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NYU sociologist, community leaders grapple with city’s violence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 29, 2016
This memorial was placed at the scene of a 2015 fatal accident followed by a double shooting in the 4600 block of N. 48th Street. Three people died. (Photo by Adam Carr)
The spike in violent crime that occurred in Milwaukee last year should be the number one issue for anyone concerned about the life of city residents, said Patrick Sharkey, a New York University sociology professor who studies racial inequality and violence in urban neighborhoods. Homicides in Milwaukee jumped from 94 in 2014 to 153 in 2015, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Homicide Tracker.
That spike followed 20 years of mostly declining crime rates here and around the U.S. after aggressive anti-crime policies were initiated in the early 1990s, Sharkey noted.
A panel of five community leaders and moderator Mike Gousha discussed Sharkey’s research at a recent Community Development Alliance symposium at Marquette University Law School.
“We’re here to have a conversation about neighborhoods, poverty and segregation,” said Susan Lloyd, executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation, one of three local foundations that, together with LISC Milwaukee, formed the Community Development Alliance, a neighborhood development nonprofit.
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No one knows the causes of Milwaukee’s recent spike in violence, said Sharkey, who is also scientific director of Crime Lab New York, which uses scientific insights to develop innovative approaches to reducing violence. But the problem was on the minds of everyone he spoke with during his two-day visit, which included a tour of Milwaukee’s neighborhoods, he said.
“The challenge is to figure out (why this is happening) and focus resources to make sure … the level of violence continues to fall,” said Sharkey.
Panelists (from left) Victor Barnett, Carmen Pitre, Linda Bowen and Patrick Sharkey wait to be introduced. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
His 2013 book, “Stuck in Place: Urban Neighborhoods and the End of Progress toward Racial Equality” describes how political decisions and social policies have led to severe disinvestment in black neighborhoods, persistent segregation, declining economic opportunities and a growing number of African-Americans in the criminal justice system.
At the symposium, Sharkey acknowledged that the 20-year drop in crime was related to a model of policing that gave law enforcement officers free rein to do whatever they thought was needed to fight crime. But the resulting mass incarceration of black men, as well as police violence directed at them, have led to calls for change.
“New models start with the understanding that neighborhood violence is usually limited to certain small groups,” Sharkey said. “Police should focus tools on trouble spots when needed, but spend (their remaining) time building trust and relationships in the rest of the community.”
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm lauded Sharkey’s research and said local law enforcement efforts to make changes, including early intervention programs, drug courts and better ways of working with people who have mental illness, are already underway.
“We realized we had to get out into the community and build relationships … to solve problems,” Chisholm said. He added that the county is seeking long-term solutions by working with partners such as Sojourner Family Peace Center and an array of providers of medical, psychological and other “wraparound” services.
Chisholm said his office desperately needs the help of nonprofits and residents. “There is a lot of historical injury in this community that has to be healed. That will not be done by the criminal justice system alone,” he said.
“Working together is part of the solution,” agreed panelist Victor Barnett, founding director of Running Rebels, a nonprofit youth agency. And jobs and scholarships for college are a big part of the answer, he said.
“People in our communities need to feel that there is hope,” he added. “They have to see businesses like the new, locally owned Juice Kitchen,” in Lindsay Heights.
“Opportunity is key,” said Sharon Adams, co-founder with husband Larry Adams, of the community development nonprofit Walnut Way Conservation Corp.
“Peaceful behavior and beliefs require investment in places and practices that lead to opportunity,” she explained. Lamenting the fact that intergenerational deprivation and lack of opportunity have caused “a kind of dysfunction” to be passed on to another generation, Adams said institutions such as Walnut Way can provide residents with alternatives to violence.
Panelist Linda Bowen, executive director of the Institute for Community Peace in Washington, D.C., said there needs to be long-term funding for anti-violence efforts.
“When you’re starting to solve some of these problems, there often isn’t money to go forward. We have to think in terms of 30-year investments, in generational terms.”
Sharkey also referred repeatedly to the importance of long-term policies to address poverty and violence.
Sharkey observed that the disconnect between the central city and the surrounding suburbs is stifling economic development. “The problems of Milwaukee are not going to be solved solely within Milwaukee,” he added. “There has to be a regional metropolitan approach.”
Despite Milwaukee’s recent homicide spike, Sharkey said the long-term drop in violence should be acknowledged and celebrated in a more explicit way.
Likewise, the public discourse hasn’t changed in relation to falling teen birth and high school dropout rates, he said. “We should celebrate that progress while still maintaining focus on the problems that we do have.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 28, 2016

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Adam Carr


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Community leaders gather to take a stand against racism | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
April 30, 2016
Local leaders and members of several community-based organizations including Community Advocates, Social Development Commission, United Way of Greater Milwaukee, and Diverse and Resilient gathered in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue in Milwaukee, looking to raise awareness about institutional and structural racism. They were participating in Stand Against Racism, a national campaign created by YWCA USA.
Similar events took place across the country Friday. The theme of this year’s event, according to Paula H. Penebaker, president and CEO of YWCA Southeast Wisconsin, was racism against girls and women of color.
The campaign is meant “to bring together people who are interested in or working for justice to be part of a national campaign aimed at ending all types of racism, including against women,” Penebaker said.
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author: Edgar Mendez


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Easing racial disparities tops Chris Abele’s 2nd term agenda | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 2, 2016
jsonline.com

author: Andrea Waxman


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Latinos Drove the Vast Majority of Homeownership Growth in 2015 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 2, 2016
LatinPost.com


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MayBeWell: Shining a Spotlight on Mental Health in the Black Community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 2, 2016
TheRoot.com


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Money, Race and Success: How Your School District Compares | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 2, 2016
The New York Times


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More than 1,000 people march in the 10th annual May Day parade | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 2, 2016
For the 10th consecutive year, Milwaukee’s near South Side and downtown were alive with chants of “Si se peude!,” as well as colorful banners, signs and flags. Sponsored by Voces De La Frontera, an immigrants and workers rights advocacy group, Milwaukee’s May Day march was part of a set of political actions around the country.
Marchers celebrated the defeat of Wisconsin Bill AB 450, which would have allowed police to investigate immigration status and detain undocumented people; defended Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Deferred Action for Children of Americans; mobilized voters for the upcoming presidential election; advocated for a living wage, and more.
Approximately 1,200 came to the march from Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin, including buses from Madison, Appleton, Green Bay, Lake Geneva, Racine and Whitewater.
The march began at Voces De La Frontera’s headquarters on S. 5th Street, proceeded across the 6th Street Viaduct, and ended with a rally at the County Courthouse. Speakers at the rally included Russ Feingold, candidate for the U.S. Senate, Ald. José Pérez, Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton and Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces De La Frontera.
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Two MPS Schools in State’s Top 10 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 2, 2016
UrbanMilwaukee.com


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Housing Authority, Legal Action receive $100,000 grant to assist youth with reentry | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee
May 3, 2016
(L to R) Antonio Perez, US Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad, Antonio Riley, Francesca Yerks, Mayor Tom Barrett, and Atty Chris Donahoe. (Photo by Pat A. Robinson courtesy of Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee)
Federal officials announced Monday that the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) and Legal Action of Wisconsin had won a $100,000 Juvenile Re-entry Assistance Program (JRAP) grant to help young adults move beyond their involvement with the justice system to find jobs, housing and other opportunities.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Midwest Regional Administrator Antonio R. Riley and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Gregory J. Haanstad joined Mayor Tom Barrett, HACM Secretary-Executive Director Tony Pérez, and Legal Action of Wisconsin attorney Chris Donohoe for the announcement at HACM’s Hillside Family Resource Center.
The grant, funded through DOJ’s Second Chance Act funds, will allow HACM and Legal Action of Wisconsin to eliminate barriers to education, employment and housing for public housing residents up to 24 years old who have a criminal record. The goals include expungement, sealed records and legal representation that would lessen the long-term consequences of legal trouble. The grant will be supplemented by a $25,000 match from HACM and Legal Action.
“Milwaukee’s future depends on our ability to help young adults become productive, responsible citizens,” said Mayor Barrett. “This investment will give young residents who have paid their debt for non-violent low-level offenses the opportunity to avoid spiraling into a cycle of violence, poverty and incarceration. It gives hope for second chances that can save lives and build a stronger community.”
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Riley said: “Helping juveniles be gainfully employed upon reentry costs a fraction of the cost if we do not reduce recidivism. This is a cost-effective investment to help lift those impacted out of hopelessness and get them back on the right path.”
The Obama Administration has taken major steps to make our criminal justice system fairer, more efficient, and more effective at reducing recidivism and helping formerly incarcerated individuals contribute to their communities.  An important part of that commitment is preparing those who have paid their debt to society for substantive opportunities beyond the prison gates, and addressing obstacles to successful reentry that too many returning citizens encounter.
“In this life’s play, the one in which young people make amends to society, it is incumbent for all of those involved that their next chapter stands to be different than the prior one,” said HACM’s Tony Pérez. “Thus, access to housing, education, training and ultimately employment demands from them and us a fair chance for them. These funds will assist in a strategy that supports a credible path forward.”
David Pifer, Executive Director of Legal Action of Wisconsin, said:  “Legal Action welcomes the opportunity to work with HACM to provide free legal assistance to young people – HACM residents or family members of residents – to reduce legal and other barriers that may complicate their reentry and produce unfair lingering effects of their time in the justice system.”
To  help alleviate collateral consequences associated with a juvenile or criminal record, JRAP assists young people up to age 24 residing in public housing, or who would be residing in public housing but for their record, by:
At the grant announcement, Legal Action client Francesca Yerks discussed the positive impact of services similar to those that will be supported by the grant: “I was denied a position at a bank due to the theft ticket that was on my criminal background. With the help of WestCare Wisconsin and Legal Action of Wisconsin, I was able to get the ticket expunged. This expungement opened the door for me to get a job in banking and to other employment opportunities.” Ms. Yerks begins a new job with the city of Milwaukee on May 3, 2016.
HACM and Legal Action will use the grant to provide direct legal assistance to 70 individuals and educational outreach to at least 200 young adults have been involved in the justice system.
The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee provides affordable housing options to over 11,000 families, older adults and adults with disabilities in the city of Milwaukee. HACM works to foster strong, resilient and inclusive communities by providing a continuum of high-quality housing options that support self-sufficiency, good quality of life, and the opportunity to thrive.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 3, 2016


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On the Block: Teens and cars | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
May 3, 2016
Dwight Allen, 45, who lives in Lindsay Heights, said he’s concerned about problems associated with teens who steal cars in his neighborhood. He said they don’t have respect for anyone.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 2, 2016


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How to volunteer in May | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
May 4, 2016
A tour guide leads a recent home tour in the Historic Water Tower Neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of Historic Milwaukee)
Volunteer Milwaukee, a service of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee features a calendar full of events for volunteers, both one-time and ongoing. Here are a few of the opportunities in May.
Youth & Family Specialist Assistant (Volunteer/Intern)
Provide supportive programming and assist with crisis calls and intake assessments at emergency youth shelter at Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center. Training provided.
Contact: Ben Hastil, 414-647-8200
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Spaces & Traces
Collect tickets and guide visitors for Historic Milwaukee’s tour of homes and buildings in the Historic Water Tower Neighborhood, Saturday, May 14. The three-hour shifts are between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Call 414-277-7795
Urban Gardeners for Cream City Gardens
Prepare beds, plant, weed, compost, harvest crops and prepare produce weekdays and weekends starting in May and lasting throughout the summer for an urban garden program providing food for Guest House of Milwaukee, a homeless shelter.
Contact: Roxy Helmeid, 414-345-3240
Spring Weed-Outs
Pull invasive weeds at a nearby Milwaukee County Park Saturday mornings in May for The Park People. See Weed-Out schedule for dates and locations.
Contact: Jim Goulee, 414-273-7275
SpiritFaire
Promote SpiritFaire, an art and education festival that includes workshops, marketplace, charity offerings and variety shows. Volunteers also are needed on May 15 at the Irish Cultural Heritage Center.
Contact: Ron Schaefer, 414-444-8397
Mobile Food Pantry
Unload food from trucks, pre-pack food bags and distribute food to families at Allen-Field Boys & Girls Club Thursday, May 19, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Contact: Sophia Smith, 414-267-8111

author: the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee


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Two years after his death Dontre Hamilton’s family calls for better policing | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 4, 2016
Nate Hamilton, one of Dontre Hamilton’s brothers, said he forgives Christopher Manney, the former Milwaukee police officer who shot and killed his brother on April 30, 2014.
“I forgive you for what you did, whether you’re wrong or whether you’re right,” is what Hamilton would say to Manney if he had the opportunity to talk to him “one-on-one in a safe space,” Hamilton said.
Calling himself a God-fearing man, Hamilton said it was not for him but for God to judge Manney. “We continue to pray for his family,” Hamilton added.
Hamilton made his comments after addressing supporters in Red Arrow Park at the second annual Dontre Day, a gathering to commemorate the killing that took place there. Part of the crowd had marched to the park in a cold rain with the Hamilton family from 27th and Center streets.
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The Hamilton family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and former police officer Christopher Manney last week. The suit alleges Manney “unlawfully detained, unreasonably searched and then subjected (Hamilton) to excessive force” that led to his death. It further charges that this occurred “as a direct result of the unconstitutional policies of the City of Milwaukee.”
After Hamilton addressed the crowd, emphasizing the community’s responsibility to participate in building peace, the event took on a lighter mood. Art activities, bubble blowing, music, praise dancing and food-laden tables entertained attendees from around the city and surrounding area.
The Hamilton family is focused on changing police procedures in the African-American community, especially those concerning citizens with mental illness.
“We want a better place to live. We want a protected place to live. We want to make sure our police department has the resources that they need … and that they take all lives seriously,” Hamilton said in an interview.
Amy Shaw, the minister of Lake Country Unitarian Universalist Church, a predominantly white church in Hartland, came to support racial justice, she said.
“White people have to talk to white people about inequality. It’s not up to African- Americans to teach us. We need to educate ourselves and each other,” Shaw said.
Maria Hamilton, Dontre’s mother, said that police practices have not changed much in two years. But she’s not giving up.
“We decided that we’re going to be vocal. We’re going to continue to stay in the streets until they stop killing people in Milwaukee,” she vowed.
Noting that she is working with mothers who have lost sons in police shootings around the country, Maria Hamilton said that it’s important to keep those stories in front of the public to get leaders to “step up and do the right thing and start … helping us change legislation.
“We’re not animals. We deserve to have a right to live … and work, love our kids, nurture our children without being in jail, without having to fight to earn a decent living,” Maria Hamilton said.
Hamilton family members plan to invest any money they receive as a result of the civil rights suit into building the community. They want to create opportunities to put young people to work “because they want to work and there are no jobs. We want to nurture them and teach them life skills and give them values and goals,” Maria Hamilton said.


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Ashanti Hamilton launches effort to fight blighted properties | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 5, 2016
jsonline.com


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First-ever comprehensive study of Latino Milwaukee shows community’s impact on region | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
May 5, 2016
The population of Milwaukee would be shrinking if not for the growth of the Latino population, while Latino workers have accounted for all net growth in employment in the four-county area during the last 25 years. A new study commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation offers an unprecedented look at conditions in the Latino community and the trends that continue to shape the region.
Among the many insights found in Latino Milwaukee: A Statistical Portrait:
“The findings in this report underscore the significant role the Latino community will play in the future of our region,” said Marcus White, Vice President of Civic Engagement for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. “The data reveals disparities but also opportunities. Though it doesn’t explain why certain trends are occurring, the information provides us with important questions to explore together with our community partners.”
Latino Milwaukee: A Statistical Portrait was developed for the Foundation by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development. The study provides comprehensive data examining how Latino Milwaukee has changed through the years, how the Latino community compares to other groups in metro Milwaukee, and how conditions for Latinos in this region compare to those in the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States.
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“The rapid growth of Milwaukee’s Latino community over the past 25 years has profoundly reshaped the region’s neighborhoods, schools, and economy,” said lead author Marc V. Levine, professor of history, economic development, and urban studies and director of the UWM Center for Economic Development. “This study, based on detailed comparative and longitudinal data, offers the first in-depth analysis of social and economic conditions in Latino Milwaukee. We hope the study will permit greater understanding, among Milwaukee policymakers and residents alike, on the nature of the remarkable demographic and economic transformation underway here, and inform discussion about the implications of these trends for the future of the city and the region.”
Latino Milwaukee: A Statistical Portrait examines indicators pertaining to demographics; income, poverty, housing and social assistance; employment and earnings; business ownership; health and health care; education and schooling; incarceration; and politics.
The full study is available at greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/latino-community-study. A highlights document is also available upon request.

author: Greater Milwaukee Foundation


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Honoring the Best in Milwaukee Music Education | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 5, 2016
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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Is Bronzeville the next stop for the Milwaukee streetcar? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 5, 2016
Milwaukee Business Journal


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Milwaukee County Starting A Healthy Infants Court | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 5, 2016
Wisconsin Public Radio


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African-American households face higher energy burden, report finds | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wyatt Massey
May 6, 2016
Roberson Merriweather faces high energy bills because of a boiler in need of repair and a dilapidated roof. (Photo by Wyatt Massey)
Roberson Merriweather, 50, carries his application through the cubicles at Community Advocates, 728 N. James Lovell St., before taking a seat beside the desk of Shirley McClendon, a community advocate. Merriweather’s faded green hat reads “Retired” above a U.S. Army logo. Around his neck hangs a card displaying his Bronze Star and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
The 30-year Army veteran is at Community Advocates for the second day in a row, this time with the necessary paperwork to apply for weatherization assistance and the county’s Energy Assistance program.
“I’m just trying to stay afloat, get ahead on things,” he said. “I’ve got debts to pay, but I’m working now, trying to get back on my feet” after more than a year of unemployment.
Like many other African-American households in Milwaukee, Merriweather has struggled to pay his energy bills; at one point his heat was turned off. His home’s boiler, which is more than 10 years old, often leaks. A recent report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and Energy Efficiency for All found that the city has the sixth highest energy burden in the country for the average African-American household. Milwaukee is also in the top five cities with the greatest difference between city and state energy burdens.
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According to the report, which measured 48 cities, African-American households in Milwaukee pay more than 7 percent of their income for energy costs, compared to 4 percent paid by the average city household. The report measures energy burden as a percentage, dividing the household’s total energy spending by gross household income. The data was taken from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 and 2013 American Housing Survey, including nearly 2,000 homes in Milwaukee.
Community Advocates, 728 N. James Lovell St., is one of several city organizations where residents can apply for energy assistance. (Photo by Wyatt Massey)
Maudwella Kirkendoll, Community Advocates chief operating officer, said that the city’s racial segregation adds to the disproportionate energy burden. “The large majority of African-Americans live in neighborhoods where the housing is dilapidated and not weatherized and not energy efficient at all,” he said.
Characteristics of the home, such as poor insulation, inadequate sealing and inefficient appliances, are some of the drivers of a higher energy burden, according to the report. Other factors include unexpected economic changes, inability to pay high upfront costs for energy efficiency measures and a lack of knowledge about support programs.
Merriweather’s application for energy assistance is one of two options residents have to lower their energy bills. About 100,000 We Energies customers apply for assistance each year, said spokesperson Cathy Schulze. The program is available for residents with an income under 60 percent of the state median, which for a household of three is $41,355 a year. The one-time payment program runs between Oct. 1 and May 15.
More than 60,000 residents receive an average credit of between $250 and $550 through the Community Advocates program, which is paid to the energy company, Kirkendoll said. Advocates such as McClendon help residents with the energy assistance application, which includes 23 questions regarding household size, energy usage and monthly income.
These questions may identify other credits residents can apply for. “Usually when a client comes in, we try to cover all the bases,” McClendon said. For Merriweather, that meant applying for the program’s crisis fund to pay for overdue bills. The one-time payment will help him begin to pay off fines and start making payments for a nagging weatherization problem related to his roof.
After serving in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2007 and then working as a trainer at Fort McCoy, Merriweather lost his job and needed to have multiple surgeries. He began receiving letters from the city around the same time stating that his roof violated building codes.
“The fines just kept compounding,” he said. “It just piles up, piles up and piles up.” His heat was shut off for more than a week before Merriweather could borrow money and begin a payment plan with We Energies. “I’m on top of things as much as I can be,” he said.
Weatherization programs are the other option for residents to lower their energy bill. The report notes that raising the energy efficiency of low-income households nationwide to that of the median household would reduce more than a third of the energy burden. The same measures would lower the energy burden by 42 percent and 68 percent for African-American and Latino households, respectively.
“In large part, the issue with the high energy burden is tied to the old housing stock we have in Milwaukee,” Kirkendoll said. “We have a lot of old homes and the heating is going right out the windows.” Merriweather’s home on Burleigh Street was built in 1921. The average build year for a residential property in his 53210 ZIP code is 1926, according to city data.
Residents who qualify for energy assistance can apply for the Social Development Commission weatherization program. The repairs are free and include adding insulation, sealing the home, as well as replacing furnaces and refrigerators that are not energy efficient. La Casa de Esperanza and Partners for Community Development do similar work with the energy assistance program.
SDC weatherizes 500 to 700 homes each year with the help of 30 contractors and a $5 million budget. However, Jim Gambon, SDC residential services manager, said progress is slow.
“We know that our program is not touching — not even close to touching — all the homes that are potentially eligible,” Gambon said. “At this point there are approximately 40,000 applications for energy assistance … it could be closer to 80,000. So that’s a deep pool for weatherization.”
Residents may also apply for a loan up to $15,000 for energy saving measures through the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency program, which partners with Summit Credit Union. Erick Shambarger, director of the city’s Environmental Collaboration Office, said the program is designed for individuals who do not qualify for weatherization assistance but cannot afford the cost of energy efficient improvements. “Essentially that allows them to pay for improvements up to 15 years while saving money on their energy bills,” he said.
Merriweather’s home could be eligible for weatherization from La Casa de Esperanza. An outreach worker from La Casa scheduled a visit to his home to see what work is required, which could be to replace the boiler. “Any assistance with weatherization, I will take it.”

author: Wyatt Massey


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 5, 2016


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Beckum-Stapleton Little League kicks off 52nd year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wyatt Massey
May 8, 2016
Beckum-Stapleton Little League kicked off its season May 7 at Carver Park. The league has run for more than 50 years. Coaches say that the league teaches youth life lessons, as well as baseball. “It keeps (kids) off the streets,” noted Jim Criss, a coach for 39 years.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 7, 2016


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Carmen, Pulaski attempt to form common identity but roadblocks remain | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
May 9, 2016
A group of staff, parents and students meet at the Pulaski library. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
A controversial partnership between Casimir Pulaski High School, a traditional MPS school, and Carmen Schools of Science and Technology, an MPS charter school network, is underway, but questions persist about whether Pulaski students and teachers are sufficiently involved in the process.
The partnership, which was approved late last year by the MPS school board, will see staff, parents and students of the two schools working side by side within the Pulaski building, 2500 W. Oklahoma Ave., beginning in August. Each school plans to have 800 students enrolled at the 1,600-student capacity building by the 2019-20 school year.
“There have been schools that are in the same building … [but] what we’re trying to do is a little different,” said Jodi Goldberg, partnership co-director at Carmen, at a recent meeting of the Community and Partner Relations committee, one of five work groups involved in preparing the two schools for the partnership.
Goldberg said, “This is an opportunity for Pulaski to take on its new curriculum and have a partner who wants to help them be strong.” She added that Carmen will be able to serve students it had not previously.
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Graduation rates, attendance and enrollment have declined during the past decade at Pulaski. In 2006, Pulaski graduated 63.6 percent of students in four years or less, compared to less than half of its students in 2015. This year, attendance fell to 71 percent, well below the MPS high school average of 82 percent and Carmen South’s rate of 97 percent.
In 2005-06, Pulaski enrollment was near capacity, at 1,560. Enrollment dipped below 1,000 in 2015-16. The lower enrollment means a handful of Pulaski teachers have already lost their jobs, according to Pulaski science teacher Dan Soiney. Another Pulaski teacher who did not wish to be named is seeking another job, partially because of the “instability” created by the partnership.
Soiney said, “My fear is that the kids are going to lose out.”
Last year, Carmen’s original south campus graduated almost 80 percent of students in four years. It was recently named the state’s most challenging high school by the Washington Post and its ACT scores are among the highest in the district. The Pulaski campus, to be called Carmen Southeast, will be the network’s third.
Students stand in front of Pulaski’s main entrance. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Beginning at the start of the 2016-17 school year, both schools will share the amenity-rich Pulaski campus, which includes a library, auditorium and pool, as well as a track and football field. Carmen will be housed largely on the school’s third floor with access to rooms on the first floor for science and art classes. Carmen and Pulaski students will share some spaces, including the gym, cafeteria and auditorium.
One art class will be co-taught by a Pulaski and a Carmen teacher, with students from both schools, and sports teams will also be integrated. But otherwise, the schools will largely stay separate.
“Everybody wants to know, ‘What is it going to look like four years from now?’ We don’t know exactly — that’s for the working groups to decide,” said Aaron Shapiro, MPS Regional Director of School Support.
Soiney said that although Pulaski teachers have had some input, some work groups did not include teachers initially, particularly the group making decisions on facilities. He said teachers were eventually told, after they had “made a lot of noise,” that they could have been on the committee from the beginning. “But, by then, all the major decisions were made,” he said. “So, it was too little, too late.”
Soiney, who has taught at Pulaski for 21 years, said there are still unanswered questions, including where Pulaski’s business department, formerly on the third floor, will end up and what will happen to science equipment from the rooms that were given to Carmen. “Especially in the early part, the communication was awful,” Soiney said. “I don’t think things are as transparent as they could be.”
‘We’re in this together’
Pulaski Principal Lolita Patrick said she is working regularly with Carmen South Principal Aaron Lippman, who will lead Carmen’s southeast campus next year. She said it’s important to make sure that everyone is working together.
Goldberg said there have been some joint recruiting sessions in the neighborhood. “We want this to be a place where everybody who lives here is dying to get in, no matter which school they’re coming to — that’s our goal.”
According to Patrick, 65 percent of Pulaski students come to school by bus. The school’s projected enrollment for 2016-17 is 750, below the target of 775. Carmen has enrolled about 150 of a projected 200 freshmen, and each school will attempt to recruit 200 incoming freshmen every year.
Denisse Guzman’s daughter will be a freshman at Carmen Southeast next year. Guzman said she wanted to be involved in the process because she has concerns about the environment at the school.
Guzman’s children started in MPS elementary schools but have since attended charter schools. She said it was encouraging to hear that Pulaski students will wear uniforms (as Carmen students do) and that Carmen students would not be unsupervised in the building.
Guzman, who lives a few minutes’ drive from Pulaski, said she didn’t consider the school for her daughter or her oldest son. Her son currently attends Greenfield High School but will be transferring to Carmen’s northwest campus next year.
“As of right now, Carmen is the way. If I see any improvement, any change in Pulaski [in] the future, I mean, I’ll probably have a change of heart,” said Guzman.
Pulaski is developing an International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. If everything goes to plan, the school will complete the IB certification process by the 2018-19 school year, according to Patrick. Once certified, Pulaski will join a handful of other MPS schools that offer such instruction.
Patricia Ortega, Pulaski’s school social worker and vice president of the Southgate Neighborhood Association, hopes the school will be a “one-stop shop” that would allow families to get connected with resources, enable parents to use computers for job searches, and more.
“Pulaski needs to be a school where people choose to come,” Goldberg said. “IB’s going to be a great draw. Pulaski is a beautiful building, this is a great facility, there’s energetic people … there’s no reason why both schools can’t be filled with people who want to be here.”
Goldberg said the partnership is trying “to build a long, ongoing set of initiatives that people who want to participate in can really be part of,” and encouraged people to get involved and “speak up.”
Community and Partner Relations committee meetings will be held the first Tuesday of each month in the Pulaski library at 5:30 p.m. Agendas are to be posted online, according to Goldberg.

author: Jabril Faraj


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 8, 2016


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Council President Hamilton urges community support for “Violence Prevention Month” | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Ashanti Hamilton
May 9, 2016
For the second year, the City of Milwaukee will recognize May as Violence Prevention Month. Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton, the city’s Office of Violence Prevention, the Milwaukee Police Department and many other partners throughout the city have dedicated their full support to this annual initiative with a slate of events that are planned throughout the month (follow this link for a list of events).
“As city leaders, we constantly strive to reduce violence, especially during the summer months when crime spikes the most,” President Hamilton said. “We encourage residents to take action to promote peace where they live, work, worship and play. This is an important opportunity to speak out and take a proactive stand against violence in every form.”
President Hamilton said that the community needs to band together to prevent crime and protect their neighborhoods by vigilantly maintaining awareness of the area and calling police if they observe suspicious behavior.
“The Milwaukee Police Department supports efforts to recognize May as Violence Prevention Month and is committed to reducing violence every month of the year,” Police Chief Edward Flynn said. “Our recent announcement that Milwaukee is joining the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violence Reduction Network highlights our desire to work with partners, both in law enforcement and in the community, to adopt comprehensive crime-fighting strategies.”
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The City’s Office of Violence Prevention backs efforts throughout the city that promote peace through youth engagement and strong neighborhoods. Its efforts are part of a critical partnership with community institutions like the Milwaukee Police Department. Together they promote peace and build community year-round.
President Hamilton asked residents to support and participate in the planned violence prevention events. He invites neighbors to contact the Office of Violence Prevention (414-286-8553) for information about city efforts to address violence through effective resident engagement, education and coordinated intervention.
Violence Prevention Month events range from an “International Stop the Violence Prayer Walk” on May 21st at King Solomon Baptist Church to a “Heal the Hood” block party at N. 1st Street and Keefe Avenue on May 28th and 29th.

author: Ald. Ashanti Hamilton


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HUD Secretary Julian Castro Issues New Guidance For Landlords | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 9, 2016
NPR National Public Radio


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MKE Plays awarded prestigious NEA grant | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
May 9, 2016
The first MKE Plays playground in Arlington Heights Park in the Silver City neighborhood.
The MKE Plays program has received a prestigious “Our Town” grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, said Alderman Michael J. Murphy, who helped launch MKE Plays last year.
The $50,000 NEA grant will be matched by MKE Plays funding for a total project value of $100,000. Alderman Murphy said community partner Artists Working in Education (A.W.E.) will be facilitating arts programming in conjunction with the MKE Plays design process at selected playgrounds. The MKE Plays program is helping to transform 12 of the city’s most deteriorated playgrounds into models of local collaboration and renovation.
The NEA grant award will be the topic of a news conference hosted by Alderman Murphy at 3 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, May 10) at the offices of A.W.E., 4315 W. Vliet St. Mayor Tom Barrett and Beth Haskovec of A.W.E. will join Alderman Murphy for the news conference.
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Alderman Murphy said he is humbled and grateful for the highly prestigious “Our Town” grant award from the NEA. “The MKE Plays initiative is based on the premise that equal access to resources leads to healthier communities and improved social outcomes,” Alderman Murphy said. “We envision a city with play areas whose condition is not determined by the ZIP code or district they are in, but rather are equally equipped to inspire a child’s imagination regardless of where they are located in the City of Milwaukee.”
“Playing outside is a vital part of childhood,” Mayor Barrett said. “And involving artists in the design of creative playgrounds is a great way to bring families together and build community.”
Ms. Haskovec said: “A.W.E. is proud to partner with MKE Plays to engage youth in actively shaping public spaces through public art. This initiative brings artists and youth into the planning process, and provides an outlet to express neighborhood identity through the arts.”
With the help of A.W.E., MKE Plays will pair a local artist with neighborhood youth to create public artwork and/or aesthetic enhancement at four playground sites throughout Milwaukee. Each artwork presents an opportunity for service-learning, and youth are actively engaged in the process of creating a public art installation for their neighborhood. The approach will also promote arts engagement in the park space by celebrating the project commencement and culmination.
The MKE Plays program was approved by the Common Council in March 2015 and incorporates both public and private funding sources to accelerate the pace of reconstruction and allow for more innovative designs. The cost for the twelve parks targeted by MKE Plays for reconstruction through 2017 is estimated at $1,585,408. This number represents a 25% increase over traditional reconstruction estimates to allow for creative, high-quality construction. With commitments from several local philanthropic organizations, MKE Plays has secured $1,742,500 in funding (private/public) – with another $125,000 yet to be announced – as well as an additional $90,000 for program expenses over the next three years, exceeding a minimum funding goal by more than $155,000.
For MKE Plays updates, please visit http://www.city.milwaukee.gov/mkeplays.

author: City of Milwaukee


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 9, 2016


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Public school starts music program thanks to Summerfest grant | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 9, 2016
88NINE Radio Milwaukee


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So Sue Them: What We’ve Learned About the Debt Collection Lawsuit Machine | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 9, 2016
Pro Publica


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Study: Milwaukee Area’s Latino Population Has Tripled | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 9, 2016
WPR Wisconsin Public Radio


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Department of City Development announces This Place Matters to MKE campaign | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
May 10, 2016
Everyone has places in Milwaukee they care about and that are important to them. Milwaukee’s built environment is home to many of the area’s most treasured buildings, historic homes, beautiful parks and unique creative spaces to enjoy. We are proud to share that last year 511 homes, 245 vacant lots and 19 commercial properties were sold by the Department of City Development. We are delighted by the inspiring and successful rehab stories from our buyers, each of whom took a once blighted property and breathed new life into it.
We encourage you to celebrate the places that are meaningful to you personally, and our community as a whole. If you are ready to tell the world about a place that matters to you in MKE, please snap a photo in front of a place or space that is important to you or that needs recognition for it’s positive impact on Milwaukee. Or perhaps you’ve already bought a City-owned property and want to show off your rehab progress with us. We want to see your best MKE places!
So, get ready! Print out your This Place Matters to MKE sign, snap your photo and share it on facebook or twitter using both of the hashtags #ThisPlaceMatters and #MKEstrong. Five individual posts will be selected at random by May 31 to WIN one of these neighborhood posters of your choice. Winners must also tag or mention one of our DCD accounts to be eligible: facebook.com/milwaukeedcd  OR  twitter.com/milwaukeedcd
Now, get out there and show us what you love about Milwaukee!
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Enews_Header_May2016 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 10, 2016


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Local organizations offer wide variety of summer camp options for children | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brendan O’Brien
May 10, 2016
Michael Espinoza, an employee at the Menomonee Valley Urban Ecology Center, leads a group of kids from the center’s Young Scientists Club down a hill. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Several organizations in Milwaukee have recently opened registration for summer programs and camps, with the goal of keeping the city’s youth safe, engaged and well fed throughout the summer months.
Among the organizations is the Milwaukee Recreation Department, which is offering all-day enrichment camps for children between 3 and 12 years old, featuring themed weeks, field trips, games and educational activities starting June 20 and ending Aug. 12.
“Parents realize that their children need to be out doing something instead of sitting in front of the television or computer,” said Dea Wright, the summer camp supervisor at the Milwaukee Recreation Department. “Kids are active and they want to be hands-on and engaged.”
The camps are held at three locations throughout the city. The cost is $90 per week for the first child and $70 for each additional child per family. Those who qualify for Wisconsin Shares can sign up for a $40 fee for one child or $50 for a family. Reduced rates are also available for children whose family qualifies for other subsidy programs.
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Children participate in the Wacky Olympics tug-of-war during a summer camp offered by the Milwaukee Recreation Department last summer. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Recreation Department)
Through extended summer camp hours, parents can drop off their children at 7 a.m. and pick them up at 6 p.m. if needed. The department is also offering weekday programming at playgrounds across the city from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. that includes physical and educational activities, free meals, sprinklers and wading pools
“It’s really important for parents to be able to go to work and have peace of mind,” Wright said.
Parents can also take advantage of summer day camps at the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee for children between 4 and 15 years old that run from June 13 to Aug. 26. The YMCA offers traditional summer camps, sports camps and camps that feature specific activities such as climbing, cooking and building with LEGO blocks. All of the camps at the YMCA include weekly field trips.
Many of the camps run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the YMCA offers free before- and after-care, allowing parents to drop off their children at 7 a.m. and pick them up at 6 p.m.
The camps at the YMCA include daily 30-minute reading and math sessions in order to address the brain drain that typically occurs during the summer months, said Chris Przedpelski, the YMCA’s director of day camps.
This summer, the YMCA has added dinner to the meals that it offers at five of its seven summer camps, after officials learned last year that some parents were not allowing their kids to go to free meal sites across Milwaukee because of the violence in the inner city.
“What we found last summer with the historic violence was …that more and more kids were going to bed hungry in our city,” Przedpelski said. “Parents were making a difficult decision of letting their kids go get dinner and risk something possibly happening to them or having them go to bed hungry.”
Camp fees range from $184 to $281 a week per child, depending on the age of the participant, the activity and whether they are YMCA members. Scholarships based on demonstrated need and participation in the Wisconsin Shares program can greatly reduce the cost of the camps.
“What it boils down to is that many of our families are in need,” Przedpelski said.
The Urban Ecology Center also offers a range of summer camps and programs for children between preschool and 12th grade. Activities include exploration, topical educational opportunities and outdoor skill building.
Costs, times and dates of each program and camp vary, with some offered from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The center has before- and after-care for $10 a day or $50 a week. At Riverside Park, 1500 E. Park Place, campers can be dropped off as early as 7:30 a.m. and picked up as late as 5:30 p.m. At Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th St., and Menomonee Valley, 3700 W. Pierce St., parents can drop off their kids at 8 a.m. and pick up is as late as 5 p.m.
A wide variety of summer camps are also available at Discovery World and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee while Journey House offers a series theater camps this summer.

author: Brendan O’Brien


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On the Block: Safe at home | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 10, 2016
Reesheda Sanders, watching her four young nephews play in King Park on a recent evening, said she walks her dog there most days. An executive assistant at a downtown hotel, Sanders feels safe in the park and the neighborhood to the west where she owns a home. But crime in the city is much worse than when she was growing up and young people have too few positive activities to keep them safe and out of trouble, she said.


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Getting There: Why Do Milwaukee Students Miss School? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 11, 2016
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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Girl Scout leader aims to teach young girls self-confidence, leadership | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Reem Imseitef
May 11, 2016
Lila Saavedra gathers with pupils from 53rd Street Elementary School. (Photo by Reem Imseitef)
Editor’s note: This is one in an occasional series on “20-somethings” in Milwaukee.
When Lila Saavedra has a rough day, her Girl Scouts cheer her up. A drawing from a Daisy scout, a hug from a Brownie or a letter from a Junior all help to make her job worthwhile.
For three years, Saavedra, 26, an urban initiative specialist at the Girls Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, has led afterschool programs for a combined 400 scouts at four Milwaukee public schools: Franklin Pierce, 53rd Street, Jeremiah Curtin Leadership Academy and 81st Street.
To accomplish the program’s goal of empowering girls to become leaders in the community, Saavedra has created curricula about building self-confidence, fighting bullying and overcoming stereotypes. Her personal goal is to expose girls to the role models and programs she lacked as a child.
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“I’m a strong believer that if a girl is able to be confident in herself and love herself and understand herself,” she said, “she will be less likely to be a victim of domestic violence, she’ll be less likely to take on a job that pays less, and she’ll know her worth.”
Lila Saavedra gathers with pupils from 53rd Street Elementary School. (Photo by Reem Imseitef)
Saavedra’s passion for inspiring young girls stems from her experience as a teen mom. Her 9-year-old daughter, Naylah, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy and a Junior scout, inspired Saavedra to enroll in college. She graduated from Mount Mary University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and a peace-building certificate. After working for the Reproductive Justice Collective, Saavedra went to Public Allies Milwaukee, an AmeriCorps program, which assigned her to the Girl Scouts. The Girl Scouts hired her in 2013.
Speaking of Naylah, she said, “Everything I do, I always keep her in mind, because I know bettering myself is providing her with a better upbringing than what I had growing up.”
Mentors have helped her along the way. Shalina Ali, worked with Saavedra on a project to help teenagers learn to resolve conflicts peacefully.
“Lila is a very caring and genuine person,” said Ali, program director at True Skool, a local social justice and urban arts organization. “What sets her apart … is her humbleness and openness to learning.”
Saavedra focuses on embracing each girl’s leadership style and helping her discover ways to make a difference. “The programs are designed to help girls build confidence, courage and character to make the world a better place,” she said.
Half of Saavedra’s workday is spent in her office at the Holton Youth and Family Center, 510 E. Burleigh St. The other half is at one of the schools, leading hourlong interactive workshops and activities with a co-worker Lachel Walker, 25, a Public Allies fellow.
Saavedra consistently comes up with creative ideas for the program, said Walker, who added, “The girls really love her.”
Kyla McCray, 10, said she learned a lot from her three years with the Girls Scouts and Saavedra.
“They teach me things that we don’t learn at school,” said Kyla, a fourth grader at 53 Street Elementary and a Junior at the troop there. “I really liked learning about stereotypes.”
Hoping to eventually reach more girls, perhaps in middle school or high school, Saavedra said she is preparing for a career in nonprofit management.
“I want to be remembered who is genuinely cares for the community,” she said.

author: Reem Imseitef


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 10, 2016


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How to help seniors get around | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Drive.Give.Serve
May 11, 2016
Laviena Davis (left) a volunteer for 15 years with Interfaith Older Adult Programs, and her client Sandy Crawford have enjoyed getting to know each other. Davis dedicates five days a week to helping seniors across Milwaukee County get to where they need to go.
In Milwaukee County, 22 percent of residents live below the poverty level – many of whom are senior citizens who need your help. Whether in the city or suburbs, seniors across southeast Wisconsin need a way to get to the doctor, grocery store, pharmacy or other places they can no longer drive themselves, which is why the Drive. Give. Serve. program was created.
Through a collaborative effort, four area interfaith agencies in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties have developed and launched a comprehensive program to address the area’s growing need for senior transportation.
Drive. Give. Serve. secured private funding from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Nonprofit Management Fund and the Helen Daniels Bader Fund; and a grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The ultimate goal for the four agencies is to increase volunteer numbers in southeast Wisconsin and eventually expand the program statewide.
How to become involved
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As the county with the largest population in the state, Milwaukee County has seen the number of those needing help continue to rise. An average of 200 seniors contact Interfaith Older Adult Programs every month for rides in the county. For medical, financial or safety reasons, they cannot drive themselves anymore – but the need for transportation remains. If you or somebody you know may be interested in volunteering, there are three easy ways to get involved:
Drive a senior. Volunteer to drive a senior and gain a friend in the process. No matter where you live or work, southeast Wisconsin seniors need help getting around town. While you might start off feeling like a chauffeur, you’ll end up feeling like a friend.
Give to our program. Looking for a unique way to give back? From collecting gas cards for volunteers, to allowing employees an hour off work to drive a senior to the doctor, there are many ways to help!
Serve by volunteering your time. There are many ways to meet the need for rides! You can help someone in need by delivering groceries, running errands or providing services to help seniors stay in their own homes.
If you would like more information about the program or how you can volunteer, please visit www.drivegiveserve.org or call 211.


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Last week for residents to apply for Milwaukee County Energy Assistance Program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services
May 11, 2016
The Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)’s Energy Assistance Program deadline is quickly approaching. Eligible residents must schedule an appointment to apply prior to May 15 to receive the benefits of the program.
“We are pleased to have served more than 56,000 households to date with this year’s program,” says DHHS Director Héctor Colón. “While the state is down in applications this year due to the warmer winter, Milwaukee County is continuing to increase the number of households served by this program. We are very proud to provide this service to ease the burden of utility bills for our residents in need.”
The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as WHEAP, is a state program that is administered in Milwaukee County by DHHS. WHEAP provides a one-time payment for eligible residents, covering a portion of their energy costs.
Eligible residents can schedule appointments to apply for WHEAP prior to May 15, 2016. They can call 414-270-4-MKE, or going online to www.energyassistancemke.org. There are also flexible walk-in options at our four service locations, Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. – noon:
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The Energy Assistance Program has also expanded phone service capacity to accommodate the increase in applicants scheduling appointments over the phone as an effort to decrease wait time in lines at locations.
For residents who are unable to schedule appointments prior to May 15, they may still be eligible for crisis services. To get more information, these residents should call 414-270-4-MKE, or visit our website at www.energyassistancemke.org after May 15 to learn about their options for assistance outside of the energy assistance period.
For more information on Energy Assistance or to schedule an appointment, visit www.energyassistancemke.org.


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Precious Lives: Changing the system from within | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 11, 2016
Precious Lives Project


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Spending falls in proposed Milwaukee Public Schools budget | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 11, 2016
jsonline.com


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Walker Tweaks Voter ID Rules: Voting Now Allowed For Those Waiting For State IDs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 11, 2016
WPR Wisconsin Public Radio


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Neighborhood House early childhood services earn top Youngstar rating | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee
May 12, 2016
(Photos courtesy of Neighborhood House of Milwaukee)
Neighborhood House Early Childhood Services officially passed state inspections for YoungStar 5 status on May 9th, 2016. The agency’s overall scores put it in the top 10% of child care providers in the state, top 6% in Milwaukee.
YoungStar is a program of the WI Department of Children and Families that evaluates the quality of care given by regulated child care providers through ratings from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 stars being the highest. Ratings are reviewed annually, and are based on categories of Education Qualifications and Training; Learning Environment and Curriculum; Professional and Business Practices; and Child Health and Well-Being Practices. A higher rating improves an agency’s reputation, and increases its reimbursement rates for Wisconsin Shares which can be critical for financial solvency and for serving families who might not otherwise be able to afford quality care.
Our 5 star rating is the result of coordinated efforts by Early Childhood staff, and by facilities and business office staff. “We are proud of our teachers for the quality of care they provide, and for going above and beyond state standards,” said Phan Sanford, Early Childhood Services Manager.
“It’s all connected,” added Neighborhood House Executive Director Jeff Martinka, “from the classroom teachers to the people who make the building welcoming, provide healthy meals and snacks, and ensure the books are in good order– everyone at Neighborhood House contributes to making this a first-rate environment for early childhood education.”
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The YoungStar 5 status follows Neighborhood House’s designation last year as an Early Head Start partner with Next Door, part of a major federal effort to improve access to high-quality infant and toddler care in high-need communities. As part of this Head Start effort, Neighborhood House will undertake a $60k playground rebuild beginning in June 2016.

author: Neighborhood House of Milwaukee


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 12, 2016


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Collaborators, leaders and legacies being awarded by Safe & Sound | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Safe & Sound
May 12, 2016
Safe & Sound is proud to announce the 2016 SAFER. STRONGER. TOGETHER. award recipients for the annual breakfast fundraiser being held Thursday, October 13, 2016, 7:30-9:00 a.m. at the Italian Conference Center.
Dr. Mike Lovell – Herb Kohl Champion Award
Dr. Lovell follows in the footsteps of our first champion, Senator Herb Kohl, and has established visionary leadership, true collaboration and total commitment to strengthening Milwaukee.
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Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation – Foundation Leadership Award
Modelling civic leadership for decades, the Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation leaves its legacy by supporting innovative approaches to the changing and challenging needs of Milwaukee residents and acts as a partner and collaborator to community-based organizations.
Chief Judge Maxine White – Law Enforcement Leader Award
Chief Judge White demonstrates a commitment to building positive relationships between law enforcement and the community, leading and supporting innovative strategies and partnerships to improve the lives of Milwaukeeans.
Cheri Fuqua – Resident Leader Award
Acting in partnership with Safe & Sound, residents and partners, Ms. Fuqua inspires, influences and empowers fellow neighbors to improve community safety and vitality.
Pierre Johnson – Youth Leader Award
Pierre Johnson has risen to the top, overcoming adverse circumstances, and becoming a young role model by caring for the community and inspiring youth.
Executive Director Katie Sanders “We are pleased to recognize these leaders for their exceptional work and dedication to making Milwaukee a better community.” Nearly 20 years ago, Safe & Sound was founded to help unite residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods. While Milwaukee continues to combat violence, Safe & Sound acts as a steadfast partner to the community believing we are safer – stronger – together.

author: Safe & Sound


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Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission releases 2015 Annual Report | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Health Department
May 12, 2016
Today, Mayor Tom Barrett and Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker joined the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission (MHRC) in releasing its 2015 Annual Report analyzing causes and risk factors behind homicides and non-fatal shootings in the city of Milwaukee.
“After a steady decline in homicides over the last decade, 2015 was a very deadly year for our city and cities across the country,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “To address this, we must work together and use all of the tools available including having quality data to better understand where to target our prevention work.”
“Violence is a public health issue. Like understanding a disease, we must use data and analysis to understand its root causes,” said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. “Using the approach of the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission provides all partners in violence prevention a detailed look at the contributing factors to last year’s homicides and non-fatal shootings.”
The 2015 analysis provides data on contributing circumstances to homicides and non-fatal shootings, analysis of victim and suspect demographics, and data on socioeconomic status, educational attainment and other factors that influence violence in the city.
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“To prevent violence in any community we must look at both data behind the act of violence itself, but also the contributing factors,” said Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission founding director Mallory O’Brien, Ph.D. “Understanding these key indicators can help us come together as a community to work collaboratively and collectively to produce the reduction of violence our community deserves.”
The MHRC, which works with the City of Milwaukee Health Department Office of Violence Prevention, is a component of Milwaukee’s violence prevention efforts and draws on public health and criminal justice partners to better understand and inform the work to reduce violence in Milwaukee.
The report is available at Milwaukee.gov/health.

author: City of Milwaukee Health Department


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MKEGrind owners offer teens training and mentorship | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 12, 2016
MKEGrind owners Sylvia and Thomas Wilson lead a workshop on branding for students at the Arts @ Large Gallery. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The six teens looking at the large computer screen behind presenters Sylvia and Thomas Wilson alternately hop up and down in their seats with excitement; seem to doze, with heads rested on outstretched arms; and tilt their heads reflectively, searching for answers to the questions posed.
They are gathered in the colorful Arts @ Large gallery and café, 908 S. 5 St., for an after-school session on branding, part of a career development program the Wilsons took over in January through the Café @ Large program, currently in its second year.
Founders of MKEGrind, a for-profit, “social enterprise” devoted to helping young people find, develop and achieve their personal and career goals, the Wilsons launched the business after winning the UWM Student Startup Challenge in 2014. MKEGrind was one of 10 winning proposals chosen from 80 submissions. Winners were given start-up funds of $2,500 to $5,000, and mentoring on becoming entrepreneurs.
The Wilsons, who grew up in poverty on the North Side, want to reach kids who live “where we came from, kids who had no opportunities,” said Sylvia Wilson.
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“We feel like we were missing this kind of guidance when we were growing up,” she added. Their biggest regret is that they did not have someone to help them understand how to get where they wanted to go, the Wilsons noted.
Evan Sandherr, Arts @ Large special programs coordinator, thinks it’s important that the Wilsons have similar backgrounds as the teens in the program.
(From left) Bradley Tech student Zaihnyuh Garner and Andrea Hernandez, Greenleaf Baker and Jimena Montes, from Vieau School talk with Sylvia Wilson about careers that interest them. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The Wilsons are inspiring the students and allowing them to explore where they fit in, Sandherr said. “It’s difficult to become something that you can’t imagine. How do you create a space where young people can imagine where they want to be and … make it happen?” Sandherr added.
Now in their late 30s and the parents of three young sons, the Wilsons come from self-described “rough backgrounds.” Thomas had the more difficult childhood, Sylvia said. His mother struggled with alcoholism; he lived with multiple families; and was homeless from the beginning of high school into his early 20s. To survive, he fell in with a group of drug dealers.
Sylvia’s family was also impoverished. She and her mother moved from the central city to Oak Creek and later Port Washington after her parents divorced. She graduated from Bay View High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Marquette University, and a master’s in administrative leadership and doctorate in urban education from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
The two met in their early 20s when Sylvia moved back to the North Side, “the only place she could afford” at the time, she said. Thomas stood out from the men hanging around her building and she soon had him going to church with her. They married and Thomas, who had always wanted to be an artist, started pursuing an education in graphic design, online and at UWM.
The Wilsons worked closely with the other nine winners of the challenge and with mentors from the university and local businesses. Initially they envisioned MKEGrind as a digital magazine aimed at central city teens. The magazine was intended to be video interviews of successful business people about how they became successful. But when their first subject backed out, they decided to focus on the workshops instead.
“We never wanted to be in the position of having someone able to stop us from moving forward,” Sylvia said. They had learned from their mentors that when they encountered roadblocks they had to find another way to approach their goals, she added.
The students in the Café @ Large program, in grades seven through nine, start with career exploration. At a recent workshop, participants brainstormed about businesses and institutions they will visit this summer to explore career opportunities. And in partnership with Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company, they learn professional barista skills and how to run the café.
“We hope they will end up with a pretty solid idea of where they are going and how to get there,” Sylvia said. “We would like to have them stay with the program through high school. We would like to establish long-term relationships so that they can come back for help along their journey.”
Greenleaf Baker, an eighth-grader at the nearby Vieau School, said when she started in the Café @ Large program, she was shy but now she feels more open and able to communicate. She described an assignment in which participants approached strangers at a market with survey questions. Baker said it was difficult at first, but “the more I did it, the easier it got. I had a really good time. I really enjoyed it.”
Andrea Hernandez, also a Vieau School student, moved here from Puerto Rico recently. “I made a commitment to myself that I will take advantage of every opportunity for my future,” she said about joining the program. The classes and field trips not only teach her new things; they also help her with her social skills, she added.
In August, the Wilsons will start working with an additional group of young people at Teens Grow Greens, a skill-building employment program that provides nine-month paid internships.
Sylvia, who teaches part-time in the UWM School of Education, believes that people underestimate what kids from disadvantaged backgrounds can do.
“I try to bring in some of the concepts I teach at the college level. I believe (our Café @ Large participants) have the ability to analyze and create if they are given the opportunity to do so.” She added, “I don’t think we often offer them those opportunities.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 11, 2016


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On the Block: ‘She’s in a better place’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
May 12, 2016
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/263520124″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Deirek Smith, 57, has scrapped metal for the last 10 years of his life, living from place to place. Smith, whose parents have both passed, has also lost two partners — women he’d been with for 20 and 8 years, respectively. He talks about blaming himself, and how he came to be at peace.
Read more about Deirek Smith at milwaukeestories.org.
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COA and TPN to graduate seventy preschoolers from HIPPY program Saturday | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
COA Youth & Family Centers
May 13, 2016
Seventy preschoolers will graduate from Milwaukee’s Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program on Saturday, May 14th at the Milwaukee Public Library’s Centennial Hall (733 N. 8th Street). The event will include a graduation ceremony for families completing year three of the program and a luncheon reception.
HIPPY is an internationally-renowned early literacy and parental engagement program for children ages 3-5 provided by COA Youth & Family Centers, in partnership with The Parenting Network. “HIPPY is designed to empower both kids and parents,” said Jessica Namaste, COA’s HIPPY Program Director. “The heart of HIPPY is making sure that every kid is prepared for school. The curriculum supports cognitive development and helps build literacy, but social-emotional skills are just as critical in helping kids become stable students. And we do this cooperatively, alongside the family – the core of HIPPY is getting parents involved, engaged, and educated to be their child’s first and most important teacher” Namaste said.
The program uses a peer-to-peer model to deliver 30-weeks of curriculum through home visits for parents of children ages three to five years. HIPPY establishes a daily “habit” of parental involvement in education through age-appropriate books, structured learning activities, and behavior modeling.
Now in its eighteenth year in Milwaukee, HIPPY began at COA in 1998 in partnership with National Council of Jewish Women – Milwaukee Section, which continues to support the program. The Milwaukee program, also now provided through The Parenting Network, serves approximately 300 families each year and is supported by Milwaukee Public Schools as well as grants from The Herzfeld Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, PNC Bank Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. HIPPY serves approximately 15,000 U.S. families annually in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia, as well as additional families worldwide. Research shows that HIPPY improves school readiness, standardized test scores, academic performance, classroom behavior, school attendance, and parental involvement.
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author: COA Youth & Family Centers


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Black Boys Describe the Emotional Stress They Go Through Everyday Growing Up in America | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 16, 2016
AtlantaBlackStar.com


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More Green: Why Energy Efficiency Matters to Low Income Latinos, Urban Minorities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 16, 2016
LatinPost.com


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Report details complexities in Milwaukee’s rise in homicides | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 16, 2016
jsonline.com


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The bridge that made Milwaukee famous | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Margaret Rozga
May 16, 2016
Margaret Rozga, poet, civil rights activist and professor emerita of English at UW-Waukesha, invites Milwaukeeans to participate in planning the 50th anniversary of the open housing marches led by Father James Groppi and the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council in the 1960s.
“We’d like to walk across the bridge,” Yolanda Hare said. “Would you be able to walk with us?” The bridge in question is the James E. Groppi Unity Bridge, formerly the 16th Street Viaduct, site of the best known of the 200 consecutive nights of marching for open housing in Milwaukee in 1967-68. Yolanda, a staff member at Minneapolis’s Southside Family Charter School, served as coordinator for the middle school’s extended civil rights tour this April.
Of course, I said yes. This walk across the bridge was a way to insure that the movement in Milwaukee for local and national fair housing legislation would not be forgotten, its energy not lost. Milwaukee’s open housing marches can be a source of inspiration for ongoing work for social and racial justice. Commemorating them has been a priority for me since planning the celebration of their 20 anniversary. That was when the idea for renaming the viaduct was born, and the Common Council resolution to rename the bridge succeeded a year later.
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The original 1967-68 marches for fair housing were not the first step in the struggle to secure adequate housing here for African-Americans in the post-World War II period. The African- American community in Milwaukee nearly tripled in size from 21,172 persons in 1950 to 62,458 in 1960. But the amount of housing available to African-Americans did not correspondingly grow. By 1967, African Americans were 12 percent of Milwaukee’s population living on 5 percent of the city’s land, with a population density four times greater than elsewhere in the city.
As early as 1962, Vel Phillips, the first African-American and the first woman on Milwaukee’s Common Council, introduced an open housing bill. It was defeated, with her vote the only one in its favor. Each time she re-introduced the bill, the results were the same.
Early in 1967 the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council offered to support Phillips’ efforts. The Youth Council had first addressed the housing crisis by working on the issue of lax enforcement of the city’s building code. Youth Council members, among them children in the upper grades at St. Boniface School, attended the trials of property owners charged with building code violations on their inner city properties being rented by African-Americans. Even when these landlords were found guilty of failing to keep the properties up to code, their fines were sometimes merely one dollar, only token punishment, with no incentive to change.
The Minneapolis middle school students and their teachers who visited last month wanted to honor Milwaukee’s open housing movement, which included young people their own age. That inspired these students. Their presence here seemed a sure sign that this Milwaukee story was weaving itself into the regional, maybe the national narrative of the civil rights struggle. Four years ago students at NOVA High School in Milwaukee also found inspiration in learning about Milwaukee’s open housing movement, turning their study of the movement into a museum exhibit, the March to Equality project, shown at the Arts @ Large Gallery in 2012. The students also guided multiple civil rights tours of Milwaukee that year and the next.
Recently there was further evidence of the power of Milwaukee’s open housing movement. The Frank Zeidler Center for Public Discussion hosted a brainstorming session to generate ideas for the 50 anniversary of the marches. Response to the open invitation to this brainstorming session had been promising, with 28 people registering. Turnout was even better; about twice the number of people actually attended.
In energetic small group discussions, a wide array of suggestions emerged. Included were ideas focusing on youth, the role of the arts, education about the historic events, re-enactments, commemoration in physical forms such as buildings, statues, plaques and billboards, public conversations about racism, and policy initiatives to address one or more present-day housing issues.
Follow-up meetings to this initial session will aim to specify what the course of action should be on the themes now in rough form. These follow-up meetings, like the initial brainstorming session, are open to all. Times and places of future meetings will be posted on the March On Milwaukee: 50th Anniversary Facebook page.
On a Milwaukee bridge, the movement for open housing legislation gained momentum. The open housing struggle then grew to be a movement for social and racial justice. That’s worth remembering. That’s worth continuing.

author: Margaret Rozga


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 15, 2016


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groppi bridge horizontal | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 15, 2016


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The Decline in Equal Education Opportunity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 16, 2016
UrbanMilwaukee.com


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Watch ‘Milwaukee with John Gurda’ — Historic South Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
May 16, 2016
88NINE Radio Milwaukee


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Danae Davis, to receive 2016 Robert H. Friebert Social Justice Award | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jewish Community Relations Council
May 17, 2016
Danae Davis has been selected to receive the 2016 Robert H. Friebert Social Justice Award. The award was established in 2014 by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, and attorney James H. Hall received the inaugural award.
Davis has devoted her professional life to helping the most vulnerable. Currently executive director of Milwaukee Succeeds, Davis was formerly CEO of Pearls for Teen Girls, a Milwaukee based nonprofit organization that uses a nationally recognized model for girl empowerment and leadership development for adolescent girls ages 10-19. She has also served as Diversity Affairs Director at Miller Brewing Company and Director of Diversity Management and Work/Life Programs of Kraft Foods. She has worked on labor and human resources at the city, state, and federal levels.
Davis also gives of her free time to community organizations, including Milwaukee Charter School Advocates and formerly the UW System Board of Regents. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, and a juris doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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“Danae is a tireless advocate for social and economic justice, leaving fingerprints wherever she works. JCRC is so pleased to highlight her work as part of Bob Friebert’s legacy,” said JCRC Chair Michael Pollack.
“Danae’s broad and energetic approach to social justice brilliantly reflects the spirit of this award,” said Brian Schupper, chair of the award committee and Friebert’s son-in-law. “She is a true community leader.”
Davis will receive the award at the JCRC’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 9. Click here for more information and to register for the event.
Robert H. Friebert (1938-2013) dedicated himself to the pursuit of social justice and the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world). A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, Friebert was a founding partner of the law firm Friebert, Finerty and St. John S.C.
He argued four cases in the United States Supreme Court and served as the first public defender for the State of Wisconsin from 1966-1968. Friebert was also extremely active in local, state and national Democratic politics in his pursuit of social justice. In addition to his legal and political work, Friebert held significant leadership roles in numerous organizations, boards and commissions. For more on Friebert and the award, click here.

author: Jewish Community Relations Council


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 17, 2016

author: Adam Carr


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Fair Housing Council withdraws funds from North Carolina’s First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council
May 17, 2016
The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council has unanimously agreed to withdraw its funds from First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, which is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. This decision was made in protest of the North Carolina House Bill 2.
Fair Housing Council funds had previously been banked at North Milwaukee State Bank, which closed on March 11, 2016.  The FDIC subsequently transferred all North Milwaukee State Bank deposit accounts to First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company.
North Carolina’s House Bill 2 restricts exercise of civil rights in several ways; for instance, it removes the right of workers to sue under state law for employment discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. Further, the most notorious aspect of the bill, the “Bathroom Bill,” requires that people use public restrooms that correspond with their biological sex at birth, regardless of their gender identity or expression. Moreover, the bill prohibits local governments from enacting ordinances that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected classes beyond those defined by state law.
Each of these restrictions on the civil rights of North Carolinians means that, for the Fair Housing Council, doing business in North Carolina is insupportable.
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The Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council continues to affirm the rights of all people to live free from discrimination in housing, employment and public spaces, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race and other characteristics.


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Milwaukee Youth Council encourages participation in MATC’s YouthBuild | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
May 17, 2016
Participants in MATC’s YouthBuild during a project in the Washington Park neighborhood in 2015 (Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
The City of Milwaukee Youth Council is encouraging local young people to participate in Milwaukee Area Technical College’s YouthBuild initiative. YouthBuild is a free program that trains young people in construction work while they earn their GED, empowering the participants to lead successful careers in the trades.
The next session of YouthBuild will begin in June, and those who are interested in participating must complete an academic assessment before Wednesday, June 8, 2016 to qualify. Kalan R. Haywood, II, president of the Youth Council, said the free YouthBuild
opportunity is an offer that’s too good to pass up. “MATC’s YouthBuild initiative is a great opportunity for youth to earn their GED and gain valuable work experience in construction,” he said.
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This program is open to anyone between the ages of 16 and 24, who; has not earned a high school diploma; and who has been convicted of a crime, has a documented disability, has been in foster care, has low income, has parents who are migrant farm workers, or has a parent in jail.
Interested youth should contact Kevin Turner at (414) 647-0548 or kturner@journeyhouse.org or Derick Cornelius at (414) 297-6796 or cornelid@matc.edu before June 8.
For more information on MATC’s YouthBuild, please visit http://bit.ly/1VZ1Znc.


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Prospect of America’s Black Holocaust Museum’s rebirth sparks optimism | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mark Doremus
May 17, 2016
An artist’s rendering of the proposed multi-use building that may house America’s Black Holocaust Museum on the ground floor. (Photo courtesy of Maures Development Group)
Supporters of America’s Black Holocaust Museum, and people who remember the museum fondly from its days at 2233 N. Fourth St., are celebrating the news that the museum has been offered space in a new building to be constructed at the corner of North Avenue and Fourth Street.
Alderwoman Milele Coggs, who represents the Sixth District where the new building is to be located, announced recently that Maures Development Group will receive federal tax credits from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) to support the project. The money will jumpstart the four-story, 41-unit building in which the museum is expected to be the commercial tenant.
The museum’s original building closed in 2008 due to financial difficulties. Since then the museum has expanded its website into an online virtual museum.
Restoring the museum to a physical location will dramatically increase the services it can offer to the community, said Reggie Jackson, chair of the Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation, which governs the museum.
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Milwaukee’s Black Holocaust Museum (foreground) may reopen as a tenant in a new building to be constructed on and around its current site. (Mark Doremus photo)
“It’s a lot more impactful for guests to see exhibits in person then to see them on the website,” he added.
Jackson’s enthusiasm for the new building is tempered with caution. “We’re excited about the opportunity, we’re excited about the possibility, but we are well aware that this is a great challenge and it’s going to take a great deal of effort on our part to make this come to fruition,” he said. “So we are trying to not to get too excited, not to put the cart before the horse. … But we feel very, very confident that we are in a position to make this happen.”
Jackson said the museum board will negotiate with the Maures Development Group about the amount of space to be allocated to the museum and the cost for occupying the space. In addition there are moving costs to reestablish the museum with artifacts and exhibits that are now in storage, and operational costs to be considered. The museum board is working with partners and supporters to develop a fundraising plan to support the bricks and mortar museum, Jackson said.
Re-establishing the museum would be a boost for the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District, a redevelopment project designed to bring back some of the vitality of the old Bronzeville commercial district on Walnut Street east of what was then known as Third Street. The commercial strip, and its mostly black-owned businesses, were torn down by the city during two 1960s-era urban renewal projects.
The museum would be a centerpiece and the key attraction in the redevelopment zone and would draw visitors to the area. It hosted about 25,000 visitors a year, and 85,000 at its peak in 1999, according to a study commissioned by the city of Milwaukee.
If the museum is reopened, it would make the area more attractive to other business ventures, including restaurants, taverns, art galleries and music venues, all of which are needed to make the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District a success.
The museum announcement came just weeks after Pete’s Fruit Market, a South Side business with a loyal clientele, announced it would expand to a second location on the corner of North Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, where a Walgreens drug store was located.
The possibility that the museum might reopen was welcome news to Hibbie Hayslett, a retired Air Force officer who used to work there as a volunteer griot. Griots are hosts who are trained to guide visitors through the museum. The word evokes the West African tradition of a storyteller who serves as a local historian.
Hayslett and his wife Jerianne first visited the museum in 2002. For Hayslett, who grew up in Virginia with, in his words, a “white cultural bias,” that first visit was a revelation.
“We were just enthralled by the purpose and the meaning that was behind the museum and their effort to teach and to create understanding of racial history,” Hayslett recalled. “Their lack of anger and their willingness to build bridges was phenomenal for me.” Hayslett said he looks forward to volunteering again at the museum if it reopens.
Moving forward
The city announced its plan for the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District back in 2005. With the events of the past few weeks, it appears the project is gaining momentum.
“I think (this news) is long overdue and I’m glad it’s finally manifesting and it is right on time with all of the momentum that’s taking place in the Bronzeville district, said Christopher McIntyre, an artist and member of the city’s Bronzeville Advisory Committee. “This will be a time that is remembered in history as one when Milwaukee gets organized and mobilized after a vision.”
The City of Milwaukee has been working to develop the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District since 2005.
“The wonderful thing is that it fits the framework of arts and culture,” McIntyre added. “If it doesn’t go with the overall essence of what Bronzeville will be like, then it won’t fly.”
Neighborhood commitment to the idea of a Cultural and Entertainment District was demonstrated by strong opposition to a plan to put a Dollar Tree discount store on the corner of North Avenue and King Drive, where Pete’s Fruit Market is now expected to open by the end of the year. The Dollar Tree was deemed inappropriate for that location.
“I’m thankful for people like Deshea Agee (who worked on the Bronzeville project for the Department of City Development) and Alderwoman Milele Coggs, who were safeguarding the future and the perception of what Bronzeville is going to mean,” McIntyre said. “This isn’t a microwavable solution. These things up and slow cooked for a long time and they are just now about to come out and be displayed for people.”
McIntyre added that the WHEDA funding will expedite initiatives that have been put on the back burner.
The news that the museum might reopen was also a morale booster for people who have long anticipated the re-emergence of a cultural and entertainment district on Milwaukee’s north side.
“Prior to the announcement, many people had developed a sense of apathy and cynicism … around whether or not Bronzeville as a vibrant cultural and entertain district will ever be something real,” said Jayme Montgomery Baker, a member of the Bronzeville Advisory Committee. “I think the announcement of the development at Fourth Street and North Avenue, coupled with the earlier announcement that Pete’s Fruit Market will move into the area, will begin to help to shift thoughts and sentiments in the community related to Bronzeville.”
Nearby development projects, especially the new Milwaukee Bucks arena, may have a positive spillover effect on Bronzeville, Montgomery Baker suggested.
According to minutes from a committee meeting on March 10, McIntyre and Montgomery Baker of the Bronzeville Advisory Committee, along with Ralph Hollmon of the Milwaukee Urban League, have met with representatives of the Bucks to urge them to consider how the new arena could have a positive economic impact on the Bronzeville neighborhood. There has also has been public speculation that the Milwaukee streetcar might be extended from the Bucks arena up North King Drive to Bronzeville.
“Having this taking place now is hopefully a perfect storm to really leverage the goal, which is the creation and development of an entire Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District,” Montgomery Baker said.
“We don’t just want it to be built, we want it to be thriving, people using it, having it grow and be one of those locations to think about when you think about the city of Milwaukee.”

author: Mark Doremus


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 16, 2016