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African-Americans, city’s poorest neighborhoods hit hardest with municipal fines | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
November 3, 2016
People wait for court proceedings to begin inside a Milwaukee Municipal courtroom. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Milwaukee Municipal Court data obtained by the Wisconsin Justice Initiative (WJI) shows huge racial disparities in the number of defendants, number of cases and the amount of judgments owed to the city as a result of municipal violations. The data spans a 4-1/2 year period, from Jan. 1, 2012 through May 31, 2016.
In 184,845 municipal court cases in which money was owed to the city as of May 31, 73 percent (38,307) of the defendants were African-American. Whites were the next largest group of court debtors; 6,439 owed money. In total, African-Americans owed $23.2 million of the $31.6 million, or 73 percent, in outstanding debt. African-Americans make up 40 percent of Milwaukee’s population.
Most of the defendants were residents of low-income neighborhoods on Milwaukee’s North Side.
The majority of municipal court cases arise from citations issued by the Milwaukee Police Department. The Department of Public Works, Department of Neighborhood Services and other city departments also issue citations.
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Hardest hit neighborhoods
(Click to enlarge)
The top five ZIP code areas in terms of both defendants and cases are all located on the city’s North Side.
The ZIP code with the most low-income residents, 53206, has a population of about 28,000 and ranked first in the number of cases and defendants. By comparison, the 53215 ZIP code on the city’s South Side has nearly 61,000 residents and ranked seventh in the number of cases and defendants.
Pepper Ray, who works with residents of 53206 and nearby areas in her role as Building Neighborhood Capacity Program coordinator for Amani, said municipal court cases and fines place yet another burden on the residents she serves.
“It’s frustrating because if you don’t pay the fines, warrants are issued for arrest and with that on top of other daily issues, you feel defeated. Like the system ain’t fair,” Ray said.
Fred Royal, president of the Milwaukee NAACP, said the fines are creating more barriers to employment, leading to suspended licenses and incarcerated individuals.
“What the municipal system in the city has done is create a debtors’ court for individuals who are indigent and shouldn’t be assessed these fines in the first place,” Royal said.
Flaws in court system?
The Milwaukee NAACP has been working with the Wisconsin Justice Initiative and other partners to look at the municipal court system. Among the questions is whether judges are informing low-income residents of their right to request an indigence determination, which would allow them to receive an alternative judgment such as community service if they can’t afford to pay a fine.
A March 2016 memo from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division stated that, “courts must not incarcerate a person for nonpayment of fines or fees without first conducting an indigency determination and establishing that the failure to pay was willful.”
Overpolicing of North Side neighborhoods harms efforts to improve relations between police and the community, according to Milwaukee NAACP President Fred Royal. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Those indigency determinations are not happening in Milwaukee, according to Gretchen Schuldt, executive director of the WJI. Schuldt recently published a recording of a Milwaukee Municipal Court case before Judge Phillip Chavez in which no oral notice of indigency rights was given. The issue of indigency rights is just one of the many shortcomings of Milwaukee’s Municipal Court system, she said.
On Friday, the Common Council will be voting on a resolution supported by Schuldt, Royal and others that would provide $55,000 to fund legal representation for defendants in municipal court cases. Schuldt said that having an attorney consistently in court to represent defendants would serve as a reminder to judges about their obligation to inform defendants if they qualify for alternative sentences.
“Putting people who can’t afford to pay fines in jail is a violation of their rights,” Schuldt said.
Ald. Terry Witkowski, a member of the city’s Outstanding Debt Task Force, said he is voting against the resolution. Witkowski said defendants already have avenues for representation. These include JusticePoint, which provides financial evaluations to the court to identify individuals who are indigent; facilitates community service referrals; and helps establish links to services such as mental health or addiction treatment for defendants already convicted of municipal ordinance violations.
The debt task force was created to help collect money owed to the city, including from municipal court cases, said Witkowski. Part of the problem, he said, is that defendants are not showing up to court. They are being found guilty without having an opportunity to set up payment plans or be sentenced to community service.
Witkowski added that when it comes to traffic, parking and other citations, individuals have a choice.
“They’re choosing a behavior that is contrary to what the code or ordinances said and what has been decided on as conduct for society. It’s a matter of ‘don’t get fined in the first place,’” Witkowski said. He argued that the Tax Refund Intercept Program demonstrates that even defendants who live in high-poverty areas have the means to pay fines.
“If they get their taxes intercepted to pay off what’s owed to the city, that’s proof that they do have income,” he added.
Still, he said, it’s not the Common Council’s role to determine who can or cannot pay fines. The job of the task force is to collect what is owed to the city for outstanding citations. He added that he is concerned about the issues that arise when defendants lose their access to a driver’s license, and said he supports a free driver’s education pilot program being offered in some Milwaukee Public Schools.
Community-police relations
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That the majority of municipal citations affect low-income African-American neighborhoods undermines efforts to improve relations between law enforcement and community members, according to Royal.
“When you feel like you’re an occupied community you have resentment and anxiety that build up in you, which diminishes the amount of trust you can place on law enforcement,” Royal said.
Policing strategies, such as saturation efforts in high-crime communities are not effective, he added. More effective would be looking into root causes of violence rather than looking at everybody as a potential criminal.
According to Molly Collins, associate director of the ACLU of Wisconsin, Milwaukee policing strategies appear to be disproportionately targeting communities of color, particularly the African-American community. The huge disparity in tickets is the result of concentrated police presence in particular neighborhoods, she said.
Collins said millions of dollars are being removed from communities where the average annual income is often less than $21,000. “It is unfair and unjust to target poor residents of color for multiple and excessive fines that they are often unable to pay.”
The city’s three municipal court judges recently offered anyone with a City of Milwaukee municipal warrant an opportunity to come to court on the first three Wednesdays in November to have their warrants lifted. The subjects of these warrants may face the threat of arrest, loss of their driver’s license, debt from paying tickets or even unemployment because of their status, according to a press release issued by Ald. Khalif Rainey. Defendants will still be responsible for their fines, but aren’t required to make a payment when they come in that day, the judges said.
The overall number of municipal court cases has fallen 47 percent, from more than 127,000 cases in 2012 to 67,000 in 2015. Total judgments against city residents decreased 38.5 percent, from $16.6 million to $10.2 million during that time period. But the amount of money owed by city residents dropped only 9.4 percent, from $7.25 million in 2012 to $6.57 million in 2015. According to Royal, the decrease in the number of cases can be attributed to fewer traffic citations being issued in the city. That isn’t stopping police from issuing other types of tickets though, he said.
“They still have their hot spot, broken windows theories of policing, which focus on quality-of-life issues,” Royal said.
The end result for defendants is that they are caught up in a flawed municipal court system, according to Schuldt. Resolving those multi-faceted problems will necessitate a response from municipalities, the county, law enforcement and others, she said.
“Fining people isn’t working. Putting them in jail isn’t working. There’s got to be a better way.”
Editor’s note: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is partnering with the Wisconsin Justice Initiative to report on the Milwaukee Municipal Court.

created: November 3, 2016


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 2, 2016

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: November 2, 2016

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

author: Adam Carr


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21841492800_8a2d6db2bb_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 2, 2016


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Job announcement: Complaint analyst at Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council
November 3, 2016
Posted October 24, 2016
Applications accepted until November 14, 2016
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council (MMFHC) is seeking a Complaint Analyst. The mission of MMFHC is to promote fair housing throughout the State of Wisconsin by combating illegal housing discrimination, and by creating and maintaining racially and economically integrated housing patterns.
Complaint Analyst position description
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This is a full-time position (40 hours a week) based in MMFHC’s Milwaukee office. The salary range for this position is $46,000 to $52,000, depending on experience and qualifications. The Complaint Analyst will report directly to MMFHC’s Executive Vice President, and will conduct the following activities:
Desired qualifications and experience
How to Apply
NO TELEPHONE OR EMAIL INQUIRIES ACCEPTED
Please submit a cover letter and current résumé to:
MMFHC
Attention: Human Resources Committee
759 N. Milwaukee Street, Suite 500
Milwaukee, WI 53202
MMFHC is an equal opportunity employer.
If you need materials in alternate formats or other accommodations, please call 414-278-1240.


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‘I Am a Boy of Color’ presents affirming images of black and brown boys | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 4, 2016
Author Deanna Singh and illustrator Ammar Nsoroma talk about producing their first book, “I Am a Boy of Color.” (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Like many parents, Deanna Singh loves to read to her sons Zephaniah, 8, and Zion, 4, before they go to sleep each night. Reading has always been a high-priority activity in the Singh-Ponder household. It’s so important that Singh woke up in a panic one night thinking about her family’s books.
“Oh my gosh, what does my bookshelf look like?” Singh thought. “Are my sons able to find themselves in our bookshelf?”
Concerned about the negative images of brown and black boys that abound in the media, and thinking about how to show her multiracial sons that their parents and communities see them as beautiful, good and full of potential, Singh recently wrote her first book.  Singh’s mother is African-American and her father is Sikh. Her husband, Justin Ponder, is African-American and German-American.
In “I Am a Boy of Color,” which is aimed at children ages 3 to 7, Singh speaks to her sons, and to all boys of color, of their value. The book is illustrated by award-winning local artist Ammar Nsoroma, who is known for his drawing, painting, murals and mixed media, and is also an avid reader.
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“I Am a Boy of Color” can be purchased online and will soon be available in area bookstores. (Image courtesy of Orange Hat Publishing)
The book guides boys through a practice of self-affirmation. “When I look into a mirror, I see POSSIBILITY, the range of my ability.  When I look into a mirror, I see LOVE, for others and also for me. When I look into a mirror, I see HONOR, images of those who came before.”
On the night she suddenly awoke, Singh stayed up searching the Internet for books that appropriately reflected her kids. “I thought, ‘Let me find some books where there are superheroes who are boys of color, where there are scientists who are boys of color, where there are doctors or thinkers or artists,’” she said.
Wondering too if there was a larger conversation taking place about the issue, she discovered the University of Wisconsin Madison’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) website.
Each year, the CCBC lists all new books that show children of color. In 2015, Singh learned, there were more books featuring animals and trucks than books about African-American children. White children were shown in 73.3 percent of children’s books published and only 7.6 percent showed African-American children, according to the center.
“It blows your mind, in this day and age. It’s incredibly frustrating,” Singh said.
Singh envisioned illustrations that highlighted the beautiful features of the boys in her life and despaired of finding the right artist; then she came across one of Nsoroma’s pictures on Facebook.
“Someone posted a drawing of a child (by Nsoroma) and it was completely spot on to what I imagined,” Singh said.
Nsoroma, who works with young artists at Express Yourself Milwaukee, Artists Working in Education (A.W.E.), Arts @ Large and elsewhere, was hesitant as first because he had so many other artistic commitments. But Singh continued to ask him and in the end he agreed. He realized that if he turned it down, he would not be happy with the result, he said.
Although the book only has been out for a few weeks, it has received an overwhelmingly positive response, Singh said.
“I have had six parents I don’t know who have had tears welling up in their eyes when they look at the book,” she said. The most moving response came from a mother of grown children who said that she wishes she had this book when her kids were younger. “Everyday I had to put a shield on him and on myself as I sent my son out. I didn’t feel like I had the words to pour on him to shield him,” she added.
Singh recently stepped down as CEO of the Burke Foundation and will soon head up the Dohmen Company Foundation. She explained that she and her husband have created their own Flying Elephant Foundation, making their sons co-chairs, in part to show them how they can support other children of color. Initially, proceeds from “I Am a Boy of Color” will support two boys at We Got This Milwaukee’s 500 Black Tuxedos 2016 on Dec. 17.
A book launch party will be held at the Ambassador Hotel, 2308 W. Wisconsin Ave., on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Though it is open to the public, registration is required.
Singh believes it’s important to tell children that they can use their abilities and talents to do good in the world.
“This project is not just about this book,” she said. “It’s about starting a conversation and about how we can create other opportunities.”

created: November 4, 2016

author: Andrea Waxman


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 3, 2016


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MPS plans to seek approval to move forward with one calendar, early start date | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
November 4, 2016
(Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Schools)
Milwaukee Public Schools is moving forward with a plan to seek Board and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction approval to implement one district school year calendar with an early start date — similar to the current MPS International Baccalaureate (IB) calendar for all schools and students.
Pursuing an early start date calendar has two main goals:
Learn more about the calendar proposal, the benefits of following this model and how you can share your thoughts by attending one of 10 community listening sessions. Dates, times and locations can be found on our website.
If you are unable to attend one of the community listening sessions and would like to share your thoughts, MPS invites you to complete a short online survey.
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author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
November 4, 2016

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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A. O. Smith, United Way partner to support Mayor, City of Milwaukee Health Department to provide water filtration products to Milwaukee residents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
November 7, 2016
A. O. Smith Corporation and United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County today announced a partnership with Mayor Tom Barrett and the City of Milwaukee Health Department to provide Aquasana-branded water filtration products to city residents living in homes with lead service lines.
The two products offered through the program, the Aquasana Claryum ® countertop unit and the Claryum ® “Clean Water Machine” powered water filtration pitcher, are NSF-certified to remove more than 99 percent of lead from drinking water as well as more than 65 other potentially harmful contaminants including heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, cysts, and organic pollutants such as pesticides.
The City of Milwaukee Health Department will coordinate the distribution of the filtration products and replacement filters as well as who qualifies for them in partnership with Social Development Commission (SDC) and Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers.  The program will focus on households with pregnant women and/or children under the age of six.
“Thanks to donations from thousands of community members, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County was able to deploy unrestricted funds almost immediately, which laid the foundation for what is now a total of $90,000, all going towards the purchase of filter systems and replacement filters,” said Nicole Angresano, vice president of community impact for United Way.
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While Milwaukee treats its drinking water to reduce the risk of lead exposure, and Milwaukee water continues to meet EPA testing guidelines, public health recommendations for residents in homes with lead service lines and young children or pregnant women in the home include the use of a water filter certified to remove lead.
“The City of Milwaukee has aggressively worked to reduce children’s exposure to lead hazards and can report we are seeing the lowest levels on record,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “As we work to drive down rates even further by minimizing exposure to all lead hazards, I thank A. O. Smith and United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County for their partnership in providing an additional layer of protection against lead hazards for our most vulnerable residents.”
“We applaud Mayor Barrett for his proactive stance and concern for Milwaukee residents,” Ajita G. Rajendra, chairman and chief executive officer of A. O. Smith Corporation, said.  “A. O. Smith and Aquasana are pleased to be in a position to support the City, United Way, and the health system members of the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership in response to this critical health issue.”
“In addition to removing harmful lead from residents’ water, we chose the countertop unit and the Clean Water Machine for their ease of installation and use,” Rajendra said.  “The countertop unit attaches to the faucet in one easy step, and the Clean Water Machine is a powered countertop unit that simply plugs into a standard outlet to deliver clean and healthy drinking water.”
The City of Milwaukee Health Department received the initial delivery of countertop and powered units and will be coordinating distribution beginning mid-November.  The initial purchase also included replacement filters for both products.
A. O. Smith and Aquasana also announced a special discount program for residents of the Greater Milwaukee area who do not qualify for the Mayor’s program and wish to purchase Aquasana water filtration systems to remove lead from their drinking water.  A significant discount will be available through the end of 2016 to residents who purchase Aquasana water filters online at www.aquasana.com using the password “Milwaukee.”  Aquasana also is offering replacement filters at a special discounted price, which includes extended warranties and free shipping through its “water for life” program.
In addition to A. O. Smith, the partnership is being underwritten by grants from United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County and the health system members of the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership:  Aurora Health Care; Ascension Wisconsin; Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin; and Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
“Having access to clean water at home is absolutely essential to good health,” said Nick Turkal, MD, president and chief executive officer of Aurora Health Care. “That’s why we are pleased to collaborate with the United Way and the City and lead efforts to provide water filters to those in our community who need them most.”
Austin-based Aquasana, which was acquired by A. O. Smith in August, handled a similar water purification product program in Flint, Mich., earlier this year.
A. O. Smith Corporation, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis., is a global leader applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide.  The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products.

created: November 7, 2016


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Habitat for Humanity ReStore celebrates 10 years in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jake Brandt
November 7, 2016
Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Habitat’s resale stores and donation centers, are celebrating 10 years in Milwaukee this month. Since 2006, Milwaukee’s ReStores have funded the construction of 25 Milwaukee Habitat homes by reselling donated home goods to the public. Donations of furniture, appliances, and cabinetry by local individuals and businesses have made it possible for 25 Milwaukee families to achieve their dream of owning their own homes.
The generosity of these residents and businesses are to thank, notes Milwaukee ReStore Director, Larry Starkey, “We had more than 10,000 donations either dropped off at our stores or picked up by our trucks last year. By reselling those donations we built five homes in Milwaukee and seven homes abroad in 2015 alone.”
The community has truly embraced Habitat ReStore as not only a convenient way to give back, but an outlet for reusable items they no longer need. Last year, Milwaukee’s ReStores diverted more than 3 million pounds of usable materials from local landfills. Their Deconstruction Services team even salvaged more than $400,000 worth of reusable materials from remodeling and demolition projects last year.
To celebrate their 10 anniversary, Milwaukee’s ReStores are holding 10 days of sales from November 1 through the 11 at their Wauwatosa and Walker’s Point locations, which are open to the public. More information about shopping the 10 days of sales, donating, or volunteering can be found at www.milwaukeerestore.org.
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About Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity ReStore
Habitat for Humanity ReStores are nonprofit home improvement stores and donation centers that sell new and gently used furniture, building materials, appliances, and home accessories to the public at a fraction of the retail price. With stores in Wauwatosa and Walker’s Point, proceeds generated by Habitat ReStores are used to help build homes, communities and hope locally and around the world. Last year alone, Milwaukee Habitat ReStores contributed funds to build 6 new homes in Milwaukee and 6.5 around the world. Milwaukee’s ReStores divert more than one million pounds of reusable materials from landfills annually. ReStore even offers a free pickup service for larger donations. Schedule a pickup quickly, and easily online at www.milwaukeerestore.org.
About Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope by creating affordable homeownership opportunities to low-income families.  Over the past 32 years, Milwaukee Habitat has served over 1,000 families in the Greater Milwaukee community through new construction, rehab and repair programs and provided housing solutions for over 1,500 families in developing countries.
Milwaukee Habitat’s five-year neighborhood revitalization strategy, now in its fourth year, is reinvigorating the Washington Park neighborhood on the near west side of Milwaukee. Anchored by the conviction that housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty and strengthening neighborhoods, Milwaukee Habitat is committed to helping more families achieve stability and independence.

author: Jake Brandt


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cindy-restore | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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November 3, 2016

author: Name *


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Cincinnati’s collaborative police reform effort offers model for Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
November 8, 2016
About 60 residents and city leaders attended a panel discussion sponsored by the Community Coalition for Quality Policing at the Jewish Home and Care Center, 1410 N. Prospect Ave. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
In the early morning hours of April 7, 2001, Timothy Thomas, a 19-year-old African-American man, was shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer. The shooting, the 15th police killing of a black man in the city since 1995, set off five days of riots.
Shortly before Thomas’ killing, the Cincinnati Black United Front and ACLU, with the assistance of civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein, had filed a class action lawsuit in federal court against the City of Cincinnati alleging 30 years of racial discrimination by police against African-Americans.
“The community had been simmering,” said Iris Roley, project manager at the Cincinnati Black United Front, a coalition of activists and clergy that was formed in early 2001 to combat racial discrimination. “We were trying to save our people; we were trying to stop the bleeding. We didn’t want any more police-involved shootings. And, whatever it took to make that happen, that’s what we were going to do.”
The suit, backed by hundreds of personal accounts, resulted in a court-mandated collaborative agreement in early 2002 that the independent monitor’s final report called “one of the most successful police reform efforts ever undertaken.”
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Recently, Roley, Gerhardstein and former Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Kathy Harrell discussed the collaborative, its formation and results at an event hosted by the Community Coalition for Quality Policing (CC4QP), a Milwaukee group that includes more than 20 faith-based, community and civil rights organizations. The purpose of the event was to educate the public on the Community Problem-Oriented Policing model, a strategy meant to more proactively and effectively reduce crime.
MPD Assistant Police Chief James Harpole (left) speaks briefly during the panel discussion, as Iris Roley, Al Gerhardstein and Kathy Harrell, all from Cincinnati, look on. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Cincinnati adopted the model as part of the collaborative agreement, also instituting bias-free police training, use-of-force reform and accountability measures, including an early-warning system to detect troubled officers and the creation of an independent Citizen Complaint Authority. Heightened transparency practices for officer-involved shootings were also adopted. Since then, use-of-force incidents, citizen complaints, violent crimes and misdemeanor arrests in Cincinnati have dropped dramatically.
“It was about changing the mindset and changing their vision of what it meant to be a police officer,” said Gerhardstein.
The purpose, according to Gerhardstein, was to address the root causes of crime instead of making arrests. “It’s counterproductive to do those types of arrests that only happen in the black community, that only piss off the black community, and that don’t lower crime — they just make criminals out of ordinary citizens, and make suspects out of people who are just going to work,” he said.
Change did not happen immediately, however. Harrell, who was an officer at the time of the riots, said police felt like they were being unfairly attacked. Initially, she voted against the police union engaging in the reform process. But after becoming FOP president, as part of the reform board, Harrell saw that officers wanted reform, despite the police administration’s resistance, and her view changed.
“It was a change that was needed,” she said of the collaborative and the switch to a problem-oriented strategy. “It was important to be at that table, and I think that we’re a better police department because of it. And, I think that we’re going to continue to be one of the best police departments because this is not done — it’s not over.”
Roley, Gerhardstein and Harrell all stressed that the progress so far has not been easy. Especially in the beginning, there was resistance from the police chief and conflict within the reform board.
“This is real stuff,” Roley said. “It’s not easy, because we’re humans and we all think we know what’s best. But, we’re telling you that it worked, and it’s still working because we’re still engaged.”
She added, “It was bigger than us. It was bigger than the people who were at the table; it was bigger than small, petty disagreements.”
Gerhardstein said communities around the country are calling for these reforms and others, including requiring de-escalation in any encounter that may lead to use of force, a move he called “common sense” and “good policing.”
“I’m excited that the pressure by the public is helping raise the bar for policing across the country,” he said. “Because of the drumbeat, and the footsteps, and the voices of the community, policing is advancing well above the constitutional floor.”
In Milwaukee, high profile killings of black men have put policing tactics squarely in the spotlight. Dontre Hamilton, a 32-year-old man with mental illness was shot 14 times by an officer in 2014, after an altercation in a downtown park. Most recently, Sylville Smith’s shooting in August sparked two days of sometimes-violent demonstrations in Sherman Park.
“Enough is enough,” said Darryl Morin, former director of Wisconsin’s League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a CC4QP member. “If Milwaukee is going to become the city we know it can be, for everyone, we need to change the way we’re doing things.”
Wisconsin leads the nation in the incarceration of black males. In Milwaukee County, more than half of African-American men in their 30s have served time in state prison. One in eight black men in the county, which is home to almost 70 percent of the state’s African-American population, are currently incarcerated.
“These issues are issues that most urban places experience, but what’s different in each of these places is how closely the police and community work together, and what they do when they work together,” said Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) Assistant Police Chief James Harpole.
Harpole said MPD is committed to finding solutions other than arrest for offenders and to working with the coalition, acknowledging that different communities have different experiences with police, some of them negative. He said it’s important for MPD to work with residents, “so that we can become the police department that you want us to be, so that we’re policing in this city the way the community wants us to police.”
Sherman Park resident Barry Givens said for that to happen there has to be “a genuine effort and a willingness to sit down at the table, establish dialogue and keep that going.”
Andra Williams, a police captain in District 4 who attended the discussion while off duty, agreed, saying dialogue between groups is essential to create understanding. “When people are in isolation and they get into their own groups, they start to hear their own messages … over and over again.”
Milwaukee NAACP President Fred Royal said the coalition, which has already met with MPD Chief Ed Flynn and his three assistant chiefs, hopes the Department of Justice collaborative reform process that is currently underway results in more dialogue and concrete commitments from MPD.
Roley said it is important to “remove blame” to find solutions. She noted that the Black United Front’s greatest accomplishment has been to increase the public’s knowledge and engagement around safety, and what they want that to look like.
“It’s not just about policing,” she said. “It is about safety; it is about education; it is about engagement; it is about respect; it is about acknowledging what has happened in the past so that you can move forward.”
Givens added, “There are so many things that get pushed to the side because we focus too much on the police. And, if we turn our attention to some of these other, deep-seated problems, then I think we can start to make some headway.”

created: November 8, 2016

author: Jabril Faraj


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 7, 2016


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NNS on Lake Effect Radio: Panhandling Laws in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 8, 2016
NNS reporter Andrea Waxman, goes on the air with Lake Effect’s Joy Powers to discuss the new laws regarding panhandling. Panhandling on street medians and highway ramps in Milwaukee became illegal on Oct. 28, 2016. A new city ordinance calls for violators to be fined or imprisoned.
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author: Dwayne Burtin


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How to avoid seasonal job scams | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lisa Schiller, Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin
November 9, 2016
The National Retail Federation (NRF) anticipates that retailers will hire between 640,000 and 690,000 seasonal workers this holiday season.
The holiday season can account for a large percentage of a retailer’s annual sales, and that requires seasonal help. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retailers are expected to hire between more than 640,000 seasonal workers this holiday season.
says you’ll want to position yourself as an ideal candidate. Who knows? Some of those seasonal jobs can turn into permanent positions. But while you’re answering ads for jobs, be on the lookout for employment scams.
Follow these BBB tips to protect yourself from job scams:
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin or 414-847-6000 (metro Milwaukee). Consumers can also find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Twitter, Facebook and You Tube.
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created: November 9, 2016


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 8, 2016


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Safe & Sound expansion ‘means a whole lot to the community’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Steines
November 9, 2016
(From left) Ald. Ashanti Hamilton, Ald. Cavalier Johnson, Mayor Tom Barrett and Safe & Sound Executive Director Katie Sanders gather after the news conference to announce Safe & Sound’s expansion into District 4 neighborhoods. (Photo by Allison Steines)
Afeni Grace, 22, grew up in Harambee, learning firsthand what it means to be an inner city kid.
“I have experienced not being knowledgeable,” said Grace. “I didn’t know what resources were available to me, I didn’t know the aldermen and women of my district. I just didn’t know. It is a very hopeless feeling.”
Grace is now a youth coordinator at Safe & Sound, which recently announced its expansion into Milwaukee Police District 4 at the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center. “I was that person. I am that person, that very same person I am now trying to help.”
Safe & Sound Executive Director Katie Sanders said District 4 lacks resources — specifically youth programs, adult outreach programs and overall support — and has more crime than surrounding neighborhoods.
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Safe & Sound Youth Organizer Afeni Grace (left) plans to promote youth voices while Selma Aly will focus on identifying community resources and building relationships between residents and law enforcement. (Photo by Allison Steines)
Grace, along with community organizer Selma Aly and Beth Rosenow, Community Prosecution Unit (CPU) coordinator, will make up the neighborhood team working to build networks of residents and partners focused on improving safety in the area.
During the past 18 months Safe & Sound raised $270,000 for the expansion, which will focus on two priority neighborhoods, West Lawn and Thurston Woods/Old Milwaukee. Up until now, it has worked within MPD Districts 2, 3, 5 and 7. Safe & Sound has knocked on thousands of residents’ doors, held hundreds of community meetings, helped relieve neighborhood nuisances and removed large swaths of graffiti in the four police districts, according to its 2015 annual report.
“Neighborhood transformations start with safety…home by home, neighborhood by neighborhood, community by community,” said Grady Crosby, vice president of public affairs and chief diversity officer at Johnson Controls, a company that has supported and partnered with Safe & Sound.
“Safety brings cohesion,” added Eric Gass, executive director of Agape Community Center, located at 6100 N. 42nd St. in Thurston Woods. “We want people on their front porches talking to their neighbors. We want our parks used and our playgrounds full. We don’t want people living in fear.”
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm says the community is better off when residents help solve problems. (Photo by Allison Steines)
To accomplish these goals, the District 4 neighborhood team intends to bring resources, support and opportunities to residents through community improvement projects, community meetings, youth councils, art and literacy projects, and block watches. Sanders explained that weaving together neighborhoods with resources and opportunities benefits the entire city.
The CPU, made up of the Safe & Sound coordinator, prosecutors, police officers and community partners, will help reduce nuisance properties such as abandoned homes, which can draw negative attention and increase criminal activity, said Safe & Sound spokesperson Anne Temple.
If residents don’t feel comfortable talking to police they can relay their concerns to the neighborhood team. “Police cannot do everything,” said Rosenow. “I am hoping we can act as another set of eyes and ears.
Added Rosenow, “A lot of residents have lived in the area for a long time, but the city has changed. I don’t think residents know who to reach out to anymore. We want to tell them about Safe & Sound, tell them where the closest post office is or doctor’s office, tell them about crime and safety.”
Jackie Burrell, president of the Westlawn Resident Council Board, said the expansion into District 4 “means a whole lot to the community, especially for safety and protection purposes.” The problem is that a lot of residents aren’t aware of it yet, she added.
“We haven’t exactly put our boots on the ground yet,” Rosenow noted. “But I plan to figure out where Safe & Sound was successful in other districts and replicate it.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated to clarify the participants in the Community Prosecution Unit.

author: Allison Steines


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Your chance to be involved in Block Build MKE 2017 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 10, 2016
Click for the full RFP form.

created: November 10, 2016


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 10, 2016


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30th St. Industrial Corridor leader urges area residents to join in redevelopment planning | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Naomi Waxman
November 10, 2016
Tri-Success Management Institute, Inc. President Ylonda Glover, WHEDA Executive Director Wyman Winston and Rep. David Bowen talk after the economic development forum, “The 30th Street Corridor Like You’ve Never Seen It Before.” (Photo by Naomi Waxman)
Cheryl Blue, interim executive director of the 30 St. industrial corridor and BID 37, wants northwest side neighborhood residents to participate in a plan to restore the long-blighted industrial corridor to its former glory.
“There are many people in this neighborhood…that need to be engaged in this process as well so that it’s not just people from outside of the neighborhood determining what’s going to happen,” she said in an interview. Blue believes it is important to have neighbors engaged at every level in the process.
Boasting the highest per-capita income for African-Americans in the country in the 1970s, the neighborhood around the 30 St. Industrial Corridor earned the moniker “Blackfish Bay,” according to Blue. Residents of the area were left jobless after companies left in the 1990s. The region’s economic troubles were further compounded by the 2008 recession.
After years of decline, the area has begun to attract investment.
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Joe Peterangelo, Andrew Haug and Bart Griepentrog take in the view from the roof of Century City Tower. (Photo by Naomi Waxman)
The U.S. Forestry Service has awarded the NWSCDC a $200,000 grant, according to Joel Parker, an environmental engineer who played a key role in revitalizing a post-industrial space now known as Chevy Commons in Flint, Mich.
The funding will be used to promote green infrastructure in the area through storm water runoff management, a community solar energy facility and “phytoremediation,” a low-cost, clean energy technique for remediating contaminated land, specifically a brownfield site at 4101 N. 31st St. that planners call “Innovation Park.”
“There’s a place for an epicenter, a nexus of storm water technology incubation, and why not here in Milwaukee on the northwest side? It’s a perfect setting,” said Parker.
He noted that local institutions such as the Milwaukee Department of City Development and Employ Milwaukee have demonstrated commitment to the project and said he sees potential for universities and professional societies to serve as anchor institutions.
“All the planets are well aligned for success, working and collaborating well together,” Parker added.
Parker was the keynote speaker at a recent economic development forum, “The 30 Street Corridor Like You’ve Never Seen It Before.” Hosted by the Northwest Side Community Development Corp. (NWSCDC), the forum brought together members of the public, private and nonprofit sectors to recognize recent accomplishments and hear from community leaders about plans for environmental development in the area.
This development may lead to new lines of business, according to Andrew Haug, a resource manager with NWSCDC. “We want this site to be like an urban playground where people can see green technology in action,” Haug said.
Commissioned by NWSCDC’s Executive Director Howard Snyder, a video created by local videographers WC Tank and Adam Carr highlighted the perspectives of local residents about the past and visions for the future of the northwest side.
The forum, at the Century City Tower in the new Century City Business Park, also featured a panel of Milwaukee business leaders collaborating to increase the area’s economic prosperity. Earl Buford, CEO of Employ Milwaukee, Rocky Marcoux, Milwaukee’s Department of City Development Commissioner, Wyman Winston, executive director of Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and Kevin Shafer, executive director of Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District, expressed optimism about the partnerships and the positive impact the project is expected to have on the northwest side and the city as a whole.
“We have the ability to actually do something that an American city has not done: [putting] people back to work, growing neighborhood prosperity, repairing our city and providing an example for this nation,” Winston said.
“Whoever figures out how to turn our cities around will change the trajectory of the United States and I believe Milwaukee is the place to do it.”

author: Naomi Waxman


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 9, 2016


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A look at the past, present and future of the 30th Street Industrial Corridor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Northwest Side CDC
November 10, 2016
The north area of Milwaukee’s 30th Street Industrial Corridor is in a process of transformation. Development over the last 100 years was focused on industrial access to a major rail spur — the 30th Street Corridor — and all of the nearby neighborhoods were economically tied to this major jobs center.
Today the landscape has changed dramatically, and will continue to change in the future. Residents and neighbors connect to strengthen the social fabric and promote new opportunities. Major investments from the City of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District are improving the infrastructure to address flooding concerns and to prepare the area for new development.
This video, commissioned by the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation, highlights community perspective on the past, present, and future of the north corridor area. See the north corridor like you haven’t seen it before: Garden Homes neighborhood, Century City Business Park, Lincoln Creek, and more — from 27th Street to 35th Street, and Hampton Ave to Townsend Ave.
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author: Northwest Side CDC


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Low-income tax filers face delays in income tax refunds | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
November 10, 2016
Thousands of residents are dependent on the use of an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), issued by the IRS, in order to file a federal tax return each year. Major changes to the ITINs will affect the ability for millions of individuals and households to file 2016 federal tax returns and receive returns before February 15. ITIN holders are those not eligible for a Social Security Card but have a filing requirement.
The need for renewal is a result of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015 passed by Congress and signed into law.
The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, passed by Congress and signed into law, requires that all taxpayers with an ITIN filing a federal tax return in 2017:
Those claiming Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) and/or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)), are affected by PATH. A refund will not be received before February 15 by anyone that claims these tax credits. The delay puts millions of low-income households that depend on these funds in jeopardy. These households depend on refunds to, for example, become current on past due bills, purchase household needs or supplies, or for down payments to move out of uninhabitable housing. The change in the refund timeline affects filers that may to turn to predatory operations that offer high-interest loans to secure funding.
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The IRS will use the delay in refunds to verify income reported on those tax returns. Employers are now required to file W-2 forms and 1099s by January 31 instead of March, which was the case in prior years.
SDC is concerned the delay could negatively low-to-mid income residents who rely on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which is already in jeopardy. VITA provides free tax preparation for households with an annual income of $56,000 or less.
SDC has received a two-year funding commitment of $85,000 each year in support of its VITA operations. The IRS requires SDC to demonstrate community investment by securing a dollar for dollar match. There is an $85,000 shortfall. If organizations and members of the community to do donate to VITA, SDC will not be able to provide the free service to nearly 8,000 individuals and families. SDC is seeking donations ranging from $5 to tens of thousands. Those interested in making a donation to help the VITA program reach its goal, can click on the “Foundation/Donate/Donate Today/VITA” tab at www.cr-sdc.org or can contact VITA program manager Diane Robinson at 414.906.2804 or drobinson@cr-sdc.org.
For more than 50 years, the Social Development Commission has operated as the Community Action Agency for Milwaukee County. SDC serves as a planner, coordinator, and provider of human service programs for low-income individuals and families residing in Milwaukee County. The agency is an intergovernmental commission and is governed by a board of 18 citizens from Milwaukee County, each of whom hold the title of “Commissioner.” For more information on SDC’s programs and services, visit cr-sdc.org. Connect with us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/SDCMilwaukee and Twitter www.twitter.com/CRSDC.

author: Social Development Commission


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On the Block: Spare the rod | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
November 10, 2016
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Donald Ealy has five daughters, four of them grown. Ealy grew up in a household of 17, with 10 sisters, an experience he said taught him to respect women. The lessons he learned as a child affected the way he sees physical discipline and what an ideal parent-child relationship should look like.
Read more about Donald Ealy at milwaukeestories.org.
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Refugee Thanksgiving potluck at Neighborhood House | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee
November 10, 2016

author: Neighborhood House of Milwaukee


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City launches planning process to build united front against violence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 11, 2016
Attendees at the violence prevention launch rank the factors that contribute to and prevent violence in the community. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The recent launch by the city’s Office of Violence Prevention of a comprehensive strategic planning process provided a great opportunity to begin building a united front against violence, said Khalil Coleman, co-founder of the Safe Zones Initiative, a program focusing on gun violence prevention.
The process brings in community residents who are usually excluded from the discussion and “allows those voices to be heard,” Coleman added.
Coleman was one of more than 100 attendees representing nonprofits and grassroots community, business, government, religious, public safety and health organizations at the recent event held at Discovery World. The planning process is funded by a $93,000 Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment grant. The Prevention Institute of Oakland, California, is providing expertise and technical assistance.
Reggie Moore, director of the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) and his team invited a cross section of the community to the launch to make sure a variety of people were engaged from the beginning. “I was really honored to hear directly from (them) about what their concerns and their aspirations are for increasing public safety in Milwaukee,” Moore said.
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Community member Sai Norman said, “Police come into our neighborhoods and do not respect us. When they come, the first thing they do is reach for their guns. We need to police ourselves.”
Attendee Bianca Williams, 25, founder and director of A Cry for Help Foundation, a grassroots effort that provides housing, food and clothing to those in need, suggested that the event should have included more youth. “I believe the main ones who are causing a lot of this violence and stealing cars are the youth. So it’s very important that they be at the table,” she said. Williams also questioned the need for experts from out of state who have to start at the beginning to understand the community.
Moore said in an interview that his team facilitated a condensed version of the session with a group of young people on the evening of the launch, from organizations including Running Rebels, Urban Underground, St. Charles, and PEARLS for Teen Girls. The youth were invited to contribute their insights.
Reggie Moore, director of the Office of Violence Prevention, speaks to community representatives at the launch of the violence prevention planning process (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Moore also explained that the Prevention Institute is one of only two large organizations specializing in violence prevention planning and was selected for its extensive experience and excellent reputation. “They’ve been instrumental in helping many cities around engaging in these planning processes,” he noted.
“If there was a surgeon in another community who was renowned for finding a cure to a particular disease that affected a significant portion of Milwaukee’s population, we would be irresponsible not to work with them or engage them,” Moore said. Milwaukee is seeking the best thinking, best practice and best research from around the country to help come up with solutions, he explained.
The institute approaches violence prevention using a framework that analyzes the aspects of a community that encourage or discourage violence. It views trauma as both a cause and consequence of violence. Experts in local communities and the federal government are looking at violence as a community issue and not just an individual health issue, Moore added.
During a presentation that was mostly focused on process, Prevention Institute representatives noted that violence prevention efforts are most successful when public health, not criminal justice, is at the center. Poverty alone does not cause trauma; rather it is inequality that is traumatizing. According to institute board member Howard Pinderhughes, its approach addresses both interpersonal and structural violence, the systematic ways in which social structures harm or disadvantage individuals. Pinderhughes is also chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at University of California, San Francisco.
Brian Cooper, director of James Place 26 Street, a faith-based community resource center at 2522 W. Capitol Drive, said attending the launch provided an opportunity to meet people and learn about other organizations working on community issues.
“I think (the discussion) is really broad right now,” but the vision and the goal are good and the success of the process will depend on the participants coming together, Cooper said.
Noting that he grew up outside of the city, Cooper added, “It’s important to hear from people who did grow up (in the central city) and I will try to be humble and hear more input than give more input.”
The Prevention Institute, which focuses on increasing equity in health and safety, has been the lead consultant in 10 cities creating similar violence prevention plans. It also has led technical assistance for 25 cities and provided expert review of plans for a number of other cities, according to Lisa Fujie Parks, program manager. Since September, the institute has gathered information about Milwaukee through surveys, interviews, at the launch and at a steering committee meeting.
Opinions are widespread and will continue to be collected, said Parks. So far, information gathered at the launch and elsewhere indicate that significant contributing factors to violence in Milwaukee include a lack of access to employment and other opportunities; segregation; disconnection between residents and organizations; and limited trust between community and government.
Significant factors helping to prevent violence include strong neighborhood centers and neighborhood-based initiatives; positive community building activities; and positive after-school and workforce development efforts.
Moore noted that there will be many engagement opportunities over the coming months to go deeper into what strategies community members would like to see for reducing and eliminating violence.
The Office of Violence Prevention expects to schedule a second planning meeting in January. The strategic plan is expected to be drafted by spring and made public in early summer.

created: November 11, 2016


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Alderman Donovan: Protests and Play-Doh therapy? Enough already! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Bob Donovan
November 11, 2016
Last night Milwaukee saw protesters clogging our downtown streets and disrupting the otherwise orderly flow of life in our city.
It is upsetting to me because I fully expect the Milwaukee Police Department to enforce all of our laws equally, fairly, and without prejudice. That did NOT occur last evening.
These protesters were marching and obstructing traffic without a permit!
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By the way: Anyone’s right to protest ends when they infringe on other’s rights. Last night, untold numbers of innocent motorists were blocked and shut down by these protesters.
Government creates laws for the wellbeing of all, and when those laws are not enforced, there are repercussions for all.
Bottom line: All protesters MUST obey the laws of the City of Milwaukee.
I understand the protesters may return to downtown this evening. In my view, the first person in the group who steps into the street should be arrested.
I believe we’ve set a bad precedent here by allowing previous protests to take place outside of the law. Why even have permits or laws if we’re not going to enforce and/or require them?
So the protests are occurring because of the results of our Presidential Election on Tuesday – I get that.
But I am surprised – and a bit amused – by what I am reading about in the news: Coloring books and Play-Doh for distraught college students at the University of Michigan, and a “Cry-In” at Cornell University.
Is this what our premier universities have come to? Are they now day care centers for 20-year- old children?
If this is an example of our college generation, I thank God that this generation wasn’t the one that had to deal with the Great Depression and World War II. Had it been we’d all be broke and speaking German.
These are adults who need to deal with reality!
One valuable lesson they need to learn is that there are winners and losers in life, and that’s not going to change with coloring books and crying.

author: Ald. Bob Donovan


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Mayor Barrett’s statement on recent events in Milwaukee area schools | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mayor Tom Barrett
November 12, 2016
In the aftermath of the recent Presidential election, there have been some reports of K-12 students feeling intimidated by the actions of other students. I know that the various school administrations have sought to intervene to quell any actions which are reasonably seen as intimidating by students.
I join these school leaders, not only as Mayor, but as a parent, in calling for respectful behavior by students toward their fellow students. The ability to disagree politically is at the core of our national liberties. We live in an increasingly diverse society, which is part of the richness we all enjoy about America and our city.  However, treating each other with respect is what allows us to disagree politically while living with each other in a productive, safe society.

created: November 12, 2016

author: Mayor Tom Barrett


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Running Rebels leader still inspired by his late mother | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dean Bibens
November 12, 2016
Editor’s note: This piece is one of an occasional series on nonprofit leaders in Milwaukee. The responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Victor Barnett’s yearning to lead pushed him to found the Running Rebels Community Organization when he was 19 years old. Barnett and the Rebels are still thriving nearly four decades later. Seeing how his mother made her way through life despite a physical disability, Barnett sought to make a difference and not take for granted all that he had. In this interview, he talks about the organization, those who have succeeded and why he is the person he is today.
Q: Why is your youth group so successful?
A: I started Running Rebels Community Organization on the basketball court. I knew that would allow me to get close and bond to some young people. Once I gained their trust and respect, I became that person that they all looked up to. This allowed me to help them see things differently in their lives. A lot of my friends growing up were getting incarcerated and I did not want to see that happen. My goal in founding the Rebels was to make sure that young people were not getting in trouble. We started in 1980, and here we are 36 years later still using the same principles we used back then.
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Q: Why do you love coming to work every day?
A: One of the reasons that I have been doing this for so long is the fact that it’s not even like a job to me. A lot of people that work here at Running Rebels say it’s a lifestyle. I personally feel like I’m doing what God called me to do. I like it; I guess you could say I’m kind of good at it. We have a lot of programs that are driven by young people. My job as director allows me to oversee what they are doing, but help them to achieve the things that they want. For example, we’ve done basketball for 36 years and we had never done football (until) six years ago. We also have a café downstairs now because a lot of kids wanted to learn how to cook. So young people drive a lot of our programs that I oversee. It’s all about them.
Q: What is a defining moment from your experience at this organization?
A: There’s usually a young person that comes around because of the work we do and we help save his life. We’ve had a couple of men that were scheduled to be incarcerated for 20 years of their lives, but because of the work we do we were able to change the path that they went on and now they have graduated from college. So, overall, my most defining moment comes every time I change a kid’s future for the better.
Q: What distinguishes Running Rebels from other local nonprofits?
A: I think we are unique and have a holistic approach here. Yes, we want to work with the young people, but we want to work with the families as well. If we clean them up over here and they end up going back home where it’s dirty, it almost defeats the purpose of them coming to Running Rebels. We want to make sure that we change that, so that we clean them up and they come back clean because they’ve learned from their families. We have 125 staff and a majority of them come from the same background that a lot of these kids come from. So when we say that we understand where they are coming from, I truly do believe that we understand.
Q: What is the relationship between you and the young people you work with?
A: I used to stress to my young people that I was like a big brother to them. I never wanted it to seem like I was replacing their father. But often I’ve heard from young people how I’ve helped change their lives and they are very grateful to me. I’ve got a young man I worked with who has now relocated his family to Atlanta, and he’s been there for three years now. He just came back to Milwaukee recently and his first stop was here to see me. Just to know that he still turns to me and wants my guidance – and he’s darn near 40 years old now – makes me more than happy.
Q: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I really like to travel. At the end of the day, I really would like to travel the world with my wife because I’ve been working so much. A little break here and there is nice. Out of my 36 years at this organization I’ve only missed work three days, so I think I definitely deserve a little vacation.

author: Dean Bibens


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 11, 2016


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Leader works hard to keep Hunger Task Force a ‘yes’ organization | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Cheyenne Fischer
November 15, 2016
Editor’s note: This piece is one of an occasional series on nonprofit leaders in Milwaukee. The responses have been edited for length and clarity.
When Sherrie Tussler took over as executive director at Hunger Task Force more than 20 years ago, things were tough. The organization struggled to meet the needs of the local network of food pantries, running out of food and ending the year in a deficit. Since then, Tussler has seen the task force grow into the state’s anti-hunger leader. She started in nonprofits in 1988, at the Hope House homeless shelter, where she was founding executive director for 10 years. In this interview, Tussler talks about her qualifications, the challenges she faces feeding Milwaukee’s hungry and the future of the task force.
Q: What experiences at Hope House best prepared you for the Hunger Task Force?
A: Hope House was operating at a time when welfare was being reformed in Wisconsin, and more and more people were coming to the shelter who had no income whatsoever. Coming to Hunger Task Force, the problem continues to be hunger, which is another symptom of poverty. I believe that my past experiences helped me to prepare, because we are now in an era of welfare reform once again, and low-income people have no access to the food that they need to be healthy.
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Q: When you first started here, what was your main goal?
A: It was really about putting things back together, and making sure that the food bank could meet local need. Then later, through the last 10 years or so, we’ve been able to not only stand on our sea legs, but everything is stable. We have moved forward. Hunger Task Force is unique, it is free, it’s local. It is an independent food bank operated in Milwaukee by people from Milwaukee.
Q: When and why did you change the organization’s name from Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee?
A: When we were established, we were working on childhood hunger issues in Milwaukee. We made the decision about a decade ago to drop the “of Milwaukee” because Hunger Task Force does work on public policy issues involving the food stamp program, school meals and summer meals. When we can change the rules around how those programs are administered, we can make sure that children and families and seniors are fed throughout the state of Wisconsin.
Q: What challenges do you face on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis?
A: Our responsibility is to feed about 50,000 people from Milwaukee every month. We raise all of our operating budget from month to month from scratch — from individual donors, corporations and foundations in Milwaukee. I don’t wake up every morning thinking, “I wonder how I’m going to be able to feed all these people,” but I do sometimes worry that we’re not going to be able to meet the need.
Q: What is your organization trying to do better and how do you evaluate your progress?
A: We’re in a state of continuous improvement because it’s not possible to end hunger by simply feeding people. We have to work on the reasons why people are hungry. Why are they poor? If you think about it, here in the Dairy State, there is enough food to feed everybody. So it really is a problem of access. What we’re trying to do is improve access to food for people who don’t have enough money, through innovations like our farm, and a mobile market where we bring food to food deserts here. We’re constantly thinking about new ways to bring access to food for low-income people in the city.
Q: You mentioned there are a lot of cool things you get to say yes to. Have you ever had to say no when you didn’t want to?
A: In the early days, when we didn’t have enough money, and we didn’t have enough food, it felt like we really didn’t have a voice. One of my board chairs said to me that if we had enough money in the bank, we could say yes all the time. So we’ve worked really hard at fundraising to make sure there is enough money in the bank to say yes. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had to say, “No, we can’t make a difference. No, we can’t be there. No, we won’t do that.” We are a “yes” organization and have been for about 15 years.

created: November 15, 2016

author: Cheyenne Fischer


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 14, 2016

created: November 14, 2016

author: Adam Carr


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On the Block: “A Nation under God” | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Steines
November 15, 2016
After casting his ballot at Nova Middle and High School, 2320 W Burleigh St, Amani resident Edwin Thomas, 69, said that as an African-American he is concerned about what Donald Trump as president might mean for black people.
Thomas said he is an evangelist and has spent a lot of time praying over the 2016 election.
“As a minister I have put my confidence in God,” said Thomas.
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How to raise children who care | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Beverly Anderson, Ebenezer Child Care Centers
November 16, 2016
Showing that you care will have a positive impact on your children as they grow up. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
Thanksgiving is a time of year when many people take a moment to reflect on life’s blessings and give thanks. It’s also an ideal time to talk with your children about helping those less fortunate as well as the importance of caring for others in the world.
Children are born with different capacities for empathy, but by nurturing this important character trait, parents can certainly help their children develop this virtue.
By serving as positive role models for their children, parents can help them understand and develop a sense of empathy in themselves. If parents take time to help others and have a caring heart, their children are more likely to as well.
There are several things you can do in your home, your neighborhood and your community to help teach your children how to care.
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At Home
Children need to know that they are loved and cared for to thrive and be able to care for others. Your actions will speak louder than your words. If you are always looking out for yourself, your children will learn to do this as well.
Be aware of your children’s emotions and make sure you are showing them empathy when they are frustrated, tired or feeling down.
Children who receive reassurance from their parents develop an attachment to them and confidence in themselves. Because they feel loved, they are able to thrive.
In Your Neighborhood
When a new family moves into your neighborhood, you and your children could bake a treat and then go over as a family to introduce yourselves. This teaches your children how to be not only caring individuals, but also good neighbors.
Another idea is to have your family help someone in your neighborhood who is elderly, injured or handicapped and needs some assistance with lawn care or household projects.
Taking time to do a few random acts of kindness with your children goes a long way in leaving a lasting impression about how good it feels to care for and help others.
In Your Community
Identify one local nonprofit organization that helps those less fortunate to support each year as a family. This could include a homeless shelter, an elderly care facility or a local food bank. Then, as a family, make it a goal to do something positive for this organization each season.
Donate the clothes or toys you’ve outgrown, bake treats for the people served by this organization or stop by to visit to show your children firsthand how lucky they are to live the life your family leads. It will be a rewarding experience for your entire family, which will instill a sense of caring in your children for years to come.

created: November 16, 2016


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 15, 2016


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Sherman Park youth earn stipend for cleaning up neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
November 16, 2016
Teens walk back up 41st Street after raking lawns south of Sherman Park. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
On a recent Saturday morning, about 30 teens assembled at the edge of the playground at the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club in Sherman Park. Under a sparkling blue sky and vibrantly colored trees, the hoodie-clad youth picked up gloves, rakes and garbage bags and headed east to 41st Street.
The young men and women from Program the Parks, a grassroots Sherman Park youth initiative started early last summer, together with adult and teen volunteers from Running Rebels, raked leaves from the lawns of the tidy bungalows lined up across from the park and piled them in the street.
Niekale Steward, 16, comes to Program the Parks activities more than once a week to help out. He said his friends come and he has made new friends through the program.
Steward said that Vaun Mayes, founder of Program the Parks, is like a big brother to him. “He’s a strong leader. (He always wants) me to do something with my life, not just be like everybody else; not be out here stealing cars and stuff like the other teens,” Steward said.
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Vaun Mayes (left) talks to several teens riding bikes in the neighborhood about joining the Sherman Park Youth Stipend Program. Volunteer mentor Derrick Madlock (second from left) looks on. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The raking effort marked the launch of Program the Parks’ Youth Stipend Program to train and employ young people ages 12 to 25, according to Mayes. In addition to helping youth learn leadership and employment skills and earn money, the program is intended to provide lawn care and leaf and snow removal services to area residents, especially people who are elderly or disabled.
“This is the first formal time we’ve worked together,” noted Victor Barnett, referring to Program the Parks. Barnett, the founder and executive director of Running Rebels, added, “If there’s good things being done here in Sherman Park, we’ll be here to help.”
The first time out was a training day and homeowners were not charged for the service, but once the program is in full swing homeowners will be asked to pay $20 for a crew of three or four youth, according to Mayes.
“We won’t charge them every time we come out and do a service,” Mayes said. And elderly and disabled homeowners will not be charged at all.
“During the winter, we’ll be on call. We’ll let the youth know that there’s an opportunity out there if they need some money,” Mayes added, noting that the young people often go door to door seeking this kind of work and the stipend program will provide a bridge between them and residents who need services.
Four young men riding bicycles on North 41st Street slowed down when they spotted the teens raking leaves and struck up a conversation with Mayes, who invited them to join the group. They returned their bikes to one of their homes nearby and came back to work.
Mayes started working with young people congregating in Sherman Park when he heard about fights taking place there early last summer. Since then he has attracted a group of volunteers and donors and has developed a schedule of activities for youth that includes free meals, games, social gatherings and skill-building sessions. People who want to donate can do so through the PayPal account @ paypal.me/WeAllWeGot
Program the Parks volunteer leader Gab Taylor, who was working with the teens raking leaves, said she thinks they are exhibiting leadership and discipline.
“I’m glad that so many of them came out. It’s not really about the money because it’s not a lot of money but it’s the fact of community service and showcasing their leadership skills. I’m glad that they’re all out here and they’re doing a wonderful job.”
Mayes said the program aims to do something similar to Andre Lee Ellis’ “We Got This” initiative in the Borchert Field neighborhood. Mayes added, “It’s giving them something positive to do and puts some money in their pocket.”

author: Andrea Waxman


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Bike Bazaar Holiday shopping event raises funds for youth programs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jake Newborn
November 17, 2016
Join us on Saturday, December 10th, 9am to 3pm at the The Lindsay Building, 126 S. 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
This event raises money for programs that work with Milwaukee youth to get them biking more and learning important job skills.
Local vendors are on hand to give you great deals on holiday shopping for the bike rider in your life!
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The Milwaukee Bike Bazaar is in its 9th year (formerly known as the Milwaukee Bike Swap!) and has consistently grown in attendance each year since its inception. Created to attract local bike enthusiasts to both buy, sell and swap everything from full bikes to clothing to antique parts, 2015 saw over 600 people attend the event!
In 2016, we are broadening our offerings to include recycled bike arts/crafts, re-purposed materials and other bike related gift items. This event benefits two Milwaukee Public Schools and Wisconsin Bike Fed youth initiatives, Valid Bike Shop at North Division High School and Milwaukee MTB High School racing team.
$5 to put your bike in corral and sell yourself * ( we provide you with a tag for contact information and price, feel free to bring additional support information to attach to bike as well if necessary)
Welcome to our 9th Annual Bike Bazaar and Gift Market! Last year was great, but we are trying to listen to buyers and sellers on ways to improve the event so please join us this year at the Lindsay Building in Walker’s Point, Milwaukee!
http://www.wisconsinbikefed.org/2015/11/10/improving-equity-in-high-school-cycling/
http://www.wisconsinbikefed.org/2016/09/20/mobile-bike-repair-provides-youth-jobs-and-service-to-community/

created: November 17, 2016

author: Jake Newborn


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social_link_preview_1200x628_2x | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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November 17, 2016


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Dominican Center’s Sister Patricia Rogers ‘helps people find their strength’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Steines
November 17, 2016
Sister Patricia Rogers, executive director of The Dominican Center for Women, works in the areas of education, housing, employment and health in the Amani community. (Photo by Allison Steines)
Sister Patricia Rogers recalls the time when raccoons scratched away at the interior of walls and roofing inside the Amani home of a woman named Mary. Similar to nails on a chalkboard, the raccoons racked their claws against plaster, desperately trying to break through. The noise was awful, unsettling; the walls cracked open in some places like a fleshy wound. The whole thing scared away the caretaker for Mary’s severely disabled son, Daryl.
Mary realized the raccoons had begun to interrupt the safety and comfort of her home, so she called animal control officers to take care of the problem. They refused. She then called Rogers, executive director of The Dominican Center for Women. Rogers answered with action.
Daryl was temporarily moved out of the home, and then the walls were patched and a new roof installed.
“We had a meeting with Mary and her son afterwards,” said Rogers. “I know it may not seem like a big deal, but it was for her. She expressed such gratitude and that made a lasting impression on me.”
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Rogers’ role at The Dominican Center, which is located in the Amani neighborhood, has enabled her to touch the lives of countless people like Mary.
“Sister Patricia doesn’t like the word ‘empower’ but that’s exactly what she does. She helps people obtain their dreams and aspirations…She helps people find their strength,” said Octavia Parker, community organizer at The Dominican Center.
“She would literally give someone the shirt off her back,” added Parker, “I really believe she would do that.”
Rogers, 68, is a woman whose past and present are equally interesting. She was the fifth of nine children who grew up in a poor family in Fort Smith, Arkansas, raised by their mother.
Patricia Rogers, executive director of the Dominican Center for Women, chats with Tom Schneider, executive director of COA Youth and Family Centers at the Moody Park opening celebration in August 2015. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
“My mother was like the Rosa Parks in Fort Smith,” said Rogers. “She was far smarter than any of her children, and she was always fighting for our education and the education of other blacks.”
When they weren’t busy with activities such as baseball or role-playing games, Rogers and her siblings would help out neighbors or do yard work.
Rogers described how her family spent the summer helping one neighbor in particular. “Her sister had died and she was lonely. We used to take turns, two of us at a time, and we would spend the night at her house to keep her company. I remember that we didn’t like the way she cooked eggs,” said Rogers, before swallowing hard and chuckling, seeming to relive the taste of those eggs.
Rogers’ pleasant childhood years ended in high school, which she recalled as a harsh time.
Racism became very real for her in 1966, when she was heading into the second semester of her senior year and schools were being integrated. She felt her only option was to get involved.
Rogers was among the approximately 10 teens who volunteered to leave Lincoln High School, and attend Northside High School, a school in the process of being integrated.
“It was nothing like the Little Rock Nine, but you knew people didn’t like it, or you. It was like living in two different worlds, and balancing that as a teenager was tough,” recalled Rogers.
“Teachers had no expectations and it was really puzzling,” she added. “I would get up to give a speech in class. I was looking for a critique just like everyone else, but instead the teacher was just surprised I could even stand up and speak.”
Despite her negative experiences, Rogers remained deeply interested in education. When she looks back on her life, most of the people she considers heroes were her teachers.
Rogers majored in math education, and went on to pursue a master’s in education and social work. After working at Blue Cross Blue Shield and volunteering with teenagers, she became a teacher.
Rogers taught at Visitation High School in Chicago, an alternative school for girls with predominantly African-American students and some Latina students.
The expectations for the girls at the school were very low, said Rogers. She prayed that an African-American nun would step up and help the young girls. She became that nun, and has spent 36 years as a Dominican sister.
Rogers worked at St. Mary’s Academy Middle School in New Orleans, during Hurricane Katrina.
She evacuated on Sunday morning, just one day before Katrina hit, and returned long before most.
One of the sisters at the school knew a city contractor who escorted them back to New Orleans before it officially re-opened. The sisters dressed in protective gear, including suits, masks, boots and gloves. They hoped to return to the school and salvage what was left of transcripts and documents.
There was no sound in the whole city. No birds. Just a deafening silence, said Rogers.
The water left behind a trail and the trees were all bent in one direction.
The school was definitely not the building it used to be. “It was really creepy,” said Rogers. “The water had receded and there was muck all over the floors, the filing cabinets, the walls. We knew we didn’t want to be there during nightfall, so we had one day to get in and get out.”
The most difficult part of the whole thing was nobody got to say goodbye, she added.
Rogers moved back to Chicago after Hurricane Katrina and eventually relocated to Milwaukee in 2011, settling into the Amani neighborhood. She began doing research on why urban Catholic schools were doing so poorly, which led her to meet Sister Ann Halloran, one of the founders of The Dominican Center for Women.
Halloran soon asked Rogers to become the executive director.
Rogers admitted she was reluctant to accept the job at first; she wasn’t sure if she was ready to give up being a teacher. “I knew nothing about housing programs, or fundraising or paperwork,” noted Rogers, with her eyebrows raised, “but six years later I am still here.”
“A lot of people talk a great game, but her actions really do speak louder than words,” said Tom Schneider, executive director of COA Youth & Family Centers, who works closely with Rogers.
“She has the ability to develop an idea, thought or concept that seems intangible and make it tangible,” added Barbara Parker-Wells, assistant education coordinator at The Dominican Center.
Rogers focuses her work in the areas of education, housing, employment and health in Amani. She has a particular interest in lowering the infant mortality rate.
“She works closely with member of the community and she has her opinions, but she also listens very closely,” said Schneider.
Former Amani United President Arlene Patterson, whose son was killed in Amani, praised Sister Patricia as a genuine person and a staple in the community, but would like to see her “engage the people more, more, more” until things improve in the neighborhood.
Rogers suggests that strengthening the Amani community starts by addressing one question: what do women in poverty want and need?
“I have grown in understanding, but my beliefs have stayed consistent my whole life,” she said. “I believe that if you educate a woman, you have educated a whole community.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 16, 2016


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Pres. Hamilton blasts council members for divisive and irresponsible press release | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Ashanti Hamilton
November 17, 2016
Earlier today, a majority of the Common Council delegation from the South Side of Milwaukee issued a press release that divisively and irresponsibly urged the Milwaukee Police Department to rearrange its priorities and assign more officers to the South Side.
In doing so, these council members, three of whom serve on the Public Safety Committee, ignored their responsibility to represent the public safety concerns of the entire city. The committee has spent the last several months listening to input from residents, community-based organizations and law enforcement professionals from throughout the city, all of whom are calling for a more evidence-based, comprehensive approach to public safety.
As a council, we have attempted to support the MPD’s efforts to foster a more community-based policing strategy, and we have secured the commitment from MPD and multiple police districts that they will provide more foot patrol and beat patrol officers in a number of neighborhoods throughout the city—including both the north and south sides.
However, before we could even begin to work with the department to devise a plan on what that would look like, these council members are pressuring the department to pursue the old way of policing—just for their individual neighborhoods.
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A strategy that pits neighborhood against neighborhood for policing resources is simply irresponsible, and it is not the direction the council should take. There is a balance between responsible, holistic leadership and representing our districts with verve, enthusiasm and passion. But when I see this sort of behavior from a majority of a committee tasked with representing the interests of the entire city, I have to call it out.
I would urge these council members to rescind their letter and continue to work with MPD command staff—not just to put more officers on their streets, but to devise a plan that would effectively reduce crime throughout the entire City of Milwaukee.

author: Ald. Ashanti Hamilton


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U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Mayor Tom Barrett announce $6 million for workforce development to Employ Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin
November 17, 2016
Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced a $6 million America’s Promise Job-Driven grant from the Department of Labor has been awarded to Employ Milwaukee and Midwest Urban Strategies, an alliance of 11 urban Midwest workforce boards, to grow their workforce development programs. The America’s Promise Job-Driven grant program is a part of President Obama’s initiative to expand tuition-free community college programs that connect Americans to in-demand jobs. This funding will go towards a project that will train more than 1,430 individuals for middle- to-high-skilled jobs, coordinate regional planning to attract and retain businesses and talent to grow the Midwest economy, and integrate efforts and resources to fully maximize federal, state and local funds to build a competitive regional workforce system.
“As the demand for a highly skilled workforce continues to grow, we need to ensure that our workforce is getting the education and skills they need to fill those jobs, said Senator Baldwin. “This grant funding will have a tremendous impact in helping us invest in Wisconsin’s workforce and help us raise incomes and strengthen the middle class.”
“We are thrilled to be receiving the America’s Promise award. It will ensure job seekers are connected to educational opportunities and career pathways,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “It is an example of strong regional collaboration to develop a highly skilled workforce across the Midwest and bring much needed resources to Milwaukee.”
“America’s Promise strengthens the consortium of urban Midwest workforce boards and their collaborative planning efforts to attract and retain businesses and talent to grow the regional economy,” said Earl Buford, Employ Milwaukee President and CEO. “It is our ‘promise’ to expand regional partnerships to provide a pipeline of workers to fill existing job openings, meet business needs for expansion, and fuel the talent needs of entrepreneurs.”
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Employ Milwaukee is the largest workforce investment board in the state of Wisconsin and serves the most diverse racial and economic area in the state.  Employ Milwaukee’s mission is to build a strong workforce development system by planning, coordinating, collaborating and monitoring workforce initiatives with businesses, partners and community stakeholders at the local, regional and state level to ensure a skilled and productive workforce for the 21st Century.

author: U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin


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Panelists grapple with racism, election results at Milwaukee summit | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Naomi Waxman
November 18, 2016
The audience listens attentively as panelists discuss the history of institutional racism in Milwaukee. (Photo by Naomi Waxman)
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Sherman Park when Keisha Krumm, lead organizer for Common Ground, came face to face with the impact of institutional racism on Milwaukee’s young residents.
One of several organizers talking to neighbors about possible improvements to Washington High School of Information Technology, Krumm came upon a group of children at a playground. The kids chattered excitedly as she showed off beautiful renderings of a genuine turf sports field and real track for running. All of a sudden, the group became quiet.
“We don’t deserve that. We’re not going to get that,” a little voice piped up.
Repeated encounters with racism instill the message “that you don’t deserve anything good, that good things don’t happen in the hood,” said Krumm, a panelist at the 10 Annual Henry W. Maier State of Milwaukee Summit, titled “A Frank Conversation about Race in Milwaukee.”
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“[Racism] manifests in stories children tell, the way they think. It’s up to us to change that reality,” Krumm added.
Krumm, Dr. Anne Bonds, associate professor in geography and urban studies at UW-Milwaukee, the Rev. Willie Brisco, Alderman Ashanti Hamilton and Zilber Family Foundation Executive Director Susan Lloyd served as panelists, addressing a packed room at UW-Milwaukee’s Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, 2419 E. Kenwood Blvd. Dr. Robert Smith, associate professor of history and urban studies at UW-Milwaukee, moderated the discussion.
The results of the presidential election, only a few days before the summit, dominated the discussion. Panelists acknowledged the fear and concern expressed by students and family members.
“Our students are scared, our children are scared,” said Bonds, who added that she is concerned about attacks on Muslim students.
Dr. Anne Bonds, associate professor of geography and urban studies at UW-Milwaukee, and the Rev. Willie Brisco answer questions from the audience. (Photo by Naomi Waxman)
“This is not the president of one race of people; [Trump] is the president of the whole U.S.,” said Brisco. “We are going to make sure he’s going to do what a president is supposed to do. Be not dismayed. Get off the ledges.”
Bonds situated the political shift in a historical context, citing the election of Donald Trump within a clear and well-documented history of white supremacy after civil rights gains. President Richard Nixon’s “southern strategy,” for example, ushered in an era of “law and order” policing, effectively creating a prison industry built on the mass incarceration of people of color.
Unlike some panelists and audience members, Hamilton was not surprised by the election results.
“I wish I could tell you that I was shell shocked, that I have much greater faith in the electorate of this country, but I grew up in the city of Milwaukee,” Hamilton said. He maintained that conditions for African-Americans have not significantly improved in his lifetime.
Panelists went on to discuss a range of topics, including the history of race-based housing policies, the effects of trauma, a dearth of jobs for African-American men, the Bucks arena and police-community relations in urban neighborhoods.
“Every [public] hearing has generated same recommendations — [neighbors] need more relationships with police,” said Lloyd. “People are saying we don’t want more police, we want better policing.”
Michelle Mooney, a member of Common Ground for the past eight years, was particularly interested in Lloyd’s comments. She said it was apparent that Lloyd has spent time listening to what neighborhood residents want. “If you didn’t go and listen, you wouldn’t know about these things,” said Mooney.
When asked in an interview why the summit organizers selected the topic of race, Jamie Harris, senior lecturer and urban studies program associate director at UW-Milwaukee, said that the original impetus was the unrest in Sherman Park in August. They then decided to broaden the scope of discussion to race in Milwaukee as a whole.
“[We wanted to] try and move beyond just a rehashing of problems and concerns…to something more concrete in terms of real action plans or something that would be potentially successful in moving the needle and changing some of these things,” said Harris.
Harris added, “I think people were really still in shock and numb, not fully processing the enormity of [the election results]. It was more subdued, both the panelists and the audience, than I expected.”
Mooney said she wishes the conversation had dug deeper, adding, “I didn’t hear anything that would seem to propel people into finding out more about [race].”
Informed by 25 years working in the criminal justice system, Brisco said that the application of law is slanted against African-Americans in Milwaukee.
“I saw people who come in from suburbs get probation for the same thing that gets people from the city in prison,” said Brisco. “Now that heroin has come on the surface and is affecting Troy and Becky, it is considered to be an illness and an addiction.”
Despite differences on specific issues, all the panelists agreed that racism is a pressing problem in Milwaukee. The summit’s organizers are considering ways to follow up, but have announced no concrete plans.

created: November 18, 2016


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
November 17, 2016