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Safe Zones initiative demonstrates success, calls for more support | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
January 16, 2017
Anita Aydin (left) and Shawn Hudson (center) talk with Shawn Moore on N. 25th Street. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Around dusk on a Thursday night in early August, a group of about 30 black men parade down the 4300 block of N. 25th Street in Garden Homes.
The goal of the group, comprised of Safe Zones ambassadors, members of Muhammad Mosque #3 — some in suit-and-tie and others sporting orange t-shirts emblazoned with the words “Milwaukee Peacemakers” — and employees of the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention (OVP), is to intervene in a dispute between neighbors. The situation, a territorial dispute between longtime residents and a family that recently moved into the neighborhood, had been growing slowly until it came to a head the night before when the back window of a maroon SUV was shattered by a gunshot, which ambassadors said was clearly a warning.
The men, accompanied by Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton, eventually gathered in front of one of the homes; Shawn Moore, a co-founder of the Safe Zones initiative, went to speak with the other party.
Monica Hunter, grandmother of the five boys whose family recently moved in, said when the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) was notified that their neighbor pulled out a gun days before, officers recommended that her daughter get a restraining order. Though police were on the scene immediately after the shooting the night before, Hunter said she didn’t feel any safer. This night was different.
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“It makes me feel someone cares about me, my grandkids, my family,” she said of the attempt at mediation. “We need people like that.”
Moore said solutions such as this should happen more. “It’s a sad reality that people look at this as being something that’s unusual,” he said. “This is how I was raised — this is what the Safe Zones is about. It’s returning to that culture, to that essence of family.”
There will always be disagreements, conflicts and frustrating situations, according to Safe Zones co-founder Khalil Coleman. But he said the display that August night, and the many other mediations ambassadors engage in daily, establish the ability to talk through differences, and avert violence.
Hamilton said he was there to see ambassadors in action, and was impressed by what he saw. He called Safe Zones “an investment” and said he believes people can be inspired to take ownership of their communities, and help to make their neighborhood safer, without having to rely on the police.
“I think that this is a demonstration of what is needed to de-escalate the type of interpersonal violence we’ve seen in the neighborhoods,” said OVP employee David Muhammad. “When community members … refuse to accept this as the norm, then we can work with people. No one wants to live in a violent, unsafe neighborhood.”
Ambassadors stop at the intersection of N. 27th Street and W. Burleigh Street during a patrol. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Earlier the same day in Garden Homes, Moore and a group of ambassadors strike up a conversation with a group of women on 25th Street who have lived in the neighborhood for years. They talk about the local corner store, undesirable adult activity at nearby Garden Homes Park and how police officers are largely inaccessible to them when they really need help.
Toni Eskridge has lived in the neighborhood for about 15 years, at three different houses on the same block. Eskridge recalled a recent instance when two women — a neighbor and someone she didn’t know — got in a fight in front of her home. Her neighbor was being beaten, so she called the police. After waiting for a bit, she called back. According to Eskridge, it took about 45 minutes for a squad car to arrive.
“They just, like, rolled past her when they did come,” said Eskridge. “She could’ve been dead.”
Raquel Russell, 43, a Franklin Heights resident for more than 25 years, stands near a tree adorned with flowers, ribbons, teddy bears and pictures of her son Javontae Buford, 23, who was shot and killed in November 2015. Other young men, friends of Buford who Russell refers to as her children, mill about on the 2400 block of West Auer Avenue.
Russell lights up as a team of five or six Safe Zones ambassadors approach her. She uses words like “hope,” “support” and “love” to describe their relationship.
“First of all, we embrace — we always hug — then, they say … ‘What do you need? You need anything?’” said Russell.
But the conversation quickly turns. The street is alive with activity. Idling cars, bits of litter along the curb and young men, some with drinks, line the street. The mood appears cheerful.
“They come here to get together because of him (Buford), get together because this is their neighborhood,” she said.
Russell said that MPD officers regularly harass the young men and “keep jumping out on them looking for guns.” Russell said many of the officers and young men know each other’s names because the men have been stopped repeatedly. She said she’s even seen officers climb into one of these young men’s cars while it was parked. She noted that if neighbors or police feel like anyone is doing something wrong they should talk to her, adding that she and her sisters regularly clean up around the memorial and, “I’m not okay with my kids being disrespectful or out of line.”
“Don’t try to keep acting like our kids are a problem and keep bothering them and harassing them. I’m not saying they’re perfect … if they’re disrespecting any of these people, it should be addressed and they should cut down on what they’re doing to disrespect them or bother them,” said Russell. “But I don’t think the law should continuously jump out on these kids … and do the things that they do to them — I just don’t agree with that.”
She said police officers need to “stop being so judgmental” and that there needs to be a better relationship between the area’s residents and those who enforce the law.
“We’re stereotyped — bottom line,” said Russell, who is black. “They’re looking for crack and guns in our community.”
A 40-year-old resident of Garden Homes who identified himself as “Preacher” said there needs to be a balance between enforcing the law and helping youth who may be part of the trouble find a more positive direction. But that balance, he added, doesn’t exist.
“All [the police] want to do is they want to lock them up,” he said. “If they can’t lock them up, they don’t care.”
Raquel Russell stands by the memorial for her son who was shot and killed in November 2015. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
The Milwaukee Police Department declined to comment for this story.
“If we want a new way of relating, in terms of community-police relations, then [officers] have to know that everyone wants the same thing that their families and their children want in their communities,” said Muhammad. “When we start on that footing, then people are treated with the dignity that everyone desires.”
Safe Zones ambassador Terry O’Kelly, who is in his second year working with the initiative, said, “I think every neighborhood, especially in the inner city of Milwaukee, needs a safe zone. You know, just to have a group of selected people patrolling their communities and being proactive before the cops come.”
Eskridge has filled that role, stepping onto her front porch and telling the two women to stop fighting after police did not immediately respond to her call. “I had to say something,” she said. “I figured if [she] thought somebody was watching, [she] would stop, and that’s what she did.”
Russell is excited about the work Safe Zones is doing. She noted that though she loves her neighborhood it could be a little “better-kept,” which, she adds, might change the perception. Still, Russell urged police, and others, to look a little deeper.
“[Just] because it looks a certain way doesn’t mean it is a certain way,” she said.
Since Safe Zones began in the summer of 2015, resources have been scarce. In 2015, Safe Zones received $50,000 in Community Block Grant funds to employ neighborhood ambassadors to de-escalate and prevent potential violence in Garden Homes. The group initially sought $300,000 to work in four neighborhoods.
Last year, Safe Zones received $75,000 from the City of Milwaukee, with an additional $37,500 coming from Milwaukee County, to expand operations to Franklin Heights. The 2017 city budget includes another $75,000. MPD, whose 2016 budget was 45 percent of the city’s total budget, will receive $23 million more in 2017 than it did last year. According to Coleman, Safe Zones would be able to operate fully staffed zones in 20 neighborhoods for $5 million.
Hamilton, the alderman who has sponsored the initiative, did not respond to requests for comment regarding funding.
The initiative, which emerged from demonstrations supporting Dontre Hamilton after his death in 2014 at the hands of a Milwaukee police officer, is largely based on the Cure Violence model, which views violence as a public health issue. Earlier this year, representatives from Cure Violence gave a presentation in Milwaukee on the model and contributed to the weeklong training ambassadors received.
A September 2016 report by Cure Violence, which was consistent with multiple independent evaluations, showed that funding cuts to the CeaseFire program are correlated with substantial increases in violence. The Cure Violence model is known as CeaseFire in Chicago. August 2016, Chicago’s deadliest month in almost 20 years, came only 16 months after CeaseFire funding was suspended by the State of Illinois in March 2015, after which staffing levels dropped dramatically. The report estimated a citywide implementation of CeaseFire could save more than $2 billion that is spent on the aftermath of untreated violence.
“When we look at it long term, it gives the neighborhood stability,” said Coleman of the Safe Zones initiative. “We’re talking about employing a community that has had a lack of opportunities to get involved in making a difference in their neighborhood.”
The model, similar to Cure Violence, is to employ people who may have a record, or who have been affected by violence, and are from the neighborhood where they work. Because of the limited funds, however, Safe Zones has only operated for nine of the last 19 months.
The bright yellow shirts ambassadors wear while on the clock make them visible, and the fondness of neighbors toward them is clear. As the group patrols on a night in early September, ambassadors receive hellos, handshakes, hugs and even the occasional honk of a car horn.
“We’ve just been bonding with the neighborhood and bonding as a team. This job is about building relationships, and that’s what we do,” said Terrence Holmes, an ambassador in Franklin Heights.
Holmes, 37, is respected among the group, which includes two 18-year-olds. Experienced as a cement finisher, Holmes is studying masonry. Despite not knowing how long Safe Zones will operate, he chooses to work as an ambassador.
The ambassadors all say they love their jobs. And, for most, it’s personal in some way. Some have lost friends and family to violence. Others were once part of the problem and have found a different direction.
According to Coleman, the consistency of being there every day and building relationships gives residents, and ambassadors, hope and a sense of belonging.
Summone Staples, 18, is one of the youngest ambassadors. After her mother passed, she developed a short temper and would start fights regularly. Staples said she wanted to change but didn’t have an outlet. Then, at the beginning of the summer, her brother told her about Safe Zones and handed her an application.
“When I went through training, it just taught me … how to help people, and how hurt people hurt people. And I was thinking about myself — I was hurt and I was hurting people,” said Staples. “It changed me, so I know that we can change other people.”
She added, “I learned that there’s other ways to solve a conflict.”
According to data from the city Office of Management Analysis and Planning, between April and September, homicides in Garden Homes and Franklin Heights dropped 66 percent from 2015 to 2016, with none reported while ambassadors were on the street. Non-fatal shootings were down 40 percent, from 20 to 12, over that same period.
From mid-July through the end of August, ambassadors documented more than 430 interactions with individuals, 16 conflicts that were interrupted and 10 successful mediations.
“We all should get together, as older adults [and] stick with them,” said Roosevelt Hicks, co-owner of Cat’s Blues Club, 3363 N. 27th St. “They’re out here walking the streets, taking a big risk. Why can’t we take a risk of supporting them, and trying to back them?”
Coleman said millions of dollars go into “the aftermath of violence” and noted that it is preferable to save a life than to “clean up the mess after life is taken.”
“If it’s cheaper to save a life, then why not save the life?” he asked. “At what point do we talk about community restoration, compared to community corrections?”
Holmes said he wants to see more teams of ambassadors, and believes the community would welcome that, as well. People ask constantly how they can get involved, he said. Coleman noted they have “a stack of applications.”
“We want to be able to show that this works. And, in order for this to work the way that it really needs to work, it needs to be more than just a three-month initiative,” said Coleman. “One of the things that we don’t want to do is leave the community with empty promises.”
He added, “Let’s try something we haven’t tried, and let’s try it in a big way. What do we have to lose?”

author: Jabril Faraj


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 16, 2017

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: January 16, 2017

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

author: Adam Carr


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On the Block: Pushing back | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
January 17, 2017
Francisco Urbina, a history, writing and literature instructor at MATC, emigrated from Mexico as a child with his parents. Immigration rights are enshrined in the nation’s founding documents, he said, and he is revamping his courses to require his students to read them.

created: January 17, 2017

author: Andrea Waxman


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SHARP Literacy announces new learning programs for 2017 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
SHARP Literacy
January 17, 2017
SHARP Literacy, Inc. announced details of two new programs: an after school program in partnership with Silver Spring Neighborhood Center that will serve students from Browning School and Thurston Woods Elementary School; and an intergenerational “Read to Me” program in partnership with the Jewish Home and Care Center, Sarah Chudnow Community, and Chai Point Senior Living. SHARP’s “Read to Me” program includes the participation of students from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School and Victory School for the Gifted and Talented. The after-school and Read to Me programs will begin in January and February, respectively.
Educators from SHARP Literacy and Silver Spring Neighborhood Center will lead the after school program for third through fifth grade students. Based on SHARP’s 12 We Love to Learn book, There Grows the Neighborhood: Agriculture in the City, the curriculum focuses on the urban agriculture movement in America. In addition to classroom and after school instruction, SHARP’s foundational literacy program includes education tours in partnership with area museums and learning sites, as well as a Summer Learning Gain Initiative, an eight-week summer program designed to bridge the learning gap of summer. SHARP Literacy provides year-round learning opportunities, according to Lynda Kohler, president and CEO of the nonprofit organization. “Our after school program in partnership with Silver Spring Neighborhood House enhances the year-round learning continuum we’ve established. With our combined educational programs and initiatives – inside and outside of the classroom – we’re providing opportunities for students to stay interested and engaged in learning from September through August.”
The “Read to Me” intergenerational program, sponsored by the Gene & Ruth Posner Foundation, combines reading and learning in a new outside-the-classroom experience for students participating in the SHARP Literacy program. “Read to Me” focuses on pairing seniors and students together in a meaningful way that benefits both groups. Children will have the opportunity to interact with residents in a program that includes community-building art projects and one-on-one reading time. Residents of the senior living centers will spend time creating and learning along with young students in an environment that fosters caring and communication. Following the school year, an intergenerational program will be incorporated into SHARP Literacy’s Summer Learning Gain Initiative at Silver Spring Neighborhood Center.
SHARP Literacy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Milwaukee nonprofit educational program whose mission is to enhance future life success by energizing urban children, motivating them to identify themselves as confident, capable scholars and lifelong learners by inspiring engagement in reading, writing and research through hands-on interaction and visual arts. The primary goal of SHARP Literacy is to provide elementary school students with an imaginative learning experience that builds confidence, self-esteem, and a greater awareness of the world. This year SHARP Literacy, Inc. will impart foundational literacy skills to nearly 8,000 elementary school students in 36 of Milwaukee’s most at-risk schools.  For more information, visit www.sharpliteracy.org.
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author: SHARP Literacy


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How to reduce your debt | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lisa Schiller, Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin
January 18, 2017
Are you starting the new year with a mountain of debt? You’re not alone. Many people face a financial crisis at some time in their lives. Whether the crisis is caused by personal or family illness, the loss of a job, or overspending, it can seem overwhelming, but often you can overcome it. Your financial situation doesn’t have to go from bad to worse. Make this year a year to reduce your debt!
If you or someone you know is in debt, the  (BBB) offers the following five tips to help you get started:
To get started with budgeting and debt reduction, check out this  from the Federal Trade Commission.  company for advice or to help create a plan for repaying your creditors.
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created: January 18, 2017


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 18, 2017


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Martin Luther King Library celebrates MLK Day | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
January 18, 2017
This year’s Martin Luther King Day celebration at the Martin Luther King branch of Milwaukee Public Library featured art and craft activities, health screenings, an interactive historical timeline, music and dance performances, a trivia contest, personal stories by Ex Fabula Fellows, refreshments and a visit from the mayor.
Nearly 1,000 people of diverse backgrounds and ages came to the library to honor the memory and the legacy of the civil rights icon, who was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
The King Library, 310 W. Locust St., which has hosted events on Martin Luther King Day since 2008, features an African-American collection including current and historical works of fiction and non-fiction reflecting African-American life and culture. It also houses a Milwaukee Leaders collection, which honors people chosen by members of the community as exemplifying strong role models for their own and for future generations, according to its website.
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Milwaukee Academy of Science senior wins full scholarship to Northwestern | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
January 18, 2017
David Washington studies in the guidance counselor’s office. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
One day last semester, high school senior David Washington left his calculus class late and his father, who was waiting outside, was concerned that he was having trouble with the subject matter. David explained that he had stayed behind because he was enjoying doing the math.
“That’s David,” said David Washington Sr. when asked to describe his eldest son.
The younger Washington, who transferred from Golda Meir School to Milwaukee Academy of Science in eighth grade, has always been a strong student. In middle school, he took high school algebra. In high school, he completed all of the math classes MAS offered by the end of his sophomore year. After that, the school arranged and paid for him to take calculus and, now, differential equations at Marquette University.
Washington applied to 10 colleges and was recently admitted to his first choice, Northwestern University, in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. He was awarded a four-year scholarship for tuition, room and board. This is the first time an MAS student has won a four-year scholarship to Northwestern, according to high school guidance counselor Lisa Youngvorst.
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“At Northwestern, the students believe in the ability to pursue many passions. Many people pursue two, or even three, majors. … I hope to double major in … computer science and creative writing, two very different topics,” Washington said.
An avid reader, he is writing a science fiction novel about “a character who has powers from God and the devil,” he added.
Washington likes to stay fit by working out in the school gym. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
David was the first MAS student to take classes at Marquette, according to Youngvorst. David’s younger brother Joshua, an MAS junior, also started taking calculus at Marquette this year. In addition, David and Joshua study Latin, which is not offered at MAS, online.
“The two brothers are a pair and some people think they are twins,” said Youngvorst. She added, “David is very reserved but he has come out of his shell a lot since freshman year.”
When David and Joshua were younger, their father, a Rufus King High School graduate who studied pre-engineering at UW-Madison for two years, taught himself the computer programming language Python so that he could teach it to them. From that time on, Washington Sr. said, the boys have pursued computer programming on their own.
Last year, they worked as paid programming interns at Direct Supply, a company that provides equipment, technology and service solutions to senior living communities. The company normally only takes college students as interns. This year, David works at a Pick ‘n Save store after school and on weekends.
Anthony McHenry, principal at MAS, described David as “a high-character kid. He not only doesn’t present any challenges to the learning culture, he influences it in a positive way.” Citing his high level of math achievement, McHenry added, “David has challenged the school in a positive way as well.”
“There are just 29 seniors at MAS this year and they are a close-knit group,” noted Youngvorst, adding, “David pushes his friends to do their best.”
David Sr. and Erika Washington, who have seven children ages 3 to 20, said they chose MAS for several reasons. “The school was based on math and science and a lot of black kids don’t get good math and science educations, so they don’t get high-paying jobs later in life,” said Washington Sr., who works as the quality manager at Milwaukee Plating Company.
Citing the opportunity to study calculus at Marquette, Washington Sr. said he and his wife have been satisfied with their children’s academic experience at MAS so far. “(David and Joshua) participate in robotics and Upward Bound, and Joshua was doing tutoring at Neighborhood House,” he added.
With their eldest, a daughter, studying at UW-Platteville and their youngest not yet in school, Erika Washington, a Mississippi native who now manages a Walgreens store, wanted the five children in between to attend the same school, she said. When the children started at MAS, the family lived nearby in the Concordia neighborhood, though they have since moved to Dineen Park.
MAS, a public charter school authorized by the city, is required to take any student who applies. It is a college prep high school where all of the seniors graduated last year and all but one graduated in 2015, according to Youngvorst. Asserting that it has higher standards than Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), she explained that MPS requires three science classes while MAS requires six. MPS requires three math credits; MAS requires four. “We want students to be successful (and continue to progress after high school) and we support those who choose a trade, technical school or the military,” Youngvorst added.
Most of the students at the K-12 school come from low-income households. The enrollment in the high school is 194 students, 98 male and 96 female. Nearly all students identify as black/African-American.
To prepare its high school students to apply to institutions of higher learning, MAS has them complete interest inventories and explore careers early on. It hosts speakers and college representatives, holds career fairs and helps them research schools based on location, size and courses of study. Youngvorst said the school takes students to visit Wisconsin colleges and universities, and this year it took interested students on a college tour to Washington D.C., stopping at several schools along the way. Youngvorst encourages students to take the ACT prep class and works with them on applications, she said.
According to the website, the school offers a wide array of science classes including anatomy & physiology, zoology, vertebrate zoology, technological inquiry, engineering and advanced placement biology and environmental science.
Last year, 25 percent of the graduating class won full scholarships to UWM and other colleges and universities. One student was awarded a full scholarship to UW-Madison.
“My parents are always pushing me,” said David. “My dad always says he wants me to surpass him and try hard at everything I do.”


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Red Cross critically needs donors after winter weather adds to severe blood shortage | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
American Red Cross
January 18, 2017
Following several rounds of severe winter weather in many parts of the country, the American Red Cross urges eligible blood and platelet donors to help restock its shelves to overcome a shortage.
Since Dec. 1, about 300 blood drives across 27 states have been forced to cancel due to inclement winter weather, resulting in more than 10,500 blood and platelet donations going uncollected. Since the beginning of the year, snow and icy roads forced 4 blood drives to cancel in the Badger Hawkeye Blood Services Region, causing about 84 donations to go uncollected. Despite the weather, hospital patients still rely on transfusions.
Blood donor Jim Taylor knows how it feels to have a loved one waiting for a transfusion. His son Aaron was born with a rare liver condition. In the short two months of his life, he received 115 blood products. Taylor said each transfusion gave his family more time with Aaron, so he encourages others to give.
“When the Red Cross says there is a shortage, they are not exaggerating,” said Taylor. “I now know from experience that what they are saying is somewhere there is a father waiting on the donation that will save his son’s life. When the Red Cross asks for help, what that means is a new dad is praying for a miracle.”
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To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass to save time when donating.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
Milwaukee
Cudahy
2/15/2017: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Prime Financial Credit Union, 5656 S Packard Ave
Greenfield
1/23/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Southwest YMCA, 11311 W Howard Ave
Milwaukee
1/24/2017: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ronald Reagan High School, 4965 S 20th St
1/25/2017: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Schlitz Park Office Building, 1555 N River Center Dr
1/27/2017: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Marquette Gymnasium, 1508 W. Clybourn Street
2/15/2017: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Cardinal Stritch – Bonaventure Hall, 6801 N Yates Rd
2/6/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lutheran Chapel of the Cross, 3353 S. Whitnall
West Allis
2/7/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Nathan Hale High School, 11601 W Lincoln Ave

author: American Red Cross


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County supervisor holds community information session on Washington Park Jan. 20 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
County Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson
January 18, 2017
Milwaukee County Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson will hold a town hall meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 20 at the Washington Park Senior Center, 4420 W. Vliet St. to allow Washington Park residents to learn and discuss proposed upgrades to Washington Park. Members of the Milwaukee County Parks Department will be in attendance to discuss and answer questions about the proposal.
“I invite all residents of the 5th District to join me in discussing the proposed upgrades to Washington Park,” said Nicholson, vice-chair of the Parks, Energy, and Environment Committee. This is a great opportunity for all of us to learn more about the proposal and for our neighbors to be heard on this issue.
“Washington Park is a beautiful community treasure. It is important we come together and take proactive steps to properly maintain the park, so we can enjoy it for years to come.”
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author: County Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson


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Nominees sought for volunteer awards | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
January 19, 2017
The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee announces the deadline to recognize the area’s most dedicated volunteers through the 35th Annual Inspire by Example Awards.
Nominations are now being accepted. The six categories are individual awards for a youth, adult, and team of volunteers; a Business Excellence Award to a local firm for exceptional efforts in supporting employee volunteerism; a Wile Volunteer Management Award to a professional volunteer manager, and the Fran Swigart Board Leadership Award to an outstanding nonprofit board director.
Award winners designate a $500 gift to the agency they support through their volunteer efforts. Winners will be honored at the Volunteer Celebration luncheon April 19th to kick off National Volunteer Week.
“Each year these awards showcase outstanding volunteers who help our community in countless ways,” said Corporate and Events Manager Debbie Knepke. “It is not only about those who put in untold time and energy, but also about the unique and innovative contributions of short-term project volunteers and others who have a profound impact on the community.”
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Past winner accomplishments range from – a nonprofit board member who worked to enrich the lives of those with physical and mental disabilities; a seasoned volunteer who transcribed text into Braille material utilized by blind youth; a community-minded business which rehabs neighborhood schools; and a teen who teaches her peers in subjects ranging from racial injustice to overcoming poverty!
Selections are based on the nominees’ efforts, volunteer accomplishments, community impact and enhancement of the lives of others. This is an opportunity to tell their inspiring stories.
Nomination forms may be downloaded from npcmilwaukee.org until the February 3rd nomination deadline. For more information about the awards or nomination process, call 414.269-8576.
The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee is a catalyst promoting the interests and enhancing the effectiveness of the nonprofit sector in southeast Wisconsin.

created: January 19, 2017

author: the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee


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Recognition is well-deserved for 6th District Difference Makers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
January 19, 2017
A neighborhood block club, residents and a new safe baby program were honored during last night’s 6th District town hall meeting by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs for making the district a great place in which to live, and each was presented with a 2016 Dr. James G. White 6th District Difference Makers Award.
Alderwoman Coggs, who presented the awards during the meeting (held in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, 310 W. Locust St.), said selfless and dedicated work to improve the district, neighborhoods and the community is truly worthy of recognition and thanks. “It takes a certain amount of love and respect for one’s community and neighbors to tirelessly do positive things without regard for what personal reward or gain may come of it,” she said.
“That selfless attitude and generosity of spirit and energy is what the Difference Makers Award is all about, as it truly embodies the beliefs and actions of the late Dr. James G. White,” Alderwoman Coggs said.
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Last night’s 2016 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 and always using his gifts, talents and knowledge to improve and empower his community.

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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IndependenceFirst Stride& Glide 5K and family-friendly fitness event | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Melanie Hupfer
January 20, 2017
IndependenceFirst, a nonprofit organization that promotes full inclusion for people with disabilities, is hosting the eighth annual Stride & Glide, a family-friendly indoor/outdoor fitness event, on March 25 at the Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Bluemound Road. The event benefits IndependenceFirst’s programs for people with disabilities of all kinds, in all age groups, in the four-county Greater Milwaukee area.
Activities include: outdoor 5K run, wheelchair or walk (5K run and wheelchair races are chip timed), 1-mile family-friendly scavenger hunt walk, indoor Zumbathon and kids’ activities. Zoo admission and parking are included so you can enjoy as much time at the zoo that day as you would like. Registration begins at 7 a.m. with the 5K run and walk at 8 a.m., Zumbathon from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and other activities throughout the morning. Check www.strideandglide.org for the full schedule.
You can participate as an individual or with a team. Participants have the option to pay a fee or fundraise the registration fee to support IndependenceFirst. All participants (except those registering in the Zumbathon Only category) will receive a commemorative long-sleeved t-shirt.
Registration fee: $30 for adults/youth (ages 12+) before March 10 ($35 after March 10) or $15 for youth (ages 3-11) before March 10 ($20 after March 10). Kids 2 and under are free, and strollers are welcome except on the 5K course. If you would like to participate in the Zumbathon Only category (no event t-shirt included), the registration fee is $20 before March 10, $25 after.
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Register online by visiting www.StrideAndGlide.org and clicking on “Register.” To register by phone or e-mail, please call 414-226-8386 V/Relay or e-mail mhupfer@independencefirst.org.
For more information about IndependenceFirst’s work to empower people with disabilities to set and meet their independent living goals, visit www.independencefirst.org.

created: January 20, 2017

author: Melanie Hupfer


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2017 logo – use in 2017 – smaller | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
January 20, 2017

author: Name *


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It’s covered: Tobacco users can quit tobacco using WI’s Medicaid Benefit | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Patricia Anderson-Wilson
January 20, 2017
Year after year, quitting tobacco is one of the most common, but difficult to achieve, New Year’s resolutions. With that in mind, members of the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network (WTPPN) are encouraging Medicaid members to use the Medicaid Benefit to help them quit for good in 2017.
According to data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Medicaid members in Wisconsin smoke at nearly double the state average of 17%. However, help is available to assist them in quitting.
The odds of successfully quitting tobacco quadruple when you combine counseling and medications. Medicaid members can take advantage of the many FDA-approved quit tobacco medications that are covered by the benefit, including Chantix and nicotine patches and gum.
In addition to the covered medications, other important features of the benefit include:
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The benefits of quitting tobacco are numerous according to the WTPPN and they include improved breathing and stamina and lower risk for heart disease.
Quitting smoking is tough, but it gets easier with help. Taking that first step can be hard, but the benefits of quitting are many.
In addition to the Medicaid Benefit, Medicaid members and all tobacco users ready to quit can call 1-800-QUIT NOW for free quit tobacco help and medications.
For more information on how we’re working to improve health equity in Milwaukee please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WiTPPN/.
Sincerely,
Patricia Anderson-Wilson
WTPPN

author: Patricia Anderson-Wilson


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Program helps public housing residents remove career impediments through expungement | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
January 20, 2017
Kori Ashley, staff attorney for Legal Action, helps Maleek Bledsoe review his juvenile record as his mother looks on. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Maleek Bledsoe, 17, said he wants to join the military some day, but worries that trouble he’s gotten into as a minor could keep him from realizing that goal.
“I’m wanting to clear up any tickets I have that might make me not qualify,” Bledsoe said.
Accompanied by his mother, Vanetra Bledsoe, he took the first steps towards making sure he’s eligible by attending the New Year Fresh Start youth resource fair held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Parklawn YMCA, 4340 N. 46 St. There he learned about the Juvenile Reentry Assistance Program (JRAP), which provides free legal representation to adults aged 18-24 who live or have resided in Milwaukee public housing and have criminal records. The goal, according to Kori Ashley, staff attorney for Legal Action, is to remove employment and other career barriers for those individuals.
JRAP is a partnership between the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) and Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. Funds for the program were provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Like Bledsoe, many teenagers and young adults in the city are worried that misdemeanor records or other contacts with law enforcement will hurt their ability to obtain training or jobs in the military or fields such as childcare and construction, or even find housing, said Ashley.
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During the resource fair, a team of volunteer attorneys from Legal Action provided assistance to more than 30 individuals.
Kyle Ashley (left), program coordinator for WRTP/BIG STEP, chats with a volunteer during the New Year Fresh Start youth resource fair. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
According to HUD, there are more than 55,000 individuals under the age of 21 incarcerated in juvenile justice facilities and more than 185,000 young adults (18-24) in federal or state prisons.
Mayor Tom Barrett said the city must do all it can to help young adults who’ve had trouble in the past overcome barriers that can keep them from finding work and quality housing.
“The JRAP program gives young residents who have paid their debt for non-violent low-level offenses the opportunity to get back on the path to becoming productive, responsible citizens,” Barrett said.
In addition to helping participants expunge misdemeanor cases, the program also helps teenagers and young adults reinstate driving privileges, provides guidance for readmission to school and create or modify child support orders, among other services. In instances where an individual was not charged or charges were dropped, but the case remains on public search databases such as Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (CCAP), Legal Action employees can help remove them. Sometimes it can be as easy as filling out a few forms, depending on circumstance and type of case, Ashley added. Employers or landlords often check CCAP to determine eligibility.
The JRAP program helps youth in public housing, most of whom are low-income, prepare for a stable future, according to Tony Pérez, HACM Secretary-Executive Director.
“Our partnership with Legal Action provides a credible path forward for young adults who have made amends to society for past mistakes,” Pérez said.
Public housing residents can learn if they qualify for JRAP by meeting with a program representative at the MATC downtown campus the first and third Thursday of each month. Legal Action also plans to host another fair in the spring, Ashley said.
Also available at the fair was information about JobCorps, Universal Driver’s Education and Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership/ BIG STEP (WRTP/BIG STEP).
Kyle Ashley, Kori Ashley’s brother and youth program coordinator for WRTP/BIG STEP, said once the young adults are able to clean up their records, it’s important that they have access to family-sustaining jobs. His program helps them achieve that by teaching soft skills such as getting to work on time, then providing career counseling as well as training and apprenticeship opportunities.
“We’re like their personal trainers,” said Kyle Ashley. “We’re building them up to be high-skill, high-quality workers.”

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 19, 2017


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Salvation Army unveils new disaster relief trailer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dean Bibens
January 20, 2017
The Salvation Army of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan unveiled a new mobile truck Wednesday that will be used in emergency situations and at events throughout Wisconsin.
The trailer, equipped with a radio mobile communications unit, air conditioning and storage for emergency distribution of beverages and small meals, can be used as a hub for communication transmissions during disaster relief efforts. It can accommodate two to three staff people at any given time.
“On behalf of the Salvation Army, we are all very grateful for this generous gift and thankful for all those who donate to the disaster relief cause,” Major Steve Merritt said. “This just bolsters what the Salvation Army can do to help those in need and we are ready to put it into good use.”
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author: Dean Bibens


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An Immigrant’s Son | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Venice R. Williams
January 20, 2017
Venice Williams is the director of Alice’s Garden and The Body & Soul Healing Arts Center. A lay minister, teacher, healer, and facilitator who works to improve the lives of young people, formerly incarcerated people and others in the central city, Williams writes that she will pray for the new president for the sake of his mother.
During the presidential campaign of 2016, as I awakened to headlines, tweets, images of the many unconventional, and often, unacceptable, language and behavior choices of the now president-elect of the United States of America, I would be as startled, and maybe, disappointed as many Americans. Each time, as I tried to make sense of the source of his opinions, my thoughts always, and eventually, landed at one question: Who is his mother? Who carried this human being in her womb? Who counted all of his fingers and toes once he wiggled his way into this world? Who changed his diapers, wiped his nose, and nursed his cuts and scrapes? Who is the woman who, most likely, taught him how to tie his shoes, the right way to brush his teeth, how to properly make his bed? What mama rocked him back to sleep when he was awakened by nightmares, or baked his favorite cookies? Whose heart fluttered when he would send a smile her way?
Did she kneel with him at night, by the side of his bed, and teach him how to pray to their God? Did she scold him, upon his returning home from school, with a note from the teacher, explaining what her son had done that day? Did she say to him, “Donnie, you cannot treat the other kids that way?” Did his mother read to him, and he to her? Did they share much laughter? A lot of love? How often did she just reach out, take him in her arms, and hold him? Steal a kiss from him as he grew older? Who is his mother?
I wanted to deeply dislike this man. His harsh ideologies and planned actions, laced with animosity and indifference towards so many people I love, and organizations I support, are reason enough to loath and detest the man who has been elected to the office of president of the United States. Yet, my thoughts kept coming back to his mother. I wanted to know about the woman who raised, nurtured, disciplined, encouraged, helped to mold this man.
Mary McLeod (Trump) arrived on the soil of this nation as an immigrant, 17 years old, a fisherman’s daughter from Tong, a small, remote village in Scotland. She came to this country in November 1929 as a “domestic,” seeking employment, a new beginning, clothed in self-respect, and ready to work. President-elect Donald Trump’s mother made her way to America in the same manner as President Barack Obama’s father. Miss Mary longed for the identical life opportunities as present-day Mexican, Sudanese, Syrian, Burmese immigrants. To be welcomed and to be safe. To find work and be part of a community. To nurture a family and build a home. To be happy. To not be forgotten. To be respected and treated fairly.
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After having met Fred Trump, marrying him, and being the woman by his side as he built his fortune, Mary McLeod Trump gave both considerable time and money to causes that touched her heart. She, especially, was an advocate for charities that impacted children and adults with cerebral palsy, and nurtured education and wellness for intellectually disabled adults. As I recall the video footage of the president-elect mocking Serge Kovaleski, the New York Times reporter who has arthrogryposis, a condition causing joint contracture in his right arm and hand, I do not have to wonder what his mother would have said to him. You can hear her, also. Shame on you, Donald.
Almost daily, I awaken to news of stray bullets hitting the innocent, life-threatening carjackings, senseless violence against women and children, abuse of power and positions of service in this, my city. In these, my Milwaukee neighborhoods. As I listen to the horrific details of crimes and abuse that bring me to tears, and stir anger and frustration within me, the same question arises for each of them, too; those who behave in ways that are simply unacceptable: Who is his (or her) mother?
Did she kneel with him at night, by the side of his bed, and teach him how to pray to their God? Did she scold him, once he got home from school, after, yet, another call from his teacher? Did she say to him, “You cannot treat anyone that way!” Did his mother read to him, and he to her? Did they share much laughter? A lot of love? How often did she just reach out, take him in her arms, and hold him? Steal a kiss from him as he grew older? Who is his mother?
I cannot hate our incoming president, even as he has already chosen to use his newly elected position as a “bully pulpit.” I cannot hate him and pray for him at the same time. And, pray for him, I must.
I cannot hate the people in this city who break my heart with each pulling of the trigger, every stripping of someone else’s dignity. I cannot hate them and pray for them at the same time. Pray for them, I must.
I am connected to them by the power of their own mothers’ wombs yoked with mine. Always, at all times, I am Mother.
Each of them. All of them. Every one of us had or have mothers who wanted us to live happy, safe, fulfilled lives. Even if they were not the ones who could show us the way, a mother, deeply, wants her children to make life-giving choices for themselves, and others. She wants her child to be a good person. When we fail at that, at being the better man, or favorable woman, our own mother hoped we might one day be, the village steps in, holds us accountable, and guides us to a better way.
At least, it should.
If we are going to give Donald Trump the power to polarize us, then let the point of polarization be our love for and allegiance to one another, and all of humanity, and not a hatred and disgust of him. Let our devotion to the well being of our families and our neighborhoods strengthen the work we are already doing. We will, collectively, hold this incoming administration, under a new president, accountable for what is needed in our schools, responsible for all that is necessary to create more family-sustaining jobs, liable for the changes required to cleanse judicial systems, local and nationwide, of corruption, answerable to the resources we will request to strengthen our neighborhoods. I hope we would have done that no matter who was elected. Right? We have never needed ignorance or apathy to fuel our sense of justice for our people.
I do not know if Mr. Trump has forgotten some of the values his mother surely taught him. I have no problem reminding him of her immigrant beginnings, and thus his, and how those Scottish roots connect him to every African, Mexican, Middle Eastern, European human being, entering this country, who has the same dreams for their lives, and their children, as his mother had for hers and his. Mary McLeod Trump expects nothing less from this Mother.

author: Venice R. Williams


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DSC02287 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 19, 2017


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Barriers to LGBTQ empowerment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Kelly Fay
January 23, 2017
Alverno College is hosting a forum on the issues and challenges that prohibit full inclusion of the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ people and their allies face discriminatory obstacles every day in terms of healthcare, legal services, family and adoption advocacy, housing and employment, and more. Many are leading a civil rights movements to empower sexual and gender minorities in the United States.
During the forum, local citizens will share their experiences, including threats of violence where they live, work, play and pray. Social justice advocates will address the legal and institutional obstacles to full inclusion, and representatives from local agencies will provide resources and share how the community can get involved in creating solutions.
Panelists 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 16 at 6:00 p.m. in the Sister Joel Read Conference 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, a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college for women, exists to promote the personal and professional development of its students. The college has earned accolades and respect internationally for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, and has consulted with three U.S. presidential administrations on accountability and outcomes in higher education. For the last seven years, Alverno College has been ranked one of the top five schools in the Midwest doing “the best job of educating undergrads” by U.S. News & World Report. Educators from throughout the world visit Alverno to learn about its proven, student-centered teaching methods.
Alverno offers more than 60 major areas of study, including graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business that are open to women and men. For more information about Alverno, visit www.alverno.edu or call 414-382-6100.

created: January 23, 2017

author: Kelly Fay


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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January 23, 2017


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Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative releases prematurity prevention priorities, names new program director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
January 23, 2017
The Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families (LIHF) today announced its top priorities to address the leading cause of infant deaths in Milwaukee: premature births. The United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County also named a new director to coordinate Milwaukee LIHF, a community-wide collaborative dedicated to reducing racial disparities in birth outcomes.
“Infant mortality is one of the most complex health issues in our community, but the most important factor is premature birth” said Mayor Tom Barrett, co-chair of the Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families (LIHF). “To drive down the unacceptable racial disparity in infant deaths and support the health of all babies, we are focusing our work on the key drivers of premature births.”
Premature births account for 3 out of 5 infant deaths in Milwaukee annually, and also account for 1 out of 9 total births in the city, or about 1,000 pre-term births each year. While far too many infants die as a result of prematurity, the vast majority survive, but being born too soon can also have significant adverse risks, including very high medical costs and significant life-long health and developmental challenges.
To prevent prematurity, Milwaukee LIHF will align its work around three main priorities:
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To coordinate the work of Milwaukee LIHF, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County has named Natalie Harlan as the new director for the effort.
“Natalie brings a breadth of leadership experience and personal and professional dedication to serving Milwaukee families,” said Nicole Angresano, vice president of community impact for United Way. “She is uniquely positioned and qualified to lead the next stages of our infant mortality prevention work, in this community-facing role.”
Harlan comes to United Way from MWH Law Group where she served as the Director of Operations. She brings experience in advancement as well as years of experience in the health care industry.
Harlan also serves on a number of boards including the Milwaukee Montessori School, The Board of Visitors at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and The Cinderella Project.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to work with Natalie,” said Wanda J. Montgomery, LIHF co-chair and director of community partnerships at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. “I believe she brings a wealth of knowledge and ability to help expand the reach of LIHF through new partnerships and engagement of the Milwaukee community.”
“I feel as if all of my previous experience has led me to this position. I believe in the goal of decreasing infant mortality and premature births, while also supporting families.” said Harlan.  “The fact that Milwaukee’s African-American infant death rate is more than three times that of Milwaukee’s white infant death rate shows, somewhere, there is a missing factor. I consider it an honor to be able to work towards the goal of closing that gap.”
In 2014, the Wisconsin Partnership Program (WPP) selected United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County to serve as the convening agency for the Milwaukee LIHF Collaborative and awarded the organization a five-year $1.5 million grant to lead efforts to reduce infant mortality in Milwaukee. The collaborative adopted the goal set by Mayor Tom Barrett and the City of Milwaukee Health Department in 2011 to reduce the infant mortality rate by 10% overall and the African American rate by 15% by 2017. The MHD is a key partner in Milwaukee LIHF, along with representatives of area health systems, social service agencies, and community members.


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New life for empty storefronts as pop-up gallery opens in Historic Concordia Neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Near West Side Partners
January 23, 2017
Photo courtesy of Near West Side Partners, Inc.
Near West Side Partners, Inc. (NWSP) and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP) joined community members on Friday, January 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. at 753 N. 27th St. for the grand opening of SARUP’s new Mobile Design Box (MBD) gallery. The opening was part of Milwaukee Gallery Night festivities.
This new pop-up gallery in Milwaukee’s Historic Concordia Neighborhood makes its home in an empty storefront donated by Wiegand Enterprises and will showcase research and design work from SARUP faculty, students and alumni, alongside the work of creative entrepreneurs from Milwaukee, including catering by local restaurant Amaranth Bakery & Cafe. This event highlights the new life coming to the commercial corridors of the Near West Side, and the opportunities available for unique business endeavors in this neighborhood of neighborhoods.
“This is a great chance to showcase the progress our neighborhoods have made in the last two years,” said Keith Stanley, Executive Director of NWSP. “It’s an opportunity to promote the unique opportunities that businesses can take advantage of in our neighborhoods.”
Mobile Design Box’s Place Acts exhibition is curated by SARUP Associate Professor Arijit Sen and features the work of artist Muneer Bahauddeen and his students from the Express Yourself Milwaukee Program. The Place Acts exhibition runs from Jan. 20 to March 31 in the Mobile Design Box. For more information, visit facebook.com/mobiledesignbox.
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“Concordia neighborhood is the third home for Mobile Design Box since we launched in 2015 and we’re delighted to be here,” said gallery founder and SARUP Associate Dean Mo Zell. “The galleries allow us to physically transform vacant spaces into active community rooms where design thinking and pioneering research facilitate a dialogue with community stakeholders. The exhibition gives art lovers and Milwaukee enthusiasts new ways and places to explore our work – and new insights into our neighborhoods. Join us throughout the exhibition or during other public events held in the space.”
ABOUT NEAR WEST SIDE PARTNERS, INC.
Near West Side Partners, Inc. is a non-profit organization with a mission to revitalize and sustain the Near West Side as a thriving business and residential corridor, through collaborative efforts to promote commercial corridor development, improved housing, unified neighborhood identity and branding, and greater safety for residents and businesses. Near West Side Partners, Inc. is an organization of businesses and civic leaders from throughout the Near West Side, including the organization’s five anchor institutions – Aurora Health Care, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, MillerCoors and Potawatomi Business Development Corp.
ABOUT UWM
Recognized as one of the nation’s 115 top research universities, UW-Milwaukee provides a world-class education to 26,000 students from 89 countries on a budget of $667 million. Its 14 schools and colleges include Wisconsin’s only schools of architecture, freshwater sciences and public health, and it is a leading educator of nurses and teachers. UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, offer student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2017 “Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews, as well as a top “Green College.”

author: Near West Side Partners


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New Walker’s Point arts center leader plans to highlight social issues through art | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alexandria Bursiek
January 23, 2017
Marcela Garcia became executive director for Walker’s Point Center for the Arts in December. (Photo by Adam Carr)
When Marcela Garcia was 9 years old she attended youth art classes at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts (WPCA). At the time Garcia wanted to grow up to be a doctor or marine biologist. Twenty-four years later, Garcia is the executive director of WPCA.
Garcia, who was born in Guadalajara and raised in Milwaukee, said she was in high school when she realized that she was passionate about literature and art, and especially the stories of marginalized people. These passions led her to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earn a degree in English. After college, Garcia worked for Partners Advancing Values in Education (PAVE), an organization that helps schools tackle organizational hurdles that can prevent learning.
Garcia said that she is experienced in nonprofit management, program development and evaluation. “The fact that I have been doing art throughout all of my career in different aspects, I felt that it was a perfect opportunity for me to bring my whole self into the workplace,” she said, explaining why she accepted the position at WPCA.
Prior to her new role, Garcia was a contributing artist at the center. The previous executive director, Ana Melo, suggested that she apply for the position. According to Lona Long Velasco, WPCA board chair, Garcia “stood leaps and bounds above the other candidates” because of her proven track record in the Walker’s Point community as an artist and her experience working with local schools.
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Walker’s Point Center for the Arts is celebrating its 30th anniversary. (Photo by Alexandria Bursiek)
This year WPCA will be celebrating its 30th year and Garcia is using the milestone to work with the staff and board to plan the organization’s future. According to Garcia, WPCA is at the intersection of art and social justice, and art is a perfect medium for connecting individuals of different backgrounds to bridge gaps in Milwaukee. She said she hopes that WPCA will draw attention to social issues in the city through art.
“We are really dreaming big, because that is the only way I know how to operate and really bringing as many folks on board as possible in meaningful ways,” said Garcia. The goal is for WPCA to allow individuals who might not normally communicate to work together as a community.
“She brings the experience, the knowledge and enthusiasm that we need to go into this landmark year. Her knowledge about education and herself being an artist really gives her a good understanding of our programming and our mission overall,” said Howard Leu, marketing communications director of WPCA. “I think what she brings to WPCA is a general passion for education as well as using art as a social dialogue.”
Garcia’s heritage plays a large role in her passions and especially her art. Garcia considers herself to be a Xicana artist, an identity that acknowledges Mexican roots in the Americas. According to Beth Haskovec, executive director of Artists Working in Education, Garcia’s passion for art and her heritage make her a person the community can rally behind.
“I think Marcela is an excellent choice, both as an artist and as somebody that has been involved with arts philanthropy,” said Haskovec. “[She] has gotten some really well rounded experience in the arts and is incredibly creative and is a terrific leader.”
“I think Walker’s Point is a community in transition,” added Haskovec. “Marcela is a person that can build relationships and work collaboratively with lots of different members of our community.”
As executive director, Garcia is responsible for planning and facilitating the vision of WPCA, as well as handling payroll, coordinating events, answering inquires, and fielding phone calls and emails. Connections to the local school system that she developed at PAVE will help her connect with the neighborhood while she attempts to grow WPCA’s impact on Milwaukee, she noted.
“I am very excited and humbled to be leading this organization,” said Garcia. ‘When you nurture what you love, opportunities arise.”

author: Alexandria Bursiek


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 22, 2017

created: January 22, 2017


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Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) program begins free tax preparation | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
January 23, 2017
A volunteer tax preparer works with a client at SDC’s Teutonia site. (Photo courtesy of SDC)
Thousands of Milwaukee County residents rely on the Social Development Commission’s (SDC) operation of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides free preparation of state and federal taxes. The Social Development Commission is the lead agency and largest preparer of taxes for the county’s VITA program. SDC will offer tax preparation from January 23 through April 18, 2017
Low and middle-income residents with an annual household income of $56,000 or less in 2016 are eligible to receive tax services at no charge. Qualifying residents can receive tax preparation and, for many, direct deposit, and avoid high preparation fees or refund anticipation loans.
The service provided by VITA is even more beneficial to those that claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and/or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). Filers claiming these credits will not receive a refund prior to February 15 due changes to the tax laws passed by congress. High profile tax preparation agencies lure low and middle- income individuals and families with the offer of 0% interest loans. Customers later discover that there are high processing fees associated with the loans as well as preparation of their returns.
Tax preparation and filing services will be offered at three sites Monday through Saturday. As part of SDC’s program, one additional site will operate at a more limited capacity on different days of the week.
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Monday – Saturday sites:
SDC – North Avenue
1730 W. North Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53205
Mon., Tues., Wed., & Fri.: 8:00am – 4:00pm; Thurs: 10:00am – 8:00pm; Sat: 8:00am- Noon
SDC – Teutonia
6848 N Teutonia Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53209
Mon., Tues., Wed., & Fri.: 8:00am – 4:00pm; Thurs: 10:00am – 8:00pm; Sat: 8:00am- Noon
SDC – Milwaukee Christian Center
804 S. 14th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Mon., Tues., Wed., & Fri.: 8:00am – 4:00pm; Thurs: 10:00am – 8:00pm; Sat: 8:00am- Noon
Additional site:
MATC Downtown (Student Center Building, 1st Floor)
700 W State Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Tues.: 6:00pm -7:30pm – Limited to first 20 Taxpayers Only; Sat.: 10:00am- 1:30pm – Limited to first 30 Taxpayers Only Only operates January 28 – April 4, 2017
Qualifications for Milwaukee County residents, information on what to bring and the schedule for services is available in English and Spanish and is located on SDC’s website at cr-sdc.org/programs/VITA Volunteer Tax Assistance Program.
Residents meeting qualifications can use the online Facilitated Self Assistance service that provides the ability to file electronically free at http://www.unitedway.org/myfreetaxes/.
The 2017 VITA program was made possible through the generous support of the Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, the City of Milwaukee, Associated Bank Foundation, Guaranty Bank, Northwestern Mutual, Landmark Credit Union and Great Midwest Bank.
This is the 16th season that the SDC’s operation of the VITA program has aided residents maximize their tax returns. In the first 15 years of the program, there have been over 176,000 returns filed resulting in more than $185 million in tax refunds and credits back to residents and the local economy.
For more than 50 years, the Social Development Commission has operated as the Community Action Agency for Milwaukee County. SDC serves as a planner, coordinator, and provider of human service programs for low- income individuals and families residing in Milwaukee County. The agency is an intergovernmental commission and is governed by a board of 18 citizens from Milwaukee County, each of whom hold the title of “Commissioner.” For more information on SDC’s programs and services, visit cr-sdc.org. Connect with us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/SDCMilwaukee and Twitter www.twitter.com/CRSDC.

author: Social Development Commission


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 23, 2017

author: Adam Carr


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Civil rights groups file lawsuit against state for abuse of imprisoned children | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
ACLU of Wisconsin
January 24, 2017
The ACLU of Wisconsin and Juvenile Law Center, with pro-bono assistance from Quarles & Brady, filed a class action lawsuit last night in federal court against four Wisconsin state officials, including Wisconsin Secretary of Corrections Jon E. Litscher, citing the unconstitutional use of solitary confinement and inhumane conditions for youth in state-run correctional facilities. The suit was filed on behalf of youth confined in the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and the Copper Lake School for Girls.
“Federal and state officials raided Lincoln Hills School for Boys (LHS) and the Copper Lake School for Girls (CLS) in December 2015 after numerous reports of mistreatment of young people,” said ACLU of Wisconsin Attorney Timothy Muth. “Many staff were fired and new leadership was put in place. Despite these changes, Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake continue to use such barbaric practices as solitary confinement, mechanical restraints, and pepper sprays, which only damage children and make them more – not less – likely to reoffend. The State of Wisconsin is far outside the constitutional boundaries and far outside the practices recommended by juvenile justice experts across the country.”
Children are routinely placed in solitary confinement, put in mechanical restraints or pepper-sprayed at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake. These facilities incarcerate approximately 150-200 youth as young as 14 years old.  Prior to state and federal raids on the facility in December 2015, staff also regularly physically abused youth in the facility, even breaking their arms and legs in some cases. While those practices may no longer be in place, horrific conditions persist. Approximately 15 to 20% percent the young residents are confined in seven by ten foot solitary confinement cells for 22 or 23 hours per day.  These children are often forced to spend their only free hour of time each day outside the cell in handcuffs, chained to tables. Officers also regularly use Bear Mace and other pepper sprays against the youth, which causes them excruciating pain and impairs their breathing.
As the complaint asserts, these practices violate children’s constitutional rights, including their rights to substantive due process, as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and their right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment, as guaranteed by the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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“If a parent locked a child in a room even for a day or sprayed them with Bear Mace or pepper spray, we would all recognize it as child abuse,” said Jessica Feierman, Juvenile Law Center’s Associate Director. “Research confirms that solitary confinement causes lasting and devastating psychological harm.  Pepper spray causes excruciating pain and temporary blindness. The children of Wisconsin deserve better.”
For parents of the youth, knowing their children are experiencing this abuse is excruciating. “It is painful enough to be separated from your child,” said Meranda Davis, whose daughter is at Copper Lake and a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “The detention centers are very far from home which itself is a challenge – but to know they are also experiencing this kind of ongoing abuse and mistreatment at the hands of adults in positions of authority is unbearable. These are children – this should not be happening in this country.”
The plaintiffs are seeking a court order to put an end to these practices.
Find the complaint here: http://aclu-wi.org/issue/lincoln-hills-case
Watch the press conference at 10:30am CST on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/ACLUofWi/
Juvenile Law Center is the oldest non-profit, public interest law firm for children in the nation. Widely published and internationally recognized as thought leaders in the field, Juvenile Law Center’s impact on the development of law and policy on behalf of children is substantial. Juvenile Law Center uses an array of legal strategies and policy advocacy to promote fairness, prevent harm, ensure access to appropriate services, and create opportunities for success for youth in the foster care and justice systems. For more information about Juvenile Law Center’s work, visit www.JLC.org.
The ACLU of Wisconsin is a non-profit, non-partisan, private organization whose 11,000 members support its efforts to defend the civil rights and liberties of all Wisconsin residents. For more on the ACLU of Wisconsin, visit our website at www.aclu-wi.org, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @ACLUofWisconsin and @ACLUMadison.

created: January 24, 2017

author: ACLU of Wisconsin


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Local ‘water protectors’ share their stories of Standing Rock | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
January 24, 2017
A recent photo of Oceti Sakowin Camp. (Photo provided by Daniel Guzman)
Those who thought that the standoff at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation was over when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied a construction permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline in December should think again, said Daniel Guzman, 33, a Milwaukee native who is protesting there for the third time.
“Many thought that the fight was over and left, but we knew better and stayed,” Guzman said. He described in a Facebook post how he’d been targeted three times with tear gas canisters by police and been involved in several other clashes recently.
Guzman, an Oneida Nation of Wisconsin tribal member who has been splitting his time between Green Bay and Milwaukee in recent years, has joined other local activists traveling to North Dakota to join the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and others in what they describe as a fight to protect the water. Constructing the pipeline would lead to contamination of the local water and the destruction of sacred sites, they say. The Standing Rock reservation straddles the border between North Dakota and South Dakota.
Audri Casarez, shown here protesting on Turtle Island in North Dakota. (Photo provided by Audri Casarez)
“Water sustains all life, and we should do everything in our power to protect it,” said Guzman, who said it was his calling to go. He added that the main focus now is surviving the cold and cleaning up abandoned camps, although protestors — who he described as peaceful — continue to be the target of aggression by law enforcement.
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“The police charged us three times shooting [non-lethal rounds] and trying to grab people. Each time we would begin to sing prayer songs they would fall back,” Guzman posted on Facebook late last week.
Audri Casarez, 27, who is half Menomonee Indian and lives in Milwaukee, traveled in November to the Oceti Sakowin Camp, where protestors gather, after reading countless news articles about the standoff. Days started before sunrise with prayers and other ceremonies, she said. Those who were to stand on the front lines received training in non-violent protest and how to avoid agitating law enforcement.
On her third day there she got her first taste of tear gas. That day she joined dozens of protestors who traveled across a river by boat to Turtle Island, a few miles from the Sakowin camp, where some protestors drummed and sang while others shouted slogans. Eventually, she said, tear gas and a growing police presence led an elder to tell them to leave the island and head back for camp.
“We were reluctant to abandon our post but when an elder speaks you listen,” Casarez said.
Looking back on the experience, Casarez, who has an 8-year-old daughter, said the sense of community there was overwhelming. Leaving was tough, though she would go back if needed, she said.
“I will be ready,” Casarez said. “Solidarity is real. Solidarity is our greatest tool in all of this.”
Milwaukee native Daniel Guzman is continuing to protest on the front lines at Standing Rock. (Photo provided by Daniel Guzman)
Eele Curb, 23, who lives on the South Side, joined the protests in December. Curb sees parallels between the situation in North Dakota and the lead lateral situation in Milwaukee, which critics say has led to elevated lead levels in local drinking water. They assert that recent test results have determined that the lead levels at several Milwaukee Public Schools were dangerously high, though MPS officials and the city have denied that contention.
Curb and a friend took the trip to try to stop “poisoning of the rivers” by construction of the pipeline.
He spent most of his time in North Dakota shoveling — roads and at the homes of elders. Curb said he wishes he could have stayed longer than a week and is disappointed that in the end the pipeline might be built.
“Supposedly, now that the Trump administration has taken control, the pipeline will legally be allowed to be completed,” Curb said.
President Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer declined during a press conference Monday to “get in front of the president’s executive actions,” but added that there is an opportunity to increase jobs and economic growth in the Dakota pipeline area. He added that Trump is “very, very keen in making sure we maximize use of our natural resources to America’s benefit. It’s good for economic growth, it’s good for jobs, and it’s good for American energy.”
Still, Curb said, the sense of community that he and others from across the country shared at Standing Rock eases his disillusionment.
“When the rivers are poisoned and my kid asks me why no one did anything, I can say that so many of us did do something,” Curb said.


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On the Block: Robbed of innocence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
January 24, 2017
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When Kenneth Walton was young, a dispute between his family and another family caused a parting of ways. Walton learned a lesson from the experience, which he said has stayed with him since.
Read more about Kenneth Walton at milwaukeestories.org.
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author: Jabril Faraj


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St. Thomas More High School student wins QuestBridge Scholarship | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
St. Thomas More High School
January 25, 2017
St. Thomas More High School is proud to announce that senior Marisa Garcia has earned the QuestBridge scholarship. This prestigious scholarship will cover all education-related expenses of her undergraduate education, including tuition and room and board. Garcia, who attended Bay View’s Fernwood Montessori School before coming to St. Thomas More, plans to study human biology at Northwestern University.
The QuestBridge College Match scholarship program connects high-achieving, low-income students to the nation’s top universities, awarding full scholarships to the qualified applicants. Garcia, who also plays soccer, swims, and participates in Relay for Life at St. Thomas More, was one of nearly 15,000 high school seniors to apply for the program in 2016. In December, QuestBridge notified Garcia and 766 other exceptional students – only five percent of the total applicants – that they would receive a four-year scholarship.
“Marisa’s intrinsic curiosity and her exceptional work ethic motivates her to learn and discover more than the material has to offer,” Dean of Academics Kevin Dineen, who taught Garcia for AP English, said. “Outside of class, Marisa is one of the most kindhearted students I have met. She is always willing to help her peers in any way she can.”
Garcia credits project-based learning for helping cultivate her interest in science. “At Fernwood, we only did hands-on, real-world projects, such as working in a greenhouse or building a solar panel for science class,” Garcia said. Garcia’s studies at St. Thomas More, especially in the project-based biomedical sciences program, allowed her to expand her knowledge of STEM while discovering which scientific discipline she wanted to pursue further.
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“My favorite biomedical sciences project was analyzing our DNA to check for a certain gene that allowed us to taste a chemical. We then performed gel electrophoresis to visually see if we had the genotype and if it corresponded correctly with how we tasted the chemical,” Garcia explained. “The project introduced me to the connections science can have with health, and I’m excited to further explore that connection in college.”
This is the second consecutive year that an STM student has received the exclusive QuestBridge scholarship. Class of 2016 graduate Jenna Knueppel earned the QuestBridge scholarship to attend Brown University, where she is studying international relations.
About St. Thomas More High School
Located in Milwaukee’s historic Bay View neighborhood, St. Thomas More High School educates over 500 students in grades nine through 12. Emphasizing academic excellence and innovative project-based learning, St. Thomas More strives to nurture the whole student: spiritually, ethically, intellectually, emotionally, and physically, while encouraging students of all backgrounds to pursue their intellectual, professional, and spiritual interests.
For more information about St. Thomas More High School, please visit www.tmore.org.

created: January 25, 2017

author: St. Thomas More High School


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ZIP MKE strives to create new narrative for the city through photography | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Camille Paul
January 25, 2017
Dominic Inouye, founder of ZIP MKE, speaks to a crowd at the opening of the photo exhibit. (Photo by Camille Paul)
Hanging on the balsa wood frames in the Milwaukee Public Library’s Schoenleber Reading Room are photographs representing the city’s 28 ZIP codes. The photos feature children posing or playing with one another, portraits of men and women, Wisconsin landmarks such as Leon’s and the BMO Harris Bradley Center, and events such as Jazz in the Park or Chill in the Park.
The photographs are part of an online gallery and traveling exhibit called ZIP MKE, which is intended to showcase Milwaukee’s diversity.
“We are a city of 600,000 unique faces, 600,000 unique experience of the world and 600,000 unique perspectives,” said Dominic Inouye, founder of the project and one of its photographers. The collection includes more than 900 photographs taken by neighborhood residents and Inouye’s team of photographers.
Elizabeth Wendt and Kenneth Platt view the exhibit. (Photo by Camille Paul)
Inouye, writer-in-residence at The Pfister Hotel and a former teacher, said that he wanted to unite Milwaukeeans after the unrest in Sherman Park last August following the police killing of Sylville Smith, a 23-year old black man.
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“Milwaukeeans, including me, needed to see each other’s faces [as] the first step of uniting us to actions that could improve the divisions and disparities in our communities,” he said.
Husband and wife Kenneth Platt and Elizabeth Wendt, who live in the 53207 ZIP code, visited the exhibit at its opening on Saturday.
“We heard about this online and thought it was a really neat idea,” said Wendt. “We like to visit a lot of the neighborhoods in Milwaukee and thought it would be cool to see pictures and experience other people’s point of view of them.”
Inouye plans to display the exhibit at other Milwaukee Public Library branches around the city, including Tippecanoe, Mill Road, Atkinson and the East Branch. ZIP MKE will remain at the Central Library until Feb. 19.
Referring to the decision to exhibit the photos at the library, Inouye said, “It’s the people’s place.” He added that he wants to make sure that people in ZIP codes throughout the city know about the project and contribute photographs to the online gallery.
Zachary Lifton, who recently moved to Milwaukee from Pittsburgh, came to the exhibit to help gain a better knowledge of his new city.
“I just moved here over the summer,” he said. “I haven’t gotten a chance to really see a lot of it, so this is a good way to … experience some of the diversity of the city.”
Refreshments at the event were catered by Tandem, The Juice Kitchen and Gloria’s Cake Shop and Café.
“I think it’s really nice,” Teresa Moore said about the exhibit. “They are trying to show people the different sides of Milwaukee,” added Moore, a Tandem employee who lives in the 53216 ZIP code.
Venice Williams, director of Alice’s Garden and The Body & Soul Healing Arts Center, told those gathered at the exhibit that she expected to stay in Milwaukee for two years when she moved from Pittsburgh 28 years ago.
“I am still here because of everything we see portrayed today. I am still here because what we see on display today is a city of hope, beauty and promise.”

author: Camille Paul


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 24, 2017


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6th Annual MKE Business Now Summit Saturday targets entrepreneurship | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
January 26, 2017
A showcase of resources available to help launch Milwaukee’s next great business ventures and an opportunity to connect with established local professionals, the MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit will take place this Saturday, January 28 at the Business and Economics Academy of Milwaukee, 3620 N. 18th St.
Now in its sixth year, the event is sponsored by Milwaukee Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs and the City of Milwaukee, and gets underway at 10:00 a.m. as vendors and organizations showcase the resources they can provide to local entrepreneurs. The event will include workshops (focused on growing and developing a business) that begin at 10:30 a.m. with a panel discussion scheduled for 1:00 p.m. All parts of the event are free and open to the public.
“The time is now for ambitious entrepreneurs to take a hand in shaping Milwaukee’s future,” Alderwoman Coggs said. “Ideas and vision can help transform a city, and somewhere out there are people whose ideas could redefine our city, and it is my hope that the MKE Business Now summit can connect those people with the resources they need to thrive.”
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The summit’s feature event is a panel discussion from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. moderated by Hyacinth Nembhardt of Concoctions MKE. Guests in the panel discussion will include Marquayla Ellison of Ellastic Designs LLC, Lavelle Young of Young Development Group, Kimberly Hall of Signature Sweets, Vedale Hill of Jazale’s Art Studio, and Ray Nitti of FLYE.
Four workshops will fill out the midday programming: “MKE it Grow! The Tools, Resources, and Strategies to Grow Your Business From an Idea” at 10:30 a.m. presented by Scale Up Milwaukee, KIVA, and Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC); “Legal Essentials for Small Business Owners” at 11:15 a.m. presented by Marquette University Law School Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic; “How Do Banks Support Small Business Through Lending, Products and Services” at 11:15 a.m. presented by US Bank, and “BRAND: ED Boot Camp: Marketing to Start Up and Stay Up” at noon, presented by Ebony Ssali of Ssali Media Group.
Additionally, staff members will be on hand to staff booths and answer questions from numerous organizations including:
“Like any community, Milwaukee’s business community will be at its finest when all of its members pull together to succeed,” Alderwoman Coggs said. “I’m excited to once again be able to provide our entrepreneurs with an avenue to connect with so many critical assets and sources of expertise.”
Additional event co-sponsors are US Bank, the Historic King Drive BID #8, and Center Street BID #39.

created: January 26, 2017


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nns-pfc | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 26, 2017


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 26, 2017


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Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern redeveloped in disinvested neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
January 26, 2017
Co-developers Juli Kaufmann and Jeremy Davis stand in a shared conference room at the Historic Walter Schmidt Tavern. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Editor’s note: This article is one of an occasional series profiling the 15 finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs). The Historic Walter Schmidt Tavern is a finalist for the PNC Trailblazer Award, which recognizes an innovative approach to a community problem.
Ashley Lee, a special assistant to the superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools and Lindsay Heights resident, had never invested in real estate before, but her belief in community-driven development led her to join 42 neighbors in becoming a co-owner of the recently renovated Historic Walter Schmidt Tavern.
The project, at 1848 W. Fond du Lac Ave., pioneers a new model of development in an historically disinvested Milwaukee neighborhood. Through community partnerships and crowd funding, developers overcame traditional financing barriers to turn an abandoned 1893 building into the sit-down restaurant Tandem and office space for seven small businesses.
“We can build what we need as a community if we unite and use our resources wisely,” Lee said. “It’s important for me to have a literal stake in the ground for how we improve our neighborhoods, and this is a way I can do that.”
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Real estate developer Juli Kaufmann of Fix Development partnered with Lindsay Heights resident Jeremy Davis to spearhead the project. Davis is the lead manager for Blue Skies Landscape at Walnut Way Conservation Corp. and has strong relationships with his neighbors.
“I’ve known for a while that Jeremy was someone who approached community in a really special way,” Lee said. “I knew it would be done in a way that was respectful.”
Co-developers Juli Kaufman and Jeremy Davis say that the Tandem is a great addition to the Lindsay Heights neighborhood. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Partnership
Gaining neighbors’ trust was essential to Kaufmann. She works under a quadruple bottom line, prioritizing economic stability, environmental stewardship, social equity and cultural continuity.
“I came into real estate development because I was seeing an absence of the kind of development I wanted to see in my neighborhoods,” Kaufmann said.
She said she has seen developments fail or achieve undesired results when residents’ voices weren’t considered.
“She [Juli] has the resources, she has the know-how, she has people who are willing to invest in something she’s doing, and she can … find a partner like Jeremy who knows the community and bridge that divide,” said Caitlin Cullen, the head chef at Tandem.
Community members directly financed the development through a crowd fund model that Kaufmann referred to as “do-it-yourself real estate development.”
After several investors got the project off the ground, Kaufmann and Davis found community members who could invest a minimum of $1,000. Kaufmann said she had used a similar model before with much higher minimum investment levels.
“Fundamental to everything I believe is that decisions should be made by the people who are impacted by them,” Lee said. “The process was inclusive and transparent.”
Kaufmann and Davis explained that the model is a viable, innovative alternative to traditional financing approaches, which would not have worked for this project and are barriers to development in disinvested neighborhoods.
Similar projects are considered too risky for traditional banks, too small for traditional venture funds, too private to be completely foundation-funded, and too broad in scope to be completely publicly funded.
“The systems that currently exist exclude many everyday, often high-risk start-up job-creating entrepreneurs in low-income communities who seek to revitalize their own main streets but lack access to capital,” Kaufmann said.
Kaufmann and Davis said that investors are on track to receive 6 percent return on investment, since the space is fully leased.
“In addition to a strong financial return…you get an investment in Milwaukee, and hopefully in things that you care about,” Kaufmann said.
Davis noted that investors are directly contributing to job creation in their own city while receiving the same return they would on a foreign investment. “The economic effects of that are huge,” he said, “because then those dollars are recycled in our own community.”
Reinvigorating the private sector
The Walter Schmidt developers hired a contractor from the 53206 ZIP code who brought on local subcontractors who are nearly all people of color, according to Kaufmann. All the employees of the small businesses renting office space are people of color and/or women.
Tandem hired people with ties to the neighborhood and is providing on-the-job training. “I yelled ‘jobs’ in a neighborhood with high unemployment and literally fielded phone calls nonstop,” she said.
“Everyone is proud of themselves and proud of each other here,” Cullen said of the Tandem staff.
Nancy Ketchman, a strategic communications consultant, located her business, Bottlewood Communications, in the development. She praised the beautiful conference room, proximity to downtown, affordability, network of other small businesses and the connection she feels to her community.
“I’m dedicated to making a life within the city of Milwaukee and doing what I can to make the city thrive,” Ketchman said.
According to Kaufmann, half of the commercial properties in the area are boarded up. “Until you move the private sector back in, you’re always going to have economic dysfunction,” she said.
Davis said he felt the benefit of Tandem on a snowy night when he couldn’t go grocery shopping. “I just walked three blocks and had a really quality dining experience in my own neighborhood,” he said.
Lee commented that the development adds dignity to her neighborhood and its residents.
“When you see money that is coming from a community back into a community, I think there is a different way of looking at the people there,” Lee said.
“People are sitting down and eating meals in our community and talking to our neighbors,” she added. “Some of those intangible pieces are the most powerful.”
Kaufmann said she hopes the development can catalyze development initiatives in Lindsay Heights and other historically disinvested neighborhoods.
Tim Syth, working to develop a property on the South Side, is using similar principles of community partnership and crowd funding. He said he considers Kaufmann a mentor and admires how she “thinks of real estate development and social development as one practice.”
Kaufmann said that despite the hard work, the Walter Schmidt redevelopment model is scalable and replicable.
“There are a lot of pieces to our financial package that made this work,” Kaufmann said, “but the core of it is community ownership.”
“It is an example of what’s possible, a labor of love and collaboration,” Lee said.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct misspellings of Juli Kaufmann, Fix Development and Nancy Ketchman. We sincerely apologize for the errors.

author: Allison Dikanovic


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 25, 2017