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Bus routes throughout Milwaukee County will change beginning March 7. Here’s what you need to know. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
February 26, 2021
Some routes on the Milwaukee County Transit System will change starting March 7, though not the Gold route. (NNS file photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Bus routes for the Milwaukee County Transit System will be changing soon as part of a new effort to increase frequency at many stops and improve accessibility to jobs and resources for transit riders.
MCTS NEXT, a new effort by the transit system, will increase the frequency of buses by removing low-traffic stops from routes. Some routes are also being extended to increase access to grocery stores, medical offices and job centers.
Ten routes will be affected by the first phase of changes:
Routes 15, 19, 20, 31, 33, 35, 51, 52, 63 and 68.
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Two of these routes are new:
Route 20 will run between National and College avenues along South 20 Street. The route’s southern terminus will be the Walmart on South 27 Street in Franklin.
Route 68 will replace service from Routes 63 and 15 on Port Washington Road.
Both of the new routes will run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Stops that were removed from the routes were too close to other stops, according to MCTS, and did not have enough riders to justify the stop. In some cases, stops were eliminated if they were not Americans with Disabilities Act accessible.
MCTS NEXT will be implemented in phases, with the first phase beginning March 7. Phases two and three will be implemented beginning June 6 and Aug. 29, respectively. A total of 32 routes will be affected through the three phases.
MCTS spokesman Matt Sliker also said the information will be available on buses, including window clings and audio messages that play on the buses. Outreach also includes social media pushes, signage at affected bus stops and targeted outreach to businesses whose employees might take the bus to work.
Sliker said much of the information was available in English and Spanish.
Keith Stanley, executive director of the Near West Side Partners, said roughly one third of Near West Side residents rely on public transit.
He was specifically happy about the increase in frequency on Route 31, a bus route that runs through the neighborhood. A bus will arrive on that route every 25 minutes as opposed to every 50 minutes because of MCTS NEXT.
Stanley said he was encouraged by the increase in access to areas where many Near West Side residents work and shop, such as Mayfair Mall, the Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Deer District.
Stanley said the route changes will particularly impact the area’s renting population, which includes young families and students.
“We want to give them easy, accessible and safe ways to get to and from work,” Stanley said.
Rae Johnson, communications officer with the Milwaukee County Office on African American Affairs, said the office provided feedback on equity for the new bus routes.
Johnson said public transit is one of the ways that Milwaukee can address segregation, as those who rely on the bus will gain more access to parts of the city that are farther away from where they live.
The move will also increase access to grocery stores, doctor’s offices and other resources.
As an MCTS rider, Johnson expressed excitement about the new changes and hoped that it would increase the number of people using the bus system.
“I don’t really like driving anyway,” Johnson said. “Driving in the city is more hazardous recently with reckless driving.”
Increasing route frequency during cold months especially is key, Johnson said, as waiting outside in winter conditions is unpleasant. Other improvements, such as real-time bus information on MCTS apps, also help remedy the situation.
Nick DeMarsh, an organizer of the Milwaukee Transit Riders Union, said the union supported MCTS NEXT but also called for more funding to increase the number of buses and routes.
While increased frequency is good, DeMarsh said it will take more buses and routes to restore MCTS to its former glory before budget cuts that occurred in the early 2000s. MCTS NEXT does not increase funding, but rather makes current funding more efficient.
More buses and routes are “how we grow transit ridership, address congestion in a meaningful way, decrease transportation emissions (the nation’s largest source of CO2 emissions) and address the hypersegregation that sadly continues to define our region,” DeMarsh said in an email.
Lidia Villazaez, community outreach manager for Silver City at VIA Community Development Corporation, said the changes will bring more frequent buses to South Side neighborhoods where people rely on the buses for transportation to work.
As a rider, Villazaez said the changes seemed good but she also hopes to see more funding in the future.
Villazaez also said she hopes MCTS continues more direct outreach, including to the Spanish-speaking population.
“They need to go to the bus lines and stops and hear from the people directly,” she said.
For more information
For a full list of stops no longer served, as well as the stops still served, click on the highlighted route that you are trying to find out about:
Route 15
Route 19
Route 31
Route 33
Route 35
Route 51
Route 52
Route 63
For a list of stops served by Route 20, click here.
For a list of stops served by Route 68, click here.
For more information, riders can click here or call 414-344-6711. The hotline provides automated information, but callers can connect to an operator Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
There will be virtual meetings for public input on Feb. 27 at 10:30 a.m. and March 4 at noon.


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17139474551_18061641f5_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 25, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: February 25, 2021

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

author: Adam Carr


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Hayat Pharmacies offering walk-in clinics for COVID-19 vaccines at Ma’Ruf Center, Hayat Pharmacy on Layton Avenue | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
February 26, 2021
Community members receive vaccines Wednesday at a walk-in clinic at the Milwaukee Christian Center. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Hayat Pharmacies is teaming with community centers to bring vaccinations to Milwaukee neighborhoods where residents need them the most.
On Friday, Feb. 26, there will be a walk-in clinic at the Ma’Ruf Center for Youth Innovation, 2110 W Hampton Ave., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Denzel Johnson, program manager at the Ma’Ruf Center, said there will be 1,000 doses of vaccines available for distribution.
On Saturday, Feb. 27, there will be a walk-in clinic at Hayat Pharmacy, 813 W Layton Ave., from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The vaccines will be available to those who are eligible in group 1B, including people aged 65 and over, health care workers and police, fire and correctional staff.
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There is no appointment necessary for the walk-in clinics. But proof of eligibility will be required, such as an insurance card or a form of identification like a driver’s license.
Johnson said there will be social distancing and a 15-minute waiting period following the vaccine.
Johnson said the Ma’Ruf Center will also have the second doses of the vaccine available on March 25.
The pharmacies previously held walk-in clinics at the Milwaukee Christian Center, 807 S 14 St., and the Hayat Pharmacy on Layton.
Karen Higgins, executive director of the Milwaukee Christian Center, said it is especially important to bring the vaccines into the community.
“People have to feel comfortable and safe in the places where the vaccines are being offered,” Higgins said.
She also stressed the importance of reaching people in community centers and trying to spread information by word of mouth, as many of the currently eligible population do not have computers and cannot access information online.
“We need to ask ourselves, ‘What is the (main) way to let people know?’” she said.

created: February 26, 2021

author: Matt Martinez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 25, 2021


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: March 1 to March 6 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 1, 2021
Several Milwaukee museums are reopening this week, including the Milwaukee Public Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Harley-Davidson Museum. (Photo provided by the Milwaukee Public Museum)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Nō Studios launches artist grant program
John Ridley, the founder of Nō Studios, recently announced the creation of the Artist Grant Program. The program aims to give $100,000 annually to Wisconsin-based artists, especially those in underserved communities. Creatives involved in all disciplines, including photography, music, dance and poetry, are encouraged to apply. Click here for additional information, and here are the application requirements.
2. Spring registration for Milwaukee Recreation: Monday, March 1
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Milwaukee Recreation’s spring registration for Milwaukee residents begins at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 1. Non-residents are allowed to register on Monday, March 8. In-person registration is not available. Forms can be faxed to the MPS Recreation Department at 414-475-8183, mailed to Milwaukee Public Schools Recreation Department, P.O. Box 461, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0461 or submitted by calling 414-475-8811. Click here for the spring 2021 recreation guide.
3. Milwaukee museums reopening to the public: Thursday, March 4, Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 27
The Milwaukee Public Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Harley-Davidson Museum and Discovery World are planning to reopen to the public. The Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St., is opening Thursday, March 4; the Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Drive, and Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 W. Canal St., are opening Friday, March 5; and Discovery World, 500 N. Harbor Drive, is opening Saturday, March 27. Museum hours vary per place, click the affiliated links for additional information.
4. The Milwaukee Police Department Citizen Academy: Thursday, March 4
The Milwaukee Police Department is inviting people to join the Citizen Academy. Participants will get an in-depth look at the department and its training methods. The seven-week program is open to Milwaukee residents who are 21 and over, have no felony convictions within the last 15 years and no current criminal charges pending. The class is taking place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 4.
5. Opening reception: “Hyphenated Americans” exhibit: Friday, March 5
Latino Arts, 1028 S. 9th St., is opening a new exhibit called “Hyphenated Americans.” The exhibit was curated by LUNA co-founder Katie Avila Loughmiller and features the work of LUNALatinas Unidas en las Artes, artists and friends. The opening reception is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 5. Capacity is limited. To register, click here.
Bonus: National Day of Mourning for COVID-19: Floral Heart Project: Monday, March 1
In honor of National Day of Mourning for COVID-19, the Floral Heart Project has installed a flower wreath at Museum Center Park, 910 E. Michigan St. The wreath will be installed starting at 8 a.m. and be completed and ready for viewing at noon Monday, March 1. It is one of 85 installations being displayed across the country.
Bonus: Virtual meeting on MCTS bus route changes: Thursday, March 4: The Milwaukee County Transit System will host a virtual meeting at noon Thursday, March 4 to discuss phase one of MCTS NEXT, a new effort by the transit system that will increase the frequency of buses by removing low-traffic stops from routes. Some routes are also being extended to increase access to grocery stores, medical offices and job centers. Ten routes will be affected by the first phase of changes, which begins Sunday, March 7. READ: Bus routes throughout Milwaukee County will change beginning March 7. Here’s what you need to know.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 28, 2021

created: February 28, 2021


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OPINION: ‘When your existence is a direct threat to the status quo’: My journey to the Fire and Police Commission | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Amanda Avalos
March 1, 2021
(Photo provided by Amanda Avalos)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
Amanda Avalos is a recently appointed Fire and Police Commissioner, co-founder of Milwaukee Beautiful and the self-proclaimed “biggest fan of Milwaukee.” In this piece, she reflects on her vision for her work as a commissioner and what she’s learned thus far.
The winds are changing. You can feel it in the air a little more every day — people are feeling activated. Young people have marched on Milwaukee streets every day for almost a year demanding justice.
The status quo is no longer serving us, and we know what our city can look and feel like when we are truly safe and thriving. We are committed to getting there.
But we need to talk about how exhausting this work can be.
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Years of community organizing, learning about our political landscapes, engaging at the local, state and federal levels of government and intentionally reaching out to build with people — especially young people — grounded me in my personal development and politic. And I still wasn’t ready for what it would be like to be nominated to the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission (FPC).
Politics was never my plan. I didn’t attempt learning about politics until after college because it felt intimidating and out of reach. I was passively participating before I learned the language. Now, I understand that everything is inherently political — everything we have access to, or don’t, is because we uphold systems that allow it to be so.
My two AmeriCorps service years at Public Allies shaped my perspective; I learned about what and who makes up these systems through my experience at tables where programmatic and city-level decisions were being made. During this time, I first learned about the Fire and Police Commission. I researched what it was, who was on it, started attending meetings at City Hall after work and began familiarizing myself with the flow and scope of their work. I found it exciting to know how policy changes are made but wondered why no one I knew was talking about it.
Years later, the FPC became a hot topic in the media and public rhetoric and became what it is today, but in ways that aren’t always fair or honest. It can be frustrating when only fragments of a story are published to sensationalize the situation at the expense of the people involved. But I don’t fault the media because I recognize that the full picture is often unavailable to the community due to factors like HR and legal matters.
It reminds me to keep my focus on organizing and building relationships with the community, and that it is no one’s job but our own to speak truth to power.
I accepted the mayor’s nomination to serve on the Fire and Police Commission because it was an opportunity to use what I know to help fulfill the duties of a board meant to set critical policy.
During my two-month nomination phase, I experienced more stress, pressure and vulnerability than ever before in my life. My character, physical safety and personal life were constantly threatened by right-wing media, leaders and former elected officials because of my personal vision of public safety.
Having support from friends, family and folks who have experienced this before made the difference in being able to stay committed to the process with a full heart. I learned a tremendous amount from how prominent leaders work in private versus in public, how they reason through strategies, heard their advice and witnessed both courage and dishonesty in the rumors that were spread to advance various agendas.
I am grateful to the members of the Common Council and community leaders who spent hours with me talking about the work, sharing their visions, ideas, advice and frustrations because they believed we can be better as a whole. We always found common ground in being dedicated to the well-being of Milwaukee.
I’m now a month into my term as a Fire and Police Commissioner. It’s true — politics can feel toxic, especially when your existence is a direct threat to the status quo. But in these past few months I have become more confident in showing up as my entire self while protecting my energy and remaining focused on my why. Knowing that I will never compromise my beliefs and principles — and proving it throughout my nomination process when I knew it would cost me votes — keeps me grounded and able to sleep at night.
We are collectively making progress. Public testimonies at FPC meetings over the past few years have called for wider representation on the board, especially with younger people. Being appointed as possibly the youngest Fire and Police Commissioner in Milwaukee’s history (age records dating back to 1885 weren’t kept in our Municipal Research Library) as a queer Brown woman is a sign that we are being heard and are moving in a new direction.
So I was asked how do we make public/political life less shitty? To start, I think we should talk about it. I’ve been processing my experiences so far and am ready to talk about it. I feel a responsibility to share what I went through, what I learned and how I’m navigating through it so that the next person can hopefully have a healthier experience. The more we talk openly about it, the more power we transfer from gatekeeping and stigma into building up our next leaders.
Secondly, we can be honest. If we truly want to build better and stronger systems, we have to be honest with ourselves and each other. Anyone can be a leader, and everyone deserves the truth. As every organizer knows, trust is built at the rate of honesty and transparency.
There are young people looking to leaders in their communities and they deserve to be acknowledged and affirmed. They need to know they are not alone in thinking that life can be scary — there will always be opposition — but it will always be worth showing up fully and authentically.
It remains a personal goal of mine to be consciously aware of the ways I show up in all spaces; seeking to harm less and build up others. I welcome and request accountability from the people of Milwaukee. In this role, I hope to enable and open up pathways for the public to engage in the process of police and fire effectiveness and accountability.
When the community is centered in policy, we can find justice and safety. The people who most closely know the flaws of our systems should be at the forefront of finding solutions.
The fact that the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission still exists after 135 years as an independent body made up intentionally of community members is a huge opportunity for the city. Milwaukee deserves an FPC that works effectively and fairly; one that makes it easier for the public to engage; and one that works to build trust by being transparent and thorough.
Our communities are tired of repeating themselves over and over every single year, reciting their stories and crying for change after every tragedy only to be consumed by media cycles then quickly forgotten by those in power. Our city deserves nothing less than waves of people who will be unapologetic about their values and will stand strong through the storms of politics and public pressures. We can make it a more sustainable path when we are holding and supporting each other along the way.
It is an honor to serve the city. Let’s get to work.
If you would like to connect with Amanda, her e-mail is amaval@milwaukee.gov.

author: Amanda Avalos


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Post from Community: The Salvation Army Sock Fundraiser: Keep someone’s (or your) feet and heart warm | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Salvation Army Milwaukee County
March 1, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County is aiming to keep hearts and feet warm.
Branded socks, $15 each, are available for the public to either get for themselves or to donate to someone in need. Pairs of socks donated will go to someone staying at The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County’s Emergency Lodge homeless shelter or The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, both in Milwaukee.
All proceeds raised from this fundraiser will go toward supporting dozens of Salvation Army programs and services across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.
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Follow the link below to begin your order:
https://thesalvationarmywi.regfox.com/the-salvation-army-milwaukee-county-sock-fundraiser

author: Salvation Army Milwaukee County


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the salvation army sock drive web banner | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 2, 2021

author: Dwayne Burtin


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The NNS coronavirus update for week of March 1: New groups eligible for vaccine; hours change at American Family Field; third vaccine approved in US | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 1, 2021
Testing hours have changed at American Family Field, with days of operation going from Monday through Saturday to Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Here’s the latest update on COVID-19 in Milwaukee and the resources you need to combat it.
COVID-19 testing at American Family Field, formerly Miller Park, will have adjusted hours going forward.
The site, 1 Brewers Way, will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The site was previously open Monday though Saturday. Some staff at the site will be relocated to other areas of the vaccination effort.
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The Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Rd., and South Side Health Center, 1639 S. 23rd St., will continue offer testing from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Coronavirus vaccine eligibility expands effective March 1 to include teachers, public-facing essential workers and those in congregate living facilities.
Educators and those working in schools will be prioritized starting this month. This includes:
Other groups will become eligible starting March 1, but the Department of Health Services said not to expect vaccination until April or May.
This includes:
Public-facing essential workers, including 911 operators, public transit workers, utility workers, communications infrastructure workers and food supply workers.
Food supply workers include grocery store and convenience store employees, those working on farms and in agricultural settings and hunger relief personnel.
Those in long-term Medicaid programs, such as Family Care and Family Care Partnership, will also be eligible.
Those in congregate living facilities include people at shelters for people experiencing homelessness or domestic abuse, people in employer-based housing, those in housing that serves the elderly or disabled and incarcerated individuals.
Congregate living facilities also includes those in transitional housing.
Non-frontline medical workers will also be eligible for the vaccine, including those working in public health and health care supply chain roles. Non-frontline indicates that these workers do not interact with patients regularly.
Health officials stressed again this week that eligibility does not mean availability and urged patience with the vaccine rollout.
Beginning March 5, mobile units are expected to deliver vaccinations to underserved areas of Milwaukee.
Mayor Tom Barrett said the city is teaming with the Wisconsin National Guard to set up two mobile units this week, with plans to request more in the future. Barrett said there will likely be pre-registration at the sites as well as walk-up availability.
Barrett said the city is still determining where those units would be located.
Interim Health Commissioner Marlaina Jackson said some churches will be among the first sites where mobile units will land. All Saints Catholic Church, 4051 N. 25 St., will be a site on Thursday, March 4, and St. Benedict the Moor Parish, 930 W. State St., will host a unit on Friday, March 5.
These sites, however, will not be open to the public. The mobile units are expected to have between 200 and 250 doses available.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is in talks with the Milwaukee Health Department to support vaccination efforts at the Wisconsin Center.
The Wisconsin Center, 400 W Wisconsin Ave, has served as the main city-run vaccination site. Health department officials hope FEMA will bolster those efforts by supplementing staff at the center, allowing health department workers to support the mobile sites.
FEMA could begin support as soon as the week of March 15.
Federal health officials voted over the weekend to approve the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine for emergency use in the United States for people 18 and older.
It will be the first vaccine authorized in the United States that does not need to be kept frozen or followed by a second shot.
The company plans to start shipping millions of doses this week and would provide the United States with 100 million doses by the end of June.
As of Feb. 26, 111,683 people in Milwaukee County had received one dose of the vaccine. This includes 45% of the 65+ population, which amounts to 59,633.
The state of Wisconsin has fully vaccinated 443,026 people with both doses of the vaccine. The state has administered at least one dose to 868,800 people.
About 51% of Wisconsinites over the age of 65 have received the vaccine, for a total of 521,354 people.
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Read our story here.
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To obtain a free mask, residents can visit these sites:
NNS reporters also gathered a list of where to buy locally made masks if you’re looking to show some local business love when masking up.
Check the City of Milwaukee Health Department’s website for the most updated facts and answers to questions about the mask ordinance.
Look here for up-to-date statistics on COVID-19 in the county. More precautions on how to stay safe and information on COVID-19 can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
Contact your health provider, call IMPACT 2-1-1 or take a look at the county’s testing site map to find a testing center near you. The free community testing sites at the Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Rd., and Southside Health Center, 1639 S. 23rd St., are now open and operating. American Family Field (formerly Miller Park), 1 Brewers Way, is also open.
For more information on testing, including how to identify symptoms and when you should get tested, visit TestUpMKE.com. Available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Burmese and Arabic.
For more information on vaccine distribution and where to find it, visit HealthyMKE.com. Available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Burmese and Arabic.
Check out our continuing coronavirus coverage.
Looking for more personalized direction to resources and information during the coronavirus crisis? Get connected with News414, a texting-based news resource from Milwaukee NNS, Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media. You can text MILWAUKEE to 73224 and begin to receive free, personalized data via text messages.


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Read the winning entries from the inaugural Rosa Parks Tribute Scholarship essay contest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
March 2, 2021
Kayla Denyce Jimenez (from left), Anya Ramos and Iman Snobar.
Editor’s note: For Milwaukee County Transit System’s first-ever Rosa Parks Tribute Scholarship essay contest, high school seniors who will attend a trade school, college or university responded to the Parks quote, “Each person must live their life as a model for others.’’
Over 50 students submitted essays, which were reviewed by a diverse panel from the Milwaukee County Transit System, the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation, and the Milwaukee County Office on African American Affairs. The three winners received a $1,000 scholarship toward their higher education.
(Photo provided by Kayla Denyce Jimenez)
Kayla Denyce Jimenez is a senior at Ronald Reagan High School.
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In order to maintain a stable, healthy and loving world, the responsibility to be compassionate, respectful members of society fall upon us all. As an 18-year-old, Latina and African-American woman in America, I have grown accustomed to the harshness surrounding individuals who are not ‘’cookie cutter.’’
To quote Rosa Parks, ‘’Each person must live their life as a model for others.’’ This statement forces me to ponder what kind of person I have been throughout my lifetime. Have I been kind? Open-minded? Have I been the type of person I wish to see more of? I can only hope I have been and continue on my journey of self-realization and humanitarianism.
In efforts to shine a light on the importance of compassion, intellect and humanitarian conviction, I have made myself available to varying forms of service and leadership positions within the community, specifically in regards to my high school community. I’ve found my service acts of choice tend to be geared toward both education and equality.
I have participated in a walkout from my high school in order to protest in front of the County Courthouse for the rights of DACA recipients, donated more than one hundred dollars’ worth of school supplies to economically disadvantaged students, volunteered at my high school’s open house to support the arts — specifically the drama department — and often I would get excused absences from classes to aid the office secretaries with paperwork.
When I look back at my hours of service work, I recall the DACA walkout fondly. DACA is an acronym for ‘’Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.’’ Essentially, it allows undocumented immigrant children to enter America and remain here to attend college and be eligible to receive a work permit. President Donald Trump ordered an end to DACA in 2017, triggering a legal challenge that ended when the Supreme Court ruled that it should be kept in place. President Joe Biden wants to give DACA recipients permanent legal status and a path to citizenship, but DACA is still facing legal challenges.
I am a Latina woman who knows multiple fantastic, intelligent, successful and kind individuals who are supposed to be protected under DACA status.
I felt it was my humanitarian duty to participate in the protest. IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.
It is my belief that activism has led me to my career path. I will be attending law school in order to become a civil rights attorney. It will someday be my job to protect the rights of disadvantaged people as well as give representation to the underprivileged and underrepresented. I refuse to stand by as blatant injustice is being broadcast to the nation. I suppose one could call it a moment of personal reflection; however, I refer to it as the moment I witnessed a little piece of history being made.
I can only hope to reach the level of pure human kindness, dedication and humanitarianism as Rosa Parks.
‘
(Photo provided by Anya Ramos)
Anya Ramos is a senior at Audubon Technology and Communication High School.
I always hear people say that they “need to get out of this city,” followed by a complaint regarding what needs to change for them to be happy. Those statements always rubbed me the wrong way.
It truly doesn’t matter where you are. What matters is how you choose to live and contribute to your environment. Rosa Parks’ quote, “Each person must live their life as a model for others,” is a value I stand by every day. Don’t get the meaning confused — her statement does not mean to live your life for others. Living as a model is becoming the change you wish to see in the world.
I used to live in California but due to family circumstances, I had to move to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The culture shock was real, and I found myself ruminating on things I wished were different in my school, community and the city.
As a sophomore, I began to apply myself to leadership and community roles. Through my leadership roles, I aided the growth toward a more positive school culture by organizing events toward school spirit. Some events included tutoring sessions before finals, schoolwide community events and a kindness week around Valentine’s Day.
One of my concerns had to do with the community. I could have chosen to sit there and wait for someone else to affect change or follow the footsteps that I took to improve my school. I chose the second option.
I started by planning community days for my school’s annual Thanksgiving outings and consistently volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club. By my junior year, I co-founded a student-led community service club. In this club, I mentored students multiple times a week to guide them into the professional world while teaching them how to organize events. The most memorable projects we launched included pre-school outings and a clothing drive.
After I actively put myself in positions to influence change, everything I disliked about my new city turned into a passion to continuously help improve the environment around me. Once I started becoming the person I wanted to see in others, I became much happier and attracted a lot more positive people.
After all of my experiences, I have a strong passion for my college education and career goals. I aspire to become a lawyer, but I know for me to have a successful time in law school and the career itself, I will need to have a wide range of experiences. I plan to expand my cultural knowledge through study abroad programs and my major while developing my abilities in a diverse range of areas. As a lawyer, I hope to diversify corporate workspaces while making each career attainable and comfortable for those who have been told otherwise in the past.
Every step I take in this career will be in the best interest of the community, and I plan on forever trying to keep improving my life and mindset as a model for others.
(Photo provided by Iman Snobar)
Iman Snobar is a senior at Ronald Reagan High School.
Positive actions can create a domino effect for good.
As an only child, I never imagined that I would be helping my peers and my greater community at large as an advocate and assistant to others. In an era of sociopolitical turmoil, especially during the tumultuous reign of COVID-19, I felt that I may not be able to live my life to the fullest in a year of various unknowns.
Due to the onset pandemic, I felt helpless and afraid since I’m immunocompromised; there weren’t enough precautionary measures implemented for me to work in a safe environment or to help those around me.
This changed when I discovered a dire need for poll workers and that I was eligible to apply. I became a certified election inspector at the end of July. I’ve been able to apply Rosa Parks’ quote, “‘Each person must live their life as a model for others,” to my work at the polls.
Every time I enter the polls, I take an oath to be fair and nonpartisan. However, there have been stories of supposed fraud and corruption that are quite the opposite of the truth. Becoming an election worker allowed me to take my duty as a citizen to express the people’s democracy. I was never asked where my political beliefs aligned because I was there as an assistant to the people.
I’ve realized that I’ve become a vital lifeline for people’s voices to be heard. Working in various elections, I know there are always unsolicited incidents, and being the only woman of color in my ward, I still had to maintain an unbiased approach toward my fellow neighbors. I’ve become a model toward my co-workers, and I hope to those at the polls through maintaining my composure even as I saw people refuse to wear masks and display Confederate flags and politically based propaganda.
This concept — approaching others without ill feelings — has allowed me to understand others and our environment better. I hope that through my actions those around me can continue to realize we are more than different colored political parties. We’re people with differing viewpoints, and because we aren’t the same, understanding one another isn’t always easy. These experiences allow me to apply my approaches to the real world. I may not change someone else’s perspective, but communication, understanding and intervention enable future progress.
To me, I’ve just begun my life as a model toward others, but I’m reassured that it isn’t the end. To me, living my life as a role model is through actions no matter how big or small; from helping carry bags for a neighbor from the store to persistence to carry on in my studies in achieving my dreams of becoming an attorney.
Every road is different, but along the way, there are signs toward our destination and living our lives as models for others makes it easier to reach the end.

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 1, 2021


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Iman Snobar | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 1, 2021


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Kayla Denyce Jimenez | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 1, 2021


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To Texas, with love: How Milwaukee stepped in for a state that was down and out | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
March 2, 2021
#MKE2TX picks up donations in Kenosha at an event organized by Jacob Blake’s family. Brandon WIlbourn (from left), Justin Blake, Jabril Faraj and Pastor Jonathan Barker are pictured. (Photo provided by Homer Blow)
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Vaun Mayes’ last name.
Milwaukee and Dallas may be 1,000 miles apart, but last week they may as well have been neighbors.
After a winter storm in Texas knocked out electricity and left people without food or water, groups and individuals across Milwaukee sprang into action.
#MKE2TX, a community effort led by Vaun Mayes, Sequanna Taylor and Homer Blow, began when the trio heard about what was going on in Texas from recent Milwaukee transplants.
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“The crisis wasn’t over because it isn’t cold anymore,” said Blow, a DJ and program director/music director at WNOV-AM (860). “We’re hearing from people there, people born and raised in Milwaukee, about problems with water, ruined apartments, busted pipes and food shortages.”
In response, the #MKE2TX team raised over $5,500 to buy supplies and pay for their trip to Texas. Blow said the effort was supported by “well over 100” people donating money or volunteering, as well as Bounce Milwaukee, Program the Parks, Feeding America and others. They also picked up supplies in Kenosha procured by Jacob Blake’s family.
After driving all Thursday night and Friday, they dropped off supplies at locations in Waco and the Dallas area on Friday and Saturday before arriving back in Milwaukee on Sunday.
“Amazon said they wouldn’t deliver, so we said, ‘We’re from Wisconsin. We know how to drive in this weather. We’ll just do this,’” says Laura Manriquez, who lives on the South Side. “There’s no stopping us.” (Photo provided by Laura Manriquez)
Mayes, Taylor and Blow were not the only ones in Milwaukee who sprang into action. When Laura Manriquez heard of food shortages in Texas from family there, she tried ordering food for loved ones via Amazon. However, she found that this strategy wouldn’t work.
“Amazon said they wouldn’t deliver, so we said, ‘We’re from Wisconsin. We know how to drive in this weather. We’ll just do this,’” Manriquez said. “There’s no stopping us.”
Manriquez, who lives on the South Side, spends much of her time delivering food for from food banks, meal distribution sites and churches. Already used to driving all over the city getting food to people, Manriquez didn’t balk at loading up her car with food and driving to Texas. Manriquez said she bought about $1,300 worth of meat for the journey, keeping it on ice during the drive.
“I’ve been staying at my son’s house since leaving Milwaukee,” she said. “We’re giving away the food and opening up our home to folks who still need electricity.”
Not all support from Milwaukee was in-kind or driven down to Texas. Shavonda Sisson raised over $500 through her Love on Black Women fund, most of which went to Funky Town Fridge, a community fridge project based in Fort Worth that combats hunger by stocking public fridges that are accessible 24 hours per day.
Sisson said she picked Funky Town Fridge based on a recommendation from a friend familiar with the project.
Sisson also donated to relief efforts after Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston in 2017. She said that connections with people born and raised in Milwaukee but living in Texas was instrumental to Milwaukee’s combined relief effort.
“I feel like whenever there is something happening in Texas, Milwaukee is right there,” she said.
Blow, who also supported the Hurricane Harvey relief effort in 2017, said that the established bond between Milwaukee and Texas is getting stronger.
“Here in Milwaukee we’re concerned with reminding people who moved to Texas from Milwaukee that ‘We got you,’” he said.
Lurena Marie, a friend of Blow’s who was born and raised in Milwaukee but has lived in Euless, Texas, between Dallas and Fort Worth, for 12 ½ years, was in contact with Blow and other people she knew from Milwaukee when her power was out for two days. She said she was not surprised to see Milwaukee step up in this time of need.
“On behalf of myself and Texas, we are very appreciative of the effort,” she said.

author: Sam Woods


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50983739141_9f34ea49fd_b | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 1, 2021


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Clearing the air: Answering commonly asked questions about the coronavirus vaccine | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 3, 2021
Health care providers are trying to reach people to give them accurate information about the coronavirus vaccine. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Knowledge is power in the battle against COVID-19, making the need for accurate information more important than ever.
Many people have questions about how the coronavirus vaccine works, what its possible side effects are and whether or not it is safe. Rumors and misconceptions have spread about the vaccine, leading to an effort by medical professionals to inform their patients about it.
We asked local health experts about how they answer questions and address misinformation surrounding the vaccine.
Can you get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
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No. There is no live virus in the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Emilia Arana, director of pediatric services at Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, explained that the Moderna and Pfizer shots use messenger RNA (mRNA) to communicate with the immune system. That mRNA corresponds with gene sequences in the body to make proteins.
The vaccine has a “spike protein” that is meant to alert the immune system on how to respond to the coronavirus. There is no actual virus in the vaccine.
Lydia Biehr, family nurse practitioner at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, said one of the biggest fears that people express is that they’re going to end up with COVID because of the vaccine.
She breaks the science down into more understandable terms for patients.
“The vaccine is just giving our cells instructions on how to deal with the virus if we encounter it,” Biehr explained.
Does the vaccine affect genetic material?
No. Dr. Allison Kos, director of medical services at Progressive Community Health Centers, said the mRNA that is used in the vaccine lasts for only about one week in the body. The vaccine does not affect DNA or any other genetic material permanently.
There have also been concerns that the vaccine might affect fertility. Kos said there is no evidence to suggest this is the case.
Kos said that while the mRNA lasts about a week, it is currently unclear how long the protection from the vaccine lasts. She said experts expect to know more as time progresses and more people receive the shot.
What about side effects?
The most common side effects for COVID-19 vaccines are similar to side effects for flu vaccination.
People can get chills, fever and flu-like symptoms from the vaccine. Many report soreness in their arms where the shot was administered.
People may have a more intense reaction in their second dose, as their system is recognizing the spike proteins that the vaccine builds in the body, Arana said.
In very rare cases, people with allergies have had reactions to the shot.
Biehr said it is important to get a thorough patient history on everyone who receives the vaccine to ensure they do not have any preexisting conditions that could create complications. Particularly, she said, it was important to catalog any allergic reactions people have had in the past.
If someone is found to have a history of allergic reactions, the person is asked to stay for a period of time afterward, usually 15 to 30 minutes, to ensure that the vaccine was administered smoothly, Kos said. Health officials also have epinephrine and other tools on standby in case someone does have a reaction.
Other concerns, like the vaccine causing Bell’s palsy, have greatly diminished as the shot has continued rolling out.
Kos said Bell’s palsy is a commonly temporary inflammation of a facial nerve that can be associated with any virus, not just coronavirus. Reports of Bell’s palsy after the vaccine are also extremely rare.
Was the vaccine developed too quickly?
The vaccine was rolled out faster than most other vaccines because of urgent need, but safety was a priority, Arana said.
The three phases of vaccine development were completed for the COVID-19 vaccines, including trials for the vaccine in thousands of people, Arana said.
While the mRNA vaccine is the first of its kind released to the public, the science behind it has been studied for years. Dr. Anthony Komaroff, editor in chief of the Harvard Health Letter, wrote that mRNA vaccines have been in development for 30 years.
“This technology is not new,” Arana said. “This is just the first time there’s been public interest in it.”
Can pregnant women get the vaccine? Children?
Yes, pregnant women can get the vaccine, Arana said.
The CDC recommends that pregnant women consult their clinicians before getting the vaccine.
The Pfizer vaccine so far has only been tested on those 16 and older, so children cannot get the vaccine yet. The Moderna vaccine is not available to those under 18 for the same reason.
Do I still need to take precautions after I get the vaccine?
Yes. If you receive the coronavirus vaccine, it may still be possible to transmit the disease, so it is recommended that you continue to mask, social distance and take other precautions.
Where can I find reliable information on the vaccine?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was the most popular answer among the providers.
Biehr suggested checking the Milwaukee Health Department and the state Department of Health Services website for updates. Arana and Kos also suggested contacting health care providers.
“When in doubt, don’t just rely on what your friends say,” Arana said. “Call your doctor. We welcome your questions.”
Arana said it is important to check the source of any information about the vaccine and make sure it is coming from an accredited office or individual.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 2, 2021


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Milwaukee, Milwaukee County to receive over $28 million to provide emergency rental assistance | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
March 3, 2021
Deb Heffner, housing strategy director of Community Advocates, says the new emergency rental funding comes with a few changes. (File photo by Aaron Maybin)
Milwaukee and Milwaukee County will receive more than $28 million to provide new emergency rental assistance for struggling tenants.
In late February, Gov. Tony Evers announced more than $322 million in funding to help support residents who have experienced a loss of income because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A part of this funding from the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program includes new emergency rental assistance for Wisconsin.
“While we continue working to get vaccines distributed and shots in arms as soon as we have supply, these funds will be critically important providing families the stability and support they need to get through this pandemic,” Evers said in a statement.
Common Council President Cavalier Johnson said the city would use the funds to ensure the neediest residents could benefit. The money will supplement the programming the city already has in place that disperses assistance to renters, he said.
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Community Advocates, which has distributed over $11 million in rent assistance since last March, now has an additional  $10.6 million to disburse through Milwaukee County. The rental assistance provider responsible for the other $17.6 million allocated to the City of Milwaukee has yet to be determined.
Deb Heffner, housing strategy director of Community Advocates, said the new funding comes with a few changes.
“The biggest change is that the last round of funding we received had a cap,” or maximum dollar amount, Heffner said. “This funding doesn’t. Eligible tenants can receive around 15 months of assistance with current and/or overdue bills.”
She said the eligibility for rent assistance has not changed much, though the new funding prioritizes tenants who make 50 percent or below of the county median income.
Housing leaders are now also able to serve those who receive federal Section 8 housing assistance.
Both landlords and tenants can continue to apply at Community Advocates’ website.  Landlords can now reach out on behalf of tenants, though tenants must complete the application on their own. Once applications are approved, funding is paid directly to the landlord.
According to Heffner, tenants can check the status of an application through the website. A call center is open Monday through Friday. The number is 414-270-4646.
For more information on the emergency funding, click here.

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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Post from Community: Alverno Student Honored as Newman Civic Fellow | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
March 3, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the 213 students who will make up the organization’s 2021-2022 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Vania Jurkiewicz, a student at Alverno College, will join 212 students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico to form the 2021 cohort. This is the fifth year in a row an Alverno student has been named a Newman Civic Fellow; Katherine Watson was selected for the 2017 cohort, Alejandra Gonzalez was chosen for the 2018 cohort, Donna Lewis-Taylor was part of the 2019 cohort, and Cassandra Abarca was selected for the 2020 cohort.
Jurkiewicz, a junior majoring in English with a minor in Women and Gender Studies, is a first-generation student. On campus she serves as a peer leader mentoring first-year students, and as a student research assistant with Alverno’s Research Center for Women and Girls. Off campus she works with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on their immigrants’ rights and reproductive rights campaigns.
“Vania is an inspiration to first-generation students who have experienced the challenges of navigating higher education,” said Dr. Andrea Lee, IHM, president of Alverno College. “She is a campus leader who recognizes the importance of research and outreach in driving change in policy and practice. Her purpose is clear – policies and practices must be transformed to support Latinx and first-generation students access and thrive in higher education. She not only leads, she inspires.”
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The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program for students from Campus Compact member institutions. The students selected for the fellowship are leaders on their campuses who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
The fellowship is named for the late Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact’s founders, who was a tireless advocate for civic engagement in higher education. In the spirit of Dr. Newman’s leadership, Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors nominate student leaders from their campuses to be named Newman Civic Fellows.
Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides students with a variety of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional, and civic growth. Fellows participate in numerous virtual training and networking opportunities to help provide them with the skills and connections they need to create large-scale positive change. The fellowship also provides students with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.
“We are proud to recognize these extraordinary student leaders and thrilled to engage with them,” said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn. “The experience of the last year has driven home to all of us that we need open-minded, innovative, public-spirited thinkers and doers. That is what Campus Compact is about, and the stories of our Newman Civic Fellows demonstrate it’s who they are.”
Learn more at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship. You can read more about each of the student leaders selected for this year’s cohort at compact.org/newman-civic-fellowship/2021-2022-newman-civic-fellows.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Campus Compact supports institutions in fulfilling their public purposes by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. As the largest national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, we provide professional development to administrators and faculty to enable them to engage effectively, facilitate national partnerships connecting campuses with key issues in their local communities, build pilot programs to test and refine promising models in engaged teaching and scholarship, celebrate and cultivate student civic leadership, and convene higher education institutions and partners beyond higher education to share knowledge and develop collective capacity. Visit compact.org.
About Alverno College
Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy, music and liturgy, and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

author: Alverno College


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vania-cropped.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 3, 2021

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Post from Community: Application period now open for Earn and Learn Summer Youth Internship Program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Cavalier Johnson
March 3, 2021
Cleveland Easley and other students work at a pocket park on 19th St. and Meinecke Ave. as part of the 2015 Earn & Learn program. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Applications for Mayor Barrett’s Earn & Learn Summer Youth Internship Program are now available online at city.milwaukee.gov/syip, and are due by Friday, March 19th.
The Earn & Learn Summer Youth Internship Program provides youth with employment and life skills, and helps them meet educational, job readiness, and career exploration goals. The 2021 program lasts for eight weeks, beginning June 3 and ending July 31. Interns will work 20 hours per week earning $11.65 per hour.
To be eligible for the Earn & Learn Summer Youth Internship Program, applicants must be between 16 and 19 years old and all applicants must meet specific school attendance requirements to be considered for the internship. Priority will be given to high school juniors and seniors and applicants with good school attendance.
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To learn more about the Earn & Learn Summer Youth Internship Program, visit city.milwaukee.gov/syip or call (414) 286-5829.

author: Ald. Cavalier Johnson


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2021


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Post from Community: Live public comment at virtual meetings of County Board Committees to start in March | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Office of the Milwaukee County Clerk
March 3, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson announced today that beginning with the March 2021 meeting cycle, the Board of Supervisors is inviting the public to comment live during virtual meetings of all standing committees.
“Public input and participation is integral to the legislative process, and the public should be able to fully participate in meetings of the Board of Supervisors – regardless of whether we are meeting virtually or in-person,” said Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson. “I’m proud to announce that we are now able to include live public comment at committee meetings while we continue to prioritize the health and safety of Supervisors, staff, and the public by meeting virtually.”
Public comment, normally a standard part of all committee meetings, had been limited due to technological barriers presented by meeting remotely during the Coronavirus pandemic.
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Chairwoman Nicholson directed county staff to find a solution and ensure that the public could once again provide live public comment in real time during all committee meetings.
Anyone who wishes to comment can join committee meetings from home, or, if they don’t have access to an internet capable device, they can join remotely from the Courthouse.
Advance registration is requested. Anyone wishing to provide public comment can register in advance at county.milwaukee.gov/testify. Public comment is limited to two minutes.
Members of the public who wish to watch committee meetings in real time but do not want to speak can do so by following the livestream of the meeting at milwaukeecounty.legistar.com.
The March committee cycle begins with the Personnel Committee on Tuesday, March 9, the Transportation, Transit and Public Works Committee on March 10, the Judiciary, Safety and General Services Committee on March 11, the Economic and Community Development Committee on March 15, the Parks, Energy and Environment Committee on March 16, the Audit Committee on March 17, and the Finance Committee on March 18.

author: Office of the Milwaukee County Clerk


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courthouseforsupervisorlandingpages | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 8, 2021


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He’s a pastor, community leader, educator, lawyer, dad and husband: The many lives of Walter Lanier | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
March 4, 2021
Walter Lanier has worn many hats throughout his life. (Photo provided by Walter Lanier)
In 2003, the Milwaukee County Pension Board was reeling from the fallout from the pension scandal.
As its chairman, the Rev. Walter Lanier found himself fielding questions from county employees who had their plans for retirement upended. He was tasked with winning back public support for the Pension Board after the scandal over the county’s management of pension funds allowed retirees to claim sometimes over $1 million in lump-sum payments in addition to their monthly benefits and had cost the county more than $300 million.
It was an experience he still draws from in his numerous roles in Milwaukee. Lanier serves as director of community engagement and student resources at Milwaukee Area Technical College, chairman of the religious leaders caucus at Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope, or MICAH. And he works with Souls to the Polls, the Men of Color initiative and is a member of the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board.
“I’m a teacher, so I operate under the assumption that all questions are sincere and deserve sincere answers, even if it’s not what people want to hear,” Lanier remembered. “That first community meeting went for hours, but we answered everyone’s question.”
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The big lesson from that experience? The way you engage with the community is just as important as the ideas you pitch.
“We got maybe two questions asked 50 different ways that night, and it made for a long night,” Lanier said. “But I believe in the importance of a good process. You can have the best ideas in the world, but if you don’t have people on board then it doesn’t matter.”
Lanier played basketball at Homestead High School. (Photo provided by Walter Lanier)
Lanier was born somewhat famous by virtue of his father, Bob Lanier. The older Lanier was a Hall of Fame basketball player, and the 6-foot-11-inch star’s fame meant his family received attention as well.
“I’ve always had a quasi-public life, which I never really minded,” Lanier said. “There’s upsides and downsides to that kind of life, but it did make me more comfortable in public spaces than I otherwise would have been.”
But when his father was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Milwaukee Bucks and the family moved from the Detroit area to Mequon, Lanier did not react well to the change.
“I think that was a bit of culture shock,” Lanier remembered, noting that he experienced  depression at the time. “I went from this fairly diverse area in Michigan to a place that was very homogeneous.”
After graduating from Homestead High School “by the skin of my teeth” and beginning school at UW-Milwaukee, Lanier felt lost. He said he spent his time having fun but grew increasingly worried that he was wasting his potential.
“I was like the prodigal son eating slop with the pigs,” Lanier said. “I had lost my way and felt like I needed to return before it was too late.”
With help from unlikely role models like his roommate at the time, Lanier got serious again. He finished his undergraduate degree at UW-Milwaukee and entered law school at the University of Michigan.
While at law school, Lanier noticed a transformation in his work ethic. Now he looked for ways to keep busy, finding new projects to fill his free time in a way that has continued to this day.
“I haven’t had a real extended vacation since the ’90s, I think,” Lanier said. “Not that I’d call myself a workaholic, but law school changed how I think about spending my time.”
While at law school, Lanier founded Afrikan Culture and Consciousness, an Ann Arbor, Michigan, bookstore featuring books on Black culture and by Black authors. After moving back to Milwaukee after Michigan, Lanier kept the business going until 1998 as Zakari Books, a combination of the names of his first two children, Zaire and Askari.
Both were born while Lanier was in school. He later had a third child, Asante, with his wife, Nichole.
Soon after returning to Milwaukee and opening his law office, Lanier started lecturing at UW-Milwaukee in courses related to constitutional law. Nichole Yunk-Todd, a former student of his and current director of policy and research at Wisconsin Community Services, still keeps in touch with Lanier.
“In those four walls is where I embarked on a journey of understanding that still sticks with me to this day,” Yunk-Todd said. “I never imagined still thinking about that class or still knowing him 20 years later.”
Lanier said he loved his time lecturing, and in another life might have done it longer. He said that unfortunately other obligations, such as serving on the Pension Board in addition to a full-time job with Milwaukee Area Technical College, made it impossible to continue teaching.
But in addition to his professional obligations, Lanier noted that his spiritual self was growing. Lanier traces his call to religion to the birth of his son Askari when Lanier was in law school. Lanier said his son, who suffered blood loss at birth, had to be put in a coma for two weeks after being born.
Lanier said the doctors gave Askari only a 5 percent chance of surviving. Askari did survive, though, and Lanier said this was when he first felt called by God.
“I was confronted with a situation I could not control,” Lanier said. “I called out to Christ and I got a response I couldn’t ignore.”
But for a while, Lanier did try to ignore this “frightening” call to God. But as he heard other people describe similar experiences, he couldn’t ignore that what he was feeling was real.
“I felt like a soldier being assigned to duty,” Lanier said. “I didn’t necessarily want to answer the call, but I knew I had to.”
Lanier became a licensed minister in 1999. Twelve years later, he became a pastor at Progressive Baptist Church at 8324 W. Keefe Ave.
His religious life quickly became an avenue for social justice, however, as he became involved in MICAH, a coalition of Milwaukee churches and religious leaders that works on social justice issues from criminal justice reform to equitable education.
As chairman of the MICAH’s religious leaders caucus he is involved in all of MICAH’s work but reserves a special attention to MICAH’s work in reforming MPS’ discipline policy.
“I’m hopeful that our efforts to increase equity in MPS continues to bear fruit,” Lanier said. “All of MICAH’s issues are important to me, but that one I think is especially important.”
Lanier is staying busy these days. In addition to his role with MICAH, Lanier has also filled several roles at MATC, most prominently as the director of community engagement and student resources. He also leads the Men of Color Initiative there, which aims to improve the retention, graduation and other academic outcomes for MATC’s men of color.
Lanier has also found himself back on a county board, this time overseeing the county’s efforts to tackle access to mental health resources instead of pensions. The Milwaukee County Mental Health Board governs the county’s behavioral health division, which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Lanier said his goal on the board is to make sure everyone knows about the mental health services offered by the county. Mike Lappen, who informs and advises the board as administrator for the Behavioral Health Division, said Lanier has been instrumental in building trust between county and community.
“Before Walter we would maybe have 10 people at our listening sessions. Now we have about 35 per session,” Lappen said. “I think that’s largely due to Walter’s ability to articulate a process and get people to believe in the importance of that process.”
More than anything, fostering these connections is what Lanier is all about. Whether in the pulpit, boardroom or at the lectern, Lanier is constantly looking to connect previously disparate efforts into collaborative effort.
Lanier said Milwaukee is badly in need of people who are able to break out of their silos and work collaboratively. When that happens, he thinks Milwaukee will begin to realize its true potential.
“It’s like the movie “Avengers: Endgame,” where you had the Hulk, Thor and everyone else in that hodgepodge of misfits working together for a common goal. That’s what I want for Milwaukee.”


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50815310291_b0f5f60723_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2021


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New mental health clinic opens on National Avenue | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 4, 2021
A new clinic on National Avenue will provide behavioral health services on the South Side. (Photo provided by Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers)
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers has opened a new behavioral health clinic on National Avenue with the goal of increasing access to services for South Side residents.
The clinic, at 1635 W. National Ave., offers behavioral health services, including substance abuse programs and psychotherapy. Specialists from Sixteenth Street work alongside care coordinators from the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division to provide comprehensive community services. It opened last month.
The clinic has five outpatient providers, including two therapists, two substance abuse counselors and one nurse practitioner. In addition, the clinic has three people from the Behavioral Health Division’s care coordination team.
Sixteenth Street shares the space with the Behavioral Health Division, which is using the building as its Access Clinic South.
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Maria Perez, vice president of behavioral health for Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, said the clinic expands the number of providers available to the community.
“We know folks who struggle day to day with financial barriers and language barriers struggle to get these services,” Perez said.
Kenneth Ginlack, director of outpatient services at the Behavioral Health Division, said having a clinic on the South Side will help reduce transportation barriers and provide patients a place where they can be treated by someone who looks like them.
“The more barriers a patient has, the more risk there is of them not continuing treatment,” Ginlack said.
Patients treated by care coordinators will be referred to permanent mental health providers. They may also be referred to have their prescriptions filled in the meantime at the clinic, he said.
Perez said that there has been an increase in the demand for mental health services during the pandemic. COVID-19 presents a double-edged sword: Some people in the community are struggling with unemployment, while others are dealing with having a job that exposes them to the disease.
Perez said school closures have also provided stress, as parents have had to adapt to home-schooling their children and finding internet connectivity to ensure the kids get their lessons.
Ginlack said the county placed its access clinics in the areas where they received the most mental health crisis calls. The 53204 ZIP code, where the clinic is located, had the highest rate of crisis services usage out of any ZIP code in the city, he said.
Therapists at the clinic can treat anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and many other behavioral health needs.
Those who are referred to care coordinators will be assessed based on their needs and referred to permanent mental health providers.
Ginlack said care coordinators from the Behavioral Health Division can also refer patients to resources for other needs, such as housing and food assistance.
Robert Beach, a community lender with Forward Community Investments, an organization that helped fund the new clinic, said officials hope the site will serve over 800 individuals.
“This clinic is not only an entry point but a way to connect them with any other services they may need,” Beach said.
For more information
The National Avenue Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 414-672-1353


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50997089293_7740b0fcbe_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2021


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NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 things to do and know this March in Milwaukee neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
March 4, 2021
Three Bridges Park in 2017. (File photo by Adam Carr)
NNS’s Adam Carr joined WUWM and Joy Powers of “Lake Effect” for the March installment of our monthly “5 Things” feature.
This month includes a presentation on “The Rise and Fall of Black Milwaukee’s Blue Collar Middle Class,” a virtual tour of the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility, Canciones del Alma: Celebrating the Latinx Voice through Music and Song, a guided in-person hike in Three Bridges Park and third annual César E. Chávez Birthday Celebration.


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0303b2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 4, 2021
“0303b2”. Released: 2021.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 4, 2021


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Post from Community: 20 young people served as Community Resource Navigators during the pandemic building relationships in their communities while earning a paycheck | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County
March 4, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee County invested $3.5 million in the Community Resource Navigator (CRN) Program through CARES Act funding, hiring more than 200 people to fill critical positions during the pandemic. Through a partnership with the Division of Youth & Family Services (DYFS), Employ Milwaukee, and Running Rebels, 20 young people, ages 16 to 18, were able to participate in the CRN Program.
The 20 youth Community Resource Navigators were paid for their work and offered additional incentives for meeting key milestones. The milestones the young people were asked to meet, included: completion of the application process; participation in workplace readiness training and program orientation; and successfully completing a work assignment. All of the young people completed all of the milestones and brought tremendous value to their employers, which included the Urban Ecology Center, COA Youth & Family Centers, Holy Redeemer, Oats Screen Printing, and the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. Some of the youth are still working at Oats Screen Printing.
“DYFS is committed to developing prosocial outlets that increase educational and vocational opportunities for youth. Critical components to a young person’s success are having a supportive family, strong positive connections to the community, and providing career pathways through early exposure.” said Lynn Lewis, MSW, Administrative Coordinator. “The CRN job opportunity ended December 31st, however the owner of Oats Screen Printing hired on four youth because they exhibited exceptional work ethics creating ongoing valuable work experience, money management even if they’re simply using their earnings to pay their own expenses, time management and confidence.”
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Additionally, youth received support throughout the program to ensure their success and achievement of the following outcomes:
• Youth learn a new skill(s) as a result of program involvement.
• Youth establish a new positive adult relationship(s) as a result of program involvement.
• Youth are able to articulate the connection between their current work assignment and future goals.
“These young people were phenomenal to work with. We had some individuals who were a little tougher to get through to, but at the end of the day, it was a great success. They learned what was expected of them to be employable and they continue to do well,” Romell Greer, Program Specialist, Employ Milwaukee.
Through transformative programming and creative community partnerships, DYFS has had great success in reducing the youth incarceration rate and will continue to work to reduce the number of incarcerated young people. Since last July, the number of youth Lincoln Hills (LHS) and Copper Lake Schools (CLS) has been reduced. In February, a new milestone was reached with a daily census of county-committed youth at LHS/CLS of 19. This was the first time this number fell below 20 youth.

author: Milwaukee County


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Screen Shot 2021-03-09 at 7.02.39 AM | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 9, 2021


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Post from Community: Local restaurants featured at Marquette University dining centers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Marquette University
March 4, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
When the students at Marquette University returned to campus late January, the team at Marquette Dining Services had been hard at work finding local restaurant and retail partners to feature for the campus Eat Local program.
Eat Local was launched in February through partnerships with The Soup Market, Triciclo Peru and Heaven’s Table BBQ who’s products and services were featured each Thursday of the week.  What was different from previous partnerships with Marquette Dining Services was that these restaurants were featured as part of the student dining meal program which is open to all Marquette students living on campus and any students, faculty and staff who take part in the meal program.
Since the launch of the Eat Local program the Marquette Dining Team has received a windfall of interested local restaurants and retail vendors that they are trying to fit into their dining program schedule.  Coming up in the very near future they will be featured Pete’s Pops, Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, LivALittle Vegan Ice Cream, MJD Apiary Bee Farm and KalYana Organics, all locally owned and operated businesses in Milwaukee.
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author: Marquette University


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5 things to do and know the weekend of March 5 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 5, 2021
The Milwaukee County Transit System is launching a system redesign called MCTS NEXT; the first phase will begin on Sunday, March 7. (File photo by NNS)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. “The Rise and Fall of Black Milwaukee’s Blue Collar Middle Class”: Friday, March 5
The Department of African and African Diaspora Studies at UW-Milwaukee is hosting a conversation titled “The Rise and Fall of Black Milwaukee’s Blue Collar Middle Class.” The talk will feature guest speakers Sheila Chocran and Dr. Michael Rosen. It is scheduled to take place over Zoom at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 5. To register, click here.
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2. Gallery exhibit: Korean Paper Kong-Yea Crafts: Friday, March 5
Arts @ Large has a new gallery exhibit: “Korean Paper Kong-Yea Crafts.” The purpose of the exhibit is to introduce the art of Korean paper Kong-Yea to a larger audience. The exhibition will be on display at Arts @ Large, 1100 S. 5th St., from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, March 5. The exhibition includes a selection of SeonJoo So Oh’s favorite artworks and will run throughout the month.
3. Melanin & Headwraps pop-up: Saturday, March 6
T’Keyah Bennett, the founder of Melanin & Headwraps, is having a pop-up shop at the Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 6. The pop-up will be located at the Kujichagulia Producers Cooperative. Melanin & Headwraps is dedicated to helping women of color engage in self-care.
4. First Stage’s 27th annual Make Believe ball: Saturday, March 6
First Stage is hosting its annual Make Believe ball from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 6. The ball will take place virtually and begin with a livestream program, featuring selected scenes and songs from past First Stage productions, followed by a dance party. There will also be a silent auction. Click here for additional information.
5. Milwaukee County Transit System route changes: Sunday, March 7
The Milwaukee County Transit System is entering into its first phase of the MCTS NEXT system redesign on Sunday, March 7. The redesign includes more high-frequency routes, improved connections to resources and more. Read: Bus routes throughout Milwaukee County will change beginning March 7. Here’s what you need to know.


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Milwaukee mom writes children’s book to lift up the voice of her autistic daughter | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
March 5, 2021
“As parents, we have tunnel vision when it comes to our children,” says Amelia Peace, 36, with her daughter, Robyn. “Writing this book was eye-opening to the way I communicate with her and what I expect from her.” (Photo provided by Amelia Peace)
Amelia Peace’s 5-year-old daughter, Robyn Guiden, is nonverbal and has autism paired with other rare medical conditions.
In the past, Peace has found it hard to explain to people the challenges her daughter faces on a daily basis.
So she wrote a children’s book, “Alone Bird: A Story About Autism,” to give Robyn a voice.
It’s written from Robyn’s point of view, and it discusses school life, prejudice, compassion for others and so much more.
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The book follows a little girl named Tilly who has autism. It explains how she’s different from other children — but also how she’s similar to them.
“The idea for my book was inspired by my daughter Robyn’s personal experiences in preschool,” Peace said. “She was often misunderstood, and many of Robyn’s behaviors in the classroom were viewed as disruptive or negative.” She said a primary struggle with children with autism is that they can experience a range of emotions in a short period of time.
Peace, 36, was born and raised in Milwaukee’s Marquette neighborhood and still resides in the area.
She’s started her publishing company, Berry Berry Autism Publishing, and is in the early stages of creating a stage adaption of “Alone Bird.”
Peace said writing the book made her face some hard truths of her own.
“As parents, we have tunnel vision when it comes to our children,” she said. “Writing this book was eye-opening to the way I communicate with her and what I expect from her.”
Those close to Peace say they are not surprised by her latest achievements.
“The love and care she has for Robyn are indescribable,” said Stefan Guiden, Robyn’s father. “She is the definition of what it is to be a mother.”
Guiden said he encouraged Peace to write how she felt when she was expressing frustration with their daughter’s school. But he never expected her to become an author.
“I don’t mind people asking questions about Robyn,” he said. “But I shouldn’t have to wear a sign saying, ‘my child has autism’ for people not to make assumptions.”
Others said this book shines a light on an issue few talk about.
“I’m ecstatic about this book because representation is important in every piece of our society,” said Shantae Peace, Amelia’s cousin. “It’s a reflection of real-life experience. Anyone that loves someone with autism can relate on some level.”
“Alone Bird” is available through Amazon.
In case you missed it: The authors next door: Meet 4 of your neighbors


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50857497311_eed896be6e_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 4, 2021


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NNS Spotlight: ‘We knew we had to step it up’: SHARP Literacy goes virtual to reach students with creativity-based education | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 5, 2021
Before the pandemic, as part of the STEAM curriculum, students would take field trips organized by SHARP Literacy. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math. (File photo by Matt Wisla)
After working at Midwest Airlines since 1985, Lynda Kohler was in search of something different. During her free time, Kohler often volunteered with various nonprofits, and when the airline began to decline, she saw it as an opportunity to pursue a new avenue.
Kohler spent several years as president of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin before becoming president and CEO of SHARP Literacy, a local education nonprofit, in 2012. Since then, she’s worked to evolve the organization while keeping it true to its roots.
“It’s changed over the years,” Kohler said. “But the belief that children can achieve success through creative expression remains.”
SHARP Literacy began in 1996 under Marlene Doerr Kreilkamp. She created an arts-based literacy program to help students achieve academic success through creative expression. Last year, the organization worked with 40 schools in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Racine to provide STEAM focused workshops. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math.
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When the coronavirus pandemic began, Kohler and the educational team committed to continuing its educational workshops.
“This year, in particular, when schools closed, we knew we had to step it up,” she said.
Lynda Kohler, the president and CEO of SHARP Literacy, says the organization has changed over the years, but it remains committed to its belief that children can achieve academic success through creative expression. (Photo provided by SHARP Literacy)
This past fall, the organization went virtual.
“We’ve had a few bumps along the way,” Kohler said. “But our teachers and our students love it.”
Becky Olsen has been a guide with SHARP Literacy for the past two years. She liked the multidisciplinary approach SHARP took to help students approach problems in a thoughtful way.
“My interest was in arts integration,” Olsen said. “In a true arts integration, the art has equal emphasis as the STEM.”
While the virtual platform has had its challenges, Olsen said in some ways, it has been better than before. For one, the guides, or educational facilitators, can now see the students’ names on the screen, which helps establish a rapport with the students, she said. Before, guides would see an average of 90 students a day.
Kohler and Olsen both noted that the biggest challenge has been making sure the students have the supplies to participate in the projects.
“We never look at them [the challenges] as obstacles but as opportunities,” Kohler said.
The SHARP educational team developed and packed activity bags for students to pick up from schools, but not everyone has the ability to do so.
It’s been a steep learning curve to make sure the students get what they need, Olsen said, but everyone has been willing to learn. People feel more comfortable now with the technology, and Olsen has seen an increase in attendance and participation.
The children are resilient, and the teachers are phenomenal, she noted.
During a workshop, one student at Hawley Environmental School, 5610 W. Wisconsin Ave., didn’t have the activity bag or paper to complete a project and instead used a napkin, Olsen said. The teacher quickly jumped in and assured the student that a napkin was OK.
Seeing the teacher validate that child’s creativity and learning reminded Olsen why she wanted to work with SHARP in the first place.
“Where these kids are, we’re going to meet them there,” Olsen said. “We’ll fill in the gaps and assure them that their learning is valid and real. The situation doesn’t need to be ideal for us to be effective.”
‘It levels the playing field.’
Tom Mroczkowski, a SHARP board member since 2014, said Kohler’s foresight and vision helped prepare SHARP for the digital age.
Mroczkowski said when he started with SHARP, it was very traditional, but Kohler has helped the organization become digitally relevant by transitioning its focus and remaining true to the organization’s mission.
“Lynda has a strong visionary sense on how SHARP can evolve in an ever-changing world,” Mroczkowski said. “Lynda helped it evolve in an important way to remain impactful and relevant.”
SHARP is an important program, he said, especially in Milwaukee.
The organization’s art education focus is the secret sauce to making SHARP a success, he said. Turning STEM into STEAM makes things fun and interesting, he said, and it helps the students build skills.
“It levels the playing field, to a certain extent,” he said.
This story is part of an occasional series that highlights groups and people worth knowing in Milwaukee. To nominate a person or a group, email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “Spotlight” in the subject line.


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50832190973_b57d6ec55b_b | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 4, 2021


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5 things to do and know this week in Milwaukee: March 8 to March 13 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
March 8, 2021
Applications are due March 19 for the city’s Earn & Learn Summer Youth Internship Program, which begins June 3. Interns will work 20 hours a week and earn $11.65 an hour. (Photo provided by Earn & Learn)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Earn & Learn application period is open: Through March 19
The application period for the City of Milwaukee’s Earn & Learn Summer Youth Internship Program is open. The eight-week program provides local youth with employment opportunities where they learn valuable life skills. This year, the program will start on June 3 and end on July 30. Interns will work 20 hours a week and earn $11.65 an hour. Applications are due by Friday, March 19.
2. Native American Vaccine Event: Tuesday, March 9 through Thursday, March 11
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The Native Community Vaccine Event will run from Tuesday, March 9 to Thursday, March 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, working with the Wisconsin Department of Human Services, seeks to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to the Native American population of the greater Milwaukee area. This week’s effort is aimed at  Natives who fit the following criteria, whether they are an established Ignace patient or not:
Community members who would like to receive a vaccine are required to register before the event by clicking here or by calling (414) 316-3737.
3. Youth Justice Wisconsin webinar series: Thursday, March 11
Youth Justice Wisconsin is hosting a free webinar series called “Justice for Emerging Adults.” The series consists of four virtual workshops. The second workshop, titled “Emerging Adults: Why Are They Different?” will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 11. To register, click here.
4. Canciones del Alma: Celebrating the Latinx voice through music and song: Thursday, March 11
To celebrate Women’s History Month, Latino Arts, 1028 S. 9th St., is hosting a virtual concert featuring various Latinx artists such as Las Cafeteras, Panadanza Dance Company, Caro Pierotto and more. Ticket prices begin at $25. You can access the concert beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 11.
5. Breonna Taylor Day MKE: Saturday, March 13
Milwaukee Artists for Racial Justice, The Peoples Revolution and other groups are celebrating the life of Breonna Taylor with Breonna Taylor Day MKE. Taylor, a 26-year-old African American woman, was fatally shot in her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment last March by white plainclothes officers. The event will take place at the Space MKE, 2018 S. 1st St., Suite 510, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 13. The event is free to the public and will also honor first responders and health care workers. Social distancing and the wearing of masks will be enforced.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 7, 2021


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Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center teams with Department of Health Services for special vaccination effort this week | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 8, 2021
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center provides vaccines to those in the Native community. (Photo provided by the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center)
As part of a special effort to get the Native American community vaccinated, the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center is teaming this week with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to distribute 360 doses.
From Tuesday, March 9 to Thursday, March 11, the center will hold a special vaccination clinic for any enrolled tribal member or descendant in Milwaukee County older than 18. The vaccinations will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Dr. Lyle Ignace, chief executive officer of the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, said he expected all of the doses to be distributed and encouraged those interested to register in advance.
Those who are not able to receive the vaccine will be placed on a wait list, he said, to receive the vaccine when supplies become available.
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The shots distributed will be of the Moderna vaccine. Those who receive their first dose will also be able to receive their second dose at the center at a later date.
Any enrolled tribal members (or descendants) who reside in Milwaukee County who are ages 18 and older can participate. Upon arrival, potential recipients will need to provide a Tribal ID/CDIB or proof of descendancy.
The state Department of Health Services is sending a mobile team to assist in the effort.
Maj. Joe Trovato, deputy director of public affairs for the Wisconsin National Guard, said mobile teams typically consist of six personnel.
Four citizen soldiers or airmen help set up the site and manage check-in, provide information on the vaccine and monitor patients after the shot.
The center receives its vaccines from the Indian Health Service, a federal agency that provides support to Native American health centers. The Department of Health Services will also be providing vaccines for this effort.
Native Americans have the highest fatality rate in Wisconsin, the third highest case rate and the second highest hospitalization rate in proportion to their population, according to the Department of Health Services.
“The pasts several months, the impact has become really apparent,” Ignace said.
Officials will administer 360 doses, Ignace said.
Ignace hopes that vaccination will allow “part of that level of normal” to return for a community that has not been able to hold in-person gatherings for almost a year’s time.
“I think this will have a huge impact on well-being and relief in the Native community as a whole,” Ignace said.
How to register
Those interested can register by clicking here or call (414) 316-3737.