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OPINION: How we can reclaim democracy in Wisconsin | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Benjamin Rangel
March 24, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank of TankThink)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
(Photo provided by Benjamin Rangel)
Benjamin Rangel is a high school government teacher at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee. He represents the Fourth Congressional District on the People’s Maps Commission. He also serves as the managing editor of Bridge the City, a local podcast whose mission is to bridge together people, resources and ideas that inspire Milwaukee to action.
When I applied to serve on Gov. Tony Evers’ People’s Maps Commission, I did so on a bit of a whim. Because I am a high school American government teacher and student of political science, the issue of partisan gerrymandering has consistently been one of the issues that shocked me and my students.
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How could we call ourselves a representative democracy when representation is so clearly manipulated for political gain?
For instance, here in Milwaukee, our local political leaders have pleaded with state legislators in Madison for a fair and democratic budget process. Every alderperson and state representative from our area will tell you the same thing – Madison has flatlined the state’s shared revenue fund allocated to our city. Furthermore, the state restricts our city’s ability to add new sources of revenue.
This is where gerrymandering comes into the picture. Currently, the state legislative districts are drawn in such a way that although Democrats have won a majority of votes throughout the state, they have remained in the minority in the Legislature. In other words, Milwaukee’s representation in state government, and its ability to support itself financially, is impossible with partisan gerrymandering.
However, there may be a solution. Over the past six months, my belief in the American experiment and democracy has been reaffirmed month-after-month and I have hope that our work will be essential to the redistricting process in the coming months.
Throughout the last six months, our commission has heard from some of the country’s leading experts on partisan gerrymandering. For instance, Former Attorney General Eric Holder shared why a fair redistricting process is essential to representation in one of our early hearings. Similarly, Dr. Moon Duchin, a professor of mathematics at Tufts University, has partnered with our commission to help facilitate Wisconsinites drawing their own maps and identifying communities of interest.
Beyond the expert consensus that partisan gerrymandering is a threat to American representative government, it has been you all, the everyday residents of Wisconsin, who have truly inspired me and reaffirmed my belief in government.
After every hearing we have conducted, I leave feeling inspired and recommitted to our work. One of the most common things we hear is “voters should choose their representative, instead of representatives choosing their voters.” This observation has become a sort of truism during our hearings, and for good reason.
In 2011, following the last census count and led by the Republican Legislature, redistricting in Wisconsin was done in secret at a private law firm.  Court proceedings and investigative journalists, using computer algorithms, have shown that congressional and state legislative districts were redrawn in a way that overwhelmingly advantaged Republicans.
For instance, in the 2018 election Democrats and Republicans essentially split the vote across the state but the Republicans won a 63-36 majority in the 99-seat legislature.
During the last redistricting process, Republican state legislators were called into the offices to comment and provide feedback on how their district might be redrawn. Based on that feedback, and in order to mathematically advantage Republicans as best as possible, the maps were redrawn. In other words, the legislators picked their voters.
Although the process that played out in Wisconsin benefited Republicans, Democrats are certainly not innocent in this story. Democrats in Wisconsin in 2009, with control of both chambers and the governorship, had the opportunity to pass legislation that required a nonpartisan, independent redistricting process.  During our hearing in the 1st Congressional District, longtime Democrat Peter Barca shared that the political will simply wasn’t there. Furthermore, other Democratically controlled legislatures around the country have participated in partisan gerrymandering.
One thing is clear: Both parties are guilty of drawing the maps in favor of their political party rather than their constituents. It is no wonder why referendums across the state, in Republican and Democratic counties, have passed in favor of an independent process. Few things nowadays get overwhelming bipartisan support — nonpartisan redistricting is the exception.
Finally, what about Milwaukee? Some have argued that the partisan makeup of our geography disenfranchises big cities. The line goes that Democrats have self-selected to live in the cities and so have gerrymandered themselves. However, expert testimony during our hearings disputes that and testimony in the District Court Case of Gill V. Whitford mathematically proved it wrong.
Instead, the votes and voices of Milwaukeeans who have been over-packed in certain legislative districts in and around the city and those who have been cracked into districts surrounding the city are severely diluted. In turn, as we have heard time and time again from public testimony, dilution means a less responsive and more partisan government.
First, representatives are unresponsive. Because the districts are drawn in such a way that many elected officials never have any real competition, they don’t fear losing re-election. This means they no longer have to be accountable to their constituencies.
Second, representatives are more frequently coming from the political extremes. Because candidates have no real competition in the general elections, the fight for a seat starts in the primary. Primary voters tend to be more partisan. Furthermore, primary elections have far lower voter turnout. In some state legislative districts, partisan gerrymandering means fewer than 15% of the electorate and only the electorate of one political party are choosing their representative.
Overall, any legislation that you would like to see at the state level that includes compromise or a democratic voice, is unlikely without fair maps. Partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin means one-party rule that is unresponsive and unrepresentative of the voters throughout the state. Currently, our primary source of hope to overcome this assault on democracy is you all. Every single Milwaukeean who cares about our democracy needs to participate in the commission’s work and to send a message to every elected official that we demand a fair, nonpartisan redistricting process.
Selected by a three-judge panel, the People’s Maps Commission is a nine-member nonpartisan redistricting commission charged with drawing fair, impartial maps for the state of Wisconsin. Every 10 years, each state redraws its legislative and congressional district maps using data from the decennial census. In addition to the data from the 2020 U.S. Census, the commission will use information gathered during the public hearing process to prepare new maps. It is then up to the Legislature to take up and approve the maps created by the commission. Since October, the commission has been hosting public hearings for each of Wisconsin’s congressional districts. The public comment provided during these hearings will be used to prepare new maps.

author: Benjamin Rangel


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 23, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Adam Carr


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OPINION: We can’t let a handful of politicians mute our voices based on where we live or what we look like | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Christine Neumann-Ortiz
March 24, 2021
(Photo provided by Christine Neumann-Ortiz)
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.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz is the founding executive director of Voces de la Frontera and Voces de la Frontera Action. She is recognized as a national leader in the immigrant rights movement and in August was recognized by USA Today as one of the 10 “Women of the Century” in Wisconsin.
Most of us — from Bayfield to Milwaukee — want Wisconsin to be a place where we all have an equal say. But for years, a handful of politicians has tried to silence our voices based on where we live or what we look like.
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Politicians have done this by devising a broken system to undermine free and fair elections in Wisconsin — intentionally carving up our communities, drawing legislative maps so absurd and unequal that the leaders of our state Assembly, Senate and Congress are all but predetermined – despite the fact that in a democracy, voters should choose our leaders, not the other way around.
Drawing unfair maps means, for example, that even though Democrats won more than 205,000 votes statewide in 2018, Republicans carried 63 of the 99 Assembly districts.
Every 10 years the U.S. census prompts a redrawing of legislative district maps. Ten years ago, a new Republican majority had one-party control of the process and designed the maps behind closed doors to protect the politicians who drew them. Deeply unequal, these maps adopted in 2011 undermine the principle of one person, one vote. The current scheme denies us equal representation.
Rigging state political districts to ensure a majority for one political party undermines a state legislature responsive to diverse communities and promotes partisanship over community needs. This has real-life consequences for people across Wisconsin, with legislators unaccountable at the ballot box for their relentless attacks on immigrants and Black people, such as the failure to restore driver’s licenses for immigrants and low-income people of color who are criminalized and also lose access to a driver’s license because they cannot afford to pay a fine, often unrelated to driving.
This lack of representation and support for our communities has been compounded by failing to deliver the pandemic relief our families need, despite Blacks, Latinxs and immigrants being mostly essential workers during this pandemic and experiencing higher rates of sickness and death.
We knew at Voces de la Frontera that these maps violated the rights of Latinx voters under the Voting Rights Act. We sued in federal court, and we won.
It was a vindication that we were right. And yet, our victory only marginally improved the map in one district, leaving the rest of the state gerrymandered. Furthermore, a lawsuit should never have been necessary. If those politicians had chosen to honor a transparent, open, public process—instead of operating secretly, in a locked “map room” at a high-priced law firm—there would have been an opportunity for meaningful community engagement, and a chance at fair maps.
This time, we can get it right. That’s why members of Voces de la Frontera and people across Wisconsin are coming together to call our state legislators and demand they support the proposal put forth by Gov. Tony Evers in his budget for a democratic and transparent plan for redistricting fair maps.
All of us know we are better off when we stand with and for each other. Throughout this pandemic, we came together — we delivered meals, we made masks, we donated to emergency funds, supported essential workers seeking protections, and we looked out for our neighbors.
Together, we have the power and strength to move our state forward. We’ll ensure that voters have the freedom to vote and to have their votes counted equally. We’ll elect leaders who drink our same water, send their kids to our same schools and rely on our same hospitals. We’ll fight and win to elect leaders who reflect the very best of every kind of Wisconsinite.
Members of Voces de la Frontera and people across Wisconsin are making our voices heard, contacting the People’s Maps Commission, telling commissioners what our communities need in our maps and in our democracy.
And we’re speaking truth to power, urging our state legislators to fight for fairness, honesty, transparency and openness by supporting the governor’s budget provisions for a transparent process to draw fair maps for all in Wisconsin.
Together, we’ll make the promise of democracy real for all in Wisconsin.
Will you join us?

author: Christine Neumann-Ortiz


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Post from Community: Marcus Performing Arts Center announces third annual César E. Chavez Birthday Celebration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Marcus Performing Arts Center
March 24, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Third Annual Marcus Performing Arts Center César E. Chávez Birthday Celebration will be held on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, presented by Bader Philanthropies, Inc. This free program will begin at 1:00 pm via digital streaming and highlight the youth in our community who interpreted Chávez’s messages through art, spoken word, and essay contests.
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This annual event focuses on educating our community about the legacy of César E. Chávez, an unselfish advocate of social justice and respect for human dignity. The theme for this year’s event is “CommUNITY.”
César E. Chávez has said, “from the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength.”
In 2021, we are pleased to take this event virtual – expanding our reach and impact. Various cultural organizations will take center stage, demonstrating the excellence and resilience of our arts and education communities.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with the Marcus Center as presenting sponsor of the 3 Annual César E. Chávez event,” said Bader Philanthropies, Inc. Program Officer, Bridgett Gonzalez. “We are looking forward to gathering in a digital space to celebrate the important work of Chávez.”
Young people who are involved in the performing arts will also be highlighted in the virtual event as they honor Chávez’s life and legacy through music, dance, and song. This year’s performers include: Cecilio Negron, Jr., Karlies Kelley with Panadanza, Las Cafeteras, Latino Arts Strings Program, and more!
This community event is free and open to the public. There are no tickets or reservations required to attend. The virtual event stream will be available at www.marcuscenter.org/cesar-chavez beginning at 1:00 PM on March 31, 2021.
Event sponsors include Bader Philanthropies, Inc. (Presenting Sponsor); CBS 58 News and Telemundo Wisconsin (Legacy Sponsors); Educators Credit Union and Milwaukee County Transit System (Freedom Sponsors); El Conquistador Periódico (Peace Sponsor).
About Marcus Performing Arts Center
Established in 1969, the Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is the premier performing arts community gathering space in Southeastern Wisconsin, bringing high-quality arts and cultural programming to the region. As a mission-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization, MPAC strives to act as a bridge between cultures and an energizing force for collaboration and advocacy in the community. The touring Broadway series, sponsored by Johnson Financial Group, is recognized as bringing the best of Broadway entertainment to Milwaukee since 1996, and provides opportunities to educate, entertain, and engage audiences. As a presenter, MPAC offers its own diverse arts and cultural programming and outreach, such as MC Presents, Live At Peck, KidZ Days, ArtsConnect, and additional performances from internationally-renowned performing artists. The Marcus Center is also home to a variety of resident arts partners, including First Stage, Milwaukee Ballet, Florentine Opera Company, Black Arts MKE, Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, and more. MPAC is proud to be a dedicated War Memorial facility, honoring those who bravely served our country. For more information, visit www.marcuscenter.org.

author: Marcus Performing Arts Center


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Post from Community: The Lovell Johnson Quality of Life Center to Offer One-Shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine on Wednesday March 31, in partnership with Walgreens | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jump At The Sun LLC
March 24, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Lovell Johnson Quality of Life Center, located at 1530 W. Atkinson Ave., in partnership with Walgreens, Jump at the Sun Consultants, LLC., Health Connections Inc., and St. Mark AME Church, will host a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on Wednesday March 31st from 9 AM – 4 PM. We are currently accepting appointments for persons 18 years and older who live and/or work in ZIP codes: .
Appointments will also be available for persons living outside of these ZIP codes that meet the state’s eligibility requirements, but priority will be given to persons living in these ZIP codes. Click here for a list of current and next eligible groups.
Click here or call  to make an appointment for your vaccination. We will be offering the Johnson and Johnson vaccine which only requires one shot. Residents will receive the COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of health insurance status.
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author: Jump At The Sun LLC


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image-5.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 24, 2021

author: Name *


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UPDATE: Milwaukee County supervisors OK reducing fine for marijuana possession to $1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 25, 2021
Although arrests for marijuana possession are down, racial disparities in enforcement still exist in Milwaukee County. (File photo by Jabril Faraj)
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on Thursday adopted a resolution to reduce the fine for marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession of 25 grams or less to $1.
“There’s a long history of arrests being used as a tool to racially discriminate,” said Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, who co-sponsored the reduced-fine proposal. “A greater majority of the people arrested for possessing small amounts of marijuana are African Americans even though use is similar across all races.”
Ortiz-Velez said fines for marijuana possession also create an unnecessary financial burden. Only a quarter of fines for marijuana possession in Milwaukee County since 2019 have been paid, she said. She also referenced the results of several 2018 referendums in Wisconsin related to marijuana, which showed strong support for legalization in many areas of the state, including Milwaukee County. Questions on those referendums did differ across counties, with some asking about support for legalizing marijuana for medical use and some focusing on recreational use. Some, including Milwaukee County, asked about both.
Madison changed its cannabis possession laws late last year, making it legal to possess up to 28 grams of marijuana in most public places without receiving a municipal citation.
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A report released Monday by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office said both marijuana arrests and convictions in Milwaukee County have decreased significantly since 2010.
In Milwaukee County, arrests for marijuana possession dropped from 4,785 in 2010 to 1,927 in 2019. Marijuana possession convictions in Milwaukee County also decreased from 1,285 in 2010 to 96 in 2019.
Although the data showed steep declines in arrests, it also highlighted ongoing racial disparities in enforcement, with African Americans 3.2 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana possession in Milwaukee County. The conviction rate for marijuana possession was also higher for African Americans than for whites in the county. Racial disparities in arrests and convictions were much higher in other Wisconsin counties, though, compared with Milwaukee.
Ortiz-Velez said before the vote Thursday that she hopes other areas in Wisconsin will follow suit.
“The counties and cities should do what they need to do to protect the people they serve and express their will,” she said. “They have the power to make changes at a local level.”
Supervisor Patti Logsdon, who represents Oak Creek and portions of Franklin on the County Board, said before the vote that she is not in favor of the measure. Logsdon said calls from her constituents showed more support for legalizing medical, rather than recreational marijuana.
“Right now, marijuana is an illegal drug. Reducing the fine for possession while it is still illegal may encourage people to use it because they think the consequences aren’t serious,” Logsdon said in an email to NNS. “Overall, the people I’ve talked with are very concerned with this proposal, especially employers, because it essentially condones illegal drug use.”
Laura Manriquez, a South Side resident who has run unsuccessfully for the state Legislature, also opposed the measure. She said it was not good for the safety and security of the community and that marijuana use does not help people beat drug addictions.
“This is a gateway drug and does not prevent individuals from using opioids,” Manriquez wrote in an e-comment during a recent meeting of the county’s Judiciary, Safety, and General Services Committee.
Ortiz-Velez disagrees.
“Alcohol and oxycodone and other pharmaceuticals are more of a gateway drug than marijuana, and the harm they cause is more than marijuana,” she said. “I have met people who have confided in me that marijuana has helped them get off all the pharmaceutical drugs.”
Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, proposed legalizing marijuana is his biennial budget, but the measure is not expected to gain much support from the Republican-controlled Legislature, as with previous attempts at legalization.
Emilio De Torre, executive director of the Milwaukee Turners, a local nonprofit that focuses on social justice issues, said legalization doesn’t equate to support for marijuana use but helps address racial disparities in enforcement.
“It would be a nice step against the failed war on drugs,“ he said. Legalization, he added, would also allow law enforcement to focus on more important things, such as violence.
Sam Woods contributed to this report.
The Milwaukee County Board meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. Thursday and will be live-streamed on the County Legislative Information Center.

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 24, 2021


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Two weeks after being ousted, Milwaukee Health Department leader wants answers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 25, 2021
(Photo by Adam Carr)
It’s been two weeks, and Dr. Griselle Torres is still waiting for answers.
Torres, the deputy health commissioner overseeing data evaluation and strategic planning for the Milwaukee Health Department, and Lilliann Paine, the chief of staff, were fired in early March by Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson.
“I was told my appointment was up,” she told NNS in an interview. “That wasn’t a sufficient reason for me.”
Torres, whose tenure lasted 17 months, oversaw data collection and many of the department’s informatics systems.
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Torres said she expected at least a 90-day transition period based on conversations with the mayor’s office.
“Our understanding was we’re in the middle of a pandemic, we have major projects underway,” Torres said. “Let’s not disrupt that.”
Jeff Fleming, a spokesman for the mayor’s office, said there was no assurance or discussion of a 90-day transition plan. He said any plan would have focused only on the processes and functions of the department with no guarantee of employment.
In an email to Health Department staff regarding the departures of Paine and Torres, Johnson said: “I thank them both for the tremendous amount of work they have put in to support MHD during the pandemic and their passion for public health, data, and equity.”
Johnson’s decision caught some in the community off-guard because Paine, in particular, is known for her role in getting racism declared as a public health crisis in Milwaukee, noting the effects of systemic disadvantages in housing, education and policing on the health of residents. The move inspired other health departments across the nation to do the same.
Dr. Griselle Torres, formerly a deputy commissioner at the Milwaukee Health Department, was dismissed two weeks ago. (Photo provided by Griselle Torres)
The two departures also are the latest in a series of leadership changes for the beleaguered department. Johnson’s predecessor, Dr. Jeanette Kowalik, left in September because of toxicity, racism and threats. Johnson herself is the third health commissioner since 2018.
The department is still dealing with the aftershocks of former Health Commissioner Bevan Baker’s resignation in January 2018 after Mayor Tom Barrett learned that officials did not follow up with the families of at least 577 children who tested positive for lead poisoning in 2017. At the time, Barrett said he believed the total number, including the two prior years, to be more than 1,700.
And the state Department of Health Service has raised concerns about the department’s incomplete strategic plan, understaffed community outreach programs and the function and role of the Board of Health. The Department of Health Service’s review cites these concerns as a reason to delay recertifying the Milwaukee Health Department as a Level III department. This means the Health Department could lose valuable grant funding.
A focus on community
Torres, who joined the department in November 2019, said the city’s systems for data collection were antiquated at the time and needed updating. She worked to try to address them.
Over time, she took on a number of other projects, including revamping the Health Department’s website and securing different technological upgrades such as statistics software like the data mapping program Tableau and new applications for geographic information systems.
When COVID-19 hit, she pivoted to leveraging CARES Act funding for communities of color in the city. She also managed open records and took on a role overseeing HIPAA privacy guidelines.
With that workload, Torres said she relied on community partnerships.
Dr. Linda Murray, a former president of the American Public Health Association and retired former colleague of Torres based in Chicago, said Torres began her career as a social worker but eventually realized that many of the problems she addressed shouldn’t be dealt with on an individual level.
Torres and Murray worked together in the University of Illinois-Chicago’s School of Public Health, during which time Torres led initiatives to connect academic health departments with community members, Murray said.
Torres also worked for 16 years at the Chicago Department of Public Health.
Torres said she was known as a “bureaucracy hacker” in the Milwaukee Health Department – someone who pushed back against outdated or inadequate systems that were in place.
But Murray describes her as an “honest broker,” someone who would be honest with community stakeholders and tell them what they needed to know. She said that Torres had a reputation as a trusted source for underserved communities.
“If you call Torres, she’ll tell you the truth,” she said.
Torres said she cared especially for communities of color because of her background. She grew up in Ingenio, Puerto Rico, with little money in a single-parent household.
She said she tried to uplift communities like the one she came from with her work.
On Wednesday, Johnson announced that Myra Edwards would be the new chief of staff and Bailey Murph would serve as the new deputy commissioner of policy, innovation and engagement.
Edwards previously worked in the mayor’s office and has focused on equity, poverty and youth advancement in her career, according to a news release from the Milwaukee Health Department. She also has worked at Milwaukee Public Schools.
Murph was formerly the director of health strategy at the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department, where Johnson was previously commissioner. The release said Murph has experience in a range of public health issues in the city and county.
Although disappointed about her dismissal, Torres said she wishes the department well and hopes it can rise above its “culture of blaming.”
She said she plans to continue her focus on service.
“When I die, when I face my God, I can say I did what I could do for a greater good,” Torres said.

author: Matt Martinez


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5 things to do and know the weekend of March 26 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 26, 2021
Residents 16 and older who live in the 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes can receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the COA Youth and Family Centers walk-in clinic at 2320 W. Burleigh St. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Art Start creative session: Friday, March 26
Art Start’s creative March session is taking place at Nō Studios, 1037 W. McKinley Ave., from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 26. Participants are invited to explore Afro-Latino percussion and dance with Bony Plog-Benavides, a master drummer; Imani Jalil, a professional dancer; and Ren Ayá, Art Start’s emerging artist. Space is limited, but the event is free.
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2. Sip & Paint at Oasis Milwaukee: Friday, March 26
Oasis Milwaukee, 3120 W. Villard Ave., is hosting a sip and paint from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 26. Tickets cost $20 per person. Participants will receive a 11×14 inch canvas along with paints and additional supplies. Payments can be made on the Cash App to $MadeYWHlook. Food and drinks will be available.
3. Last chance for Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market: Saturday, March 27
The Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market’s 12th season is coming to an end. The market is located in the Greenhouse Annex at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. It will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 27. Click here for the list of the vendors.
4. Amani and Metcalfe Park community vaccine clinic: Saturday, March 27
The City of Milwaukee and Northwestern Mutual have partnered with local groups to bring the COVID-19 vaccine to the Amani and Metcalfe Park neighborhoods. Individuals 16 and older living in the 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes are eligible to receive the vaccine. The clinic will be at the COA Youth and Family Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 27. This is a walk-in clinic; appointments are not required.
5. HAFA community garden: Adopt a plant: Sunday, March 28
The Hmong American Friendship Association Youth Program is launching a community garden. The organization is inviting young people to come and adopt a plant to care for during the spring and summer. The event is free, but supplies are limited. The event will take place at the Hmong American Friendship Association, 3824 W. Vliet St, starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 28.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 25, 2021


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COVID-19 vaccine clinics to be held for 53206 and 53210 residents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 26, 2021
Vaccine efforts continue to accelerate across the city. This weekend, residents from 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes can get shots at the COA’s Goldin Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Residents in the 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes will be able to get vaccines at eight walk-in clinics through June as part of a new effort to get more doses into the community.
The clinics will be held at COA Youth and Family’s Goldin Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St., and at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, 2626 W. Center St.
The first clinic will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 27 at the Goldin Center. Here are times and dates for the clinics:
COA Youth and Family Centers:
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•March 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
•April 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
•May 8, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
•May 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wisconsin Black Historical Society
•March 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
•April 24, noon to 4 p.m.
•May 15, noon to 4 p.m.
•June 5, noon to 4 p.m.
The clinics are walk-in only. Sister Patricia Rogers, executive director of the Dominican Center, said the first clinics will have 250 doses available of the Pfizer vaccine. Those who attend will be scheduled to receive their second dose.
The clinics are a joint effort of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, the Milwaukee Health Department, the Dominican Center, the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, COA Youth and Family Centers and Northwestern Mutual.
The Health Department will administer the shots and run the clinics. The community groups will organize the events and provide space and volunteers for set up. Northwestern Mutual is providing funding.
Organizers hope to reach residents in the Amani and Metcalf Park communities.
Both ZIP codes have predominantly Black populations. In Wisconsin, the Black community has had the most hospitalizations and second most deaths due to COVID-19. As of March 25, only 11% of Black residents in Milwaukee County had received a dose of the vaccine.
Melody McCurtis, deputy director of priorities and organizer with Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, noted the importance of having vaccines available in the 53210 ZIP code. The area was not included in the 10 priority ZIP codes for the county’s program.
McCurtis said the 53210 ZIP code was hit the hardest during the first six months of the pandemic. People are grateful for the opportunity to get the vaccine, she said.
“People will say ‘I’m scared but I’m still going to come get it because I’m tired of living like this,’” McCurtis said.
In a media briefing Thursday, Dr. Ben Weston, director of medical services for the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, said the 10 most vulnerable ZIP codes were selected based on the Social Vulnerability Index, a metric from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The index measures things like poverty, lack of access to transportation and housing in order to determine an area’s effectiveness to respond to a disaster, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
“No process is going to be perfect,” Weston said. “However, we certainly hope to expand to more ZIP codes in the future.”
McCurtis said organizers hope to serve hundreds over their duration
Rogers said fliers have been distributed over the last few days to try and reach residents. She said the locations were chosen because they were “trusted places” in the neighborhoods.
“This is their way to help their own community get back to normal,” Rogers said. “This is how we help each other.”
There are Facebook events for the clinics at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society. Those interested in learning more can call (414) 444-9930.


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In the neighborhood: Where you can find good eats on the North Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 26, 2021
See what restaurants are continuing to serve delicious eats on Milwaukee’s North Side. In this photo from 2019, residents line up to sample what Pete’s Pops has to offer. (File photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
First of two parts
Small restaurants need your support to make it through the pandemic.
And you need to eat.
So why not fulfill both needs by ordering food at one of Milwaukee’s locally owned eateries?
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At the start of the pandemic, many restaurants struggled to survive. The stay-at-home order meant that restaurants were restricted to pickup and delivery options. A year later, restaurants can now offer dine-in services as long as they continue with mask mandates and social distancing measures.
Below is a list of eateries located on Milwaukee’s North Side.
Editor’s note: Did we miss a restaurant? Post it in the comments below or send an email to amartinez-ortiz@milwaukeenns.org with the subject line ‘Food 2021.’
Pete’s Pops – pickup and delivery
fPete’s Pops, 3808 W. Vliet St., is open from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Customers can order a pack of 10 popsicles for delivery or pickup. To place an order, individuals can click here send a Facebook message.
Daddy’s Soul Food & Grille – pickup, delivery and dine in
Daddy’s Soul Food & Grille, 754 N. 27 St., is open for business. Dine-in service is offered from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For pickup, you can place an order online or call (414) 448-6165. Go to the restaurant’s Facebook page to see the specials of the day. Orders for carry-out can be placed ahead of time.
Mr. Perkins – pickup
Mr. Perkins, 2001 W. Atkinson Ave., is open for carry-out. To see the menu and its hours, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page. To place an order, call (414) 447-6660. The restaurant is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
Speed Queen Bar-B-Q – drive-through
Speed Queen Bar-B-Q, 1130 W. Walnut St., is open for drive-through. While the wait time varies, customers can still enjoy the restaurant’s dinners, sandwiches, fish fries and more. Speed Queen Bar-B-Q is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Ashley’s Bar-B-Que – pickup and delivery (Grubhub)
Ashley’s Bar-B-Que, 1501 W. Center St., is available for pickup and delivery. Visit the restaurant’s Facebook page to see what Ashley’s Bar-B-Que is cooking up. To place an order call (414)-372-7666. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Mr. Dye’s Pies – pickup and delivery
Mr. Dye’s Pies, 8103 W. Tower Ave., is making pies available for pickup or delivery. To place an order, call (414) 759-4992. This week’s hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For its updated hours and complete menu, go to Mr. Dye’s Pies’ Facebook page. You can also catch Mr. Dye’s Pies at local farmer’s markets.
Sauce & Spice MKE – pickup
Sauce & Spice, located inside the Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., is open. The restaurant offers freshly made pizzas and take-and-bakes. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. To place an order, call (414) 210-4478. Customers can pay over the phone or with Cash App, Venmo, PayPal or Apple Pay.
Rise & Grind Café – curbside pickup
Rise & Grind Café, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Terri Lynn’s Soul Food Express – takeout
Terri Lynn’s Soul Food Express, 10742 W. Hampton Ave., is open for to-go orders. To place an order, call (414) 464-1111. Soul Food Express is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, noon to 8 p.m. on Fridays, noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 6:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Coffee Makes You Black – curbside pickup
Coffee Makes You Black, 2803 N. Teutonia Ave., is offering in-store pickup from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. To place an order for pickup, call (414) 562-5225.
SkyBox Sports Bar – dine in, delivery and takeout
SkyBox Sports Bar, 2213 N. Martin Luther King Drive, is open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday. Patrons can also place orders for delivery and pickup.
Tusk – curbside pickup and dine in
Tusk, 5513 W. North Ave., is open for dine-in services from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. It continues to offer carryout. To view Tusk’s menu, click here. To place an order, call (414) 763-2095.
Bougie Berries – in store
Bougie Berries, 7157 W. Burleigh Ave., is open for business. The dessert boutique is open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Call (414) 585-0234 if additional assistance is required.
Funky Fresh Spring Rolls – delivery and carryout
Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Customers can also place an order online for pickup. Delivery is available for frozen roll orders made online.
Triciclo Perú – curbside pickup and dine in
Triciclo Perú, 3801 W. Vliet St., is open for dine in from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. It continues to offer curbside pickup. To place an order or to make a reservation call (414) 239-8388. Click here to view the menu. Triciclo is also offering gift cards and take and bake options.
City.Net Jazz Café – curbside pickup and dine in
City.Net Jazz Café, 306 E. Wisconsin Ave., is open for business from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The café continues to offer its daily specials and coffee drinks. To see what specials the café is offering that day go to its Facebook page. To place an order, call (414)-336-1723 or (414)-469-1770.


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OPINION: ‘I am not someone’s fetish’: Atlanta shootings reveal the racism, sexism and misogyny Asian women have long endured | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jenny Lee
March 26, 2021
Community members attend a candlelight vigil organized by the Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of Wisconsin on last Thursday at City Hall. (Photo by Joe Brusky of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
(Photo provided by Jenny Lee)
Six Asian women were murdered.
Racism, sexism and misogyny are intertwined in the March 16 shootings in Atlanta of eight people.
Authorities say the shooting suspect, Robert Aaron Long, 21, who is white, chose to go to Asian masseuses. That ties in with the stereotype of Asian women that labels us as hypersexual and submissive.
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The suspect told police his actions were not racially motivated. He might not be the type of person who would be aware of his own internal biases. Race was a factor whether he knows it or not.
I think back to the time when an older white man walked straight toward me in the restaurant where I worked and spoke Mandarin to me. He assumed I was Chinese even though I am Korean American. I wasn’t dressed for a night out. I wore my chef’s coat, baggy pants and hat to cover my hair.
I looked up from my dinner prep and said, “What?” in perfect English.
The man spoke in Mandarin again as he took a seat at the bar right in front of me.
“I’m Korean,” I said flatly.
The man paused, rebooted and said in slow Korean, “Annyeonghaseyo.”
I pressed my lips and thought, It’s always the ones with yellow fever who know how to say hello in every East Asian language!
The man stood up and left. That wasn’t the first time a white man spoke to me in Mandarin to try to pick me up. Do you see white men approach white women and talk in Norwegian? No. You don’t.
I am not someone’s fetish.
Fetishes for Asian women originated from Western explorers visiting countries like Japan in the 1800s, says May Jeong, who wrote an op-ed in The New York Times on “The Deep American Roots of the Atlanta Shootings.” In the 1950s into the 1970s, American servicemen in Korea and Vietnam visited prostitutes with the U.S. government’s tacit approval of the off-duty activity as good for morale, Jeong said.
Four of the victims in Atlanta were Korean like me.
Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 film, “Full Metal Jacket,” solidified the stereotype of the Asian prostitute who would do anything a soldier wanted. The prostitute said words that have become part of the American lexicon. I refuse to repeat the movie phrase here because I’m tired of it.
My heart aches for the eight victims and their families. I feel deep sadness for the 10 victims of the Boulder, Colorado, shooting that happened on Monday — less than a week after the Atlanta shooting.
Amid all this turmoil, Asian Americans still have to be weary of racism for being blamed for COVID-19, just because the virus was first detected in China. Viruses don’t discriminate. People do.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia is overseeing the Atlanta shootings. A press conference with spokesman Capt. Jay Baker did not give Asian Americans the confidence that the case will be handled with care. Baker said the shooter was “pretty much fed up and kind of at the end of his rope. Yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did.” Baker was heavily criticized for his choice of words.
Baker was later accused of displaying COVID racism against Asian Americans. Screenshots of Baker’s Facebook account, media outlets reported, showed a post that said: “Get yours while they last” for t-shirts with the slogan, “Covid 19 IMPORTED VIRUS FROM CHY-NA.” Baker has been removed from the case.
Asian Americans have reported about 3,800 anti-Asian incidents to the Stop AAPI Hate website. The latest report covers March 19, 2020, to Feb. 28. Women report hate incidents 2.3 times more than men.
As a chef, I got my first vaccine dose two days after the Atlanta shooting. I went back to my car and cried.
Being vaccinated was supposed to mean life would go back to normal. Instead, I released all my emotions. The feeling that I made it this far without seriously getting sick. The feeling of despair about a white shooter murdering Asian women. And the feeling of fear.
But most of all, I realized something.
I’m protected from COVID-19, but I’m not protected from the racism that comes with it. I’m not vaccinated from racism.
Jenny Lee is a stay-at-home chef and former newspaper journalist.

author: Jenny Lee


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Post from Community: Free grocery giveaway happening tomorrow | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
March 26, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Tomorrow (Saturday, March 27) Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church is hosting the Bless ‘n Go, a free grocery giveaway for local families in the community. Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs encourages those in need to attend the event.
1,000 boxes of free groceries will be distributed at 510 W. Meinecke St. beginning at noon. The giveaway will run until 4 p.m. or until supplies are no longer available. The event is in partnership with the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation. Please see the attached poster for more details.
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author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 26, 2021


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: March 29 to April 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 29, 2021
The Marcus Performing Arts Center is celebrating the birthday of civil rights giant César E. Chavez on Wednesday, March 31. (File photo by Adam Carr)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Neighborhood Improvement District information session: Monday, March 29
The Lindsay Heights Neighborhood Improvement District is hosting an information session for homeowners and landlords. The meeting will take place virtually from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 29. To register, click here.
2. MATC hosts conversation with “How to be an antiracist” author Ibram X. Kendi: Wednesday, March 31
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Milwaukee Area Technical College will host a virtual “Conversation with Professor Ibram X. Kendi,” one of America’s foremost historians and leading antiracist scholars, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 31 on the Zoom platform. The free, public event will feature Kendi answering questions that have been submitted by the audience.
Kendi, the author of “How to be an antiracist,” is the Andrew W. Mellon professor in the humanities and the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. ty. In 2020, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The event is co-sponsored by MATC; MATC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee; and Milwaukee PBS. It will be moderated by Earl Arms, host of Milwaukee PBS’ “Black Nouveau.”  Space is limited, and you can pre-register by clicking here.
3. Amani and Metcalfe Park community vaccine clinics: Wednesday, March 31
The City of Milwaukee and Northwestern Mutual have partnered to bring the COVID-19 vaccine to residents living in the 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes. This week’s community clinic will be at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, 2626 W. Center St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31. This is a walk-up clinic; no appointment necessary. For additional dates, click here.
4. Third annual César E. Chavez birthday celebration: Wednesday, March 31
The Marcus Performing Arts Center is hosting its third annual César E. Chavez birthday virtual celebration at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31. This year’s theme is “commUNITY.” The celebration will include performances by local organizations, an essay contest for youths and more.
5. Milwaukee County Transit System Fair Chance Thursday: Thursday, April 1
Employ Milwaukee and the Milwaukee County Transit System are hosting an information session on job opportunities at MCTS. Those interested must first attend the “Do’s and Don’ts Virtual Interviewing Workshop” at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31.  The meeting will take place on Zoom at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 1. To RSVP for both webinars, contact Frederick Nelson at 414-335-5208 or Frederick.Nelson@employmilwaukee.org. Space is limited.
Bonus: Side Hustle workshops registration deadline: Wednesday, March 31
Walnut Way is offering its Side Hustle workshops series, which helps entrepreneurs take their business to the next level. The workshops are free and start Thursday, April 15. Advanced registration is required by Wednesday, March 31. To register, click here. Participants who attend all four workshops and present a pitch in workshop five will be eligible to receive a grant or a spot in the WWBIC business accelerator program. Award winners must live or have a business in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood.  The workshops will be online from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Chandra Ellis, community wealth building coordinator, at cellis@walnutway.org or call 414-264-2326, Ext. 14.
Bonus: Milwaukee Rep to reopen in April: Tuesday, April 27
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater is reopening for in-person performances beginning in April. The theater will be performing “Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song” at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, 108 E. Wells St., starting Tuesday, April 27. The show stars Alexis J. Roston as Ella Fitzgerald. Tickets for the show are on sale now and can be purchased online or by calling the ticket office at 414-224-9490.
Bonus: The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division recently issued a reminder that local mental health resources are available for county residents. The resources are free. Those in need of help can reach out to the following: IMPACT 2-1-1; the Milwaukee County 24-hour health crisis line, 414-257-7222; the Milwaukee County Children’s Mobile Crisis team, 414-257-7621; and the Milwaukee County resource and referral line, 414-257-7607.


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26094536511_237e9c769a_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 28, 2021


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MATC to Host Free, Public, Virtual ‘Conversation with Ibram X. Kendi,’ Author of ‘How to be an Antiracist,’ March 31 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
March 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee Area Technical College will host a virtual “Conversation with Professor Ibram X. Kendi,” one of America’s foremost historians and leading antiracist scholars, from 9-10 a.m. Wednesday, March 31, on the Zoom platform. The free, public event will feature Kendi answering questions that have been submitted by the audience.
Kendi has been at the forefront of discussions regarding antiracism. As a campus community, MATC employees read and discussed his book How To Be an Antiracist.
He is a National Book Award winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven books. Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon professor in the humanities and the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a CBS News racial justice contributor. He also is the 2020-2021 Frances B. Cashin Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for the Advanced Study at Harvard University. In 2020, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
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Kendi is the author of The Black Campus Movement, which won the W.E.B. Du Bois Book Prize; and Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2016.
The event is co-sponsored by MATC; MATC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee; and Milwaukee PBS. It will be moderated by Earl Arms, host of Milwaukee PBS’ “Black Nouveau.” Kendi will be featured on“Black Nouveau” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 8, at 7:30 pm on Milwaukee PBS 10.1.
Space is limited. Pre-registration is required at http://bit.ly/ProfKendiMarch31
Individuals who need accommodations to be able to participate in this event, should submit the request at least 72 hours in advance at https://bit.ly/39igVI.
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. Nearly 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 35 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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OPINION: We need a new state history museum that represents all of us | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dr. Robert Smith
March 29, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank of TankThink)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
(Photo provided by Robert Smith)
As a member of the Wisconsin Historical Society Board of Curators, I write to engage the NNS community in an important development in the state’s history. I want to express my excitement for the Society’s plan to build a new state history museum in Madison. More importantly, on behalf of the Society and Board of Curators, I write to encourage even more public engagement in the emerging museum.
First, let’s make sure to continually review development at the new museum website. Our community’s collective thoughts and ideas will be central to the Society’s goal of creating “. . . a 21 century museum that will share history like nothing that exists today.” You can also stay connected with updates via email.
And, please know, there is a fundraising campaign in full swing. But this letter is not an ask. It’s an earnest invitation for more community dialogue about a new museum that will pursue the following goals:
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Parent and kids, teachers and students . . .  let’s all weigh in!
Some may be surprised to know the Society is indeed one of the most respected history organizations in the world. In fact, we have in our state one of the nation’s most significant social justice collections, highlighted by a remarkable Freedom Summer archive. It’s time we have a history museum of equal stature.
Wisconsin needs history education now more than ever and the new museum must serve the educational needs and bolster the cultural identities of current and future generations.
The new museum will pursue its goals with a state-of-the-art physical space and offer digital engagement with new and emerging technologies. This means that, while the physical museum may be in Madison, students across the state will be able to engage with the museum on a regular basis without having to travel.
Now is the time for a new state history museum!
Join me in thinking like a historian, and let’s all weigh in.
Robert Smith is the Harry G. John professor of history at Marquette University and director of the university’s Center for Urban Research, Teaching and Outreach.

author: Dr. Robert Smith


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 28, 2021


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Post from Community: Eva Martinez Powless named MATC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Executive | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
March 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee Area Technical College has appointed Eva Martinez Powless as the college’s first diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) executive. Martinez Powless is a seasoned DEI practitioner with more than 18 years of combined experience in higher education and nonprofit administration. She has served as Marquette University’s assistant dean of admissions/multicultural outreach, director of intercultural engagement, and most recently as director of diversity and inclusion.
She will report directly to MATC President Vicki J. Martin. This new position was created as part of a reorganization to improve the student experience and help ensure student success.
“We are very pleased to welcome an experienced leader in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion to MATC,” said Dr. Martin. “DEI initiatives are of paramount importance to the college. We are one of the most diverse two-year colleges in the midwest and our efforts in this regard are imperative to our college and community. We are dedicated to promoting equitable outcomes for all students and employees by creating an inclusive and supportive college environment. Equity is one of MATC’s four top priorities in our five-year strategic plan and inclusion is one of our plan values. Working with Ms. Martinez Powless to help lead these initiatives will help MATC further support, expand and strengthen our efforts in an intentional and effective way.”
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“My background as a first-generation and low-income college student propels my commitment to college access and success,” said Martinez Powless. “I am the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. My personal mission is to lead authentically and do work que valga la pena (that matters).  I look forward to bringing my experience and passion to enhance MATC’s DEI efforts.”
Martinez Powless earned a bachelor of arts degree from Alverno College; and a master’s degree in public service (leadership specialization) from Marquette University. She currently is a doctoral candidate in Marquette’s interdisciplinary Educational Policy and Leadership doctoral program.
While at Marquette, Martinez Powless Director led the development and growth of the Center for Intercultural Engagement and LGBTQ+ Resource Center and was instrumental in refining processes, policies and programs that supported a welcoming and inclusive campus environment. Some highlights included founding Marquette’s Latinx Faculty and Staff Association, Undocumented Student Task Force, Mi Casa Es Tu Casa Open House and RISE Multicultural Student Orientation. She co-founded the Dreamers Gala/Ignacio Ellacuria Scholarship. She led the design and implementation of more than 450+ DEI programs designed to improve the climate for diversity, break down equity barriers, and address disparities.
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. Nearly 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 35 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.


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EvaMartinezPowless_crop.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 29, 2021


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Post from Community: Tenor High School, a program of Seeds of Health, Inc., is expanding to N Vel Phillips Avenue for the 2021/2022 school year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Seeds of Health schools
March 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
More Milwaukee area high school students will have the opportunity to go to college, thanks to the forward thinking and innovative solutions of Seeds of Health Executive Director Marcia Spector. Tenor High School, a program of Seeds of Health will expand its program to 918-922 N Vel Phillips Avenue, the former home of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which Seeds of Health purchased from J. Jeffers & Co.
Whether it’s preparing the family of Seeds of Health schools (comprised of Seeds of Health Elementary, Grandview High School, Veritas High School, and Tenor High School) for online learning a month before last March’s shutdown, or having a tight safety plan in place for the students’ return to the classroom, Spector always has her eye on the future, and she won’t stop until her need-based plans are put into action. This time, Spector is focusing on giving more Milwaukee area high school students the chance to get a head start on their future when Seeds of Health expands the Tenor High School program.
New Use for an Old Building
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David Hase, Seeds of Health Board President, sees this “as the latest progressive-minded move that will give new life to one of Milwaukee’s most treasured and historic buildings as Seeds of Health expands Tenor High School in the former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel building for the 2021/2022 school year.”
Seeds of Health Executive Board Member Jane Trenchard Backes says, “We are thrilled to announce the expansion of Tenor High School and the opportunity to serve more children in Milwaukee. As a top-performing Charter High School, Tenor High School/Seeds of Health is dedicated to providing excellence in education and preparing our students for high-demand careers within our region.”
Tenor High School opened 15 years ago when Spector was approached by Dennis Conta with the idea to create a school that would help urban children prepare for successful futures. Spector explains, “It’s the only high school program of its kind in the state of Wisconsin. Nobody else has a program like this dual certification school. Tenor students take three years of high school classes and then go to Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) their 4 year, free of charge. Upon graduation, students can leave with their high school diploma, an MATC certificate in an area of trade, continue their studies at MATC and earn an associate degree, or take the credits earned at MATC to a 4-year university.” Whatever option students take, they’re on the road to be successful and workforce ready.
According to Tenor High School Principal Tyson Tlachac, “Since Tenor’s beginning, over 500 students have participated in this unique program, experiencing their 4th year at MATC. That has led to students continuing at MATC to receive a certificate, working toward an associate degree, entering a 4-year degree program, or entering the workforce directly after high school.”
Tenor High School: the “Magical School”
Tenor’s model is so successful that it’s referred to as a “Magical School” because it makes post-secondary education and solid employment possible for students who may have not considered it before. During their time at Tenor, students are able to touch and feel college. They’re exposed to potential careers and possibilities. It’s magical because it opens students up to what they can do and shows them that there’s a world outside of their current circumstances. And while the school is indeed magical, the positive results are achieved through detailed planning, hard work, and dedication of both students and staff.
The Search for the Perfect Location
Brian Parrish, President and CEO of PARADIGM Real Estate, is very familiar with Spector’s vision for Tenor and the expansion of the Tenor High School program has been his primary focus for the past 5 years. Parrish said that finding a building that is both physically and economically suitable for a school conversion was challenging.
The goal was to find a space that would allow Tenor to continue to grow and attract more students well into the future. As Spector and Parrish searched for the new school, they had a list of specific “must haves” that would have the potential to accommodate over 500 students over the next four years.
First, the building had to be close to MATC, as proximity to its partner school allows students to truly feel part of the higher education community. Second, the building needed to be in a visible downtown Milwaukee location close to Tenor on Jackson.  In addition, a central location near a bus line was necessary to attract Tenor students from both Milwaukee’s north and south side neighborhoods. Finally, there had to be enough space to meet the needs of Tenor’s solid three-year education. Tenor is a Project Lead the Way School, offering many opportunities for its students such as its extensive fabrication lab.
When Marcia Spector toured the former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel buildings at 918-922 N Phillips Avenue, she knew she had hit the jackpot. The buildings are just two blocks from MATC and adjacent to the proposed location for MATC dorms. The location near FISERV Forum and across the street from the UWM Panthers Arena puts students in the heart of a thriving area where Tenor will be perfectly positioned to form partnerships with area businesses and introduce students to the possibilities that Milwaukee offers.  The opportunity to transform this building and expand its education program underscores Tenor’s dedication to the ongoing revitalization of Milwaukee’s urban community.
An Ideal Downtown Location and a Practical Building Layout
The building will feature adequate space that will allow for classrooms that can be rearranged depending on class size and use. Other features include interactive spaces and alcoves, a multi-purpose first floor cafeteria, special education room, and office spaces for admin and meetings.  In addition, the environment will meet all Milwaukee Health Department and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) health and safety requirements.
The entrance to the building features a plaque highlighting one of its most famous occupants, Christopher Latham Sholes, the chief inventor of the first practical typewriter. Sholes served as editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel from 1861 to 1865, and greatly impacted the evolution of journalism. Stories such as his allow Tenor to continue the narrative of a site so deeply rooted in the making of Milwaukee.
According to Parrish, “The site structure was historically two individual structures. The north structure was a multi-tenant factory building. The site was occupied and used by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as offices and printing, as well as various office and manufacturing tenants, including machine shops, a clothing manufacturing facility, an electric sign shop and refrigeration machinery.” The rich history of tenants will serve as inspiration to students, supporting Tenor’s message that their futures hold countless opportunities.
Senior Vice President of the MMAC Steve Bass agrees stating, “The MMAC applauds Seeds of Health’s leading role in educating urban youth. Seeds of Health’s decision to expand Tenor High School on the dynamic Vel R. Phillips Avenue in the former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel building signifies their commitment to Milwaukee and the future of the next generation. Tenor’s unique program graduates students with a year of college from MATC, prepared for the workforce or continuing their education.”
The Secret Behind Tenor’s Success
Why has Tenor been so successful for 15 years? Perhaps it’s Tenor’s commitment to students and the fact that it has a rock-solid mission. According to Marcia Spector, the mission has always, and will always, remain the same: The Tenor High School mission is to prepare Milwaukee students for successful entry to post-secondary education and career opportunities through the dual completion of a high school diploma and a Milwaukee Area Technical College program certificate or technical diploma, and/or credits in a post-secondary degree program. Backed by this mission and the dedicated individuals working behind it, the future looks very bright for Tenor students.
About Seeds of Health, Inc.
Founded in 1983, Seeds of Health, Inc. is the only K4-12 charter school agency in the state of Wisconsin serving approximately 1,300 students in three high schools with a total of four locations and a K4-8 elementary program. The individual and unique education programs at each Seeds of Health school serve a broad range of student needs – from at-risk to the college bound. Seeds of Health is Milwaukee’s innovative “home grown” answer to imaginative, collaborative, and cutting-edge education options, with the vision to positively impact the growth and development of urban children. Tenor High School, a program of Seeds of Health, is a high performing charter school authorized by the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (UWM).  For more information, please visit www.seedsofhealth.org.

author: Seeds of Health schools


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Tenor-Logo.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 25, 2021


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The NNS coronavirus update for the week of March 29: New places where you can get vaccinated; Milwaukee County sees uptick in cases | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 29, 2021
New vaccination clinics are popping up across the city. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Here’s the latest update on COVID-19 in Milwaukee and the resources you need to combat it.
Vaccine clinics to operate for 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes
COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be hosted at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, 2626 W. Center St., and COA Youth and Family Centers, 2320 W. Burleigh St., as part of an effort to reach residents in the Amani and Metcalfe Park neighborhoods.
The clinics will be open to anyone in the 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes. The clinics are available for walk-in vaccinations only and will be held mostly on Saturdays over the next few months.
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The following are times and dates for the vaccine clinics:
COA Youth and Family Centers:
Wisconsin Black Historical Society
The clinics are a joint effort of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, the Milwaukee Health Department, the Dominican Center, the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, COA Youth and Family Centers and Northwestern Mutual.
Those who wish to find out more about the clinics can call (414) 444-9930. There are also Facebook events for the clinics at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society.
Check out our reporting on the clinics to hear more from the organizers.
Milwaukee County cases indicator goes red for first time since January
The Milwaukee County cases indicator, one of the five main metrics the county uses to measure its COVID-19 response, turned red last week for the first time in two months because of an increase in cases over the last two weeks.
Dr. Ben Weston, director of medical services for the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, said during a media briefing: “The warning lights are blinking, and we need to be cautious. We can certainly hope that our rates of vaccination and continued vigilance can blunt an incoming increase.”
Kroger vaccination clinic to be held at Summerfest grounds
Pick ‘n Save and Kroger Health will operate an appointment-only vaccine clinic at the guest services building on Summerfest grounds, 200 N. Harbor Drive.
The clinic will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and some Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To get an appointment, you can visit https://www.picknsave.com/rx/covid-eligibility or call (866) 211-5320.
Vaccinations at the site will begin Tuesday, March 30. Free parking is available in Lot A.
Vaccines available at North and South Division locations
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett urged people to take advantage of the community vaccination sites at North Division and South Division high schools after lackluster attendance during their  opening weeks. The sites operate as part of the ZIP code priority program, which made residents eligible for the vaccine last Monday:
North Division High School, 1011 W. Center St., and South Division High School, 1515 W. Lapham Blvd., have the capacity to deliver up to 600 shots in a day. Neither location hit that threshold in the first week of immunizations.
“If anything, we have the capacity, and we don’t have the demand,” Barrett said in a media briefing.
Vaccine data
As of March 26, 242,708 people in Milwaukee County had received one dose of the vaccine. This includes 68% of the 65+ population, which amounts to 90,386 people.
The state of Wisconsin has fully vaccinated 948,765 people with both doses of the vaccine. The state has administered at least one dose to 1,634,977 people.
About 74% of Wisconsinites over the age of 65 have received the vaccine, for a total of 754,629 people.
What you should know about the coronavirus vaccine
•Check out our Instagram primer
•8 things you should know
How you can help friends and loved ones who test positive
Read our story here
What’s it like to be vaccinated?
Read our story here
Where to get free masks
To obtain a free mask, residents can visit these sites:
NNS reporters also gathered a list of where to buy locally made masks if you’re looking to show some local business love when masking up.
Check the City of Milwaukee Health Department’s website for the most updated facts and answers to questions about the mask ordinance.
Resources to know
Look here for up-to-date statistics on COVID-19 in the county. More precautions on how to stay safe and information on COVID-19 can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
Contact your health provider, call IMPACT 2-1-1 or take a look at the county’s testing site map to find a testing center near you. The free community testing sites at the Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Rd., and Southside Health Center, 1639 S. 23rd St., are now open and operating. American Family Field (formerly Miller Park), 1 Brewers Way, is also open as an effective testing site.
For more information on testing, including how to identify symptoms and when you should get tested, visit TestUpMKE.com. Available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Burmese and Arabic.
For more information on vaccine distribution and where to find it, visit HealthyMKE.com. Available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Burmese and Arabic.
Check out our continuing coronavirus coverage.
Looking for more personalized direction to resources and information during the coronavirus crisis? Get connected with News414, a texting-based news resource from Milwaukee NNS, Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media. You can text MILWAUKEE to 73224 and begin to receive free, personalized data via text messages.


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More than a soup kitchen: How The Gathering feeds the community through meals and service | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
March 30, 2021
Angela Wright, pictured here in front of The Gathering’s Running Rebels location, has been serving meals at The Gathering for nearly six years. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Technically, The Gathering can be described as simply a soup kitchen.
But for meal guests like Bejhan Gorgi Sr., it’s more than a place to go for a hot meal.
“I used to bring my twin daughters here before COVID,” Gorgi said. “I’d rather bring them here than Chuck E. Cheese.”
The Gathering, a 39-year-old nonprofit organization, served 53,000 meals in 2020 from four locations across the city, including one in the Running Rebels building at 1300 W. Fond Du Lac Ave., a 15-minute walk from Gorgi’s house.
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But meals are not the only thing people come to The Gathering for. Timothy Corley, another frequent guest at the Running Rebels location, recalled a time when staff found shoes for him fit for winter weather.
“I was walking around with holes in my shoes in the snow, and one of the staff asked what size I was,” Corley remembered. “I had a pair of size 12s the next day.”
‘A priest, a lawyer and an accountant were walking down the street . . .’
This welcoming atmosphere did not come out of nowhere, but rather has been built steadily over the years. Mary Thickens has been volunteering with The Gathering nearly that whole time and said she has served on the board of directors for 18 years. She recalls The Gathering’s origin story happening almost by accident.
“A priest, a lawyer and an accountant were walking down the street — sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, I know — but they were walking down the street when they encountered someone looking for a hot meal. Long story short, they started their own soup and sandwich kitchen, which now has grown into what it is today,” Thickens said.
The Gathering was affiliated with the Episcopal Church until 2001, when it became an independent nonprofit. Today, The Gathering serves hot meals Monday through Saturday.
For breakfast cook Danielle Braze, the nonprofit offers her a chance to live her dream.
“Even if it’s just an hour for breakfast, that hour is a start,” says Bejhan Gorgi Sr., a meal guest at The Gathering. “Here you can get happy for the day.” (Photo by Bejhan Gorgi Sr.)
“Cooking is my craft. I love cooking, though I didn’t have any schooling in it,” said Braze, who cooks hundreds of meals per week at the Running Rebels location. “This is the most rewarding job I’ve had in my life. Homeless people are often looked down upon, but we’re here for food, resources, or just to talk.”
On Saturdays, The Gathering gives Braze and the rest of the staff a break and relies on its volunteer chefs and servers to carry the organization’s mission to serve. Program and volunteer coordinator Angela Wright said that different teams of volunteer chefs have taken to the role by creating their own little communities.
“We have teams of cooks, one calls themselves the ’Bay Leaf Bruisers,’ I think because they love bay leaves. Another calls themselves the ’Holy Smokes,‘ which worried me a little when I first left them alone,” Wright said, laughing.
In addition, thanks to a partnership with Feeding America, Amazon and Running Rebels, The Gathering is now delivering 6,000 pounds of food per week to the Lindsay Heights neighborhood.
Lindsay Heights residents don’t have to do anything to get food, other than answer the door, Executive Director Lyn Hildenbrand said.
In the future, Hildenbrand, said The Gathering is looking to open a location on the Northwest Side of Milwaukee. Currently, the closest location to the Northwest Side is at 8424 W. Center St., which is open only on Saturdays.
“Unfortunately opening another location is going to take dollars and volunteers,” Hildenbrand said. “Right now both are hard to come by because of COVID.”
COVID changes
Until last March, The Gathering hosted meal guests in a dining hall where guests, staff and volunteers broke bread together and built community. So when COVID-19 forced The Gathering to adjust, it was not immediately clear to Wright how to do that.
The first challenge was figuring out how to safely continue serving people and staffing the building. Then they were scrambling to find enough to-go boxes and lunch bags. Slowly but surely, though, The Gathering was back up and running.
“We don’t believe in turning people away, so even when we were technically closed, we were able to get donations of tuna packets and other easy things to throw into a bag lunch,” Wright said.
When The Gathering was officially back up and running, Gorgi remembered staff flagging him down on the street to welcome him back.
“They were riding around yelling ‘Hey BJ! We’re opening back up!’” Gorgi remembered.
Gorgi, who is facing houselessness, said The Gathering has been an essential part of his day no matter what challenges he faces.
“You have to start somewhere each day, and I start here. Even if it’s just an hour for breakfast, that hour is a start,” Gorgi said. “I’m under stress for this and that all the time, but here you can get happy for the day. That is the best medicine.”
How to help
Those looking to support The Gathering can do so by donating monetarily or in-kind, or by signing up to volunteer as an individual or group.
Alternatively, when it is safe to do so, Hildenbrand recommends coming to visit a location, even if you don’t think you are in the target population.
“You could be a millionaire and come sit with us,” Hildenbrand said. “Everyone can benefit from a hot meal and some company.”

author: Sam Woods


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 29, 2021


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Post from Community: Janet Dowler Martin Endowment will support Alverno’s ability-based learning curriculum | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Kelly Cole
March 30, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Alverno College has received a $1 million endowment from the estate of the late Janet D. Martin, a longtime member of Alverno’s Board of Trustees and an avid supporter of the college, President Andrea Lee, IHM, announced Thursday.
The Janet Dowler Martin Endowment Fund will support the continuous improvement of the college’s ability-based learning framework and student assessment method, hallmarks of the Alverno educational experience.
“Jan was a tremendous supporter of Alverno College and was enamored with what Alverno does for women – empowering them to reach their full potential and building leaders for a diverse workplace,” Lee said. “It is a privilege to receive this gift from our dear friend Jan and a way for her legacy to live on.”
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“Jan’s dedication to education, equity and the arts was matched only by her dedication to our children and grandchildren,” said Vince Martin, Jan’s husband. “She was known for her intelligence, warmth, leadership and the way that she valued every individual she met. Alverno held a large place in her heart.”
Martin was a champion of Alverno’s Research Center for Women and Girls, helping shape a new outreach strategy for the center in 2009. Her generosity and dedication to Alverno students and girls in the Milwaukee community led to the creation of student research positions and programs that focused on girls’ confidence and leadership. Martin’s most recent support of the center combined her belief in the power of research with a drive to see more girls and women considering pathways to public service.
The Alverno Report: Wisconsin Women in Public Life is being released this year and reflects her dedication to the importance of women’s voices in the public sphere.
Martin received an honorary doctorate from Alverno in 2011 and was recognized that year for her meritorious service to the college with the prestigious Bene Award, which is given to individuals and organizations who demonstrate exemplary commitment to the college through support of its programs, operations and capital endeavors. Additionally in 2011, the Alverno College Board of Trustees founded a student scholarship in Martin’s name.
Jan and Vince were honorary co-chairs of Alverno’s Promise & Power campaign, which raised more than $32 million for the college from 2011–2015.
Martin received her undergraduate degree, with honors, from Stanford University in 1960 and master’s degrees from Stanford (1961) and the University of Kentucky (1963). She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, the country’s most prestigious academic honor society, in 1960.
About Alverno College
Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy, music and liturgy, and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

author: Kelly Cole


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Martin_Jan-and-Vince_1200px.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 30, 2021


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Here’s what you need to know to vote in the April 6 spring election | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 31, 2021
Spring elections will take place on April 6. Early voting is taking place now until Friday, April 2 at the Zeidler Municipal Building, 841 N. Broadway Ave., Room 102. (Photo by Adam Carr)
The spring election is right around the corner, and we want you to have the information you need to vote.
The spring election will take place on Tuesday, April 6, but you can cast your vote early. Early voting is taking place now until Friday, April 2 at the Zeidler Municipal Building, 841 N. Broadway Ave., Room 102. Hours are from 8:30 am. to 4:30 p.m., but voting will be extended to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 2.
If you’re voting early in person, you will need a Wisconsin-issued driver’s license, or another acceptable form of photo ID. Here’s a list of acceptable identification.
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If you need to update your address since the last time you voted and your ID doesn’t have a current address, you’ll also need proof of residence, said Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission. Here is a list of acceptable proofs of residence.
If you decide to vote absentee, you needed to have requested an absentee ballot by Tuesday, March 30, according to Woodall-Vogg. Although the state’s official deadline to request an absentee ballot is by 5 p.m. Thursday, April 1. Woodall-Vogg said that deadline is not realistic in Milwaukee “in order to have time to receive the ballot and then return it by drop box.”
Check your voter registration status here. Remember, you can still register to vote in person and fill out an absentee ballot at the early voting site or you can vote at your regular polling location on April 6. More on that later.
Here are the deadlines you need to know.
Absentee ballots can be dropped off at the voting site or at one of 15 drop-off sites located across the city. Here is a full list of drop-off sites, most of which are located at Milwaukee Public Library branches. Drop boxes remain open 24 hours a day until Election Day. That day, they will close at 5 p.m.
As always, you have the option to vote in-person on the day of the spring election. Unlike last year, when only five polling stations were open in the city due to the coronavirus pandemic, many more stations will be open this year. To find out where your polling site is, you can check on the City of Milwaukee portal by clicking here or by visiting the state’s website here.
You can register to vote on site that day by bringing an acceptable photo ID and proof of residence. If you’re already registered, make sure you have your ID and are at the correct polling site. Polling places will require masks and that voters maintain a safe social distance.
Voters will choose between Deborah Kerr and Jill Underly in the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Gov. Tony Evers served as superintendent from 2009 to 2019. Several Milwaukee Public Schools district board races will be decided. In addition, several seats for municipal and circuit court judges are on the ballot, although nearly all of those races are uncontested.
For more information on voting, you can call the City of Milwaukee Election Commission at 414-286-3491 or email voterinfo@milwaukee.gov.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 30, 2021