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‘Our voices will unite with the rhythm of equality’: 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Contest winners share their powerful words | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
January 17, 2022
All six winners attend Milwaukee Public Schools. (Photos courtesy of individual students)
Editor’s note: For the 39th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Contest, local students responded to the theme, “We Must Speak” from Dr. King’s address, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence” given at Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967.
(Photo provided by Jasper Goochey)
Jasper Goochey is in the third grade at Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes Studies.
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When we speak out, we show our power, our grace and our love. Speaking out makes people listen even if they may or may not agree with what you are saying. If you have ever spoken out, you know that it makes you feel powerful.
Speaking out isn’t just for big things. I speak out in class all the time. Speaking out is effective but at times it takes a while for your voice to be recognized.
My mom and dad’s friend Mark spoke out about LGBTQ justice. It wasn’t done in the correct manner. Mark had to face the consequences and was arrested!
Sometimes speaking out can be scary. It makes you feel big but also very small, because you don’t always feel heard.
How can we speak out? Dr. King spoke out about rights for everyone, no matter what color, race or background they were. He was arrested and beaten many times. However, every time he regained his freedom, he got stronger and kept speaking out.
You have to remember that speaking out usually takes time.
When speaking out there are a few things to keep in mind. Keep going and never give up. You can do this! As Dr. King states, “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
These words stick with me when I feel the need to SPEAK OUT!
(Photo provided by Aaliyah Cooper Durant)
Aaliyah Cooper Durant is in the fifth grade at Samuel Clemens School.
Have you stopped to think about the power of your voice? Not just the sound that it makes, but the power of your voice to move within you and give you the confidence to speak up.
Now more than ever, Dr. King calls us to “speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak.” I believe connecting the power of our voice with action will bring positive change to a world that needs us!
I envision a world where we use the power of our voices to talk about our problems instead of ignoring them. Sit down with people who you think are your “enemies” so that you can really understand each other. Hate happens when we don’t know each other! Now is the time to be more open minded and accepting instead of using our voices to divide people.
I call on lawmakers to act with integrity and use their voices to make laws that are fair and equal for every person, no matter who they are. Keep marching, protesting and speaking out against injustice. Dr. King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” When you see something wrong, stand up, and speak up!
Speak up against cruelty. Say “No!” to people who pick up guns and kill because they believe they can. Say “Enough!” to bullies who use their cruel words to hurt. Speak out against rules that separate people according to race and ignorance. We must unite to speak out against war instead of fighting violently for world peace!
I envision a world where we use the power of our voice to build each other up. Speak with kindness and respect. Help students develop their growth mindsets so that what they say to themselves is just as important as what they say to other people! We need to lift each other up as positive role models.
Now is the time to speak up because later will be too late. Speak up and make a difference today.
The time is now, and the time is right to take our place as future leaders!
(Photo provided by Eleanor Lawton)
Eleanor Lawton is in the sixth grade at Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts.
It is very important to speak up for what you believe in. You are helping many people without even knowing it. You are standing up for yourself and others who may not be able to. When you give up on something like this, what you want to change may not be possible.
If Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t fight for what he believed in, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Standing up for people or something you believe in is a great act of kindness and shows that you care about that person or idea. Speaking up can change the world forever.
You can support what you believe in through many different forms of art, including writing, painting and more. Speaking up about things that you think are wrong, unfair or anything else is important. Dr. King is someone who stood up for what he believed in and made a big impact on the world. What he meant by “breaking the silence” is that he wanted people to talk about issues like racism and put an end to it.
If nobody put an end to injustices like racism it would just keep on happening. When Dr. King was alive, he had to deal with racism by being physically attacked, threatened, called names and more. He and many others fought for things like this to be put to a close.
Dr. King would be surprised, shocked and disappointed if he saw what was going on today. We are back to where we used to be. It’s like a fire; it becomes smaller if we keep throwing buckets of water at it, but it will become worse as soon as we stop.
We have to stop racism forever. We have to speak up.
The line “a vocation of agony” means that you have to give up or risk something sometimes to change something. You need to be prepared to risk your job, financial state, family, life or something else.
If Dr. King was still alive, he would want to see people following in his footsteps. He would want people to take risks so that racism is stopped for good.
The world would be a much better place if racism were gone forever.
(Photo provided by Victoria Kona)
Victoria Kona is in the eighth grade at Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language.
Dr. Martin Luther Jr. is a model of love and kindness, and most importantly, change for everyone. Over the past 38 years, his many testimonies, speeches and protests have resonated with the world. Still, today, we need to follow in his example and speak up for ourselves and our future.
As an immigrant to the United States and an English language learner, I know how hard it can be to speak up. I felt scared to answer a question at school. I felt like I didn’t deserve to talk in class. I felt like I wasn’t smart enough; like it wasn’t my place to share my opinions. I felt like an outsider.
I always liked math class and I always wanted to answer questions that the teacher posed. However, I would never let my thoughts leave my mind. I felt intimidated, less-than and never sure how to advocate for myself.
When COVID-19 arose, though it is a terrible virus and has haunted many families, all of our classes went online. In the comfort of my home, with my Chromebook in hand, I began to participate more in my classes. It was as if the 10 years that I kept my mouth shut in school were seeping out of me. I was not afraid to speak my mind. I believe some of it was due to having my Chromebook as a shield; some of it was growing up and learning how to love myself.
Though COVID-19 ruined lots of things, the positive in it all for me was finding my voice. I brought that same voice back with me when we returned in person. I am speaking up, voicing my opinion and contributing to conversations confidently. I feel more comfortable speaking, but I still have this little fear unmoving deep inside me.
However, I have learned and recognized the importance of speaking up and out. Not only has it helped me socially, but it has helped me develop my own self-confidence and love.
Throughout my experiences, it has led me to understand a quote from DaShanne Stokes that states, “only by speaking out can we create lasting changes.”
I believe that people feel hesitant to speak up because they are scared of being judged. However, it cripples innovation, change and love. I know this because I felt that fear. It took me quite a long time to develop my voice. Now that I have it, I have no plans of losing it.
It’s better to face your fears than let your fears control your life, just as Dr. King portrayed.
(Photo provided by Jesabelle Cruz)
Jesabelle Cruz is in the ninth grade at Milwaukee High School of the Arts.
We must speak. This is our right as human beings of this century. It is our right to speak our truth and speak with freedom.
We have lost our beloved ones for years upon years, and we have wept in silence. When we cry in silence and scream in agony, our nation has failed us. Our nation has failed to give us the justice we deserve, and we ought to feel shame as a country for we have failed our youth.
When change occurs and we open our arms against the silence of the night, society will notice thousands of voices singing in harmony. Our voices will unite with the rhythm of equality.
I remember when I was 9 years old and the song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” came out. Bike riders flooded Milwaukee streets blasting music, and every school festival played the song along with “Raining Tacos.” 2015-’16 was a happy time with happy people, and I never felt so accepted. Accepted with other females, accepted with other Hispanics, accepted with other kids.
I did not feel one inch of discrimination for anything, but then again, I have it easy. I have pale white skin and I barely speak Spanish. I have been called whitewashed so many times, yet every time I felt otherwise. I had all the qualities an American needed to survive, and I took it for granted.
I wished I had blond hair and blue eyes because that’s what I was told I needed to be beautiful. From the Barbies I played with and the supermodels I watched on kid TV shows, this notion of beauty was reinforced. When I got lighter skin from never going out and blondish hair, I didn’t feel like I blended in with family and relatives as I used to, and I was back to square one. Square one of not knowing where I belong.
My mother told me something that stood out for me a while afterward. She told me that people with straight hair wanted curly, people with curly hair wanted straight, skinny people wanted to gain weight and chubby people wanted to be slim. She told me that no matter what, we always found ways to want to change things about ourselves.
That’s when I realized how perfect I was without changing my appearance or my accent. I am perfect the way that I am. I wish everyone could see that. I wish everyone could see how amazing they are without changing themselves. I wish everyone had courage to speak their truth, but it all starts with one person.
All it takes is one person to speak up for others. It takes one person to make a difference for others to follow. When we speak, we will all speak. We will speak with integrity and courage. We will speak even when we’re silent.
No matter what, we will speak.
(Photo provided by Jayda Lee)
Jayda Lee is in the 11th grade at Riverside University High School.
“You got this Jayda,” is what I tell myself every day because of how hard school and work can be.
The society I live in is not perfect, and I have detected complications in our education system. Our society makes it almost impossible to work over 40 hours a week and still attend to young adults’ and children’s emotional needs. Likewise, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knew there were going to be struggles “for a new world” in which we hope for everyone to speak up about their needs and problems so we can each improve to make the world a better place.
In other words, we must consider our knowledge and our opportunities. We must speak up about how we can enhance our education system, just as Dr. King strengthened and spoke up for the weak during his “Beyond Vietnam” speech. We must speak up so we don’t misinterpret words and isolate ourselves.
I believe that we need to include our family in our education. Family is most important in an education system because they support you and love you unconditionally. Nonetheless, we need our parents to know how much the education system has changed. We need their attention and we need their love because this system has made students overwhelmed and feeling alone. Furthermore, parents who are not involved in their kids’ education and who don’t understand where students are coming from only make them feel more forsaken. It’ll cause students to have stressful nights and have mental breakdowns.
Lately, I’ve experienced these mental breakdowns because of school assignments and work that have been consuming my time and causing aches. I have spoken up for myself and informed my parents about my mental health.
Since I have been feeling suppressed and drained about how strenuous it is, my dad says, “It is all the same.” He means that the education system now is the same as when he was in school, but he is wrong. There’s some truth to what we both believe. Yes, school has gotten more rigorous and difficult, but the focus on grades over growth still remains.
Apart from this, I spoke up to ensure that he understood that school right now is too extravagant. I must speak up because my parents should put in more effort to help solve this problem by insisting that their kids want to go to school, to be independent and to try new things. At the local level, we can address this by providing activities for them to come together and prioritize their education.
It should be noted that Dr. King has helped me gain my confidence. He says, “A time comes when silence is betrayal.” I believe Dr. King means we should speak up because if we don’t do anything about the issue, we are part of the problem. We aren’t benefiting the world and we aren’t being heard, so I wanted to be heard. Indeed, we must speak up and take initiative and not let others bring us down.
Have you stayed unexpressed or shattered the silence?


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 16, 2022

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: January 16, 2022

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

author: Dwayne Burtin


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4-5 IMG_4357 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 16, 2022


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Post from Community: United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County announces Mark Thomas as the 2021 recipient of the Linda McFerrin African American Nonprofit Leadership Award | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
January 17, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is proud to announce Mark Thomas as the recipient of the 2021 Linda McFerrin African American Nonprofit Leadership Award. Thomas is the regional CEO and southeast Wisconsin chapter executive at American Red Cross.
The Linda McFerrin African American Nonprofit Leadership Award was established by United Way’s 2019-20 Board Chair Cory Nettles, founder and managing director of Generation Growth Capital, Inc. and his wife Michelle Nettles, chief people and culture officer at ManpowerGroup, in recognition of Linda McFerrin, retired vice president of resource development, and her 42 years of leadership and service to United Way.
The recipient of this annual award is chosen by United Way’s Diversity Leadership Society and a $5,000 grant is made to the organization they represent. The winner is announced each year on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
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“We are so pleased to have chosen Mark for this award,” said Ron Adams, United Way’s Diversity Leadership Society Council Co-chair. “Mark serves our entire community with an open heart and great energy. Like Linda McFerrin, he isn’t the person always in the spotlight, but you know he is working hard to make it better for someone else.”
Mark Thomas has deep nonprofit and for-profit executive experience, with strengths in sales, operations management, and strategic leadership skills. He has led or participated in fundraising efforts for The American Heart Association, United Performing Arts Fund, and United Way. Most recently, he served as Vice President and COO for the Sojourner Family Peace Center in Milwaukee.
Thomas said the people and mission of the American Red Cross provide an opportunity to extend his professional expertise and his dedication to Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
“The staff, volunteers, donors and advocates at the Red Cross provide our state with a powerful resource for disaster relief and blood collections,” said Thomas. “I am grateful to help lead such a highly regarded organization with a commitment to Milwaukee and Wisconsin that spans more than 140 years.”
His professional background also includes leadership roles at The Milwaukee Business Journal, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
A Milwaukee native who lives in Mequon with his family, Thomas has served and currently serves on numerous nonprofit boards and has been recognized on numerous occasions for his contributions to the community.
Cory Nettles added, “Michelle and I are so proud to continue our tradition of this special award and thrilled that Mark is this year’s recipient. His temperament of selflessness is obvious in all his work. He has truly impacted the lives of so many in our community.”

created: January 17, 2022


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Mark-Thomas.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 16, 2022

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Post from Community: Great Waters Group honors Isiah Holmes as Environmental Hero of the Year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sierra Club Great Waters Group
January 17, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Sierra Club Great Waters Group recognizes journalist Isiah Holmes’ outstanding reporting, work that protects our environment as well as our democracy.
Holmes will receive his award Jan. 17 during a virtual program that will begin at 6:30 p.m. The award ceremony will precede a program featuring noted author, activist and professor emeritus Al Gedicks highlighting “Environmental Alliances with the Indian Nations of Wisconsin.”
Information about the program can be found here: www.bit.ly/GWG-Jan-2022-Program
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Holmes, a videographer as well as a reporter, receives the Environmental Hero of the Year Award for his work covering issues that affect our communities.  His articles and reports cover a broad spectrum of environmental and social justice issues as well as threats to our fundamental democratic rights.
A lifelong resident of Milwaukee and graduate of Wauwatosa East High School, he has insight into both the problems – and promise – of our metropolitan area.
Holmes is currently a staff writer for the Wisconsin Examiner and his writing has also been featured in Urban Milwaukee, Isthmus and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.
Sierra Club Great Waters Group Chair Jenny Abel said, “As the climate emergency and other environmental issues reach critical stages, it’s more important than ever for facts-based journalism to raise awareness and help spur people to action. We are honored to be able to recognize Isiah Holmes with this annual award.”
David Thomas, Great Waters Group Equity Chair added: “This nomination reflects the Sierra Club’s recognition that the work of saving the planet and fighting for social justice cannot be separated.”
The Great Waters Group is the four-county affiliate (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties) of the Sierra Club, America’s oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization.

author: Sierra Club Great Waters Group


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isiahholmes.jpeg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 17, 2022


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Post from Community: Let’s honor Dr. King by working to end tobacco-related disparities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Carol Lucas, Co-Chair of the WAATPN Smoke-Free Housing and COVID Prevention Work Group
January 17, 2022
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Monday, January 17 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s an opportunity to honor the legacy and accomplishments of the Civil Rights champion by taking actions to help create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream. To help carry forward his legacy, the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network’s Smoke-Free Housing and COVID Work Group, has been working to end tobacco-related disparities in Wisconsin, especially among residents of color.
This population, among others, has experienced greater levels of racism, discrimination, targeted marketing from the tobacco industry, and stress which compound to negatively impact their social and physical environment and subsequently their health outcomes. The impact of COViD-19 has deepened these inequities.
These injustices are what drives our subcommittee to take action by supporting residents, sharing information on industry tactics, COVID related risks for smokers and how to access free help to quit using tobacco by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW. We’ve also been working to share information about the harms of menthol tobacco, which have been targeted towards African American communities for decades. Menthol tobacco is easier to start and harder to quit, which has led advocates, both locally and nationally, to call for an end to menthol sales in the United States.
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I never had a tobacco addiction. But, I have many relatives that are current tobacco users. Some of them have quit. My uncle quit, but it was too late and he still died from cancer. I did a family tree and mostly all the males were tobacco users and it’s sad and as far as I know everyone started at a young age using tobacco products. This is part of the reason why I became involved.
Although our movement has grown, we still need your help to share our messages and move towards a healthier and more equitable future for all. To join our work group or to support our movement please visit us at https://www.jumpatthesunllc.com/. To learn more about how Tobacco is Changing visit https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/tobaccoischanging/take-action.htm.


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Post from Community: Scam Alert: Getting a COVID-19 test? Make sure the testing site is real | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau
January 17, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
This winter’s spike in COVID-19 cases has more people than ever looking for tests. This has given rise to a new con: phony websites and fake in-person testing sites used to collect personal and insurance information.
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How the scam works
You search online for a COVID-19 test in your area. Several websites appear, and you choose a testing clinic affiliated with a local pharmacy or a pop-up run by a local group.
In one version of this scam, you show up at the testing site. Before you can get a test, the person working there requires you to fill out a form with personal information and takes a picture of your driver’s license and medical insurance cards. Then, they do a swab and promise test results within a short time. Unfortunately, the test is a fake and the results never arrive. It was an excuse to get your information.
In another version of this con, you complete an online appointment form with your personal, insurance, and medical information. You may also pay a small fee. But when you show up for your appointment, the pharmacy has no record of your appointment. Again, the phony form was a way of phishing for personal information.
One victim reported to BBB Scam Tracker this experience at a phony testing site: “Not until I got home did I realize I provided WAY too much personal information… They used a swab of saliva and said I would be notified by email within 24 hours. It has now been 2 weeks no results, and they are still there doing covid tests.”
How to avoid COVID-19 testing scams:
For more information:
Read about other popular COVID-19 scams and additional testing scams. Also, learn about other ways scammers are taking advantage of the pandemic with vaccine scams and government agency impostors.
If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams.

author: Wisconsin Better Business Bureau


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 17, 2022


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Post from Community: STEM Forward to honor STEM outreach and engineering excellence at the 69th annual celebration of STEM virtual event | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
STEM Forward
January 17, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
STEM Forward is pleased to recognize American Family Insurance as the 2022 Spirit of STEM recipient, Dr. Ayman EL-Refaie as 2021 Engineer of the Year, and Dr. Wujie Zhang as 2021 Young Engineer of the Year. The honorees will be celebrated at the Spirit of STEM Celebration / 69th Annual Engineers Week Banquet, taking place virtually on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Vicki J. Martin, President of Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). Dr. Martin has launched the MATC Promise for high school graduates, and in 2018, she announced the MATC Promise for Adults, one of the nation’s first Promise programs for adult learners. Dr. Martin serves on the steering committee of the Higher Education Regional Alliance and is a founding leader of the M3 initiative, which brings together MATC, Milwaukee Public Schools, and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee to transform Milwaukee through education. Join us to hear Dr. Martin’s perspectives on MATC and Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges: Building the State’s Diverse STEM Talent Pipeline.
“Milwaukee Area Technical College and all 16 technical colleges around Wisconsin are uniquely positioned to meet STEM workforce needs by offering career-ready programs with a faster time to degree and the opportunity to use those credentials as a building block for a bachelor’s degree and beyond,” MATC President Dr. Vicki J. Martin said. “Employers are seeking diverse talent, and at MATC, 55% of our students are students of color. We are proud to be the region’s partner in lifting up diverse individuals, building the diverse talent pipeline, and strengthening our community.”
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Dr. Ayman EL-Refaie is a professor of Electrical Engineering and Thomas and Suzanne M.Werner Endowed Chair in Secure/Sustainable Energy at Marquette University. He is known as a lead educator and researcher in the Opus College of Engineering. Over the course of 21 years of research, Dr. EL-Refaie has conducted ground-breaking research in advanced traction motors, traction motors that reduce or eliminate rare-earth materials, fault-tolerant electrical machines for safety-critical applications, and high specific-power electrical machines, among others.
His outstanding research in electric vehicles stands to influence the future of engineering innovation at Marquette and in Wisconsin and create immense economic and environmental value globally.
Dr. Wujie Zhang is an associate professor of Biomolecular Engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Dr. Zhang’s scholarly work and research span biomaterials, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and cancer treatment. Dr. Zhang has published more than 35 peer-reviewed journal articles (15 undergraduate students as first/co-authors), authored the book Nanotechnology for Bioengineers, and holds multiple patents. With numerous external and internal funding sources, he is actively engaged in research involving undergraduate students in various areas, including engineered red blood cells for oxygen therapeutics development.
Dr. EL-Refaie and Dr.Wujie Zhang were selected from a pool of highly qualified nominees committed to advancing the engineering profession and inspiring others in southeastern Wisconsin. An independent judging panel completed the evaluation and selection of the nominees.
American Family is receiving the 2022 Spirit of STEM award for its outstanding commitment to STEM outreach and improving the STEM competency of K-12 students. Since 2012 the Spirit of STEM Award has recognized organizations making a significant impact in advancing STEM education and talent development. Recipients indeed are “Best in Class” in helping bring along the next generation and giving back in a very STEM way. Over the last three years, American Family Insurance has emerged as a leader in STEM education and outreach in greater Milwaukee through their support of many programs and organizations, including STEAM & Dream, MSOE STEM Center, Urban Future Centers – Milky Way Tech Hub, the sySTEMnow Conference, and others.
The Spirit of STEM Award was established in 2013 to honor organizations that significantly impact STEM education and talent. Past recipients include ATC, Direct Supply, GE Healthcare, Komatsu, Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation, and We Energies.
STEM Forward’s Engineer of the Year has been a tradition since 1953. The award is given to a remarkable person in the Milwaukee 7 County Community who has made an extraordinary contribution to the engineering profession. The Young Engineer of the Year recognizes an exemplary engineer under 40. The Spirit of STEM award honors businesses committed to advancing STEM education and building talent in southeastern Wisconsin.
Individual tickets and group sponsorships are now available to this premier virtual event celebrating National Engineers Week. To learn more, visit Eventbrite or our Website.
About STEM Forward
STEM Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and metro Milwaukee’s leading STEM education and outreach provider. STEM Forward’s programs, events, and activities inspire local youth to pursue STEM careers and provide a talent pipeline to businesses in southeastern Wisconsin.

author: STEM Forward


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January 13, 2022

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Post from Community: UScellular and Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee announce sixth annual Black History Month art contest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
UScellular
January 17, 2022
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In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, representatives from UScellular and Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee announced the commencement of the 6th annual UScellular Black History Month Art Contest. Online voting returns for this year’s contest, while also featuring an exciting new element.
For the first time, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee members are encouraged to create their original pieces of artwork in recognition of influential Black icons in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), including historical figures, world leaders, scientists, and educators.
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Last week the club began their artwork projects as they learned about influential Black people who worked in the STEM fields. And in late January, 10 finalists will be chosen by representatives from the Boys & Girls Club and local UScellular leaders based on creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall impression. The finalists’ artwork will be digitally displayed in select stores and from Feb. 1 – Feb. 28, anyone 18 and older will be invited to vote for their favorite art online.
“We are excited to celebrate Black History Month and bring a new iteration of this beloved art contest to Milwaukee,” said Kristy Baron, director of sales and operation at UScellular. “The talented youth at Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee will have a chance to showcase their creativity and hopefully learn more about the successes that Black people have achieved in STEM. We can’t wait to see what they create.”
“The Arts have always been a way for youth to not only express themselves and showcase their creativity but are also used as a tool for healing and identity development,” says Dr. Tanisha Grimes Oakley, senior leader of strategy implementation and youth development at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “This is even more poignant when African American youth have the opportunity to see themselves represented in the STEM field, showing them that they too have access and can continue to dream big.”
The top three vote-getters will be announced in March and will receive prizes that include $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third.
UScellular is focused on addressing gaps in STEM education and is committed to connecting more than 200,000 of tomorrow’s innovators each year with the resources they need today to help shape future opportunities. For more information about UScellular’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, please go to https://newsroom.uscellular.com/community/.
No Purchase Necessary. Entrants who are minors must have parental consent to participate in the Contest. Official Contest Rules, including full entry details and Finalist and Winner selection criteria/voting are available by email request to USCDLMediaRelations@uscellular.com.
About UScellular
UScellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier is building a stronger network with the latest 5G technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. To learn more about UScellular, visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with UScellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.

author: UScellular


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Post from Community: Sherman Phoenix Foundation selects first executive director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sherman Phoenix Foundation
January 18, 2022
Dr. Stacia Thompson (Photo provided by Sherman Phoenix Foundation)
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 Sherman Phoenix Foundation announced today that Dr. Stacia Thompson has been named as the nonprofit’s first executive director. In this role, she will manage daily operations while building community relationships that support economic equity and empowerment, strategic investment and training, entrepreneurial success and emotional wellness for leaders of color.
Thompson was chosen following a nationwide search led by Goodwill TalentBridge in partnership with the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources.
“As part of our search we interviewed numerous qualified candidates from around the country. What stood out about Dr. Thompson was her experience in creating programs that focus on educational and workforce opportunities and community engagement,” said Ron Adams, board chair of the Sherman Phoenix Foundation and VP of Field Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern Mutual. “Not only is Dr. Thompson a qualified leader, but she’s also an entrepreneur, and we knew that entrepreneurial mindset would ensure our mission came to life.”
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Dr. Thompson is known for being a change agent in developing economic empowerment and workforce strategies. With deep expertise in community development, program development, entrepreneurial services and economic development, she is also an expert speaker and facilitator for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Her previous roles include tenures at the University of Wisconsin Parkside, Gateway Technical College, City Colleges of Chicago and most recently the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago.
“I am both honored and thrilled to be chosen as the inaugural Executive Director of the Sherman Phoenix Foundation,” said Thompson. The Board has high standards and created a strong vision for Sherman Phoenix to serve its small business tenants and the Sherman Park Community. I look forward to building upon and further developing the amazing foundation and core tenets that Ms. Sabir, Mr. Adams and the Board of Directors have created.”
In addition to her professional roles, Thompson has served on many boards such as Community Women’s Club, Hispanic Business and Professionals Association, National Council of Workforce Education, Career Launch Chicago Advisory Committee, Cook County Coordinated Re Entry Council, Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute Workforce Development Board, and Racine Creative Center.  She is a past recipient of the NAACP Youth Award, UW Parkside Community Service Award, YWCA of Southeast Wisconsin Women of Distinction Award, Black Softball Circuit Hall of Fame inductee, and Professional Women’s Network for Service Inspiring Women Leadership Award.
ABOUT THE SHERMAN PHOENIX FOUNDATION
The Sherman Phoenix Foundation is focused on critically needed leadership, training and action by leaders of color on economic equity and empowerment. The Foundation will work to collaborate with leaders working to build inclusive and just economies for communities of color. It will support strategies focused on:
Additionally, the nonprofit organization will lead all programming at the Sherman Phoenix that brings cultural and economic vibrancy to the hub, including technical assistance for the 25+ small business tenants, wellness programming, educational offerings and arts and cultural events.
ABOUT SHERMAN PHOENIX
The Sherman Phoenix was birthed after the police shooting of an unarmed Black man in the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee in 2016. Our community came together to transform a fire-damaged bank building into a thriving hub for 25+ Black-owned businesses.
Having opened in late 2018, the Sherman Phoenix quickly became a model for healing our city by generating positive economic and social returns in communities of color and a vibrant community space that embraces talent and innovation, employs over 100 people, builds community wealth, and inspires new narratives for our future. The Sherman Phoenix includes much-needed community spaces to curate art exhibits, film showings, and cultural events. For more information, visit www.shermanphoenix.com.

created: January 18, 2022

author: Sherman Phoenix Foundation


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 18, 2022


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‘She made therapy cool’: How Tarsha Wiggins uses music to help people heal | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
January 18, 2022
Tarsha Wiggins speaks during a trap therapy event. “I’m comfortable having very uncomfortable conversations,” says Wiggins, who grew up on North 24th and West Vliet streets. “I can come talk to you anywhere about anything.” (Photo by Tarsha Wiggins)
Tarsha Wiggins prepares for her group therapy sessions a little differently than more conventional mental health providers.
The process starts with a playlist: songs that Wiggins, the founder of Speak Wellness Behavioral Health and Consulting, can link to mental health.
In an approach she calls “trap therapy,” she uses hip-hop and R&B to delve into topics like depression, anxiety and trauma.
The tunes serve an important purpose.
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“Unbeknownst to them, I’m bringing their guard down to have really meaningful and dynamic conversations about mental health,” Wiggins said.
The music releases natural endorphins that help people open up more, Wiggins said. Lyrics and messages in the songs can also be used to deliver important points on mental health in a relatable way.
Filling a need
Wiggins, a licensed clinical social worker and an alcohol and drug counselor, saw a need during the COVID-19 pandemic to share tools and coping strategies with people. At the moment, she does that via social media platforms and events as she works to set up a website with her services.
Wiggins officially formed her company in May. Since then, organizations have contacted her to provide trap therapy sessions and consultations that were provided for free to attendees.
As a Milwaukee native, the 37-year-old Wiggins said she can relate to the people who attend her sessions. Growing up on North 24 and West Vliet streets, she knows the challenges some of her clients face.
“Being of the community, being of that culture, not being afraid and just having those conversations with people – it means the world,” Wiggins said.
Wiggins stays active on social media, organizing “Mental Health Minutes” on Facebook and Instagram where she provides tips and thoughts for the day. While her videos are sometimes about heavy topics, Wiggins tries to keep things light and often uses humor to make people feel more at ease.
“Humor oftentimes can be a prescription for mental health,” Wiggins said
Wiggins also provides behavioral health consultations, referrals, corporate education sessions and has partnered with the Milwaukee Health Department’s Office of Violence Prevention.
Diana Williams, co-founder of Beyond 4 Walls Ministry, a nonprofit in Milwaukee that provides family-based resources, said Wiggins creates an environment where people feel comfortable discussing their feelings. Wiggins collaborated with Williams for a family summit focused on children’s mental health and coping during the pandemic.
“She makes it easy for people by coming to their level,” Williams said. “It doesn’t have to be as hard as they think.”
Malina Young, Wiggins’ sister-in-law, has attended a few trap therapy sessions.
“She made therapy cool,” Young said. “She had the whole room dancing during the song then reaching for tissues during the talkback.”
Wiggins conducts trap therapy sessions periodically but said she always look for opportunities to reach people.
“I’m comfortable having very uncomfortable conversations,” Wiggins said. “I can come talk to you anywhere about anything … just scoot over and let me sit down with you.”
For more information
You can reach Tarsha Wiggins at wiggins.speakwellness@gmail.com or on Facebook and Instagram.

author: Matt Martinez


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Is driver’s ed a key to solving our reckless driving problem? Some leaders think so. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
January 19, 2022
Since the driver education program at Milwaukee Recreation relaunched in 2016, 4,855 participants have earned their probationary license. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Monique Meese is worried about reckless driving in Milwaukee.
Yet she feels hopeful for the next generation of drivers, which includes her 17-year-old daughter, Alannah.
The reason? More youths now have access to affordable driver education through the Milwaukee Recreation Driver Education program.
The City-County Carjacking and Reckless Driving Task Force, which includes government officials and community members, has identified expanding access to driver education as a way to combat reckless driving.
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Such efforts are greatly needed because “Milwaukee is on a whole different level and has been getting worse,” Meese said.
Her daughter, a Rufus King High School junior, is one of more than 7,600 students to participate in the driver ed program since it relaunched in 2016.
Now called MPS Drive, the program had been on a 10-year hiatus at Milwaukee Public Schools because of a lack of funding before advocates pushed to bring it back.
Meese said her daughter began her classes virtually in September and was initially nervous to hit the roads. But when the time came for Alannah to demonstrate her skills in-person after she completed the written exam, she was ready.
“My daughter felt confident when going in to take the road test and felt that she would not have passed without taking the lessons,” Meese said.
Alannah is now one of 4,855 to earn their probationary license through the program since 2016, said Jodie Donabar, supervisor of driver education for Milwaukee Recreation, also known as MKE REC.
Juan Garcia, who’s been driving for two years, earned his license in 2019 after participating in the program while a student at Carmen High School’s Southeast Campus.
He said his instructor taught him important safety lessons such as keeping both hands on the wheel at all times and to always look both ways at four-way stops. He said he’s happy he learned to drive responsibly, something he wishes he saw more of in the city.
“There’s a lot of people who really have a heart and like to keep safe, while others want to rush all the time,” he said.
The most recent data for Milwaukee County from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation showed that teen drivers were involved in 3,278 crashes resulting in 13 deaths and 1,379 injuries in 2021. Speed was identified as a factor in 551 of those crashes and in 10 deaths. In total, there were 86 road fatalities in Milwaukee County in 2021, with speed being a factor in 36 deaths.
Classes through MKE REC have run at reduced capacity since the pandemic began, first just online and then virtually and in-person at 16 MPS high schools, Donabar said. The program returned to full capacity this month, but due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, all classes have moved online for now. The classes for January and February filled up in four hours, she said, while 800 slots for March and April have also been filled.
“Our goal is to reach as many students as we can to give them the tools to be a safe driver,” she said. “Then they can drive responsibly and on their own.”
The classes for MPS students cost $35, which covers the cost of the permit itself while classroom lessons and behind-the-wheel instruction are free. Non-MPS students can also take classes through Milwaukee Recreation for $150. Driver education courses offered at private businesses can cost upward of $300.
Municipal Court Judge Derek Mosley, a member of the City-County Carjacking and Reckless Driving Task Force, said the classes are essential.
“The major reason why it’s so key to reducing reckless driving is because at least people are getting a basic education and understanding of the rules of the road when they obtain their permit and receive their driver’s licenses,” Mosley said. “That wasn’t happening before driver’s ed.”
He said the gap in driver education has affected two generations — those who didn’t have access to classes and those who are learning from the examples of those drivers.
Mosley said the young people who come into his courtroom for driving infractions know when they’re speeding. But he said they are unaware that other common reckless driving practices, such as baselining, which is driving in the parking, bike or turn lane, are illegal.
“Some people don’t even know what yellow lights mean or how to drive on roundabouts,” said Mosley, adding that he’d like to see options such as attending traffic safety school for those who come into his courtroom.
He also wants novice drivers to also be aware that if they receive a ticket for a failure to yield, they must complete a state-required course — in addition to any other penalties — or risk having their driving privileges suspended.
Another piece of information he said people need to know is that if you’re caught driving while smoking marijuana, you will be charged with driving under the influence, and there is no reduced penalty for minors.
“It affects your driver’s license, you have to complete an AODA (alcohol and other drug abuse) course, and it affects the insurance you have to get,” Mosley said. “With the fine, which is almost $1,000, the insurance and other legal fees and repercussions, it’s all very costly.”
Donabar said the driver education program benefits students – and their families.
“As their student goes through the program, the families are going to start learning some of it and take it to heart, too,” she said. “They can serve as an example of how to be a safe driver.”
Click here to learn more about the MPS Drive program.

created: January 19, 2022

author: Edgar Mendez


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Post from Community: 10th annual MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit designated official City event | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
January 19, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
On Tuesday, January 18, file #211436 was adopted by the Common Council designating the MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit an official annual City event. The resolution was sponsored by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, who also hosts the annual event. The 2022 summit will occur virtually on Saturday, January 29 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and will include workshops to educate budding entrepreneurs about the resources available to help them become successful in their business endeavors.
The MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit is held to support the growth of local entrepreneurship and help innovators stimulate economic development, neighborhood reinvestment and job creation. The event is sponsored by the Historic King Drive Business Improvement District 8, the City of Milwaukee, American Family Insurance and Alderwoman Coggs.
“Small businesses and entrepreneurs are the backbone of our local economy, and every year the MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit seeks to connect individuals with the resources needed to start or scale their business,” said Alderwoman Coggs. “I encourage any Milwaukee residents looking to learn about entrepreneurship or business development to attend this year’s event as we work to build an environment where established and new businesses can prosper together.”
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This MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit will be streamed live on the City Channel (channel 25 on Spectrum Cable and channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse in the City of Milwaukee) and via streaming video on the city website at city.milwaukee.gov/Channel25. Additionally, those interested can view the event on Alderwoman Coggs’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ald.coggs.

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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Here’s where you can get COVID-19 tests near your home | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
January 20, 2022
Lines at city sites, such as this one in Menomonee Valley, have gotten longer since the holiday season. (Photo by Matt Martinez)
Leer en español: Aquí es donde puede obtener pruebas de COVID-19 cerca de su hogar
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the city, here are resources you should know.
HealthyMKE.com
Katie Lepak, project officer with the Milwaukee County Public Health Collaborative, a COVID-19 response effort by public and private partners in Milwaukee County, said that HealthyMKE.com remains a key resource for finding testing options in Milwaukee.
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The website is regularly updated with information on where people can get tested or vaccinated. It can be filtered by location to show the options closest to you.
Health centers and testing sites
Progressive Community Health Centers offers drive-up testing to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at its Lisbon Avenue location, 3522 W. Lisbon Ave. Those seeking tests must call ahead and make an appointment at 414-882-2040.
Outreach Community Health Centers provides testing by appointment at 210 W. Capitol Drive. Call 414-727-6320 to schedule an appointment.
Milwaukee Health Services provides testing at the MLK Heritage Health Center, 2555 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and Isaac Coggs Heritage Health Center, 8200 W. Silver Spring Drive. Call 414-372-8080 for the MLK Heritage Health Center and 414-760-3900 for the Isaac Coggs Heritage Health Center.
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, 930 W. Historic Mitchell St., offers PCR and rapid COVID-19 tests by appointment only. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; and 8 a.m. to noon on Friday. Call 414-383-9526.
Drive-through tests are available at the JAK Foundation, 7841 W. Appleton Ave., Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. No appointment is needed. The tests are provided by Hearts Need Healing and Apollo Lab.
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers offers testing for established patients only. Call 414-672-1353 for availability.
The Milwaukee Health Department has sites at the Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Road; South Side Health Center, 1639 S. 23rd St.; and Menomonee Valley site, 2401 W. St. Paul Ave.
The Northwest Health Center and South Side Health Center are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Friday; noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The Menomonee Valley site is open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. You can save time by taking the screening questionnaire by clicking here.
At-home testing
Free at-home tests are now available at covidtests.gov or https://special.usps.com/testkits. Each household can get four free at-home COVID tests. The tests should arrive within seven to 12 days.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers an at-home testing kit program in partnership with Vault Medical Services. Wisconsin residents can order a COVID-19 sample kit that will be shipped to their home, then collect a sample and mail it back to the state to be tested.
A Zoom call will be set up for anyone who receives a kit, and a representative can walk you through the process. Participants should get their results back 24 to 48 hours later.
This is free to Wisconsin residents. The state will pay for any costs not covered by insurance.
Some things to know

created: January 20, 2022


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 19, 2022


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Post from Community: Cascade is partnering with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County to provide laptops, tablets, and cell phones to those in need | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
January 20, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Cascade Asset Management, experts in secure data removal and technology disposal, announced a partnership with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County to support a collective impact initiative called Techquity. The goal is to bridge the digital divide in our local community.
Cascade is a full-service technology disposition company that helps organizations manage device retirement.
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“The Techquity initiative at United Way aims to ensure all members of our community have access to essential devices like computers, phones, and tablets,” said David Berka, Project Manager, Data, Evaluation, & Resource Equity for United Way. “Access to digital devices is no longer a luxury, but rather an essential part of living well in our society. United Way is proud to partner with Cascade Asset Management to ensure device access for the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Businesses and institutions in our area are encouraged to donate older equipment for refurbishment. Suggested items include functional notebooks, iPhones, and iPads. Items should be in functional condition, with normal wear. Devices with immediate need include iPhone 8 and above, iPad 5th Gen and above (A1822 model and above), and notebooks 5 years old or less. At this time, donations from households are not accepted.
Cascade serves as a single point of service. Cascade will not only assist with donatable items, but also help manage logistics, data destruction, the resale of other equipment, certified recycling of scrap, and detailed reporting of how each device was processed. Any proceeds generated from the resale of other assets can also contribute to the donation. United Way will receive all donations and distribute them to program and agency partners in the local community.
To learn more, visit https://cascade-assets.com/TECHQUITY/
About United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County: United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our local community.
About Cascade: Cascade Asset Management is an expert in data removal and technology disposal. Operating facilities in Madison, WI, Indianapolis, IN and Orlando, FL, Cascade services organizations requiring certified it asset disposition and computer recycling.


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15,000 Milwaukee residents have received rental aid. But thousands more wait for help. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
January 21, 2022
The two agencies tasked with distributing emergency rental funds are having a hard time keeping up with demand. (File photo by Adam Carr)
The two agencies charged with disbursing emergency rental assistance funding to Milwaukee County residents are struggling to keep up the demand.
According to U.S. Department of Treasury data, both Community Advocates, which distributes funds to Milwaukee residents, and the Social Development Commission, which serves Milwaukee County, have disbursed about $45 million apiece, according to numbers provided by organizations.
The emergency funding comes from the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program, the Milwaukee Rental Assistance Program and from the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
Since 2020, Community Advocates has served over 10,000 households and the Social Development Commission has helped 5,000, officials from both organizations said.
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The Social Development Commission, in particular, has struggled with processing applications efficiently and has dealt with staff turnover. Executive Director George Hinton said his organization now has a new system, a consistent staff and in-person help to help smooth out the process.
Both organizations face challenges because of the demand for assistance.
Deb Heffner, the housing strategy director at Community Advocates, said there is always at least 4,000 applications in queue.
And the Social Development Commission, or SDC, receives a minimum of 400 new applications a week, Hinton said.
“People’s reasons for needing aid have not changed,” Hinton said. “Many people aren’t working, and just when things were going back to normal, it feels like we’re in 2020 all over again.”
“Some people are working and still can’t maintain bills,” added LaSonda Buck, the rent assistance supervisor at SDC.
‘Extreme need’ not new
Hinton said the Social Development Commission and Community Advocates stay in constant communication to ensure residents get served.
In addition, Heffner said collaborative spaces like the Rental Housing Resource Center, which streamlines housing services and service providers, also have helped.
“This has offered a lot of opportunities to work on system changes,” she said. “That’s what we are working on and hope to work more on once we get through the queue.”
City and county leaders have also launched efforts to help residents avoid evictions. In November 2020, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors declared that each resident has a “right to shelter” but did not fully fund the mandate to curb homelessness.
Another program, Milwaukee’s Right to Counsel pilot program, also known as Eviction Free MKE, has been working to slow the pace of evictions since September. It provides no-cost legal representation for residents facing eviction or foreclosure.
“This extreme need was not news to those of us who have been in the housing insecurity space for decades,” said Mike Bare, the research and program coordinator for Community Advocates. “The pandemic just shined a light on issues we’ve been discussing.”
“Wages are too low, and housing is too high,” he said.
Bare said most people don’t realize their struggles are directly related to policy or lack thereof.
“These are not just unfortunate things that are happening to people,” said Bare. “These struggles are the results of choices that we are choosing to live with.”
Hinton said we need to “change the systems that are creating and maintaining poverty.”
Hayden Harwood, a member of the Milwaukee Autonomous Tenants Union, said we also need to ask questions about who’s making the policies affecting people and why we commodify housing.
The union challenges evictions, makes tenants aware of their rights and sometimes takes on negligent landlords.
“Join Milwaukee Autonomous Tenants Union or create your own,” Harwood said. “Get to know your neighbors. If you’re having a problem, they probably are too.”
Hinton said hardships existed before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Too many people were living and continue to live on the margins,” said Hinton. “So when unexpected circumstances hit, as they do in life, thousands of Milwaukeeans were unequipped to handle it.”
For your information
Both Community Advocates and the Social Development Commission are still accepting and processing applications. Leaders ask for patience from landlords and tenants as they continue to get through the queue of applications.
Resources to consult if you’re worried about eviction

created: January 21, 2022

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Jan. 21 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
January 21, 2022
Afro Soca Love, a traveling event featuring a marketplace and music from the African Diaspora, comes to Milwaukee on Friday. (Photo provided by Afro Soca Love)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon .
1. Afro Soca Love Music Show and Marketplace: Friday, Jan. 21
The traveling marketplace and show that features music and culture from the African Diaspora comes to Milwaukee this weekend. Bring your outfits, dancing shoes and mask. The marketplace takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21, and the 21+ music show starts at 9 p.m. at 901 W. Juneau Ave. on Friday, Jan. 21. Click here for tickets and more information.
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2. Brijon and Troy Tyler at Nō Studios: Friday, Jan. 21
Two R&B artists native to the Milwaukee area join forces on the Nō Studios stage. Doors open at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 at 1037 W. McKinley Ave. A vaccination or negative COVID test (within 48 hours) will be required to attend this event. Tickets here.
3. 2022 Milwaukee mayoral forum: Saturday, Jan. 22
Meet the candidates to be Milwaukee’s next mayor during a panel discussion hosted by the Wisconsin African American Women’s Center. Questions will be taken from the audience. The forum takes place from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 3020 W Vliet St. Masks required for in-person attendance, but you can watch virtually on Facebook here or YouTube here.
4. “Back to the Basics ” arts performance: Saturday, Jan. 22
Alverno College invites the community to its Saturday showing of “Back to the Basics,” an arts performance that utilizes dance, music and spoken word to encourage the audience of youths and adults to go back to what they know is right. It’s presented by the Signature Dance Company. The show for the community (those who are not Alverno students) begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22 at The Pitman Theater, 3431 S. 39th St.
Winter Blues Fest
Lean into the winter blues with The Mighty Ms. Erica and the Sound Production and Gerome “Mississippi Blues Boy” Durham at Mr. J’s Lounge. Show begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 4610 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Tickets here.

author: Sam Woods


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 20, 2022


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OPINION: We must stop prioritizing business interests over people’s lives during the pandemic | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Nate Gilliam
January 21, 2022
(Photo by Wes Tank)
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.
“Racism, specifically, is the state-sanctioned or extralegal production and exploitation of group-differentiated vulnerability to premature death.”
-Ruth Wilson Gilmore
(Photo provided by Nate Gilliam)
I write this as a Black man who was born, raised and still lives in this city and loves the people in this city.
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Milwaukee is routinely ranked the worst place in the United States for Black people. Wisconsin as a state incarcerates the most Black people in the U.S., in the country that leads the world in incarceration. Milwaukee County, the most populous and racially diverse county in the state, had the second worst health outcomes of any county in the state before the pandemic.
Black Milwaukeeans find themselves locked in a predicament caused by local, state and national politicians over the decades, and this history is well- documented by both local residents and historians. The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the deep structural inequities experienced by Black people every single day. True to form, our current elected and appointed officials continue to exacerbate these issues by prioritizing business interests over people’s lives.
Milwaukeeans deserve better. These numbers give some understanding into the anti-Blackness that is so pervasive in this city and state.
This detailed timeline accounts for the Biden administration’s calculated COVID response, including a chilling focus more on the economy and on pharmaceutical solutions instead of implementing public health mitigation strategies that could have saved lives. Timely interventions with workplace protections, upscaling testing capacity, enacting more accessible and robust national health care coverage and paid sick leave are just some of the life-saving decisions detailed here from the federal level. At the time of this writing, the Biden administration has no interest or will to use shutdowns as a pandemic mitigation strategy. The U.S. seems to have no issue spending money on its imperial activity, passing the largest military budget since WWII while supporting its citizenry in the pandemic is not truly considered.
In Wisconsin, the fight the Evers administration had with Republican lawmakers and conservative law firms regarding stay-at-home orders and mask mandates was decided in favor of the Republican legislative majority. Many public health departments around the state that fought to keep mask mandates are dealing with similar battles.
However, even with these hurdles, state, county and Milwaukee city officials committed to “public safety” could have done and can do more, especially with the influx of federal resources. In March of 2020, several Milwaukee-based organizations sent these public health demands to elected officials on all levels of government in Milwaukee County. The demands were born from our unique community and labor work. These public health measures suggested at the outset of the pandemic could still be useful today.
The lack of political will among Democratic politicians within the state over what they actually have control over is disappointing at best and cruel at worst. Even simple measures like reinstating Milwaukee’s mask mandate could have saved lives, yet outside of a few politicians’ terse questioning of the health commissioner, there was little will to protect “public safety.”
The current messaging from both County Executive David Crowley and Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson in regards to the pandemic is for individuals to take personal responsibility to get vaccinated. They say the vaccine is our strongest weapon to “end” the pandemic. As a person who is vaccinated and boosted, I appreciate the ability to have a better chance to fight severe disease and death. It is a weapon but not the only one, and it’s a weapon that is weakened as viruses keep spreading and mutating.
It also parrots the Biden administration’s activity to keep the economy going while we experience great death and misery. We had more COVID deaths in the year we have a vaccine available than when it wasn’t available. Not to mention the completely understudied impact of long COVID.
The lack of public health measures to keep our populace safe went away to satisfy capitalist influence over public health. Social determinants of health seem to have all but left public health discourse to deal with this pandemic, which could account for deep disparities in our state. It also allows our local government an excuse not to do adequate public health education around vaccination safety especially in the Black community as fewer than 40% of Black people in Milwaukee County are vaccinated.
In stark contrast to public health and health care investments or accountability of nonprofit hospital systems that rake in hundreds of millions of pandemic aid, our state is always expanding resources for war (police, National Guard, the feds, surveillance and cages) against Black communities. We saw that in real time with the response to the 2020 uprisings with expanded federal, state and local resources marshaled quickly and efficiently to protect property as people were righteously angry that the state kept killing Black people.
Our Democratic governor, county executive and then-mayor were in complete unity in action, using these resources against protesting Wisconsinites. There is a deeper criticism to be made of the governor using the National Guard as a health care Band-Aid in crisis points in the pandemic, instead of pushing hospital systems to care for their workers and use their wealth to build health care capacity, but I digress.
Carceral logic is the norm for this state as it spends more money on incarcerating people than educating them. It’s not a far leap to see this tragic trend play out in the lack of prioritization of public health resources. Even as the state spends large sums of tax dollars on incarceration, the COVID response to limit the spread of infection is atrocious.
There is a bipartisan agreement to continue war (policing, jails, prisons, supervision, surveillance) budgets on people, especially Black, brown and Indigenous communities.
Our communities deserve better. People in power should be invested in humanity and not war (carceral solutions). Or putting business interests over life-affirming community investments in housing, health care, education, employment and economic opportunities.
Nate Gilliam is a Milwaukee organizer and founding member of Milwaukee Freedom Fund, which works to defend and protect Black lives.

author: Nate Gilliam


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Jan. 24 to Jan. 28 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
January 24, 2022
These works and more are available for viewing at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, now through March 12. (Photos provided by Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. “Presence & Persistence” and “Great Ideas of Humanity” galleries open at MIAD: Until March.
“Presence & Persistence: Visions of American Blackness” is on view at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, or MIAD, now through March 12. “Great Ideas of Humanity: Posters for Thought” is also on view at MIAD, now through March 5. Both galleries feature work from Milwaukee-born artists. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 273 E. Erie St. Admission is free. More information, including background on the artists, gallery tours and in-person programming can be found here.
2. Multiple job fairs: Tuesday, Jan. 25 and Thursday, Jan. 27
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Looking for a job? There are multiple hiring events (in-person and virtual) happening this week. Details below:
Learn about warehouse positions with Amazon that start at $15 per hour at a virtual spotlight organized by Maximus. The spotlight runs from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25. Email agathahodgson@maximus.com for registration information.
Talk to recruiters in the health care industry about available jobs in the field. The virtual hiring fair starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25. More information can be found here.
There’s also an in-person job fair hosted by Employ Milwaukee. Stop by from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 2342 N. 27th St.
Learn about warehouse jobs at Outpost Natural Foods at this virtual employer spotlight organized by Maximus. The spotlight runs from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27. Email agathahodgson@maximus.com for registration information.
3. How should we address the opioid epidemic? A virtual listening session: Wednesday, Jan. 26
The opioid epidemic has claimed many lives in recent years, but what solutions are out there? The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recently received money in a settlement with opioid manufacturers and wants to know your solutions for solving this crisis. Join the virtual listening session from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Interpretations in Spanish, Hmong and American Sign Language are available by request. Register to attend here. More information here.
4. Harambee Community Association quarterly meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 26
Harambee residents are welcome to join this virtual meeting to discuss neighborhood news and share concerns. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26.
5. “Carlos Barberena: I Have Been A Stranger In My Own Land”: Thursday, Jan. 27
Enjoy churros, coffee and a tour of “Carlos Barberena: I Have Been a Stranger in My Own Land,” the newest exhibit at Latino Arts Inc. The tour runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 1028 S. 9th St. Tickets here.

created: January 24, 2022


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 23, 2022

created: January 23, 2022


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Here’s where you can find shelter from the cold | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
January 24, 2022
The Salvation Army Of Milwaukee County offers safe shelter for single men, women and families. (NNS file photo by Andrea Waxman)
Leer en español: una versión traducida de este artículo está disponible debajo de la versión en inglés.
Milwaukee, it’s going to be cold Tuesday.
Wind chills are expected to reach 20 degrees to 30 degrees below zero, with the National Weather Service issuing an advisory for portions of Wisconsin, including Milwaukee.
Here are places where you can go to find shelter from the cold.
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Repairers of the Breach, 1335 W. Vliet St., opens as a daytime warming room and an overnight warming shelter when temperatures drop to 20 degrees and below. Hours are from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
St. Benedict the Moor, 924 W. State St., opens as a warming shelter when weather reaches below zero.
You can dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211 to contact a specialist about temporary entry to these shelters.
The Cathedral Center at 845 N. Van Buren St. accepts single women and families. For more information, you can call (414) 831-0394.
Hope House at 209 W. Orchard St. accepts families. For more information, you can go to hopehousemke.org.
The Salvation Army Of Milwaukee County offers safe shelter for single men, women and families.
Guest House of Milwaukee at 1216 N. 13th St. accepts single men. For more information, you can go to guesthouseofmilwaukee.org
Private shelters in the Milwaukee area.
The Milwaukee Rescue Mission at 1820 W Wells St., accepts single men. You must there by 6:15 p.m.. For more information, you can call 414-344-2211 or visit milmission.org
Joy House at 830 N. 19th St. accepts women with children. Women must have current ID, children need two forms of ID (birth certificate, social security card, etc.) For more information, you can call 414-344-2211 or visit milmission.org/programs/joy-house.
Casa Maria Catholic Worker, 1131 N. 21st St., accepts women with children. You can call 414-344-5745 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Hope Street Ministry at 2522 W. Capitol Drive accepts men, women and children. For more information you can call 414-445-5404 or visit hopestreetministry.org. Application required.
Milwaukee, va a hacer frío el martes.
Se espera que la sensación térmica alcance los 20 grados a 30 grados bajo cero, y el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional emitió un aviso para partes de Wisconsin, incluido Milwaukee.
Repairers of the Breach 1335 W. Vliet St., se abre como una sala de calentamiento diurno y un refugio de calentamiento nocturno cuando las temperaturas bajan a 20 grados o menos. El horario es de 7 pm a 7 am
St. Benedict the Moor 924 W. State St., se abre como un refugio cálido cuando el clima llega a bajo cero.
El  en 845 N. Van Buren St. acepta mujeres solteras y familias. Para más información, puede llamar al (414) 831-0394 .
en 209 W. Orchard St. acepta familias. Para obtener más información, puede visitar hopehousemke.org.
El Ejército de Salvación del Condado de Milwaukee ofrece refugio seguro para hombres, mujeres y familias solteros.
en 1216 N. 13th St. acepta hombres solteros. Para obtener más información, puede visitar guesthouseofmilwaukee.org.
en 1820 W Wells St. acepta hombres solteros. tiene que estar allí a las 6:15 pm. Para obtener más información, puede llamar al 414-344-2211 o visitar milmission.org
en 830 N. 19th St. acepta mujeres con niños. Las mujeres deben tener una identificación vigente, los niños necesitan dos formas de identificación (certificado de nacimiento, tarjeta de seguro social, etc.) Para obtener más información, puede llamar al 414-344-2211 o visitar milmission.org/programs/joy-house.
Maria Catholic Worker, 1131 N. 21st St., acepta mujeres con niños. Puede llamar al 414-344-5745 de 9 am a 10 pm.
en 2522 W. Capitol Drive acepta hombres, mujeres y niños. Para obtener más información, puede llamar al 414-445-5404 o visitar hopestreetministry.org. Solicitud requerida.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 24, 2022


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Post from Community: Kellogg PEAK Initiative (PEAK) announces new executive director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PEAK Initiative
January 24, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Kellogg PEAK Initiative (PEAK ) announced today that they have named Demetria Smith of Milwaukee, Wisconsin as their next Executive Director, succeeding previous Director Dan Schiller. Smith has served with PEAK since 2018 as the organization’s Senior Director of Programs and has been an innovative, invested, and trusted leader in the Milwaukee youth programs space since 2007.
As Executive Director, Smith will provide leadership, vision, and direction for the entire organization as it enters its next phase. In her time as overseer of PEAK programs, Smith played a pivotal role as the organization redefined itself as a year-round provider, leveraging the power of experiences and relationships to bring out the limitless potential of Milwaukee’s young leaders. Her leadership and creativity has spurred growth and promoted quality in the organization’s offerings.
Smith will succeed Schiller in February of 2022. Schiller has served as PEAK’s Executive Director since 2015, leading a reorganization, expansion, and rebrand from Lake Valley Camp to PEAK to better exemplify the organization’s renewed focus on supporting young people in reaching the heights of their potential as leaders. In his tenure, Schiller also shepherded the public private partnership between PEAK, Milwaukee County, and neighborhood residents to revitalize Tiefenthaler Park and expand the PEAK program center into a vibrant space for hands-on learning and community gathering. Schiller leaves to continue his work in the community, serving as owner and operator of Future Found LLC, providing leadership recruiting, coaching, and strategic consulting services to non-profit organizations and social enterprises.
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PEAK is a progressive leadership program that helps youth, Grades 1-12, understand and practice how to positively influence people and places. Since 2003, PEAK has fostered exploration and discovery for Milwaukee’s youth through experienced-based learning. Serving 500+ Milwaukee area youth per year, PEAK offers programming year-round to help young people connect, reflect and grow at no cost to families.

author: PEAK Initiative


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Post from Community: TMJ4 News partners with Marquette University for a series of Milwaukee Mayoral, Wisconsin U.S. Senate and gubernatorial debates | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
TMJ4 News
January 24, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Marquette University and TMJ4 News will co-host a series of televised political debates as Wisconsin voters prepare to go to the polls in three high-profile 2022 elections. The series of debates will focus on Milwaukee’s mayoral race as well as Wisconsin’s race for governor and U.S. Senate. Each debate will be moderated by TMJ4’s veteran political reporter Charles Benson and Emmy Award-winning anchor Shannon Sims. Benson and Sims will be joined throughout the series by a variety of panelists. Marquette’s Varsity Theater will serve as the venue for each event. The 2022 debates continue a longstanding TMJ4 News tradition of keeping Wisconsin voters informed on candidates and pressing issues during campaigns. In 2018, TMJ4 hosted both U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial debates, which were televised statewide.
All 2022 debates will air in Milwaukee on TMJ4. The U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial debates will also air statewide on Wisconsin’s NBC affiliates:
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Sunday, March 27 (6-7 p.m.): Debate between two finalists in the race for Milwaukee mayor
Sunday, July 17 (6-7 p.m.): Candidates in the Wisconsin Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
Sunday, July 24 (6-7 p.m.): Candidates in the Republican primary for Wisconsin governor
Thursday, October 13 (6-7 p.m.): Debate between Democrat and Republican nominees for U.S. Senate
Thursday, October 20 (6-7 p.m.): Democrat and Republican nominees for Wisconsin governor
Wispolitics.com, 620 WTMJ, and the Milwaukee Business Journal are also sponsoring the debates.
Due to limited space, the event will be ticketed and all seats for members of the public have been reserved. News coverage of the debate and/or access to a pool feed is welcome and requires media credentials. Journalists must contact Kevin Conway at Marquette University, kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu, regarding credentials. All media must be on the credential list for access to the building that evening. Parking for live trucks must also be arranged in advance.
In addition to the televised debates, TMJ4 News will air a series of in-depth interviews with all seven candidates on the ballot in the Milwaukee Mayoral primary election. Those interviews will air each weeknight at 6 p.m. from January 24-February 1.
About TMJ4 and Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As the nation’s fourth-largest local TV broadcaster, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of 61 stations in 41 markets. The Scripps Networks reach nearly every American through the national news outlets Court TV and Newsy and popular entertainment brands ION, Bounce, Grit, Laff and Court TV Mystery. Scripps is the nation’s largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, “Give light and the people will find their own way.”
About Marquette University
Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. A Marquette education offers students a virtually unlimited number of paths and destinations and prepares them for the world by asking them to think critically about it. Marquette’s mission is the search for truth, the discovery and sharing of knowledge, the fostering of personal and professional excellence, the promotion of a life of faith and the development of leadership expressed in service to others. Along the way, they ask one thing of every student: Be The Difference.

author: TMJ4 News


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TMJ4-Logo.JPG | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 24, 2022


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Post from Community: Milwaukee LGBT Community Center is hiring an executive director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee LGBT Community Center
January 25, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee LGBT Community Center is hiring an Executive Director to lead the organization and is responsible for the overall administration and management. This position emphasizes resource development and staff management.
To view the entire position profile and instructions on how to apply:
https://lnkd.in/d5vUdVfu
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created: January 25, 2022

author: Milwaukee LGBT Community Center


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Milwaukee sees rise in syphilis cases | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
January 25, 2022
The Keenan Health Center is one of the health department’s main locations for treatment as the city battles a syphilis outbreak. (NNS File photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Leer en español: Milwaukee ve un aumento en los casos de sífilis
Milwaukee saw at least 255 cases of syphilis in 2021, more than the totals from 2016 to 2019 combined, according to a report by the Milwaukee Health Department.
The data comes from a September report, and the final total for syphilis cases in Milwaukee has not been released.
The outbreak follows a trend where an increase of 230 cases was reported from July 2019 to December 2020 and was cause for concern among health officials. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported in 2021 that cases had risen 300% in Milwaukee compared to pre-pandemic levels, with the biggest increase in women of child-bearing age.
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Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection. Cases of primary syphilis – noted by a sore or sores at the original site of infection, possibly the genitals, mouth and rectum – and secondary syphilis, which can be found because of skin rash, fever or swollen lymph nodes, are the most common.
The Milwaukee Health Department reported six cases of congenital syphilis, or babies born with syphilis, in 2021. Milwaukee had five cases of congenital syphilis in 2020. In an average year, one case is considered significant.
Public health consultant Melissa Ugland said the city’s jump in cases, especially in congenital syphilis, is cause for concern. She said that congenital syphilis cases are considered to be “sentinel events” in health care, meaning an unexpected case that can cause death or permanent physical or psychological harm.
“We need people to treat this with the seriousness it requires, pandemic or no pandemic,” Ugland said.
Pandemic create challenges
Although the cause for the spike is unclear, Dr. Heather Paradis, chief medical officer of the Milwaukee Health Department, said the recent surge was worsened by COVID-19. She said people faced financial challenges or were hesitant to go to a medical office during the pandemic. Some also lacked access to health care.
For instance, she said, the pandemic has caused more people to trade sex for shelter, food and other basic needs, putting them at higher risk of contracting syphilis. In other cases, clinics were not as accessible because COVID-19 curtailed hours of operation and in-person visits.
The jump in cases highlights the need to increase testing, Paradis said.
“Usually what we find in syphilis increases is that there are lots of little things that end up causing a much larger problem. said Brandon Kufalk, sexually transmitted infection unit supervisor with the state Department of Health Services.
Kufalk said the Milwaukee Health Department has been receiving recommendations from the state on how to stop the spread of syphilis. The state also has provided three disease intervention specialists to the department to provide support, he said.
Paradis said the Milwaukee Health Department has released guidelines for health care providers to address syphilis and is partnering with the Department of Health Services for outreach and messaging in the areas hit hardest by syphilis.
According to a report from the Milwaukee Health Department, roughly 66% of the city’s syphilis cases were among Black residents from 2018 to 2020. This is compared to about 15% in both the white and Latinx populations.
Aziza Carter, disease intervention specialist supervisor for the Milwaukee Health Department, said the Keenan Health Center, the city’s main public site for STI prevention, did not see a major change in its operations during the pandemic.
Carter said the department employs seven disease intervention specialists and two coordinators. The department has the budget to hire one more intervention specialist but is fully staffed, she said.
A disease intervention specialist will reach out to a patient to provide education, arrange treatment and conduct contact tracing for any sexual partners the person had. Kufalk said in some cases, disease intervention specialists will pick up and drive patients to treatment centers.
Efforts to address the disease are occurring outside the department as well, as community partners offer testing and treatment services.
“If we had the staff capacity, I think there would be room for process improvement and then we would potentially conduct audits and follow up,” Carter said. “But the state is really good at reviewing cases as well. If there’s any red flags or concerns, we have a second set of eyes.”
Where to get tested in Milwaukee
Free or low-cost testing is available at local health centers, such as Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers and Milwaukee Health Services.
The Milwaukee Health Department maintains a list of places to get tested in the area.
To contact the Milwaukee Health Department’s Keenan Health Center, call 414-286-8840. It is located at 3200 N. 36 St.
BESTD Clinic, 1240 E. Brady St., offers syphilis testing. Call 414-272-2144.
Holton Street Clinic, 3521 N. Holton St., provides free syphilis and HIV screening. Call 414-264-8800.
To contact Planned Parenthood and make an appointment, call 844-493-1052 or visit its website and select “Book Online.” Planned Parenthood has multiple locations throughout the city. You can find health centers near you at this link.


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Post from Community: COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinic at Rocketship Southside, Jan 27 2-5pm | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Rocketship Southside Community Prep
January 26, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Rocketship Southside Community Prep, a nonprofit public charter elementary school, is hosting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in partnership with the Milwaukee County Health Department. Vaccines for kids and adults, boosters, and even flu vaccines will be available with no appointment necessary. Snacks will be provided for those waiting to be vaccinated and every student who gets vaccinated will receive a prize! Attendees can (but are not required to) pre-register at https://vaccinate.wi.gov/. Pre-registering ahead of time will make your vaccination go quickly.
Rocketship is opening up their school to the community in order to help increase access to this essential tool to fight COVID-19. They will host another clinic on February 17th for second doses.
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Students, families, and members of the public who want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and/or influenza.
Vaccine clinic with Milwaukee County Public Health
Thursday, January 27, 2022 from 2-5pm
3003 W Cleveland Ave, Milwaukee WI
Rocketship Public Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing public elementary charter schools serving disadvantaged communities across the country. The organization launched in 2007 with a vision to eliminate the achievement gap in every community it serves. Rocketship schools consistently rank among the top 10% of all public schools serving similar student populations.Through its high-performing public school model, Rocketship Public Schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. Visit http://www.rocketshipschools.org/ to learn more.

created: January 26, 2022

author: Rocketship Southside Community Prep