2020 afterMichael Mattioli, an off-duty Milwaukee police officer, allegedly put him in a
10-minute chokehold during a fight.
Thousandspeacefully marched in downtown Milwaukee on May 29, demanding justice forFloyd. Others caravanned past the home of Mattioli, who resigned in Septemberand faces charges of
reckless homicide. After 10 p.m., a smaller group vandalized businessescitywide, according to media
reports.Two police officers suffered minor injuries hours later — one from ashooting.
OnMay 30, Mayor Tom Barrett set a 9 p.m. curfew to “stem the coordinated lootingand property damage,” according to his
proclamation.Gov. Tony Evers activated 125 National Guard members to help.
Clancyfelt the effects the next night.
Heposted a video on Facebook of
the events leading up to his arrest near the border of Milwaukee andShorewood, where a small group of protesters milled about. The video showspolice officers in riot gear blocking movement into Shorewood, a predominantlywhite village that had no curfew. Officers zip tied Clancy’s hands behind his back and loaded him into avehicle with several others — ignoring that the curfew exempted governmentofficials.
Thatarrest during the COVID-19 pandemic forced Clancy to later quarantine awayfrom his family. The citation was later voided.
Milwaukee’scurfew stretched three nights before Barrett cited “notable reduction inillegal activity associated with public protests,” in lifting it on June 2.
Kenosha lawsuit: ‘two sets of laws’
InKenosha, protesters of Blake’s shooting last summer allege that law enforcementpractices “two sets of laws — one that applies to those who protest policebrutality and racism, and another for those who support the police,” according to an
amended complaint filed in October.
Itcites viral footage of Kenosha law enforcement appearing to use friendliertactics on counter-protesters. That includes an Aug. 25 video showing an officer thankingvigilantes and tossing a bottle of water to Rittenhouse — hours before theteenager killed Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36.
Kenoshalaw enforcement allowed Rittenhouse to return home to Illinois, where he wasarrested. He awaits trial on seven charges, including two charges offirst-degree reckless homicide. Prosecutors didn’t add the last charge — breaking curfew — until four months later. Hehas pleaded not guilty to the killings, citing self-defense.
Inasking the court to dismiss the civil lawsuit, the city’s legal team said
thecurfew was tailored to curb “rioting, mayhem, and attacks on person andproperty” that drew national attention and left parts of Uptown in flames and a71-year-old man
assaulted.
Secret declaration in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosaofficials say they had already spent months preparing for potential unrestlinked to the announcement of whether Mensah would face charges for shootingCole in February 2020 outside of a mall. Then they watched Kenosha erupt.
McBridesaid he sought to avoid similar violence by enacting a 7 p.m. curfew beginningon Oct. 7. That’s when Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholmannounced that Mensah would avoid charges, ruled the shooting “objectivelyreasonable,” citing evidence that Cole fired a handgun while fleeing.
McBridecalled the curfew successful, yielding only minorinjuries and property damage.
Otherssaw it differently, including protesters suing the city. They described suffering various injuries andemotional distress.
Thelawsuit alleges Wauwatosa’s curfew was illegal for several reasons, includingthat McBride on Sept. 30 secretly signed an emergency declaration — beforeany unrest and without the Common Council’s consent.
Wisconsin law allows local governing bodies todeclare emergencies. Chief executive officers have such power only when thosebodies can’t meet promptly. McBride didn’t mention his declaration when theCommon Council met on Oct. 6, one day before the curfew took effect.
Helater told council members that local police and Gov. Tony Evers’ office askedhim to declare the emergency —  necessary for activating the NationalGuard. McBride said preparing for potential unrest required confidentiality.
Thatdefense drew mixed reviews from council members, with a majority expressingdisappointment.
“Wehad one man enact a law for a period of a few days, and that law became thebasis for most of the police action,” Ald. Craig Wilson said at an Oct. 13 meeting.
Othercouncil members said they backed McBride.
SaidAld. Mike Morgan: “This was a very, extremely difficult situation to watch fromany perspective.”
Clancysees a simpler solution.
“Thereis one way to stop people from taking to the streets,” he said. “And that’s tochange the conditions that they’re there for.”
Clara Neupert interned with
Wisconsin Watch as part of the Ann Devroy Memorial Fellowship at the University
of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Wisconsin Watch (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.


text:
01_curfew_tickets | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
April 27, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Dwayne Burtin


text:
02_curfew_tickets | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
April 27, 2021


text:
03_curfew_tickets | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
April 27, 2021


text:
06_curfew_tickets | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
April 27, 2021


text:
Milwaukee’s ‘Food Fairy’ keeps giving . . . and going | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
April 28, 2021
Laura Manriquez, known to her neighbors as “Milwaukee’s Food Fairy,” frequently delivers food from food pantries and stores to those with transportation issues. Here, she fist bumps DelMonte, her Lincoln Village neighbor and mentee. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
When Laura Manriquez was 9 years old, her dad asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her answer? A teacher, a nurse or a nun.
“In some way I’ve done a little bit of all of that,” Manriquez said, laughing.
She’s been a nurse for almost 25 years. She’s helped persuade politicians to offer treatment alternatives instead of incarceration for people suffering from substance abuse. She’s ran unsuccessfully for state Assembly five times. She’s survived COVID-19. And she continues to keep her neighbors — and Texans — fed during the pandemic.
For these efforts, many know her as “Milwaukee’s Food Fairy,” “The Urban Angel of Mercy” or simply “the helpful neighbor that surprises me.” But Manriquez, 55, said she does not do all of this for personal recognition, but rather because someone needs to do it.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“I loved the story about ‘The Little Engine That Could’ as a child,” Manriquez said, referring to the children’s story about positive thinking and hard work, where the main character, a train engine,  repeats to itself “I think I can” to get through difficult situations.
“I still think back to that story even as I’m doing the things I am doing now.”
Sowing seeds of service
Manriquez grew up on Washington Avenue between First and Second streets, and for as long as she can remember, her family put an emphasis on making sure the surrounding community had enough to eat. She remembered three little girls who always walked past her house on their way to school and how her mom fed them breakfast every morning.
“I feed people because my mom and dad went out of their way to feed people,” Manriquez said. “My parents were the sweetest, most kind-hearted people you’ll ever meet, and they showed me how to serve others.”
After getting her GED through Journey House in 1985 and moving to Lindsay Heights, Manriquez began attending Hephatha Lutheran Church, located at 1720 W. Locust St. She quickly made it known that anyone in the congregation who was hungry or knew someone who was hungry could come to her.
Hephatha’s pastor, Mary Martha Kannass, remembered meeting a young Manriquez in the early 1990s.
“On her block, people knew to go to her if their kids were hungry,” Kannass said. “She didn’t have a lot extra then, but she demonstrated a willingness to share.”
After a few years, Manriquez moved back to the South Side, this time to Lincoln Village. Here she continued to serve her immediate neighbors, but she also had her eye on taking on larger advocacy work in Madison.
‘Even if I am not in an elected position, I can still serve’
One of Manriquez’s first policy projects involved advocating for people suffering from substance abuse. Manriquez helped get the Treatment Alternatives and Diversion program passed in the state Legislature in 2005.
She was not alone in this effort, but according to Greg Stewart, who at the time was a legislative aide for then state Rep. Leon Young, Manriquez was instrumental.
“I can’t say strongly enough how helpful she was to getting this legislation passed,” Stewart said. “Some come to Madison for personal notoriety, but Laura really seemed to be here for the right reasons.”
Coming off this victory, Manriquez began to seriously consider running for office. She said state Rep. Scott Suder, a “hardcore Republican” in Manriquez’s words, reached out to say that she was the one who convinced him to support the program.
Considering the partisan gridlock in Madison, Manriquez thought this was a sign to her that the state Legislature would be a good place to take her activism next.
“I thought if I was able to change a hardcore Republican’s mind on treatment over incarceration, then, God willing, if I am elected, I think I can change things for the better,” she said.
She first ran for the Wisconsin Assembly in 2008, challenging then-Rep. Pedro Colón for the 8th District seat. She lost in the primary, garnering about 26% of the vote.
Manriquez would try again four more times, running every two years until calling it quits after losing with about 36% of the vote in the 2016 primary.
But even throughout these losses, Manriquez remembered her mantra: ”I think I can, I think I can.“ This was never more true than during the 2012 campaign, when Manriquez also was mourning the death of her son Gilbert from injuries sustained in a car accident less than three months before Election Day.
Laura Manriquez (left) receives the “Outstanding Nontraditional Student Award” with her son Emmanuel Vasquez in 2016. In the middle is Jimmy Johnstone, a now retired adviser at UW-Milwaukee. (Photo provided by Laura Manriquez)
“Throughout that campaign, I heard my son with me saying, ‘You can do this,’” she said. “So I said back to him: ‘I think I can, I think I can.’”
After her bid for state Assembly failed in 2016, Manriquez began shifting her focus away from a political career, opting to focus on her nursing practice and on meeting people’s needs as a resident instead of a politician.
“I ran for state Assembly all of those times because I saw the hypocrisy of electeds and people in power putting themselves above those they’re supposed to serve,” she said. “But even if I am not in an elected position, I can still serve.”
‘Food Fairy’ to the rescue
For Manriquez, community service has often centered around making sure her neighbors, especially children, had enough to eat every day. Quita Pole, who lives on Manriquez’s block in Lincoln Village, remembered her hospitality toward her and her children when they moved in 10 years ago.
“I didn’t think there were nice people out there like her who go out of their way to make me and my kids feel welcome,” Pole said. “I never thought I could trust someone to take care of us like that, but she does it every time.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Milwaukee in March 2020, Manriquez stepped up her efforts. She now regularly fills her car with meal packs from the Boys & Girls Club location at 1975 S. 24th St. and delivers them to people like Pole with transportation barriers.
This effort, along with her continuous volunteering at food banks, has earned her the nickname “The Food Fairy.”
“Individuals will call me, text me, inbox me, however they need to reach me with requests. I’m almost always able to get them something, and I take care to make sure they are not embarrassed to ask again,” Manriquez said.
When residents across Texas lost power and access to drinkable water due to power grid unpreparedness for inclement winter weather earlier this year, Manriquez jumped into action and took her show to Texas.
Manriquez loaded up her car with over $1,300 worth of meat, 400 water bottles, 15 gallons of milk and other perishable products like eggs and cheese in five temperature-controlled coolers and drove to her son’s house in Dallas.
“My son lives in Texas, and he was telling me about the situation there, and I was horrified,” she said.
For Manriquez, the decision to make the trip was simple. People needed help, and she was in a position to act.
“It was my same old mantra, ‘I think I can, I think I can,’” Manriquez said. “I wasn’t initially sure how I would do it, but I knew people needed help and I thought I could provide it.”
What’s to come in the future
Currently, Manriquez, who attended MATC, is studying for her bachelor’s degree from UW-Milwaukee. Though she has worked as a nurse for almost 25 years, Manriquez feels it’s important to continue learning even if she does not need it for a job.
“There’s two things people can never take away from you: your faith and your education,” she said. “I’m proud I earned my GED, but I still felt it was time to go back to school.”
On track to graduate in May, Manriquez is majoring in health care administration and minoring in communications and economics with a certificate in informatics. But these are not just passive interests to Manriquez: They represent knowledge she will need for the next chapter in her life.
Manriquez wants to find ways to continue serving her community with the knowledge she has gained.
“Part of me wants to start a nonprofit to really scale what I am already doing,” Manriquez said. “But then part of me wants to just get a regular job and use that income stream to put money toward efforts I know are working. I don’t just want to spend all my time writing grants.”
Manriquez, who caught COVID-19 in October that left her with lingering symptoms, including muscle weakness and brain fog, said she will always remain determined.
“I’m the little engine that could. I am not sure what the future will hold, but I trust in God and my community to guide me to where I am needed most.”

author: Sam Woods


text:
51011233975_a17424a58e_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 27, 2021

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


text:
51023831671_0780284f3b_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 27, 2021


text:
Post from Community: BBB Tip: Thinking of sharing your senior photo on Facebook? Think twice! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau
April 28, 2021
It seems harmless and fun! A bunch of friends on Facebook or other social media are sharing their senior portraits, including the high school name and graduation year, to support the graduating class of 2021.
Watch out, scammers or hackers who surf through social media sites will see these #ClassOf2021 posts, and will now have the name of your high school and graduation year, which are common online security questions. All it takes is an internet search to reveal more information about you, such as family members, your real name, birth date, or even where you live.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) cautions everyone to be aware of what they are sharing. Even if you think it’s just going to your friends, it could also be going somewhere else.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Other recent viral personal list posts include all the cars you’ve owned (including makes/model years), favorite athletes, and top 10 favorite television shows.
What most people forget is that some of these “favorite things” are commonly used passwords or security questions. If your social media privacy settings aren’t high, you could be giving valuable information away for anyone to use.
BBB has the following tips to keep you safe on social media:
For more information about privacy concerns online, see BBB’s scam alert on Facebook quizzes.
For tips for staying safe online, read BBB’s tips on staying cyber secure.
Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker.
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

author: Wisconsin Better Business Bureau


text:
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
April 29, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Nature by bike | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
April 28, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Urban Ecology Center at Riverside Park
Registration is required for this program
4 dates in May:
Saturday, May 8 at 1 to 3pm.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Saturday, May 15 at 1o to noon.
Tuesday, May 18 at 3 to 5pm.
Tuesday, May 25 at 4 to 6pm.
(For adults and teens) Hop on a bike and explore areas along the trail with us as we search for wildlife and enjoy the breeze in the air. Learn basic bicycle and safety skills to take with you on your next group ride. All equipment will be provided by the UEC.
For questions about this program, please contact us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.

author: Urban Ecology Center


text:
177279619_10159433399698698_793735248153730273_nnature-by-bike.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
April 28, 2021

author: Name *


text:
Post from Community: Bloom and Groom 2021 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
April 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 15th at Washington Park
Registration is required for this program
(For adults) Spring into Spring and join us as we sale flowers at a reduced rate as part of the neighborhood beautification in the Washington Park Neighborhood. Get started towards transforming your yard into a plant and wildlife sanctuary, take your pick of 60+ native perennial species, plus vegetables and annuals. Learn which plants are appropriate for your yard by talking to Urban Ecology Center staff and experts.Come on out and support the UEC! This event will be held 95% outside, in front of the UEC.
For questions about this program, please contact Terry Evans at tevans@urbanecologycenter.org.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!


text:
Bloom-and-Groom.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
April 29, 2021


text:
‘It’s my body, and I believe I am doing what is best for me’: Why some COVID survivors are skipping the shot | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
April 29, 2021
Mikey Murry (from left), Ambrose “WB” Wilson-Brown and Rebecca Quesada.
Mikey Murry, an author and filmmaker, admits to having reservations about getting the COVID-19 vaccine at first but eventually decided to take it.
Ambrose Wilson-Brown, a mindfulness coach and entrepreneur, remains skeptical, but says he’s open to getting inoculated. Eventually.
And Rebecca Quesada, a retired teacher, has no plan to get a shot in the arm. Period.
Though they all contracted COVID and experienced moderate to severe symptoms, some of which persist to this day, the three’s apprehension to getting vaccinated  illustrates the gulf health leaders must cross to inoculate residents.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Angst and apprehension
Concerns about the speed with which the research and testing of the vaccine was conducted as well as the United States’ “brutal” history with medical testing on Black people made Murray anxious.
However, Murry said the online conversation around the vaccine helped bring her around to getting the vaccine. She also got a new job that required her to work directly with clients, and she did not want to put them at risk.
(Photo provided by provided by Mikey Murry)
“I wasn’t fearful about getting COVID because my symptoms were mild the first time, but I was afraid of giving someone the virus who would have a more serious reaction,” Murry said.
They’re skipping the shot
Wilson-Brown’s concerns about the vaccine also stem from the country’s racist medical history. He cites the Tuskegee syphilis study in which Black men diagnosed with syphilis were left untreated for 40 years, and Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were removed without her consent and used for medical research.
“Right now I won’t get the vaccine unless I have to,” he said. “When I say, ‘have to,’ I mean if the state mandates it, which may have to make me re-evaluate my career,” said Wilson-Brown, who works with youth.
Quesada said she is concerned about possible side effects of the vaccine that she believes are underreported in traditional media.
She said much of her information about the vaccine comes from the Voice of Christian Youth America, an evangelical Christian ministry that maintains the VCY America Radio Network.
“It’s my body, and I believe I am doing what is best for me,” she said, noting that she still wears a mask and practices social distancing when outside.
Quesada’s stance has met resistance, particularly from family members.
(Photo provided by Rebecca Quesada)
Her son, who works in health care, received his vaccine early this year and has talked with her about why he thinks it is important to be vaccinated. Her grandson also has pleaded with her.
“My son and grandson have said, ‘Grandma, what if you were to get it again?’” Quesada said. “But I tell them that because I’ve gotten it already and know the precautions to take to not get it again, I feel I don’t need” the vaccine.
According to a February update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while cases of reinfection are infrequent, particularly when following other precautions such as wearing a mask and avoiding crowds, one’s chances of getting reinfected still increase with time because of waning immunity. Also, reinfection via new variants such as B.1.1.7 or B.1.1.28 has been reported in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.
Mum’s the word
Unlike Quesada, Wilson-Brown has kept his opinions about the vaccine to himself to avoid conversations that “aren’t productive.”
He said he has seen how people who post on social media about not getting the vaccine are shamed by vaccine advocates. He said these vaccine advocates tend to speak over vaccine skeptics rather than meeting skeptics where they are.
“Just tell me your viewpoint and explain it honestly,” he said. “Don’t just come in with your own facts and figures and be done with it, because I’ll just come back with my own facts and figures.”
(Photo provided by Ambrose Wilson-Brown)
Wilson-Brown said he remains “open to conversations that may lead me to the ‘maybe’ stage, which may lead me to the ‘yes’ stage.”
He said there are three things he would like to see from vaccine advocates in conversations.
“One, don’t make assumptions about why someone doesn’t want to get the vaccine. Two, share your story openly and honestly about why you got the vaccine so I might understand why your opinion differs from mine. Three, share your experience with the vaccine, and be honest about the extent of your side effects, both positive and negative.”
Murry said such conversations ultimately helped change her mind.
“I saw on social media a lot of people from different states, ages and races getting the vaccine and updating everyone on their side effects,” she said.
“The most common thing I saw was a headache and their arm was sore, which for me wasn’t a big problem, because I get headaches pretty often, so it’s basically just another Tuesday,” she added, laughing.
In addition, Murry said although she’s seen and heard discussion about the Tuskegee experiment, she feels  circumstances are different now.
“I saw a lot on social media about comparing the vaccine to the Tuskegee experiment, which is something that happened and is historically accurate, but I think this is different because this is a response to a global pandemic, and a Black woman helped lead the research for this vaccine,” she said, referring to one of the key researchers,  Kizzmekia Corbet.


text:
49751288292_a45785bc82_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 28, 2021


text:
50424689026_a9f2b60743_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 28, 2021


text:
50424857027_e15d4f18ee_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 28, 2021


text:
COVID Survivors Vaccine | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 28, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Alverno launches new public health program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
April 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Alverno College is launching a new public health degree program in the fall, broadening its offerings in high-demand fields. The program will advance the work of Alverno’s strategic plan, which aims to support workforce development in southeastern Wisconsin and beyond.
Careers in public health have risen to the forefront due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the field will continue to grow. “Public health officials work tirelessly to keep people healthy and safe by preventing disease and injury, and their efforts have significantly increased life expectancy in the U.S.,” said Mary Kitten, DNP, RN, CRRN, public health program director. “Because the demand for professionals who can recognize and address issues that affect community health and well-being continues to rise, we are preparing graduates who can proactively save lives and protect the health of the community.”
Public health is the practice of preventing disease, promoting good health and prolonging life within communities, with a focus on entire populations rather than on individuals, and the program builds upon Alverno’s long-established strengths in health care offerings. The field offers a wide range of career opportunities including health educators, dietitians and nutritionists, occupational health and safety professionals, researchers and public policymakers.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The public health program includes three majors: health education, health science, and policy and advocacy. Graduates of the health education track will be prepared to take the Certified Health Education Specialist exam offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.
For more information visit alverno.edu/publichealth or call the Alverno Admissions office at 414-382-6100.
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.

author: Alverno College


text:
health-ed-1200px.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
April 29, 2021


text:
Post from Community: MATC to graduate approximately 1,200 Students in virtual commencement May 14 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
April 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Milwaukee Area Technical College will graduate approximately 1,200 students in a virtual Spring 2021 Commencement which will stream at matc.stageclip.com beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, May 14. It also will be broadcast by Milwaukee PBS Channel 10.1 at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 15.
Students will graduate from associate degree, technical diploma, apprenticeship and adult high school programs. Each student has been asked to upload photos or video messages to be inserted into the ceremony.
The keynote speaker is Dasha Kelly Hamilton, a national Rubinger Fellow and poet laureate for both the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin. A writer and performance artist, Hamilton focuses on human and social wellness. She is the author of two novels, three poetry collections, four spoken word albums and one collection of personal vignettes. She has taught at colleges, conferences and classrooms and curated fellowships for emerging leaders. An arts envoy for the U.S. Embassy, Hamilton has facilitated community-building initiatives in Botswana, Toronto, Mauritius and Beirut. Her touring production, Makin’ Cake, engages communities in dialogue on race, class and equity.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Other speakers include Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers; Dr. Vicki J. Martin, MATC president, who also will officially confer the degrees; and Keshia Herrington, who is graduating with an associate degree in human service and ultimately plans to earn a doctorate in psychology.
Watch the commencement at matc.stageclip.com beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, May 14, or on Milwaukee PBS Channel 10.1 at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 15.

Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 30,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


text:
IMG_8315_crop.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
April 29, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Nearly $500,000 in emergency grants issued through the UW Credit Union Fund for Racial Equity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
UW Credit Union
April 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Beginning next week, 24 organizations will receive emergency grants totaling nearly $500,000 on behalf of the UW Credit Union Fund for Racial Equity. Emergency funds are part of a larger $1.5 million investment in economic mobility, launched in partnership with United Way of Dane County and United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County earlier this year.
Thanks to additional contributions from both United Way partners, the $250,000 earmarked by UW Credit Union to support emergency grants quickly doubled, resulting in one-time gifts totaling $10,000 for Milwaukee-area organizations and up to $30,000 for Dane County organizations. Of the 24 emergency grant recipients, 13 are local to Dane County and 11 are based in the Greater Milwaukee area.
“We are acutely aware of the outsized negative impact that this health and economic crisis is having on families and individuals,” said Renee Moe, President & CEO of United Way of Dane County. “As a community, we are still very much in crisis mode. Immediate access to emergency funds is a critical step to long-term recovery.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
From homelessness and LatinX vaccine efforts to youth mental health services and college readiness, emergency grant recipients serve a variety of pressing needs throughout Dane, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties.
“Emergency funding will empower more of our Odyssey families, 95 percent of whom are from communities of color, to break a cycle of generational poverty and achieve dreams many were told were impossible,” said Emily Auer, Odyssey Project Executive Director. “BIPOC students have been hit disproportionately hard by the pandemic and by centuries of racial oppression. The generous support from UW Credit Union and United Way Dane County will help us address these disparities through a free college jump-start program and a whole-family approach to learning.”
Organizations were selected by a community advisory board comprised of community members and representative UW Credit Union employees. Many grant recipients represent first-time funded partners for United Way, a testament to United Way and UW Credit Union’s shared mission to reach organizations of all sizes through this process.
“To see both the immediate and longstanding impact these funds will have in our community is rewarding on multiple levels,” said Sheila Milton, UW Credit Union Vice President of Diversity Equity, and Inclusion. “Fundamentally, we know that the challenges non-profits face are compounded by the pandemic, stretching already limited resources. These emergency funds bridge a lot of gaps, but also provide some breathing room to prepare for what comes next.”
To see a full list of all emergency grant recipients, please visit www.uwcu.org/racialequity.
Program recipients will be announced in late May and will represent organizations specifically addressing the barriers to economic and financial mobility for people of color. UW Credit Union will work closely with all grant recipients over the coming months to identify additional ways to lend support, including organized volunteer efforts and financial education resources.
About UW Credit Union
UW Credit Union is a growing, federally insured financial institution and a leading provider of a full range of financial services to University of Wisconsin communities. UW Credit Union’s over 730 employees serve the financial needs of more than 275,000 members through world-class technology systems, and through a convenient network of 28 branch locations and over 100 ATMs. With assets exceeding $4 billion, UW Credit Union is ranked nationally among the leading credit unions. Founded 90 years ago by members of the University of Wisconsin faculty and staff, UW Credit Union continues to operate as a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative with locations in the Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point, Green Bay, Oshkosh, Whitewater and La Crosse areas.
About United Way of Dane County
United Way of Dane County has been tackling Dane County’s toughest challenges for 99 years. With a mission to unite the community to achieve measurable results and change lives, we are committed to build a Dane County where everyone can succeed in school, work and life. Through strategic partnerships and collaborative work, United Way brings the many voices of Dane County together to find common ground and develop a strategic architecture for change, while engaging businesses and individuals to give, advocate and volunteer in Dane County. Together, we are The Power of Many. Working for All.
About United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County:
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our local community.

author: UW Credit Union


text:
Post from Community: Outdoor rock climbing | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
April 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
4 p.m. to 6 p.m., May 13th at Riverside Park
Registration is required for this program.
(For everyone) Learn how to rock climb and get some fresh air on our three story open-air rock wall. Make it to the top and see the city from a whole new perspective! Trained belayers will be there to show you the ropes and cheer you on from the ground. All equipment is UEC provided.
$9 to $14, 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 us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.programs@urbanecologycenter.org.


text:
outdoor-rock-climb.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
April 29, 2021


text:
5 things to do and know the weekend of April 30 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 30, 2021
Linda Burrell’s Cakes by Linda Kay is one of the vendors that will be featured during a culinary market at the Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 2. (File photo by Elizabeth Baker)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.


text:
39134407671_f642708c3d_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 29, 2021


text:
OPINION: It’s time for Biden to deliver on his promises for immigration reform | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Christine Neumann-Ortiz
April 30, 2021
After months of virtual work, Voces de la Frontera is coming together to honor and celebrate May Day. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
(Photo provided by Christine Neumann-Ortiz)
May Day, observed on May 1, is recognized around the world as a day to honor the dignity and struggles of working people. The tradition has its roots in 1886, when the day was chosen to commemorate the workers and martyrs of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago who were fighting for an eight-hour day.
In 2006, the May Day tradition was revived in Wisconsin when Voces de la Frontera organized a mass march in support of immigration reform following the national general strikes that defeated Wisconsin’s U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner’s HR4437. The bill would have resulted in a mass criminalization of immigrants. Milwaukee was the third city in the nation to turn out in a national wave of strikes and mass protests against the Draconian bill.
Since then, May Day in Wisconsin has become an annual tradition in the immigrant and worker rights struggle, as well as a national day of action for the pro-immigrant national network Fair Immigration Rights Movement Network or FIRM, of which Voces is a founding member.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
This year, May 1, is special. It marks the first time in months that Voces de la Frontera has organized a mass march after being forced to organize virtually or by phone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that people have been getting vaccinated and since the event will be outdoors, we feel it is safe and urgent for people to turn out at a pivotal moment in the movement. May 1 marks the end of President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office and is a national day to hold him accountable to his campaign promise to Latinx, Black and immigrant voters to prioritize passage of immigration reform in the first 100 days.
It’s also the culmination of a statewide caravan organized by Voces de la Frontera Action and our Essential Workers Rights Network, which was founded in April of 2020 to assist essential workers in their struggle for protections on the job from COVID-19.  This statewide tour is the Wisconsin leg of the “March to Victory – Relay Across America” national tour, hosted by the Fair Immigration Rights Movement (FIRM) Network.
Voces de la Frontera Action and our affiliated Essential Workers Rights Network will be headed to a mass action in Washington D.C. for May Day 2021 to join the FIRM network and other immigration rights networks from across the country – upwards of 40 other immigrant rights organizations will be gathering.
Those attending the May 1 mobilization in D.C. and in major cities in states such as California, New York, Illinois, Tennessee, Minnesota and Wisconsin are calling on Biden, in the absence of bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate, to include legalization of immigrants in the second pandemic relief bill that will be voted on in September.
While there has been progress under the Biden administration through the repeal of many of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration and some administrative action, it is unconscionable and immoral to delay this reform at a time when the immigrant essential workers have been at the front lines of the pandemic, risking their lives to feed and keep others safe.
A majority of people in the United States and in Wisconsin support immigration reform, yet our elected leaders, in both parties, have failed to make this a reality. May 1 is a historic moment to create pressure from below to move Biden and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin to champion and deliver on legalization in the second pandemic relief bill.  At our Wisconsin May 1 rally, our youth leaders will read statements in support of our demands from U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore.
For May 1, we will also be awarding U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson with the “2021 Horse’s Ass Award” for aligning himself with far-right white nationalist extremists, his callous and offensive elitism in failing to support critical pandemic relief and his shameful record of blocking immigration reform in the U.S. Congress.
This moment is a historic moment to raise our collective voice to send a strong message that we stand with immigrant workers and their families and will accept nothing short of citizenship for all!  Wisconsin will once again be a leader in the movement. Represent! Join us and help spread the word! Si, se puede!
Christine Neumann-Ortiz is the founding executive director of Voces de la Frontera and Voces de la Frontera Action. She is recognized as a national leader in the immigrant rights movement and in August was recognized by USA Today as one of the 10 “Women of the Century” in Wisconsin.

author: Christine Neumann-Ortiz


text:
34259873341_720f0b77da_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 29, 2021


text:
51051074616_04f2cec9d7_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 29, 2021


text:
Post from Community: African American Round Table community meetings | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
African American Roundtable
April 30, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Join us for community meetings every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. beginning May 11, 2021 held on Zoom.
We are excited about the opportunity to connect with folks from the community and to share the work of Liberate MKE!
Please note, this particular meeting will be a Black only space to ensure safety as we introduce new folks to the African American Roundtable’s work and begin building with them.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Scan the QR code or follow the link to sign up! bit.ly/AARTMay

author: African American Roundtable


text:
instacommunity-meeting-flyer.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
April 30, 2021


text:
Struggling residents get help with overdue utility bills through state program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
April 30, 2021
The state expects to receive more federal funding that it will use to help residents who are behind on their utility bills. (File photo by Brittany Carloni)
Struggling residents caught a break this week after the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program distributed over $21 million to consumer-owned utility companies to help clear overdue utility bills.
Brendan Conway, a spokesman for We Energies, said 18,000 of his company’s customers will receive assistance. This represents about half of the total recipients. Conway said We Energies customers accounted for about $12 million of the new payments.
Those eligible were notified before the funds were released and did not have to take any additional steps.
Barb Klug, the Home Energy Plus bureau director for the Wisconsin Department of Administration, said the average amount paid was about $590, and that the money has already been added to customer accounts.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Klug said the money was used to completely pay off the arrearages of recipients. The average cost was about $590, she said. The money has already been added to the accounts of recipients.
The initiative is funded by Wisconsin’s federal allocation for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.  The state expects to receive from  $110 million to $115 million in supplemental LIHEAP funding as part of the American Rescue Plan, Klug said on the Electric Wire podcast.
Tom Content, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, urged those behind on their payments to contact their utility to set up a payment plan. While the new program is a “big help,” he said delinquent payments have gone up by about $100 million statewide during the pandemic.
Klug said the Department of Administration is planning to pay off more utility bills with increased federal funding. The department will be contacting cities and municipalities to determine the amounts to be distributed within the next 30 days.
What to do if you are behind on payments

author: Matt Martinez


text:
ENERGYASSISTANCE2021 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
April 29, 2021


text:
5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: May 3 to May 8 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 3, 2021
The We Care Crew needs volunteers to help DreamBikes fix bikes in preparation for a giveaway event. (NNS file photo)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.


text:
34553506393_4343103747_o (1) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 2, 2021


text:
34553506393_4343103747_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 2, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Action on menthol brings added significance to local menthol efforts | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network
May 3, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Recently, the Biden Administration and FDA took a historic action to begin the process of prohibiting menthol tobacco and flavored cigars! The announcement is being celebrated by health advocates and others across the country and will help address historic injustices related to menthol and other flavored tobacco.
One of the leaders involved in bringing about that action by the FDA, Carol McGruder, a national tobacco prevention leader and co-chair of the African American Tobacco Leadership Council, brought her message to Wisconsin recently to help kick off No Menthol Sunday 2021.
“The exclusion of menthol was not based on science,” she said.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
McGruder called menthol and social justice and human rights issue.
“We have not been afforded the protection we deserve against the predatory actions of the tobacco industry,” she said that day.
Mayor Tom Barrett, who joined her for the kickoff, also discussed the impact of menthol on the community.
“For too long, menthol and other flavored tobacco products have harmed the health of some of our most vulnerable citizens,” Barrett said.
Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes also spoke out about menthol that day.
“The FDA has made flavored vapor products illegal, but they have made an exception for menthol,” Barnes said prior to the recent announcement.
Barrett was joined at the kickoff event by Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin DHS Secretary of Health Designee Karen Timberlake, youth and faith leaders, emcee Vivian King, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Rep. Dora Drake, Sen. Latonya Johnson and Rep. Sheila Stubbs, chair of Wisconsin’s Legislative Black Caucus.
Smoking kills 45,000 African Americans a year and is a major contributor to their leading causes of death: heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The most commonly used tobacco product among African Americans is menthol cigarettes. In fact, 9 out of 10 Black smokers in Wisconsin smoke menthol cigarettes, compared to 4 in 10 white smokers in the state. Menthol is a peppermint flavored anesthetic tobacco companies added to reduce the harshness of cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The theme of No Menthol Sunday 2021 is “A New Day,” and represents a renewed opportunity to build tobacco-free communities that are healthy and just and advocate for a healthier future that makes menthol and tobacco-related disease a thing of the past. “A New Day,” is now even closer thanks to the hard work of McGruder and other advocates, including members of the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network.


text:
Webp.net-resizeimage.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 3, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Grant information sessions for Sherman Park East, North Division neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
May 3, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and its Thriving Communities Advisory Council serving Sherman Park East and North Division, will be hosting a series of informational sessions for community nonprofit organizations to hear more about grants to support youth. If you are an organization serving youth in the Sherman Park East or North Division neighborhoods, come hear from the Thriving Communities advisory council members about the funding priorities, application process and some helpful tips when applying.
Register here for one or more sessions, and a virtual meeting link will be sent to you.
The Foundation’s Thriving Communities initiative is designed to catalyze community-driven change in neighborhoods that historically have faced barriers to revitalization. The program elevates the voices and priorities of residents so their vision for the future of their neighborhood becomes a roadmap for a thriving community.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!

author: Greater Milwaukee Foundation


text:
Thriving-Communities-png.PNG | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 3, 2021


text:
Post from Community: $1M in small business loans offered by Greater Milwaukee Foundation | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
May 4, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
To help fortify the economic backbone of local neighborhoods, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation is mobilizing $1 million in low-interest loans to support small businesses in sectors under significant duress from the pandemic. The Foundation’s ThriveOn Small Business Loans will be available in the north side neighborhoods of Harambee, Halyard Park and Brewers Hill, with a focus on Black- and Brown-owned businesses.
Beginning May 7, eligible business owners can apply for a loan of up to $50,000 at a 2% fixed interest rate, with no interest or principal payments for the first 12 months. The proceeds can be used for working capital, normal operating expenses, refinancing burdensome debt and more.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“For many small businesses – and the people they employ and serve – access to capital is extremely urgent right now,” said Ken Robertson, executive vice president, COO and CFO of the Foundation. “COVID-19 has severely constricted revenue, and Black- and Brown-owned businesses, which already faced systemic barriers to investment, are at particular risk of closing. The toll of such losses on the fabric of Milwaukee neighborhoods and entrepreneurs would be devastating. We anticipate our ThriveOn loans will support at least 20 small businesses this year as we work intentionally toward making Milwaukee’s economic recovery more equitable.”
Focusing on hard hit industries and communities of color
Recent national polling indicates 75% of all small businesses remain concerned about the virus’s impact on their business, a number that rises to 86% among business owners of color. During the height of the pandemic, 41% of Black-owned businesses closed, the highest rate of any racial group, and many remain at risk.
To avert future closures, the Foundation’s loans are prioritizing for-profit businesses in four specific sectors:
How to apply for a ThriveOn Small Business Loan
Potential applicants can access the loan application starting May 7, as well as learn more about eligibility requirements and loan terms, at greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/thriveonloans. The deadline to apply is June 25, 2021, and disbursements will begin August 2021.
For questions about the program, businesses can contact Will Martin at 414-350-4207. Application questions can be directed to Terese Caro at 414-343-3091.
Impact investing for economic inclusion
The ThriveOn Small Business Loans are part of a five-year, $30 million commitment to advancing equitable economic opportunity made possible through the Foundation’s impact investing program. Through impact investing, community foundations can leverage their financial assets to deploy additional capital into the community for social benefit, and as dollars are returned, they can be reinvested in new projects. This can take multiple forms, from patient loans to loan guarantees to venture capital to real estate.
Since making its commitment in early 2020, the Foundation has invested over $12 million through its impact investing program   ̶ $10 million of this was directed to the ThriveOn King restoration and renovation project, and $1 million was invested in Gateway Capital, a venture capital fund that will support pre-revenue start-ups in Milwaukee. The Foundation has also used the program to guarantee $800,000 for a catalytic redevelopment of what is known as the Travis Block, a project led by Near Westside Partners.
These impact investments followed the Foundation’s $1 million pilot program, which concluded in 2019 and contributed to the growth of 47 new small businesses, the creation more than 85 jobs, the redevelopment of commercial spaces and the attraction of $4.9 million in additional public investment to local neighborhoods.
“For Milwaukee’s economy as a whole to thrive, Black- and Brown-owned businesses must thrive, but with the pandemic magnifying existing racial inequities, many are struggling just to survive,” said Ellen Gilligan, Foundation president and CEO. “Since we know structural racism makes it harder for Black and Brown businesses to receive capital, we can help fill a need not met by traditional lenders. This loan opportunity is a reimagined form of philanthropy that meets the community where it is and aims to stabilize lives and livelihoods, bringing us closer to becoming a Milwaukee for all.”
About the Greater Milwaukee Foundation
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is Wisconsin’s largest community foundation and was among the first established in the world. For more than a century, the Foundation has been at the heart of the civic community, helping donors achieve the greatest philanthropic impact, elevating the work of changemakers across neighborhoods, and bringing people and organizations together to help our region thrive. Racial equity is the Foundation’s North Star, guiding its investments and strategies for social and economic change. Leveraging generations of community knowledge, cross-sector partnerships and more than $1 billion in financial assets, the Foundation is committed to reimagining philanthropy, recentering communities and remaking systems to transform our region into a Milwaukee for all. greatermilwaukeefoundation.org


text:
Impact-Investing-MLK-drafts | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
May 5, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Band shell presents free summer entertainment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care
May 4, 2021
Indaba Band Shell brings family-friendly performances to Milwaukee’s north side.
Free entertainment for all ages will take the stage at the Indaba Band Shell, 2450 W. North Ave. Indaba Nights, a 13-week summer concert series, will present performances every Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., from June 2 through Aug. 25.
The band shell, opened in 2019, is located on the grounds of St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care-Bucyrus Campus.
“We are thrilled with the caliber of entertainers who’ll light up Indaba Nights this summer,” said Gloria Miller, St. Ann Center’s Special Events Director. “It’s been a long year, and we are looking forward to kicking up our heels, eating, dancing and spending quality time with our families and our community.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The band shell will present a mix of local entertainers and world-class arts organizations. The Milwaukee Ballet, Florentine Opera Company, Skylight Music Theatre and more will be featured, thanks to a partnership with the United Performing Arts Center’s UPAF Connect program.
A rotating schedule of food trucks will also be at the venue, including BeBe’s Bistro, Hot Dig-A-Dee Dog and more.
Indaba Nights will kick off on June 2, with Tejumaloa Ologboni, an internationally renowned storyteller and musician, and the Nefertari African Dance and Drum Company.
The Indaba Nights Performance lineup includes:
June
2nd: Tejumaloa Ologboni; the Nefertari African Dance/Drum Company
9th: Mahogany Soul; Joe Jordan Live and the Soul Trio
16th: The Non Prophets Band; Acoustic Blu
23rd: Cache MKE Latin American music
30th: Danceworks Dance Company; Lady Dee Jai
July
7th: Festival City Symphony; Sorry, We’re Open Band
14th: Nite N’ Day Band
21st: The Florentine Opera Company; Skylight Music Theatre Soul Review
28th: Milwaukee Ballet—Ballet Beat; Starz Dance Academy
August
4th: Skylight Music Theatre-Three Tenors MKE; Adekola Adedapo & Friends
11th: Milwaukee Black Theater Festival Living Legends (in collaboration with Milwaukee Chamber Theatre)
18th: Milwaukee Black Theater Festival Youth Night
25th: Christopher’s Project Band
To observe COVID-19 safety guidelines, guests are asked to wear a mask and to practice social distancing on the grounds. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or a blanket. Seating is limited.
To get regular updates on the summer performance season, visit StAnnCenter.org/Indaba; or Facebook.com/IndabaBandShell. For more information, contact Gloria Miller at 414-210-2428.


text:
UPDATE: Aisha Carr reports move into MPS District 4 after living outside the area during school board race | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
May 4, 2021
The Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors now has four new members. They started last Tuesday. (File photo by jabril yousef faraj)
Aisha Carr, who lived outside Milwaukee Public Schools’ District 4 while running for the school board, has moved into the district and begun her term on time.
Before the April 6 election, Carr and her former opponent, Dana Kelley, both lived outside of the district. Carr had until April 26 to move into District 4, which includes parts of the Midtown, Lindsay Heights, Martin Drive and Metcalfe Park neighborhoods.
(Photo provided by Aisha Carr)
Carr provided MPS with a copy of her driver’s license showing a new home address  within District 4. These documents were certified by MPS in time for Carr to join the newly elected school board for its first meeting last Tuesday.
Carr told NNS she moved out of the district  when she was running for the same school board seat in 2017. She said a group of individuals armed with firearms came to her home to intimidate her to drop out of the race. Carr said she did not file a police report for the incident, at the time because of her mistrust of police.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Carr joins three other newcomers to the board – Jilly Gokalgandhi in District 5, Marcela “Xela” Garcia in District 6 and Henry Leonard in District 7.
New leadership positions
During the board’s first meeting last Tuesday, Director Bob Peterson was elected president for the 2021-’22 board year and Director Sequanna Taylor vice president. These positions were previously held by Larry Miller and Luis A. “Tony” Báez, respectively.
As president, Peterson is in charge of running school board meetings, appointing committees and other organizational duties. As vice president, Taylor is in charge of serving as president should Peterson not be present.
Carr replaces Annie Woodward, who had represented District 4 since 2009.


text:
22470077613_bcf233cd32_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 3, 2021


text:
50909253238_76f12e65ed_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 3, 2021


text:
Community groups will launch multiple campaigns to reduce reckless driving in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
May 5, 2021
The “Slow Down, Life Matters” campaign will focus on Sherman Park and other Milwaukee neighborhoods this summer. (Photo provided by Coalition for Safe Driving MKE)
Fed up with the deaths and damage caused by reckless driving, 18 community groups in Milwaukee are launching a series of efforts to persuade drivers to slow down.
The groups received a total of $102,000 in grants from the city’s Department of Public Works to fund the campaigns.
One of those groups is the Villard Avenue BID, which will launch “I matter, you matter, we matter” and #SlowDownVillard campaigns during a six-week safe summer concert series. Its plans include educational booths with information on the dangers of reckless driving as well as driver’s education programs for youth.
The business improvement district also plans to distribute safe driving coloring books and host a reckless driving awareness poster contest for youth, said Angelique Sharpe, director of the Villard Avenue BID. She said the campaign aligns with ongoing efforts to improve safety on Villard Avenue, a street with a long history of reckless driving.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“Currently, Villard has no street calming mechanisms in place,” Sharpe said. “However, this summer DPW is slated to install our very first bike lanes, curb extensions and high visibility crosswalks, so I feel that our reckless driving campaign coupled with our actual physical changes is extremely valuable.”
The campaigns come after a year in which the city experienced 77 fatal crashes attributed to reckless driving, an increase of 51 percent from the previous year. Out-of-control driving continues to be an issue that haunts Milwaukee.
Capturing the community’s attention
On the South Side, Muskego Way Forward, a program of the Milwaukee Christian Center, will partner with LISC Milwaukee, Imagine MKE and others on several projects. Among them are performance art events at high-traffic areas; “slow down” lawn signs and other visual messages; and public demonstrations on crosswalks, which the group started last year after a fatal crash caused by reckless driving.
The Villard Avenue BID “Slow Down” logo. (Photo provided by Angelique Sharpe)
“The crosswalk actions are to bring awareness to drivers that they need to pay attention to pedestrians,” said Edith Chavez, program manager and lead organizer for Muskego Way Forward. Chavez and other residents, including youth, walked around the area of South 16th and West Mitchell streets last year holding signs urging drivers to also keep an eye out for the many children in the area who walk to and from school.
“We’re going to continue doing some of the same things to hopefully get people’s attention and address these issues,” Chavez said.
Celia Jackson, a member of the Coalition for Safe Driving MKE, said her group is working with the Community Insurance Information Center residents and stakeholders in the Sherman Park neighborhood, another hot spot for reckless driving.
They plan to expand their current campaign, ”Slow Down, Life Matters,” by placing the logo on eight city busses and a large billboard in Sherman Park.
“It’s a work in progress, but we’re really trying to do all we can to address reckless driving,” Jackson said. “It’s a team effort.”
They’re also in the process of planning a comprehensive webinar related to reckless driving and have plans to collaborate with another grantee, the Grasslyn Manor Block Association, to host events in the Midtown neighborhood. An important aspect of these small campaigns, funded by grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, is that many community groups are combining efforts.
That level of coordination is crucial to developing a collective response to an issue that hits all areas of the city, said John Rakowski, senior director of development and partnerships for Running Rebels, which also received a grant.
“The hope is that we can build a little synergy in cohesion more than they would be otherwise,” Rakowski said. “It can really help to build a better understanding of the community’s collective interests in addressing reckless driving through education and engineering solutions.”
Eventually, Rakowski said, he hopes to unite the groups behind those types of efforts rather than relying on increased enforcement measures to address reckless driving.
“As a big metropolitan city, the idea of traffic safety and pedestrian safety is always going to exist as a top issue,” he said. “But as a community, we can definitely improve conditions and help create an environment where reckless driving behavior is less common.”

author: Edgar Mendez


text:
51144310936_5f6e26aac0_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 4, 2021


text:
51145088684_093d0a446a_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 4, 2021


text:
Post from Community: #No More Mean Girls this Mother’s Day take the pledge | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Exposed the Podcast Foundation
May 5, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Exposed The Podcast Foundation (ETPF) is a non-profit serving the state of WI and surrounding states since 2018. Founders and co-host Laverne Badger & Natalie Hayden created the podcast as a unique way to talk about life after abuse and become the voice of the voiceless, by providing individuals with educational, preventive and awareness tools to fight against domestic abuse.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
2020 was the year of COVID 19 and changed our lives forever. Women have been carrying an overwhelming load for their families. The added roles they have been given are tutor, teacher, tech specialist, counselor/therapist etc. The mental health of women at all ages is suffering. The little joys that we once knew have all shifted. According to women’s supporting women’s mental health, 57 percent of adults were likely to say COVID-19 had negatively affected their mental health.
The founders of Expose The Podcast, Laverne Badger and Natalie Hayden have come up with an unique way to support girls and women during these turbulent times.  The pledge “no more mean girls” encourages positive female relationships and ending negative behavior displayed between women. Especially during these times. Support is what we need from one another. By being aware of undesirable behavior we can then move forward in a way that shows love, compassion and support.
In May, we have a goal of 5000 females pledging by Mother’s Day 2021.  Go to the website,  to take the pledge. Become part of better women’s health and well-being.
For more information about the Exposed The Podcast Foundation,  or exposeddva@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Founders, LaVerne Badger & Natalie Hayden

author: Exposed the Podcast Foundation


text:
NoMoreMeanGirls1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 5, 2021


text:
NoMoreMeanGirls2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 5, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Walk, run or ride in the 2021 Virtual Walk for Children for Next Door! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Next Door
May 5, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Next Door is featuring more ways to participate in this year’s Virtual Walk for Children – May 22-28, 2021 –  with a weekend added to the schedule plus runners and bicyclists now welcome to participate. The Walk for Children is Next Door’s largest community event of the year, raising awareness and funding for the critical early childhood education programs the agency delivers to central city families.
“Support for Next Door’s programming is needed now more than ever as we work to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning and development,” Next Door President Dr. Tracey Sparrow said. “With your participation in the Virtual Walk for Children, you can help Next Door students get the academic and social-emotional resources they need during our transition back to full, in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year.”
What you need to know:
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Next Door thanks the Presenting Sponsor of the 2021 Virtual Walk for Children – Harley-Davidson Motor Company. The company has served in this role since the Walk for Children began in 1989. Next Door also thanks Children’s Wisconsin, Helwig Carbon Products, Inc., Johnson Controls, Manpower Group, US Bank, We Energies Foundation and Zurn/Rexnord for their corporate sponsorships.
This year marks the second virtual format for the Walk for Children. Last year’s event featured 538 participants, 42 teams and 8,130 miles walked for Next Door. We hope you can join us this time around and help us beat all of those numbers!
About Next Door
Next Door supports the intellectual, physical and emotional development of children by partnering with their families for success in school and the community. Next Door serves nearly 1,400 children a year, from birth to five years old, with two locations in Milwaukee’s central city and 11 early childhood partnership sites in the community. Through home- and center-based programs, Next Door strives to create a long-term foundation for success by closing the opportunity gap for children from under-resourced families. Next Door’s highly qualified team provides critical educational support during a child’s most important developmental years with a focus on academic achievement, building social-emotional skills, and helping children become better prepared for school. More information about Next Door at www.nextdoormke.org.

author: Next Door


text:
Walk-for-Children-web-art-2021-1500×1000.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 5, 2021


text:
A federal judge strikes down the eviction moratorium. What does that mean for Milwaukee? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
May 6, 2021
A sign inside a Boost Mobile store on West Atkinson Avenue prompts residents to apply for emergency rental aid to avoid being evicted. Struggling Milwaukee tenants should seek help through rent assistance programs being administered by Community Advocates and the Social Development Commission. (Photo taken Sept. 4, 2020 by Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Watch)
A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out the federal eviction moratorium, making it easier for landlords to kick out tenants behind in rent.
Here are some things you should know:
Wait. What happened Wednesday?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention originally enacted the halt on evictions to stem the spread of COVID–19, seasonal influenza and the increased risk of homeless shelters becoming overcrowded in fall and winter. It was set to expire June 30, but Congress has approved nearly $50 billion in rental assistance to fill the gap.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Judge Dabney Friedrich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said in her ruling that the CDC did not have the authority to impose the moratorium.
“It is the role of the political branches, and not the courts, to assess the merits of policy measures designed to combat the spread of disease, even during a global pandemic,” the ruling stated. “The question for the Court is a narrow one: Does the Public Health Service Act grant the CDC the legal authority to impose a nationwide eviction moratorium? It does not.”
So what happens now?
It’s not completely clear.
Late Wednesday night, Friedrich put her ruling on hold until May 12. The move allows landlords who oppose a longer delay the chance to argue their case.
“Several court rulings have attempted to strike down the moratorium, but all had limited application,” Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a tweet. “While this ruling is written more starkly than previous ones, it likely has equally limited application, impacting only the plaintiffs who brought the case.”
OK. But is the moratorium still in effect or not?
The U.S. Department of Justice is appealing the ruling and requested an emergency stay on the order until a decision is made by a higher court.  This means the moratorium remains in place for now, said Anthony Coley, the department’s director of public affairs.
What did the moratorium do anyway?
Tenants who have missed monthly rent payments were protected from being forced out of their homes if they declared financial hardship. It slowed but did not completely halt eviction filings. Milwaukee is still seeing hundreds of eviction filings each month but far fewer than in typical years, according to Eviction Lab.
What does this mean for Milwaukee?
George Hinton, the CEO of the Social Development Commission, or SDC, which works to help those in poverty, said his agency is closely monitoring the ruling and plans to advocate for tenants.
“If this decision does impact us here in Milwaukee, tenants will lose the protection they have and will be at the mercy of their landlords,” he said. “It’d put a lot of pressure on organizations like us, but either way we will continue to do our best and get applications processed as quickly as possible for those in need.”
The SDC received $6.7 million to assist residents of Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Washington counties through the Wisconsin Rent Assistance Program, or WRAP. The funds were provided as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act package. The SDC is now administering the Milwaukee Emergency Rental Assistance program.
“There is more to be sorted out, particularly on how the local courts will handle/interpret the ruling,” added Kristi Luzar the executive director of the Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin. “So, we are in communication with them and will wait to hear what’s in store there.”
What are landlords saying?
“We do not believe that this ruling will be the massive game changer in southeastern Wisconsin that some people fear, although that may occur in other states where funding is not being handled well and there is conflict instead of cooperation,” said officials representing the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin in a statement to NNS. “We will be sending a message out to our membership urging them to stay the course with pre-filing mediation and to continue to work diligently to help their renters apply and complete the application process for emergency rental assistance.”
What should I do now?
“Until there is a conclusive answer on who this affects, the most prudent thing for people to do is to continue filing the declarations,” said Raphael Ramos, an attorney with Legal Action of Wisconsin and director of the Eviction Defense Project. (As explained in previous articles, tenants are still obligated to pay rent and must file a declaration form to your landlord to be covered under the order.)
Luzar said the consensus among partners of the Rental Housing Resource Center is that  landlords should reach out for guidance before filing to evict; that they work with renters to apply for emergency rental assistance; and that they seek mediation services if needed.
Tenants should seek help through rent assistance programs being administered by  Community Advocates and the Social Development Commission, and they should reach out to the Rental Housing Resource Center for other housing issues.
Resources to consult if you’re worried about eviction

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


text:
FACINGEFICTION | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 5, 2021


text:
New ‘credible messenger’ program launches to curb youth violence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
May 6, 2021
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley discusses the county’s new Credible Messengers program Wednesday in Sherman Park. The program pairs youth who have had trouble with the law with mentors who have had similar experiences. (Photo by Matt Martinez)
A new program will pair 68 youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system with 23 mentors in an effort to curb violence, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and several community partners announced Wednesday.
During a news conference at Sherman Park, Crowley expressed concerns about how arguments have escalated into violence, particularly after a violent 2020 that set a record for homicides in Milwaukee.
“They are showing us the consequences of neglect, of disinvestment, of disengagement with the young people,” said David Muhammad, deputy director of the county’s Department of Health and Human Services.
The Credible Messenger program will be housed in the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division and receive support from the city’s Office of Violence Prevention. “Credible messengers” are people with similar lived experiences who are brought on to mentor youth and help them navigate life.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Once connected, mentors will be available to their mentees 24 hours a day. They’ll check in regularly, providing support where it’s needed and connect kids with resources.
The mentors will come from five community organizations and programs: 414Life, Running Rebels, Milwaukee Christian Center, the Youth Advocate Program, which supports re-entry efforts for youth in the Division of Youth & Family Services, and WestCare Wisconsin, which provides social services in the Harmabee neighborhood.
The Board of Supervisors in May adopted a resolution to allow those with certain criminal convictions to serve as credible messengers for at-risk youth in Milwaukee County.
Dawn Barnett, co-executive director and a mentor at Running Rebels, stressed the importance of authenticity. The program will initially focus on teens in the youth justice system but could expand.
“All the training in the world is not what makes a credible messenger a credible messenger,” Barnett said. “It really is about people who have a gift to genuinely connect to other people.”
Barnett said mentors will need to encourage the youth to pursue their interests.
“You have to have those times when it’s not about them being in trouble, it’s about working on the relationship and showing them a different way to live in general,” Barnett said.
Kweku TeAngelo Cargile Jr., youth injury and violence prevention coordinator at the Office of Violence Prevention, said as someone who had a mentor who helped him through college, he’s been on both sides of the equation.
“You need someone to actively listen,” he said. “Someone who can hear your struggles and accomplishments, who can congratulate you and support you.”
Janiya Williams, a 16-year-old community organizer who has participated in anti-violence efforts and helps organize protests, said she wished more resources were directed toward empowering young people like her to help those struggling.
“It’s always ‘the youth are our future,’” Williams said. “They still don’t want to listen to the youth.”
Williams said young people are uniquely qualified to relate to each other. For example, she said, adults might share some experiences, but none can relate to missing a year of school because of a pandemic.
Williams also said she hoped more resources would be put toward keeping kids from entering the justice system in the first place.
Regardless of what form it takes, violence in the city needs to be addressed, she said.
The program’s launch comes after the fatal shooting in late April of a 17-year-old boy in Sherman Park.
“It could have been me; it could have been my brother,” Williams said. “It could have been my younger brother. That’s the scary thing.”


text:
51159823466_55b185b5ea_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 5, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Big Brothers Big Sisters weekly informational session (virtual) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Big Brothers Big Sisters
May 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Did you know a little time can make a BIG difference in the life of a youth? There are HUNDREDS of Little Brothers and Sisters on our waiting list that could use a mentor just like YOU.
With our new normal, we’ve adjusted our recruitment, enrollment, screening, training, and matching process to go virtual, making it even easier to start making an impact. Are you ready to learn more about becoming a Big?
Join us throughout the month of May for a series of virtual events and learn what it means to be a Big, how to apply, and be entered to win prizes like an Amazon Gift Card just for participating!
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
We are offering multiple thirty minute morning, afternoon, and evening sessions to accommodate varying schedules. If none of these times/days work, please reach out to me via email at jnesemeier@bbbsmilwaukee.org to find a better time to connect!
Once you register for this event, a link will be sent to the email that you provided. All information that is required to register for this event is confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside of the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization!
Register today at: https://becomeabig.eventbrite.com
We are looking forward to seeing you!

author: Big Brothers Big Sisters


text:
Eventbrite-Photo.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 6, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Family fishing at Washington Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
May 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
4-6pm, May 19th at Washington Park
Registration is required for this program
(For everyone) Looking to fish this summer, but don’t know how? Or perhaps, just don’t have the gear? The UEC has got you covered! We’ll supply the bait, poles and have you reeling them in before you know it!
$9 to $14. Pick your price
Personal financial situations vary widely so we provide multiple pricing options to make our programs accessible. The highest listed price fully covers the cost of the program. Lower prices reflect the generosity of our supporters who help us ensure programs are available to everyone. Please choose the option that best fits you, your family and your guests.
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 us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.


text:
177232683_10159433361253698_1996491824049037426_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 6, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Free expungement and pardon clinic | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mobile Legal Clinic
May 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
We are hosting FREE Expungement & Pardon Clinics weekly ( ).  We are scheduling now for 1-hour long appointments to meet with our legal teams and get help on conviction removal opportunities. We are a free legal clinic, that is staffed by trained lawyers and law students to assist individuals who are experiencing barriers to securing employment, safe and sustainable housing, and many more impediments a criminal conviction creates.

author: Mobile Legal Clinic


text:
Screenshot 2021-05-06 17.32 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 6, 2021

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


text:
Post from Community: Legacy Redevelopment Corp. offers pandemic relief for Milwaukee’s small business owners | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Legacy Redevelopment Corporation
May 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Legacy Redevelopment Corporation (LRC), a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides strategic lending solutions to Milwaukee’s underserved markets, has been awarded $1 million in funds by the City of Milwaukee specifically to help existing, small, for-profit businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds are now available to qualified businesses and will be 100% forgivable when borrowers meet the program criteria.
“COVID-19 continues to take a financial and emotional toll on all of us, especially struggling small businesses, said Terese Caro, LRC president. “Thanks to new pandemic-specific loan funds from the City of Milwaukee, we’re now able to offer some relief and peace of mind during these incredibly difficult times.”
According to Caro, loans from $5,000 and up to $20,000 are available to eligible Milwaukee small businesses and will be fully forgiven after six months if the organization has provided documentation for use of funds and retained or added new employees. “The loans are unsecured, with no collateral required, and must be used for working capital to improve the safety of the business and its staff,” Caro stated. “Examples of qualified expenditures include purchasing personal protective equipment and inventory, or paying mortgage, rent, or payroll,” she added. “Our goal is to help make sure these businesses survive the pandemic challenges still to come.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
To be eligible, a business must be either:
Other requirements
To learn more or to see if your business qualifies for a COVID-19 relief loan, contact Terese Caro at 414-343-3091 or tcaro@lrcmke.com. Applications will be accepted until the City of Milwaukee funds are depleted.

author: Legacy Redevelopment Corporation


text:
LRC_COVID.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 6, 2021


text:
Post from Community: Native plants at Riverside Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
May 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
9-1pm CST, May 22nd, at Riverside Park
Registration is required for this program*
Add beauty and ecological value to your yard by incorporating native plants into your landscape! Birds and pollinators rely on native plants for habitat. This year, in light of the pandemic, we will have a limited number of shopping times slots limited to 10 people per slot. Tables will be spread out, masks are required and hand sanitizer will be available.
Support the Center while you support wildlife! A portion of the proceeds help to support the Urban Ecology Center. Experts will be onsite to answer questions. If you would like to participate, please choose one of the following shopping options:
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
1) You can pre-order and arrive for touchless pick-up of your plants, go to http://www.prairiefutureseed.com/live-plants-available-at-nursery-only, for pick up at our Riverside Park location (warehouse) on Sat, May 22nd. You will receive your pick up time once you’ve ordered, online ordering will be turned on Thursday May 13 8:00 am – Thursday May 20, midnight for the plant sale.
2) Or sign up for a shopping time slot (limited capacity). If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, we ask you not to come. Masks are required and hand sanitizer will be available. Please make sure you a registering for your preferred time window.
Questions:  contact Kim Forbeck at kforbeck@urbanecologycenter.org
website:  https://calendar.urbanecologycenter.org/event/native-plant-sale-9-30-10am/

author: Urban Ecology Center


text:
176252452_10159433295163698_8488142291607390517_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 6, 2021

author: Name *