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Post from Community: Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago announces new chief mission officer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago
November 8, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Today, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago, Inc., announced the appointment of Clayton Pryor as chief mission officer. As a member of the senior leadership team, Pryor will build on Goodwill’s strategic vision and deliver operational leadership that paves the path for the organization’s sustained mission impact and long-term growth strategy throughout Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago.
Pryor comes to Goodwill with nearly 15 years of experience creating jobs, revitalizing neighborhoods, and building sustainable communities. In his previous role at Advocate Aurora Health, he led the team member learning and workforce development departments. Prior to joining Advocate Aurora Health, Pryor served as the director of workforce development at the Chicago Urban League.
Throughout his career, Clayton’s portfolio of work has been dedicated to creating career pipelines in underserved communities by offering job skills and training to prepare candidates for a variety of industry sectors. His leadership has been instrumental in developing local, regional, and national initiatives that promote careers, build career pathways, advance skilled workforces, and invest in equitable outcomes.
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“I am thrilled to welcome Clayton to Goodwill. As a proven workforce development leader with success across multiple employment sectors including healthcare, transportation, and construction, his ability to develop and manage integrated community partnerships will deepen Goodwill’s reach and create opportunities for those we serve to build meaningful careers and advance in the workplace,” said Jackie Hallberg, president & CEO of Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago. “I look forward to seeing how Clayton leverages his knowledge of diversity, equity and inclusion to inform our service delivery model and Goodwill’s efforts to create more equitable communities where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.”
Pryor earned his Master of Arts degree in organizational leadership with a concentration in public policy administration from Lewis University. He also earned a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace certificate from the University of South Florida.
“It’s an honor to join Goodwill and have the opportunity to contribute toward building impactful strategies that support strong communities throughout Wisconsin and Illinois,” said Pryor. “The greater part of my career has been committed to systems change, and developing and leading empowerment programs that provide opportunities for disenfranchised populations. I look forward to partnering with our dedicated team members to create innovative solutions that lead to equitable health and employment outcomes for all.”
Pryor began his new role on Monday, October 25, 2021, and was officially welcomed by Hallberg during the annual Community Day celebration held on November 4, 2021. As part of his new role, Pryor will lead teams that further define the Goodwill mission strategy, secure workforce partnerships with employers and other community partners, and measure the success of those efforts to drive transformational and equitable impact in the lives of the people the organization serves. To learn more about the impact of Goodwill mission programs in 2021, visit the Goodwill 2021 Community Day webpage.
About Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago, Inc.
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago is a nonprofit organization helping people overcome challenges to build skills, find employment and progress in their life and careers. For more than 100 years, Goodwill has been connecting job seekers with employers in the community and inside its own retail, laundry and staffing social enterprises to provide employment, training and support services.
As the largest Goodwill among 156 nonprofit Goodwill organizations in North America, the organization has more than 90 locations across two states comprised of a 23-county territory. In 2020, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago served nearly 40,000 people experiencing employment challenges and made 4,327 job placements in the community. Visit www.goodwillsew.com or www.goodwillchicago.com for more information.


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C.Pryor-Headshot-2021.jpeg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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November 8, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: November 8, 2021

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

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Post from Community: MATC solicits original artwork and sculpture to display at Downtown Milwaukee Campus | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
November 8, 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 is soliciting original works of art, including an outdoor sculpture, to be created and displayed in the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, 700 W. State St. The campus has recently undergone many renovations, and artwork created by students, alumni and community members will decorate new spaces and celebrate the college’s history and diversity. This is the second year of MATC’s new community art program.
Proposals will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2021 for new artwork or work already created in 2020-2021. Up to 20 works of art plus one sculpture will be selected. Artists may submit multiple pieces to fit a variety of available spaces. Final artwork must be completed and delivered by Aug. 1, 2022.
Preference may be given to student and alumni artists from the MATC district, and four-year transfer partner colleges including Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Mount Mary University, Alverno College and others. In addition, preference may be given to work that focuses on MATC fields of study, such as  manufacturing, transportation, construction, community and human services, creative arts, design and media; or on social justice issues in Milwaukee and the U.S.; or on any visual interpretation of MATC’s mission or vision.
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“We are pleased to offer artists, particularly those with connections to MATC and its partners, this opportunity to help beautify and contribute their vision to the Downtown Milwaukee Campus community”, said Dr. Vicki J. Martin, MATC president. “We have learned from the installation of our pieces the first year of the program just how impactful it can be to connect to the community we serve through art. The work inspires and leads to self-reflection and thought-provoking conversations on campus.”
To learn more about this opportunity and to apply, visit:
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 25,000 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 170 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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IMG_0734.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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November 8, 2021


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Enrollment is now open for insurance plans provided by the Affordable Care Act. Here are some places where you can get free assistance in Milwaukee. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
November 9, 2021
Kimberly Turner, Covering Wisconsin’s navigator regional lead for Southeast Wisconsin, provided virtual assistance on the first day of open enrollment. (Photo provided by Covering Wisconsin)
Leer en español: una versión traducida de este artículo está disponible debajo de la versión en inglés.
The federal marketplace’s open enrollment period has started, meaning people can sign up for health insurance plans provided by the Affordable Care Act.
The enrollment period lasts from now through Jan. 15. This is an extension for the enrollment, which usually lasts until Dec. 15. Those who want to get an insurance plan that goes into effect on Jan. 1 will still want to enroll by Dec. 15, however.
Due to funds from the American Rescue Plan, prices for insurance plans are lower than ever before, said Courtney Harris, outreach and partner development manager for Covering Wisconsin, which connects Wisconsin residents with health insurance and other programs.
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According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, four out of five people could pay $10 or less per month for health insurance.
Harris said the lower prices are only slated for 2022, but if the Build Back Better Act passes through the United States Congress, the benefits could be extended through 2025.
Covering Wisconsin has a connector tool where people can find enrollment specialists in or around their ZIP code. It also provides enrollment assistance over the phone. To reach Covering Wisconsin’s Milwaukee office, call 414-400-9489.
Covering Wisconsin also provides an online tool to help people determine what they may be eligible for, which can be found here. For a list of things to have ready for your appointment, click here.
HealthyMKE.com also provides an eligibility tool.
Where to get free help from community health centers
Free enrollment assistance is available at community health centers around the city. We caught up with a few of them:
Progressive Community Health Centers clinics offer financial counseling year-round to help people enroll for insurance. Call 414-935-8000 and ask to speak to a financial counselor. Services are offered to anyone in the community, not just established patients.
Progressive offers financial counseling at all three of its locations:
Lisbon Avenue Health Center: 3522 W. Lisbon Ave.
Hillside Family Health Center: 1452 N. 7 St.
12 Street Urgent Care : 945 N. 12 St.
Milwaukee Health Services offers enrollment services at the MLK Heritage Health Center, 2555 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, and the Isaac Coggs Heritage Health Center, 8200 W. Silver Spring Drive. To get services, call 414-267-2661.
Cheryl Isabell, outreach and enrollment specialist at MHSI, said the clinics also offer enrollment services for FoodShare, BadgerCare and housing services year-round. Services are open to the general public; you do not have to be an established patient to receive them.
Outreach Community Health Centers offers enrollment services virtually and in-person to all members of the community. Call 414-727-6320 to schedule an appointment. The clinic is located at 210 W. Capitol Drive.
Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center offers enrollment services. Call 414-316-5008 to reach Winona Grieger, insurance navigator for Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, or 414-383-9526 for the main line. The clinic is located at 930 W. Historic Mitchell St.
Things to have ready
You will need:
El período de inscripción abierta del federal Marketplace ha comenzado, lo que significa que las personas pueden inscribirse en los planes de seguro médico proporcionados por la Affordable Care Act.
El período de inscripción dura desde ahora hasta el 15 de enero. Esta es una extensión para la inscripción, que generalmente dura hasta el 15 de diciembre. Sin embargo, aquellos que quieran obtener un plan de seguro que entre en vigencia el 1 de enero todavía querrán inscribirse antes del 15 de diciembre.
Debido a los fondos del American Rescue Plan, los precios de los planes de seguro son más bajos que nunca, dijo Courtney Harris, gerente de alcance y desarrollo de socios de Covering Wisconsin , que conecta a los residentes de Wisconsin con seguros médicos y otros programas.
Según datos del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE. UU., Cuatro de cada cinco personas podrían pagar $ 10 o menos por mes por un seguro médico.
Harris dijo que los precios más bajos solo están programados para 2022, pero si la Ley Build Back Better pasa por el Congreso de los Estados Unidos, los beneficios podrían extenderse hasta 2025.
Covering Wisconsin tiene una herramienta de conexión donde las personas pueden encontrar especialistas en inscripción en o alrededor de su código postal. También brinda asistencia para la inscripción por teléfono. Para comunicarse con la oficina de Covering Wisconsin en Milwaukee, llame al 414-400-9489.
Covering Wisconsin también proporciona una herramienta en línea para ayudar a las personas a determinar para qué pueden ser elegibles, que se puede encontrar aquí . Para obtener una lista de lo que debe tener listo para su cita, haga clic aquí.
HealthyMKE.com también proporciona una herramienta de elegibilidad.
La asistencia para la inscripción gratuita está disponible en los centros de salud comunitarios de la ciudad. Hablamos con algunos de ellos:
Las clínicas de Progressive Community Health Centers ofrecen asesoramiento financiero durante todo el año para ayudar a las personas a inscribirse en el seguro. Llame al 414-935-8000 y pida hablar con un asesor financiero. Los servicios se ofrecen a cualquier persona de la comunidad, no solo a pacientes establecidos.
Progressive ofrece asesoramiento financiero en sus tres ubicaciones:
Centro de salud Lisbon Avenue: 3522 W.Lisbon Ave.
Centro de Salud Familiar Hillside: 1452 N. 7 th St.
Atención de urgencia de 12 th Street: 945 N. 12 th St.
Milwaukee Health Services ofrece servicios de inscripción en el MLK Heritage Health Center, 2555 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, y el Isaac Coggs Heritage Health Center, 8200 W. Silver Spring Drive. Para obtener servicios, llame al 414-267-2661.
Cheryl Isabell, especialista en extensión e inscripción en MHSI, dijo que las clínicas también ofrecen servicios de inscripción para FoodShare, BadgerCare y servicios de vivienda durante todo el año. Los servicios están abiertos al público en general; no es necesario ser un paciente establecido para recibirlos.
Outreach Community Health Centers ofrece servicios de inscripción de manera virtual y en persona a todos los miembros de la comunidad. Llame al 414-727-6320 para programar una cita. La clínica está ubicada en 210 W. Capitol Drive.
Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center ofrece servicios de inscripción. Llame al 414-316-5008 para comunicarse con Winona Grieger, navegante de seguros del Centro de Salud Indígena Gerald L. Ignace, o al 414-383-9526 para la línea principal. La clínica está ubicada en 930 W. Historic Mitchell St.
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created: November 9, 2021

author: Matt Martinez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 8, 2021

author: Dwayne Burtin


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We’re hiring! Help NNS find its first managing editor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 9, 2021
The staff of NNS is one of the most diverse newsrooms in the nation. We exist to not only inform but to help transform the neighborhoods we serve. (Photo by Tonda Thompson)
The mighty Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, a hyperlocal nonprofit newsroom that covers Black and brown communities in Milwaukee, seeks a full-time managing editor (one-year contract position) to take us to new heights in journalism.
This is a key role in our 10-year-old newsroom, and we are looking for someone who is both a champion of excellent journalism as well as a champion of the people who produce the excellent work. We’re looking for someone with top-notch leadership skills and impeccable news judgment.
You must be committed to collaboration, appreciate diversity and inclusion and have a passion for coaching a talented newsroom while juggling multiple projects.
This position reports directly to the editor/project director, and you must be comfortable working with community residents, students, emerging journalists and seasoned veterans to create stories that resonate with readers who often are neglected, underrepresented or misrepresented by other media.
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Our staffers don’t parachute into our communities and then leave, we are embedded in our neighborhoods, and we remain invested in the lives of our readers.
As we inform, we believe we can transform through the power of fact-based multimedia reporting. We are looking for the person who can bring out the best in our staff and can help us continue to be a must-read for all those interested in what’s happening in Milwaukee’s central city neighborhoods.
In this role, you will:
We’re looking for someone who is committed to serving readers, has excellent interpersonal communication skills, is good at multitasking, is attentive to detail (but can see the forest for the trees) and endorses our mission to paint a complete portrait of our neighbors by celebrating the ordinary people who do extraordinary things, connecting them to the resources they need to navigate their lives, serving as a ferocious watchdog on their behalf and giving them a platform to voice their opinions on issues.
We know that there will be great candidates who might not check all these boxes or who hold important skills we haven’t listed. Don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. We also encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities.
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (https://milwaukeenns.org/), often referred to as NNS, is an ambitious, collaborative and pioneering journalism venture that for 10 years has delivered fact-based news to communities of color (primarily Black and Latinx). Housed in the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the editorially independent news service consists of a part-time staff of six, two Report for America corps members, student interns and community volunteers.
Supported by the city’s generous philanthropic community and by individual donors, NNS also has secured national attention this year and was one of 28 news organizations serving communities of color to receive capacity-building funding from the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund at Borealis Philanthropy and a $1.4 million shared grant with the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism from the American Journalism Project.
Interested candidates should apply quickly as we will start evaluating candidates immediately. Click here to apply.

author: Ron Smith


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Local schools are hosting vaccine clinics as part of new effort by Milwaukee Health Department | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
November 10, 2021
Students at St. Margaret Mary School received doses of the vaccine at a clinic held on Nov. 9. (Photo by Matt Martinez)
Leer en español: una versión traducida de este artículo está disponible debajo de la versión en inglés.
A new effort from the Milwaukee Health Department will bring COVID-19 vaccinations to Milwaukee schools in an effort to reach younger children.
The vaccine clinics are a partnership between the Milwaukee Health Department, Milwaukee Public Schools, Seton Catholic Schools and Children’s Wisconsin. There will be 22 clinics in total: 12 at MPS locations, and 10 at Seton Catholic Schools.
The clinics are primarily meant to serve kids aged 5 to 11, as they were recently authorized to receive the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. However, the clinics will also be open to the public and offer first, second and booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
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There also are doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine available for those over the age of 18.
No appointments are needed for students or the general public. Kids under 18 will need parental permission to get the shot. MPS is providing permission slips for parents to allow their children to get the vaccine. Parents can also accompany their child and give permission.
MPS students who attend schools that are not on the list can get vaccinated at any of these clinics.
Emily Tau, marketing and communications officer for the Milwaukee Health Department, said there will also be flu vaccines administered at the clinics. Kids can get both their COVID-19 and flu shots in the same day, according to recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The schedule for the clinics was made with the holidays in mind, allowing the last children to be vaccinated 10 days before Christmas and 14 days before New Year’s.
Guidelines from the CDC state that a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second shot.
When and where the vaccine clinics will be held:
Monday, Nov. 29
Hartford University School, 2227 E. Hartford Ave. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Townsend Public School, 3360 N. Sherman Blvd. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 30
Marshall High School, 4141 N. 64 St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
St. Margaret Mary School, 3950 N. 92 St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 10 and Wednesday, Dec. 1
Brown Street Academy, 2029 N. 20 St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Catholic East Elementary Holy Rosary Campus, 2038 N. Bartlett Ave., 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 11 and Thursday, Dec. 2
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic School, 2733 W. Euclid Ave. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Longfellow Public School, 1021 S. 21 St. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 12 and Friday, Dec. 3
Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education, 5075 N. Sherman Blvd. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Kilbourn Public School, 5354 N. 68th St. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 15 and Monday, Dec. 6
St. Roman Parish School, 1810 W. Bolivar Ave. – 9:30 a.m. to noon.
St. Rafael Catholic School, 2251 S. 31st St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 16 and Tuesday, Dec. 7
Northwest Catholic School, 7140 N. 41st St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 17 and Wednesday, Dec. 8
St. Thomas Aquinas Academy, 341 E. Norwich St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Thursday, Nov. 18 and Thursday, Dec. 9
St. Charles Borromeo School, 3100 W. Parnell Ave. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Victory K8 & Milwaukee Italian Immersion School, 2222 W. Henry Ave. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 19 and Friday, Dec. 10
Allen-Field Elementary School, 730 W. Lapham Blvd. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Prince of Peace School, 1114 S. 25th St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 22 and Monday, Dec. 13
Mary McLeod Bethune Academy, 1535 N. 35th St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
St. Catherine’s Catholic Elementary School, 2647 N. 51st St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 23 and Tuesday, Dec. 14
LaFollette Public School, 3239 N. 9th St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, 2308 W. Nash St. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information
For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/CovidVax or call the health department’s COVID-19 hotline at 414-286-6800.
For help finding a COVID-19 vaccine and more information, visit https://www.healthymke.com/5-11.
For more information about flu shots, check out our previous NNS reporting. The Milwaukee Health Department also has more information on its website.
Un nuevo esfuerzo del Departamento de Salud de Milwaukee traerá las vacunas COVID-19 a las escuelas de Milwaukee en un esfuerzo por llegar a los niños más pequeños.
Las clínicas de vacunas son una colaboración entre el Milwaukee Health Department, Milwaukee Public Schools, Seton Catholic Schools y Wisconsin ‘s Children. Habrá 22 clínicas en total: 12 en ubicaciones de MPS y 10 en las escuelas católicas de Seton.
Las clínicas están destinadas principalmente a atender a niños de 5 a 11 años, ya que recientemente se les autorizó a recibir la vacuna Pfizer para COVID-19. Sin embargo, las clínicas también estarán abiertas al público y ofrecerán la primera, la segunda y la dosis de refuerzo de la vacuna Pfizer.
También hay dosis de la vacuna Johnson & Johnson disponibles para los mayores de 18 años.
No se necesitan citas para los estudiantes o el público en general. Los niños menores de 18 años necesitarán el permiso de los padres para recibir la vacuna. MPS está proporcionando formularios de permiso para que los padres permitan que sus hijos reciban la vacuna. Los padres también pueden acompañar a sus hijos y darles permiso.
Los estudiantes de MPS que asisten a escuelas que no están en la lista pueden vacunarse en cualquiera de estas clínicas.
Emily Tau, oficial de marketing y comunicaciones del Milwaukee Health Department, dijo que también se administrarán vacunas contra la influenza en las clínicas. Los niños pueden recibir tanto la vacuna COVID-19 como la vacuna contra la gripe el mismo día, según una guía reciente de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades .
El horario de las clínicas se hizo pensando en las vacaciones, permitiendo que los últimos niños fueran vacunados 10 días antes de Navidad y 14 días antes de Año Nuevo.
Las pautas de los CDC establecen que una persona se considera completamente vacunada dos semanas después de su segunda vacuna.
Hartford University School, 2227 E. Hartford Ave.- 9:30 am hasta el mediodía
Townsend Public School, 3360 N. Sherman Blvd. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Marshall High School, 4141 N. 64th St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
St. Margaret Mary School, 3950 N. 92nd St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Brown Street Academy, 2029 N. 20th St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Catholic East Elementary Holy Rosary Campus, 2038 N. Bartlett Ave., 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic School, 2733 W. Euclid Ave. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Longfellow Public School, 1021 S. 21st St. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education, 5075 N. Sherman Blvd. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Kilbourn Public School, 5354 N. 68th St. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
St. Roman Parish School, 1810 W. Bolivar Ave. – 9:30 a.m. to noon.
St. Rafael Catholic School, 2251 S. 31st St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Northwest Catholic School, 7140 N. 41st St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
St. Thomas Aquinas Academy, 341 E. Norwich St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
St. Charles Borromeo School, 3100 W. Parnell Ave. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Victory K8 & Milwaukee Italian Immersion School, 2222 W. Henry Ave. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Allen-Field Elementary School, 730 W. Lapham Blvd. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Prince of Peace School, 1114 S. 25th St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mary McLeod Bethune Academy, 1535 N. 35th St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
St. Catherine’s Catholic Elementary School, 2647 N. 51st St. – 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
LaFollette Public School, 3239 N. 9th St. – 9:30 a.m. to noon
Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, 2308 W. Nash St. – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Para obtener más información sobre la vacuna COVID-19, visite https://city.milwaukee.gov/CovidVax o llame a la línea directa de COVID-19 del departamento de salud al 414-286-6800.
Para obtener ayuda para encontrar una vacuna COVID-19 y más información, visite https://www.healthymke.com/5-11 .
Para obtener más información sobre las vacunas contra la gripe, consulte nuestros informes anteriores de NNS. El Milwaukee Health Department también tiene más información en su sitio web.

created: November 10, 2021


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 9, 2021


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OPINION: ‘Heartbreaking and avoidable’: Reckless driving in Milwaukee needs to end. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dr. Patricia Najera
November 10, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank of TankThink)
Leer en español: OPINIÓN: ‘Desgarrador y evitable’: La conducción imprudente en Milwaukee debe terminar.
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
Patricia Najera (Photo provided by Patricia Najera)
Every day, thousands of cars drive past a light pole on South 21 Street and West National Avenue. The light pole is streamed with red and black balloons, flowers and jar candles. If you stop and look closely, you will see a Reese’s Big Cup candy bar.
I wonder about Calob House. Who was he? How are his children doing? Do his children attend neighborhood schools? Are the schools providing mental health services for this traumatic event?
House, 34 and the father of four children, was killed at that corner on Oct. 6 by a hit-and-run driver fleeing police.
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There are so many layers as a result of Calob’s unexpected passing, questions that the family must answer about how the children will cope, about housing, family income and countless other responsibilities.
Unfortunately, children in urban neighborhoods deal with this type of loss more often than a child who lives in a more affluent neighborhood.
These makeshift memorials are important to the family, the children, partner, parents, siblings and friends. (Photo provided by Dr. Patricia Najera)
These makeshift memorials are important to the family, the children, partner, parents, siblings and friends. This corner will forever be a reminder of losing a beautiful life. I hope and pray that the family finds solace in the life they enjoyed while Calob was here with them. He should be remembered as someone who lived his life to the fullest and was on his way to celebrate life with the best intentions.
This loss of life is heartbreaking, but it is also avoidable.
Residents and community members need to get involved and change the status quo. In the Clarke Square neighborhood, we have nearly 3,000 school-age children walking or being dropped off at five neighborhood schools. At each of those schools, there might be one crossing guard at the intersection with highest traffic counts. One person to direct traffic from four sides is very difficult: Parents are trying to drop off their children and make it to work on time, traffic could be heavy, and the list goes on.
Calob House, 34 and the father of four children, was killed at the corner of South 21st Street and West National Avenue on Oct. 6 by a hit-and-run driver fleeing police. (Photo provided by Dr. Patricia Najera)
Not one day goes by that I don’t hear from residents or see with my own eyes examples of reckless driving. Every time I am in the community, people talk about the number of people who run stoplights, speed or pass recklessly on the streets.
We must act.
We must let the City of Milwaukee know the most dangerous streets in our community. If you read this, tell us what streets and what times are the worse for you, your family or residents. Let us know which streets require the most attention.
This is a call to action. If you are interested in being part of the “Crossing Guard Group,” please contact info@clarkesquare.org. We will gather, train and talk about how to improve public safety for the families as they drop off and pick up children at schools. We need more yellow vests, stop signs and volunteers who will demand that people slow down, respect the community and value life.
Dr. Patricia Najera, a community organizer, researcher and director of the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative, is determined to strengthen and build the community.

author: Dr. Patricia Najera


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Post from Community: 11th annual housing resource fair to take place this Saturday | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs & Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II
November 10, 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.
Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs and Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II invite residents to attend the 11th Annual Housing Resource Fair taking place this Saturday, November 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s event will feature virtual workshops and an in-person resource packet pick-up at Northcott Neighborhood House, 2460 N. 6th St. The FREE event will provide residents with information on home financing, home repairs, foreclosure assistance and more.
The Housing Resource Fair includes four VIRTUAL workshops that are free and open to the public, including: COVID-19 Resources at 10:00 a.m.; Am I Ready to Buy a Home? – Determine Your Homebuyer Readiness at 11:00 a.m.; Home Repair – Resources and Helpful Tips for Selecting a Contractor at 12:00 p.m.; and Homes for Sale – Searching for a Home at 1 p.m. All of the virtual workshops will be viewable on the City Channel (channel 25 on Spectrum Cable and channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse in the City of Milwaukee) and online atwww.milwaukee.gov/Channel25. Each workshop will last approximately 30 minutes, and upon concluding there will be a live Q&A with the presenters. Those interested in participating in the live Q&A sessions after any of the workshops are encouraged to register here.
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Alderwoman Coggs urges residents with housing needs or questions to attend the event. “This year we are once again working to make sure valuable housing resource information can be shared with residents in an easy and accessible manner to support those in need. The Housing Resource Fair is always a collaborative effort, and I want to thank all the partners who have helped make this year’s virtual resource fair a reality,” she said.
Alderman Stamper shares the sentiment. “Our goal is to reach our communities and I believe these resources are essential for neighbors and the City of Milwaukee as a whole. I am excited to continue this effort alongside community stakeholders and partner organizations,” he said.
Event sponsors include Alderwoman Coggs, Alderman Stamper, the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC), the City of Milwaukee, WestCare and Northcott Neighborhood House. In addition, to help support families during the holiday season, turkeys will be given away while supplies last. For more information, visit the NIDC website at www.city.milwaukee.gov/NIDC.


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Post from Community: BBB Tip: Fall home maintenance – get ready for the winter | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau
November 10, 2021
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The air is getting cooler and the leaves and cornfields are turning yellow. Fall is here. With the change in weather comes a list of home maintenance that all homeowners should tackle before the really cold stuff sets in.
BBB offers these tips when preparing your home for the colder weather:
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Tips on hiring a contractor of any kind to work in or around your home.
Look to businesses who adhere to the BBB Standards for Trust. Read more about BBB’s Accreditation Standards.

author: Wisconsin Better Business Bureau


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Post from Community: Foley & Lardner teams up with Boys & Girls Club to keep kids warm this winter | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Foley & Lardner LLP
November 10, 2021
(Photo provided by Foley & Lardner)
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.
Foley & Lardner LLP’s Milwaukee office collected more than 700 articles of winter clothing, including coats, hats, scarfs along with mittens and gloves, for distribution to kids at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee throughout the city.
Volunteers from the law firm recently distributed some of the winter clothing to kids at the Daniels-Mardak Club, 4858 N. 35th Street in Milwaukee.
Megan Wiza and Kris Szatmary, of Foley, organized and led the winter clothing drive, which is part of the law firm’s national partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America, and builds on work that Foley and the Boys & Girls Clubs have been doing regionally together for the last few years.
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On hand from Foley to help distribute the winter clothing at the Daniels-Mardak Club were attorneys Clyde Tinnen (partner), Nick Welle (partner) and Tim Patterson (associate). Kris Szatmary (project manager) also helped distribute the clothing.
Earlier this fall, volunteers at Foley filled 350 backpacks with school supplies for local students aged Pre-K through 5th grade and distributed them through local Boys & Girl Club locations in Milwaukee.
The partnership between Foley and the Boys & Girls Club is designed to advance the youth development organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiative, which offers inclusive and culturally relevant programs and resources that help nurture and elevate youth voices. The initiative includes a focus on racial equity as an imperative effort to reach its overall vision.
In addition to the direct work with children, Foley also engages in pro bono work for Boys & Girls Clubs of America on legal matters, including human resources and employment, real estate and corporate non-profit issues that will allow local clubs to offer more programs to a broader range of children.
(Photo provided by Foley & Lardner)

author: Foley & Lardner LLP


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 10, 2021


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Foley Coat 2 copy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 10, 2021


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Foley Coat 2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 10, 2021


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Post from Community: MATC and Concordia University announce new four-year degree partnership | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
November 10, 2021
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Students, employees, and graduates of Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) can now seamlessly pursue a Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) bachelor’s degree at a discounted rate through a new partnership agreement.
After earning an MATC associate degree, students become eligible for a CUW scholarship to continue their education and work toward a bachelor’s degree. The “Direct to CUW Scholarship” is available to all MATC graduates who have not attended another four-year institution, regardless of the year of graduation from MATC. The scholarship includes $150 towards each adult accelerated bachelor degree course and waives the application fee.
For employees of MATC, CUW offers a “Business Community Partnership Scholarship” that includes discounts in accelerated undergraduate and graduate courses and waives the application fee.
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This partnership is made possible through MATC’s Center for University Partnerships and Studies.
“We are excited to partner with Concordia University to continue to strengthen opportunities for our students and staff to earn a bachelor’s degree,” said MATC President Vicki J. Martin, Ph.D. “Our students will have another convenient way to continue their education at Concordia, whose commitment to access and opportunity for lifelong learners aligns well with our mission.”
In addition to providing the scholarship awards, CUW will have representatives on MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus to assist with in-person academic advising. Dedicated online assistance is also available. Other unique benefits to the partnership include:
“MATC and Concordia have a deep and successful history together,” said Dr. William Cario, interim president of Concordia University. “We’re pleased to formalize a transfer program that makes it even easier for MATC students to further pursue their passions and achieve their personal goals in a way that fits into their busy lives.”
cuw.edu/MATC and Concordia University Wisconsin | MATC.
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 25,000 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.
Founded in 1881, Concordia University Wisconsin is situated on 200 acres of Lake Michigan shoreline in Mequon, Wisconsin. The university has six academic schools and offers more than 75 academic programs; including six doctoral programs and Wisconsin’s largest MBA. Whether online or in-person, students experience a genuine, purposeful education and develop in mind, body, and spirit as they go forth in myriad vocations to live a “you first” life in a “me first” world.
In 2013, Concordia University Wisconsin merged with Concordia University Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Together, CUWAA annually enrolls nearly 8,000 undergraduate, adult, and graduate learners. The university is part of the Concordia University System, a nationwide network of colleges and universities that are each independently run but affiliated with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.


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Post from Community: The Way Out offers solution to labor crunch | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
The Way Out
November 10, 2021
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Two Milwaukee innovators have come up with a way to address the labor shortage by tapping into an under-utilized labor market. Co-founders Ruben Gaona and Eli Rivera are the leaders at the helm of The Way Out, a company that aims to connect formerly incarcerated people with jobs. Established in November 2020, the organization developed an app that pairs justice-involved job seekers with employment opportunities and tracks their progress as they reintegrate into society. The technology, coupled with a scaffolded support system, is designed to address Wisconsin’s three-year recidivism rate of 31.3%.
The app launched in March 2021, and since then, The Way Out (TWO) has had more business than they can keep up with. At last count, they had 200 candidates waiting to be matched with open jobs upon their release from prision, and those numbers are growing. At every stage of the employment process, the organization and the app are there, recording the job seekers’ goals and tracking their progress. The data can be accessed by TWO, the job seeker’s case manager and employer. The app centralizes the information on the job seeker and becomes a communication tool that unites the three branches of support for the job seeker.
“At the beginning of the relationship, it’s us and the client (job seeker) defining what their support needs are,” Rivera said. “And then we loop in a primary reentry service provider, like Project Return or Partners in Hope, to help them facilitate the services that they’re going to need. Together we load that information into the app … The app is really there to help people stay focused and allow the other stakeholders hold them accountable. … Then (we) find the perfect employer for this individual. “
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To get a sense of the number of people who could use the services TWO provides, each year at least 129,000 different people are booked into local jails and at any given time, an estimated 41,000 Wisconsinites are inmates in some type of correctional facility. Employment is a key pathway to break the cycle of recidivism, but finding a job is a challenge, even during the labor shortage. The TWO founders know firsthand about the uphill battle justice-involved individuals face; both men have spent time behind bars and are painfully aware of the challenges faced by those trying to rebuild their lives after release from the justice system.
“Ruben and I are very concerned about this time because there’s a lot of opportunity on both sides of the equation, right?,” Rivera said. “This is a prime opportunity to present under-represented and willing to work population to a job market that has otherwise shunned it. And to do that we have to have success.”
Rivera knows support is critical for justice-involved job seekers once they’re matched with an employer.
“That employer sees this as this goldmine of people, but without supporting them, (they) will have failures,” Rivera said. “Then once  the mainstream (more traditional job seekers) comes back into the employment market, (employers) will say, ‘oh, we tried that. That was horrible, and then forget about those people’ again.”
As TWO works with receptive employers to match job seekers with job opportunities, they continue to develop their technology platform to create a user-friendly experience for case managers, with the goal to one day replace the siloed systems currently used in favor of their multi-user, data-rich product. At present, the company operates like a traditional staffing agency, relying on payments from employers, along with grant funds, like the ones they received from the American Family Insurance Fund Institute for Corporate and Social Impact and the Milky Way Tech Hub.
To connect with The Way Out, reach them at their website.
The Way Out offers solution to labor crunch – MKE Startup News

author: The Way Out


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NNS Spotlight: How one group gives pregnant women and mothers a helping hand | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
November 11, 2021
It’s a family affair at Lola’s New Beginnings with Stephanie Soto (from left), her daughter Ariel Cruz and her mom, Olivia Buenrostro-Soto. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Leer en español: NNS Spotlight: Cómo un grupo ayuda a las mujeres embarazadas y a las madres
When Sophia Valero moved back to the Milwaukee area, she knew she needed help to create the life she wanted for her 2-month-old daughter.
Through her stepsister, Ariel Cruz, Valero joined Lola’s New Beginnings, first as a client and now as a part-time employee. The group is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and education services to pregnant women and mothers.
“At first, when I moved here, my goals were to get a car, get an apartment and just get the ball rolling,” Valero said. “Since then, all those things have been accomplished so now, me and Ariel work on new goals. I want to get back in school and get to a better place for me and my daughter.”
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Cruz serves as a care coordinator and social media marketer for the organization.
Stephanie Soto and Olivia Buenrostro-Soto, Cruz’s mom and grandmother, started Lola’s New Beginnings in 2020. The organization’s mission is to help the women and their families.
“We wanted to try to offer these girls a new beginning to help lessen the struggle of what they’re going through,” Soto said. “COVID made it a lot more difficult, but that’s what our mission was, to give new beginnings.”
To receive services from the program, women must be pregnant or have an infant who is 2 months old or younger, receive state insurance and live in Milwaukee County. Lola’s New Beginnings provides them with a care coordinator and access to parenting classes on topics such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, breast feeding, car seat safety, health and nutrition and child development.
Before opening Lola’s New Beginnings, Soto and Buenrostro-Soto both worked for Milwaukee Public Schools and had served as care coordinators for other organizations. When Soto decided to start her own company, Buenrostro-Soto was by her side.
Lola “loved pink roses, so the logo for ours is a pregnant woman made of pink petal roses,” Stephanie Soto says. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
‘Where my passion comes through’
The two decided to name the group after Buenrostro-Soto’s mother and Soto’s grandmother, Lola – a woman known for taking charge and serving others.
“My mom was a community activist,” Buenrostro-Soto said. “She changed the voting rights for people down in Texas, and she helped people get funding and money for when they got injured.”
Soto’s desire to open Lola’s stemmed for her own experience.
“I was born and raised in Milwaukee,” Soto said. “And I was 15 when I had my son, and these services weren’t available back then. To just know what I personally walked through and to know I have something to give that wasn’t there for me, that’s mind-blowing. That’s where my passion comes through.”
The organization originally started in Soto’s living room. Within two months, the group hired 13 care coordinators and needed more space. Lola’s New Beginnings relocated to South 27Street and West Forest Home Avenue for five months before moving to its current location, 3330 S. 16 St.
“When we started growing and I started to see the pattern, I knew it was going to happen fast,” Soto said. “I just didn’t know it was going to happen that fast.”
Soto said she always knew there was a need for an organization like Lola’s, and the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic shed a light on its importance.
“A lot of my clients, when I give them donations from our closet, they feel the love, and they’ll want to give back too,” Ariel Cruz says. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
When women join the program, they are assigned a care coordinator who does a full needs assessment. The program offers its services in English, Spanish, Burmese, Rohingya and Hmong. It is currently seeking care coordinators who speak Dari or Pashto to connect with Afghanistan refugees.
“When you’re able to reach that many families with all those languages, and it’s not a barrier, it’s so exciting to be able to do that and to watch,” Buenrostro-Soto said.
For women lacking transportation, Lola’s offers Lola’s Magic – a transportation service that takes the women where they need to go.
Together, the care coordinator and client create a care plan that suits the client’s goals such as housing, education, employment, child care and more. Each plan is individualized and updated every two months to reflect the client’s current goals. Client can remain in the program until their youngest child turns 7.
“I tell the girls the more time you have with them, the more you can educate them,” Soto said. “And that’s what this is all about – building that connection and that bond to build safe behaviors, healthy behaviors while they’re pregnant to carry on through motherhood.”
Through Lola’s, women can earn their community-based residential facilities certification. Community-based residential facilities are living spaces for adults and is a type of assisted living. Once certified, participants can seek employment at group homes or nursing homes, Soto explained. The training takes four days and covers medication administration, standard precautions, first aid certification and fire safety.
The women can also receive car seats, diapers and clothing for all their children. As of October 2020, Lola’s had given away 102 car seats, 154 pack n’ plays and over 1,000 packs of diapers.
“A lot of my clients, when I give them donations from our closet, they feel the love and they’ll want to give back, too,” Cruz said. “They’ll actually trade me out donations. So I give, and they give back, and it spills into that cycle of growth and empowerment.”
Cruz said she seeks to teach her clients the importance of self-love.
“I think it’s a lot of self-esteem with my clients,” she said. “I work hard to build their self-esteem and to give them affirmation and hope that it gets better. I think that’s a hurdle I come across with all my clients.”
Soto said it’s about making things easier for the moms.
“All we are is just a vehicle to get them where they need to go and get them to where their goals are,” Buenrostro-Soto said.

created: November 11, 2021

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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51629485625_5a0f5a6e80_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 10, 2021


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Post from Community: $300 to change a kid’s life? It’s true! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City Champs Foundation
November 11, 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.
What is the cost to take a kid off the streets, put him or her in an environment of discipline and self-respect, and encourage them to achieve their personal potential?
$300.
This is the per-student expense for a year of martial arts training and equipment with City Champs Foundation, a Milwaukee organization dedicated to helping youths via the discipline of martial arts. The 4-year-old organization plans to expand its free training for youths in February by partnering with Combat Corner to open a new, 3,500-square-foot permanent home base on Milwaukee’s northwest side.
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Hundreds of children, ages 6 to 18, have trained in City Champs programs at gyms and community centers. Ready to settle into a permanent space, organizers want potential supporters to know the relatively small amount – $300 – to offer this life-changing instruction.
“Boxing and martial arts training aren’t about teaching kids to fight,” said Jared Bell, founder of City Champs. “Rather, this training channels children’s natural energy and impulses in a constructive manner, teaching them confidence, self-control and leadership along the way.”
City Champs, a 501(c)3 organization, is seeking sponsors as it grows its presence in Milwaukee. Just $300 can put a child on a course of greater fitness and interpersonal skills. Contributions can be made at www.citychamps.org/support.
City Champs identifies potential participants through partnerships with fellow community organizations, educators and parents. Its program seeks to keep kids off the streets, and in gyms where they learn goal-setting and valuable life skills. The entire community benefits.
The free classes are open to boys and girls ages 6 to 18. Anyone interested in participating can learn more by visiting www.citychamps.org and filling out the contact form at the page bottom.
More information about City Champs is available at www.citychamps.org, or by following the organization on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube.

author: City Champs Foundation


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City-Champs-logo-2.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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November 11, 2021


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Post from Community: BMO Financial Group exceeds early BMO EMpower targets with over $2 Billion in commitments in first year of program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
BMO Financial Group
November 11, 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.
BMO Financial Group today announced that BMO EMpower – BMO’s $5 billion, five-year commitment to advancing an inclusive economic recovery in the United States – has exceeded its early targets, with over $2 billion in commitments over the first 12 months of the program.
“I’m incredibly proud of our employees who have embraced this effort and substantially over- achieved our first-year goals. BMO EMpower has truly galvanized our workforce and brought to life our purpose of boldly growing the good in business and life,” said David Casper, U.S. CEO, BMO Financial Group.  “While we’re very happy with the progress of BMO EMpower to date, there is still plenty more work to do.”
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BMO marked the anniversary with a community event entitled “Accelerating Access to Capital: Building a More Inclusive Economy”.  A wide variety of equity-related topics were discussed by a diverse group of community leaders, including senior representatives from Cleveland Avenue, The Chicago Community Trust, the Chicago Urban League, Chico & Nunes P.C., Loop Capital, We Rise Together, Hope Chicago, P33 and the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, all sharing their perspectives and strategies to create a more equitable society.  A recording of the event will be made available on the BMO EMpower website.
Highlights of the first year of BMO EMpower include:
“When we launched BMO EMpower 12 months ago, we set out to address the very real barriers faced by minority communities, particularly related to access to capital and racial injustice,” added Eric Smith, Vice Chairman, BMO Harris Bank.  “We will continue to focus on making a meaningful impact in traditionally underserved neighborhoods.”
About BMO Financial Group
Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider – the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $971 billion as of July 31, 2021, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

author: BMO Financial Group


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BMO.jpeg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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November 10, 2021


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Post from Community: UW Credit Union increases its foundation wage to $17 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
UW Credit Union
November 11, 2021
(Photo provided by UW Credit Union)
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.
UW Credit Union increased its Foundation Wage from $16 to $17 this month, marking a 35% wage increase since 2015. The increase will directly benefit nearly 160 employees – close to 20% of UW Credit Union’s workforce – and will be reflected in their Nov. 19 paycheck.
The $17 an hour is more than double Wisconsin’s minimum wage of $7.25, which has not risen since 2009. UW Credit Union’s longstanding practice of paying above-market wages has contributed to industry-low[1] employee turnover (11% in 2020) and top workplace ratings. The organization earned national recognition earlier this year with the 2021 Top Workplaces USA award and Culture Excellence awards, both issued by Energage.
“Every year, we review our Foundation Wage to ensure our employees continue to earn a sustainable income,” said UW Credit Union President & CEO Paul Kundert. “It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s essential to attracting and retaining the talent we need to grow as an organization and to effectively serve our members. Outstanding member service is the result of engaged, talented employees who know they are respected and valued.”
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The median increase will be $1 per hour, which is $2,080 per year for a full-time employee. The majority of impacted employees work as tellers and call center reps across UW Credit Union’s 29 Wisconsin branch locations, with the majority located in the Madison and Milwaukee areas.
In addition to a competitive base wage, UW Credit Union recently enhanced its pay premiums for bilingual employees in member-focused roles to better serve its diverse membership. Eligible hourly Spanish-speaking employees now earn an extra $1.25 per hour. Eligible salaried Spanish-speaking employees receive an additional $100 per pay period. This amounts to approximately $2,400 to $2,600 in additional compensation per year for full-time employees.
“When it comes to income, every increase matters,” said Cathy Sanchez, a teller at UW Credit Union’s Northport branch. “Being a Spanish-speaking teller, I benefit from the base wage boost and the bilingual pay premium. The additional two dollars per hour make a difference. That difference may not be the same for everyone – for some, it’s being able to afford rent at a better place. For others, it’s more flexibility with holiday spending. But the takeaway is the same: I matter here.
2021 marks UW Credit Union’s 90 anniversary. To learn more about the organization’s comprehensive benefits and career opportunities, visit https://www.uwcu.org/careers/.
About UW Credit Union
UW Credit Union is a growing, federally insured financial institution and a leading provider of a full range of financial services to University of Wisconsin communities. UW Credit Union’s more than 800 employees serve the financial needs of more than 300,000 members through world-class technology systems, and through a convenient network of 29 branch locations and over 100 ATMs. With assets exceeding $4.6 billion, UW Credit Union is ranked nationally among the leading credit unions. Founded 90 years ago by members of the University of Wisconsin faculty and staff, UW Credit Union continues to operate as a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative with locations in the Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point, Green Bay, Oshkosh, Whitewater and La Crosse areas.
[1] According to a Compdata survey, the Banking & Finance industry has an 18.6 percent turnover rate, which is one of the highest among all industries.

author: UW Credit Union


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 11, 2021


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Nov. 12 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
November 12, 2021
You can find information on how to buy a home, home repair tips and homes for sale at this year’s virtual Housing Resource Fair. This scene is from a fair in 2015. (File photo by Wyatt Massey)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. City Sisters Multiethnic Women’s Event: Saturday, Nov. 13
City of Life Church hosts this one-day event that brings diverse women together for a time of sisterhood, networking, healing, and renewal. The event takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13 at City of Life Church, 6725 W. Burleigh St. Register here.
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2. Milwaukee Recreation Job Fair: Saturday, Nov. 13
Milwaukee Recreation is hiring part-time staffers, including activity instructors, adult and youth sports officials, building and event staff, child care camps staff, coaches, scorekeepers, lifeguards and more. Interested candidates are encouraged to attend a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13 at South Division High School, 1515 W Lapham Blvd. Some positions are open for high school students 15 years or older. Interested candidates can also apply online here.
3. HIR Wellness CAM and Red Sands Event: Saturday, Nov. 13
Join Healing Intergenerational Roots, or HIR, for the fifth annual “Community Activated Medicine (CAM) and Red Sands” event. The event is to remind our relatives to take care of themselves, their mental health and wellness as they stand on the frontlines of activism, advocacy and outreach. The event will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 on Facebook Live and here.
4. 2021 Housing Resource Fair: Saturday, Nov. 13
Join 6th District Milwaukee Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs and 15th District Milwaukee Alderman Russell W. Stamper II as they host the 2021 Housing Resource Fair. The virtual event will feature four workshops that are free and open to the public from10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13. Register here.
5. Youth Social Justice Forum: Saturday, Nov. 13
Hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin Foundation, this free conference includes programming on items such as public art, civics, government, racial equity, LGBTQ+ rights, restorative justice and other topics relevant to youth rights and responsibilities. The event will take place at Nō Studios, located at 1037 W. McKinley Avenue, Suite 100, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13. Register here.

created: November 12, 2021

author: Sam Woods


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Residents hopeful gun deaths will decrease with Milwaukee joining the Gun Safety Consortium | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
November 12, 2021
The Rev. Will Davis speaks Wednesday at a news conference where Mayor Tom Barrett signed the resolution to make Milwaukee part of the Gun Safety Consortium. (Photo by Matt Martinez)
The Rev. Willie Davis, senior pastor of Invisible Reality Ministries in Milwaukee, has had enough.
Since he started his ministry, located at 2700 N. 54 St., he has seen pain and loss in his congregation. He’s consoled mothers whose sons have attempted suicide with unsecured guns. He’s held services for young people who have lost their lives to gun violence.
He’s tired, and he’s had enough.
“I don’t want to do another funeral,” Davis said. “If we can save as many people as we can with smart guns, with gun locks . . . let’s do it.”
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He’s hopeful the first step in the process will be Milwaukee joining the Gun Safety Consortium, which includes group of cities and towns around the country committing funds for research into new gun safety measures. The group aims to bring together public funders to support research and purchasing for new gun safety technologies.
The Common Council voted Nov. 2 for Milwaukee to enter the Gun Safety Consortium, and Mayor Tom Barrett signed the resolution Wednesday.
Davis is a member of Common Ground, a citizen group based in Southeastern Wisconsin that works to address social issues, such as gun violence. The group’s gun safety campaign, Do Not Stand Idly By, brings together citizens, clergy and law enforcement to advocate for policies.
The Rev. Robert Ater demonstrates smart gun technology that will be tested by the Milwaukee Police Department during a news conference Wednesday. (Photo by Matt Martinez)
Members of the Milwaukee Police Department will begin testing 18 products that could help mitigate gun violence. Laura Vuchetich, a member of East Siders for Common Ground, said the immediate goal is to identify five or six of these products to use.
The effort could result in normal firearms being converted to smart guns, which are guns that require user identification to fire; holsters that make weapons handling safer; geo-locating devices; and anti-theft measures.
Though the product testing for the new technologies will begin in December, it may take some time to see the effects. The Rev. Robert Ater, associate pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church and a member of Common Ground, said Milwaukee will participate in the program for at least two years, based on its $10,000 contribution for membership in the consortium.
After the products are tested, work begins to get them into the community. The effort is easier said than done: Many of the products cost over $100 on average, making them expensive for many gun owners. Cost considerations will make it more difficult to distribute these products than it is now for more inexpensive efforts, like gun locks distributed by the Office of Violence Prevention, Vuchetich said.
Members of Common Ground will also be tasked with getting the community on board. As far as convincing them of the importance, Davis said the plan is to let stories of those affected speak for themselves.
“It’s the power of the story,” Davis said. “We share the stories of the families that have been hurt through senseless violence, through suicide.”
The stories help to keep those working on the project grounded, too.
“It depends on where we come from, but all of us have some kind of story that motivates us to find a solution and keep our eyes on this long horizon,” Vuchetich said.
Ater said the initiative is about more than violent crime. Suicide accounted for around 70% of gun deaths in Wisconsin as of 2019, he said. The initiative also hopes to reduce accidental firearm deaths, especially among young children.
It can be hard to get as much attention for suicide deaths by firearm, Vuchetich said, because they are often covered less than violent crime.
“Suicides are quiet,” Vuchetich said. “People don’t know about them. It’s not a fear-creating death or violence.”
The efforts could be critical, considering how guns are handled nationwide. Less than 50% of guns are secured properly, Ater said. These efforts hope to find common ground between safety advocates and the everyday gun owner.
“This is a life and death matter we hear about every day,” Ater said.


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hall | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 11, 2021


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Nov. 15 to 19 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
November 15, 2021
Dr. Sandra E. Jones will share the stories of residents who once called Milwaukee’s Bronzeville home from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18 at Boswell Book Company, 2559 N. Downer Ave. (Photo by Adam Carr)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by .
1. Lindsay Heights Neighborhood Cleanup: Monday, Nov. 15
Join Running Rebels to help pick up trash and clean streets in Lindsay Heights. The cleanup starts at 1919 W. North Ave. at noon and will continue until 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 15. Chili, hot cocoa and coffee will be provided for participants by Running Rebels.
2. Fact or Cap? The COVID-19 Vaccine Game Show: Tuesday, Nov. 16
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Think you know what’s fact and what’s not about the COVID-19 vaccine? Put your skills to the test and win prizes at this COVID-19 vaccine-themed trivia game show. The virtual show, sponsored by HealthyMKE, is free, family-friendly and runs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Learn more and register here.
3. Lindsay Heights Neighborhood Improvement District Town Hall: Wednesday, Nov. 17
If you live in Lindsay Heights, come discuss plans for the neighborhood with Walnut Way and the Lindsay Heights Neighborhood Improvement District. The discussion takes place online starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17. Register for free here.
4. Virtual salon on “Faulty Forensics”: Wednesday, Nov. 17
Forensic science is often used as evidence in criminal trials, but should it be? Katherine H. Judson, executive director of the Center for Integrity in Forensic Science, lays out the limitations of forensic evidence, such as bite-mark evidence, fingerprint and eyewitness identification and DNA analysis, in the courtroom. The discussion, sponsored by the Wisconsin Justice Initiative, will take place virtually at noon Wednesday, Nov. 17. Register for free here.
5. “Voices of Milwaukee Bronzeville”: Thursday, Nov. 18
In “Voices of Milwaukee Bronzeville,” Dr. Sandra E. Jones collects stories of residents who once called Milwaukee’s Bronzeville home. She shares these stories from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18 at Boswell Book Company, located at 2559 N. Downer Ave. The event can also be viewed online by registering here.

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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 14, 2021

created: November 14, 2021


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Post from Community: City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works announces inaugural recycling poster contest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Recycles
November 15, 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 City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works is partnering with Milwaukee Public Schools and Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful to host its first recycling poster contest coinciding with Earth Day 2022.
All Milwaukee Public Schools K-12 students are invited to showcase their artistic talent and their commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle by participating in the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works’ poster contest.
“MPS is a great partner in helping instill the need to protect our environment. We look forward to the creative contributions from students as recycling helps create a better world for their future,” said Commissioner of Public Works Jeff Polenske.
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The inaugural contest’s theme is “Know Before You Throw,” emphasizing the importance of placing only accepted items into recycling containers where you live, work, and play. Up to three entries per grade category may be submitted by each participating school for a total of 12 entries. The entry deadline is April 25, 2022.
The 1st place prize winner in each of four grade categories will receive a $100 gift card and one grand-prize winner’s school will receive a $200 gift card for room supplies. Winning artwork will be used to promote recycling in the City of Milwaukee. All students will receive a Certificate of Recognition for participating.
More details on the poster requirements, submission instructions, judging criteria, and theme are available online atMilwaukee.gov/DPWPosterContest.
Visit  for more information or call (414) 286-CITY (2489).

author: Milwaukee Recycles


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Post from Community: Milwaukee’s oldest existing LGBTQI+ organization marks significant anniversary | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church
November 15, 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 Metropolitan Community Church is Wisconsin’s oldest existing LGBTQI+ organization. And this weekend, the church celebrates 50 years of ministry in the Greater Milwaukee area.
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“Our church continues to be a vibrant, inclusive, progressive community of faith,” said Senior Minister Reverend Tory V. Topjian. “Under the umbrella of Metropolitan Community Churches Worldwide, we are the first faith community in the world to provide a welcoming, safe, secure, and loving environment to ALL God’s children here in the Greater Milwaukee area, regardless of how one identifies their race, gender, or sexuality.”
“A Night of Cabaret” Fundraising Gala
Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church hosts its annual anniversary fundraiser, “A Night of Cabaret,” to bring the community together for a great time around a great cause. This year, the celebration takes place starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20 at the SKYY Lounge in American Family Field.
“Our gala is a fun-filled evening of entertainment by the city’s finest drag queens, wonderful cabaret-style dining, a cash bar, and a not-to-miss silent auction with awesome items available,” Rev. Topjian said.
Gala proceeds go toward funding church ministries and programs which include key issues such as:
“We also provide outreach to the Greater Milwaukee community in bringing God’s inclusive love to ALL individuals regardless of race, gender, or sexual identity,” Rev. Topjian said.
Worship Celebration and Brunch
The party and praise continue with the 50th Anniversary Worship Celebration taking place Sunday, Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. also in American Family Field’s SKYY Lounge. After worship, guests may take part in a Sunday brunch in the SKYY Lounge with the Packers game playing as guests dine and enjoy fellowship.
“This will be a morning full of celebration and praise honoring our leaders of the past along with our leaders of the future,” Rev. Topjian said. “Our special guest anniversary preacher will be Reverend Dr. Roland Stringfellow, senior minister at Metropolitan Community Church Detroit.”
For more information about this historic celebration – including live media coverage of the events – please contact Rev. Topjian by calling (414) 383-1100 or emailing revtory@milmcc.org. Tickets, sponsorship information, and the full weekend schedule are available online athttps://milwaukeemcc.org.
About Milwaukee MCC
Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church has a long tradition of welcoming those who are searching for a spiritual place where they can feel welcomed and accepted. We hope when you worship with us, you will find an environment of loving hospitality and Christian love within our community of faith. As a loving, inclusive Christian community of faith, we serve the diverse religious population of the Greater Milwaukee Area and beyond.
Metropolitan Community Church is a denomination founded in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community in 1968. As a member of this international denomination known globally as the Human Rights Church, we work to “Tear Down Walls” of injustice and oppression.
Metropolitan Community Churches originally started to provide a place for LGBTQI+ persons to worship, who were either rejected or oppressed from their faith tradition. However, today, we are a Vibrant, Inclusive, Progressive (VIP) Community of Faith that welcomes EVERYONE, with a unique call to the LGBTQI+ community. Our worship is a blend of many traditions and styles. You will find a variety of music, scriptures, prayers and Communion (Holy Eucharist) that is offered at every worship service. You will also find that our worship is not very formal or filled with rituals, but instead offers a relaxed, opened and inviting worship environment.
We believe God made us the way we are and God loves us the way we are. We celebrate the diversity of God’s creation and work for the inclusion and acceptance of ALL God’s people in the church and community life.

author: Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church


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Unknown | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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How one garden is turning a South Side neighborhood into a community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
November 16, 2021
The Bumblebee Haven’s core group celebrates the conclusion of the garden’s third full season together in October. From left: Timothy Novak, Jill Madigan, Claribel Morales, Sophia Torrijos and Gerard Guerra. (Photo by Sam Woods)
Claribel Morales remembers coming out her first day to clear overgrowth in a garden on Mitchell Street.
Morales was enthusiastic. She had a vision. But she also had the wrong tool. She said that neighbors and businesses saw her struggling and informed her that she needed a hoe, not a spade, for the job.
“I realized at that moment that this was not going to be a solo effort,” Morales said. “You need a whole group of people to transform a space.”
Her experience led to the creation of the Bumblebee Haven Community Garden, 1459 W. Mitchell St., which began after a previous gardening venture fell into neglect.
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“I remembered thinking ‘Claribel is a natural community organizer,’” said Bob Heffernan, who owns the lot, recalling his first conversation with Morales. “I support that kind of activism . . . and she has proven me right.”
Heffernan attempted to bring a community garden to the space before the Bumblebee Haven began. A landlord active in refugee resettlement, he arranged for refugee students from grade school to high school age to bus from their tutoring location in the Concordia neighborhood on the North Side to the South Side garden.
After about two years, however, the program ended as arranging for consistent transportation became too hectic to maintain. For about four years the idea of a garden on the lot was put on hold until Morales approached Heffernan asking to revive the garden.
Raffle, a frequent visitor, soaks up the sun while at the Bumblebee Haven (Photo by Sam Woods)
Morales, now the lead organizer of the garden, used to live less than a block away from the plot and said she knew she wanted better things for the garden but did not know where to start.
“This was my neighborhood, and I didn’t want that to be the aesthetic,” Morales said. “I am an artist at heart. I want to see things living up to their potential.”
Sophia Torrijos, the executive director of Friedens Community Ministries, was a neighborhood organizer in 2018. She saw similar potential and began knocking on doors looking for neighborhood volunteers to make the project their own.
Torrijos remembered the project having a profound impact on why she now tries to “cluster” neighborhood projects in one small area rather than spread them out.
“For me, this project set off a light bulb. Why would I start another project far away when I can cluster,” she said. “That way people get the sense that the neighborhood is changing, because a bunch of projects are coming up in a small area.”
After finding a few other eager residents, the group set out to revitalize the garden.
Over the summer of 2018 and the years following, the group cleared overgrowth; assigned responsibility for garden beds; applied for and received a Community Connections grant for a new sign; brought in community partners such as Teens Grow Greens to update and expand the garden’s selection of beds; and renamed the garden “Bumblebee Haven.”
The garden’s name reflects the original gardeners’ desire for the space to be a place for pollinators to come and go. This includes bumblebees but has come to also include neighbors who briefly contribute to the garden in some small way before heading off.
Morales estimates that there are about seven people who are heavily involved in the garden at any given time, and another six or seven who come and go. Additionally, neighbors and nearby businesses have helped by clearing trash.
Numerous neighbors also have taken nourishment from the garden’s produce, which over the years has included multiple varieties of tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, herbs and more.
A neighborhood cat, Raffle, also makes regular appearances.
Morales is not sure what is next for her, other than keeping some level of connection to the garden. After all, she did not know her neighbors when this project started.
“Generally I am a very private person, but this project pushed me outside of my comfort zone and being more assertive telling people about the project,” Morales said. “This helped transform me as a person.”
Building the garden into what it is today has also given Morales and others community-organizing skills.
“More than gardening and having fun, Claribel and others here have learned how to organize. It’s not always about the outcome but the process of building our own leadership skills and community,” Torrijos said.
“In their own little humble way, people working behind the scenes are transforming the neighborhood,” Morales added.

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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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51657719703_282ccced74_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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OPINION: What I’ve learned organizing across the Colombian and Palestinian struggles in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Eric Kleppe-Montenegro
November 16, 2021
On Oct. 9, the Colombian-Palestinian unity march spanned both South and North Side neighborhoods. (Photo by Marcelo Martinez)
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 by Eric Kleppe-Montenegro)
Milwaukee is an international city full of diverse communities that uplift and inspire each other. Although segregation is built into Milwaukee’s bones, solidarity is the blood in our veins.
After participating in countless marches, I am still impressed by the level of internationalist solidarity and collaboration that happens every day in our city. This year I co-organized a series of events in solidarity with Colombia and Palestine, which allowed me to see the most beautiful side of Milwaukee’s immigrant and refugee communities. As our diverse communities linked arms in struggle, I could see the power and potential of a unified global working class.
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As a Colombian American in Milwaukee, I am a member of a small circle within Milwaukee’s larger Latinx and immigrant communities. Although we as Colombians identify heavily with our peers amongst the Latinx diaspora, we have a particular history and culture that is not usually visible in the city. However, the recent national strike that began in Colombia on April 28 activated the voices of Colombians all over the diaspora, including those in Milwaukee. As the Colombian government brutalized and murdered protesters, the Colombian diaspora united under the idea that although we are far away, we are never indifferent. As a member of a Colombian solidarity organization, the Red Condor Collective, I committed myself to sustaining this moment of unity.
On May 8, I drove to Chicago to participate in that city’s solidarity march, which began at the Colombian consulate and continued all the way through the financial district. I had never seen anything like it before: Over a thousand organized Colombians taking the street and demanding justice for our people.
The following day in Milwaukee there was a solidarity rally at Mitchell Park where approximately 40 members of the local Colombian community, mostly families, came out to support the national strike and condemn state violence. In my seven years of living in Milwaukee, I had never seen so many Colombians together in one place.
A Colombia solidarity march took place throughout the South Side on May 10. (Photo by Joe Brusky)
(Photo by Joe Brusky)
(Photo by Joe Brusky)
(Photo by Joe Brusky)
The following day on May 10, there was a Colombia solidarity march that I co-organized with friends from the South Side, bringing together different local organizations, like The People’s Revolution, to show their support. Our march began at Walker Square Park and continued through the South Side, taking major streets in Milwaukee’s predominantly Latinx neighborhoods. The march was supported by neighborhood residents as well as activists from across the city. It was amazing to see my friends and community members marching for Colombia.
We succeeded in bringing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Colombia and raising awareness of the U.S. government’s role in this crisis.
Before this eventful week, I never could have anticipated three consecutive days of action for Colombia, including two consecutive days in Milwaukee. As the national strike continued, we also had to work to maintain that momentum. On May 22, I joined a group of Milwaukee families who marched in Chicago for a Global Day of Action for Colombia, which was noticeably smaller and less energetic than the march in Chicago just 12 days prior.
During this wave of global support, people were connecting the dots between the Palestinian struggle for liberation and the struggles in Colombia. Among other things, both countries suffer from U.S. intervention, which funds and supports massive state violence against the people. Colonialism, imperialism and capitalism were identified as unifying conditions of oppression. I connected with members of the Students for Justice in Palestine (Marquette and UWM chapters), and we decided to hold a cultural event together and launch a joint solidarity fundraiser.
Despite our cultures having greatly different perspectives on the role of music during times of mourning, we proceeded on the understanding that our event was one of cultural resistance and community healing rather than a typical celebration.
The cultural event was held at Mitchell Park on June 6, featuring several musical and dance performances, vendors, workshops and free coffee. As one of the lead event coordinators and co-hosts, the whole day feels like one blurred moment, but I will never forget the warmth emanating from the stage. Every time I looked up from behind the turntables, I saw my friends, neighbors and loved ones, all gathered in the name of Colombia and Palestine. There was even an older Palestinian/Colombian couple there who told me they never would have expected to see an event like this in their lifetime.
Colombian and Palestinian organizers held a cultural event in Mitchell Park on June 6. (Photo by Mouna Photography)
(Photo by Mouna Photography)
(Photo by Mouna Photography)
(Photo by Mouna Photography)
Due to a shared pain and a shared struggle, we were able to use culture as a bridge between our communities in order to begin building a unified struggle. Local artist John Fleissner created a design that was printed on to T-shirts, which sold out in an hour. This design exists as a testament to what is possible when our communities come together. Although our cultural event was coordinated to support Palestine and Colombia, it would have been impossible without the support and hard work of people from all of Milwaukee’s communities. As somebody who was welcomed by the Mexican community on Milwaukee’s South Side, it was particularly heartwarming to me to reflect on the massive contribution from the Mexican community to this entire effort.
Despite the success of our cultural event, it was only the beginning of a much longer road ahead. We still had to coordinate a unity march and reach our $10,000 fundraising goal. As the summer ended, it became more difficult for us to maintain the momentum as a group of people representing different organizations and communities. We decided to formally partner with The People’s Revolution, who supported our Colombia march on May 10, in order to bridge the gaps between our international struggles and the local movement fighting for Black liberation. Anti-Blackness is not unique to the United States — Afro-Colombian and Afro-Palestinian communities face systemic racism and state violence as well.
Five months after the Colombia solidarity march, we took the streets again in the name of unity and justice for us all. We marched several miles: starting from Mitchell Park, crossing the 27th Street Viaduct and eventually returning to the park via 16th Street. From the North Side to the South Side, we demonstrated that although our communities are different, our struggles are unified because our goals are the same.
On Oct. 9, the Colombian-Palestinian unity march spanned both South and North Side neighborhoods. (Photo by Marcelo Martinez)
(Photo by Marcelo Martinez)
(Photo by Marcelo Martinez)
(Photo by Marcelo Martinez)
The People’s Revolution and other local protest organizations contributed in a massive way, but the support from Milwaukee’s immigrant and refugee communities was not as visible as during the summertime. However, dedicated internationalists do not lose heart when the spotlight moves away. Instead, we continue organizing for our collective liberation.
There are difficulties and obstacles that must be overcome, but I believe in Milwaukee as a hub for internationalist solidarity and resistance. Living in such a global city provides us with a unique opportunity to connect the dots between our struggle, and work together towards collective liberation.
Eric Kleppe-Montenegro is a community-oriented documentary filmmaker based in Milwaukee’s South Side, where he works to amplify the stories of change-makers and artists. He volunteers as media worker for Red Condor Collective, a Colombian diaspora solidarity initiative.

author: Eric Kleppe-Montenegro


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culturalevent_1_mounaphotography_51670381779_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
November 15, 2021


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Post from Community: Provide Feedback on Milwaukee County’s next potential Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
November 16, 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.
Provide Feedback on Milwaukee County’s Next Potential Bus Rapid Transit (“BRT”) Line
Comment on key decisions related to potential bus rapid transit (BRT) service along 27th Street such as route options and the extent and location of bus-only lanes in the corridor. The comment period for the third round of public meetings will be open through November 30, 2021. Please take a few minutes to learn more about options being considered and share some quick feedback by visiting the project website at mkenorthsouth.com/engage.
Other Ways to Provide Comments
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Comments can be provided via U.S. mail, email, or fax through November 30, 2021 to:
Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
W239 N1812 Rockwood Drive
P.O. Box 1607 Waukesha, Wisconsin 53187-1607
Email: info@mkenorthsouth.com
Phone: 262-953-3252
Fax: 262-547-1103
Proporcionar comentarios sobre la próxima línea BRT potencial del condado de Milwaukee
Comentar sobre las decisiones clave relacionadas con el posible servicio de tránsito rápido de autobuses (BRT) a lo largo de la calle 27, como las opciones de ruta y la extensión y ubicación de los carriles solo para autobuses en el corredor. El período de comentarios para la tercera ronda de reuniones públicas estará abierto hasta el 30 de noviembre de 2021. Tómese unos minutos para obtener más información sobre las opciones que se están considerando y comparta algunos comentarios rápidos visitando el sitio web del proyecto  en mkenorthsouth.com/engage.
Otras formas de proporcionar comentarios
Los comentarios se pueden proporcionar por correo postal, correo electrónico o fax hasta el 30 de noviembre de 2021 a:
Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
W239 N1812 Rockwood Drive
P.O. Box 1607 Waukesha, Wisconsin 53187-1607
Correo electrónico: info@mkenorthsouth.com
Teléfono: 262-953-3252
Fax: 262-547-1103


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Post from Community: Thanksgiving dinner and grocery giveaway | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Farina Brooks
November 16, 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.
Please join Dream Team United MKE in partnership with Parklawn Assembly of God and Milwaukee County Supervisor Sequanna Taylor for free cooked a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, grocery giveaway, winter coats and accessories (while supplies last) and s’mores.
Location: Empty lot on N. 35th and W. Center Streets (in heated tent) 12:00-3:00 on Thursday, November 25.
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Learn more here.

author: Farina Brooks


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November 16, 2021

author: Name *


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Post from Community: Vaccine clinic turkey giveaway | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Hunger Task Force
November 16, 2021

author: Hunger Task Force


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Vaccine Clinic Turkey Giveaway | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 16, 2021

author: Dwayne Burtin