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Post from Community: Restaurant revitalization fund still open for the smallest businesses | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
U.S. Small Business Administration
May 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administrationannounced the latest application data results for the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), passed as part of the American Rescue Plan, and signed into law by President Joe Biden. The RRF has received more than 147,000 applications from women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners, requesting a total of $29 billion in relief funds.
This announcement builds on an earlier announcement of the rapid deployment of RRF funding as the SBA continues to quickly distribute relief to approved applicants on a rolling basis. To date, a total of $2.7 billion of relief funds have been distributed to 21,000 restaurants since the Restaurant Revitalization Fund opened on May 3, 2021.
“Through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, SBA is helping thousands of restaurants and other food and beverage businesses across the country get the help they desperately need to recover and rebuild from this pandemic,” said Administrator Guzman. “The numbers show that we’ve been particularly successful at reaching the smallest restaurants and underserved communities that have struggled to access relief. These businesses are the pillars of our nation’s neighborhoods and communities. We are making progress, but we have much more work to do as we continue reaching our underserved entrepreneurs.”
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In addition to a $5 billion set-aside established by Congress for applicants with gross receipts not more than $500,000, Administrator Guzman created two additional funding allocations to ensure the smallest of the small restaurants and other eating establishments such as food trucks and carts get the aid needed: 1) $500 million for applicants with 2019 gross receipts less than $50,000; and 2) $4 billion for applicants with 2019 gross receipts between $500,000 and $1,500,000. In the first days of the RRF program, after weeks of targeted outreach that included 600 local and national informational events, SBA has received:
Because SBA still has potential funding available for eligible establishments with 2019 annual revenue of not more than $50,000, it will keep the application portal open. Eligible establishments that meet this revenue standard are encouraged to apply through SBA-recognized point-of-sale vendors or directly via the SBA online application portal.
Overall, the RRF program has received more than 266,000 applications representing over $65 billion in requested funds. Nearly half of the overall submitted applications came from women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners. During the first week of the program, SBA has received applications from:
Restaurants, bars, and other small businesses offering on-site food and beverages are the core of our neighborhoods and propel economic activity on our Main Streets. As among the first businesses to close and likely the last to reopen, restaurants and bars have suffered severely during the pandemic.
“Awarding grants within a week of restaurants and bars applying demonstrates SBA’s steadfast commitment to getting people the help they need as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Erika Palmer, executive director of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. “Restaurants and bars across the country are devastated after the last 16 months of this pandemic and, until this week, have been unable to access the meaningful relief needed to stay afloat. This is what so many businesses have been waiting for – independent restaurants and bars are grateful for the Biden Administration’s efforts to quickly and carefully deliver relief to the people who need it most.”
“The Restaurant Revitalization Fund will play a crucial role in the recovery of our smallest businesses, street vendors. Street vendors come from communities in NYC and across the country that have been hit hard by the pandemic and are facing infinite challenges to recover,” said Mohamed Attia, managing director of the Street Vendor Project of the Urban Justice Center. “RRF offers an opportunity for many businesses and individuals who have been excluded from the past relief efforts due to the lack of documentation or immigration status by accepting applications from individuals using ITIN to run their business, many of whom are street vendors. We are looking forward to seeing the impact of it on our communities’ recovery.”
For more information about the Restaurant Revitalization Program, visit https://sba.gov/restaurants.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

author: U.S. Small Business Administration


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Post from Community: Riverworks Financial Clinic expands to help Milwaukee residents gain financial stability | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Riverworks Development Corporation
May 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Riverworks Development Corporation (Riverworks), a neighborhood-based nonprofit known for its economic and community development initiatives on Milwaukee’s north side, announced the expansion of the Riverworks Financial Clinic, which helps people overcome barriers to financial empowerment, and achieve long and short-term financial goals. The growth is the result of cross-sector partnerships galvanized to address the lingering financial hardships experienced by residents due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The expansion is a part of Riverworks’ broader vision of building wealth and prosperity in the Harambee, Riverwest, and surrounding communities.
“Over the last year, the pandemic exacerbated existing needs of Milwaukee residents – especially black and brown residents. I’m grateful to our partners who have helped the Financial Clinic meet the urgent needs of our community and look to the future,” said Darryl Johnson, Executive Director of Riverworks Development Corporation.
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The Financial Clinic is a one-stop-shop which offers coaching and group-based education for help with credit repair, tax preparation, home-purchase counseling, debt management, planning and goal setting, and referrals to benefits and resources. In 2020, the clinic helped 19 people become home-owners, helped 800 clients receive $915,000 in tax returns and payments, and supported nearly 1,000 residents looking for urgent help.
To help families through urgent Covid-related financial crises, Riverworks and the City of Milwaukee collaborated to launch the city-wide Financial Navigator Program. The program is part of a national initiative funded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund), and Milwaukee was selected as one of 21 cities to participate in the last grant cycle. Callers can request resources and guidance on any financial need, and Financial Navigators will help callers make action plans including referrals for services or more in-depth financial coaching. Since the Milwaukee Financial Navigators Program launched in October, 500 Milwaukee residents have received help, including 1,415 outbound referrals to additional services and resources related to rent and utility expenses, managing credit card debt, and job search resources.
“This pandemic has disrupted people’s lives in so many ways.  Financial hardship and job loss has been all too common,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “Sound advice and good information is available through the Financial Navigators Program. We are proud to partner with Riverworks Financial Clinic on this new program, and I encourage people to reach out.  A financial plan can be a helpful part of moving forward.“
With a $700,000 investment from U.S. Bank Foundation’s national $15 million Rebuild and Transform Fund, Riverworks Financial Clinic will double its coaching staff over two years. The U.S. Bank Fund was created to help rebuild in corridors impacted by social unrest and systemic racial inequities in small business, housing and workforce advancement. Part of the funds will go to the Milwaukee Urban League, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, Running Rebels, ACTS Housing, United Community Center and Housing Resources, Inc. for job skills training and placement and home ownership counseling services in collaboration with the Financial Clinic.
“U.S. Bank embraces our responsibility to provide meaningful investments toward bridging racial economic and social disparities in the communities we serve. While philanthropic efforts alone cannot solve for these gaps, we recognize that investment in thoughtful programming run by our trusted community partners is one meaningful catalyst to change,” said Suzanne Zwaska, Vice President/Community Affairs Manager, US Bank.
In November, Riverworks closed The VIBE, a co-work space for entrepreneurs, due to the pandemic. The closure coincided with the expansion of the Financial Clinic, and the space has been remodeled to accommodate private meeting areas for coaches and clients.
A small gathering of investors, dignitaries and partners marked the expansion of the Financial Clinic and unveiled new exterior signage at the Financial Clinic located at 518 East Concordia Street in Milwaukee. Guests also recognized the last tax filing through the Riverworks Financial Clinic Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
At the event on Thursday, May 13, Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes recognized the Financial Clinic’s Director, Coretta Herring, who was selected as a winner of the 2020 Governor’s Financial Literacy Awards. Herring was honored for her efforts to help Wisconsinites build their financial literacy and capability skills by the Governor at a virtual event in April.  Community Development Grants Management Director Steve Mahan, Suzanne Zwaska from U.S. Bank, and James Quinlan from major contributor Wells Fargo also made remarks. Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions attended.
Major contributors to the Financial Clinic include Bader Philanthropies, City of Milwaukee, Cities for Financial Empowerment, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and the Zilber Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by American Family Insurance, Associated Bank, Educators Credit Union, Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), PNC Bank, and the United Way/UW Credit Union.
About Riverworks: Riverworks Development Corporation promotes economic prosperity by providing coordinated resources for residents and businesses with emphasis on the Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods.  Since 1994, Riverworks Development Corporation has spearheaded the revival of the Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods, attracting millions of dollars of local and national corporate and philanthropic investment, and some of the top technical expertise in the country.  Riverworks Development Corporation has operated the Financial Clinic, based on a national model supported by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), since 2008. Riverworks also supports small business development, housing stability, real estate development, workforce development social enterprises, and serves as a primary partner on the Beerline Trail Linear Park redevelopment. www.riverworks.org

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Riverworks Development Corporation


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Post from Community: UAA at MATC to launch CNC training for individuals with high-functioning autism; Information session set for May 20 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
May 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee Area Technical College announced today the launch of a Uniquely Abled Academy at Milwaukee Area Technical College (UAA at MATC) designed to train individuals with high-functioning autism to become computer numerical controls (CNC) manufacturing machine operators. Based on a California model, the program will provide graduates with training and a credential to help them land high-paying, high-demand machining jobs after the 16-week, hands-on, high-tech training.
The pilot launch will begin with in-person classes in fall 2021 at MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus. Local donors contributed seed funds to launch the academy for this fall. The MATC Foundation is currently seeking $565,000 to fund activities over four years, which include UAA student scholarships and the expansion of the college’s overall services for students on the autism spectrum.

A virtual information session for prospective students and their families will be held at 6 p.m. May 20. Register or donate at  matc.edu/uaa.
“We are excited to bring a national best practice to Milwaukee and expand MATC’s reach to provide training that helps individuals with autism access high-paying jobs as CNC machine operators,” said Laura Bray, MATC vice president for college advancement and external communication. “The program is another innovative approach where MATC is working to nurture the talents of individuals in our district while meeting employer demands in an industry that needs skilled workers. This is a clear win-win for students and employers.”
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This new program is the result of MATC’s partnership with the Uniquely Abled Project, which is based in Los Angeles, Calif., and was established in 2013 by Ivan Rosenberg, an aerospace industry consultant and parent of two children on the autism spectrum. The UAA at MATC will be one of at least four community colleges nationally beyond California that are adopting this model in 2021, with others in Minnesota, Ohio and Massachusetts. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for CNC setup and CNC operators is expected to expand by 17 percent through 2026.
Local business owner and MATC Foundation Board member Jamie Berger initiated the work to bring the model to Milwaukee. “As a parent of a son on the spectrum, I know that many parents worry about the future of our children and want to ensure that there are viable career paths with good wages,” said Berger. “This model was created to shift the societal paradigm from “disabled” to “uniquely abled”; matching individuals’ unique abilities of precision, attention to detail and managing complex operations that are required to operate CNC machines. The model also offers students life skills that can support their professional growth.”
To meet COVID social distancing guidelines, MATC will have up to seven spots for the pilot semester, which will include 512 hours of in-person instruction. MATC has a plan to expand the capacity of the program over the next four years and will adjust based upon interest and as COVID conditions change in future semesters. Funding raised now will support the program’s first two years.
Participants will learn how to apply basic safety practices in the machine shop, interpret industrial/engineering drawings, apply precision measuring methods to part inspection, and perform basic machine tool equipment set-up/operation. Upon completion, graduates will earn a CNC setup and operations credential, qualifying them for a number of entry-level positions, including machine trainee, machinist apprentice, and CNC operator, with salaries starting at $14 to $17 per hour.
If graduates want to continue expanding their skills, the CNC setup and operations credential can be applied to MATC’s CNC technician technical diploma, tool and die making technical diploma, and machine tool operations technical diploma, allowing graduates to get a jump start on earning more credentials and access to higher pay.
Students must hold a high school or GED diploma, be 18 years or older, have ability to function independently in social and academic settings, and complete UAA admissions steps.
The program is designed to ensure student success. In addition to technical and soft skills training, there will be an educational assistant in the class to provide technical support as well as a program specialist to assist students with acclimating to college and workplace environments.
To be successful in this role, CNC operators should have a keen eye for detail, mechanical aptitude, ability to perform mathematical calculations, basic understanding of computer software, ability to comply with safety guidelines, and strong problem solving and multitasking skills
According to the Autism Society, more than 3.5 million Americans live with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The latest report from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes the prevalence rate in the U.S. is on the rise, estimating that one in 50 children currently fall on the autism spectrum.

Many individuals with ASD are either unemployed or underemployed. The Uniquely Abled Project sets out to shift people’s perspectives by placing individuals with perceived employment challenges in high-skill jobs, connecting the unique abilities of the neurodiverse community with careers that capitalize on their skill sets.  At some point in the future, MATC may be able to expand the UAA to include other fields of study.
The Uniquely Abled Academies in California have more than a 98% success rate, as 69 of the 70 individuals who completed the program have secured careers as CNC operators. Companies that hire autistic employees see real benefits, said Rosenberg, who expressed his dislike for the term “disabled” and preferred focusing on the “compensatory extraordinary ability” that sets these possible employees apart. “These uniquely-abled graduates turn out to be their best employees,” he said. “They show up on time; they’re focused; they do what they say they’re going to do.”
With the help of donors, MATC will be able to offer scholarships to students based upon financial need and will also be able to assist students in applying for Federal Financial Aid.
Individuals interested in participating in this program should contact Heather Lorbiecki at lorbiech@matc.edu or 414-297-6962. To register for one of the information sessions, visit: matc.edu/uaa.
Individuals interested in making a donation to project the UAA project should contact Monika Walloch at wallocms@matc.edu or 414-297-8514 or visit: matc.edu/uaa.
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.
The Uniquely Abled Project (UAP) is a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind collaboration with the business community. Our focus is the creation of vocational opportunities for uniquely abled individuals by matching their unique abilities to jobs in demand. We are different from other jobs programs, because we have a business conversation with companies and provide an extraordinary solution to a need that businesses have. We are not asking them to “help the handicapped.” The Uniquely Abled Project enables those with a diagnosis to have the possibility of a career that is meaningful and provides income, dignity and purpose while filling a major need for employers. Our exceptional partnerships with educators, autism specialists, and representatives from state and local social service agencies have enabled us to create programs that professionally train, place and provide ongoing support for individuals with autism seeking well-paying jobs across a wide range of industries.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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Drop out or drown in debt? Many Black students in Wisconsin face stark choices in paying for college | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alyssa Huglen Wisconsin Watch
May 18, 2021
When Clint Myrick graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2010, he left with two consequential pieces of paper: a diploma for a bachelor’s degree in music education — and an eye-popping student loan bill.
The Milwaukee native was one of the first in his family to attend college, and Myrick said he entered with little knowledge of how to pay for it.
“I was totally unprepared,” Myrick said. “I didn’t know how much it cost … I kind of had to figure out everything on my own.”
Myrick held a number of jobs during college to help pay the bills, from working at a flower shop to running a cash register at the UW-Milwaukee student union. He earned about $6 an hour, and student loans allowed him to pay for school.
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Over a decade later, Myrick’s student loan debt has only ballooned, even after years of payments. Interest has pushed the debt to $152,039, the highest it has ever been. The husband and father of three works multiple jobs to service the debt. He spends an extra 20 to 30 hours a week as an Uber driver outside of his full-time job for a bank and duties as president for the Milwaukee chapter of the Black fraternity he belonged to in college, Alpha Phi Alpha.
Myrick is not alone in this struggle. In Wisconsin, about 710,000 people owe an estimated $24.4 billion in federal student loan debt, with the median debt at $17,323, according to Gov. Tony Evers’ 2020 task force on student loan debt. Nationally, the toll of crippling levels of student debt on tens of millions of Americans has prompted some calls for wide-ranging loan forgiveness.
That burden weighs on students unevenly. According to EducationData.org, Black and African-American college graduates owe around $25,000 more in student loan debt on average than their white counterparts. The same report also found that four years after graduation, 48% of Black students owe around 12.5% more than they originally borrowed.
Such disparities are particularly stark in the Milwaukee area, according to a 2019 Federal Reserve Bank of New York report. In majority-minority ZIP codes in Milwaukee, Waukesha and West Allis, 23% of the population has student loan debt, compared to 19% of majority white ZIP codes. The real difference comes in the proportion of those loans that are in default. In ZIP codes where most residents are people of color, 21% of the loans are in default, compared to just 6% in majority-white areas.
Evers’ task force recommended Wisconsin take several steps to ease the student debt burden, including expanding financial literacy education for K-12 students; increasing need-based financial aid; loan forgiveness for graduates entering certain professions; state tax credits; and a mechanism to refinance student debt to lower interest rates.
It concluded that “finding solutions to tackle racial and ethnic inequity in student debt is a critical aspect of finding solutions for Wisconsin’s student loan borrowers.”
Disparities deep in Milwaukee
A variety of studies have named Milwaukee the nation’s most racially segregated metropolitan area, home to structural inequality that makes it tougher for Black residents to bolster their standard of living compared to white residents.
A 2020 UW-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development report compared Milwaukee’s Black community to those in the country’s 50 largest metropolitan cities, finding Milwaukee’s Black residents fared among the bottom three nationally in income and economic mobility.
Myrick said these statistics show how racism inhibits the overall well-being of Black folks.
“The base of it is racism. Racism is the driving force in the disparities between Black and white people,” Myrick said. “We’re not receiving the same education, the same resources or the same facilities.”
During a March online debate for Intelligence Squared U.S. on student loan forgiveness, Ashley Harrington of the Center for Responsible Lending said many Black students are severely burdened by this loan debt. The nonprofit works to protect homeownership and family wealth by opposing abusive financial practices.
“(Student debt) is disproportionately weighing on borrowers of color, Black borrowers in particular, who are more likely to borrow, to borrow more and to struggle in repayment,” said Harrington, federal advocacy director for the group. “That is the direct result of centuries of racially exclusionary policies and practices that continue to this day.”
At Myrick’s alma mater, UW-Milwaukee, many students are racking up crippling debt to lenders.
The 2020 edition of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) found the percentage of UW-Milwaukee students taking out student loans in the 2018-19 school year was 7 percentage points higher than the median of a comparison group of similar institutions. UW-Milwaukee students in the same year also took out an average of $7,499 in student loans — roughly $1,000 more than the median amount.
Myrick said he understands why so many students take out loans without necessarily knowing how to pay them back.
“They sell you on the dream. ‘Just take out the loans, and you’ll get a job where you’ll be able to pay that stuff back!’ You really believe it,” Myrick said.
More debt, more defaults
Loan debt at UW-Milwaukee disproportionately affects Black students in other ways too.
Nationwide, 45.9% of Black students graduate with a bachelor’s degree within six years, according to EducationData.org. But at UW-Milwaukee, only 25% of Black and African-American students at UW-Milwaukee achieve this, according to the National Center of Education Statistics. That is roughly half of the graduation rate for white UW-Milwaukee students.
That disparity stems at least in part from students having to drop out of school for financial reasons, said Victoria Pryor, UW-Milwaukee’s Black Student Cultural Center student services program manager. Pryor said many Black students face a troubling dilemma: Take out more student loans or leave school.
“I’ve seen several students who have had to drop out because they might not have had that last little bit of money for tuition or they might have fallen on hard times,” Pryor said. “They may get their degree but still have $40,000 to $50,000 in student loans to repay. That’s the worst thing — to have that much money to pay back, and you still don’t have that degree.”
Black students are taking particularly big financial risks when attending higher education, UW-Madison’s Fenaba Addo said in a 2018 report for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
“(Black students) tend to rely on student loans more than whites, have higher debt burdens, express more concern about the affordability of loan payments, and are more likely to default,” said Addo, a faculty affiliate at the university’s Institute for Research on Poverty.
Financial aid scarce
To avoid the possibility of piling on more loan debt, many UW-Milwaukee students turn to the university’s financial aid office.
However, the university lags behind similar institutions in regard to financial aid. The same 2020 IPEDS report found 58% of UW-Milwaukee students received grant aid in the 2018-19 school year — far below the comparison group median of 84%. UW-Milwaukee that year offered students roughly half the aid that comparison universities provided.
Tim Opgenorth, UW-Milwaukee’s director of financial aid, said the university lacks funding to cover the full need.
“(The IPEDS data) doesn’t surprise me. We have a very small amount of institutional, need-based aid that we can give to students,” Opgenorth said. “The campus is aware that they have a ways to go, and they’ve been trying to raise money to address it.”
Pryor, a 1988 UW-Milwaukee alum, said many of today’s students must work, making it hard to do well in school.
“I do think if we could get some more scholarship money for our students, that could really close the (racial) gap,” Pryor said. “I think our students would be able to be more successful and would not have to work two or three jobs. They could focus more on their studies, and they might not have to drop out.”
‘It would change everything’
The national conversation around addressing student loan debt is getting louder since President Joe Biden took office. Biden’s plan is to forgive up to $10,000 in student loan debt per person; some in the Democratic Party call that too modest.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are among those pushing for $50,000 in loan forgiveness for the 43 million Americans who collectively owe more than $1.5 trillion.
But some are criticizing this push to eliminate debt across the board, worried it would give a break to the wrong people. During the recent online debate, Reason editor-at-large Nick Gillespie said forgiving student loan debt for all would give wealthy families help they don’t need.
“There is no reason on God’s green Earth that wealthy people should not be paying their way. When they take out loans or their kids take out loans, they should pay them back,” Gillespie said.
Brookings Institution fellow Adam Looney argues that “even modest student loan forgiveness proposals are staggeringly expensive and … would exceed cumulative spending on many of the nation’s major antipoverty programs over the last several decades.” Looney proposes more targeted approaches to close the wealth gap.
But Harrington of the Center for Responsible Lending said canceling all student loan debt could effectively address racial gaps in debt and wealth, adding, “It will literally move so many families to positive wealth from negative wealth. That is not nothing. That is powerful.”
With no relief yet in sight, Myrick continues to chip away at his six-figure loan debt, which continues to exact a steep toll. The debt kept his family from qualifying for the lowest rate on a home loan, and it has stalled plans to begin investing in real estate.
Myrick said canceling all student debt would transform his family’s life and help address the deep racial disparities in Milwaukee and nationally.
“Some people wouldn’t even have debt if you eliminate those. I’m one of them,” he said. “I wouldn’t have to work a second job if they wiped them clean. I would have more time with the family. Wiping student loans across the board for Black folks … it would change everything.”
This story was produced as part of an investigative reporting class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication under the direction of Dee J. Hall, Wisconsin Watch’s managing editor, who contributed to this story. The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with WPR, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-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.
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Here are some resources to manage student loan debt
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a range of resources on student debt, including an online tool to help would-be borrowers compare costs and financial aid options. A CFPB student loan ombudsman handles disputes with private student lenders or with those who service or collect on all types of student loans. You can submit a complaint online.
A U.S. Department of Education student loan ombudsman handles disputes over federal student aid. You can submit information about your problems online or call 877-557-2575.

author: Alyssa Huglen Wisconsin Watch


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Dwayne Burtin
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author: Dwayne Burtin


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Parents of kids younger than 6 are now eligible to receive money for pandemic-related meals | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
May 18, 2021
If you have a child who was less than 6 years old on Oct. 1, 2020, and you were enrolled in FoodShare, you are likely eligible to receive money for meals, even if you picked up meals from school distribution sites like this one at ALBA School. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the date in which residents can expect to get benefits in the pre-6 P-EBT program.
If you have children who were younger than 6 years old on Oct. 1, 2020, then you are eligible to receive money to cover meal expenses incurred if you were already enrolled in FoodShare.
The money comes from the Pandemic EBT program, or P-EBT. P-EBT reimburses families with children who would have received free or reduced-price meals at school or child care but did not get the meals because their school or child care facility closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
P-EBT benefits are loaded onto a QUEST card or P-EBT card and can be used for items covered by FoodShare Wisconsin, which helps those with limited incomes buy healthy food. This includes most groceries but not restaurants or most hot food. EBT stands for electronic benefits transfer, and the cards are the equivalent of food stamps.
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Previously, this program was available only for parents of school-age children. But the federal government has created an additional P-EBT program to include children younger than age 6 who are not in school-so long as a family is not already receiving school-age P-EBT for a child.
To be eligible to receive this money, families must meet the following conditions:
Eligible families can receive $6.82 per child per day spent in virtual learning. The exact amount will vary based on how many schools in Southeast Wisconsin were learning in person compared with the number of schools learning virtually or using a hybrid model for a given month.
If the most common learning model in the region for a given month was fully in person with no virtual option, no child in the region will receive any pre-6 P-EBT. If the most common learning model was anywhere between in person with a virtual option and hybrid four days a week, all children in that region will receive 60% of the maximum pre-6 P-EBT benefit. If the most common learning model in the region was completely virtual, all children in that region will receive 100% of the max benefit.
Benefits will only be distributed for months that a family was enrolled in FoodShare. For instance, if an eligible family enrolled in FoodShare in January, it would not receive P-EBT for October through December.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, or DHS, said this approach is based on guidance from the federal Department of Agriculture, which approved DHS’ implementation plan for the program.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services estimates that 92,000 families statewide will benefit from this program, which costs $68.6 million.
DHS leaders said Pre-6 P-EBT program applicants should get benefits starting on May 29i. Families do not need to do anything to get these benefits. (For updates on when and how benefits will be distributed, text “MKE” to 73224.)
School-age P-EBT has begun catching up on missing payments
DHS is still taking applications for those who believe they are eligible to receive P-EBT but did not receive benefits on their QUEST card or did not receive a letter notifying them of their eligibility for P-EBT in March.
If you meet the following conditions, you are eligible to receive P-EBT benefits for school-age children:
If you meet these conditions but did not receive additional funds on your QUEST card or a P-EBT card in the mail in late March, you should be receiving them shortly.
To inquire about your benefits, call 833-431-2224 or email PEBTsupport@wisconsin.gov. The phone line is staffed with people speaking both English and Spanish, and a translation service is available for other languages, including but not limited to Hmong, Arabic and Somali.
In case you missed it:
•Here’s what to do if you haven’t received pandemic-related school lunch benefits
•How parents can get up to $1,248 per child to offset costs of meals during virtual learning

author: Sam Woods


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 17, 2021

author: Adam Carr


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Post from Community: Time is now for voters to be mindful of State effort to remove registered voters from rolls | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Cavalier Johnson
May 18, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Today, two communication files I sponsored (Council files 210070 and 210077) were brought before the Judiciary and Legislation Committee to further trumpet the need for voters to monitor their mail for an important postcard notifying them that they have 30 days to ask to keep their voter registrations active.
The postcard – coming from the state Elections Commission – will be sent to certain voters in June, and voters will have until July 15th to ask that they remain registered to vote.
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This is made necessary because last month the Elections Commission (a bipartisan body) made the decision to start the process of removing as many as 188,000 people from the voter rolls for not voting in the last four years. The move is a routine exercise, but it could catch people by surprise and seriously hinder their ability to vote.
In the City of Milwaukee, 33,000 residents are expected to receive one of these notices and will need to respond in order to stay registered.  State officials will deactivate the voter registrations of those who do not respond to the mailings, as well as those whose notices are returned as undeliverable.
The Commission took up the issue after a legal battle over whether it should remove tens of thousands of people from the rolls because they were believed to have moved. In a 5-2 ruling, the state Supreme Court sided in favor of the Commission, finding in early April it did not have to quickly take those voters off the rolls.
This routine maintenance involving voter rolls must be completed accurately and must not disenfranchise voters.
If residents have not voted since the 2016 Presidential Election, they will need to be watching their mailboxes in June in order to respond to the mailing and stay registered.
Voters who are removed from the rolls can re-register by mail, online, in clerk’s offices or at the polls. Those affected will need to have proof of residence to restore their voter registrations.
I urge anyone with questions to call the City of Milwaukee Election Commission at 414-286-3491.

author: Ald. Cavalier Johnson


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NNS Spotlight: ‘People power’: How the African American Roundtable works to educate and empower leaders | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Caroline White
May 19, 2021
Anita Johnson (left) and Mike Wilder speak at an African American Roundtable-organized news conference about voter suppression in 2012. (Photo provided by Markasa Tucker)
Members of the African American Roundtable believe there is untapped leadership potential in communities all over Milwaukee.
And they want to unlock it.
The roundtable, which comprises dozens of groups and individuals, has played instrumental roles in local causes, including voter education, calls to increase the minimum wage and the push for justice for victims of police brutality. Along the way, roundtable members have made an intentional effort to include and educate Milwaukee residents on the causes that affect them.
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“If no one is giving you the skills, how will you know?” said Markasa Tucker, executive director.
Currently, the roundtable’s efforts are focused on ensuring the community has a say in how  the money the City of Milwaukee is receiving through the American Rescue Plan Act is spent. The plan, a COVID-recovery economic stimulus package, was signed by President Joe Biden in March.
Milwaukee received the first of two $200 million dollar payments on May 10, and the roundtable is demanding that no money be spent until city leaders formulate a plan to include community voices. The group’s complete list of demands, including that no money go to the police, can be read on its community sign-on letter.
Making moves
The African American Roundtable, Black Leaders Organizing Communities and other community partners urge city leaders to divest from the police department at a 2019 budget hearing. (Photo provided by Markasa Tucker)
In January, the African American Roundtable, also known as AART, moved its home base from Wisconsin Voices to the Hmong American Women’s Association, or HAWA. As a fiscal project of HAWA, it has been able to hire new staff members and launch a paid community leadership fellowship program. At the end of March, which is Women’s History Month, the group unveiled its all-Black, woman-led board.
Tammie Xiong, the executive director of the Hmong American Women’s Association, said the collaboration between HAWA and AART is natural and mutually beneficial. Both groups are working to uplift women, LGBTQ people and people of color through their community organizing efforts.
“The work being led by AART is also liberating our communities and giving us an opportunity to reimagine a community that we can all thrive in,” Xiong said in an email.
The long-term goal for the roundtable is to become an independent nonprofit and perhaps one day have its own building. These plans come after nine years of working on campaigns under other nonprofits.
Humble beginnings
The African American Roundtable began under Citizen Action in 2012 with the leadership of Mike Wilder, the first executive director. It was funded by grant money given to help engage and educate Wisconsin Black voters in the gubernatorial recall election of that year. Specifically, the group worked to dispel misinformation about voter identification laws.
Anita Johnson, now a board member of the roundtable, has been a member of AART since the beginning. She said these early organizing efforts showed her and other members how influential educating the public could be.
“The power is in giving the information to the people,” Johnson said. “The power is in educating the community.”
The roundtable operated under different organizations as Wilder changed jobs. In 2013, when AART was a part of Wisconsin Jobs Now, the group became involved with the Fight for 15, a movement to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
The Fight for 15 transformed into a more localized campaign to increase the hourly pay of those employed by the City of Milwaukee. In July 2014, the city announced the wage of workers would increase from $9.51 to $10.80 per hour.
Wilder described that as a “huge morale booster” that showed him and other roundtable members that their work could influence real change.
“When we saw that we could make an impact at a local level, that was just amazing,” Wilder said.
The roundtable then became a part of Wisconsin Voices at the beginning of 2014. Months later, Dontre Hamilton, a 31-year-old Milwaukeean, was shot and killed by a police officer at Red Arrow Park.
Mike Wilder was the first executive director of the African American Roundtable. (Photo provided by Markasa Tucker)
Following his death, AART members and other community organizers worked to support the Hamilton family and push for accountability and reform within the Milwaukee Police Department through the Coalition for Justice.
Wilder described that time as a turning point for the group. Hamilton’s death garnered national attention. The roundtable worked to rally the community to demand answers from the city.
“I’ve seen some big movements, but I haven’t seen anything like that,” Wilder said. “The whole city came together.”
In 2016, the United States Department of Justice spent 10 months auditing the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission. A draft report was leaked and then made public, but a final report was never produced.
In response to the incomplete audit, the roundtable worked closely with the Collaborative Community Committee, formed by the Common Council, to continue the push for police reform. In 2017, the groups held nearly 50 public meetings to discuss policing and public safety with community members.
Tucker, who joined the roundtable in 2014 and the Collaborative Community Committee in 2017, described that period as exhausting but life-changing for her.
“I wanted to be a part of something tangible to change the things I was seeing,” Tucker said.
During this time, Tucker and other community organizers began to turn their attention toward the city budget—specifically, how much money was being dedicated to the Milwaukee Police Department.
Tucker said she knew the community would pay attention if they knew how much money the police department was funded compared with affordable quality housing, youth programming, violence prevention and other causes. The problem was that barely any residents attended the city budget hearing. Tucker recalled that in 2018, only five residents turned out.
“I vowed at that point that that would not be the case next year,” Tucker said.
On Juneteenth Day 2019, the roundtable and over 25 other community partners announced LiberateMKE—a campaign that demanded a $25 million divestment from the Milwaukee Police Department.
LiberateMKE organizers spent the rest of the summer surveying over 1,000 Milwaukeeans about policy recommendations and opinions on what funds should be reallocated in the city budget. The groups also held sessions to prepare residents to speak at public hearings and train them on how to lobby their alderperson.
Over 350 people attended the city budget hearing in 2019. Police funding in the 2020 budget was decreased by $900,000, and the staff was reduced by 60 officers. An additional $72,000 was allocated to summer youth internship programs, $300,000 went to create an emergency housing program and $240,000 was allocated to Health Department programming.
LiberateMKE relaunched in 2020 and the campaign demanded a $75 million divestment in the 2021 budget. In the final adopted 2021 budget, the police budget was reduced by almost $2.2 million and 120 officer positions were cut.
Tucker said that although these reductions were not as much as the campaign organizers had hoped for, she sees the value in incremental change and knows that new community leaders will step up to continue this fight and others.
The roundtable has started investing in and empowering new community leaders through book clubs, study groups and, most recently, paid fellowship programs called Leadership Development Cohorts.
“We know community wins because we have people power,” Tucker said.
The roundtable hosts monthly meetings for Black community members every second Tuesday of the month starting at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.
In case you missed it: Milwaukee police, residents at odds over community-oriented policing

author: Caroline White


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
May 18, 2021


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OPINION: How filmmaker Marquise Mays inspired Vel R. Phillips students to share their own stories | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Students of the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School
May 19, 2021
Students at the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School spent time with local filmmaker Marquise Mays. (Photos provided by the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School)
Editor’s note: Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School provides educational services to all Milwaukee County youths who are placed in secure detention by the Wisconsin juvenile court system.
Local filmmaker Marquise Mays recently visited Vel Phillips to meet with Milwaukee County Accountability Program students. The visit was arranged by Ms. Kirchman, the school’s Instructional Coach of Literacy, Equity and Engagement.
Mays has made films about his hometown. He grew up in Milwaukee, moved to Los Angeles, then returned to his home city. When he returned, he sought to make films about Milwaukee. His goal is to make people proud of Milwaukee. The next film he is working on tells about gun violence from the perspective of children.
His most recent film, “The Heartland,” is about pride. “The Heartland” tells about challenges of Black Milwaukeeans from the perspective of children after they’ve grown into young adults. The film puts a mirror on the community so others can relate to it, seeing the realness and greatness, but also the problems suffered because of racism and unfair policies.
The students were asked about the film.
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What did you think about Marquise Mays and his movie “The Heartland”?
He is a really cool dude. He’s intelligent. He also has a passion for his work and loves it. I also really appreciated his movie because it is about our city, where I was born and raised. Also, it is well made, and the people in it are well spoken with their words. -JW
If you made your own movie about Milwaukee, what would be in it?
If I made a movie about Milwaukee, I would expose those who are oppressing and racist. I would show people that play a part in a bigger game that’s designed to keep us under.
I would show how we are not just as people, but as a community. But my community needs to come together and stand up not to be factory workers, but the kings and queens we were made to be. We need to be heard. -SB
What did you learn from Mays?
I learned even people with slightly different stories show how little has changed. Where you live is where you die just as the generation before you. Some folks don’t understand and don’t want to understand. They just give a fake side.
The movie inspired that we need to push harder for history that’s not always made clear and yet is hidden to us. Our protests are not riots; our conversations are not arguments. -SB
Young talent materializing in Milwaukee
On his visit, Mays pointed out that Milwaukee has many young creative talents who are fueling projects and stories to showcase our city. In addition to Mays, Nyesha Stone edits the Carvd N Stone blog to bring good news to the city. Rappers from Milwaukee include IshDARR, Coo Coo Cal, Rico Love, Gerald Walker and Lakeyah Danaee.
Vel Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School boasts lots of young talent as well. Below, our MCAP students share their talents.
ET: I’m a great influencer, rapper, dancer, writer and teacher of young men. A lot of young men would follow my footsteps. I can encourage young men to do the right thing. I can take what I learned and help others apply the same lessons to their lives. And I can do this through my creativity and talent, through my words that I know can reach people the same way that they reached me.
HA: I’m good at drawing and painting. I want to help people be something in life.
DA: I like to rap, play basketball, play football. I like to show people how to do these things.
PJ: One of my talents is football. I also like to draw and be part of the newspaper. I also like to talk with others. I’ve learned a lot at Vel Phillips, so hopefully I can try some of these skills on the outs.
KJ: I am a young and creative talent because I can read, write and speak really well. I’m also a good listener and learner. I have perfect spelling. I am a fast runner with stamina. I’m a good basketball and football player.
DJ: I want to be a preacher and tell young kids that high speeds are not a good option. People can end up dead. I will try to convince people there is a God, and God is good. I want to find other opportunities to speak to others. I’m a good speaker.
EP: I want to be a personal trainer. I am talented in helping people with this. I want people to work out and get strong. I also want to show people it is fun and rewarding to work out. I want to lead people to a healthier, fit life as a personal trainer.
JW: I am a young talent in Milwaukee because I can draw pretty much anything you name.
I can really make it as an artist. Also, I want to go to school so I can master my skills and get better and better, so I can succeed as a creative young man from Milwaukee.
TC: I’m creative. I can hoop to the highest level. I can become a business owner and sell houses because I’m good at negotiating the right deal for someone’s interest.
JW: I’m interested in real estate because I always wanted to own houses and other things since I was young. It’s good money and a good business to be in. I will be helping people by renting houses at prices we both can agree on.
SL: I can use my insightful writing. I am capable of explaining and detailing a story better than the average individual. I can share my writing skills with others to provide them with the same skills as me.
I also thrive in song writing because of my exquisite vocabulary. If I continue, I may be able to take a career as a journalist, song writer or author. To have these talents is to have a second voice; and I will use it.
The full “Vel’s Voice” newsletter for May, including this article and more student work, can be read here.
In case you missed it:
Milwaukee filmmaker Marquise Mays puts city in cinematic spotlight
NNS Spotlight: Meet the woman behind Milwaukee’s newest source for positive news
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.


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Post from Community: Hip-Hop Week MKE postponed for 2021 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Khalif J. Rainey
May 19, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
It is with sadness that I am announcing the indefinite postponement of Hip-Hop Week MKE for 2021.
While I would love to bring forth the usual positive energy, music, information and resources that Hip-Hop Week MKE is now known for across the city, the state and the nation, the current state of affairs has made it nearly impossible to pull off in a meaningful way.
The improving but still uncertain conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic have created a logistical labyrinth for most artists and for venues. Sponsors and partners are also stretched for resources and staff, and in a difficult situation.
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Safety and public health must continue to be the first priority!
I look forward to that day (hopefully in the not too distant future) when I hold a launch news conference on the first day of the NEXT Hip-Hop Week MKE.

author: Ald. Khalif J. Rainey


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Post from Community: In a year with challenges and uncertainty, First Stage shows resiliency and creativity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
First Stage
May 19, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
First Stage, one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families, demonstrated resiliency and creativity during the 2020/21 season, the year everything changed and turned upside down. Like arts and cultural groups across the country, First Stage had to stop live in-person performances and look for new ways to engage audiences, students and families.
Through Our Lens – A Virtual Season of Plays
In reflecting on the 2020/21 season First Stage Artistic Director Jeff Frank shared: “In the face of all of the challenges to the process of creation this past year, the First Stage staff, alongside artists from around the country, found new and powerful ways to connect with our audiences. Among the highlights at First Stage was the world premiere web series THE QUEST FOR SOLOMON’S TREASURE, written by John Maclay and directed by Theater Academy alum and Hollywood actor Jeremy Tardy. This virtual production treated audiences to a high-stakes mystery/adventure that traveled virtually around Milwaukee. The show was highlighted at a national level during a Theatre for Young Audiences USA (TYA/USA) seminar exploring new work in the digital realm and was subsequently invited to be part of the Digital Showcase at the TYA/USA annual conference.”
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Frank continued, “During ESCAPE FROM PELIGRO ISLAND, which was on view at the beginning of the year, audiences used their phones to vote live on the choices of the young hero as they journeyed through a virtual adventure. I am still in awe of our actors, designers and staff who were prepared for any one of over 1,000 potential combinations of choices. Most recently, First Stage launched Amplify – First Stage’s BIPOC Virtual Short Play Series, lifting the voices of playwrights who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color, expanding First Stage’s commitment to new play development and our mission to ensure that the stories we tell and the tellers of those tales reflect the wonder and complexity of our community. Our award-winning Young Company continued their legacy of excellence with a virtual production of TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA and a radio play version of THE CRUCIBLE.”
In summarizing, Frank added: “At a time when we were faced with some of our greatest challenges, the First Stage staff responded with tremendous creativity, innovation and passion – finding ways to connect with and serve our audiences. We’ve learned a lot – from the nuances of filming theater to navigating livestreaming – and we are ready to take that learning forward into our future.”
Community Support
As First Stage pivoted into offering an all-virtual 2020/21 season, support from the community was critical in making this possible. “We have been so grateful to have sponsorships from Children’s Wisconsin, PNC and Associated Bank, who helped make it possible for hundreds of families to view our Virtual Season of Plays – and for the generous support from the Burke Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Herzfeld Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Melitta S. Pick Charitable Trust, Frank L. Weyenberg Charitable Trust, Stackner Foundation and many others who ensured we were able to continue our programming,” said Managing Director Betsy Corry. “And we can’t thank our longtime supporters at the Molitor Foundation enough for matching dollars made to our 2020/21 HOPE Fund Relief Initiative, which has raised $276,520 to date in support of the First Stage staff.”
Added First Stage Development Director Nancy Clarkin, “First Stage is also very grateful to our Board of Directors, Committee Members and all of our incredible families and supporters who have helped us and continue to help us make it through this challenging season. We recently completed our 11 annual Bard-O-thon, where students raised over $17,000 in pledges to support our Shakespeare programming. This fall, we engaged more than 100 guests with our annual ImpACT Event. We also pivoted our signature events to virtual platforms and continued to engage our attendees raising nearly $70,000 at our Wine Event and $130,000 with our Make Believe Ball. With continued community support from the United Performing Arts Fund, First Stage has been able to fulfill its mission of transforming lives through theater.”
Theater Academy
In addition to the all-virtual season of plays, First Stage Theater Academy successfully and safely launched a combination of both virtual and smaller, in-person classes that provided a lifeline to more than 1,300 student enrollments during the Summer and School Year sessions. Among its popular class offerings for students included its Virtual Master Class series for middle and high school students, in which students had the unique opportunity to learn specific theater topics from professional theater artists, including Auditioning, Acting for the Singer, Comedy Writing and Satire, and Puppetry. Another popular Academy class, offered in-person at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, were its Performance Experience classes, offering students in grades 3 and up the opportunity to broaden performance skills and perform a popular show as their final presentation, including MOANA, JR., FROZEN, JR. and RENT. All classes and rehearsals where socially distanced with students and staff wearing appropriate face coverings and final presentations were made available for families to view virtually.
Neil Willenson, Academy parent and Vice President of Community Relations, Kapco, said, “I am so impressed with what First Stage managed to pull off. Despite a pandemic, required masks and social distancing, you somehow made this work! This is so inventive and really is a model for how folks can still create art safely over the coming months.”
Theater in Education
Thanks to the generous support of the United Performing Arts Fund’s Kasey’s Fund, First Stage was also able to provide its on-demand, virtual School Membership Package free of charge to select schools this year. Created with the understanding that schools needed support and flexibility during an uncertain time, the School Membership Package provided educators on-demand access to arts-integrated and standards-based programming. First Stage piloted a nomination process in order to strategically select schools with the most need and greatest potential of a successful partnership. Parents, educators, school staff and other community members submitted more than 80 nominations for this special opportunity.
First Stage selected 18 elementary schools to receive its free virtual School Membership Package. Winners included: Christ-St. Peter Lutheran School; Dimensions of Learning Academy; Dunwiddie Elementary School; Forest Home Avenue School; General Mitchell Elementary School; Hartford Avenue Elementary School; Horace Mann Elementary School; Luther Burbank School; Maryland Avenue Montessori; Milwaukee Academy of Science; Milwaukee College Preparatory – Lloyd Street; Milwaukee Sign Language School; Rocketship Southside Community Prep; Saint Sebastian School; Seeds of Health Elementary School; U.S. Grant School; Wilson Elementary School and Woodlands State Street School.
In addition to its successful School Membership Package, the Theater in Education team also launched a new virtual interactive theater experience called ADVENTURES WITH THE THREE LITTLE PIGS that has been a big hit with families and classrooms. Mrs. Beth Lynch, a teacher with Lyons Center School, had this to say about her experience: “I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to ‘go on a field trip’ with my students. The show was adorable, and the students loved it! I also liked the materials that you included. We always enjoy First Stage shows and ADVENTURES WITH THE THREE LITTLE PIGS did not disappoint. Looking forward to next year’s show!”
First Stage Branding/Marketing and Sales Successes
Marketing and Communications Director Jennifer Hubbartt shared her thoughts on this past season: “At the onset of the pandemic, First Stage’s marketing effort shifted quickly to focus solely on maintaining a consistent and engaging presence with our audiences in a virtual space. Working with our artistic and programming teams that were vital in creating content to offer digitally, First Stage launched further into its best-performing social media platforms to deliver insightful, engaging and interactive video content. Unified with a refreshed logo and cohesive brand presence, First Stage positioned itself to keep top of mind to our loyal and newer audiences, building our brand to set the stage for long-term success when we can return to live performances. The results? A 12% increase of ticket buyers outside of our region, with 35% of this season’s ticket buyers being new to First Stage; a 58% year-over-year increase of our YouTube subscribers; over 6,600 total views of ticketed and complimentary virtual performances, all with a level of local and regional media coverage comparable to a pre-pandemic performance season.”
First Stage Board President Caryn Esten offered these final thoughts: “In a season with so much fear, uncertainty and change, I feel honored to have worked with the First Stage Board and staff this past year. I am proud of our accomplishments and how we’ve managed to stay aligned with the First Stage mission. It’s been a remarkable year requiring constant reevaluation, reconfiguring, transparent communication and flexibility, and I wholeheartedly believe that First Stage has come out of this experience stronger, more resilient and beautifully poised for its next chapter.”
FACT SHEET
THE QUEST FOR SOLOMON’S TREASURE: streaming now – May 30, 2021. For more information and to order tickets, please go to: www.firststage.org/quest
ADVENTURES OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS: steaming now – May 30, 2021. For more information and to order tickets, please go to: www.FirstStage.org/threepigs
UNMUTED: streaming now – May 30, 2021 at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fFcaUQFDJc
HOPE Fund Relief Initiative: Donations are still being accepted through June 30, 2021. To learn more or to donate, please go to: First Stage Hope Fund
First Stage Summer Theater Academy 2021: Registration is now open for session dates that run Monday, June 14, 2021 – Friday, August 13, 2021. To view the list of summer classes, please visit: www.firststage.org/summer. For more information, call 414-267-2970.
For more information on First Stage, please visit www.firststage.org
About First Stage
First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves nearly 2,000 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote literacy, character building and experiential learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students each year. First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2012) and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Eureka Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education and the arts for its Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum (2013, 2015). First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). www.firststage.org.

author: First Stage


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Post from Community: MCTS hosting virtual job fair to hire bus drivers & mechanics | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Transit System
May 19, 2021
(File photo by Alhaji Camara)
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is seeking customer-focused applicants who are looking for a stable job with excellent pay and benefits. Anyone interested in exploring a rewarding and family-sustaining career as a MCTS bus driver or mechanic is invited to attend a virtual job fair on Tuesday, May 25 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
This is an exciting and convenient opportunity for job seekers to use their phone, tablet, or computer to connect with hiring managers who will answer questions and explain the recruitment and selection process, qualifications for each position, and the comprehensive benefits offered to MCTS employees, including:
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The virtual job fair will also feature current MCTS employees who will help attendees experience a “Day in the Life” using real-life examples.
In addition to hiring bus drivers who are the face of the company on the streets of Milwaukee County, MCTS is looking for skilled mechanics who work behind-the-scenes to keep the entire fleet of buses clean, fueled, and operating safely. MCTS is excited to offer a $2,000 sign-on bonus to skilled mechanics who join the team!
These positions offer paid training, career growth, long-term job stability, and financial security for future retirement – while also giving applicants the chance to become a valued part of a company that is rooted in the community and known around the world for its Excellence.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, MCTS has kept the wheels turning, making sure people can get to work, school, appointments, and other important destinations. As an essential service that the community relies on, MCTS never laid off or furloughed any bus drivers or mechanics, and now officials are looking to add to the team!
The virtual job fair will be presented in English, on Zoom, Tuesday May 25 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Anyone interested in attending must register in advance here.

author: Milwaukee County Transit System


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
May 19, 2021


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Post from Community: Non-Profit Acts Housing named top finalist for national honor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
ACTS Housing
May 19, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Acts Housing, a nonprofit which makes home ownership possible for families with income, credit, language, and other barriers, was named a Top 10 finalist for the 2021 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability. The national award recognizes ambitious, feasible, and scalable solutions to affordability. Finalists, including Acts Housing, offer tangible solutions as Americans are increasingly being priced out of safe and affordable housing.
“We are at crisis moment in terms of affordability driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a shortage of existing housing inventory, supply chain disruptions and escalating costs, and exacerbated long-standing racial inequities,” said Kent Colton, chair of the Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Advisory Board. “These are massive issues that demand new and innovative solutions. This year’s Top 10 finalists have the potential to make a decisive impact.”
Acts Housing was recognized for innovations in finance. For more than 25 years, Acts Housing has been successfully helping low-to-moderate income families become homeowners. Since its founding in 1995, Acts families have purchased more than 2,900 homes and reclaimed 950 foreclosed properties.
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For families with the most barriers to home ownership, access to traditional loan capital is often impossible. Acts Housing assists families with the purchase and rehab of distressed properties into stable homes through homebuyer education, real estate services, Acts Lending capital, and rehab process support all under “one roof.”
“Our ‘Rehabbing Lives and Homes’ model is one that can be replicated across the country. While we are honored by this national recognition, more importantly, we hope it will inspire others to launch similar programs to increase access to home ownership in their communities,” said Acts Housing President and CEO, Michael Gosman. “As home prices continue to rise significantly year over year, more families are exploring purchasing and rehabbing tax foreclosed properties.”
In 2020, more than 180 Milwaukee and Beloit families closed on new homes. Most of Acts Housing homeowners who purchased and rehabbed their homes last year were persons of color including 43% who identified as Black and 43% who identified as Hispanic.
Acts Housing has set a target of 250 owner-occupied home sales for this year.

author: ACTS Housing


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The Social Development Commission has started disbursing new rental assistance funds. Here’s what you need to know. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
May 19, 2021
The Social Development Commission has been flooded with applications for rental assistance. (Photo by Adam Carr)
In late February, the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County received more than $28 million to provide new emergency rental assistance for struggling tenants.
The Social Development Commission, or SDC, was allocated $17.6 million of that amount to assist city residents.
Since then, thousands have contacted the SDC seeking help.
Eligible applicants must be an adult Wisconsin resident with a household income at or below 80 percent of the county median income in the month of or prior to the application date.
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Once approved, eligible individuals may receive up to 15 months of aid in a combination of rental payments and/or security deposits. These payments will be paid directly to the landlord on behalf of the tenant.
SDC officials say the organization has been swamped with requests and has a backlog of cases.
We talked with George Hinton, the CEO of the SDC, to answer questions about the process.
Here is what he said.
Is there anything new that people should know about the application process?
Yes, everything has officially transferred online. You can find out anything you need to know about the status of your application through the application portal.
What are the eligibility criteria?
How long should people wait to hear back about rent assistance now?
This application process is a little longer than the ones from the first two pots of money. There are a few weeks on average wait.
What has changed about the process of applying?
More information is required for the application. Here is what’s needed.
Can I apply if I received rent assistance in the past?
Yes. If you have received rent assistance and are still in need you can reapply. However, SDC does no encourage people to apply through both SDC and Community Advocates. It can slow down your approval process.
How many people have you served so far?
Through the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program, SDC served 3,483 families, disbursing $6.2 million.
Through the Milwaukee Rental Assistance Program, SDC served 4,655 families,  disbursing $13.2 million.
Through the Milwaukee Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which started being disbursed in late April, about 100 applications have been process so far, with more applications being processed.
When you started in June 2020, there was a backlog of 24,000 names. How many are there now?
There are about 4,000 applications being processed now, with more coming in every day. We assume the federal stimulus checks have helped slow the need, but the need is obviously still there.
In case you missed it: A federal judge strikes down the eviction moratorium. What does that mean for Milwaukee?
Resources to consult if you’re worried about eviction

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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African Americans outpace other groups in drug overdose deaths in Milwaukee County | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
May 20, 2021
For African Americans, this year’s numbers represent a sharp increase in percentage of overall deaths, although it has been trending up for several years. (Photo by Adam Carr)
The number of African Americans who die from drug overdoses in Milwaukee County continues to rise, with Black residents making up 45 percent of this year’s fatalities, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office.
This compares to 43 percent for whites, 6 percent for Hispanics, and 3 percent for Native Americans.  Last year, whites represented 59 percent of all drug overdose deaths in the county, compared with 28 percent for Blacks.
Overall, there were 113 confirmed drug overdose deaths in the county in 2021, with 93 cases pending through May 13, according to data provided by Karen Domagalski, operations manager for the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office. At the current pace, we could experience a record high of 560 drug overdose deaths this year, Domagalski said. This would surpass previous record highs of 545 in 2020 and 418 in 2019.
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For African Americans, this year’s numbers represent a sharp increase in the percentage of overall deaths, although it has been trending up for several years. In 2019, 27 percent of individuals who died from drug overdoses in Milwaukee County were African American, up slightly from 26.5 percent in 2018 and 22 percent in 2017. Those percentages equate to 89 victims in 2017, 102 in 2018, 113 in 2019, 153 last year, and 51 so far this year, with many cases still pending through mid-May.
Unfortunately, those numbers don’t come as a shock to Desilynn Smith, clinical director at  Gateway to Change, a treatment center located at 2319 W. Capitol Drive. Smith, a mental health therapist and substance use counselor, said six people she knows personally have died of drug overdoses this year.
“It’s extremely heartbreaking,” she said. “It started hitting closer to home with the opioids and people still don’t talk about it.”
Smith said part of the problem is the stigma in some parts of the Black community about mental illness and hard drug use as well as a lack of education on opiates. Smith conducts street outreach in high drug traffic areas and said that many of the people she talks to don’t even know how Narcan, which is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, works.
The number of African Americans who died of drug overdoses in Milwaukee County has increased each year since 2016. (Graphic by Dwayne Burtin)
“They thought it was a needle, but it’s a nasal spray. The lack of education some of our communities have about [opioids] is astonishing to me,” Smith said.
Ald. Khalif Rainey, a member of the City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force who also represents parts of the 53206 ZIP code and other areas of the North Side on the Common Council, said often when he hears from residents about drugs, it’s about rolling drug houses. Few of  those conversations are about drug use and drug addiction, he said.
“It’s really a taboo type thing in our community, especially when you talk about certain drugs,” he said. “I feel like the approach we’re taking now with an opioid conversation, it’s not really resonating.”
Rainey thinks outreach on opioids needs to be more specific to the African American population to raise awareness.
“On social media, young people are talking about perc 30s (30 milligram Percocets) and lean (codeine and soda) and other drugs that are influenced by the culture, by music,” he said. “What [types of drugs] are we doing and how can we be more specific to address that?”
Rainey said cocaine has also factored into the increase of drug overdose deaths among African Americans, mostly because that drug and many others are being cut with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can kill in trace amounts. In fact, 76 percent of fatal drug overdoses among African Americans involved fentanyl. These findings align with national trends.
A recent brief from the National Institute of Health Care Management, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, found that an increasing number of fatal drug overdoses involved stimulants such as cocaine, many times in combination with fentanyl.
In addition, a 2020 report issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Office of Behavioral Health Equity, foreshadowed the situation in Milwaukee. The report states that the focus on the opioid epidemic mainly centered on white suburban and rural communities, but that Black communities were experiencing dramatic increases in drug overdose deaths.
As far back as 2017, Blacks had the highest percentages of opioid-related overdose deaths and total drug deaths attributed to synthetic opioids when compared with other groups,  according to the report. The report cited stigma around drug addiction, fear of legal consequences and unequal access to treatment as factors in the increase.
Smith agrees, saying people in African American communities are scared to ask for help. She said treatment options in Milwaukee are limited and that individuals are wary of law enforcement, which prevents them from accessing resources such as Narcan and methadone.
“There is fear that our community has when it comes to law enforcement,” Smith said. “One of the barriers in our population is to let them know that Narcan boxes aren’t police monitored.”
At current pace, there could be 560 drug overdose deaths in 2021. (Graphic by Dwayne Burtin)
So far this year the majority of the victims, 72 percent, were male, and 75 percent of all deaths involved fentanyl. In terms of age, 43 percent of white victims were from the ages of 30 to 39, while 63 percent of Black victims were ages 50 and older. The 53204 ZIP code area on the South Side has lost the most residents, 10, to drug overdoses this year, while 53212 and 53208 both lost eight. The 53209 ZIP code area lost six residents, while 53206 lost four.
The pace of drug overdose deaths in Milwaukee County does not appear to be slowing. On Monday, the Medical Examiner’s Office tweeted about six autopsies that were planned for probable drug overdose deaths that occurred over the weekend. On Tuesday morning, it tweeted about four more probable drug overdose deaths that occurred overnight.
Sara Schreiber, forensic technical director of the county’s toxicology lab, said the majority of deaths this year have involved multiple drugs, which, in addition to the lab’s caseload, is a reason why so many cases are still pending.
“The number of substances is always increasing, and we have to determine whether or not they were involved in the death,” she said.
The City-County Heroin, Opioid, and Cocaine Task Force met for the first time in 15 months on May 5. The group received updates on several local efforts to stem drug overdose deaths, including the Vivitrol Program at the House of Corrections. Vivitrol, an injection drug used to treat heroin and opiate addictions, is being provided to some inmates at the House of Corrections before and upon their release.
Ald. Michael Murphy, chairman of the task force, said his group continues to work to secure additional resources to combat issues related to drug overdoses. He said the city’s budget “allocated very little money to the issue.”
He said the task force received funds to purchase fentanyl test strips and hopes to secure federal funding to increase treatment and education resources.
In addition, he said the  increase of drug overdose deaths among African Americans means more outreach needs to be targeted.
“In this case, I think we need to recognize that a message from one group may not always be resonating with other groups,” Murphy said. “We have to look very carefully how the best messaging would look going forward.”
Help can’t come soon enough for Smith, who said she and her team will work with anyone who comes through their doors.
“We’ll do whatever I can do to assist and get you where you need to go, no questions asked,” she said.
She’s also asking friends and loved ones to watch out for the warning signs of drug abuse, such as missing work and important events, struggles with money and changes in behavior.
Rainey wants the African American community to start talking more about drug addiction and the dangers of opiates.
“If we’re thinking it’s not our problem, then we’re not addressing it and more lives will be lost.”
Drug treatment services in the Milwaukee area are available at the Gateway to Change, 10th Street Comprehensive Treatment Center, Rogers Behavioral Health, West Milwaukee Comprehensive Treatment Center, First Step Community Recovery Center, Meta House, West Allis Community Medical Services, United Community Center and other locations.
In case you missed it: Amid surge in drug overdose deaths, City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force fails to meet

author: Edgar Mendez


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Drug Overdose Deaths by Race 2021 (Confirmed Jan. 1- May 6) (1) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
May 19, 2021


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Graphic1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
May 19, 2021


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GRAPHIC2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
May 19, 2021


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OPINION: My ‘leap of faith’: Why I’m running for Miss Wisconsin | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Annia Leonard
May 20, 2021
“I want anyone who sees me to be inspired. To know that you can come from any background and put yourself out there in the best way for you,” Annia Leonard says. (Photo by Lidia Sharapova)
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.
My name is Annia Leonard, a Milwaukeean from North 2 and Burleigh streets. I am running for Miss Wisconsin USA 2021, entering the pageant as a first-timer and taking a leap of faith
So, why run for Miss Wisconsin USA? Why place yourself in an environment you barely know anything about? Why represent?
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Frankly, I am running for Miss Wisconsin because winning this prize will help me further my journey to create change in Milwaukee.
Three things that have affected me my whole life: housing insecurity, divesting from youth activities and America’s War On Drugs.
Since I was a kid, I watched my community change for the worse as resources were withdrawn from important community programs and initiatives. Right now, Milwaukee is still fighting on a statewide level for a stronger voice in decisions that affect our entire community.
This past summer, I saw how a need for youth-filled spaces was ignored or controlled. Now, some young people have nothing to look forward to outside of spaces controlled by older adults or engaging in less-than-legal activities.
I see similar dysfunction with Wisconsin’s process of legalizing weed, expunging minor marijuana offenses and lack of alternative housing spaces in inner city communities like Milwaukee.
My mother taught me self-love, but she couldn’t shelter me from the bullies or the “always aware of poverty” mindset. She taught me resilience. Now we are learning together how our resilience kept us strong with others, but weak when we were alone.
I want anyone who sees me to be inspired. To know that you can come from any background and put yourself out there in the best way for you. This is my chance to show all of Milwaukee, and Wisconsin, that they bred a real one. I’m not letting anything stop me from showing the world that Milwaukee has some amazing gems in the midst of the coal.
My community invested in me to be here and I will be heard.
For those who connect with me and my story, I want them to be inspired by my progress. I want them to feel hope for their individual journey. We all have a story to tell, including Milwaukee!
Miss Wisconsin USA takes place on Sunday, May 23.
Annia Leonard is an event coordinator, model, community connector, teacher and youth organizer with Uplifting Black Liberation and Community, or UBLAC.

author: Annia Leonard


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Post from Community: Milwaukee’s first StoryWalk® coming to Washington Park May 22-29 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Next Door
May 20, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Next Door is partnering with Milwaukee County Parks to present the city’s first StoryWalk® for our community to enjoy. Families can visit Washington Park from May 22-29, 2021 and walk “page by page” along a path reading the popular children’s story “The Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
“Building childhood literacy in Milwaukee is a central part of Next Door’s early childhood education work in the city,” said Jacquelyn Shanti, Next Door’s Books for Kids Program Manager. “We thank Milwaukee County Parks for allowing us to share StoryWalk® with Milwaukee and create excitement about reading in a safe, fun and family-friendly way.”
StoryWalk® was founded in 2007 by Ann Ferguson of Montpelier, VT with support from the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. These special walks have popped up in all 50 states and 13 countries. Along with promoting childhood literacy, StoryWalk® aims to build physical activity and family time together in nature.
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Next Door will install the pages of the “The Gruffalo” in Washington Park near the Urban Ecology Center. Guests are encouraged to enter the park off 40 Street and head towards the center to catch the path.
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


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May 20, 2021


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Post from Community: Supervisor Haas secures approval of Highway 41 Historic Garden coming to Wilson Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Robert Hullum
May 20, 2021
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The County Board of Supervisors today adopted [17-1] a development and maintenance agreement between the Parks Department and South 27th Street Business District Association to create the Highway 41 Historic Garden in Wilson Park.
“Highway 41 Historic Garden will bring new life to Wilson Park,” said Supervisor Jason Haas. “This garden honors the Highway 41 neighborhood’s rich history and make the park a destination for people across Milwaukee County. I thank the 27th Street BID, the Parks Department, and the County Board for bringing this project to reality.”
Supervisor Haas was instrumental in guiding the project through the approval process and led the collaboration between local stakeholders and the Parks Department.
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The design commemorates the historic Highway 41 area’s growth and development in the 1950s as well as the classic car shows held in the area. Classic cars painted and designed by local artists would be placed throughout the garden. It would also feature new pathways, perennial and wildflower gardens, new trees, picnic tables, and benches. Highway 41 Historic Garden will be the first addition to Wilson Park’s landscape in at least 10 years.
Construction on Highway 41 Historic Garden is expected to begin in spring 2022.
The South 27th Street Business District Association will make $30,000 worth of improvements to the park and fully maintain those improvements for the duration of the agreement. The initial term will last three years with the option for three additional three-year term renewals by mutual agreement.
Supervisor Haas and the South 27th Street Business District Association collaborated in January to bring new bus shelter panels to three bus stops along 27th Street. Five more sets of panels will be installed at additional stops this spring.

author: Robert Hullum


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Post from Community: Supervisor Taylor secures funding for Dontre Hamilton Memorial Bench | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Supervisor Sequanna Taylor
May 20, 2021
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The County Board of Supervisors today adopted [17-1] a proposal by Supervisor Sequanna Taylor allocating $3,000 to fund a memorial bench and plaque in Red Arrow Park to honor the life of Mr. Dontre Hamilton and lift up the importance of mental health care.
“The Dontre Hamilton Memorial bench will provide a space of healing for families who have lost loved ones to violence committed by those sworn to protect and serve and bring awareness to mental health issues in our community,” said Supervisor Taylor. “I thank my colleagues on the County Board for their support in this effort. But we must be clear that this memorial does not provide justice for the Hamilton family.”
Dontre Hamilton was killed by a Milwaukee police officer on April 30, 2014, when that officer confronted Dontre, who had been sleeping in Red Arrow Park, and provoked an altercation that led to the officer unjustifiably shooting and killing Dontre. Dontre’s death reverberated across Milwaukee and opened the eyes of many to a pattern of violence perpetrated by Milwaukee police officers against Black residents of this city, a lack of accountability for these crimes, and an ongoing failure to shift police practices to value Black lives.
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The Dontre Hamilton Memorial Bench will also provide an opportunity to bring attention to mental health awareness. Hamilton was one of 1.5 million Americans and 20 million people worldwide diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
After Hamilton’s death, his brother Nate Hamilton cofounded the Coalition for Justice, an organization that aims to bring awareness to injustices happening in Milwaukee. Dontre’s mother Maria Hamilton also founded Mother’s for Justice United, which unites mothers who have lost children to state and vigilante violence.
The Hamilton family has expressed that they would like to use the memorial bench to focus on mental health and healing circles in collaboration and unity with the veteran community.
The Board of Supervisors approved a resolution creating the Dontre Hamilton Memorial Planning Task Force to develop a plan and design for a memorial within Red Arrow Park to honor Mr. Dontre Hamilton in 2015.

author: Supervisor Sequanna Taylor