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WWBIC receives $750,000 federal award to support and advance – Community Economic Development in Sherman Park area – including Sherman Phoenix Project | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp
September 26, 2018
The Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC), an AERIS rated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and 501(c)(3) whose mission is to improve the economic well-being of individuals – specifically women, minority, lower-wealth and Veterans, was awarded a $750,000 grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Community Services – Community Economic Development  (CED) Program.  WWBIC, with more than 30 years of impact as a successful economic development organization combining government and private resources will be dedicating the grant award to Sherman Park and surrounding neighborhoods, including direct support for the Sherman Phoenix Project.   in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) designated by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Sherman Phoenix project will transform a vacant, fire-damaged BMO Harris Bank building into high-quality commercial space for 29 small entrepreneurs, offering prepared foods, wellness services, and arts and cultural activities.  With a Fall 2018 completion target and led by local developers Juli Kaufmann and JoAnne Sabir, Sherman Phoenix will be a model for healing our city, generating positive economic and social returns in communities of color.  WWBIC is partnering with Sherman Phoenix LLC, to support the tenant buildout, building operations and programmatic costs. WWBIC will use a share of the grant funds to provide quality business and financial educational programming and one-on-one technical assistance to the Sherman Phoenix tenant entrepreneurs and business owners as well as business support in  the surrounding neighborhood areas.  These DHHS-OCS-CED award funds will also allow WWBIC to assist and support the entrepreneurs and their employees address personal barriers to success by providing financial capability education and coaching to help them gain control over their personal finances, build assets, improve their economic well-being, and move toward economic self-sufficiency.
Investing in inclusive pathways to economic opportunity for our neighborhoods and families allows individuals to thrive.  The project will support entrepreneurs of color with mentorship and coaching to help them grow their businesses, generate jobs and support the local economy.  Please go to  https://www.shermanphoenix.com/tenants to learn more about the tenants of the Sherman Phoenix project.
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Center Street business owner calls for ceasefire in high drug-trafficking neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sophie Bolich
September 27, 2018
RP Potts speaks in front of Center Street Nail Bar, his wife’s business. (Photo by Sophie Bolich)
RP Potts is the first to admit that he hasn’t lived a perfect life; however, the business owner and resident of Center Street turned his life around and hopes to help others in his community do the same.
Last week, Potts invited residents from struggling neighborhoods in Milwaukee to join him in a ceasefire, an event that serendipitously coincided with the United Nations’ International Day of Peace.
Potts, who owns a barber shop on Center Street, spoke to the group of about 20 people about stopping violence and drug dealing in the community. He urged the attendees to instead focus on self-improvement and kindness.
He spent some time in prison for dealing drugs, but said he realized he was “poisoning his own people.”
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“A lot of people turn to dealing because they have to support their families somehow,” Potts said. “There’s no jobs for us and we need money today, not tomorrow.”
Potts is also planning to educate other black men on how to protect themselves from injustice. “It’s my job to fight for my rights,” he said. “I want the court to protect me the same way it protects white people.”
In calling for the ceasefire, Potts emphasized that the first step to rebuilding neighborhoods is to foster trust and a sense of community among residents.
“Everyone is scared,” said Eric Evans, who works for a local moving company and attended the ceasefire event. “We want people to be involved in the community because it opens the door to network and talk with one another. Whether its age, race or sex, we need to bridge that gap and be able to relate and help each other.”
Ald. Russell Stamper expressed his support for the ceasefire and said his role is to keep the project’s momentum going. He plans to continue advocating for new businesses to open and fill business corridors such as Center Street.
“Anyone who is suggesting we come together and put the guns down, I am wholeheartedly for it,” he said.
Community activist Vaun Mayes also addressed the crowd, urging the men and women to “arm themselves with an education and marketable skills. “We’re putting Band-Aids on things instead of figuring out why they’re happening,” he said.
Mayes faces federal charges related to a planned firebombing — which never took place —during the 2016 unrest in Sherman Park. He has pleaded not guilty.
Potts has said he feels that black men in Milwaukee are forced into a “pipeline that leads either to prison or the grave,” pointing out the lack of fresh food and jobs, lead in the water, violence and abundance of drugs in the area.
He envisions a thriving community filled with small businesses, an urgent care center, a bank and a jewelry store where “the Milwaukee Bucks guys come to buy their jewelry.” He also hopes to move his barber shop to a new, bigger location and combine it with a bar, creating as many as 30 jobs. Fulfilling that goal would require getting a liquor license and raising start-up funds.
“We have to work extremely hard, especially because we’re black,” he said.

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: September 27, 2018

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

author: Sophie Bolich


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 26, 2018

created: September 26, 2018

author: Adam Carr


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Northwestern Mutual Foundation invests nearly $3.4 million to foster thriving neighborhoods and educational success | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Northwestern Mutual Foundation
September 28, 2018
Northwestern Mutual is dedicated to enhancing its headquarters in Milwaukee by providing its residents with access to quality health, educational and community resources. To further its commitment, the company, through its Foundation, today announced nearly $3.4 million in grants to nonprofits and organizations. The organizations receiving funding are committed to propelling Milwaukee toward a better future through community outreach and educational improvement.
Since 2013, the company has invested in and partnered with the Milwaukee neighborhoods of Amani, Metcalfe Park and Muskego Way to increase safety and build strong families and healthy and thriving youth. Many of the organizations receiving funding through this year’s neighborhoods grants, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Journey House, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin and more, share a mission to help local youth reach their goals.
“For our city to thrive, it’s so vital to provide the opportunities for our children and youth to be successful,” said Eric Christophersen, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. “It’s essential that we help support our communities with the means to achieve their dreams, and it starts with access to valuable community resources and foundational education.”
Operation DREAM Spotlight
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New this year to funding is Operation DREAM, an organization that provides developmental opportunities for young men and their families through mentorship and work programs such as Operation WORK. The hands-on, incentive-based program offers the opportunity for young men to learn fundamental social and employment skills, understand the value of self-sufficiency and explore entrepreneurial opportunities in Milwaukee through internships and employment.
Those individuals who successfully complete the program obtain jobs throughout the city in various sectors, including law, nonprofit, environmental organizations and more. Last year, Operation WORK partnered with the City of Milwaukee to clean and further develop Pocket Parks, mini-parks that promote wellness through outdoor activities, including two in Amani and one in Metcalfe Park.
In the Milwaukee education system, Northwestern Mutual focuses on funding literacy programs that emphasize third-grade reading proficiency and best-in-class mentoring programs, partnering with six schools located in the Amani, Metcalfe Park and Muskego Way areas. In addition, the company aims to provide meaningful STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) educational experiences to students to help shape both their technology proficiency and passion for related industries.
Milwaukee College Prep Spotlight
Among the organizations and schools that the Foundation supports is Milwaukee College Prep, a four-campus network of K-8 schools committed to eliminating the achievement gap to help children develop fundamental skills.
Milwaukee College Prep focuses heavily on literacy and reading fluency, especially in early primary grades, which starts with the intensive training of its instructors through a literacy coaching program. Following the 2016-17 school year, Milwaukee College Prep received five-star Department of Public Instruction (DPI) ratings for all of its eligible schools and reported a 96 percent on-time high school graduation rate among its alumni.
In connection to the Foundation’s neighborhoods work, Milwaukee College Prep serves students in the Metcalfe Park and Amani neighborhoods.
All grant recipients are required to show measurable impact and results of their programs.
About Northwestern Mutual Foundation
The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to improve the lives of children and families in need. The Foundation has given more than $320 million since its inception in 1992 and is designed to create lasting impact in the communities where the company’s employees and financial representatives live and work. We accomplish this by combining financial support, volunteerism, thought leadership and convening community partners to deliver the best outcomes. Our efforts are focused nationally on curing childhood cancer, and locally on education, neighborhoods and making our hometown of Milwaukee a great destination. Visit Northwestern Mutual Foundation to learn more.
About Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for more than 160 years. Through a distinctive, whole-picture planning approach, we empower our clients to make the most of every single day and plan for important moments in their future. We combine the expertise of our financial professionals with a personalized digital experience to help our clients navigate their financial lives every day. With $265.0 billion in assets, $28.1 billion in revenues, and $1.8 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to 4.5 million people who rely on us for life,
disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, brokerage and advisory services, trust services, and discretionary portfolio management solutions. The company manages more than $125 billion of client assets through its wealth management and investment
services. Northwestern Mutual ranks 104 on the 2018 FORTUNE 500 and is recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the “World’s Most Admired” life insurance companies in 2018.
Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, life insurance with long-term care benefits, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance).

created: September 28, 2018

author: Northwestern Mutual Foundation


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nm | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 28, 2018


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Wisconsin Black Historical Society celebrates 30th anniversary | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Max Nawara
September 28, 2018
Clayborn Benson displays a drawing of the tanneries once operated by the Pfister and Vogel Leather Co. on display at the museum. (Photo by Max Nawara)
Clayborn Benson has been sharing the history of black people in Wisconsin for 30 years. On a bright and sunny fall morning, Benson described that history to dozens of visitors celebrating the museum’s 30th anniversary.
Benson is the founder and director of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum, 2620 W. Center St.
At the open house, Benson spoke about African-American history in Wisconsin, including the Underground Railroad and influential black figures in Milwaukee.
Visitors could browse exhibits about local dignitaries such as Vel R. Phillips, Father James Groppi and Lloyd Barbee.
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Benson said he hopes the event helped emphasize the importance of people learning the history of important figures, but also their own history.
Flags of numerous African nations are among the first things visitors notice when they enter the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum. (Photo by Max Nawara)
“All you need to do is learn about yourself,” Benson said in one of his presentations. “You learn a lot about yourself by simply asking questions.”
As part of the museum’s mission, Benson offers genealogy lessons for people looking to trace their family tree and discover more about their history. He said he hopes this sparks an interest in learning more about African-American history in Wisconsin.
“The whole presentation that I share — and these are to people who know nothing about history — is about self-awareness,” he said. “I give them a sense of pride through my presentations.”
The Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum is the only institution in the state that collects and preserves African-American history specific to Wisconsin.
In addition to Benson’s presentations the celebration featured musical acts and a vendor selling traditional African garments.
The Rev. Anthony Evans and his wife, Avis Evans, performed a gospel show for visitors. Avis Evans, who is from Milwaukee, said that she first heard about the museum on television during the initial renovations of the building when the museum was founded in 1987.
“This open house is important for understanding how far we’ve come, and knowing the people who paved the way for us to have the freedom we have now,” she said.
The couple, who have been married for 20 years and singing together for 15 years, said they “use music to help them survive the times.”
The string duet SistaStrings, two Milwaukee-based sisters who use their training in classical music to try to create social change, also performed. Nana Serwah Mainoo-Yeboah, a clothing vendor from Ghana, sold shirts, dresses and jewelry at the event.
Vita Hubbard, a volunteer helping Mainoo-Yeboah, said she was visiting the museum for the first time. “To be a part of this celebration is wonderful,” Hubbard said.
Kamryn Boyd, 18, is a freshman at the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin and volunteers at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society. She learned about the museum during a class on multiculturalism.
“I hope the event helps to educate the community on the history of African-Americans,” she said.
The Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum will also celebrate its 30th anniversary with a dinner and gala on Nov. 3 at the museum.

author: Max Nawara


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 27, 2018


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Benedict Center calls human trafficking ‘public health’ issue | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 29, 2018
Arnitta Holliman says part of combating the problem is going after the people buying the sex. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Is human trafficking a public health issue? The speakers at the Benedict Center’s Women and Justice conference said yes.
Milwaukee is one of the nation’s hotspots for human trafficking. According to a report by the Medical College of Wisconsin, 340 individuals were believed or confirmed to have been trafficked between 2013-2016. Many more victims are under the radar.
Dr. Staci Young, director of the Center for Healthy Communities and Research Division at MCW, said public health focuses on diseases or conditions that affect the community, not just the individual.
A public health approach to trafficking requires collective action.
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For example, Benedict Center’s Sisters Program partners with the Milwaukee Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office to divert women from the criminal justice system. The Benedict Center found that between 2013 and 2015 more than 1,000 arrests had been made involving the same 704 women.
The program emphasizes that no matter a woman’s past, all are invited to participate, said Sisters Program Director Arnitta Holliman.
Claudine O’Leary, holding microphone, makes a point as r. Staci Young, James Mathy and Arnitta Holliman look on. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
The Sisters Program strives to understand how women become part of the sex trade. While some are forced into the trade by family members, others find themselves trading sex to survive. Many are dealing with poverty, homelessness, mental illness and drug addiction, she said.
“The right set of circumstances will put you in the situation to do things you wouldn’t think you would do,” said Holliman.
One of the causes of sex trafficking is systemic racism. Many of those trafficked are women of color, she said. MCW found that of the 231 individuals it analyzed, 65 percent identified as black, 24 percent as white and 7 percent as Hispanic.
Because of social bias, some women are considered undeserving of help, Holliman said. That way of thinking needs to stop, she added.
Since trafficking victims may be homeless and living in poverty they may need multiple services, such as housing assistance, substance abuse treatment and medical care. Shelter may not be sufficient. In addition, not every shelter is a safe place, said Holliman.
Since 2015, the Housing First program has provided housing for the chronically homeless. According to James Mathy, housing administrator at the Milwaukee County Housing Division, when people feel secure in their housing arrangements they’re more likely to seek assistance in other areas.
“If somebody is on the streets they’re eligible for housing,” he said.
He noted that women may become involved in the sex trade because they are homeless. Permanent housing helps them et their lives back.
MCW research shows a large number of victims are young people. Family members may target their younger relatives. In addition, teens who feel rejected or display low self-esteem are more likely to be the target of traffickers.
Claudine O’Leary, a community educator and youth advocate, said that sometimes young people get involved in the sex trade because it’s where they receive affirmation. This is particularly true of young people who identify as LGBT, she said.
O’Leary also said that young people may not see themselves as sex workers. They use phrases such as “helping my family out,” or “getting money” to describe what they do, she said.
Part of addressing the problem is knowing what language to use, according to O’Leary, who works with Represent, a nonprofit that helps teens who have experience with sex trafficking. During support groups, kids hesitate to open up because adults don’t always listen, she said.
“Young people have a lot to say.”

created: September 29, 2018

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 28, 2018


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 29, 2018


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Circles of Support targets North Siders returning from prison | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Grace Connatser
October 1, 2018
After spending 15 years in prison, Caliph Muab’El now advocates for prison reform in Wisconsin. (Photo by Grace Connatser)
Caliph Muab’El entered the court system at 15 years old and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, of which 10 were spent in solitary confinement. Since he exited prison in 2010, Muab’El has been a face of the prison reform movement in Wisconsin. Now, he’s using his experience to help others get their lives together after prison.
Muab’El is an associate at the Milwaukee Reentry Council, whose new Circles of Support program will create an outlet for previously incarcerated men and women to share their stories as a form of emotional therapy. The circles will also help them find housing and jobs, and meet other essential needs.
A training session for community volunteers was scheduled for Oct. 2 at the Project RETURN office, 2821 Vel R. Phillips Ave. Anyone can volunteer, regardless of background or experience. Muab’El will be training participants on the psychological effects of prison, and how to form relationships with returning citizens.
“We’re going to facilitate the relationship-building process,” Muab’El said. “You really have to think about the psychology of a person who’s done extended periods of time incarcerated, as well as those who have short stints, because the mindsets are night and day.”
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The council’s goal is to reduce recidivism by 50 percent within the next five years. The program is focusing on Milwaukee neighborhoods with high rates of re-offending, mostly on the North Side. Conor Williams, economic policy analyst at Community Advocates and a member of the council, said he hopes it will rebuild a healthier community.
African-American males have much higher rates of incarceration than white males both nationally and locally. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, 38 percent of all Wisconsin inmates are black, while African-Americans represent 6 percent of the Wisconsin population. On the national level, about 40 percent of the incarcerated population is black, while African-Americans are 13 percent of the U.S. population. Blacks are also jailed five times as often as whites.
Circles of Support plans to work with anyone who has been released for at least 90 days. The circles will include two “circle keepers,” professionals who lead the circle, and community volunteers, some of whom are expected to be connected to outside resources and agencies. Williams expects five to six returnees in each circle, which will meet either once a month or every other week. Right now, there are only two circles in Milwaukee, but Williams said Circles of Support hopes to expand the program.
“There are many people who live in the suburbs of Milwaukee who have no interaction with people who are caught up in the criminal justice system,” Williams said. “They don’t know how to become engaged in building a healthier community. The hope is that we will be able to engage some people from … more economically stable parts of the city to become involved in this work.”
Conor Williams, the economic policy analyst at Community Advocates’ Public Policy Institute, is a member of the Milwaukee Reentry Council. (Photo by Grace Connatser)
Addressing the trauma
The circle will not serve as an alternative to probation or other court-ordered obligations, but as an additional tool to help manage life after prison. The circles are different from restorative justice circles in that they provide a therapeutic outlet specifically for previously incarcerated people, whereas restorative justice circles usually bring together offender and victim to work through trauma.
Muab’El said there will be three components to each circle, called checkpoints. Circle keepers will first ask each returning citizen how he or she has been since the last meeting. They’ll then identify the psychological issues the individual wants to work through. Lastly, the circle keeper will create a path of treatment based on those problems. Muab’El said this process empowers returnees and gives them somewhere to go.
“Incarceration is highly traumatizing for anyone that goes through it,” Muab’El said. “We can’t undo the trauma, but we can address it. We can equip them with tools that will help them better manage the trauma [and] the stress.”
Wendel Hruska, executive director of Project RETURN, said his organization will host the program along with churches, libraries and others. Some of his employees will be part of the circles, and Project RETURN also will provide space for the program. Hruska said his organization provides a safe space for people re-entering society.
“We want folks that are returning to understand … that people can be open and honest about their re-entry,” Hruska said, adding that the circles are a “place for people to come together and share ideas, life stories and experiences.”
Hruska said success depends on the participant’s initial short- and long-term goals. Even if some goals aren’t met, he said the circle is successful if the participant is surviving and avoiding a return to a criminal lifestyle. He said that after release, many returning citizens come back to a lifestyle that encourages re-offending. The circles will offer a supportive network that will keep returnees out of trouble.
“Literally, this is a group of individuals that have been told they’re a (Department of Corrections) number,” Hruska said. “The system has beaten the individual down to the point that they believe all they are is that number.”
Beth Rosenow, one of the circle keepers and the District 4 Silver Spring community liaison through Safe & Sound, said the program gives participants a place where they are listened to. The circle participants are required to listen and give feedback during each session, ensuring that each person is really heard. She said this process creates healing.
“When they were teenagers, they were talked at, never listened to,” Rosenow said. “They got in trouble, the probation officer told them what to do. They went to prison, they were told what to do. This gives them a way for them to talk, and for somebody to listen.”
Rosenow said most returnees are young adults who have been out of prison from three months to a year, but some participants are as old as 50 and have been out of prison for years. The reality for many of them is that if even one thing goes wrong, it could have a domino effect on everything else in their lives. The circle is there when they’ve hit rock bottom.
“Maybe they’re not mentally ready to be employed,” Rosenow said. “We think, ‘We’ve got all these jobs and all these people. We’ll just hand them a flier and tell them to apply for a job.’ You have to make sure that they’re OK emotionally and mentally, because if we just push them into a job, they’re not doing anything for (themselves). It’s more than just getting a job.”
Scott Guthrie, a Wisconsin Department of Corrections officer, said about 80 percent of currently incarcerated individuals in Milwaukee will be released in the next five years, so the demand for Circles of Support will continue to grow. He said the department is working to incorporate these programs into its institutions through social workers and probation officers.
While individuals meet with social workers soon before leaving prison to discuss their options for assistance, “our new way to push for re-entry is to reach out six or nine months prior to them getting out,” Guthrie said. “We really want to link up with them before they get out. I think everyone can benefit (from the circles).”
Guthrie said Circles of Support is a great way for volunteers to help returning citizens re-enter society by telling their own stories to make connections.
“The heart of the circle is storytelling,” Guthrie said. “We have a tendency in Milwaukee and other major cities to not know our neighbors. We’re doing our own little thing with our peer group and that’s it. … We all want to hear that we have similar stories, similar hopes for our community.”

created: October 1, 2018

author: Grace Connatser


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 1, 2018


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New funds available for WI non-profit organizations to go solar | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
RENEW Wisconsin
October 1, 2018
Now is the time to explore the Solar for Good grant program! Another $100,000 worth of funding has been announced for Fall 2018!
RENEW Wisconsin’s Solar for Good initiative fosters the expansion of solar power among mission-based nonprofits and houses of worship in Wisconsin. Through the generosity of local philanthropists Cal and Laurie Couillard and additional donors, RENEW Wisconsin awards grants to nonprofit organizations to assist them in installing solar power. Solar for Good also offers small grants for technical assistance to get projects started and see them through to success. Since the program launched in 2017, 25 non-profits have received a combined $200,000 in grant funds generating more than $1.8 million in solar investment across WI. View the spring 2018 grant recipients here.
RENEW Wisconsin will issue grants for up to 20% of the cost of a solar array, with a maximum grant amount based on the size of the array.
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Learn more.

author: RENEW Wisconsin


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SDC Partners with BizStart, Launch MKE to help local residents become entrepreneurs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
October 1, 2018
Anyone interested in starting or growing a business will have an opportunity to explore what it takes to succeed during the ten-week Business Academy hosted at the Social Development Commission. Launch MKE and BizStarts Milwaukee are nonprofit organizations that help entrepreneurs develop their companies. The class is taught by Launch MKE’s experienced instructors.
The cohort will cover topics including finance, marketing, budgeting and more. It is designed to help new business owners better understand potential markets and develop a plan to open a business. Current business owners have the opportunity to meet with other successful entrepreneurs to develop strategies that will help them expand their existing business. Each participant will work one-on-one with an entrepreneur coach before, during and after the program.
Classes start this week and will be held every Thursday from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Social Development Commission located 1730 W. North Avenue in Milwaukee. The class fee is $200. Participants will be reimbursed half of the registration fee after successfully completing the cohort.
Call (414) 973-2334 for more details or register at https://form.jotform.com/82595864655171
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author: Social Development Commission


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On the Block: Just scrapping | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
October 2, 2018
South Sider CC Ryder uses his bike, a wagon, an occasional ride or a city dumpster to transport scrap metal to Mill Valley Recycling, 1006 S. Barclay St. He said the items he seeks out the most are air conditioners and aluminum-rimmed car tires.

created: October 2, 2018

author: Edgar Mendez


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Panel grapples with gentrification and low-income minorities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
October 2, 2018
Many central city houses, such as this one in Bronzeville, are old and in need of repair. The cost of maintaining them is too much for many owners. (Photo by Elliot Hughes)
Bethany Sanchez of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council (right) speaks with panelists after the program. Pictured from left are Donsia Strong Hill, Kalan Haywood Sr., Joaquin Altoro and Keith Stanley (obscured) (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Haywood, president of the 19-year-old Haywood Group real estate and investment firm, spoke last week on a panel about gentrification. In light of the boom in downtown development, panelists discussed whether it is possible to revitalize central city neighborhoods without displacing the residents who are already there.
“How can we do development in a way that the winners aren’t white and wealthy, and the losers aren’t poor and black? How can we do real estate development in communities that have been disinvested for generations so that it benefits the people who already live there?” asked Sharon McGowan, moderator and NNS editor. In addition to Haywood, the panelists were Donsia Strong Hill, executive director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Milwaukee; Joaquin Altoro, vice president of commercial banking, Town Bank; and Keith Stanley, executive director, Near West Side Partners.
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The panel discussion was cosponsored by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and Saint John’s on the Lake, and was held at the Milwaukee Center for Independence, 2020 W. Wells.
Haywood noted that there are two contrasting views about “who owns (Brewers Hill), who’s invested in it, who belongs here.” He illustrated the disconnect between the “gentrifiers” and long-time residents such as his mother with an anecdote about a recent meeting of the local residents’ association. When Haywood told a board member that his mother, who does not use a computer, didn’t know about the meeting, the board member shot back, “she should have gotten the e-mail.”
The city’s anti-displacement plan defines a gentrifying neighborhood as “one that exhibitsa reduction in the percentage of households of color while household incomes increase more than the city average.” Altoro pointed out that in Milwaukee race is central to the issue because a high percentage of low-income residents are people are of color, while higher-income residents  “usually live outside of Milwaukee and … are not of color.”
Strong Hill said gentrification is about more than race and income; it can disrupt a neighborhood’s culture. Citing examples of neighborhoods in Oakland, California, and other cities, she described new residents calling police on long-time residents for fishing and having outdoor barbecues that last into the night — things they have been doing in their neighborhoods for decades.
“When you culturally displace or attempt to change things that … have happened for generations in the way that people live, that is also gentrification that leads to displacement,” Strong Hill said.
Feeling unsafe, poverty, unemployment, lack of transportation to jobs and a lack of quality affordable housing also displace people, Stanley said.
Altoro said white people making investments in disinvested neighborhoods usually think of gentrification as a positive thing. “They (say), ‘These neighborhoods … need this investment … because of the blight and vacancy. There’s nothing happening there. There’re issues of crime.’” But we must be respectful and understand that there are people living here when we develop in such neighborhoods, he said.
Though gentrification itself, when the word is used to mean “create and improve and make things better and … more intact,” is not negative, it has taken on a negative connotation, Haywood said. Displacement of people of color as a result of gentrification in neighborhoods around the country — including Brewers Hill, which he called “a poster child” for gentrification — has motivated him to deliberately create opportunities for “the have-nots, or the forgottens,” he said.
In Milwaukee, there needs to be a change in mindset, the panelists agreed. They gave examples of prominent white leaders ignoring that more than 40 percent of Milwaukee residents are people of color when talking about developing the city. Haywood said there was pushback from parts of the white community when his company was chosen to redevelop the historic Germania building downtown into mixed-income apartments. They made it clear that they opposed black people coming downtown.
Asserting that every element of gentrification can be controlled, Haywood said that the reason they are not is because it is not a priority.
“If you want to do something, you make it happen. I think that there are enough players at the table and there’s enough conversations being had. Resources and dollars are not the issue.” He added that people are making money on gentrification. “They think it might be a good thing so why would they fight against it?” Haywood said.
Panelists also discussed whether segregation is bad for communities of color. Haywood said, at least as far as education is concerned, it is. But Altoro, who is Mexican and Puerto Rican, suggested that there might be a silver lining.
“I don’t really think the neighborhoods will be highly integrated in my lifetime. If that’s the case, is there a way that we could take segregation and see economic development success?” he said, pointing to vibrant ethnic neighborhoods such as Pilsen in Chicago as a model.
The Hmong community is one of the most entrepreneurial in Milwaukee, Altoro said. The Asian market at 76th Street and Mill Road represents “a microcosm of exactly what I’m talking about in a building.” If the city accepted that people like to live with members of their own racial, ethnic or cultural group, it could lead to neighborhoods such as Pilsen and the many Chinatowns in cities across the country.
Haywood said that he intentionally developed the Germania building with about equal numbers of market-rate and affordable units because he thinks people of different income levels living together will affect each other in positive ways.
“There is something that happens when someone from an affordable or low-income family gets in an elevator with somebody that’s going to work every day,” he said, “and when someone who works an executive job gets in an elevator with a low-income person. They start to broaden their thinking.”
Haywood, who admitted to feeling conflicted about segregation, noted that some resources come along only when white people come into a neighborhood. Banks make loans and influence politicians and police departments to clean up problems such as prostitution after they’ve ignored similar requests from poorer residents for years. And property values rise.
“When you’ve got a bunch of people with no money and no food and no hope and no desire and no dream in one block, in one area, in one community, and you’ve got a police department that eats up 100 percent of the real estate tax paid to the City of Milwaukee,” the challenges are great, Haywood said.
In response to a question about what city policy panelists would like to see changed, Donsia Strong Hill said the city’s policy of selling vacant lots to adjacent homeowners for $1 removes an opportunity “to bring families who are living in areas of concentrated poverty and have them live among people with different social mores.” She added that it also reduces population density in stable city neighborhoods, since the lots are not developed.
Stanley would like to find a policy that would make “cheap money” or grants available for homeowners to make repairs and modifications so, as they get older, they can stay in their homes. He added that new owners also need access to funds to buy into the neighborhood and fix up the homes.
Max Nawara shot and edited the video clips that accompany this story.

author: Andrea Waxman


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44235490774_ae795567df_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 1, 2018


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‘Dear White People’ actor Jeremy Tardy returns to first theatre home | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sarah Lipo
October 3, 2018
Actor Jeremy Tardy spoke at a recent event for First Stage at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. (Photo by Sarah Lipo)
Growing up in Milwaukee with modest means, actor Jeremy Tardy said sometimes his family was so broke they could not pay the electricity bill.
Because of this, First Stage, the second-largest theater company in Milwaukee, became a place of solace for Tardy, now 27, during his teen years. He called First Stage a safe haven, where he could often escape from reality.
Tardy, the keynote speaker at a recent First Stage event at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, is best known for his role in “Dear White People,” a Netflix show that follows the stories of four black students at a predominantly white Ivy League college. He also played Pramood in the “Mindy Project,” and most recently plays Night Thrasher in “Marvel’s New Warriors,” a television series on ABC.
Tardy said a production of Green Eggs and Ham when he was 5 motivated him to be an actor. “I remember being so inspired seeing kids my age performing that I sat in my seat after the production and prayed to one day be on that stage,” Tardy said in his speech.
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Tardy performs in the “Watsons Go to Birmingham” at First Stage Theater in 2008. (Photo by Mark Frohna, courtesy of First Stage)
In 2002, his prayers were answered when he had his debut in “The Magic Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle.” He subsequently appeared in more than 15 First Stage performances.
Tardy said First Stage empowered him early in life, and gave him the tools to pursue a career as an actor. He was a student at the First Stage Academy, the nation’s largest theater training program for young people, with more than 3,000 students per year, according to its website.
Tardy said he hopes to inspire empathy through his work. Actors often play characters they don’t agree with or like, he added. “But it’s our job to be as truthful and as vulnerable in those experiences to bring these characters to life in the most complex, full way as possible.”
Elyse Edelman, who grew up with Tardy, said he has always been naturally talented. “He’s always had a presence in a room; his voice has always attracted people.”
In addition to his raw talent, Edelman called Tardy one of the most genuine people she has ever met. “He is incredibly selfless and an artist who really acknowledges where he has been.”
Edelman said she attended her first academy class at age 5, and today is a lead teacher and director.
In 2007, Edelman and Tardy won first place in the Utah Shakespeare festival with the First Stage Young Company. Edelman said she and Tardy worked closely together at the academy and the First Stage Young Company, a training program for teenage actors.
Like Tardy, many young people gained their voices through First Stage, according to Karen Guy, a board member.
“We are transforming lives through theater,” added Jeff Frank, the director at First Stage. He added that the program fosters unity and community.
Tardy experienced kindness and generosity at First Stage, which he said he did not get at school, he said. “I was made to believe at First Stage that I actually could achieve life as an actor.”
He was not alone. “First Stage has been for me, and I know [for] hundreds of others, a space where young people can be supported emotionally, creatively and financially.”
When Tardy went to The Juilliard School for college First Stage bought him a plane ticket and shipped his belongings to New York.
Tardy said he does not pursue acting for fame or money. “It is my hope that I can inspire others as they inspired me.”

created: October 3, 2018

author: Sarah Lipo


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 2, 2018


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Hank and Billye Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation scholarship to benefit high-achieving Alverno College students | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
October 3, 2018
(Photo courtesy of Alverno College)
The Hank and Billye Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation is endowing a scholarship at Alverno College, which will be awarded to Milwaukee-area African American women with high academic achievement. The 4 for 4 Scholarship is designed to encourage women who are chasing their dream of pursuing careers in public service, social work, education and allied health programs, among others, and the funds may be used for tuition, room, board, fees, books, insurance and other required academic expenses.
The $4,000 scholarship will be given annually and may be awarded to a first-year, returning or non-traditional student. The scholarship will be awarded based on the following criteria:
Preference will be given to students who participated in the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Fund program through the Boys & Girls Clubs; who are from underserved backgrounds and who seek to improve the educational, social and cultural programs and opportunities available to them (priority will be given to students eligible for Pell Grants); and who intend to pursue careers in public service, social work, education and allied health programs.
“We want a college education to be possible for all young women, and this scholarship will create opportunities for students for years to come,” said Scott Zeman, Ph.D., vice president of Academic Affairs. “This is an exciting opportunity for us to continue to carry out our mission of empowering women.”
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Alverno double alumna Cecelia Gore, a member of the college’s Board of Trustees and the executive director of the Brewers Communication Foundation, was instrumental in securing the funds for the scholarship.
“Without Cecelia’s dedication to the college and her efforts on our behalf, this scholarship wouldn’t be possible,” Zeman said. “We are deeply grateful for her continued commitment to our students.”
To honor the achievements of Alverno students and alumnae and their commitment to the community, Gore and the college are hosting an event on Oct. 22, Rise Together: An Evening to Celebrate Alverno’s Women of Color. The event will include special recognition of the Aarons, as well as a panel. Panelists include Gore; Tammy Belton-Davis ’93, founder and principal of Athena Communications; Melissa Goins, Alverno graduate student and founder and president of the Maures Development Group LLC; and Barbara Wyatt Sibley ’82, retired executive and member of Alverno’s Board of Trustees.
The event is open to the public. For ticket information, visit alverno.edu/risetogether.
About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

author: Alverno College


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
October 2, 2018

author: Name *


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How to prevent against fires | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Madison Marx
October 3, 2018
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, people should test their smoke alarms monthly.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends three essential steps to take to reduce the likelihood of having a fire — and how to escape safely if necessary.
Look
Look for places fire could start. Take a good look around your home. Identify potential fire hazards and address of them.
Listen
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Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm. You could have only minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. Identify an outside meeting place and make sure everyone in your household knows where it is. It should be a safe distance from the home.
Learn
Learn two ways out of every room and make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily and are free of clutter.
If you need a smoke alarm, call the Smoke Alarm Hotline at 414-286-8980. Arrangements will be made for Milwaukee firefighters to come to your residence and install a smoke alarm free of charge.

author: Madison Marx


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More than 25 arrested in Milwaukee demanding union rights as fast-food strikes spread across Midwest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Fight for $15
October 3, 2018
More than 25 cooks and cashiers were arrested along with local elected and community leaders Wednesday during a strike by more than 200 Milwaukee fast-food workers demanding the right to a union at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and other fast-food chains.
With huge letters that spelled U-N-I-O-N, and chanting, “When workers rights are under attack, we stand up and fight back,” fast-food workers, elected leaders and community members shut down a local McDonald’s store during the lunchtime rush, blocking doors and taking over the drive thru area. Shortly after, they marched to the streets, and stopped traffic as they took over Interstate 43, a major intersection near the store. Milwaukee native and Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival Co-Chair the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis was among those arrested.
“When I go to the ballot this year, I’ll be supporting leaders who side with workers, not corporations,” said Jennifer Berry, a McDonald’s worker from Milwaukee. “We need the right to a union so we can lift our families and our communities. And we need elected leaders who will help us instead of block us from sticking together.”
The walkout followed 24 hours after hundreds of cooks and cashiers in Detroit and Flint, Mich., walked off the job, culminating in nearly 20 arrests, including U.S. House candidate Rashida Tlaib, Tuesday.
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More than a dozen elected leaders including state Assembly members, Milwaukee County supervisors and Milwaukee Common Council members joined fast-food workers on the strike line Wednesday, vowing to grow unions and fight for workers organizing on the job.
“Workers in Wisconsin need unions – period,” said Marcelia Nicholson, Milwaukee County Board Supervisor and Organizer with MASH . “We’ve had eight years of all-out attacks on workers and their unions, making corporations richer and leaving working people in the dust. I will do everything in my power to fight for workers organizing in a union so we can lift pay and bring good jobs to communities across the state.”
The wave of strikes will hit Chicago Thursday as more than 1,000 fast-food and other service workers converge on McDonald’s corporate headquarters demanding union rights at the fast-food giant. And cooks and cashiers will strike in battleground states all across the country, including Florida, Georgia, Connecticut and California, demanding union rights in the $200 billion fast-food industry.
As fast-food cooks and cashiers strike nationwide this week, workers from across the service economy will join the uprising, including in key 2018 battlegrounds. Higher education workers at Miami Dade College – Florida’s largest college – and child care workers across California will rally on Thursday, while hospital workers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center will walk off the job to protest efforts by powerful employers to undercut unions.
McDonald’s workers in the U.K. also plan to walk off the job Oct. 4 calling for 10 pounds an hour, union rights and an end to abusive “youth rates.” The strike will be the third and largest walkout in the past year by U.K. McDonald’s workers, who were inspired by U.S. fast-food workers in the Fight for $15. Cooks and cashiers in the U.K. will be joined by fast-food workers and fast-food unions from 16 countries.
Beginning Oct. 4, workers in the Fight for $15 alongside union members across the country will head from the strike lines into their communities to lead 2018 election canvasses in swing states including Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia, California, Florida, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Ohio where there are key races ahead of the November election.
The strikes and canvasses follow a blitz of town halls and roundtable meetings workers in the Fight for $15 have held in 17 cities this year with members of Congress and state and local elected leaders focused on the need for lawmakers to make it easier for workers to organize in unions.
As the election nears, support for unions is hitting record levels across the country. A survey by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology released in June found that Americans’ interest in joining unions is at a four-decade high, with nearly half (48 percent) of all nonunion workers in the U.S. saying they would join a union if they could.
A recent study by the Economic Policy Institute shows the decline in union membership over the past few decades has helped keep wages stagnant. Another study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that higher rates of unionization led to higher wages not just for union members, but for all workers.
Earlier this year, public school teachers launched a wave of strikes hitting red states spanning West Virginia to Oklahoma to Arizona and beyond to protest years of pay cuts and attacks by politicians against their union. And in August, working people in Missouri voted by an overwhelming 2-1 margin to repeal the state’s right-to-work law.
A growing number of candidates are putting unions at the center of their campaigns this year – and in state after state, that support has resonated with working families, including Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania, David Garcia in Arizona, and Richard Ojeda in West Virginia.

author: Fight for $15


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Through Our Eyes: The Hate U Give Exhibition | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Arts@Large
October 3, 2018
“Through Our Eyes: The Hate U Give Exhibition”
October 12th 5:00 – 8:00 PM
A@L hosts an artist talk back showcasing artwork done by students at Milwaukee High School of the Arts.
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FREE event open to all!
Inspired by the upcoming film based on author, AngieThomas’  award-winning Teen novel, “The Hate U Give”, the exhibit features original works created by local Milwaukee teens.
THE HATE U GIVE is based on the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller by Angie Thomas and stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr, with Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Issa Rae, KJ Apa, Algee Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, Common, and Anthony Mackie.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 3, 2018


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MFD defends signs warning firefighters of hazards in vacant buildings | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Analise Pruni
October 4, 2018
A white placard with one or two orange slashes warns firefighters about potential dangers in abandoned or vacant buildings. (Photo by Analise Pruni)
A dilapidated old house in the 3000 block of West Juneau Avenue has locked and bolted doors, jagged-edged windows and chipped paint in faded blue and pink. It also has a roughly 12-by-12-inch white plywood sign bearing a faded orange slash. It is one of 178 vacant homes or abandoned buildings around Milwaukee displaying the sign.
For firefighters, one or two orange slashes on the signs are a warning that there are hazardous conditions inside. One slash means there could be danger, but proceed with caution. Two slashes or an “X” means there is extreme danger or structural damage. For Ald. Robert Bauman, the signs are invitations for criminal activity. Some residents in neighboring houses aren’t quite sure what they mean.
At a recent meeting of the Common Council’s Joint Committee on Redevelopment of Abandoned and Foreclosed Home, fire officials explained the appearance of these signs. The Milwaukee Fire Department and the Department of Neighborhood Services defended the placards as essential for firefighter safety. However, Bauman raised several concerns.
“Placing signage on a home that says the property is vacant is essentially a scarlet letter,” said Bauman, chair of the committee. “It alerts criminals that the property is ripe for the picking to strip building materials, vandalize or engage in other illegal activities there.”
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According to Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing, the signs were instituted in 2009 by then-Fire Chief Douglas Holton to signify potential building hazards to firefighters. The potential hazards are also relayed to firefighters through computers in their firetrucks. However, Rohlfing argued that the small font on the computer screens and the short time responders have to assess the hazards during a fire emergency justify the physical placards.
Broken and boarded up windows are a sign that this house is vacant, but a faded orange slash on a white placard warns firefighters of potential dangers inside. (Photo by Analise Pruni)
Different versions of this program have existed for nine years. However, Bauman claimed an official memo announcing that the fire department was working with Department of Neighborhood Services on the policy wasn’t distributed until March 1.
“What are we chopped liver here, for not being in the loop on this?” Bauman asked.
In an informal survey, some community members in Bauman’s district said they had noticed the signs, while others had not.
For the last year, Michael Benton has lived next door to a vacant house displaying one of these signs. He had seen others like it around the neighborhood, but said he did not know what they meant.
“It looks kind of like graffiti, so I didn’t know it was the fire department,” Benton said.
Benton said he wasn’t sure if the signs attract crime, but that he has noticed plenty of suspicious activity on the vacant property. He saw teenagers drinking on the porch recently and thought there could be other illicit activities and possibly drug dealing.
“It seems to me you need to get together and get somebody to come inspect these places and either get them up [and running] or take them down,” Benton said. “It leaves an opening for criminal activity and people that are homeless [to enter].”
Matt Bush, who has lived in the area for three years, said he has never noticed the white placard with an orange slash on the vacant building next to his apartment building.
“As far as [the placard] bringing crime to the area, I think that’s false,” Bush said. He added that he doesn’t see a lot of crime in his neighborhood in general.
While some other residents said they had noticed the signs, they all seemed unaware of their function.
Rohlfing acknowledged the lack of communication to the community and the Common Council about the policy, but reiterated that the placards were needed for firefighter safety.
“I want to make sure that everybody understands that these [buildings] are vacant, condemned, set for demolition, so these aren’t anything but bad properties,” Rohlfing said. Boarded-up windows, previous fire damage and general disrepair indicate that the houses are abandoned, he argued, not the placards.
According to Rohlfing, of the 3,538 vacant properties in the city of Milwaukee, 428 are on the city’s demolition list. Fire crews and incident safety officers visited all of those properties and placed the placards on 178 of them. Another 250 were already razed, being rehabbed or remodeled. He said firefighters all over the country use this visual tool.
Bauman said he feared that more than 178 vacant or abandoned homes were being marked. However, Rohlfing assured him that 178 is accurate. Bauman also commented that a policy affecting that many buildings should include input from the Common Council.
Bauman said he doubted the effectiveness of a physical sign in a digital age, especially a sign that could be ripped down and might attract criminal activity.
He said a major concern is keeping the buildings secure so they are not stripped to the bone by taking off “every piece of wire, every piece of copper, every piece of usable architectural detail.”
Bauman said he and Rohlfing came to a “gentleman’s agreement” that communication between the fire department and council members would improve. Bauman also suggested that the policy be adopted as an ordinance to avoid further confusion.

created: October 4, 2018

author: Analise Pruni


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North Division, Zablocki chosen to participate in community schools partnership | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ryeshia Farmer
October 5, 2018
Zablocki Elementary School is one of two new community schools. (Photo by Ryeshia Farmer)
At a recent national forum on community schools, principal Chris Garza of Zablocki Elementary School heard a school leader make a comment that resonated with him and inspired him to action.
The principal said, “If your students don’t have their basic needs met, then they’re never going to get where they need to be,” recalled Garza. Based on this premise, Garza and the Zablocki staff decided to pursue the community school model, seeing it as the best way to meet the needs of students and their families.
Clement J. Zablocki School, 1016 W. Oklahoma Ave., and North Division High School, 1011 W. Center St., are the two newest Milwaukee Public Schools to join the Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership (MCSP), which now has 10 schools.
At community schools, teachers, students, families and community partners collectively create programs that address students’ needs, said Ryan Hurley, director of the partnership at United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.
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Community schools work with United Way to identify a partner agency for their schools. The agency hires a coordinator, which organizes community conversations to determine the school’s focus. The Milwaukee Urban League is partnering with North Division and Sixteenth Street Community Health Center is working with Zablocki.
Lateff Alston, North Division’s coordinator, and Ludys Ebratt, Zablocki’s coordinator, said community conversations will begin next week.
Members of the North Division Alumni Association attend a meeting at the school on June 28. The association is expected to be one of multiple stakeholders participating in the community schools initiative. (Photo by Ryeshia Farmer)
Instead of dictating plans for their schools, coordinators collect input from community members and find resources to implement their ideas, according to Danielle Costello, MPS’ family and community engagement specialist.
“The process of listening is about as structured and pre-planned as they are going to be,” Costello said.
Alston said that the coordinators will identify grant opportunities and work with community partners to obtain resources to bring their schools’ ideas to fruition.
“It’s really going to be about shaking every tree until something falls,” Alston added.
North Division’s partners include Running Rebels, Walnut Way Conservation Corp. and the National Academic Foundation. The high school also has internal resources such as a literacy center, career and college center, and alumni network.
Zablocki partners with Bliffert Lumber and Hardware, and Carmen High School, which provide materials and volunteer mentors for the school’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program. Scholastic, Zablocki’s literacy partner, helps students build home libraries.
Zablocki received a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee grant to sponsor a meeting for engaging the school’s refugee community, according to Ebratt. At the meeting, the families will learn what it will be like for their child to attend an MPS school. School administrators and staff will talk with refugee families about their language barriers, religious and dietary restrictions, and how they can be engaged in their children’s schooling through parent-teacher conferences and organization meetings.
Zablocki and North Division participated in last year’s “readiness cohort” — the first for partnership applicants. The cohort was created by a city-wide leadership council, consisting of representatives from MPS, United Way, Milwaukee Teacher’s Education Association (MTEA), Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH), YWCA and NAACP.
According to Costello, interested schools participated in the cohort to learn what community schools are like.
After submitting their original community school applications and participating in the cohort, Zablocki and North Division were asked to reapply, and their participation greatly improved their second applications, according to Hurley.
“The cohort provided an opportunity for us to understand components and pieces that were missing during our first round of applications,” Garza said.
As cohort participants, Zablocki and North Division’s administrators learned how principals at community schools share leadership with students, teachers, families and neighborhood residents, and they began to create their own community school leadership teams and youth councils.
Alston said that the shared-leadership aspect of community schools shows families that the schools are committed to engaging them in decision-making.
“When Lincoln Avenue Elementary School had an attendance problem, the principal didn’t just say, ‘We’re going to put on this attendance initiative for a day.’” The parents designed the ‘Walking School Bus,’” in which parents walk to students’ homes to pick them up and get them to school, Hurley noted.
Another example of shared leadership occurred at James Madison Academic Campus, 8135 W. Florist Ave., which has been a community school for more than four years. At “Deliberative Dialogues” hosted by the school’s youth council, teachers and students discussed factors contributing to the schools’ poor performance, and the council offered recommendations on how to address them.
According to Elonna Jones Turner, a senior and youth leader at James Madison, the council participated in bringing the “Ubuntu” cultural relevance program to the school, which helps teachers better relate to students.
“Teachers take more pride in their classrooms now. They decorate them and spend more time outside of their doors during passing time,” Turner said.
James Madison also offers classes in which students and teachers debrief, meditate and find new ways to solve problems.
“The staff weren’t really on board with hearing what students had to say at first, but now they want to know what students want, and they always ask students how we feel about decisions that will affect us,” Turner said.
Garza said that implementing the community school strategy is a process. “We’re excited to see where our children are going to be, as a result of this, in the next four to five years.”

created: October 5, 2018

author: Ryeshia Farmer


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 4, 2018


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Alverno Forum will explore climate and culture in our K-12 Schools | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alverno College
October 8, 2018
Educators know the importance of creating a nurturing climate in their classrooms to promote learning and student success, but how can they achieve that? Alverno College is hosting a forum that will explore character education and the challenges and opportunities of implementing it in K-12 settings. Experts from various school systems including public, charter and higher education will discuss the impact character education has had on school climate and culture as well as in the broader community. Strategies and resources will be shared through an interactive dialogue among participants.
Presenters include:
The Alverno Forum series seeks to join community leaders in discussing cutting-edge topics that have a daily impact on the lives of people in our community and beyond. The next discussion in this year’s series takes place on Tuesday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. in the Bucyrus Conference Center inside the Sister Joel Read Center. The Alverno Forum series is free and open to the public. For more details, please visit our website at
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About Alverno College
Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.
A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.

created: October 8, 2018


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
October 8, 2018


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Black Women’s Empowerment March honors Vel R. Phillips | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
October 8, 2018
The second annual Black Women’s Empowerment March honored Vel Phillips. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Bama Brown Grice has owned the same sweatshirt for almost 25 years. In bold letters, it says, “The hardest job in America is being a Black Woman.” The sweatshirt was relevant then and it’s relevant now, she said during the second annual Black Women’s Empowerment March.
“We need to let people continue to know, as women [be they] black, white, red, green or brown we [are] still being treated less equal [with] less rights and less respect,” said Grice.
This year’s march, hosted by UBLAC Milwaukee, was held in honor of Vel R. Phillips, a Milwaukee civil rights leader, who passed away in April. The march began at Pete’s Fruit Market on North Avenue and continued along Vel R. Phillips Avenue to Clinton Rose Park. March coordinator Annia Leonard of UBLAC estimated that between 100 and 150 people participated.
“It was definitely less than last year, which was disheartening,” Leonard said. “[But] I still have hope next year will be better.”
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As participants walked along Vel R. Phillips Avenue behind drummers in West African attire, they took time to remember and celebrate her life.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore addresses the crowd. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
“We are going to be walking in the memory of a giant,” said Congresswoman Gwen Moore before the march.
“Chin up, nose to the sky, really she’d march with her head held high,” said Shannon Pink, a poet who dedicated her piece to Phillips.
During the rally, participants held a moment of silence for those who couldn’t march. Zion Rogers, with help from her niece, performed a libation ceremony. As she poured water over a plant, she asked that people remember their roots and honor their ancestors by marching.
Grice said she represented all the women who couldn’t or wouldn’t march. She noted that women do what needs to get done, even if that means missing out on marches or other events. Participating in events such as the Black Women’s Empowerment March is about having people recognize that “women are bad, bold and beautiful.”
Chico Manolo, a Milwaukee artist who performed the song “Ebony Goddess,” said men can support women and try to understand their perspective. If men and women are mutually supportive, love and positivity will prosper in the community, he said.
“We need to strengthen our women, so they can strengthen our community, so they can be the backbone, so we can be the warriors that we need to be,” he said.
Tracey Davis attended the march to ensure unity among black and brown people and among women. Davis said that as a black person, she understands the struggle to be treated as an equal. She also believes that women should band together so that their voices are heard.
“What it means [to be a woman] is giving a voice to people who don’t necessarily have voices,” said Davis, who said she grew up in the 53206 ZIP code. It also means working twice as hard and sometimes fighting for rights that others take for granted.
Women are challenging and defying stereotypical roles, and society needs to reflect this evolution, Davis said. Black women are the backbone of society, but they lack a support system, she added.
Referring to white women, men and particularly men of color, she said, “What’s important is that you stand right beside us.”
On Locust, the marchers formed a dance circle and invited attendees to state their name and show off their moves. According to Leonard, the dance circle was one of the more memorable parts of the event because it gave people a chance to be carefree.
Ann Jones, Leonard’s grandmother, was one of those who entered the circle.
“I’ve been very familiar with the oppression against women, black women particularly, being black all my life,” said Jones, who came to Milwaukee when she was 22.
The march gave women an opportunity to express themselves in a positive environment. It allowed them to promote change and create awareness of what it means to be a black woman, Jones said. During the march, she held a sign that said, “Black Women Are Beautiful.” It served as a reminder to black women to own their beauty, their strength and their heritage.
Jones said it’s important to educate others on what it means to be black. For years, she would let people make assumptions or racist remarks. Recently, she started speaking up, and enlightening her co-workers and peers, so that they can learn and grow.
“It’s important that we use our voice, it’s important that we speak up [and] it’s important that we say ‘this is not right,’” she said. “We can change things and we can facilitate change.”
Leonard said she hopes to start planning next year’s march in January. She added that she appreciates when people express their reaction after a march or event, even when it’s constructive criticism. Seeing people engage in the community is rejuvenating.
“My favorite part is always the end,” she said. “People emphasize how important it is.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 7, 2018

created: October 7, 2018


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HACM residents graduate from Aging Mastery Program’s® first urban pilot | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee
October 8, 2018
On October 3, 2018, residents gathered at the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) Westlawn Gardens development to complete the first-ever urban pilot of the Aging Mastery Program®.
Developed by the National Council on Aging, the program is a five-week, ten-course health and wellness program for residents 55 years and older. The goal of the Aging Mastering Program® is to empower older adults to make and maintain small, but impactful changes. The classes explore navigating longer lives, physical activity, sleep, healthy eating and hydration, financial fitness, medication management, advanced planning, healthy relationships, fall prevention, and community engagement.
Thanks to the generous support of Bader Philanthropies, the Milwaukee Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) selected three community-based, urban sites to pilot the program, including HACM’s Westlawn Gardens and Riverview developments. MAHEC is also delivering the program at Cross Lutheran Church.
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For each of the classes, MAHEC worked with community partners to share basic educational materials developed from highly trusted sources, a checklist of potential next steps, and a system for rewarding attendance and participation via incentives. MAHEC’s partners for this innovative wellness program include Froedtert Hospital, UnitedHealthCare, Sleep Well Institute, YMCA of Metro Milwaukee, Growing Power, Westlawn Resident Council, Choice Neighborhood Initiative, and HACM.
“I would definitely recommend this program to others. It’s very enlightening and makes you think about things you may not have thought about,” said program participant Joan Ward.
When asked what part of the program she found most valuable Rosemary Jackson said, “It was my health and how I was eating and how every day is important on what I put inside my body. I learned a lot from that.”
“The purpose of the Aging Mastering Program® is not about your ‘yesterdays’ or even about your ‘todays’, this program is about making better ‘tomorrows,’” said program coordinator Harvey Padek.
If you are interested in learning more about this program, please call Milwaukee Area Health Education Center at (414) 344-0675.
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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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group-6-web.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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October 5, 2018


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Setting record straight on ACLU settlement | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jarrett English
October 8, 2018
(Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Jarrett English, senior field organizer of ACLU Wisconsin, writes there are some points that need to be cleared up about the settlement of an ACLU lawsuit regarding the MPD’s “stop and frisk” policies.
A recent Forum on Police Community Relations at the Washington Park Senior Center surfaced some major inaccuracies stated publicly by Milwaukee Police Department officials.
1. The settlement of the ACLU lawsuit regarding the Milwaukee Police Department’s longstanding “stop and frisk” policies is not subject to reconciliation with the Department of Justice draft report recommendations. While Markasa Tucker, Tammy L. Rivera, Fred Royal and others on the Community Collaborative Committee are doing great work to incorporate those recommendations into standard procedures, that work is a completely separate process.
The ACLU lawsuit is now a settled and signed Federal Court Order The terms of the settlement are NOT optional for the Milwaukee police to comply with nor are they continuing to be negotiated. The MPD, the Fire and Police Commission and the city must comply as ordered by the federal court and overseen by the monitoring consultant and the ACLU.
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2. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are NOT optional for police officers to follow; they are mandatory. Violations make an officer subject to immediate discipline and possible termination. SOPs are based on state law, the state constitution, the MPD code of conduct, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights among other precedents. There’s nothing optional about them although the oversight has been severely lacking throughout the history of MPD. That will be changing.
It’s true that Chief Alfonso Morales seems to be undertaking efforts toward real reform, which is absolutely necessary. We support and acknowledge his efforts. The previous police administration did not have the will and refused to find a way to change the deeply problematic and racist culture of the Milwaukee Police Department. Because of its history in this city, we are in the territory of “’trust needs to be earned and verified perpetually afterwards”.
Morales has a mandate, but it is not his own; it was given to him by the people and the community, who have suffered under decades of misconduct and corruption in the Milwaukee Police Department.
But it’s more than that; it’ a moral and ethical duty that the city correct the wrongs of the department and that its very real challenges are not used as an excuse to bulldoze the God-given, constitutionally enshrined rights of the great people of Milwaukee.
Furthermore, it’s not the duty of the people to regain the trust of the police but the duty of the police, who are paid very well by the people, to gain the people’s trust and not misuse it. The respect of the people, their rights, and needs for safety are paramount and must be equally protected.
For city officials and MPD to ever act otherwise is disrespectful. They work for the people; the people don’t work for MPD. Let’s make sure as a community that that’s how things are operated going forward.
We don’t want to talk about reform; we are going to be about it and we want to give the entire community a chance to join in.   If you want to hear the details of the ACLU settlement, how it came to be and how it will be enforced, come to The Justice Tour, on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 2 to 5 pm at where you can celebrate and become a part of the inevitable victory of the people in this city.

author: Jarrett English


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On the Block: Customers ‘like family’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ryeshia Farmer
October 9, 2018
Pam Mann works for two adjoining businesses in Harambee, the Subway at 3067 N. Holton St. and Corner Liquors at 3079 N. Holton St. Mann said that customers who frequent the stores know her name and defend her when people “give her trouble.”

created: October 9, 2018


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30186240487_54b540d189_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 8, 2018

author: Adam Carr


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Rev-Up MKE aims to revitalize Near West Side through entrepreneurship | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sarah Lipo
October 9, 2018
Susie Roberts, the winner of Rev-Up MKE, sells her bakery items wholesale in the Milwaukee area. (Photo courtesy of Susie Roberts)
Susie Roberts’ passion for baking organic and gluten-free foods began when her grandson Aiden was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of 2. “I started experimenting with gluten-free foods and it really did make a difference in his learning,” Roberts said.
Today, Roberts’ grandson is 9 years old, and attends a mainstream school.
Roberts bought KalyANa Organics in February 2016 to bring baked goods to others whose lives may be improved by the healthy treats.
Roberts was the winner of the third annual Rev-Up MKE, a “Shark Tank”-style competition recently held at the Eagles Club. Finalists competed for a $10,000 prize from WaterStone Bank and mentorship through the 707 Hub at Marquette University, as well as $25,000 in in-kind services, including small business consulting and architectural help. Near West Side Partners also will help her search for a storefront in the neighborhood.
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“I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be winning Rev-Up MKE,” Roberts said. “I am a Baby Boomer that didn’t get the memo.” She bought her business at age 59.
Roberts added, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”
Keith Stanley speaks at this year’s annual Rev-Up MKE event at the Eagles Club. (Photo by Sarah Lipo)
Seven finalists presented their business ideas to a group of judges and audience members at the competition, which was followed by a reception with refreshments from Near West Side restaurants, including Daddy’s Soul Food and Grille, Five O’Clock Steakhouse and 2Mesa Mexican Eatery.
Pete’s Pops, the 2016 Rev-Up MKE winner, and Lisa Kaye Catering, the 2017 Rev-Up MKE winner, were also featured at the event. Pete’s Pops, owned by Pete Cooney, opened on Aug. 11.
Roberts’ kitchen is in Dousman, 38 miles from her home in Sherman Park. When she found out about the contest, she said it would be better if she could drive only five minutes to work each day.
Roberts uses some of her own recipes, as well as some of the original recipes created by Robyn Wright, who sold her the business. After all, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” Roberts said.
She sells many of her goods wholesale at Outpost Natural Foods and Woodman’s Market in Waukesha. Roberts said she will begin to look for storefronts to move into soon.
All of the finalists received mentoring at the 707 Hub at Marquette University. Robert said that was one of her favorite parts of the competition. “They held my hand and walked me through the process,” she said.
Kelsey Otero, associate director of social innovation at the 707 Hub, said the hub is an integral part of the Rev-Up MKE program. “The 707 Hub was able to open up its doors to the finalists for mentoring and pitch practice opportunities during the summer and early fall leading up to the competition,” Otero said.
Judges were Kaye, Doug Gordon, WaterStone Bank president; Raymond Seaver, CEO of Zizzl; Daryl Hodnett, director of supplier diversity and inclusion at Advocate Aurora Health; and Keith Stanley, executive director of Near West Side Partners.
Stanley said the judges were looking for talented entrepreneurs to bring business to the Near West Side. “We really try to metaphorically put our arms around these businesses.”
Roberts, who grew up on the Near West Side, said she remembers it being more prosperous. She said there were many stores and cafes, where people used to gather and talk.
“I miss that. In the age of social media, nobody talks face to face anymore,” Roberts said.
Eventually she hopes to open a small cafe where individuals can gather and enjoy coffee or a gluten-free pastry.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the following quote: “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” We apologize for the error.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 8, 2018


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Board names Dr. Keith Posley MPS Superintendent | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
October 10, 2018
(Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Schools)
Dr. Keith P. Posley will officially lead Milwaukee Public Schools, the largest school district in Wisconsin, effective immediately, as Superintendent. Dr. Posley has been serving as interim superintendent since May 21, 2018. He was voted in unanimously by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors at its Board meeting on October 9, 2018.

created: October 10, 2018

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 10, 2018


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How to register to vote on Nov. 6 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Madison Marx
October 10, 2018
Voters will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 6, to cast ballots for governor, the U.S. Senate and Congress, and for many state and local offices. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The Nov. 6 general election is less than a month away. Eligible voters can determine whether they are already registered at MyVote.WI.gov. Those who are not registered will need a proof of residence document in order to sign up. Such documents must include the voter’s name and current address (see https://elections.wi.gov/publications/voter-guides/proof-of-residence for a full list of acceptable documents). In addition, eligible voters must provide a government-issued photo ID to vote in person or absentee.
There are several ways citizens can register to vote:
Online. Eligible voters in Wisconsin can register online at MyVote.WI.gov up to 20 days before the election in which they are planning to vote. For the Nov. 6 election, the last day to register online is Wednesday, Oct. 17. A valid State of Wisconsin Driver License or State of Wisconsin ID card issued by the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) qualifies as proof of residence for online registrants.
By Mail. Registrants can also start their voter-registration forms online at MyVote.WI.gov, then print, sign and mail it to the municipal clerk in their city, along with proof of residence. Forms must be postmarked no later than Oct. 17, 20 days before the election.
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In the municipal clerk’s office. Citizens can register in person in the municipal clerk’s office of their city of residence until 5 p.m. (or close of business) on the Friday before the election. For the Nov. 6 election, that date is Nov. 2. Registrants need to bring proof of residence.
In person on election day. Along with any of the methods above, citizens can still register at the polls on election day. Individuals will need a valid driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID that shows their current address to register and vote.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 9, 2018


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JPMorgan Chase commits $3.5M to Milwaukee collaborative to drive economic opportunity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
LISC Milwaukee
October 10, 2018
JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced $3.5 million for a collaborative of Milwaukee-based economic development organizations to help fuel economic development in underserved communities—including revitalizing commercial strips, spurring entrepreneurship for people of color, and creating jobs within the MKEUnited footprint.
Known as Brew City Match (BCM), the collaborative will use the funding from winning JPMorgan Chase’s Partnerships for Raising Opportunity in Neighborhoods (PRO Neighborhoods) competition, to provide capital coupled with business and financial educational support. BCM will leverage City of Milwaukee white box and façade funding to help grow neighborhood businesses, alleviate blight and fill vacant commercial space. The group’s goal is to take advantage of the hundreds of millions of dollars of downtown development activity to benefit downtown-adjacent areas—without displacing residents or threatening the neighborhood’s rich culture and character.
“Collaboration is the key to developing long-term, regional economic solutions that benefit everyone,” said Whitney Smith, head of Midwest philanthropy for JPMorgan Chase. “Partnering with Brew City Match will bring much-needed resources to enhance and activate Milwaukee’s underserved commercial corridors, ultimately driving inclusive growth.”
“Brew City Match has a framework similar to Detroit’s Motor City Match and is a direct response to recent investments in downtown development,” said Donsia Strong Hill, executive director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Milwaukee. “This initiative will help adjacent neighborhood corridors to stabilize and benefit from the emerging growth opportunities, while mitigating the risk of wide-spread displacement. BCM also provides what minority entrepreneurs need to achieve economic mobility—access to affordable, flexible capital and the technical support to help them thrive.”
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LISC is leading BCM and is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and working in concert with these other key partners, also CDFIs, the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, Columbia Savings and Loan, MEDC, and the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC), and will coordinate with the City of Milwaukee’s Department of City Development and the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC).
BCM is the next phase of the successful RampUp, which includes “RISE,” an initiative to spur neighborhood entrepreneurship and “PopUp MKE,” commercial corridor retail popups. The funding for BCM will also in part lay the groundwork for additional neighborhood investment designed to provide catalytic investment for neighborhood projects and leverage capital opportunities led by MKEUnited in accordance with the MKEUnited Plan.  Key to this initiative is an annual competition aimed at sparking collaboration among community development financial institutions (CDFIs), lenders that provide affordable financing to promote economic opportunity for underserved communities. The goal is to support and incentivize these organizations to leverage resources and expand lending for comprehensive, holistic strategies to close the opportunity gap in neighborhoods nationwide.
“WWBIC is thrilled to be part of this collaborative and essential work in the heart of these neighborhoods in Milwaukee,” said Wendy Baumann, WWBIC’s Chief Visionary Officer.
Additional partners include the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, which will support, “RISE,” a culturally relevant entrepreneurship program and the Milwaukee Urban League, which will support mentoring through a revamped SCORE program.
BCM is one of only four winning collaboratives nationwide to be funded this year by JPMorgan Chase through its PRO Neighborhoods program, a five-year, $125 million commitment to provide communities with the capital and tools they need to support locally-driven solutions for reviving distressed neighborhoods across the U.S. JPMorgan Chase believes more people should have access to opportunity and the chance to move up the economic ladder, particularly in the world’s cities where the benefits of revitalization are not reaching everyone.
The JPMorgan Chase investment is expected to help support hundreds of local businesses and work to redevelop a million square feet of commercial properties in some of Milwaukee’s most disinvested commercial corridors.
A press conference and press availability with Mayor Tom Barrett, members of the collaborative, JP Morgan Chase officials, BID directors and other local officials will take place at the October 15th at 1:30pm at the Wellness Commons, most recently a “PopUp MKE” site, located at 1617 W. North Ave.

author: LISC Milwaukee