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Post from Community: BBB business tip: Filing insurance claims, scheduling repairs after damage or looting | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau
June 4, 2020
Many business owners have recently sustained damage due to vandalism; others have had property go missing due to looting. Some have been forced to close down due to street closures, curfews, or safety precautions. Merchants may be wondering what steps to take in order to repair property and collect on insurance. Before filing any claim, contact your insurance agent to discuss your options.The Insurance Information Institute has provided advice for business owners seeking assistance, and for those wanting to purchase additional coverage.
For damage to a physical building, damage caused by fire, riots, or vandalism is covered under a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP), which combines property, liability, and business interruption coverage. Check your policy. Windows are often covered under a separate policy, sold separately, so check to see if that is part of your options.
If your business has been forced to close or limit hours, you may have covereage under business income insurance, often called business interruption – if there has been direct physical damage to the premises. There is also something called a “civil authority provision” for lost income and expenses, if the area where the business is located is closed off by the authorities due to concerns of danger, from civil unrest or from flooding or fire.
For personal property, such as furniture, office supplies, and machinery, those should qualify for coverage under the owner’s personal property policy. Check with your insurer.
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For damage to cars, look under the comprehensive portion of your auto policy. That covers damage from fire, falling objects and vandalism or riot. In addition, the comprehensive coverage is what kicks in if your windshield is cracked or broken.
If you need help making repairs, BBB has resources to help you find repair businesses near you.
BBB has advice on choosing an insurance company to suit your needs.
Be mindful that scammers may be the next to arrive on the scene. Report scams to local law enforcement and BBB Scam Tracker.  You can also use Scam Tracker to find active scams near you.
Always remember that your local BBB office is there to help.


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Post from Community: COVID-19 Testing on June 10th in Harambee neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Merilou Gonzales
June 4, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Shalem Healing will be offering walk-up or drive-up COVID-19 nasal and/or blood testing on Wednesday, June 10th from 4 pm to 6 pm in the Bader Philanthropies, Inc. parking lot located at 3300 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (enter the parking lot on 5th street). On-site testing supplies will be limited.
Most insurance companies cover the nasal (nasopharyngeal) tests, but, the blood test is not covered at this time.
If you do not have insurance, a sliding scale fee will be offered. No one will be turned away as long as tests are available. Proper social distancing will be practiced and monitored to ensure everyone’s safety.
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source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Merilou Gonzales


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COVID-Testing-Social-Media-6.10.2020.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
June 4, 2020

author: Name *


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Post from Community: MCTS to suspend service early tonight | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Transit System
June 4, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) will temporarily suspend all bus service starting at 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 4th after experiencing significant service disruptions in the past six days. MCTS will also suspend service early on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights (June 5th to June 7th). Service will resume each morning as regularly scheduled.
Daily protest marches close major streets and intersections that are a part of the MCTS core bus route network. Daytime detours have allowed us to continue service with little disruption, but safely navigating around the many demonstrators — on foot and in cars — in nighttime hours has become increasingly challenging.
“We understand that the suspension of service will be an inconvenience to riders who use the bus to get to and from work in the late-night hours,” said MCTS Managing Director Dan Boehm. “But we had to make this difficult decision in order to help ensure the safety of our employees, passengers and those that are protesting to make their voices heard.”
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Passengers are encouraged to make alternative nighttime travel plans for the immediate future. Should conditions change, MCTS will post updates on social media and at RideMCTS.com/Alerts. Please check daily for any changes to this announcement.

author: Milwaukee County Transit System


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Post from Community: Milwaukee Turners Call for lasting measures to uproot systemic racism in law enforcement and oppose military responses to the current crisis | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Turners
June 4, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
On May 25th, white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of handcuffed George Floyd for almost nine minutes, murdering him in front of three uniformed colleagues and several civilians begging him to release Mr. Floyd’s neck.  George Floyd’s homicide occurred only a few years after another Minnesota police officer was acquitted after fatally shooting Philando Castile in front of his wife and child during a traffic stop. Both victims were Black men.
The recent murder of Mr. Floyd has its own painful parallels in Milwaukee.  Handcuffed Black Milwaukee resident Derek Williams’ final words in custody in the back of a Milwaukee squad car were also ‘I can’t breathe.’’  Ernest Lacy, an unarmed young Black man who was innocent of any crime, was asphyxiated by three white Milwaukee police officers in 1981.  These are but two examples. The City of Milwaukee needs to acknowledge this legacy and move to repair the harm immediately. Its response over the past week did nothing to address this.
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“We are at a crucial point where our local and national governments need to address centuries of injustice systematically imposed on people of color, especially African-Americans. The crisis of today calls for long lasting solutions,” stated Milwaukee Turners President Atty. Art Heitzer.
The Mayor and the Milwaukee Police Department need to respond to the many requests and demonstrations calling for greater police accountability and oversight, and the Fire and Police Commission needs to use its full powers to uproot the remaining vestiges of racism in the MPD. The residency requirement should be reinstated, and officers who are suspended or fired for abusive or racist conduct should not be rewarded with continued pay. The Milwaukee Turners oppose the use of military surplus vehicles such as the armored vehicle deployed in Milwaukee.  Video footage shows that officers pointed rifles and other weapons at peaceful demonstrators and rushed to roughly tackle and arrest them instead of de-escalating the situations. Law enforcement from multiple jurisdictions were on hand providing excessive police presence while dressed in riot gear and offering scant communication with organizers or participants, including some Milwaukee Turner members.  The use of rubber bullets and tear gas during peaceful marches is inexcusable and served to only heighten tensions and widen the gap between demonstrators and the law enforcement whose actions they were already protesting.
Much of the evening violence might have been prevented by more direct communication and a commitment to provide meaningful improvements, transparency and accountability on the part of the City of Milwaukee.
The videos of the goading and violent arrest of an elected official, unarmed demonstrators and even a food delivery person are both unacceptable and ridiculous at the same time.
The Milwaukee Turners call on the City of Milwaukee to tighten restrictions on the Milwaukee Police Department’s use of force, curtail the MPD’s purchase and use of surplus military weapons and vehicles, and immediately implement use of de-escalation tactics in place of what we saw this past week.
We do not condone individual acts of physical violence, but the solution to the current crisis lies in a comprehensive challenge to systemic racism in local and national law enforcement. Not in calling for military force and tactics to break up peaceful demonstrations, nor blaming acts of resistance on outsiders while ignoring attempts by white supremacists to instigate violence in the apparent hopes of starting a race war and provoking a heavy militarized response.
We invite people to consider supporting the Milwaukee Freedom Fund which is organized by Milwaukee allies to support demonstrators against continued racist practices:  http://bit.ly/mkebail
Since the 1850’s the Milwaukee Turners have opposed racist violence and oppression, in both word and deed.  The Milwaukee Turners, Inc. is a nonprofit charitable group that operates out of Turner Hall, a national historic landmark located at 1034 N Vel R. Phillips Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203.  It provides opportunities for people to improve their physical health and work toward social justice. It is open to all.
Become a member today! https://milwaukeeturners.squarespace.com/join-turners
Find out more: http://www.milwaukeeturners.org/abouts
Contact us at info@milwaukeeturners.org, or Art Heitzer, artheitzer@gmail.com, 414 628-2547

author: Milwaukee Turners


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Post from Community: Statement on George Floyd: Together, we can and must be stronger than hate. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jeff Jones
June 4, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
The National Council of Jewish Women Milwaukee, Tikkun Ha-Ir of Milwaukee, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Milwaukee Jewish Federation stand with the African American community and communities of color, including Jews of Color, in condemnation, mourning, and resolve.
Leaders throughout the Milwaukee and national Jewish communities echo our outrage with the systemic racism that allows repeated senseless killings. Together we embrace a shared focus on reform so that no family, and no community, should have to endure the pain and anguish laid bare by the horrifying killings of people like George Floyd, Joel Acevedo, and so many others. Together, we can and must be stronger than hate.
“ Our hearts break for Mr. Floyd’s family and friends. We are also devastated for our friends and neighbors in the African-American community, including Jews of color. Your pain is our pain.” – Steve Hunegs, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas
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“Black Lives Matter. The arrest of one involved officer on third-degree murder charges is a necessary step towards accountability for George Floyd’s death, but ultimately all officers who were present and did nothing to intervene must be brought to justice” – Sheila Katz, CEO of The National Council of Jewish Women
“We share the grief and anger that has led to protest across the country including here in Milwaukee, just as we share the responsibility for addressing its root causes.” – The Milwaukee Jewish Federation
“ If positive change is to come to this country, we must see this as ‘our pursuit of justice.’ I am asking you to go beyond being the type of person who loves your neighbor as yourself. Rather, love your neighbor as you would your children, your husband, your wife, your mother and your father.” – Rabbi Noah Chertkoff, Congregation Shalom Milwaukee
“We call upon our government and law enforcement agencies at every level to institute sweeping reforms in law enforcement and criminal justice. We pledge to join forces with the black community and other Americans to see through these changes to law enforcement, end systemic racism, and work for a more just American society.” – The Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Together we will persist at being present and listening to our black and brown brothers and sisters. This is the first of many steps we will take to build a more just community for all.
Robyn Eiseman & Barbara Levin
NCJW Milwaukee
Sami Stein Avner
Tikkun Ha-Ir
Jenny Tasse
Jewish Community Relations Council

author: Jeff Jones


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Where those in need can find food this summer (and how everyone can help) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
June 4, 2020
A team of MPS staff distributes lunches after schools closed due to COVID-19. (File photo by Adam Carr)
COVID-19 is still making its way around Milwaukee as we enter summer, making movement difficult and grocery stores less accessible. We’ve updated our list of food pantries and meal programs where residents can access free food.
Note that this is not a complete list, and times and locations may have changed by the time you read this. Please call before visiting a site. We want to keep this list updated. If we have missed a resource, let us know by emailing your information to info@milwaukeenns.org with “meals” in the subject line.
The Hunger Task Force has created an interactive map complete with food pantries, MPS meal sites, non-MPS meal sites, meal sites for seniors and more. The map is updated daily but call the location before you visit to make sure it is still open.
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Feeding America also has an interactive map of food pantries and meal programs located across eastern Wisconsin. The map is updated regularly but call the location before you visit to make sure it is still open.
Use the 2-1-1 Wisconsin website to find the food pantry in your neighborhood.
Call Impact at 2-1-1, which can connect you to food pantries and meal programs. You can also text your ZIP code to TXT-211.
The Milwaukee Center for Independence plans to add to the locations currently listed in the Hunger Task Force’s map, though at this time leaders cannot say where those locations will be. Updates on times and locations can be found in the Hunger Task Force’s map.
At this time, Milwaukee Public Schools cannot provide specifics about where and when it will provide meals for people under 18 this summer. Since closing school buildings in March, MPS has run its “Stop, Grab, and Go” program. Current hours and locations for these services can be found on MPS’ website or on the Hunger Task Force’s map.
Some choice schools will also be running their own meal programs for young people. Some of these sites are listed in the Hunger Task Force’s map. Call your school and schools in your surrounding area to ask if meal programs will be offered this summer.
The Gathering is continuing to provide to-go meals for the foreseeable future, but it does not plan to restart its hot meal service in the coming months.
The Gathering plans to operate at four locations this summer:
Running Rebels, 1300 W. Fond du Lac Ave. (Monday-Friday breakfast 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Saturday lunch 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Near South Side, 724 S. Layton Blvd. (Monday and Wednesday dinner 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday lunch 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Our Next Generation Neighborhood Center, 3421 W. Lisbon Ave. (Saturday lunch 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Mount Carmel Lutheran Church, 8424 W. Center St. (second and fourth Saturday lunch 11:30 a.mm to 12:30 p.m.)
Friedens Community Ministries has temporarily closed its Coggs pantry location, but continues to operate its other pantries at Despensa de la Paz, 1615 S. 22nd St.; Hope House, 209 W. Orchard St.; and Zion Rock, 10230 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Click the links for hours of operation.
Doorway Ministry will continue distributing bag lunches Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 a.m. and 1:30 pm at 2461 W. Center St.
Capuchin Community Services is still running its emergency food pantry every Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the House of Peace, 1702 W. Walnut St. Anyone with an ID and a proof of residence can be served.
Metcalfe Park’s “Be the Bridge” mutual aid collective will continue to distribute food and supplies monthly to Metcalfe Park residents who sign up for continued donations. Residents can sign up for donations online or by texting Melody McCurtis at 414-488-5582.
Ayuda Mutua will be continuing its distributions, but at this time is asking residents to consult its Facebook page for updates regarding their services this summer.
Feeding America is looking for volunteers to help sort food and process donations. You can sign up to volunteer through Feeding America’s website or email psoma@feedingamericawi.org
The Gathering is looking for volunteers to help sort and distribute meals. Anyone interested, should email soulfood@thegatheringwis.org
Friedens Pantry is looking for volunteers. Interested volunteers can sign up through Friedens’ website.
Doorway Ministry is looking for volunteers. Interested volunteers can sign up by filling out an application.
Metcalfe Park’s “Be the Bridge” mutual aid collective is currently looking for volunteers and donations. You can sign up to volunteer here. The collective is also looking for monetary and in-kind donations. Non-perishable food items, gloves, and soap are most needed at this time. You can donate money online or drop off in-kind donations at 3624 W. North Ave. on Fridays between 11 am and 5 pm. Call or text Melody McCurtis at 414-488-5582 if you plan on making an in-kind donation.
Ayuda Mutua is currently looking for monetary and in-kind donations. You can donate monetarily via Paypal.me/cosecha13 or via Venmo at @cosecha13, or drop off in-kind donations at 1115 S. 7th St. on Mondays and Fridays between 12-3 pm. Most-needed items are posted regularly on their Facebook page.

author: Sam Woods


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 3, 2020

author: Adam Carr


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5 things to do and know the weekend of June 5 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 5, 2020
Black women are invited to a ritual circle in Alice’s Garden on Sunday, June 7. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
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 .
The National Guard opened a new COVID-19 testing site on the North Side. The site is located in the parking lot of Custer Stadium, 4300 W. Fairmount Ave., with the South Side location remaining at UMOS, 2710 S. Chase Ave. The sites are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
2. Youth organizers in need of safety supplies
Leaders Igniting Transformation, also known as LIT, needs safety supplies for protesters. There is a need for goggles, earplugs, masks, first aid kits, hair bands, milk, vinyl gloves and liquid antacid. If you can donate supplies, direct message Leaders Igniting Transformation.
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3. “Black Women’s Rage: A conversation and pain fire”Venice Williams and Zakiya Courtney are hosting a ritual circle for black women from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 7. The event will take place at Alice’s Garden, 2136 N. 21st St. Participants are asked to wear a mask and bring a chair or blanket. Children are not allowed unless nursing. This is a time for black women to gather and have conversation.
Ma’ruf Center for Youth Innovation is hosting a virtual call to action from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, June 5. The call will feature a panel of black organizers and activists including Vaun Mayes, Sean Wilson, Markasa Tucker, Nazir Al-Mujaahid, Sumaiyah Clark and Will Perry. To watch the livestream, click here.
5. Layton West Boulevard Neighbors announces grants for small businessesSmall businesses impacted by COVID-19 can now apply for grants through the Layton West Boulevard Neighbors. Priority funding will go toward minority and or women-owned businesses, recently established businesses and businesses operated by persons using ITIN. The business must be located in Silver City, Burnham Park or Layton Park. Initial deadlines to apply are Friday, June 12 and Friday, June 26. For questions, contact Celia Benton at celia@lbwn.org or 414-585-8536.
Bonus: The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed on coronavirus by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 4, 2020


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MCTS suspends night bus service through Sunday, creating challenges for late-night workers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
June 5, 2020
The announcement that buses would be suspended from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. through Sunday, June 7 could not come at a worse time for some MCTS bus riders
Amirah Holman recently started working a second-shift job in West Allis.
But now she may not be able to get to it.
She said the announcement that buses would be suspended from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. through Sunday, June 7 could not come at a worse time.
“I paid for a weekly bus pass that I can’t use,”  she said. “I’ve been having to use Lyft, which is about 25 dollars one way, so I’m losing more money than I’m making at this point.”
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She usually takes two Milwaukee County Transit System buses for her hour-long commute. Holman gave up her shifts over the weekend and is hoping things go back to normal.
Bus service will resume each morning as regularly scheduled, with the goal to return to regular schedules as soon as possible, said Matt Sliker, a spokesman for MCTS.
Sliker also dismissed rumors circulating on social media that said the MCTS suspended services in order to transport the National Guard in the night.
“We have 370 buses, and it only takes a couple to transport the National Guard,” Sliker said. “The Office of Emergency Management can request buses anytime. The same thing happens with fires.”
MCTS officials said in a news release that daily demonstrations and marches have closed major streets and intersections along the core bus route network, creating safety challenges at night.
“We understand that the temporary suspension of service will be an inconvenience to riders who use the bus to get to and from work in the late-night hours,” MCTS Managing Director Dan Boehm said in a news release. “But we had to make this difficult decision in order to help ensure the safety of our employees, passengers and those that are protesting to make their voices heard.”
MCTS will post updates on social media and at RideMCTS.com/Alerts.

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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30792250248_7cf65eb955_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 5, 2020

author: Dwayne Burtin


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NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 things to know during this turbulent moment in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
June 5, 2020
This illustration by artist Gabriela Riveros was featured in “The Long March to Freedom” publication created by NNS in honor of Milwaukee’s Open Housing Marches in 2017. (Artwork by Gabriela Riveros)
NNS’s Adam Carr spoke with WUWM’s Joy Powers of “Lake Effect” for our monthly “5 Things” feature focusing on both the protests and pandemic.
This month’s list includes our collection of community voices responding to the death of George Floyd, discussion of the protests and livestreams, historical context through our “Long March to Freedom” project, information on COVID-19 testing and our photography project celebrating the Class of 2020.

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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OPINION: Eight ways you can stay safe while protesting during the pandemic | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dr. Bryan Johnston
June 5, 2020
Artist Mauricio Ramirez created this mural on the corner of South Sixth Street and West Lincoln Avenue to honor frontline workers and medical professionals. (Photo by Adam Carr)
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.
Dr. Bryan Johnston, a family physician working on the North Side of Milwaukee, discusses ways protesters can stay safe while protesting during a pandemic.
As healthcare providers working with a largely African American patient population, my colleagues and I have long acknowledged the devastation that the pandemic of racism inflicts upon our patients’ and communities’ health and well-being.
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Racial health disparities in our society are staggering and well-described. From this perspective, COVID-19 is simply the latest disease to disproportionately devastate communities of color—following similar patterns in diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart diseases, cancer, maternal and child health, mental health problems, accident and injury, and many others. The efforts to intervene against these disparities are also well-described and centuries old.
Our patients and communities do not have the luxury of time for incremental change. Not when people continue to be systematically violated, sickened and killed by their institutions. My colleagues and I support the community in making their voices heard.
We know our community understands, all too well, the importance of infection control during a pandemic. We acknowledge the difficult decision many are making to expose themselves to risk of one pandemic, in order to create change in another. I submit the below recommendations for harm-reduction framework to reduce this risk.
1. Do not attend a public protest if you are feeling ill, and especially if you have symptoms of cough, fever, or trouble breathing. Support protests remotely. Get tested for COVID-19 and/or seek medical care.
2. Wear a mask covering mouth and nose at all times. Encourage other protesters to do the same. Do not take off your mask. Avoid touching your mouth or face.
3. Bring along a hygiene kit including hand sanitizer and, if possible, a small first aid kit. Sanitize frequently, and especially after physical contact with other people or objects. If you can, bring enough for others as well.
4. Wear eye protection without holes or vents to reduce infection risk and exposure to chemical irritants.
5. Remember that COVID-19 transmits even in those without symptoms. Attempt to maintain 6 feet of physical distance between yourself and other protesters outside of members of your household. Move in a small group throughout the protest, instead of interacting at close range with many different protesters. Be mindful of the direction you speak, and do not remove your mask when speaking. Loudly singing, chanting, and shouting—especially with mask off—is associated with much higher rates and distance of viral transmission.
6. Follow other protester safety recommendations: bring supplies to persist in various weather conditions for an indefinite amount of time – bring layers, rain protection, sun screen, water, healthy snacks; bring ear plugs; be mindful of where medical support is located; do not go alone and check in frequently with those not present; avoid sharing your direct location or images of protester identity on social media; have an escape plan.
7. Consider being tested for COVID-19 after participation in public protests, even if not experiencing symptoms. To be tested, call your healthcare provider, or seek out free testing sites. Categories of individuals with especially elevated risk of exposure include those who:
a) were less than 6 feet from others chanting, shouting, or not wearing masks,
b) experienced being held or arrested
c) spent time inside a vehicle with others outside of their household
d)  spent time in an indoor location with others outside of their household
8. If you are not tested for COVID-19, be vigilant for development of symptoms. They typically develop two weeks after exposure. If possible, limit contact with others—especially the elderly and those with chronic health conditions—until 2 weeks without symptoms have passed. If developing symptoms, get tested and/or seek medical care.
Protesters in this society have long accepted personal risk to their health and safety. In the midst of a pandemic, know that you can take steps to reduce the risk of personal and community harm, while participating in resistance against oppression.
The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.

author: Dr. Bryan Johnston


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5 things to know the week of June 8 in Milwaukee: The COVID-19 edition | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 8, 2020
The Fire and Police Commission seeks the public’s input on Chief Alfonso Morales, shown addressing residents during a listening session with the community earlier this year, as it prepares to conduct a performance review later this month. (File photo by Sam Woods)
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 and protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. 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. Rocketship Transformation Prep is kneeling for George Floyd: Monday, June 8
Rocketship Transformation Prep, 5501 N. 68th St., is hosting a Black Lives Matter event at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 8. During the event, attendees will be asked to kneel in silence for nine minutes from 5:15 p.m. to 5:24 p.m. This act will be done as a show of solidarity for the school’s black students, families, colleagues and community and as a way to honor the life of George Floyd. Social distancing measures will be in place and participants are asked to wear a mask.
2. Walnut Way presents “Money Moves” webinar: Monday, June 8
Walnut Way is hosting a webinar titled “Money Moves: Budgeting Skills for Financial Stability” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 8. The webinar will cover how to create and use a budget, how to set meaningful financial goals, how to control your spending and more. To register, click here.
3. Milwaukee Health Department launches “Ask MHD”
Milwaukee Health Department has launched a new initiative, “Ask MHD,” which allows residents to ask questions to health leaders by emailing askmhdcovid19@milwaukee.gov.
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4. Fire and Police Commission to review MPD Chief Alfonso Morales
The Fire and Police Commission will conduct a performance review for Alfonso Morales, the chief of the Milwaukee Police Department, later this month. Milwaukee residents are encouraged to reach out to the Fire and Police Commission with any issues, questions or concerns regarding Morales, the conduct of officers, the overall policing strategy and what could be improved. Click here to find contact information for the Fire and Police Commission Board.
5. “March on Milwaukee: 200 nights of freedom” talk: Thursday, June 11
The Milwaukee County Historical Society is livestreaming a talk titled “March on Milwaukee: 200 nights of freedom” from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 11. Robert Smith of Marquette University and Adam Carr of the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service will lead the  conversation. The talk will take a look at the framework surrounding the civil rights movement and the hosts will discuss the open housing marches and the work of Milwaukee’s NAACP Youth Council. Check out our special report, which looks at the people behind the marches and its legacy.
Bonus: Let’s face it. We all need a reason to smile these days. In case you missed it (and even if you didn’t), take a look at Milwaukee’s resilient Class of 2020 and be inspired.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 7, 2020


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Community Heroes: COVID-19 couldn’t stop program that teaches young kids how to read | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
June 8, 2020
Typically “Read with Me” volunteers read with children in person, but now the program has shifted online. (Photo provided by Next Door)
Editor’s note: This story updates the number of videos submitted by reading volunteers.
Editor’s note: At the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, we intentionally celebrate ordinary people who do extraordinary things. We are especially interested in our neighbors who are making a difference as we all deal with the effects of COVID-19. Please let us know by emailing us at info@milwaukeenns.org and put “Community Heroes” in the subject line.
Like parents everywhere, Alicia Lewis wants to make sure her 3-year-old son Matthias continues to learn during the pandemic.
And she’s found one resource with Next Door’s “Read with Me” program, which has been forced to go virtual.
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“Typically, this would take place in person in our classroom,” said Jackie Shanti, who oversees the distribution of books within Milwaukee’s central city as the Books for Kids program coordinator at Next Door, an early education provider. “But even though that is not an option anymore, we still want to stay connected with our kids and keep them engaged.”
The nonprofit Next Door serves thousands of Milwaukee children up to age 5. “Read with Me” grew out of the larger “Books for Kids” program, which after 30 years has distributed over 2 million books to teachers and Next Door families, Shanti said.
Even if kids can’t read, the program allows them to hear the cadence of another person’s speech, familiarize themselves with the tactile experience of reading a book and lets them expand their vocabulary at a critical time in their development, Shanti said.
Next Door volunteers read with children to promote early literacy. (Photo provided by Next Door)
“It’s a comforting, secure situation for our kids that builds vocabulary and exposes them to different rhythms of speech,” Shanti said. “These are real, fundamental skills our children need to have to be good readers.”
Before COVID-19, Next Door hosted 60 to 65 volunteers for its “Read with Me” program at its locations on North 29th Street and West Capitol Drive.
When Next Door halted in-person services in March due to COVID-19, it was no longer an option to have community members come in to read. But after volunteers continued to ask how they could stay involved, Next Door put the program online.
Now, volunteers can record themselves reading a book for families to enjoy at home. So far, the organization has received 62 videos from 42 readers. Parents can access the videos through Next Door’s website.
“The biggest worry for me was trying to figure out how to sit him down,” said Lewis of the ease of using the reading videos with her son. Lewis also teaches at Next Door. “It felt like it does in person.”
For volunteers like Peter Blenski, a librarian at Hartland Public Library who has been telling stories to children at libraries he’s worked at for over five years, the “Read with Me” program provides an opportunity to give back. Blenski, who has volunteered with “Read with Me” for over four years, was one of the first to post a video of himself reading “Penguin Problems” by Jory John and illustrated by Lane Smith.
“It’s an easy way to make an impact on someone’s life with very little commitment,” Blenski said. “I was struggling to find a way to give back that was meaningful both to the community and myself, but I’ve definitely found it here.”
Blenski said continuing the program virtually is just as much about maintaining some sense of regularity as it is about the books themselves.
“Beyond modelling good reading habits and showing that you can have fun with a book, it is important to have some level of consistency at a young age-especially in times like these where everything seems so up in the air,” he said.
Though the “Read with Me” program is adapting well to its new virtual home, Shanti said it needs more multicultural books.
“We want our children to see themselves in our books,” she said. Over 90% of Next Door families are black, said Max Seigle, Next Door’s communications and marketing director.
If you have books you are looking to get rid of, Next Door always is taking donations for its library. She said the nonprofit also needs volunteers to post videos of themselves reading a book to contribute to the virtual “Read with Me” collection. If you’re interested, follow Next Door’s submission guidelines or email Max Seigle at mseigle@nextdoormke.org


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Have questions about the coronavirus and other issues? Help is just a text away. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
June 8, 2020
Jeff Roman (left) is the project manager for News414 and Jimmy Gutierrez is the engagement manager. Both are Milwaukee natives who have strong ties to our communities.
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Post from Community: As summer vacation begins for Milwaukee County youth, Social Development Commission offers free lunch at multiple locations | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
June 8, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
It’s that time of year.
School is out for summer break.
That means some youth may go the entire summer without a daily nutritious meal usually provided by school for free at a discounted price.
To ensure that local children have access to at least one healthy meal each day, the Social Development Commission is sponsoring the Summer Food Service Program.
Free meals are available to children 18 years of age and under. Free meals are also
provided to anyone over 18 if:
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The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Meals are provided to eligible children regardless of race, color, national origin, age, gender or disability and there will be no discrimination in the course of meal service.
Please see the following list of Summer Food Service Sites.
Listed below are the USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines in effect from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.

author: Social Development Commission


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SDC 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 8, 2020


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SDC 2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 8, 2020


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Educators push MPS to end contracts with the Milwaukee Police Department | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
June 9, 2020
Community leaders are urging MPS to terminate its contracts with the Milwaukee Police Department and to stop funding other security measures. South Division High School, 1515 W. Lapham Blvd., is one of many area high schools that have walk-through metal detectors at the main entrance. (File photo by Andrea Waxman)
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the number of officers who have contracts in MPS’ Truancy Abatement Burglary Suppression program.
The Black Educators Caucus MKE called Tuesday for MPS to end its contracts with the Milwaukee Police Department, saying the district is “complicit in the perpetuation of the very institutional racism that recent marches, rallies, and uprisings were all about.”
In response, Larry Miller, president of the school board, is scheduling a special meeting Thursday, June 18 to discuss the caucus’ demands and to consider ending contracts with suppliers of security equipment such as metal detectors.
“People think it’s radical to just cut all contracts with police,” said Angela Harris, chairwoman of the caucus and a first-grade teacher with MPS. “But we’ve been defunding education for years, and we’re just asking to put funding for schools back where it belongs.”
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At the meeting, director Paula Phillips is expected to introduce a resolution that MPS terminate contracts with the Milwaukee Police Department and that the district halt further negotiations to buy or maintain security equipment such as metal detectors, facial recognition software or social media monitoring software.
MPS currently contracts with the Milwaukee Police Department to act as resource officers and to patrol events like the Midnight Sports League. Almost half of the money MPS sends to the police department is for the district’s Truancy Abatement Burglary Suppression program, which employs local law enforcement to locate truant students. The program employs four officers and costs $400,000 Phillips said.
This program is required by state law for a school district of MPS’ size, and the district is not able to cut funding to it unilaterally, Phillips added.
In May, the school board voted to cut money spent on other contracts with local law enforcement by $100,000 to pay for “restorative practice coaches” who are trained in deterring anti-social behavior without relying on punishment. This is included in the district’s recently adopted 2020-’21 school budget. The district is currently set to pay $478,242 in contracts with the police department that are not required by the state in the upcoming school year.
The Black Educators Caucus MKE was founded in 2018 in response to perceived unresponsiveness from the Milwaukee Teachers and Educators Association, the union representing teachers in MPS. The caucus is made up of black educators within the union. It has been active in organizing Black Lives Matter at School Week each February since 2018. The caucus has also lobbied the district and teachers union to ensure equitable access to education for students of color during the pandemic.
While recent demonstrations against police violence across the world have not focused on schools, Harris said the call to end contracts with the Milwaukee Police Department is not out of character for the movement.
“Now more than ever we are looking at policing in our communities, and I think the best place to start is looking at policing in our schools,” Harris said.
This issue is personal for Harris, who remembers when she took her kindergarten students on a field trip to the Martin Luther King Jr. Library. The library sits next to the District 5 police station, and Harris still recalls how her students were already visibly afraid of the officers next door.
“My scholars were holding onto me for dear life; they were so afraid,” said Harris. “They were asking me questions like ‘Are they going to take me to jail?’”
“From a young age, black and brown kids internalize that the police are there to do them harm,” Harris added.
Leaders Igniting Transformation, a youth-of-color-led advocacy and organizing group, has also called for ending contracting services with the Milwaukee Police Department and reducing the district’s security budget.
The group, also known as LIT, said the money should be used to increase support staff, including such positions as guidance counselors and school nurses.
“It’s time to cut police and security budgets to fund the programs and supports that young people actually need,” LIT leaders said in a news release about the budget.
MPS and the school board have been looking for ways the district can save money, including a proposal to rearrange bus schedules to save around $3 million for the 2020-21 budget. The board initially voted against this proposal, citing the disruption the change would cause parents during a pandemic, before ultimately approving the measure.
Phillips said that while the idea of saving money by cutting police contracts and the school security budget is not new, the momentum among her constituents to act on it has changed.
“People who have never reached out to the board are asking us to do something about this. This is why protests matter,” she said.
The Board of School Directors will meet virtually in a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. June 18. The agenda is not available at this time. You can track changes and view the agenda when it is posted here.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 9, 2020


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OPINION: Milwaukee has a long, powerful history of black and brown protest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Antonio Ramirez
June 9, 2020
Protesters (above) during the open housing marches cross the 16th St. Viaduct as pictured in the Sept. 9, 1967, Milwaukee Star newspaper and (below) a group marches on North Avenue on May 31, 2020. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
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.
Antonio Ramirez is an assistant professor of history and political science at Elgin Community College in Illinois.
Black, brown and white Milwaukeeans have taken to the streets to demand justice for George Floyd and all victims of police brutality. In Milwaukee and across the nation, protests have been met with police violence.
Of course, this is not the first time Milwaukee police have tried to crush calls for accountability and justice.
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In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a multiracial coalition in Milwaukee came together to fight for the rights of black and brown workers, mothers receiving welfare and victims of police brutality. And Milwaukee police and the Wisconsin state legislature used violent methods to try to stop them.
Though they were vilified in their day, today Milwaukee celebrates black participants in the city’s 1960s civil rights movement and white leaders like Father James Groppi. The young people of the NAACP Youth Council and Commandos that marched for more than 200 days to demand open housing are, rightly so, now considered heroes.
Fewer Milwaukeeans know that after the open housing marches ended, black and brown activists, along with Groppi, spent years demanding jobs for people of color, for welfare rights and for an end to police brutality.
In July 1968, only a few months after the open housing marches ended, Father Groppi and members of the NAACP Youth Council began picketing Allen-Bradley to urge the company to hire more black workers. At the time, almost all of the 7,500-person workforce was white. By August, the campaign was heating up. Groppi said he and his supporters would end employment discrimination at Allen-Bradley “even if we have to burn it down.” A candidate for Milwaukee County sheriff called for criminal charges against Groppi and said he “agreed 100%” that, if protests got out of hand, law enforcement should shoot to kill.
Residents of Milwaukee’s near South Side Latina/o neighborhood stepped up to join the struggle. During the previous decade, they had criticized the city and Allen-Bradley for razing Latinx-owned homes and replacing them with employee parking lots and an interstate freeway, squeezing the Latina/o community into a smaller area and dilapidated housing.
That fall, Latinx activists including Roberto Hernandez (namesake of today’s UW-Milwaukee’s Latino student center) announced that Milwaukee Latinxs and African Americans had formed an alliance. The coalition would call for Allen-Bradley to hire blacks and Latina/os.
Working together, black and brown activists won. Allen-Bradley was forced to diversify its workforce.
The multiracial coalition’s work continued the following year when the Wisconsin Legislature proposed drastic cuts to welfare benefits. Assembling in Madison, unapologetically self-identified “welfare mothers,” other black and brown activists and Father Groppi marched down State Street, followed by thousands of students.
The marchers entered the Capitol chanting, “Power to the People!” Demonstrators found the doors to the Assembly chamber locked, so members of the Brown Berets and Commandos broke them open. A thousand people flooded onto the legislative floor. Terrified legislators adjourned the session and fled.
Marchers draped streamers around the chambers. Students smoked cigarettes and strummed guitars in legislators’ chairs. Mothers fed their children sandwiches and led them around the Assembly floor. Chicano activists with berets and khaki uniforms chatted in Spanish. Behind the Assembly speaker’s stand, someone placed a sign against the breast of a stuffed bald eagle that said, “We May Be on Welfare, But We’re Something.”
Groppi stepped up to address the crowd, saying, “This place looks like a house in the middle of the black or Chicano communities – a little bit crowded!” Speaker after speaker took the podium and explained the hardships that welfare cuts would bring. “I can’t get enough money to live,” said Clementina Castro, who explained that she and her children were destitute. She finished by shouting, “Viva la Raza!”
National Guardsmen arrived and the protest ended peacefully, but elected officials wanted revenge. They ordered Groppi to be taken into custody without a trial. It was the first time the Legislature had ordered someone’s arrest.
The move was sponsored by young legislator James Sensenbrenner, who, as a congressman 40 years later, would inadvertently spark a national immigrant rights movement by proposing a harsh anti-immigrant bill.
Protesters had also chased young legislator Tommy Thompson out of the chamber. Thompson went on to be elected Wisconsin governor in 1987. As governor, he implemented radical reductions in welfare benefits that became a model for the nation. He later traced his political formation to the events of 1969.
After Groppi was arrested, hundreds of protesters assembled at the Capitol. Law enforcement instructed the marchers to disperse. They refused. Police prodded marchers with clubs. Some started insulting police and throwing objects, and police moved in.
When approached by police, a news photographer identified himself as press, but was struck in the face with a riot stick, smashing three of his front teeth. A Milwaukee Journal reporter was jabbed with a club. Police clubbed a Catholic priest in the head. Twenty people were arrested, and dozens were injured. At the end of the melee, blood stained the capitol steps. The next day, the priest’s bloodied face was on the front page of The Milwaukee Journal.
The Milwaukee welfare rights movement continued in the following years, even producing a remarkable book that documented the movement’s multiracial voices called, Welfare Mothers Speak Out: We Ain’t Gonna Shuffle Anymore. “The Milwaukee County Zoo feed the monkeys on 33 cents a meal, but Milwaukee County gives the monkeys on welfare only 16 cents a meal,” wrote Betty Niedzwiecki, a welfare recipient and activist. “That’s how they think of us: we’re not human beings, we’re just animals.”
The movement hit its peak in 1970 when, on a bitterly cold January afternoon, 500 people marched in downtown Milwaukee to protest the cancellation of winter clothing grants to welfare recipients. A tussle between activists and a police officer ended with the officer laying strewn with broken glass in the threshold of T.A. Chapman’s, one of Milwaukee’s largest downtown department stores. Ernesto Chacon and Jose Puente, young Latinos, and Ruth Pollard, an eight-month-pregnant African American woman, lay on top of him. All three were charged with assaulting a police officer. Pollard was sentenced to 90 days in jail and Chacon and Puente faced six months.
In response, Milwaukee Latinxs created the “Free Los Dos de la Raza Committee” and organized a march in support of Chacon and Puente. In March 1971, hundreds of people showed up to march from Milwaukee’s South Side to downtown. From the beginning, the march was tense, and several marchers were arrested, including Jesus Salas, who years later became a UW Regent.
At the downtown rally, marchers spoke against the racism of the Milwaukee Police Department and drew connections between the struggles of Milwaukee Latinxs and those in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Southwest, and throughout Latin America. When demonstrators burned a coffin with “JUSTICE” written on the side, agitated police moved in and stomped out the fire. After the event concluded and marchers walked back to the South Side, the police presence began to grow.
Milwaukee’s Latinx newspaper, La Guardia, reported that as marchers reached the South Side, police jeered them with racist insults. “When the crowd reached the dark streets of the 5 St. area the police began pulling innocent people from the crowd and beating them with clubs,” said La Guardia. “The police would jump in from the vehicles and randomly arrest and beat people.”
After most marchers had fled, the police armed themselves with shotguns and raided the offices of nearby Latina/o organizations. “The police entered and began to search the offices of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute,” wrote La Guardia. “The Assistant Director of the program asked the police if they had a right to enter without a search warrant. The police officer then pointed a gun at his chest, and he was told to mind his own business.”
Police arrested 18 marchers and “left three people lying unconscious in the streets bleeding from their heads. There were over 30 police cars, paddy wagons, motorcycles and trucks in a short two block area on 5th and National,” wrote La Guardia.
This time, the police violence caught the attention of Wisconsin Gov. Patrick Lucey. He appointed a statewide task force, which scheduled public hearings at Milwaukee Latina/o organizations and the Milwaukee Welfare Rights Organization. Lucey even toured Latinx Milwaukee himself.
In July 1971, Lucey pardoned Chacon and Puente. The task force’s report outlined how the Latinx community in Wisconsin was ignored, silenced, and unrecognized by state and local government. They found “a citizenry divorced and ignored by their institutions,” and made lengthy recommendations that incorporated community input in the areas of education, health, social services, housing, labor, police-community relations, recreation and representation in government. “Struggling to have their voices heard,” opined the report, these community members feel, “with much justification – that they are neglected.”
Sadly, those words still describe black and brown communities in Milwaukee today. But we should be inspired by the brave marchers of the past. Despite police batons and racist threats, the movement of the 1960s and 70s won significant victories. That should give today’s marchers hope.
Today’s marchers are also giving voice to those brutalized by police and victimized by neglect. Protesters this week—like those 50 years ago—have confronted violence and fear to do the dangerous but necessary work of improving Milwaukee and our democracy.

author: Antonio Ramirez


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Historical-Contemporary-March | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 8, 2020


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received_197076148137718 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 8, 2020


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OPINION: ‘Say their names’: Common Council addresses Police Chief Morales | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Members of Milwaukee's Common Council
June 9, 2020
A protest passes Reynaldo Hernandez’s “Celebrate the Arts” mural on May 31, 2020. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
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.
This is a joint statement from Ald. Ashanti Hamilton, Ald. Cavalier Johnson, Ald. Nik Kovac, Ald. Robert J. Bauman, Ald. Nikiya Dodd, Ald. Milele A. Coggs, Ald. Khalif J. Rainey, Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa, Ald. Chantia Lewis, Ald. Michael J. Murphy, Ald. José G. Pérez, Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic and Ald. Russell W. Stamper, II.
Joel Acevedo. Sylville Smith. Dontre Hamilton. Derek Williams. Tony Bean. Frank Jude, Jr. Ernest Lacy.
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On Friday, during an afternoon press conference you chided protesters in Milwaukee by saying:
“Something happens in another city, another state and it’s very, very easy to jump on the bandwagon and say Milwaukee can do better. Shame on those. That’s an easy narrative. It’s a very easy narrative to jump on.”
Chief, you are right that it was something in another city, in a neighboring state, that was the immediate cause of last week’s protests. But the people you are sworn to protect in Milwaukee did not take to the streets only to protest the Minneapolis Police Department. Yes, George Floyd’s name was often said in response to chants of, “Say his name” and Breonna Taylor’s name was often said in response to, “Say her name” — and they were both killed by police in other states.
But if you read the signs many were carrying, or if you had reviewed the record of your own department, you would know that the names and lives of Joel, Sylville, Dontre, Derek, Tony, Frank and Ernest were also on our minds, in our hearts and on our lips.
Those seven names are only a partial list of those who have died or been seriously injured while in the custody — or sometimes literally in the hands — of the Milwaukee Police Department.
And after a week of protests in our city, we are not just protesting the past: we are protesting the present and your police department’s response to these protests. Had you been present at Friday’s hearing of the Public Safety and Health Committee instead of at a press conference, you would have known that it is not “another city, another state” that is at stake here.
Your very next comment, after calling our protests a “bandwagon” at that press conference, was this:
“Two thousand years ago, an angry mob came before people to say, ‘Crucify that man.’ That man being Jesus Christ. What are angry mobs doing today? We say we’re civilized, but are we really? Let’s think about that.”
Two minutes later, when asked to clarify who you meant was being crucified today, you replied:
“Law enforcement throughout our nation. Law enforcement is being crucified. That’s what they want. That’s what these angry mobs are doing.”
There are many angry people right now, but that is not what they want. Listen to the demands. Many of them were offered at the hearing you missed, and instead were communicated directly to your Assistant Chief Michael Brunson and your Chief of Staff Nick DeSiato. We want a police force that de-escalates, that respects and that humanizes.
In our nation today, there are too many martyrs. There is too much violence and too much death. This was true before these protests started and it is still true.
There are many names to say.
Matthew Rittner. Michael Michalski. Charles Irvine, Jr. Wendolyn Tanner. Michael Niehoff. William Robertson. Michael Tourmo.
They are Milwaukee Police officers who have died in the line of duty in the past three decades.
We say all of these names, we celebrate their lives and we mourn their violent deaths.
The current historical moment — in Milwaukee and throughout the nation — is not a competition to claim the right to religious analogies. It is a demand for justice, something for which too many have already died. It is a demand for significant and immediate structural reform of all police departments — including ours — to make sure George Floyd’s name is the last.
Let’s stop dying for justice and start achieving it.

author: Members of Milwaukee's Common Council


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 8, 2020


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‘We can create change’: Neighborhood groups continue census push | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 9, 2020
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges is giving neighbors information on the census through its care packages. (Photo provided by Metcalfe Park Community Bridges)
Patrice Gransberry, 59, was excited to hear that 2020 was a census year. When the questionnaire arrived in the mail, Gransberry wasted no time filling it out.
“It was easy,” she said. “The questions were simple and straight to the point.”
Since then, Gransberry has been encouraging others to do the same.
It is about getting funding for the community, she said. With an accurate count, her neighborhood, Metcalfe Park, can receive the money it needs for health care, parks, libraries, food services and more.
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Census results will determine how the federal government distributes $675 billion among the states for the next 10 years. The number of people counted per state correlates with how much funding each state receives.
The funding will influence, among other things, public transit, housing assistance for elders, highway planning and construction, and food programs in schools.
For every person not counted, the state could lose  $1,600 a year, according to the study, “Counting for Dollars 2020,”  by the George Washington Institute of Public Policy at George Washington University.
Gransberry, who has lived in Metcalfe Park for several years, also is working with the group, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, to spread the word.
Melody McCurtis, deputy director of priorities and organizer for Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, said before the organization formed in 2012, it asked residents about their priorities. Of the five areas listed, civic engagement was among them.
Civic engagement equates to power, and the census is a part of that, she said. After conducting a neighborhood survey, McCurtis found a lot of people did not know about the census, which she argues is probably by design.
“It’s not communicated in way so that the community feels like it matters,” she said, adding that people without internet access were less likely to know about it.
Patrice Gransberry wants her neighbors to know how vital the census is for the community’s future. (Photo provided by Melody McCurtis)
Danell Cross, the executive director of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, said people want to know what the census does for them. She tells them the census gives funding for community block grants, which helps residents improve their neighborhoods, and determines the number of members each state has in the House of Representatives – “the people representing our needs.”
Community members want the funding, but they also want a say in where the money goes, Cross said.
Lidia Villazaez, the community outreach manager for Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, said the group began its census education and outreach at the end of last year. The group held community events, which is where Anali Albor, a Silver City resident, first heard about the census.
Albor, 32, believes it’s easy for people to forget about the census since it only happens every 10 years. She said Layton Boulevard West Neighbors has helped inform residents about its importance.
Spreading the word
Both groups partnered with Wisconsin Voices, a group that encourages civic engagement and pushes the progressive movement, to educate themselves on the basics of the census.
Villazaez, who has been working with Layton Boulevard West Neighbors for the past several years, said being a trusted face in the community has given the organization credibility to spread the word.
Through her work, Villazaez found that some people had only a superficial understanding of the census while others did not feel like the outcome would affect them. While she would explain the basics, she also made a point to understand why someone might hesitate to fill out the form.
Change may not happen right away, but it will happen, she said.
Before the pandemic and the safer-at-home restrictions, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges got 300 people to pledge to take the census, but the group has been forced to adapt its strategy. Since the quarantine, the group has been issuing care packages filled with essential items such as food and information on the census. Residents in the neighborhood can fill out a form to receive a package.
“The time is now, and we have to be counted because we do matter, and we can create change,” McCurtis said.
In case you missed it: Why the 2020 census should matter to you.


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Why the 2020 census should continue to matter to you | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 9, 2020
Matt Dannenberg, otherwise known as Captain Census, says people need to feel that the census is personal to them. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect the new census deadline.
Earlier this year, we explained why the 2020 census should matter to you. The data gathered through the census determines how much federal funding each state receives for the next 10 years, how many members it will have in the House of Representatives and more.
While the U.S. Census Bureau is still committed to getting a complete count, the arrival of COVID-19 changed things. Here is what’s happening in the census and why it’s important now more than ever to participate.
How has COVID-19 affected census outreach?
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Sharon Robinson, the chairwoman of the Greater Milwaukee Complete Count Committee, said the group had all kinds of outreach going on, especially at the grassroots level, to educate people on the census.
People need to know that the information they share is private and protected by law, she said. It is only shared in the form of statistical data.
Originally, the group made plans for billboards and bus advertisements and for an event at the Mecca Sports Bar and Grill, but COVID-19 changed that.
“Once COVID happened, it restricted our ability for people to even see ads,” Robinson said.
The group was forced to switch gears and began to rely more heavily on social media. Robinson said the Complete Count Committee has been handing out coloring books, which are available on the U.S. Census Bureau website, at food drives along with crayons.
The Greater Milwaukee Complete Count Committee is using coloring books to educate people about the census. (Photo provided by The Greater Milwaukee Complete Count Committee)
The coloring books make it easy and basic to understand, she said.
The committee is also making yard signs and is encouraging Common Council members to do mass communications and to get active on social media.
“There’s so much at stake and we can’t afford to not count anyone,” she said.
Wisconsin Voices has played a large part in census outreach and tried early on to connect with grassroots organizations including Metcalfe Park Community Bridges and Layton West Boulevard Neighbors.
Matt Dannenberg, the census and voter registration director for Wisconsin Voices and the co-chairman of the Greater Milwaukee Complete Count Committee, said the group started working with 60 community partners in February.
Wisconsin Voices has helped produce content for social media posts and trained people on census basics. Dannenberg’s alter ego, “Captain Census,” also plans on making appearances in undercounted neighborhoods.
Dannenberg said the goal is to make people realize how important the census is by making it personal.
“When people find out how beneficial it is to their daily lives, they’re more engaged,” he said.
What are the results so far?
The response rates are updated daily on the U.S. Census Bureau website. Wisconsin’s self-response rate is at 67.8%, and the national response rate is currently at 60.7%.
“Wisconsin is doing pretty well and holding the number two spot behind Minnesota,” Robinson said.
She said she was surprised that COVID-19 hasn’t boosted online or phone responses, but added that this is the first time these options have been available in a census.
“It has never been easier to participate in the census,” Robinson said. “It’s your constitutional right and it’s well worth the 10 minutes it takes.”
What about hard-to-count communities?
Some communities are hard to count, including single parent households, children under the age of 5 and seniors.
Dannenberg said children and residents on the North Side and South Side remain undercounted. The more people who participate the stronger Wisconsin’s voice is, he said.
“The census is about bringing resources to communities and making neighborhoods stronger,” Dannenberg said.
Have there been any major updates or changes?
The biggest update is the deadline extension for self-response. Residents through the country now have until Wednesdau, Sept. 30 to respond to the census using the self-response options, which include mail, phone and online.
How to fill out the census
To do it over the phone, call 1-844-330-2020. To complete it online, visit the census website and click respond. Check your mail for the questionnaire, which you can fill out and mail back.
The online form and telephone line will be available in 13 languages, including English, according to the Census Bureau. Additionally, there will be language guides available in 59 languages other than English.
If a household chooses to forgo the self-response options, then they will be visited by a census taker. Each census taker will have a census badge with an identification number, which can be verified by the bureau.
Census takers are expected to start going door-to-door in mid-August. Dannenberg said the extension could delay data processing until about June 2021.


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Five high school graduates who will give you inspiration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
June 10, 2020
Milwaukee, meet your future bosses.
These five young people exhibit just some of the brilliance of the next generation. They’re all high achievers, who are committed to coming back and giving back to the Milwaukee community in some way after going to college.
Many of these young people would have been labeled “troubled” or written off just a few years ago. Now they are valedictorians, community builders and inspirations to everyone around them.
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They serve as are a reminder that no young person deserves to be given up on or defined by a moment in time. Like the rest of us, they are on a lifelong journey.
(Photo provided by Sharifah “Bibi” Nur Muhamad)
Before COVID-19 hit Milwaukee and schools transitioned to online learning, Sharifah “Bibi” Nur Muhamad was looking forward to speaking as a valedictorian at Bradley Tech High School. It was supposed to be the culmination of an educational journey that spanned thousands of miles.
Born in Myanmar, she moved with her family to Malaysia when she was young. As a Rohingya refugee, she found it difficult to obtain the education she wanted.
Muhamad said life in Malaysia was difficult, especially because she is a Muslim woman.
“I was running all the time, I barely slept,” she said. “People were constantly saying you couldn’t do this or that. As Rohingya we never had the right to own anything.”
But after her family moved to Milwaukee, she noticed improvements in her and her family’s well-being. Not only had she re-enrolled in school, but she and her family were connected with resources like mental health services, which she says helped her settle in and feel comfortable in her new home.
At school, Muhamad began to set herself apart. Knowing the value of an education from being denied it earlier in her life, she rose all the way to becoming valedictorian at Bradley Tech.
“I was told that I shouldn’t gain knowledge because I couldn’t,” she recalled. “But in the end, I proved what I was always capable of.”
This fall, Muhamad will attend UW-Parkside on scholarship and will double major in computer science and math. She wants to get a job related to her majors – and also to give back to her community.
“As a Rohingya woman refugee, I will never ignore prejudice, even in my own culture,” she said.
“I don’t let negativity settle in my head and shake me. I have dreams and goals, and I will achieve them.”
(Photo provided by Brayan Aires)
Brayan Aires’ life started over again when he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes on his 15th birthday.
“The ironic thing is my mom was on her way to buy me a birthday cake,” Aires said. “If I’d have eaten that cake, the doctor said I would’ve gone into diabetic shock.”
The diagnosis came during a difficult freshman year for Aires. He had failed four out of 14 classes that year, and “barely passed” the rest of them. He was bullied for his weight and battled depressed.
Soon after his diagnosis, Aires’ mother was bedridden for six months after having a cyst removed. Aires switched to online school and stayed at home to take care of her. His blood sugar spiked because of the stress of caring for his mother while also in school, so he quit online school without receiving any credit.
Though he had every reason to give up, Aires used this time to make the lifestyle changes he wanted for himself. He cut out soda and juice and went on a strict diet and exercise regimen. After a year and a half, Aires went from taking four insulin shots and 13 pills a day to nothing.
“I already had to be strong for my family, I could also be strong for myself,” he said.
After his mother recovered from surgery, Aires re-enrolled in El Puente High School. In his first semester there he earned a 3.2 GPA, and by the end of the year was earning college credit. He also earned a 4.0 in a college-level course he took through MATC.
“That proved college was for me,” he said.
After taking more classes for college credit his senior year at El Puente, Aires graduated with 11 college credits, offers from 21 colleges and over a $1 million in scholarship offers. The first in his family to go to college, Aires will attend Carroll University in the fall and major in psychology to become a therapist.
“Mental health is something I take seriously. It’s personal for me,” Aires said.
Aires also sees a need for mental health professionals with his background in his community. He plans to return to give back to his neighbors once he’s certified as a therapist.
“There aren’t a lot of Spanish-speaking mental health professionals in Milwaukee, and I want to come back to that community with new skills. That community is very important to me, especially the Latino community.”
(Photo provided by Mya Goines)
On paper, Mya Goines’ first year and a half of high school was going well. She attended a top private school, was getting good grades and was excelling in extracurriculars.
But, as she now realizes, she was trying to do everything herself. When she transferred to Washington High School in the middle of her sophomore year, she realized she had been missing a community to learn and grow from.
“I regretted the switch initially, but I ended up seeing the opportunity at public school,” Goines said. “I was surrounded with kids who understand my struggle, and that made me comfortable.”
Goines said this peer support made her more open about engaging with other people and growing with them. She said she no longer was fearful of her classmates or in competition with them.
“I had support. I felt I could take on whatever, whenever,” she said.
Goines also credits the adults at Washington who helped guide her through a rough junior year in which she saw her grades slipping and her faith in herself being tested.
“It was the hardest year of my life. I fell off,” Goines said. “I had everything intact, my grades were good, and my friendships and family relations were strong. Suddenly I was seemingly losing it all.”
Luckily, she found another ally in Ajeanette Gordon. Gordon worked with Violence Free Zone, a community-based youth violence prevention and reduction program that offers youth mentoring at several schools across Milwaukee. Goines said Gordon got her through this time by encouraging her to focus on grades and allowing her a safe space to express her emotions.
“She could read me like a book,” Goines said. “Which was good, because I really needed someone on my side at that time.”
Thanks to her friendships and mentors like Gordon, Goines ended up finishing third in her class, despite her grades dropping during junior year. She’ll be attending Kentucky State and majoring in physical education before going on to a career in physical therapy or athletic training.
Looking back, Goines said she would be nowhere without the community she found at Washington. Her advice for other young people? Find and maintain a community you can rely on.
“Surround yourself with people who will let you be yourself, let out all your emotions,” she said. You never know how much you’ll need it or who you might help.”
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(Photo provided by Dameatrice Pierce)
Ever since arriving on Carmen Northwest’s campus as a freshman, Dameatrice Pierce looked for ways to demonstrate his commitment to himself and his community. He participated in dancing, performed community service through the school and lead advisory circles, where he and his peers would help each other with their problems in school or life in general.
“The advisory circles were my favorite part,” Pierce said. “I’m a middle child, but I’ve always felt and acted like the big brother.”
As the years went on, Pierce racked up over 70 hours of community service, serving in a variety of roles with Teach for America, volunteering through Carmen and providing administrative help for his teachers. This was on top of taking AP classes, working on weekends, and participating in sports for most of each school year.
“I’ve been busy,” he said. “Really busy.”
Carmen, in honor of his hard work and determination, presented him with the school’s Nelson Mandela Award. The award is given to one Carmen graduating senior each year who goes above and beyond expectation in terms of academics and community service.
“Senior year and winning the Nelson Mandela award was the icing on the cake,” Pierce said. “All the hard work came together.”
Pierce plans to study marketing at UW-Stevens Point while also training to be in the National Guard. He hopes a knowledge of marketing and the connections of the National Guard will set him up for a prosperous future.
“Joining the Guard for me is not about shooting people or going to war, it’s about becoming a young adult.” Pierce said. “It’s about job opportunities and a stable future.”
Whatever happens in the future, Pierce said he is ready for anything because he knows how to forge his own path.
“It’s not only about being a leader, but it’s also about following a path to success that is right for you. Don’t worry about what other people think.”
(Photo provided by Montaye Hartz)
When Montaye Hartz transferred to Messmer High School during his sophomore year, he had already seemingly seen it all.
“I experienced a lot of challenges,” Hartz remembered. “Absent father, witnessed verbal and physical abuse, gun violence, you name it.”
As he looked around, he noticed that people around him maybe had a high school diploma, but rarely did they have college experience.
“It was then that I knew if I wanted more from life than I had, I needed to get that college degree,” he said.
To do this, he dove into schoolwork and extracurriculars. He became an honors student, a historian of the National Honors Society chapter at Messmer, a director of his gospel choir, a track athlete, and he completed Marquette University’s Upward Bound program.
However, life threw Hartz another curveball.
Around Thanksgiving 2019, in the middle of his senior year, Hartz’s house burned down. He remembered waking up in the early morning to the fire alarm going off, and his sister and mother screaming to wake up.
“We ran outside hardly grabbing anything,” he said. “I remember looking at the house burn down from outside, out cold in the rain.”
After the fire, Hartz took some time to step back and take the time he needed.” By the spring semester, he was back at it.
“I wanted to return to my priorities,” Hartz said.
His hard work paid off. Though he originally wanted to go out of state, the COVID-19 pandemic and a full-ride offer from UW-Madison convinced him to become a Badger. He plans to major in neuroscience, and eventually return to Milwaukee.
“I’m not leaving Milwaukee,” Hartz said. “I’m going to Madison for school, but I’m going to keep giving back to my home.”
Portraits of success: Showing off Milwaukee’s beautiful, resilient Class of 2020


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Post from Community: County Board’s Black Caucus is developing proposals to achieve racial equity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Board’s Black Caucus
June 10, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
As part of Milwaukee County’s ongoing work to achieve racial equity, the Black Caucus of the Board of Supervisors is developing a set of policy proposals to dismantle systemic racism, improve accountability for law enforcement, and provide necessary services to the public. The Black Caucus released the following statement today regarding their policy ideas and the protests related to the murder of George Floyd’s by Minneapolis police officers.
“The protests we are witnessing in Milwaukee and across America are a response to systemic racism and to the police violence that maintains and perpetuates that fundamental problem.
“We urge the media and the public to focus on the problem of systemic racism and to not be distracted by or sensationalize property destruction, vandalism, or looting, which are symptoms of the problem.
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“As legislators, we have a responsibility to make change through policy, and that is what we plan to do in the days, weeks, and months ahead.”
The policy package supervisors are developing includes proposals to work with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office to establish community-led training of Milwaukee County law enforcement and form a citizens review board, to invest in public health and mental health – especially for youth, to clarify under what circumstances when Sheriff’s deputies will use any kind of force when engaging with people involved in demonstrations or protests, and to improve transparency and accountability in the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Black Caucus recognizes and appreciates the work of the African American Roundtable, Black Leaders Organizing Communities, Leaders Igniting Transformation, and the LiberateMKE campaign, and is committed to working with these and other youth and community groups.
The Black Caucus includes County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson, Vice-Chair Supervisor Sequanna Taylor, Supervisor Willie Johnson, Jr., Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde, Supervisor Felesia Martin, and Supervisor Russell A. Goodwin, Sr.

author: Milwaukee County Board’s Black Caucus


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Post from Community: Legislation would require MPD to detail inventory, planned purchases of military-grade equipment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
June 10, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs has introduced Common Council legislation that would require the Milwaukee Police Department to disclose its current inventory of military-grade equipment – and a notice to the Council before it could purchase any such equipment.
The two files – not yet assigned for a Council committee review – would require the MPD to provide notice to the Council about any planned purchases of militaristic or military-grade equipment, including weapons and items for tactical use. During today’s meeting of the Finance and Personnel Committee, discussion briefly focused on the disclosure that MPD is seeking bids on masks and a tactical (chemical) product that can be used as an irritant when aerosolized or sprayed.
Currently, MPD is not required to provide notice to the Council when seeking bids on such militaristic items.
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MPD is reportedly seeking the aerosol item purchase in lieu of the Democratic National Convention, scheduled to take place in Milwaukee in August.
Alderwoman Coggs said she believes it is important for the Council to be made aware of the inventory of military-grade equipment in MPD’s possession. “We have seen questionable tactics used by Milwaukee Police during the recent protests against injustices, including smoke grenades to disperse peaceful protesters,” she said.
“In the spirit of transparency and accountability with the public, I believe it is important for the Council to be aware of the kinds of militaristic equipment that MPD is planning to purchase with taxpayer dollars. I look forward to having this discussion in public very soon with my colleagues and representatives from MPD,” Alderwoman Coggs said.

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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Community Heroes: Making a difference, one garbage bag at a time | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
June 11, 2020
“I love King Drive, not because of the buildings but because of the people, the community,” says Tokara Henry, a business owner who joined hundreds of volunteers to clean up her neighborhood after a night of unrest. (Photo by Princess Safiya Byers)
Editor’s note: At the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, we intentionally celebrate ordinary people who do extraordinary things. We are especially interested in our neighbors who are making a difference as we all deal with the effects of COVID-19. Please let us know by emailing us at info@milwaukeenns.org and put “Community Heroes” in the subject line.
Tokara Henry wanted to make a difference after learning about vandalism earlier this month near the intersection of North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive  and West Locust Street, one of the epicenters for George Floyd protests.
A Walgreens and a Boost Mobile had been looted, storefronts spray-painted, and windows smashed.
Henry, along with other volunteers, sprang into action to clean up the destruction.
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“As a business owner, it’s important to be a part of the community,” said Henry of Bijou Nails and Company, 2107 N. Martin Luther King Drive. “Not just own the business but be a part of the growth of the community. And I love King Drive, not because of the buildings but because of the people, the community.
“I want my children to know what it looks like to advocate for themselves and what they believe in.”
Hundreds came out earlier this month to help clean up the community after a night of unrest near the intersection of North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and West Locust Street. (Photo by Princess Safiya Byers)
To help the effort, a handful of organizations in the Harambee area provided volunteers with supplies, including gloves and bags, and dispatched small groups to pick up garbage.
Deshea Agee, executive director of the King Drive Business Improvement District, and Ald. Milele A. Coggs expressed appreciation to those who participated in the four-hour effort.
“This cleanup was just an idea,” Coggs said. “It was the hundreds of people that came together in less than 24 hours that made this cleanup possible.”
Henry has been on King Drive for three years and recently received notice that she’ll be able to start a second business on the street. The Beyond Basic Nail Academy will be a training center for people who want to be licensed nail technicians.
And once again, Henry will get the chance to step up for the community.
“It’s one thing to have a business that creates jobs for people,” Henry said. “It’s another to be in a position to train individuals to be employable.”


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49974385958_29cecf3a0c_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 10, 2020


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 10, 2020


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Post from Community: HACM to Open Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) waiting list lottery | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee
June 11, 2020
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Pre-applications can be completed between 9:00 a.m., June 23 and 6:00 p.m., June 25, CDT at waitlist.hacm.org
For the first time since 2015, the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) will open the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List Lottery starting June 23, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. through Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. CDT. During this time, HACM will accept online pre-applications at waitlist.hacm.org to be included in a lottery for the waiting list.
HACM provides over 5,500 low-income households with Housing Choice Vouchers to help them rent apartments on the private market. The voucher holder pays approximately 30 percent of their income for rent, and through funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HACM pays the difference directly to the landlord.
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Any qualified person (see qualifications below) may register and complete a pre-application anytime between Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. and Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. CDT. After the wait list pre-application closes on June 25 at 6:00 p.m. CDT, a random lottery will be held to select the 3,000 households that will be added to the Housing Choice Voucher wait list. These households will be notified after July 31, 2020 with information on next steps.
Since applicants will be selected through the random lottery, there is NO advantage to submitting a pre-application on the first day. All households will have the same chance of being selected through the lottery regardless of when they apply during the wait list opening.
“The Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher program helps ensure that Milwaukee’s low-income families have the quality, affordable housing they need to achieve good quality of life. I encourage those who are eligible to pre-apply for the waiting list lottery. All Milwaukeeans deserve housing they can afford, no matter their income, and we will continue to advocate for more affordable housing resources,” said Mayor Tom Barrett.
QUALIFICATIONS
To qualify, the Head of Household must be 18 years or older and the TOTAL household income must not exceed the limits indicated below:
HOW TO PRE-APPLY
Pre-applications will only be accepted online. ANY computer, tablet or smartphone with internet access may be used to register. The registration and pre-application portal is located at waitlist.hacm.org and is a secure, user friendly, web-based tool that will protect your information. To complete the pre-application, registrants will need the following pieces of information for the Head of Household (anyone may register on behalf of the Head of Household) as well as the first and last name, date of birth, and gender for any additional members of the household:
*An email address is required. If you do not have an active email address, please go to www.gmail.com, www.mail.yahoo.com or www.hotmail.com to create a free email account.
Duplicate pre-applications will be rejected.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
Registrants requiring a Reasonable Accommodation may call 414-286-5414. A Reasonable Accommodation requires documented verification from a doctor or other medical professional.
Please visit waitlist.hacm.org for more information.
About the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM)
Founded in 1944, HACM provides high-quality affordable housing options to over 10,000 households in Milwaukee. HACM’s award-winning programs foster strong and inclusive communities that support self-sufficiency, good quality of life and the opportunity to thrive. Learn more at www.hacm.org.


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How one Milwaukee artist is documenting the voices of health care workers who must care for COVID-19 patients | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Caroline White
June 11, 2020
Nirmal Raja will never forget the message sent to her from an emergency room nurse in Belgium.
“I may be a drop in the sea, yes, but it is my reason for being,” the message said.
Raja, a Milwaukee artist, embroidered the phrase on a cloth face mask, snapped a photo and posted it to her Instagram. The mask is one of nearly 50 in her growing art series “Feeble Barriers,” which features quotes from anonymous health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The name “Feeble Barriers” refers to how the health care system acts as a barrier between the virus and the population and how daunting it can feel to face off against a pandemic, Raja explained.
Raja, 51, has lived and worked in Milwaukee with her husband and two children for nearly 20 years. She is represented by Portrait Society Gallery in the Historic Third Ward.
Artist Nirmal Raja came up with the idea for the “Feeble Barriers” series while sewing cloth face masks to donate. (Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki, courtesy of Nirmal Raja).
Raja described her art as a response to lived experience. For example, her series “On Belonging” explored race and identity in America against the backdrop of Raja’s experience as an Indian American.
Raja said “Feeble Barriers” is her way of giving voice to workers who care for patients affected by the coronavirus.
“Health care workers themselves are vulnerable, but they’re busy,” Raja said. “They don’t have time to advocate for themselves.”
The idea for the series came to Raja “when the pandemic started feeling like a pandemic.”
Like others, Raja began sewing cloth face masks in early April to donate to various groups in need. While sewing, she was inspired to use the masks as a medium for quotes she was seeing in the news or hearing from loved ones working in health care. She posted an open call to participate in the project on social media, and she has since received nearly 30 messages.
One physician at Children’s Wisconsin expressed gratitude.
“Grateful for the incredible team support in our hospital and campus,” the doctor said.
A Milwaukee nurse shared her fear and anxiety.
“Will I take this home?” the nurse asked. “Will I be next?”
Some masks describe the sacrifices some have made to keep their families safe while working with patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.
“I sent my kids away for three months to keep them safe,” said a nurse in Arizona. “I cry all day for them.”
Other masks list the reasons health care workers have to keep working.
“COVID doesn’t stop childhood cancer,” said a health care worker from Children’s Wisconsin. “So COVID doesn’t stop me.”
Debra Brehmer, the owner and director of Portrait Society Gallery, noted how the use of the face mask and hand stitching work together to form a simple and direct “tribute to the vulnerabilities of this time period.”
“Ultimately, this project extends a feeling of caring and sharing,” Brehmer said. “It is both visually and conceptually potent.”
Raja plans on continuing the project until she makes 101 unique masks. Each installment of “Feeble Barriers” can be found on her Instagram. Later this summer, Raja will be installing the series at Grove Gallery, 830 S. Fifth St. in Walker’s Point, and filming a video of the installation.
Brett Waterhouse, co-manager of Grove Gallery, said he hopes “Feeble Barriers” will remind viewers of the humanity of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Regardless of what your political views are, this is affecting people who made a career decision to serves others,” Waterhouse said. “They need to be heard.”
Raja said in addition to amplifying the voices of health care workers, “Feeble Barriers” paints a picture of what life is like right now.
“We might look back at this work and say, ‘That’s what it felt like to live through this moment,’” she said.
Health care workers can contribute their thoughts and reflections to “Feeble Barriers” through Raja’s email address nirmalinbetween@gmail.com.

author: Caroline White


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nirmalcollage | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 10, 2020