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Police officers work to help occupants of homeless encampments | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Carly Wolf
January 9, 2019
On a grey cloudy morning in Milwaukee, a bright pink Barbie tent stuck out among the sea of tents below the north end of the 6th Street Bridge. It was a newer addition to the tent encampment on North 6th and West Clybourn streets that has been occupied by a group of Milwaukee’s homeless.
The man inside was wearing a bright yellow rain jacket, but his disposition was anything but sunny.
Thomas Kline, community liaison officer for District 1 of the Milwaukee Police Department, has been visiting the city’s various encampments and checking up on the individuals living there, but he didn’t recognize the man.
Kline introduced himself and began to explain the resources the city offers. He asked the man if he’s heard of the Housing First Initiative.
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“I’ve heard this a million times,” the man yelled.
Kline said that people are usually not angry when he offers information, but he understands his reaction. “He’s probably someone who’s been in the system for so long that he’s just so frustrated,” Kline said.
Kline works to connect MPD District 1 Capt. Diana Rowe to residents through community meetings and events. Now, with homeless encampments growing more visible in the downtown district within the last year, he spends 70-80 percent of his time working on issues related to homelessness.
On a frigid winter day, a person in a dog costume stood outside Milwaukee Police Department District 6, on the far South Side. The mascot danced enthusiastically in the cold, holding a sign that read “Milwaukee Police Department District 6 is accepting clothing items for the homeless.”
Beside him was Officer Eric Ratzmann, who wore a jovial smile despite the ice crystals beginning to form on his beard. Ratzmann is part of MPD’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) in District 6 and helped to organize the drive.
“There’s homeless sleeping out under the bridges out here and sometimes people don’t want to go to shelters because they don’t like being around a lot of people,” Ratzmann said. “We don’t want people to suffer, especially in the winter.”
The Homeless Outreach Team started in 2010 with six officers. It expanded citywide, with several officers from each of MPD’s seven district on the team. HOT officers work to connect people with resources and aim to be perceived as “bridges” to assistance.
One critical resource is Milwaukee County’s Housing First Initiative, a program conducted in collaboration with the city and community partners that aims to provide housing before addressing the underlying cause of homelessness.
The Homeless Outreach Team’s work with homeless people is part of MPD’s community policing strategy, which focuses on building relationships with residents.
Dr. Meghan Stroshine, associate professor of criminology and law studies at Marquette University and co-author of “Policing: Continuity and Change,” explained that community policing “emerged in response to the difficult relationship between the police and the public” in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.
She said research shows that community policing is having a positive effect on citizens’ view of police and improves officers’ ability to do their jobs because of greater cooperation from community members.
“In years past, the homeless population was treated or viewed as a problem to be dealt with, and police typically only got involved if there was a complaint from a resident or a business owner,” Stroshine said. “Since community policing has emerged, that response has changed significantly.”
Catrina Crane, director of workforce and business solutions at Menomonee Valley Partners, has worked directly with police to solve issues related to homelessness for businesses in the valley.
“We had a bigger homeless population years ago, but now the tents are making it more visible,” Crane said. “They’re not hidden the way that they used to be.”
According to the Housing First Initiative, about 900 homeless individuals live in Milwaukee, down from the nearly 1,500 when the program began in September 2015.
“Some of the homeless who have been in our area have been here for years and see the valley as their home,” Crane said. “Although they may get into housing, they sometimes return because it’s what they know.”
Every Saturday, volunteers from Street Life Communities set up folding tables and tents across the city to hand out whatever resources they have to people such as Timothy Flanigan, who is low-income and homeless.
Flanigan, 68, is a retired car salesman.
Shivering, the self-proclaimed “music lover, avid reader” and “mean guitar player,” stood in line for a cup of hot coffee and a Styrofoam container of food.
Flanigan discovered the Street Life gatherings about three years ago when he found himself without housing. Throughout his adult life, he has struggled with mental illness, and episodes of stress have caused him to fluctuate between home stability and homelessness, he said.
“I’m not always homeless, but I have these spells. I have bipolar disorder and it gets the best of me and things kind of fall apart,” Flanigan said.
He noted that police have helped him several times when he was in a mental health crisis, but says he doesn’t need information about resources from the Homeless Outreach Team. He said he knows Milwaukee’s streets and resources well, and finding a solution is not as easy as it may seem.
“I’ve been trying to contact Housing First Milwaukee via email; they don’t answer,” Flanigan said. “The wheels turn very slowly.”
While out on the streets, Flanigan does what he can to reduce his stress levels. He will spend a few dollars at a 24-hour diner, nursing a cup of coffee to avoid the cold. What he needs most is a stable roof above his head.
“I can get food, I can get clothes, I can get medical and legal help, I can even get a guy to sit with me over coffee and commiserate a little bit. But I can’t get housing,” Flanigan said. “We have what we need except the one thing we need more than anything.”

author: Carly Wolf


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 8, 2019

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: January 8, 2019

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

author: Adam Carr


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Ron Smith to take NNS helm on Feb. 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
January 9, 2019
Ron Smith will be the new editor of Milwaukee NNS.
Ron Smith, managing editor for news at USA Today and former deputy managing editor at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, will become the new editor of Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service on Feb. 1. NNS founding editor Sharon McGowan is retiring from the project after leading the organization for eight years.
At the Journal-Sentinel, Smith oversaw the breaking news hub and production desks, and was the key point person for print story selections and workflow. He moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 2016.
“NNS has emerged as a must-read in Milwaukee’s media landscape. And we are going to go even higher. We will celebrate the diversity in our communities, and we will deepen our reporting to become an even more ferocious watchdog for residents who are often ignored but whose voices need to be heard,” said Smith.
Smith holds a master’s degree in leadership from Marquette, where he has taught courses on leadership, journalism and communication. He has worked as an editor at The Oregonian, the Los Angeles Times and Newsday. He began his professional career as a reporter and editor for two weekly newspapers in the Los Angeles area before becoming a political reporter for a daily legal publication in downtown Los Angeles. Smith also has worked as an advertising sales director and as the interim student adviser for New Expression, a citywide teen publication written by and for Chicago youth.
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Smith has edited several Pulitzer Prize-winning reports and is known for championing great journalism. In addition, he is active in the National Association of Black Journalists, the American Copy Editors Society and the Online News Association.
Smith, who will be joining the Department of Journalism and Media Studies faculty at Marquette’s Diederich College of Communication, has served as a visiting professor for the journalism program at the University of Kansas. He is the co-leadership chairman for the American Society of News Editors and serves as an instructor for the organization’s Emerging Leaders Institute, which trains diverse mid-career professionals to be newsroom leaders.
“Ron Smith is a great journalist, and a great person. I could not be happier that he will be coming back to Milwaukee as editor of NNS, and I know that he will do an outstanding job leading a top-notch staff,” McGowan said.

created: January 9, 2019

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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Ron Smith | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
January 8, 2019

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Waukesha Sheriff Department practices racial profiling according to a lawsuit filed by Rev. Demetrius Williams and Rev. Kevin P Patterson | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Common Ground
January 9, 2019
Over 50 Common Ground members stood in solidarity as they heard the news of the lawsuit filed by of Rev. Demetrius Williams of Community Baptist and Rev. John Patterson of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist church against Waukesha Sheriff Deputy Erik H. Michalsen and Waukesha County.
On August 27, 2018, Common Ground launched an investigation into possible racial profiling practices by Waukesha Sheriff Department because of the disturbing treatment of Pastors Williams and Patterson as they waited for their insurance tow truck to fix a flat tire on their 17-foot bass boat trailer.
“CG has come here today to announce the next steps in our racial profiling investigation. We have heard other stories confirming the common and malicious practice of racial profiling by Waukesha Sheriff Deputies. This type of treatment has to stop”, said Gwen Mosier a Common Ground Strategy Team member and Waukesha County Resident.
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Mosier then read a September email from Susan Herro, an Oconomowoc resident: “I contacted Sheriff Severson to let him know that I disagreed with his statement that Deputy Michalsen’s actions were not motivated by race. When I had a disabled vehicle, I called for a tow truck. A Waukesha Sheriff Deputy approached me while I waited. I was treated with respect and courtesy. Your deputies’ behavior towards these two men was markedly different. I was treated with this respect because I am white. “
Pastor Demetrious Williams introduced the lawsuit by saying, “Today, we are here to announce a lawsuit against Deputy Erik H. Michalsen and Waukesha County. We are filing this lawsuit to remedy the unlawful and egregious misconduct of Deputy Michalsen”.
“The experience my friend and I had happens to black and brown people everyday. We want to let people know that we do not have to just take this kind of treatment. We can stand strong with Common Ground; we can push back and we can use the law to do it”, stated Rev. Patterson.
The lawsuit filed by Pastors Williams and Patterson claims that Deputy Michalsen’s actions were undertaken intentionally, maliciously, willfully, wantonly and/or in reckless disregard of Pastors Williams’ and Pastor Patterson’s federally protected civil rights.
“When I learned that Pastor Williams and Pastor Patterson took a bold step in using the power of the law to address the epidemic of racial profiling in Waukesha County, I was encouraged”, said Deacon Alex Hardy a member of Community Baptist Church
Deacon Alex Hardy, vowed that Common Ground will not stop with Waukesha County Sheriff Department because we know that this problem is bigger than Waukesha. It is a problem that frames the everyday experience of living black and brown in Milwaukee County and beyond.
We have heard other disturbing racial profiling stories involving other suburban police departments.
That is why we are launching Stand for Justice Days in our member organizations, starting
Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, going through Black History Month, and ending February 24th.
We are gathering more stories, looking for patterns so we can challenge and stop the culture of harassing and terrorizing black and brown people as we try to live, work and play in our suburban communities.
Following the press conference, additional Common Ground organizations signed up to host a Stand for Justice Day and committed themselves to find more people who are willing to join with Common Ground to push back on this ugly reality that violates the federal civil rights of our black and brown brothers and sisters.

author: Common Ground


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Beat cop initiative provides ‘sense of security’ for Clarke Square residents, business owners | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Madison Marx
January 10, 2019
MPD Officer Matthew Diener stops at a corner store in Clarke Square. (Photo by Madison Marx)
A middle-aged man wearing a blue plaid flannel shirt runs out of Mr. Churros, a restaurant and bakery in Clarke Square, to catch up with two police officers out walking their beat.
“Hablas Español?” he said.
“Sí,” said the officers.
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The man inquired how to submit an open records request, according to Jose Acevedo, community liaison officer in District 2. The resident walked away from the conversation with Acevedo with an address and phone number.
This type of interaction between community members and police officers is increasingly common in Clarke Square since a new beat patrol initiative began about three months ago.
The officers have been walking and biking in South Side neighborhoods from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. since the initiative was launched on Oct. 7 by aldermen Bob Donovan and José Pérez and Milwaukee Police Department District 2 Capt. Alex Ramirez. Beat patrols are intended to build personal relationships between the police and community members.
“What I love about the initiative is that it allows officers and residents to engage in an intimate setting where trust is built,” said Ramirez.
On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Acevedo and Officer Matthew Diener went about their daily routine checking up on vacant houses and engaging with residents and business owners.
When Diener stepped out of the squad car at their first vacant house check, he immediately called District 2 to send someone to clean up the garbage that filled the alley.
Officer Matthew Diener and Community Liaison Officer Jose Acevedo walk through an alley in Clarke Square to check on vacant houses before they head to talk to business owners. (Photo by Madison Marx)
Throughout the afternoon, Diener and Acevedo visited three vacant houses. Discarded needles and beer bottles lay in the backyards. Diener explained that prostitutes and homeless individuals often seek out the empty buildings.
Clarke Square residents would like to see the problems of prostitution, drugs and related crime addressed, according to a recent article published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Ongoing major construction on Greenfield Avenue during the summer pushed these crimes to other parts of the neighborhood, according to Diener. However, after construction wound down on Greenfield Avenue, District 2 officers are working to ensure that criminal activities do not start back up on the street.
Jorge Lopez, co-owner of Lopez Bakery & Restaurant, 1100 W. Historic Mitchell St., said that officers often stop by the restaurant for an authentic Mexican meal. While dining, they check in with Lopez and make sure that everything is going smoothly.
“It does help having a cop stop in and say hi. It gives a sense of security,” said Lopez, co-owner of the business with his wife, Cindy Lopez.
The couple believe that community policing allows officers the opportunity to build relationships with business owners and residents. However, Jorge Lopez added that it would be nice to see more beat cops in the neighborhood.
Ishwor Ghimire, who works at the Kwik Stop on National Avenue, said that before the beat cop initiative he didn’t see any cops. Now, officers stop by Ghimire’s store two to three times a day.
Moe Mustafa, a Clarke Square resident, said that having officers walking around on foot helps make residents and customers feel safer.
“I’d say we have some of the most engaged residents as far as what’s going on in their community,” said Diener.
Historically, police officers have always patrolled Greenfield, National and Lincoln avenues, according to Diener. During the last 10 years, the department has shrunk, resulting in officers having to cover more area, he said. With the beat initiative, a set of officers has been assigned to neighborhoods such as Clarke Square and Walker Square.
“To be a beat cop you have to be able to switch faces throughout the day,” said Diener. “You have to enforce crime and ordinance violations. You also have to have your social working hat on too. You have to be able to change your attitude within a drop of a hat.”
Dr. Robert Smith, a history professor and director of the Center for Urban Research, Teaching & Outreach at Marquette University, said that community policing is a complicated topic. People want safer neighborhoods, but an increased police presence hasn’t always lead to safer neighborhoods, he said.
“Community policing has the possibility to work if police see community members as citizens and not criminals,” Smith said. He added that for community policing to be successful there has to be input from residents on what policing should look like.
“It is important for police to live in the neighborhood,” said Smith. Police officers and other city workers are no longer bound by a residency requirement, which ended in 2016.
Last winter, Diener was driving around the Clarke Square neighborhood when he got a flat tire. As Diener and his colleague were changing the tire, a resident emerged from his house with several family members to help, and three containers of tacos.
“This experience goes to show how District 2 works,” said Diener.

created: January 10, 2019

author: Madison Marx


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 9, 2019


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 10, 2019


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Daughter of famed muralist carries on family tradition with new COA murals | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
January 11, 2019
Artist Rozalia Hernandez-Singh worked with youth at the COA Riverwest Center, 909 E. Garfield Ave. to create this mural in the east stairwell. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
By the age of 3, Rozalia Hernandez-Singh was already trailing alongside her father, well-known muralist Reynaldo Hernandez, as he worked passionately on an outdoor mural on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Harambee neighborhood. Though the mural has since been painted over, many of her father’s other works remain, and have become landmarks in the communities in which they are located, she said.
Perhaps the best example in Milwaukee of the impact of public art is one of the many projects that Hernandez-Singh and her siblings worked on with their father in 1993: the iconic South Side “Mural of Peace.”
“We painted that piece by piece in a warehouse on 4 x 8 boards,” recalled Hernandez-Singh, of the mural on the south wall of the Mercantile Lofts building, formerly the Esperanza Unida Building at 611 W. National Ave., which can be seen from Interstate 43.
Hernandez-Singh is carrying on her father’s love of creating art for the community.
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Currently, she’s working on two murals inside the COA Riverwest Center, 909 E. Garfield Ave. The first, which was recently completed, is on the east stairwell of the center and features retired Green Bay Packer Donald Driver, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and an ambiguous Milwaukee Brewers player. In the background is the Milwaukee skyline as viewed from the Riverwest Center.
The theme of that mural was chosen by young people who frequent COA, according to Tom Schneider, the organization’s executive director.
“The youth got together and voted on what they wanted in the mural, and they also helped to paint it,” Schneider said. He added that Hernandez-Singh was brought in to paint the murals both because of the quality of her art and her ability to work with youth.
One of the youngsters most eager to work on the project was a 7-year-old boy, said Hernandez-Singh. He asked questions such as how many coats of paint they would need and made sure he had his art lingo down. He was among many youth who were excited to showcase their own inner artist on the project, she added.
Rozalia Singh-Hernandez and her siblings helped their father, Reynaldo Hernandez, paint the iconic “Mural of Peace” in the 1990s. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
“They get so excited and ask questions. I love it because I think that art is an escape. It helps keep young people out of trouble and is a great option for people who are looking to go in a positive direction in life,” she said.
Art is one of the many components of the comprehensive youth programming offered at COA, according to Schneider, who said it’s one of many activities that youth at the center respond well to.
“We have some amazingly talented artists at COA,” he said.
From a young age, Hernandez-Singh and her siblings were schooled on how art, especially murals, can impact a community, according to her father.
“I taught them about the history of murals, and how they were a way to celebrate heroes and even a means of protest in the ‘60s and ‘70s. I also taught them how murals can make the city a better place,” said Hernandez, who still paints and draws.
The sports-themed mural at COA and the second mural Hernandez-Singh will create there are replacing murals that were painted 20 years ago, Schneider said. They were fading away, and it was time for youth participating in the program to have their own work on the wall, he added.
“It’s a project that gives them a sense of ownership and pride,” Schneider said.
Schneider said there are no plans to ask the athletes, including Bucks star Antetokounmpo, to check out the mural in person. But the team has been a strong supporter of youth programming at COA, having provided a new scoreboard and free tickets to games, he noted.
The second mural will feature a camping theme, which is a major component of COA’s programming. COA runs both summer and winter camps, and is the longest-running camp in Wisconsin, Schneider noted. That mural will be painted on the center’s north stairwell.
Hernandez-Singh also works with her father and siblings as a caricature artist. Her recent portfolio includes illustrating Deanna Singh’s book, “I Am a Girl of Color” and working on “Our Beauty in Strength,” a large-scale mural in Bay View that was created by an all-female collective of artists last summer
Hernandez-Singh, who also teaches art to MPS students as part of her work with Arts @ Large, said she is relishing her time working with youth at COA on the murals.
“Just looking at the reactions of the kids when they see the finished product of something they’ve been working on is so rewarding,” she said.
“I wasn’t able to put all my time into my art because I was busy with my two kids and husband, but now I’m in the position to get out there on my own and work on more projects in the community,” Hernandez-Singh added.
It’s a trajectory that no doubt pleases her father.
“I’ve always wanted her to do it for the community; to be able to create art that has a greater impact — and that’s exactly what she’s doing,” Hernandez said.

created: January 11, 2019

author: Edgar Mendez


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Neu-Life Youth Conduct Cigarette Butt Clean-Up Blitz | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Neu Life Community Development
January 11, 2019
(Photo courtesy of Neu-Life Community Development)
Youth from Neu-Life Community Development FACT group recently did a cigarette butt clean-up that educated the youth on how prevalent cigarette butt littering is in their North side neighborhood. The youth did a one hour blitz, where they went out in groups to see which group could collect the most cigarette butts and/or cigarette litter.
They were shocked at how much they each found in such a short amount of time.  The youth plan to do more awareness events in 2019 to educate the neighborhood on the amount and impact the littering has on the perception of our neighborhood.
FACT is Wisconsin’s Youth Tobacco Prevention Program and more information about FACT can be found at FACTmovement.org.  More information about Neu-Life can be found at www.neu-life.org or on our Facebook page.
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author: Neu Life Community Development


text:
cig butt clean up 2019.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 10, 2019

author: Name *


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Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee closes after 30 years of strengthening the nonprofit sector | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
January 11, 2019
After 32 years of working to build a strong nonprofit sector in Milwaukee, the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee (NPC) has closed as of the end of 2018.
NPC provided countless workshops, seminars, trainings, leadership circles, and volunteer opportunities to strengthen nonprofits in Milwaukee and the surrounding communities.
“We are proud of the work that has been done at NPC and the impact it has had on our community,” said former NPC Board of Directors President Raejean Canter. “If you ask the staff at your favorite nonprofit organization where they received training and support, chances are they will tell you about the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee. And that will be our legacy.”
Two successful programs previously run by NPC — Volunteer Milwaukee, which connected volunteers to meaningful opportunities to serve their community, and the Giving Tree, which provided 13,000 holiday gifts a year to families in need — are now being administered by United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. The former NPC board plans to continue to communicate with partner organizations to try to find ways to continue some of the organization’s other important programs.
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author: the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee


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Margaret Rozga: On becoming Wisconsin Poet Laureate | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Margaret Rozga
January 14, 2019
Margaret Rozga and Fred Reed recognize participants in the fair housing marches of the 1960s who have passed away, at the kickoff for the March on Milwaukee 50th anniversary. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Margaret Rozga is the newly appointed Poet Laureate of Wisconsin. Rozga, a poet, civil rights activist, professor emerita at UW-Waukesha and a regular contributor to the NNS Community Voices column, writes about the Milwaukee poetry community that inspires her.
I begin my term as Wisconsin Poet Laureate energized. I found that energy where I often do, at a Milwaukee poetry venue. I’d been to three of them recently. Woodland Pattern, Linneman’s, and the Jazz Gallery, all in Riverwest, are among key gathering spots where Milwaukee’s vibrant poetry community thrives. The creativity that happens when people gather at these venues pulls me in and helps me wake up ready for the day’s writing, meetings, phone calls and errands.
Before heading out to an evening poetry event, I sometimes hesitate. Not tonight, I tell myself, not this late, not in this rain or this cold, not by myself when I may not know anyone there. Then my need to hear empowering words overcomes the alternative: yet another newscast about undermining fair elections and civil rights, and about building walls of one kind or another. I’m of the mind of the Robert Frost poem that begins, “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” The arts offer a way not to ignore these issues, but to address the positive, to build the inclusive community we need.
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Last week, feeling the need for an inclusive community and affirming words, I headed to Riverwest’s Jazz Gallery. The MC at the PENtastic open mic, hosted by Still Waters Collective, was starting the evening program as I walked in. From her position on stage, she greeted me, “Hello there. So glad you came.” I’m not sure I knew her, but that didn’t matter. Everyone was welcome.
Before the reading began, she had us write on this question: “What is Black?” Everyone, black and non-black, set to work. Several eager volunteers then read their drafts, including black and white poets from Milwaukee and one from Racine. During the first set of the open mic, readers included spoken word artists and poets who read from their books or cell phones. At the break, we were told to get to know someone new. I found that two young women sitting near me were from Sheboygan and came after seeing news of this event on Facebook. They said they didn’t know of any poetry events in Sheboygan, so I gave them the name of a poet friend who organizes poetry events there. “Friend her on Facebook,” I said. I’ll tell her to expect to hear from you.”
This particular evening serves as a model of how we create community. Welcome everyone. Assume that everyone has creative potential. Create space where that potential can find room to stand up and be heard. Welcome different styles. Create a positive tone, even as we speak to perplexing and distressing issues.
A similar model can be found Monday nights at Linneman’s. Tim Kloss organizes these weekly open mics with a featured reader. He lives and breathes poetry and the visual arts — drawing, painting. Always on the lookout for new voices, he schedules them in as featured readers. Everyone is welcome, and all are warmed by his greeting, his smile, and his insightful comments on the poems. His own annual turn as the featured reader is not to be missed. His performance of Walt Whitman’s “Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking” brought that poem to life and awed the audience. It would make a fan out of even the person most reluctant to engage with poetry.
Woodland Pattern Book Center brings national poets to town for readings and workshops and celebrates Milwaukee poets. The center opens its doors to events like the launch of the poetry chapbook anthology “Where I Want to Live: Poems for Fair and Affordable Housing,” a project of the March On Milwaukee 50 anniversary planning committee. Black, brown, and white poets, gay and straight poets, middle school, high school, and poets of all ages, including some in their 70s participated. The event was not only about imagining an inclusive Milwaukee, but it also stood as an evening when that reality was palpable.
On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 26, Woodland Pattern will serve as the venue for the official passing of the Wisconsin’s Poet Laureate’s torch from Karla Huston to me. How very appropriate this setting will be.
I studied poetry in college and graduate school. I know iambic pentameter and anaphora, lineation and prose poetry as concepts. What I learned in school provides a solid base for the work I’ll do as Wisconsin Poet Laureate, promoting poetry throughout Wisconsin. What I learned as a practicing poet adds depth. What I learned as a participant in Milwaukee’s poetry community will help bring it all to life.

created: January 14, 2019

author: Margaret Rozga


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 14, 2019


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Muslim nonprofit opens center for youth on North Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
January 14, 2019
Brittany Khatib, a Ma’ruf volunteer, sorts books in the center’s library. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
For years, an ACE hardware store sat on the corner of 2110 W. Hampton in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. When the owner looked to sell the building in 2017, proposals began flowing in.
The problem was that all the proposals were for liquor stores or convenience stores that sold liquor, said Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, who represents the 1st District.
Neighborhood residents told the alderman that they did not want an establishment that sells alcohol. Eventually, Hamilton approved the proposal from Ma’ruf, a nonprofit Muslim organization, to open a youth center.
Ma’ruf opened its first chapter in Milwaukee in 2009. Several years ago, Ma’ruf decided to shift its focus to improving impoverished neighborhoods. As part of this effort, members planted the Barakah Gardens near 6th Street and Layton Avenue, assisted refugees and cleaned up neighborhood streets.
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Organizers then decided they wanted to open a youth center where children could go after school to do their homework or take a class on STEM topics such as coding.
Elhadji Ba, Ma’ruf vice president and executive director, said the youth center’s primary goal is to keep children off the streets and out of trouble. They chose the location because they wanted it to be easily accessible for MPS students.
After acquiring the building, Ma’ruf restructured the space and outfitted it with new floors, ceiling tiles and a paint job.
“It took us about a year,” said Ba. “A lot of our members had to do the work themselves because we needed ways to save money.”
The construction ended in November 2018, and while the doors opened in December for an open house and orientation for new members, Ma’ruf waited until this month to start the after-school programming.
Rayann Jaber teaches volunteers how to code in preparation for the start of the Girls Who Code program. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
During the reconstruction process, Ma’ruf members made a point to visit businesses in the neighborhood. Ba said they walked door to door to explain their plans to shop owners and neighbors, and ask for their input.
A lot of residents were on board, but they wanted to make sure the center would be a fun place for children as well as an educational one, Ba said.
“We’re doing this as an exercise of our faith,” Ba said. He added that helping others benefits the community as a whole.
Anyone can join Ma’ruf either as a volunteer or after-school participant. According to Ba, a majority of the children in the after-school program are African-American. Volunteers come from all over Milwaukee.
Ma’ruf has a pool table, board games and a gym, and children also can receive tutoring and take STEM-based classes. Ba said the organization is planning to grow a garden this summer either on the roof or on a vacant plot of land next door.
Ayah Ali, a Marquette graduate with a degree in information technology, will be leading the Girls Who Code program at Ma’ruf. Girls Who Code is a national organization with chapters across the country. Ali explained that the girls don’t need any coding experience. Volunteers with varying degrees of experience in the tech field have offered their services.
“We’re really hoping just to increase the number of women – younger minority women – who will potentially have more of an interest in technology,” said Ali.
Ali said that most of Ma’ruf’s members are working individuals who still find time to volunteer and help improve the community.
Isabel Rodriguez, whose sons participate in activities at the center, said it is essential for young people because it is a place where they can receive encouragement and hope. Through Ma’ruf they can learn the importance of respect and education, she added. Rodriguez learned about the youth center when her husband Angel, an HVAC contractor, worked on renovating it. They live a few blocks away from the center.
“It’s just a big opportunity for the community,” Isabel Rodriguez said.
The Rodriguezes’ sons, Angel Jr., 17, and Noel, 16, attend MPS’ Carmen High School of Science and Technology.
“I think it’s going to help me a lot, because after school sometimes I’ll come here and do my homework, and if I need to I’ll have tutors who help me,” said Noel. sAngel Jr. said he’s excited to have place where he can be productive and safe.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 13, 2019

created: January 13, 2019


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Alverno Forum will explore the benefits of the arts | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
January 15, 2019
While the arts provide entertainment and aesthetic value, they also have historical, expressive, therapeutic, psychological and spiritual value. Painting, music, dance and drama also provide a catharsis, or cleansing of the soul. Alverno College is hosting a forum that will explore all of the beneficial aspects of the arts. Artists working in the community will explain how the arts changed their lives. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in a voice and movement workshop that will show them how to use their voices and bodies to feel physically and mentally healthier. Attendees can also create art that will help teachers in Puerto Rico buy books and classroom supplies in an ongoing effort to assist in the recovery following Hurricane Maria.
Presenters include:
Participating organizations include:
The Alverno Forum series seeks to join community leaders in discussing cutting-edge topics that have a daily impact on the lives of people in our community and beyond. The next discussion in this year’s series takes place on Thursday, February 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Bucyrus Conference Center inside the Sister Joel Read Center. The Alverno Forum series is free and open to the public. For more details, please visit our website at
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About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

created: January 15, 2019

author: Alverno College


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Alverno Forum 2018.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 11, 2019


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Just Announced: Several roles with City of Milwaukee DPW | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works
January 15, 2019
(Photo by Adam Carr)
The City of Milwaukee is now accepting applications for three exciting roles within the Department of Public Works- Operations!
OPERATIONS DRIVER/ WORKER-
Purpose: The Operations Driver Workers provide professional driving and critical manual laboring functions, including municipal solid waste and recycling collection, street sweeping, snow and ice control, and operation of heavy equipment for the Department of Public Works.
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Salary: The starting salary for City of Milwaukee residents is $40,643 annually.
Link: https://www.jobapscloud.com/MIL/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1=1901&R2=142561&R3=001
Deadline: January 28, 2019- the position will also be recruited continuously throughout 2019
City Laborer
Purpose: Under supervision, City Laborers perform light to heavy manual work. City Laborers are employed by the Department of Public Works (DPW) in the following areas: Streets, Sewers, Electrical Services, Sanitation, Water, and Forestry; assignment to an area is based on the needs of the City.
Salary: The starting salary for City of Milwaukee residents is 1,208 per biweekly pay period
Link: https://www.jobapscloud.com/MIL/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1=1901&R2=1013DC&R3=001
Deadline: February 4, 2019- the position will also be recruited continuously throughout 2019
Tire Repair Worker I
Purpose: The Tire Repair Worker I is responsible for inspecting, repairing, and replacing tires, tire tubes and rims on all City of Milwaukee fleet and construction vehicles.
Salary: The starting salary for City of Milwaukee residents is $38,350 annually.
Link: https://www.jobapscloud.com/MIL/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1=1901&R2=0860DC&R3=001
Deadline: January 28, 2019


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 15, 2019


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Latest “Status of Girls in Wisconsin” report reveals troubling patterns | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
January 15, 2019
The Alverno Report: The Status of Girls in Wisconsin reveals a number of persistent, troubling patterns for Wisconsin girls, especially in the areas of sexual violence and human trafficking; stress, depression and suicide; bullying; TV, online and social media engagement; and substance use. The data also points to another disturbing fact – Wisconsin girls of color have it worse than white girls. Yet, the 2018-2019 report from the Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls did note some improvement in areas including sexual activity, teen birth rates and smoking.
This is the fourth report on the status of girls in Wisconsin as part of Alverno’s continued commitment to raise awareness regarding issues and challenges that impact girls in our state. The first report was released in 2007, followed by updates in 2010 and 2014. The report focuses on girls (in most cases ages 10-19) across the state of Wisconsin. Data are drawn from various sources compiled and analyzed by researchers affiliated with the Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls.
Some of the key 2018 findings include:
Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking
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Stress, Depression, Suicide and Self-Harm Behaviors
Bullying and Abuse
TV, Online and Social Media Engagement
Weight and Exercise
Sex and Teen Pregnancy
Substance Abuse
The report also noted some encouraging news including:
On the topic of education, a slightly higher percentage of girls (just over 90%) in Wisconsin public schools graduated with a regular high school diploma during the 2016-17 school year compared to boys (86.5%), but Wisconsin girls still lag behind boys in mathematics and science at the advanced level.
The Alverno Report: The Status of Girls in Wisconsin provides information, without extensive interpretation, to serve as a catalyst for young women and girls and the agencies that serve them to voice their perspectives on the issues and challenges they face and work to develop the solutions, programming and resources needed to address these issues.
The report is still the most comprehensive consolidation of information about the issues facing girls in our state. Several universities and colleges nationwide have followed Alverno College’s lead in presenting data to improve the lives of girls.
The full 2018-2019 “Status of Girls in Wisconsin” report, as well as an executive summary, can be found at www.alverno.edu/statusofgirls. On March 23, Alverno College will host a Girls Summit that will offer an opportunity to address the challenges the report highlights. Registration is open at https://www.alverno.edu/research/girlssummit.php.
The Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls is a center devoted to taking scholarly research that applies to the real world where it can inspire, transform and support initiatives that improve the lives of women and girls in Wisconsin and beyond. The center also partners with community agencies to foster discussion about important issues and identifies emerging research topics that can make a difference in women’s lives.
About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.


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Status of Girls report cover.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 15, 2019


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Mental health program at UCC schools serves children at school, home | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Analise Pruni
January 15, 2019
Children at Bruce Guadalupe Community School enjoy recess. (Photo by Analise Pruni)
A new pilot program at Bruce Guadalupe Community School and Acosta Middle School is addressing children’s mental health needs both at school and in the home.
Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS) hired a therapist and a family coach in September to work with families of students who are receiving mental health services at the schools.
Bruce Guadalupe, 1028 S. 9th St., serves students in K4 through eighth grade while Acosta, 1038 S. 6 St., serves sixth- through eighth-grade students. Both charter schools are operated by United Community Center (UCC).
According to Amanda Kryzkowski, director of performance and quality improvement at LSS, children are referred to the program by the school counselor. The LSS therapist works with children during the school day, and the family coach makes weekly in-home visits. Fourteen children and their families are participating, and LSS hopes to expand that to 50 by the end of the school year.
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For children who may be dealing with anxiety, depression, PTSD or other mental health problems, the therapist provides behavioral interventions for the classroom, and the family coach promotes parent skill development.
The purpose of integrating mental health services into students’ home life is to reduce the need for foster care, lower truancy rates and school violence, and improve academic achievement, according to LSS.
LSS is using Bruce Guadalupe and Acosta as hubs to provide on-site therapy to children, according to Héctor Colón, president and CEO of LSS. “But then we want to wraparound to the parents; it might be mom, dad, grandmother… [a] cousin or friend that happens to be within that household.”
LSS Family Coach Delia Corchado works with 14 children from two UCC schools and their families. (Photo by Analise Pruni)
Delia Corchado, the family coach at LSS, said that most families want to receive services and support for themselves and their children. However, if they cannot afford basic needs such as food and transportation, it is more difficult to convince them to take advantage of the services.
“If they don’t have food on the table then they don’t have time for me,” Corchado said.
She added that families have access to any services that they need, such as counseling, food pantries, clothing banks or help with transportation. These are all contributing factors to a child’s overall mental health.
At the same time, “The backbone of successful treatment is relationship and connection,” said Dr. Steven Dykstra, a clinical psychologist at the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division.
The pilot program originated from a discussion between Colón and UCC Executive Director Ricardo Díaz about the need for a more proactive mental health program at the schools. Colón recognized that because UCC has close connections to parents, it would make a perfect partner with LSS to broaden access to children’s mental health services.
“Through our pilot with United Community Center, we hope to close the gap and give children the resources they need to grow into successful and thriving young adults by building healthy communities, beginning with a strong foundation of mental wellness,” Colón said.
LSS hopes to receive state funding to institute five other school-centered pilot programs. It has established a committee consisting of state and county representatives, mental health advocacy groups and community organizations to address local and state policy changes needed to sustain the programs.
“What we’d like to do is … achieve policy change for a more comprehensive model of school-based mental health,” Colón said. That could include higher Medicaid reimbursements for clinical consultations and in-home family coaching.
According to Dr. Judith McMullen, a law professor at Marquette University who is on the LSS committee, by reaching beyond the boundaries of school walls, mental health professionals have a better chance of meeting children’s needs. “Kids don’t have issues in a vacuum. … Some issues stem from things going on at home.”
As a member of the committee, McMullen is working to document the effectiveness of the LSS model. She said that part of the challenge is documenting what people believe anecdotally —that school-centered services are effective.
Pascual Rodriguez, principal of Bruce Guadalupe, said he is a firm believer in educating children physically, spiritually and emotionally.
“I would consider my guidance counseling team the best in Milwaukee, but there are limitations on what we can and cannot offer some of these kids,” he said. The LSS program helps fill that gap.
Dykstra added that with school-centered mental health programs, “We’re not turning to schools and saying, ‘do something about the mental health of children;’ we’re saying, ‘let us work with you, let us partner with you, let us bring more resources to the school environment.”
McMullen said that the Columbine shooting in 1999, in which 13 students were shot to death by two classmates, was a catalyst for viewing school as an appropriate place to address youth mental health. This shift in thinking has helped reduce stigma, she added.
According to Dykstra, famous athletes and celebrities who publicly discuss mental health also help lessen the stigma surrounding mental illness. Familiarizing children with these topics often, and from an early age, is beneficial.
“When they’re 16-17 and they’re facing depression or anxiety, the fact that this was destigmatized for them in childhood makes it easier for them to go [receive treatment] 10 or 20 years from now,” Dykstra said.

author: Analise Pruni


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On the block: Not your mama’s tea | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
January 15, 2019
Rhonda Hill loves to travel, and whenever she goes on a trip, she likes to visit somewhere she can taste loose leaf teas. After checking out a tea spot in Arizona where women wore fancy hats they picked from a trunk in the back of the shop, she decided she wanted to create a similar fun experience for women in Milwaukee, but with a vibe that felt more comfortable to her.
In October, she started organizing Not Your Mama’s Tea, a monthly tea-tasting social for women to talk about an encouraging topic such as gratitude or hope, with a throwback hip hop and R&B playlist pulsing in the background. Women were invited to Sweet Black Coffee in Lindsay Heights this month to discuss the theme of joy: what it means, where to find it and how to choose it in daily life.
Hill said she hopes the tea tastings are uplifting and offer an opportunity for women at different stages in their lives to find support from each other. Not Your Mama’s Tea meets every second Sunday of the month from 2-4 p.m.
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author: Allison Dikanovic


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Red Cross issues emergency call for blood donors | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
American Red Cross
January 15, 2019
(Photos by Jeanette Ortiz-Osorio/American Red Cross)
A donation shortfall over the winter holidays is prompting the American Red Cross to issue an emergency call for blood and platelet donors to give now to prevent a blood shortage from continuing throughout winter and affecting patient care.
The Red Cross collected more than 27,000 fewer blood and platelet donations the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s than needed to sustain a sufficient blood supply. During this period, about 1,350 fewer blood drives were hosted by volunteer sponsor groups than required to meet patient needs as busy holiday schedules kept many donors away.
“Many people may not realize that blood products are perishable, and the only source of lifesaving blood for patients is volunteer blood donors,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Biomedical Services. “When donations decline – as they did around the holidays and may further decline if severe winter weather and flu season pick up – lifesaving medical treatments could be delayed.”
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Right now, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types on hand, well below the ideal five-day supply needed to respond to emergencies and daily hospital needs. Blood products are currently being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.
“We hope people can resolve to save lives now – when there is an emergency need – as well as throughout the year,” added Numark.
All eligible donors, especially platelet donors and blood donors with type O blood, are urged to make an appointment to give in the coming days to help restock the shelves for hospital patients. Eligible donors can find a blood or platelet donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to donate by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Volunteer blood drive hosts are also critically needed to prevent the shortage from worsening this winter.
With several weeks of winter ahead, severe winter weather poses an additional threat to an already low blood supply. Snow, ice and extreme temperatures last January and February forced hundreds of blood drive cancellations, causing about 23,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. In December, winter weather resulted in nearly twice the number of uncollected blood and platelet donations as December 2017.
In May 2018, 4-year-old Branson Gibby was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare type of childhood cancer that affects certain types of nerve tissue after complaining of pain in his arms and legs and running a fever. After many tests, his mother, Erica Austin, was given the news that no mother ever wants to hear: her son had cancer.
Branson’s 18-month treatment plan includes many rounds of grueling chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumor near his kidney and spinal cord, stem cell transplants, and possibly radiation. He has already endured several lengthy hospital stays and began receiving the first of his stem cell transplants this fall.
Since his diagnosis, Branson has received 12 blood and 11 platelet transfusions. Of the transfusions, Austin said, “They have been so important to keep him as healthy, active and battle-ready, as possible. This is the hardest thing our family has ever faced. However, there is hope in the generosity of strangers who are helping to heal my brave boy. Blood and platelet donations truly are the gift of life.”
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 14-Feb. 15
1/15/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Milwaukee Academy of Science, 2000 W Kilbourn
1/18/2019: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Loving Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3909 W Clinton Ave
1/31/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Schlitz Park, 1555 N River Center Dr
2/7/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Manpower, 100 Manpower Pl.
2/8/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ronald Reagan High School, 4965 S 20th St

author: American Red Cross


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Blood Drive at the Rayburn House Building Capitol Hill 2017 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 15, 2019


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A stroll through a park in-progress | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Travis Hope
January 16, 2019
In this photo gallery, Travis Hope of the KK River Neighbors in Action resident group revisits Pulaski Park to document his neighborhood park in the midst of major construction.
The first time I went with a camera and my daughter Iveliz to Pulaski Park in 2017 was to showcase the park and upcoming changes. This time, in late 2018, I want to show the changes.
Those changes have not been easy. They include the mass removal of trees, our basketball court and playground, as well as restricted access to the sledding hill and walking trails. Eventually, new trees will be planted and we will get a new basketball court, playground, bridge, futsal court and a more inviting riverfront with the rebirth of the river.
We look forward to the park being fully open, but in the meantime, across the street from the park on 16th down to 13th streets on Harrison is a new trail with artwork and community spaces for all to enjoy.
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The KK River Neighbors In Action meet every second Wednesday of the month at the Pulaski Park pavilion
We would like to thank MMSD, Milwaukee County Parks and SSCHC Environmental department for making these changes come to life from community voices.

created: January 16, 2019

author: Travis Hope


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Council approves legislation concerning the Milwaukee Health Department’s lead reporting processes and water filter distribution plans | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
January 16, 2019
The Common Council approved two resolutions on Jan. 14, 2019 directing the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) to put processes in place concerning addressing elevated blood-lead levels, and also developing a plan to distribute water filters to residents at risk for exposure to lead in their drinking and cooking water.
Both resolutions – Council Files #181216 and #181218 – were introduced by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs and approved unanimously by the Common Council. Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Alderman Cavalier Johnson, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II, Alderwoman Chantia Lewis and Alderman José G. Pérez co- sponsored the legislation
File #181216 directs the MHD Commissioner to establish a defined process to address cases of elevated lead levels in children as detected in blood tests. File #181218 directs the Health Commissioner, in collaboration with the Milwaukee Water Works, to develop a water filter distribution plan for residents at risk of exposure to lead in their drinking water.
“The health, safety and well-being of Milwaukee’s residents are our highest priorities, especially concerning our children,” said Ald. Coggs. “The Council must know how our children are being exposed to lead hazards in their environment so we can establish a specific process to address cases of elevated blood levels swiftly and effectively.”
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“We know that installing and correctly using certified water filters is the best way to minimize lead in our drinking water,” continued Ald. Coggs. “This legislation directs our health and water officials to develop a plan to use this effective tool the best way we can.”
The MHD Commissioner is required to report back to the Council on both plans/processes by March 31, 2019.

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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Formerly incarcerated organizers hope new state leadership brings criminal justice reform | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
January 16, 2019
Carl Fields speaks on how crimeless revocations can hinder individuals’ ability to successfully re-enter their community after incarceration. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Alphonso James went to prison at age 17 for a crime he didn’t commit. After 32 years, he was cleared by a DNA test and returned home to Milwaukee in February 2017. Last week, he stood before about 50 people crowded into a room at the Welford Sanders Historic Lofts & Enterprise Center, 2821 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., and discussed his experience.
“I knew truth was on my side, but the things that we were enduring in prison were enough to suffocate a human being into nothing,” he said.
James, in a navy blue cardigan and steel-framed glasses, choked up as he described the depression he experienced in prison and how he was placed in solitary confinement for refusing medication. Early on in his sentence, James said he spent five years straight in solitary confinement. According to the United Nations, solitary confinement in excess of 15 days is considered torture.
While incarcerated, James taught himself how to read, earned a culinary degree and started programs to support his peers inside. He is now a cook at a local hotel.
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James spoke at a listening session hosted by Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO) and prompted by Angela Lang, executive director of Black Leaders Organizing for Community (BLOC), who was recently appointed to Gov. Tony Evers’ Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Policy Advisory Council. According to a statement from Evers, the council is tasked with assisting the governor’s administration in exploring reforms of the state’s criminal justice system. The purpose of the session was to provide an opportunity for people with direct experience in the criminal justice system to tell their stories.
Formerly incarcerated individuals discuss their experiences at a listening session organized by EXPO. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Of the 30 representatives selected to serve on the council, only one person had been incarcerated, according to Peggy West, lead legislative organizer for EXPO.
“When you’re talking about reform and correcting things that are wrong, it’s important to have attorneys and people like that, but it’s more important to have people who actually have lived experiences,” West said.
Lang invited West to organize the listening session. “I just want to make sure that people’s individual stories don’t get lost,” Lang said.
In addition to James, about 15 other formerly incarcerated people shared stories, concerns and suggestions with Lang and Edgar Lin, a former public defender who is also on the governor’s advisory council.
Brian Jackson reported that prison staff did not follow up on complaints, which were often considered invalid due to rigid time constraints. He said he had a brain aneurysm while incarcerated that was neglected, and he saw a man being tased until his shirt caught on fire. However, he never saw a complaint successfully filed against a staff member.
Responding to a question from Lang, Jackson said he estimates that 85 percent of people in prison experience some level of abuse, including verbal abuse.
Aaron Hicks is required to wear a GPS monitoring device for the rest of his life. He said that the GPS ankle bracelet interferes with his daily life and instills a chronic sense of fear. Hicks noted that the device was not a part of his original sentence, but was mandated by his parole officer in light of a 2006 state statute. He reported he has to pay $240 a month for the device, indefinitely. West said that as of January 2018, Wisconsin was monitoring 1,258 people on GPS devices.
Carl Fields criticized crimeless revocation, which occurs when a formerly incarcerated person is brought back to detention for violating a rule of probation or parole — or simply being suspected of a violation. Fields said that when this happens, any stability the person has acquired after leaving prison, such as housing or employment, can be lost.
Alan Schultz said he struggled with substance abuse while incarcerated and that more supports are needed for people with drug dependencies and other mental health issues.
“We are locking up people because they suffer from a drug problem,” echoed Ouida Lock. She would like to see formerly incarcerated people hired to support individuals as they transition from prison back into the community. This concept of “peer support” was raised by several people throughout the evening. Multiple attendees also requested that the governor reinvigorate the pardons board. Gov. Scott Walker did not grant any pardons during his administration.
Lang asked people to raise their hand if they experienced difficulty finding housing or employment after leaving prison. Every hand in the room went up.
“I knew things were bad, but being able to put faces to the stories was even worse,” Lang said.
Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes were sworn into office on Jan. 7. Throughout their campaign, they touted their desire for criminal justice reform and called attention to the racial disparities in Wisconsin’s system.
According to data from the United States Department of Justice analyzed by the Sentencing Project, Wisconsin incarcerates African-American people at a rate of 10 times higher than their white counterparts.
Despite a national trend to decrease prison populations, at the end of 2017, Wisconsin was still incarcerating nearly as many people as it was in 2007, when the state prison population reached an all-time high, according to counts from the state Department of Corrections.
“It is so, so important that you be attentive to the voices of these men and these women that are in here, because these are the voices that are echoing the pain that the brothers and sisters who are behind bars are experiencing every day,” James said.


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Former Zilber exec plans to continue working to advance social justice | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
January 17, 2019
Susan Lloyd came from Chicago in 2008 to lead the Zilber Family Foundation. Last July, she stepped down from that position but continues to live and work in Milwaukee. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Editor’s note: This article is one of an occasional series profiling the 12finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs). Susan Lloyd is a finalist for the Northern Trust Navigator Award, which recognizes individual leadership.
Danell Cross remembers that she and Susan Lloyd, then executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation, exchanged a hug the first time they met in 2012.
“When Susan walked in, I knew she was some type of big shot but she made me feel really comfortable,” said Cross, an organizer and community leader in the Metcalfe Park neighborhood.
“And I thought she was really jazzy, the way she walked with confidence; she reminded me of my mother,” Cross said.
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While building their relationship as partners in the Building Neighborhood Capacity Program, a federal initiative to enhance resident leadership skills, Lloyd always listened to Cross and respected her capacity to understand the complexities of their work, Cross said, adding, “Not everyone in (Lloyd’s) position did that.”
Lloyd, who stepped down in July after a decade at the foundation’s helm, brought extensive community development experience to Milwaukee in 2008. That’s when the late philanthropist, Joseph Zilber, chose her to lead his family foundation and implement the $50 million Zilber Neighborhood Initiative in three underserved central city communities. That, together with her knowledge, skills and passion for improving racial equity, helped Lloyd place an indelible mark on the city and leave a roadmap for future philanthropic leaders, her colleagues said.
Susan Lloyd (in white coat) participates in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Innovations & Wellness Commons in Lindsay Heights in 2015. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Between 2008 and 2018, Lloyd led the Zilber Neighborhood Initiative in investing more than $50 million in the Lindsay Heights, Clarke Square and Layton Boulevard West neighborhoods. The foundation also leveraged more than $100 million from other funders to support the work of residents and neighborhood leaders in carrying out goals they established through a comprehensive community planning process.
Among her strengths as a grantmaker is Lloyd’s ability to build relationships, said Carmen Pitre, president and CEO of the Sojourner Family Peace Center. Lloyd continued Joe Zilber’s support of the center’s anti-domestic violence work and worked closely with Pitre for a decade, Pitre said.
According to Gina Stilp, who started her foundation career working for Lloyd at Zilber and succeeded her as executive director, Lloyd “has not only been a mentor to our staff but … takes time to mentor other leaders in Milwaukee.”
Lloyd always asked new Zilber hires, “‘What are you interested in? What are your professional goals? How can I help you get there?’” Stilp said.
Cross agreed that Lloyd is generous with her time and energy. The two shared countless meals during which Cross said she took notes because she always learned something.
Added Ellen Gilligan, executive director of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation,“Her collaborative approach and her leadership style with regard to advancing everyone’s learning and the capacity of the entire community will have long-lasting impact.”
When Lloyd was growing up, her father’s work took the family around the country, but they landed in the Chicago area. Upon graduating from North Central College in Naperville, a Chicago suburb, Lloyd taught high school English for a short time. Then she had an epiphany: “Even I can’t teach ‘Lord of the Flies’ six times a year for the rest of my life,” she said. She moved on to work in the nonprofit sector for a decade.
Lloyd earned her doctorate from Northwestern University. She conducted the first randomized study of the effects of abuse on women’s employment.
Before coming to Milwaukee, Lloyd led a project to transform Chicago’s public housing and the New Communities Program for the MacArthur Foundation. Like the Zilber Neighborhood Initiative, NCP invested $50 million in neighborhood revitalization. She brought her experience working in 14 Chicago neighborhoods to Milwaukee, where she implemented many of NCP’s strategies, including the use of a Quality of Life planning process and a deep commitment to resident leadership.
She also promoted an asset-based philosophy. “I think Susan has been influential in Milwaukee in building a community of supporters that looked at … the places we were working in as neighborhoods of opportunity instead of neighborhoods of distress,” Stilp said.
Lloyd’s love of books, study and knowledge are legendary in the local philanthropy and neighborhood development communities. Her staff teased the one-time English teacher about her writing standards and vast library at a recent party marking her departure from the foundation.
Stilp noted that Lloyd was instrumental in creating the Community Development Alliance, a partnership that includes representatives from banks, city government, philanthropy, nonprofits and health institutions. “It is rare to have such a large and varied number of partners coming together to address community issues in such a meaningful way,” Stilp said.
Connecting people is a particular talent of Lloyd’s, according to many who have worked with her.
“I think what Susan is best at [is] bringing together people who are doing the work, and stakeholders who need to understand the work that’s being done,” said Pitre.
For most of her 10 years at Zilber, Lloyd expected that she would return to Chicago after she left the foundation. However, when the time came to decide, she realized the city had taken hold of her affections.
She will stay and continue working to advance social justice through her consulting company and volunteer projects. She hopes to have a diverse portfolio of clients from Chicago and Milwaukee, and to do more writing and “delving deeply into something,” she said. Her adult son Nick also has made Milwaukee his home.
“When I thought about the relationships I have developed with people in Milwaukee, I realized how important they are to me,” she said.
Lloyd noted that she has joined the volunteer board of a new nonprofit, Working in Tandem, which will support chef Caitlin Cullen’s trauma-informed approach to employing local young people at the Tandem restaurant, 1848 W. Fond Du Lac Ave. Lloyd said that Working in Tandem aims to raise resources to pay the young peoples’ wages “for however long it takes to get the skill set they need to get employment.”
Pitre said that Lloyd is brilliant, but her intelligence doesn’t override her deep sense of humanity. “She’s always put what’s good for people before everything else.”

created: January 17, 2019

author: Andrea Waxman


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 16, 2019

author: Adam Carr


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Urban Candlelight Hike in Three Bridges Park returns on Saturday, February 23 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
January 17, 2019
Grab your friends and family and bundle up for an exciting winter adventure at the Urban Candlelight Hike! Hiking or snowshoeing on two miles of the candlelit Hank Aaron State Trail, roaring campfires, marshmallow roasting, fat tire bike demos, tea tasting, food trucks, hot chocolate, pastries, local door prizes, and a magical winter walk await. Continue the fun before AND after the hike at Third Space Brewing.
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Fun Pass is $10 in advance and includes one adult and all kids under 12 attending with the adult.
For more information and to save time by purchasing your Fun Pass in advance, visit UrbanCandlelightHike.com. Volunteers make this event possible AND get a Fun Pass, sign up to volunteer here.
This event is co-hosted by the Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail and Urban Ecology Center.

author: Urban Ecology Center


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UCH19-photo_gallery.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 17, 2019


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Summit aims to prevent youth from being exploited, trafficked | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
January 18, 2019
Fred Coleman taught a self-defense class to help girls escape dangerous situations. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
A 12-year-old girl with short, curly hair and a yellow graphic tee was pinned down by a grown man twice her size, unable to move.
She looked the man in the eye, carefully maneuvered and managed to throw him off of her, safely rolling away.
Nearby, a 17-year-old with a slicked back high ponytail and a bright pink hoodie leaned forward, watching intently.
The scene was not an actual attack, but rather a self-defense training session led by Fred Coleman of Studio 69. The session was part of the 3rd Annual Stay Out the Game 101 Youth Summit for Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness on Saturday at the North Side YMCA.
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Chandra Cooper, the founder and president of Grateful Girls, a nonprofit that provides services for young women who have been sex-trafficked, started the summit three years ago as a way to equip local youth with knowledge about sex trafficking so they can protect themselves and their peers. About 30 middle and high school age youth, girls and boys, attended the event.
“It’s cool because it actually gives teenagers and children an opportunity to learn how to defend themselves, how to stay safe, and how to keep themselves from being in dangerous situations,” said the girl in the pink hoodie. “It gives an opportunity for youth to open up to people and find new resources to go to and express what they’re going through.”
April Bentley, a human trafficking survivor and advocate, delivered the keynote speech. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
She said she came with other girls who she lives with in a group home. The high school junior moved into the group home after experiencing abuse growing up.
“I’m going through things in my life that aren’t always easy to open up and talk about,” she said. “Having different resources and trusting adults, I think that’s good and important.” The summit connected youth to organizations that provide support services.
In Wisconsin, human trafficking is defined as any situation “in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age.”
Dana World-Patterson, chair of the Human Trafficking Task Force of Greater Milwaukee, said that the term “human trafficking” doesn’t always resonate with youth who are at risk of being exploited.
“The street doesn’t use those terms,” she said. “But when we talk about it, they understand that someone taking advantage of you is not good, and when you don’t feel your best, that’s when people can do that.”
“When you’re vulnerable, it’s important to be very cognizant that that’s a time you can be manipulated,” said World-Patterson, who led a workshop at the summit to help attendees identify the signs of trafficking.
According to a report released in 2018 by the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission, 340 individuals ages 25 and under were confirmed or believed to be victims of sex trafficking in Milwaukee between Jan. 1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2016. Those numbers are most likely low because the data was limited to Milwaukee police reports, and sex trafficking is known to be an underreported crime.
The majority of trafficking victims reported were female, African-American and had previously interacted with MPD through an incident such as sexual assault, battery, domestic violence, child abuse, drug crimes or missing reports.
A follow-up report indicated that of those who had been trafficked and had previously been reported missing, a majority had been in an “out of home care” (OHC) placement such as a group home.
The report recommended offering prevention programs in schools similar to those offered to prevent drug use or bullying.
“Police officers get information, advocates get information, experts get information… and I was thinking, ‘Wow, we have all this information, we have a really cool toolbox, but what about the kids?’” Cooper said. She reached out to residential care facilities, group homes, youth-serving nonprofits, churches and schools to invite youth to the summit.
“I just hope that they take away vital information of knowing what human trafficking is,” she said. “We want to give them the tools that they need to identify the signs of trafficking, as well as what healthy relationships look like.”
In addition to the self-defense class, the summit included sessions on personal safety, anger management, positive relationships and safe dating. April Bentley, a sex trafficking survivor who now runs the nonprofit Rubies delivered the keynote speech. Bentley told her story of being manipulated into selling sex at the age of 14 after a childhood of neglect and abuse. She told the audience members that there are ways to find love and support, even when they might feel broken or desperate.
At the end of the day, Cooper asked attendees what they learned, and shouts came from all over the room.
“Stay in school!”
“Be careful around strangers!”
“Trust your instincts!”
“Stop running away!”
“Love yourself!”

created: January 18, 2019


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 17, 2019


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Honor Dr. King’s legacy by reducing tobacco use in low-income communities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Tachelle Huff, Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention & Poverty Network
January 21, 2019
Monday, January 21st is Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, a day to remember his dream of equality as well as the work that’s been done to make that dream a reality. Efforts are still needed in Wisconsin to fulfill Dr. King’s dream, particularly around the issue of health inequities linked to tobacco use.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recently announced an all-time low smoking rate for the state of 16%. Compared to that overall number, 28% of Wisconsin African Americans smoke, while 29% of those with an annual income of less than $25,000 smoke.
It’s no coincidence that these populations smoke at higher rates than the state average. When you take a walk around minority and lower-income communities in Milwaukee, tobacco advertisements featuring people of color and menthol products, which are more dangerous and addictive, are everywhere. It’s all part of a deliberate and targeted advertising campaign that increases the burden of tobacco use in my neighborhood and attracts the next generation of smokers. The kids.
African-Americans and individuals with low income or education aren’t the only groups disproportionately affected by tobacco. People with mental illness and the LGBTQ community are two other groups that smoke at much higher rates than the general population.
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The Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention & Poverty Network is working to decrease tobacco related disparities in our community by connecting adults with quit smoking resources and involving youth and adults in local tobacco prevention and control activities. The Network is also working to increase public awareness on the connection between higher Tobacco Retailer Density (number of stores that sell tobacco in a certain area) and higher rates of smoking and youth exposure to tobacco. To learn more about or join our efforts to reduce tobacco use and support Dr. King’s vision of equality among all, please contact us via our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WiTPPN/.
Sincerely,
Tachelle Huff
Co-Chair of the WTPPN Tobacco Retailer Density Subcommittee

created: January 21, 2019


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Lloyd Street School teacher uses ‘mirror messages’ to combat bullying | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
January 21, 2019
Tiffany Miller writes a new message every morning. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Twelve-year-old Jerri Dawson said she’s used to being bullied. While middle school students are known for being mean to each other, Jerri said the bullying took a turn for the worse during the weeks leading up to winter break.
Mean-spirited and negative messages directed at individual students began appearing in the girls’ bathroom at Lloyd Street School, one of four Milwaukee College Prep campuses, at 1228 W. Lloyd St. Jerri said she had never experienced bullying like this, and she wasn’t the only one.
“It was kind of a shock to me,” said seventh-grader Eliana Cook, one of the victims of the incident. Before this, Eliana said she had never been bullied before.
Teachers scrubbed the graffiti off and monitored the bathroom to determine when the messages appeared. Bama Grice, a sixth-grade teacher, said students reported the messages right away, but it was impossible to determine who wrote them.
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“I felt that it changed some of our scholars’ demeanors first thing in the morning,” Grice said.
Eleven-year-old Amani Berry was disheartened to see the bathroom stalls covered in negative messages. She said MCP is a family, and it isn’t right for students to treat each other that way. Although the culprits were never identified, less than two weeks after the graffiti began, it stopped.
Soon after, inspirational messages began appearing on the bathroom mirror, courtesy of Tiffany Miller, a special education teacher at Lloyd. The messages encourage the girls to acknowledge their beauty, embrace their “inner queen” and “ Let your spirit SHINE.” They inspire a good attitude, said sixth-grader Zaniaya Cunningham. Students began requesting to go to the bathroom just so they could see them, added Grice.
Sixth-graders (from left) Zaniaya Cunningham, Amani Berry and Alisa Flowers read the new message on the mirror, which says “More than meets the eye. Let your spirit SHINE.” (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Miller explained that even though the graffiti had stopped, its negative impact lingered. The graffiti distracted the students, and they struggled to focus on their schoolwork, she said. The idea to write a positive message on the mirror just came to her one day and she hasn’t stopped writing them since.
“I got tired of seeing the vandalism,” she said. “I just wanted to change what was happening in that space.”
The impact was instant, said Principal Mark Ketterhagen, who’s been in the position for five years. Miller’s messages on the mirror changed students’ perceptions and made them think more critically about their words and actions.
Often students don’t think about how their actions will affect others, as evidenced by the initial messages, Ketterhagen said. The graffiti called out specific students and sometimes they would retaliate with a response of their own. When the negative graffiti first appeared, Ketterhagen was dismayed.
“It’s always frustrating when our students make choices that make another student feel bad,” he said.
Middle School Dean Tim Trzcinko addressed the seventh-grade girls during a “restorative circle,” a process the school uses to address challenges. During the circle, the girls connected with female faculty members and discussed self-love.
Teachers also focused on supporting the students whose names appeared on the stalls. In line with MCP’s mission to help develop character, they discussed the bullying during classes and encouraged students to engage in the conversation, Ketterhagen explained.
Alisa Flowers, a sixth-grader, said she looks forward to the messages on the mirror every day. “Every time I see the message I need to set a goal for the day,” she said. Sometimes her goal is to focus extra hard on her schoolwork and other times it is to do what her parents ask.
Amani said the messages have inspired her to spread positivity. They encourage her to love herself when she’s feeling sad. When a student starts acting up, Grice has her read the message in the bathroom.
Students such as Eliana and Jerri have noticed a decrease in the amount of bullying.
Miller plans to continue writing messages every day. Her actions have encouraged teachers at other institutions and friends with daughters to do the same, she said. She’s also looking for a way to expand her messages to the boys’ bathroom.
“Everybody should see positive messages,” Miller said.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 20, 2019

created: January 20, 2019


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United Way announces Vincent Lyles as the 2018 Linda McFerrin Award for African American Non-Profit Leadership Recipient | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
January 21, 2019
Vincent Lyles, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs, poses with Xzavier Ledesma (left) and Lamarr Hughlett (right). (Alexandria Bursiek)
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is proud to announce Vincent Lyles as the first recipient of the Linda McFerrin Award for African American Non-Profit Leadership.
The Linda McFerrin Award for African American Non-Profit Leadership was established by United Way’s Board Chairman, Cory Nettles of Generation Growth Capital, Inc. and his wife Michelle Nettles, Chief People and Diversity Officer of Molson Coors Brewing Company, in recognition of Linda McFerrin, retired Vice President of Resource Development, and her 42 years of leadership and service to United Way.
Vincent Lyles was the president & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee for seven years and is known in the community as a strong advocate working to advance issues that help support youth in Milwaukee.
“I am so pleased that Vincent Lyles was selected to receive the inaugural Linda McFerrin Award. Vincent has been among the strongest nonprofit leaders in our community.  He did a great job scaling the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee’s impact in our community,” said Nettles. “Vincent embodies strong non-profit leadership and is an outstanding role model in the African American community. He is the perfect recipient and embodies the essence of what this award means.”
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The recipient of this annual award will be chosen by United Way’s Diversity Leadership Society and a $5,000 grant will be made by United Way to the organization they represent. The winner will be announced each year on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
United Way Blog Voice United: Three things I’ve learned about leadership by Vincent Lyles


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 21, 2019


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6th District Difference Makers honored for community betterment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
January 22, 2019
A neighborhood block club, residents and a church were honored during last week’s 6th District town hall meeting (held Thursday, January 17th) by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs for making the district a great place in which to live, and each was presented with a 2018 Dr. James G. White 6th District Difference Makers Award.
Alderwoman Coggs, who presented the awards during the meeting (held at Bader Philanthropies, Inc., 3300 N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.), said selfless and dedicated work to better the district, neighborhoods and the community is truly worthy of recognition and thanks. “The award winners have each been working diligently to make our neighborhood and our community better, and that is the epitome of the spirit and mindset of Dr. James G. White, for whom the award is named,” she said.
Honored January 17th as 2018 Dr. James G. White 6th District Difference Makers Award winners were:
Alderwoman Coggs established the Dr. James G. White 6th District Difference Makers Awards to recognize those residents and organizations that work diligently to improve and strengthen the quality of life for themselves, their neighborhood and the City of Milwaukee. Dr. White was a resident of the 6th District who served as a County Supervisor and the Regional Vice President of WestCare Wisconsin Harambee Community Center, facilitating countless neighborhood projects and programs. He used his gifts, talents and knowledge to improve and empower his community.
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created: January 22, 2019


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First-ever COP houses to come to Milwaukee, amid controversy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jenny Fischer
January 22, 2019
The city owns multiple houses on 5th Street in Harambee, a neighborhood set to get a COP house. (Photo by Jenny Fischer)
When Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales was sworn in last February, he announced that he would refocus the department on community-oriented policing to rebuild the tattered relationship between community members and the police department. The newest addition to Milwaukee’s model includes creating COP houses, a home base for community-oriented policing.
The COP housing initiative was among the amendments added and approved when the Milwaukee Common Council met to finalize the 2019 city budget on Nov. 28.
In a 10-5 vote, the council overrode Mayor Tom Barrett’s veto of a measure to reallocate $375,000 from MPD to create four COP houses. The intent is that city-owned houses in Milwaukee Promise Zones will be refurbished and operated in partnership with MPD and nonprofit organizations. Partner organizations include Safe & Sound, which works to create safer neighborhoods in five of Milwaukee’s seven police districts.
Milwaukee’s Promise Zone program was rolled out by Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton in 2017 to address systemic poverty, joblessness, poor health, crime and low educational achievement in city neighborhoods — including Greater Old North, Near South Side, North Division/Harambee and Washington Park.
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The COP houses are “one small way to try to change conditions in our city in very specific neighborhoods,” said Ald. Milele Coggs, who sponsored the amendment. “I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, the Milwaukee Police Department and our partner organizations as we establish these first-ever Milwaukee COP houses.”
Ald. Tony Zielinski, a longstanding proponent of COP houses who is running for mayor, voted against the override.
City-owned properties can require major renovations before they are suitable to function as COP houses. (Photo by Jenny Fischer)
“They can call it a COP house, but it’s not a COP house,” Zielinski said. “How can you have a COP house without cops?”
The approved amendment does not provide for police officers to be permanently staged in the COP houses. Instead, COP houses would function as a resource centers, with police stopping in from time to time.
In a news release, Hamilton said that officers can use these houses to take a break while on patrol and they can be used as a hub for community members to access when services are needed.
Zielinski first introduced a COP housing initiative to the Common Council in September 2017. The houses were intended to act as permanent home bases for designated COP officers during the workday. The goal was to increase police presence by embedding officers into a community, to create more streamlined communications between the department and citizens and, ultimately, to reduce crime in that area.
“A COP house accomplishes two things,” Zielinski said. “Number one, it helps reduce crime in the targeted area. The second thing that it does is it significantly improves community and police relations. The police take the time to go out, talk to people in the neighborhood and get to know them.”
Milwaukee resident Ray Hill is in favor of the concept. “I personally think that having actual structures, removing vacant and blighted houses, and adding officers and law enforcement in the community is great instead of policing from cars or designated districts.” Hill, former director of the Historic King Drive Business Improvement District, worked in Harambee.
Claudia Pizano, the neighborhood safety coordinator at Safe & Sound in District 5, said community members in Harambee had better relations with police in the past.
“They always refer to it as the ‘back then,’” Pizano said. “Back then they knew the police officer that patrolled their neighborhood, or back then police officers would give out basketball cards and baseball cards. It’s those positive encounters that people really appreciated and just seeing police officers in the area made them feel safe.”
The proposed COP houses may be the first in Milwaukee, but they aren’t the first in Wisconsin. Twenty-five miles south in Racine, COP houses have been functioning for 25 years.
Then-Racine Police Chief Richard Polzin introduced the model to buy six vacant homes in high-crime areas and rehab the houses to become a base from which officers perform their daily routines.
Aggravated assaults dropped in a particular Racine neighborhood by 94 percent just four years after a COP house was established, according to the City of Racine website.
“We need to significantly improve community-police relations, and this is a model that can be used to go about accomplishing that goal,” Zielinski said.
“But if you don’t have police officers that are dedicated to that house, to spend that kind of time with people at a grassroots level in a neighborhood, you’re not going to be able to fulfill and accomplish the goals of a COP house.”

author: Jenny Fischer


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NNS reporter Ana Martinez-Ortiz goes live on WGLB 1560AM | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
January 22, 2019
Ma’ruf volunteers are excited that the center will provide a safe and productive place for children after school. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
NNS reporter Ana Martinez-Ortiz recently sat down with Dennis Walton and Saryea Murchison, hosts of WGLB 1560AM’s Morning Mix to talk about her story on a new youth center at 2110 W. Hampton Ave. Ma’ruf, a Muslim nonprofit organization, founded the center, which opened in December.
During the conversation, Walton and Murchison remarked that they’re looking forward to having a place where the neighborhood’s children can go after school to receiving tutoring, mentorship and more.
The Morning Mix airs Mondays and Fridays starting at 8 a.m.
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author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 22, 2019


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Track 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 22, 2019
“Track 1” from Untitled – 01-18-19. Track 1.


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On the Block: No respect | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
January 22, 2019
Like many others, Javier Miguel DeHoyos, 14, a freshman at Pius XI Catholic High School in Milwaukee, saw the video on Facebook of high school students from a Kentucky Catholic school mocking and attempting to intimidate a Native American Vietnam War veteran. DeHoyos, who is Native American, said the actions by the teens in the video left him sad and disappointed, and that his school teaches students to be kind to one another.

author: Edgar Mendez


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Conversation on youth justice reform — Jan. 24 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services
January 23, 2019
Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services invites the community to be part of a conversation on youth justice reform, Thursday, January 24 from 6-8 p.m. at St. Peter-Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, located at 7801 W. Acacia St, Milwaukee.
Milwaukee County is planning a new secure care center for youth who have committed less-severe offenses. One possible location for this center is Milwaukee’s Northwest side in the Havenwoods neighborhood. As part of this planning process, Milwaukee County wants to talk with community members about its hopes for the new center to feature healing-focused treatment, restorative justice programming and reintegration of these youth back into our communities and workforces.
Join the conversation!
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created: January 23, 2019


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 23, 2019