text:
‘More than teaching kids’: How one program builds families through in-home education | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
February 18, 2022
In the HIPPY program, parent-partners say they learn as much from the families as they teach them. (Photo provided by Jessica Namaste)
Leer en español: una versión traducida de este artículo está disponible debajo de la versión en inglés.
Blanca Rivera-Esteves initially joined HIPPY to help her son  prepare to start school.
But she loved the program so much that she applied for a job.
“HIPPY gave me confidence as a parent,” she said. “I wanted to be able to give that to other parents.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
She now works with a team to empower other parents of kids from ages 2 to 4 by providing them the tools, skills and confidence to work with their children at home.
Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters or HIPPY is a free program that works with families in the home to support parents in their critical role as their child’s first and most important teacher. It is delivered via a partnership with COA’s Burke Early Education Center
The program provides parents across Milwaukee with a “parent partner” who comes to their homes weekly to coach them on the HIPPY curriculum and to deliver resources.
“We work around the parent’s schedule,” Rivera-Esteves said. “Then we meet them at home and spend 45 minutes to an hour going over the curriculum and modeling for parents what doing these activities with their children could look like.”
She said that while a home visit is most usual, HIPPY tries to meet parents where they are, including in a coffee shop or even at their job for their lunch break.
Giving parents the tools they need
Jessica Namaste, the program director, said the HIPPY model helps children develop a love for learning and it helps parents prioritize positive frequent engagement with their children.
“Every parent wants the best for their children but not every parent has the tools to do it,” Namaste said. “This gives them the tools to advocate for their children and to create a better connection with them.”
The program has 838 parents and children enrolled this year. They come from different parts of the city, different cultures and have different family structures.
“HIPPY is more than teaching kids,” said Namaste. “Sometimes it’s opening parents up to just having fun with their children because they were never taught to do that.”
Parent-partners say they learn as much from the families as they teach them.
“Some days my job feels like I’m visiting other countries because of the different cultures and traditions I get to be a part of,” Rivera-Esteves said. “So sometimes while I’m teaching them, I’m learning new things that I can do at home or that I can share with other families I work with.”
While HIPPY Milwaukee follows the National HIPPY USA model, it has been able to add, change and adapt its programming for the specific needs of Milwaukeeans.
For example, it added a summer program, which staff implements in the parks for free. It also offers mental health consultations for families in need and, most recently, it created and filled the position of a HIPPY resource specialist.
The partnership between HIPPY and COA’s Burke Early Education Center delivers HIPPY programming to children in the Amani neighborhood.
“HIPPY is therapeutic and reassuring for families,” said Taisha Schindel, the HIPPY resource specialist. “So we realize that people can’t be the best parent if they are stressed and worrying.”
Schindel, who has been with HIPPY since 2017, said that helping families create a better family structure is one of the best parts of the work.
“Seeing parents happy when they see their child’s progress is an amazing experience,” she said. “But watching a parent and the child grow together just makes you so happy.”
In her new role, she is seeing the children grow firsthand.
“We had a 2-year-old that we thought didn’t speak but after going in and reading with them for a few weeks, he’s following along and participating now,” she said. “Not just educational changes but I see kids communicating more and having fewer tantrums.”
For more information
The program enrolls participants every year. If you are interested, you can look here.
Other ways to be involved
You can donate books and art supplies to the program for children and families.
You can volunteer at HIPPY’s monthly family-gathering nights.
Pero le encantó tanto el programa que solicitó un trabajo.
“HIPPY me dio confianza como madre”, dijo. “Quería poder dárselo a otros padres”.
Ahora trabaja con un equipo para empoderar a otros padres de niños de 2 a 4 años brindándoles las herramientas, las habilidades y la confianza para trabajar con sus hijos en casa.
La instrucción en el hogar para padres de niños en edad preescolar o HIPPY es un programa gratuito que trabaja con las familias en el hogar para apoyar a los padres en su papel fundamental como el primer y más importante maestro de sus hijos. Se entrega a través de una asociación con el Centro de Educación Temprana Burke de COA
El programa proporciona a los padres de Milwaukee un “padre asociado” que viene a sus hogares semanalmente para asesorarlos sobre el plan de estudios HIPPY y brindarles recursos.
“Nos adaptamos al horario de los padres”, dijo Rivera-Esteves. “Luego nos reunimos con ellos en casa y pasamos de 45 minutos a una hora repasando el plan de estudios y modelando para los padres cómo sería hacer estas actividades con sus hijos”.
Ella dijo que si bien lo más habitual es una visita al hogar, HIPPY trata de reunirse con los padres donde están, incluso en una cafetería o incluso en su trabajo durante la hora del almuerzo.
Dar a los padres las herramientas que necesitan
Jessica Namaste, directora del programa, dijo que el modelo HIPPY ayuda a los niños a desarrollar un amor por el aprendizaje y ayuda a los padres a priorizar el compromiso positivo y frecuente con sus hijos.
“Todos los padres quieren lo mejor para sus hijos, pero no todos tienen las herramientas para hacerlo”, dijo Namaste. “Esto les brinda las herramientas para abogar por sus hijos y crear una mejor conexión con ellos”.
El programa tiene 838 padres e hijos matriculados este año. Vienen de diferentes partes de la ciudad, diferentes culturas y tienen diferentes estructuras familiares.
“HIPPY es más que enseñar a los niños”, dijo Namaste. “A veces abre a los padres a simplemente divertirse con sus hijos porque nunca se les enseñó a hacer eso”.
Los padres-compañeros dicen que aprenden tanto de las familias como les enseñan.
“Algunos días mi trabajo se siente como si estuviera visitando otros países debido a las diferentes culturas y tradiciones de las que llego a ser parte”, dijo Rivera-Esteves. “Entonces, a veces, mientras les enseño, aprendo cosas nuevas que puedo hacer en casa o que puedo compartir con otras familias con las que trabajo”.
Si bien HIPPY Milwaukee sigue el modelo de National HIPPY USA, ha podido agregar, cambiar y adaptar su programación para las necesidades específicas de los habitantes de Milwaukee.
Por ejemplo, agregó un programa de verano, que el personal implementa en los parques de forma gratuita. También ofrece consultas de salud mental para familias necesitadas y, más recientemente, creó y ocupó el puesto de especialista en recursos de HIPPY.
La asociación entre HIPPY y el Centro de Educación Temprana Burke de COA brinda programación HIPPY a los niños en el vecindario de Amani.
“HIPPY es terapéutico y reconfortante para las familias”, dijo Taisha Schindel, especialista en recursos de HIPPY. “Entonces nos damos cuenta de que las personas no pueden ser los mejores padres si están estresadas y preocupadas”.
Schindel, quien ha estado con HIPPY desde 2017, dijo que ayudar a las familias a crear una mejor estructura familiar es una de las mejores partes del trabajo.
“Ver a los padres felices cuando ven el progreso de sus hijos es una experiencia increíble”, dijo. “Pero ver a un padre y al niño crecer juntos te hace muy feliz”.
En su nuevo rol, está viendo crecer a los niños de primera mano.
“Teníamos un niño de 2 años que pensábamos que no hablaba, pero después de entrar y leer con ellos durante unas semanas, ahora nos sigue y participa”, dijo. “No solo cambios educativos, sino que veo que los niños se comunican más y tienen menos rabietas”.
El programa inscribe participantes cada año. Si está interesado, puede mirar aquí.
Otras formas de participar
Puede donar libros y materiales de arte al programa para niños y familias.
Puede ser voluntario en las reuniones familiares mensuales de HIPPY.


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 17, 2022

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: February 17, 2022

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

author: Dwayne Burtin


text:
We’ve updated our list on where to celebrate Black History Month this year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 18, 2022
Celebrate Black History Month in a variety of ways, such as reading clubs with the Milwaukee Public Library. (File photo by Analise Pruni)
February is Black History Month, and we’ve updated our list of things of where and how to celebrate.
Here are some events you should know about in Milwaukee.
(Did we miss a Black History Month event? We tried our best but bet we did. Help us fill in the gaps by posting in the comments below or by sending an email to info@milwaukeenns.org with the subject line “Black History Month 2022.” You can always submit your news by clicking here.)
Black Out Vendor Event: Saturday, Feb. 19
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Shop Black-owned businesses at the Sherman Phoenix at this special pop-up event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. (and continue supporting Black-owned businesses after then as well!)
Black Liberation and Socialism: A Discussion: Saturday, Feb. 19
Join Freedom Road Socialist Organization Wisconsin and Frank Chapman for a discussion on the history of socialist and Black liberation movements. The discussion starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19 on the lower level of the African American Women’s Center, located at 3020 W. Vliet St. Food and drinks are provided, and masks are required when not eating or drinking.
Black History Month Pop Up: Sunday, Feb. 20
Continue supporting local, small Black-owned businesses at another pop-up event from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 6633 W. Mill Road.
Honor, Restore, and Protect Black Health: Wednesday, Feb. 23
Join the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network and Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network in honoring health remedies Black families have historically used when denied access to quality health care. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Register for access by clicking here.
Lunch and learn: The Afro-Latino Creative Impact on the Arts: Friday, Feb. 25
Join this lunch and learn hosted by Latino Arts to learn more from local Afro-Latino artists, makers, and creatives about how their identity and roots inform their work and creative process. This event is both in-person and virtual, with the in-person event starting 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 at 1028 S. 9th St. and a livestream beginning at noon on Facebook. Tickets for the in-person event are $10 and include a light lunch. You can purchase here.
America’s Black Holocaust Museum “Grand Re-mergence”: Friday, Feb. 25
The wait is over, and America’s Black Holocaust Museum is back. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony outside the museum at 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 at 401 W. North Ave. Following the ceremony, the doors of the museum will be open until 5 p.m. Click here for more information. In case you missed it: NNS Spotlight: As America grapples with racist past, leader of America’s Black Holocaust Museum looks toward the future
Black Lives Are Sacred MKE gathering: Saturday, Feb. 26
Continue the fight for racial justice with Black Lives Are Sacred MKE from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26 at the intersection of West North Avenue and North 6th Street. This is a peaceful, family-friendly event. Masks and social distancing will be observed. More information about Black Lives Are Sacred MKE here.
Ebony Ball: Sunday, Feb. 27
Marquette University’s Black Student Council presents this reliving of a day in 1920s Harlem. The show begins at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27 at the Alumni Memorial Union, 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. Click here for tickets and more details.
Milwaukee Film celebrates Black History Month: All month
Milwaukee Film presents a slate of films, conversations and events all month as part of its Black Lens MKE program. Click here to see the full list of events. In case you missed it: Post from Community: Milwaukee Film dedicates February to Black History Month 2022
Presence and Persistence: Visions of American Blackness: All month
The Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design’s exhibition explores Black life in America, with work ranging from black-and-white renderings to paintings to assemblage collage work. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays at 273 E. Erie St. Click here for more information about the exhibition and related events.
Black History Month Reading Challenge: All month
Kids and adults are invited to join the Milwaukee Public Library’s reading challenge all month. Prizes for adults, teens and children are available. Click here for more information.
Black History Month free virtual programming: All month
In addition to the reading challenge, the Milwaukee Public Library is hosting a slate of Black History Month-related events throughout February. These include discussions on Black love, Black Americans in Milwaukee and the concept of home in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. More information here.

created: February 18, 2022

author: Sam Woods


text:
5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Feb. 21 to Feb. 25 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 21, 2022
Beverages and community have always been staples in Lindsay Heights, whether it was juice from Juice Kitchen, shown in 2015, or apple ginger tea for “Share A Cup Tuesday” from Taste of Lindsay Heights, which takes place Tuesdays in 2022. (NNS file photo by Wyatt Massey)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here.
1. “Share A Cup Tuesday” in Lindsay Heights: Tuesday, Feb. 22 and every Tuesday
“Share A Cup Tuesday” is a campaign by Taste of Lindsay Heights, a carryout café run by the nonprofit Walnut Way. Customers pay for a cup of apple ginger tea for themselves and a neighbor, friend or stranger to build community in Lindsay Heights, one cup of tea at a time. Taste of Lindsay Heights is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 1617 W. North Ave.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is scheduled to deliver the 2022 State of the County Address starting at noon Wednesday, Feb. 23. This address is a chance for Crowley to update residents on the county’s work regarding health and human services, the parks system and other responsibilities of his office. The speech, delivered virtually due to COVID concerns, will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.
3. Virtual DIY Podcasting Workshop: Wednesday, Feb. 23
Learn everything you need to know about how to record, produce and publish a podcast at this series of workshops. The first of these workshops runs from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Newline Café, 3618 W Pierce St., on Wednesday, Feb. 23 and continues each Wednesday at the same time through March 16. The class and the editing software you will use are free, but you will need a phone, tablet or laptop with a microphone to record your podcast. RSVP here.
4. KASE + Klassik: album and book release party: Friday, Feb. 25
Celebrate Milwaukee-based jazz and rap talent KASE and Klassik as they release “KASE + Klassik Live At The Opera House” on cassette and digital. In addition, “Sound Museum,” a book of original designs by B Side Recordings, also will be available for purchase. Doors open at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 at The Ivy House, located at 906 S. Barclay St. Tickets start at $25 and you can purchase them here.
5. Apply for Summer Youth Internship Program: Deadline is Friday, March 18
Youths from 16 to 19 years old can get city government experience and earn $15 an hour through the Summer Youth Internship Program, a component of the Earn and Learn program. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Friday, March 18. Learn more about the program, eligibility requirements and the application process here.
BONUS: Black History Month events: All month
We recently published a list of events related to Black History Month, some of which are happening this weekend. Check them out here.

created: February 21, 2022


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 20, 2022

created: February 20, 2022


text:
OPINION: We need to develop our community for our community, and I’m starting now | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Tonda Thompson
February 21, 2022
Tonda Thompson writes: “I feel the outcry of restoration from my people and the neighborhoods we reside in. The outcry of belonging is what I feel.” (Photo by Ebony Cox / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
(Photo provided by Tonda Thompson)
Here I am, a 34-year-old Black woman, from 53206. My family grew up in a big pink house on a hill — 13Street, between Finn Street and Keefe Avenue, to be exact.
I stand in a city that seems as if it has lost its soul. Yes, it is the city that’s one of the worst to raise a Black child. The same city where Black infants die nearly three times faster than white infants. The city where Black youths are the focus of nightly news and are demonized as criminals and a threat to society.
Here I stand.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
In June of 2021, the City of Milwaukee sold an old building to me that was once a corner store named 311 Foods. A store that was owned, 12 years ago, by a woman the neighborhood called “Ma.” A Black woman who provided food and nourishments to her family, as well as many other families within the Harambee neighborhood, mostly Black families.
As I stand in this same doorway, as Ma might have when she purchased this building built in 1886, I see a vision that is greater than me.
I feel the outcry of restoration from my people and the neighborhoods we reside in. The outcry of belonging is what I feel.
See, Milwaukee was once a place where thriving Black families lived. Heavily segregated before the 1970s, Black families enjoyed each other’s company and the places and spaces that were created for them to enjoy life. Much of this was dismantled by eminent domain, 1960s highway construction and “white flight.”
As I was growing up on 13 Street, in the early 1990s, there were still white families on the block where we lived. The white family across the street from our family home lived there for years along with my family. All of the families knew each other well and there was a sense of community on the block. As years went by, homes were sold, and unfortunately, elders passed on. Along with their passing, so did homeownership and the sense of community. Along with homeownership, businesses faded as well.
In late January of 2022, I made a social media post with a vision of having a Black Wall Street, similar to the one in Atlanta, Georgia. Yes, I know — we have the greats like Bronzeville Collective and Sherman Phoenix, but I had a larger vision. This vision caught the attention of many city leaders and a host of likes and comments.
The post was an “if I could, I would” statement. I dreamed about restoring the remnants of Northridge Mall. Yes, I do know the annoying politics behind the building. The fact stands that Northridge Mall, built in 1972, was not created by or for the current culture of Milwaukee. The same goes for Capitol Court, which was built in 1956.
These entities, in my opinion, were designed for families that engaged in “white flight.”
In the 1980s, Black people expanded across the heart of the city and enjoyed walking to Capitol Court to purchase the latest fashion. However, we were not given the opportunity to keep up with the developments that were designed by another culture.
In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, my generation had access to skating rinks, malls, movie theaters, theme parks (Bonanza was SO DOPE!), merely because the people who those amenities were designed for were still the majority of the population of Milwaukee. I believe my generation witnessed the fall of these entities because they were not developed for us, and we were offered limited opportunities to maintain them.
Here I stand, with my Black son, who is turning 5 years old in March. Jehlani’s only option for a fun space for kids to gather does not exist within the City of Milwaukee. There are no spaces designed for him within the heart of the city to be free and be the kid that he needs to be. This is the same for his generation and the generation before him.
When they were developed, Northridge and Capitol Court were created by the people who lived in Granville and Midtown for the racial demographics that lived there at that time. It’s time for us to develop our own and stop waiting.
So here I stand, in the doorway of my first development. I pray that I am given the resources to create jobs, food and entertainment for generations to come within the heart of the city. This is my solution to reducing crime and other social determinants of health within the heart of the city.
Here I stand with my son, my family and the hopes to restore future of the city of Milwaukee.
Tonda Thompson is a model turned community advocate and developer who aims to reduce social determinants of health within cities with large BIPOC populations across the nation.

author: Tonda Thompson


text:
_MG_6724 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 20, 2022


text:
Post from Community: County Executive David Crowley to give virtual State of the County address on February 23 at noon | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
February 21, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley will give the 2022 State of the County Address on Wednesday, February 23 at noon. Due to the current Omicron COVID-19 surge the 2022 State of the County Address will be held virtually in order to help mitigate the spread of the disease and keep members of the public safe.
County Executive Crowley will hold a virtual media availability following the speech. Members of the media are encouraged to RSVP to receive virtual log-in information for the post-speech media availability. Media can RSVP by emailing press@milwaukeecountywi.gov or calling 414-469-3493
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
WHAT: 2022 State of the County Address
WHO: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
WHEN: February 22 @ Noon
WHERE: Facebook & YouTube


text:
Post from Community: Molson Coors dedicates $1 million to Thurgood Marshall College Fund to support next generation of diverse leaders | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Molson Coors
February 21, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Building upon more than $10 million in contributions over the past 35 years, Molson Coors today announced a donation of $1 million to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) to fund its leadership development and education programs over the next three years. As a founding partner of TMCF, Molson Coors is committed to championing diversity and fostering empowerment among talented students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“We have made a commitment to our employees to provide a more inclusive and diverse working environment, and a commitment to our communities to provide support for organizations working for a more just and inclusive world,” said Dave Osswald, Molson Coors chief people and diversity officer. “While our partnership goes back decades, today’s announcement not only represents an exciting new chapter of our partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, but also provides additional opportunities for students of color which will ultimately lead to a more diverse workforce, both at our company and beyond.”
The funding will support programs focused on providing educational resources, leadership development and career opportunities for students attending HBCUs. These programs include TMCF’s annual Leadership Institute and Recruitment Fair, as well as a multiday pitch competition, which will bolster the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of 20 HBCU students per year. Additionally, Molson Coors will continue to sponsor scholars through TMCF’s scholarship program and provide hands-on work experience and employment opportunities through its talent sourcing program, ensuring students of color have access to higher education and career development.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
TMCF has a history of success supporting nearly 300,000 students who attend HBCUs and PBIs, and creating pathways to economic mobility through degree attainment and lucrative careers. Since its founding in 1987, TMCF has awarded more than $300 million in scholarships for students and boasts a 97% graduation rate for students in its programs.
“We are proud to expand our relationship with Molson Coors and further support the next generation of leaders from HBCUs, institutions that play a critical role in ensuring young people of color are not left behind,” said TMCF President & CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams.
In addition to contributing funding to TMCF, Molson Coors supports diversity, equity and inclusion by investing in initiatives and partnering with organizations that aim to improve livelihoods, build resilient communities and empower the next generation of diverse leaders. For more information, please visit www.molsoncoors.com.
About Molson Coors
For more than two centuries Molson Coors has been brewing beverages that unite people to celebrate all life’s moments. From Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, Carling, and Staropramen to Coors Banquet, Blue Moon Belgian White, Blue Moon LightSky, Vizzy, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Creemore Springs, Hop Valley and more, Molson Coors produces many beloved and iconic beer brands. While the company’s history is rooted in beer, Molson Coors offers a modern portfolio that expands beyond the beer aisle as well. Our ESG strategy is focused on People and Planet with a strong commitment to raising industry standards and leaving a positive imprint on our employees, consumers, communities and the environment. To learn more about Molson Coors Beverage Company, visit molsoncoors.com, MolsonCoorsOurImprint.com or on Twitter through @MolsonCoors.
About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.
TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit: www.tmcf.org.

author: Molson Coors


text:
Molson-Coors-Preferred-Logo-ON-WHITE2.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
February 21, 2022

author: Name *


text:
Milwaukee’s syphilis cases highest in two decades, preliminary data shows | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
February 22, 2022
The city’s battle with syphilis continues, and the Keenan Health Center is still a crucial location for treatment services. (NNS file photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
Milwaukee saw its highest syphilis case total in two decades in 2021, more than doubling rates from 2020.
The city recorded 441 cases of primary and secondary syphilis, according to preliminary data from the Milwaukee Health Department. This comes after Milwaukee recorded 183 cases in 2020.
The data is subject to change as there are still some cases being tracked. Dr. Heather Paradis, chief medical officer of the Milwaukee Health Department, said the full year- end report is expected to be released in May. She did not anticipate that the case total would change drastically.
“These are accurate numbers and reflections of what we’re seeing,” Paradis said. “And in talking with our clinical partners across the city that deal with STD services, they are feeling these numbers as well.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection. The earlier stages of the disease, primary and secondary syphilis, are the most common and can result in a number of symptoms, including genital sores, unexplained rashes, swollen lymph nodes and fever.
If left untreated, the disease can result in tertiary syphilis, an advanced stage of the disease that can affect organ systems like the heart, blood vessels, brain and nervous system, although these cases are rare.
From 2001 to 2019, the county did not have a year with syphilis cases in the triple digits, according to data from the health department’s SurvNet, a set of disease statistics for Milwaukee County.
The recent spike has especially affected women of child-bearing age, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Historically, men who have sex with men have been primarily affected by syphilis.
The spike for women of child-bearing age has resulted in an increase in cases of congenital syphilis, a condition in which newborn babies contract the disease at birth. These numbers are also rising in Milwaukee County. Congenital syphilis can have permanent health effects on a child and may result in loss of life.
Paradis said the health department investigated 19 cases of congenital syphilis in 2021, a staggering increase from prior years when only one or two cases would occur annually. This number is also preliminary and subject to change after further investigation, she said.
Melissa Ugland, a public health consultant, said the numbers were discouraging. Reaching out to at-risk populations and getting them tested and educated was critical, she said.
“From a prevention standpoint, like any other disease under the sun, the earlier you catch it the better,” Ugland said.
Paradis said the department is planning more community outreach for this year, including going to heavily affected areas and reaching health care workers about how to detect and diagnose syphilis.
According to a report from the Milwaukee Health Department, roughly 66% of the city’s syphilis cases from 2018 to 2020 were among Black residents, as opposed to 15% for the white and Latinx populations. Data on other racial and ethnic groups was not included. There was no racial and ethnic breakdown available for the preliminary 2021 data.
Why the spike in syphilis cases? A definitive answer is elusive, but the experts point to some probabilities.
Meghan Benson, director of community education for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said the pandemic made access to preventative care more difficult.
Some barriers for accessing sexual health clinics include the location of services, lack of transportation and distrust of health care systems, she said. Part of the difficulty is also getting people to feel comfortable seeking services in the face of stigma.
“People may have feelings of shame or guilt,” Benson said. “We also don’t talk about it much—people don’t have all the information they need.”
Ruthie Burich-Weatherly, president of the Milwaukee Board of Health, said the city needs to ensure adequate staff and funding for the health department to put up prevention efforts, increase education and awareness around the issue and continue doing outreach.
“We want to avoid, essentially, a syphilis epidemic in a pandemic,” Burich-Weatherly said.
Syphilis briefs from the Department of Health Services are available in English, Spanish and Hmong on its website.
Free or low-cost testing is available at local health centers, such as Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers and Milwaukee Health Services.
The Milwaukee Health Department maintains a list of places to get tested in the area.
To contact the Milwaukee Health Department’s Keenan Health Center, call 414-286-8840. It is located at 3200 N. 36 St.
BESTD Clinic, 1240 E. Brady St., offers syphilis testing. Call 414-272-2144.
Holton Street Clinic, 3521 N. Holton St., provides free syphilis and HIV screening. Call 414-264-8800.
To contact Planned Parenthood and make an appointment, call 844-493-1052 or visit its website and select “Book Online.” Planned Parenthood has multiple locations throughout the city. You can find health centers near you at this link.
In case you missed it: Milwaukee sees rise in syphilis cases

created: February 22, 2022

author: Matt Martinez


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 21, 2022


text:
NNS Spotlight: Hope House is expanding its tools to combat homelessness | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
February 23, 2022
Murals adorn the walls of the Hope House shelter. (Photo by PrincessSafiya Byers)
Leer en español: una versión traducida de este artículo está disponible debajo de la versión en inglés.
Many know Hope House of Milwaukee as a shelter for families facing homelessness, but as the organization expands its reach, it is doing more.
The organization, located at 209 W. Orchard St., houses a walk-in clinic, a youth center for children and a GED program available to both residents and people in the surrounding area.
But helping combat homelessness remains a core mission.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The organization houses about 10 families and provides them with personal space, communal space and a shared kitchen where families take turns cooking dinner for one another.
In fact, families of all types and backgrounds have spent time at Hope House.
“We don’t define family, you define family,” said Jim Farrell, the development director for Hope House.
While in the shelter, families are provided necessities and wraparound services to help them stay on their feet and move forward.
The organization helps from 50 to 150 families at risk of homelessness find stable housing.
The organization’s rapid rehousing program, for example, provides families in imminent danger of homelessness with emergency assistance to get a roof over their heads, said Wendy Weckler, the executive director of Hope House.
“Ninety-five percent of the families get permanently housed through the program,” she said. “Eighty-five percent have never been homeless again.”
Hope House has been serving families since 1987 but is continuing to extend its reach to serve more people.
Since Sept. 1, it has been managing the St. Catherine Residence, a building at 1032 E. Knapp St., that has provided women with stable, affordable housing for 125 years.
Mercy House Lakefront gifted the building to prevent it from closing and to carry on the mission of the Sisters of Mercy to provide a flexible housing option for women.
But it has passed the baton to Hope House.
“It’s a case of paying it forward, really,” said Mark Angelini, the president of Mercy Housing Lakefront. “Since we were gifted the building, and we think Hope House is better suited to run it, we want to allow them the chance to grow without the debt that purchasing a building would create.”
How you can help
As Hope House continues to expand its reach in Milwaukee, it needs help. You can donate by clicking here.
Muchos conocen a Hope House of Milwaukee como un refugio para familias sin hogar, pero a medida que la organización amplía su alcance, está haciendo más.
La organización, ubicada en 209 W. Orchard St., alberga una clínica sin cita previa, un centro juvenil para niños y un programa de GED disponible tanto para los residentes como para las personas de los alrededores.
Pero ayudar a combatir la falta de vivienda sigue siendo una misión central.
La organización alberga a unas 10 familias y les proporciona un espacio personal, un espacio común y una cocina compartida donde las familias se turnan para cocinar la cena para los demás.
De hecho, familias de todo tipo y procedencia han pasado tiempo en Hope House.
“Nosotros no definimos familia, tú defines familia”, dijo Jim Farrell, director de desarrollo de Hope House.
Mientras están en el refugio, las familias reciben las necesidades y los servicios integrales para ayudarlos a mantenerse de pie y seguir adelante.
La organización ayuda a entre 50 y 150 familias en riesgo de quedarse sin hogar a encontrar una vivienda estable.
El programa de realojamiento rápido de la organización, por ejemplo, brinda a las familias en peligro inminente de quedarse sin hogar asistencia de emergencia para conseguir un techo sobre sus cabezas, dijo Wendy Weckler, directora ejecutiva de Hope House.
“El noventa y cinco por ciento de las familias obtienen vivienda permanente a través del programa”, dijo. “Ochenta y cinco por ciento nunca han vuelto a estar sin hogar”.
Hope House ha estado al servicio de las familias desde 1987, pero continúa ampliando su alcance para atender a más personas.
Desde el 1 de septiembre, ha estado administrando St. Catherine Residence, un edificio en 1032 E. Knapp St., que ha brindado a las mujeres viviendas estables y asequibles durante 125 años.
Mercy House Lakefront regaló el edificio para evitar que cerrara y continuar con la misión de las Hermanas de la Misericordia de brindar una opción de vivienda flexible para las mujeres.
Pero ha pasado el testigo a Hope House.
“En realidad, se trata de devolver el favor”, dijo Mark Angelini, presidente de Mercy Housing Lakefront. “Dado que nos regalaron el edificio, y creemos que Hope House es más adecuada para administrarlo, queremos darles la oportunidad de crecer sin la deuda que generaría la compra de un edificio”.
A medida que Hope House continúa expandiendo su alcance en Milwaukee, necesita ayuda. Puede donar haciendo clic aquí.

created: February 23, 2022

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 22, 2022


text:
Post from Community: Art, Food & Justice public workshops kicking off this weekend | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Art Food & Justice
February 23, 2022

author: Art Food & Justice


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 23, 2022


text:
Post from Community: Join the vibrant community of Penfield Montessori Academy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Penfield Children’s Center
February 23, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Penfield Montessori Academy, a free Montessori public charter school, offers a curriculum that emphasizes discovery and personalized instruction to help students learn and develop in a self-directed and hands-on environment. The school community represents families from all socioeconomic and racial backgrounds throughout Milwaukee and prides itself on the diverse student population.
“We are proud of our ability to provide a quality and authentic Montessori curriculum where children learn together in multi-age classrooms,” said Dr. Mora Anderson, Head of School at Penfield Montessori. “Our children are excited to come to school each day and our staff do what it takes to ensure every child feels supported and stays focused on their individualized learning plan.”
Penfield Montessori welcomes children of all abilities and is currently enrolling for grades K3-K5. The primary environment teaches children practical life skills, encourages language development, and introduces early learners to mathematics and cultural studies.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
In addition to the limited enrollment opportunities, Penfield Montessori is hiring for a variety of positions, including Montessori assistant teachers, special education paraprofessionals, and more! The close-knit community of educators and administrative staff makes a difference in the lives of Penfield Montessori’s families each and every day, working in a supportive, inclusive environment.
To learn more about Penfield Montessori, enroll your child, or view our current job openings, visit: penfieldmontessori.org or call 414-999-2330.

author: Penfield Children’s Center


text:
FB-Graphic-3.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
February 23, 2022


text:
FlexRide Milwaukee working to address transportation barriers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
February 24, 2022
“Transportation insecurity is a huge issue,” Dave Steele says. “If you lack a car in Milwaukee that means the majority of jobs, including those that are higher paying, are not within your reach.” (Photo provided by FlexRide Milwaukee)
Leer en español: FlexRide Milwaukee trabaja para abordar las barreras de transporte
When it comes to getting from point A to point B, the easiest path is a straight line. But the straight line isn’t always possible, especially when one’s primary mode of transportation is the bus.
A new pilot program, FlexRide Milwaukee, is hoping to bridge the transportation gap between employees and their workplaces. FlexRide Milwaukee is a transportation service that offers rides to individuals who work for employers located within Menomonee Falls and Butler. It launched in early February.
“It’s like Uber or Lyft, but more efficient and less costly,” Lingqian Hu said. “We want to fill in the transportation gap in our region. FlexRide Milwaukee will serve people who cross county lines from Milwaukee County to Waukesha County.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Hu is a faculty member for UW-Milwaukee’s Department of Urban Planning. She is part of the research team that helped plan and implement FlexRide Milwaukee.
UW-Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission received a $50,000 planning grant from the National Science Foundation in January 2021. Through the grant, the research team conducted surveys on the transportation gap with potential users of the service and with employers.
In fall 2021, the team received a $1 million grant from National Science Foundation through its Civic Innovation Challenge grant program.
“It’s totally driven by potential users of our services,” Hu said. “I believe we got funding because we adopted a transformative planning process.”
FlexRide has five locations in Milwaukee, Menomonee Falls and Butler where users can request rides. Many of them are on major bus lines. (Photo provided by FlexRide Milwaukee)
Addressing the transportation gap
“Transportation insecurity is a huge issue,” Dave Steele, the executive director of MobiliSE, said. “If you lack a car in Milwaukee that means the majority of jobs, including those that are higher paying, are not within your reach.”
MobiliSE was formed in 2015 through the Regional Transit Leadership Council. It advocates for improving transportation options in Southeastern Wisconsin.
Steele added, “The whole point is to reduce the amount of time spent commuting; to increase the comfort level; (and) the safety level. Because it is essentially to the front door of the business, that means the rider won’t have to walk long distances.”
Safety is the No. 1 concern, he said.
Chytania Brown is president and CEO of Employ Milwaukee. The nonprofit is a partner on the project; it helped conduct the survey and is now connecting employees to the service.
Brown explained that buses only go to a certain point, but employment may be a mile or so out. In summer, it’s not so bad, but in winter it can be brutal, she said, especially when it’s dark outside and the area lacks sidewalks.
She noted that employees may feel fearful, especially people of color if they work in a predominately white area.
“Some of the harassment and things that you may endure are sometimes not even worth the job,” she said. “The job couldn’t pay enough to endure those challenges when you have the last mile.”
If people don’t experience it, they may not understand it, she said. FlexRide offers a safer option because employees are taken either directly to the door or close to it.
Milwaukee is thinking outside of the box with FlexRide, Brown said. She views the service as an additional resource for people looking for opportunities.
Most of the FlexRide vehicles are personal vehicles such as minivans, but there is one shuttle currently in use, Steele said. The service is similar to Uber, but the biggest difference is that the drivers are paid by the hour and on call for certain hours, he said.
Kevin Muhs, the executive director of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, said that by talking to potential users of the app, the research team learned that travel time was more important than the cost of the service. Users wanted to make sure they arrived at work or home quickly and on time, he said. The commission helped UW-Milwaukee conduct surveys.
This information influenced the location of three pickup spots located within the city and ensured that the spots are located on Milwaukee County Transit System bus stops.
“A lot of the job growth that has occurred in our region in the past 20 years or so has occurred in suburban locations outside of Milwaukee,” Muhs said. “This service seeks to extend the similar type of access that people get to with bus system to the business parks.”
Continued research
In the initial planning phase, potential users and employers helped design the service. (Photo provided by FlexRide Milwaukee)
During the pilot program’s run, Hu and her team will continue conducting surveys. They will look at how it can improve the employment status and the retention rate of businesses located in Menomonee Falls and Butler and evaluate the environmental outcomes and the social equity aspects.
“We want to see if our approach can solve the institutional barriers,” she said, explaining that while many counties have transit systems, they lack the capacity to provide regionwide transit services.
“The long-term goal is to provide equal access to opportunities for people who live in segregated neighborhoods,” Hu said. “I believe that equal access to those opportunities is essential for people to reach their potential.”
Ultimately, organizers want to secure funding to sustain and expand the project, Hu said.
“Car ownership is a huge barrier to people in Milwaukee,” Hu said. “More transportation options in the region are good for economic growth and community development. Reducing that barrier to participating in the economy is huge.”
How does it work?
FlexRide Milwaukee is a smartphone app. Individuals interested in FlexRide must register to use the app. Once they’re approved, they will receive an access code.
The app is available to download on the App Store or Google Play Store. Individuals can download the app and create an account. To order a ride, the user must enter the pickup and drop-off locations and the app will handle the rest.
If a user does not have a smartphone, they can dial 414-667-7433 to request a ride.
Rides are available from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Individuals can request a ride from one of the five stops: Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave.; Midtown Center, 5700 W. Capitol Drive; Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, 5460 N. 64 St.; and Silver Spring Drive/Lovers Lane and Woodman’s/Sam’s Club, Highway 145.
Rides to and from Woodman/Sam’s Club and Silver Spring/Lovers Lane stops are currently free. Other stops cost $1.50 for a one-way ride. This price will eventually increase to $3.
Employers interested in joining the pilot can email Eric Lynde at elynde@sewrpc.org.
More information on FlexRide Milwaukee can be found online. Click here or visit www.flexridemke.com.

created: February 24, 2022

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


text:
51872111281_0ceb264e19_c | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 23, 2022


text:
Ways to stay heart healthy in February (and beyond) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
February 24, 2022
Jessica Martinez, a community health worker focused on heart health with Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, speaks to a patient during the pandemic. (Photo provided by Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center)
February is American Heart Month, a time meant to raise awareness around heart health issues. As with many awareness months, however, experts are hoping to extend the conversation year-round.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Milwaukee County, the death rate was 222.1 per 100,000 for the year 2020, according to data from the state Department of Health Services. This is higher than the national and state death rate – 211.5 per 100,000 and 158.8 per 100,000, respectively.
Organizations such as the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center have programs to help people manage cardiac disease, including high blood pressure.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Jessica Martinez, a community health worker with the center, said she is screening patients who have a blood pressure of 140 over 90 or higher. A healthy blood pressure is 120 over 80.
Martinez said working with someone one-on-one is crucial to managing disease and helping people understand what steps they can take to mitigate it.
“It’s one thing to be able to teach somebody something, but it’s another thing to be able to flip the questions and see how much they know,” Martinez said.
Making changes in some areas can help manage or prevent heart disease:
Alex Forsythe, a dietitian at Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, said it’s more than just what foods someone eats: Often, people need help figuring out how to prepare foods they haven’t had before, especially fresh foods.
“Preparing food is a huge piece of it, especially when a food is foreign to someone” Forsythe said. “We’re educating people just on basic ways to cook and prepare a vegetable, but also recognizing that this person may not have a ton of cooking skills or have access to a functional oven or stovetop – so what can we do with a microwave?”
Forsythe said it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
“When you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure or a type of cardiac condition, it’s a lot to take in and process,” Forsythe said. “The truth of the matter is, that individual’s not even ready to make a lifestyle change.”
But the changes don’t always have to be drastic right away, said Dr. Ivor Benjamin, director of the cardiovascular center at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He said finding a place to exercise can be one of the most difficult activities for new patients.
His advice: Find a pair of comfortable shoes and a place to walk. If someone walks at a quick pace, enough to make them out of breath if they try to talk, they can get their heart rate up and start improving their blood pressure.
Walking for 30 minutes a day, six days a week is enough to eclipse the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 150 minutes per week.
Benjamin recommended that people with high blood pressure find ways to test often and keep a diary of the results.
“You should know your blood pressure the same way you know your age,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin said that setting good habits to combat heart disease usually takes about 21 days of continued practice.
Ivor said he encourages family elders to have discussions with the younger generations about blood pressure and heart disease, so that they can determine whether they need to make lifestyle changes.
“It’s not simple, but especially in communities with misinformation and mistrust of systems, it’s important for those conversations to occur,” Benjamin said.
Find out more
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center is posting virtual information sessions on its social media accounts every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the months. The videos are available on the organization’s Facebook page.
For more tips and resources about heart health, visit The Heart Truth website. And you can go here and here.


text:
5 things to know and do the weekend of Feb. 25 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 25, 2022
Though its virtual exhibit has been open, America’s Black Holocaust Museum’s physical location reopens Friday. (NNS file photo by Andrea Waxman)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here.
1. America’s Black Holocaust Museum grand on-site reopening: Friday, Feb. 25
The wait is over, and the physical location of America’s Black Holocaust Museum is back. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony outside the museum at 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 at 401 W. North Ave. Following the ceremony, the doors of the museum will be open until 5 p.m. Click here for more information on the event, and click here for more information about the museum.
2. Freedom Friday MKE: Friday, Feb. 25
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
What does freedom look like to you? That is the question this panel will discuss – and more – bringing awareness to the wrongfully convicted, wrongfully charged and the entire criminal justice system. The discussion will feature co-host “The Comeback Coach” Ed Hennings with special guests panelists Jamila T. Davis, Stoney, Angelo Pinto, Brad Jordan and Rudy Bankston. The event, organized by the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative, will also have free food, local vendors and music. Vendor booths open and networking begins at 3 p.m. and the panel discussion begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 at 6633 W. Mill Rd.
3. La Iguana Folkloric Dance Workshop: Saturday, Feb. 26
Learn how to dance to traditional music from Veracruz, Mexico, that represents the ocean waves, respect for the natural environment and protection of endangered species. The class is led by Omeyocan Dance Company and runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26 at Arts @ Large, located at 1100 S. 5th St. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test required.
4. Learn how to cross-country ski: Saturday, Feb. 26
Want to learn how to cross country ski? The Hawthorn Glen Outdoor Education Center is here to teach you! Equipment is available for those who need it. Class begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 1130 N. 60th St. Tickets can be purchased through Milwaukee Recreation for $15 for Milwaukee residents, $25 for those outside of the city.
5. Urban Candlelight Hike: Saturday, Feb. 26
Celebrate winter in Milwaukee with a cup of cocoa, chimichangas, campfires, food trucks and more at this urban candlelight hike in Three Bridges Park, hosted by the Urban Ecology Center and Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail. Festivities run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26 at Three Bridges Park at 610 S. 35th St. Entry is free, but more information on what is available for purchase is available here.
BONUS: Black History Month events: all month
We recently published a list of events related to Black History Month, some of which are happening this weekend. Check them out here.

created: February 25, 2022


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 24, 2022


text:
NNS Spotlight: STRYV365 helps Milwaukee youths navigate the challenges of life | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
February 25, 2022
Brandon Currie, CEO of STRYV365, wants kids to develop a resilient mindset. “Discipline, communication, commitment — you’ve got to depend on yourself,” Currie says. “You’re on an island. No excuses, no timeouts and no substitutions.” (Photo by Matt Martinez)
When Brandon Currie was growing up, he spent a lot of time on emerald tennis courts, racket in hand, awaiting a serve.
Currie was born and raised in Milwaukee. His father taught his older brother to play and naturally he felt the need to try to become better than both, he said.
In that time, he learned skills that helped govern his life.
They carried him through school and his career as a counselor, a Division I tennis coach and eventually the chief executive officer of STRYV365, a youth-focused nonprofit that provides education and athletic programs to develop a resilient mindset in kids.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“Discipline, communication, commitment — you’ve got to depend on yourself,” Currie said. “You’re on an island. No excuses, no timeouts and no substitutions.”
He hopes to pass those skills on to the students he mentors.
STRYV365 partners with schools, youth-serving institutions and community anchors in and around Milwaukee, including Wellpoint Care Network, formerly SaintA, and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Making connections
Currie said a large part of his organization’s mission is finding ways to connect with individuals on things they’re passionate about.
This can take the form of athletics, a book club, performing arts and much more.
Finding the right activity or setting for someone to feel comfortable is crucial. It can be an escape for many kids, but is sometimes easier said than done.
If kids don’t see an activity, they might not know they want to do it.
For Currie, it’s a simple calculus: Visibility plus accessibility equals opportunity.
“If you want to create true change, we have to find ways to give people hope by creating opportunities for them by letting them see new things and then having access to those new things,” Currie said.
Currie said some of the organization’s curriculum can involve interpersonal skills, too, such as different methods of getting to know someone.
For example, teaching kids to take an “ask, don’t tell” approach to conversations can be an easy way to establish a rapport, he said.
“When you ask questions, it allows you to peel back more layers and dive deeper into getting to know someone,” Currie said. “Every time you ask a question, you learn more … before you know it, you find something in common.”
The goal is to give kids the tools to forge deeper relationships, especially through the isolation that has occurred with the pandemic.
“Some of these kids are completely disconnected from things that are important to them,” he said. “How do they navigate through that? How do they feel supported? … That’s our greatest fear … that there aren’t enough supports out there where they feel like they are heard and have a purpose.”
The organization formed in January 2020, just a few short months before the COVID-19 pandemic would force it to adapt as children were being kept home from schools.
Currie said his team has adapted by providing online sessions and making videos for students to follow along with at home.
Currie said each school’s version of the program might look different based on what it needs.
Some schools might have curriculum attached to a physical education class – others might need an after-school or summer program.
STRYV365 works with leadership to determine the best fit.
Creating safe spaces
At the Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, 4030 N. 29th St., Currie said the program provides a safe space for open discussion and emphasizes life skills.
Judith Parker, principal at the Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, said the organization’s presence in her school has resulted in some amazing transformations among students.
The academy has a male mentorship program that teaches students life skills.
For 10th graders Kingsemaj Dixon, Arkayvion Hall and Marvelle Handley, the program provides a safe place to be themselves.
“It gave us a time to get away from everybody and just chill,” Handley said. “When we’re in STRYV, we’re not worried about what’s going on in the next class or what are we going to have to go through when we get home – we’re just talking, having fun, learning with each other, growing with each other.”
The group meets three times a week and discusses current events and ways to navigate life.
Dixon said that hearing from adults who have had similar life experiences helps them make a playbook for life.
It also helps them vent feelings of frustration.
“We have an outlet to go talk to them and get all that anger out,” Dixon said. “It’s like a therapist in a way.”
It’s brought the three students closer together, too, finding the common ground that Currie strives to give all the people in his programs.
“I feel like it really did get us closer,” Hall said. “When we first went, we didn’t really know each other. But as the sessions progressed, it’s like now you know that you have people that are down for you, that got your back.”
One area where the program has been useful is the academy’s athletics department.
The school’s basketball team participates in the program, and mentors are able to use real-life situations to illustrate points about making wise decisions.
For instance, Currie said that the mentors led a discussion the day after basketball player LeBron James got into an on-court confrontation with another player.
The team members were asked questions about how they would handle a situation like that and what positive or negative effects their decisions could have.
Parker said it was especially important to have the program active during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every single one of our students has experienced some kind of trauma,” Parker said. “We want to give them access to resources to deal with it.”
Currie said you can’t change “what they see in their neighborhood, what happens in their house, what happens around them.”
But you can counteract those negative experiences by giving them positive ones through sports, school and connection.
“When you have a resilient mindset and you have empowered yourself to overcome adversity, that’s when you build this confidence, this inner strength to say, ‘I have options to overcome these challenges and I’ll figure it out,’” Currie said. “That’s how you create the change.”


text:
5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Feb. 28 to March 4 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
February 28, 2022
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center hosts biweekly drum circles for its registered male patients as well as talking circles for men and women. (Photo provided by Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here.
Apply for Grilled Cheese Grant
Seniors at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design who are completing their senior exhibition projects in the areas of fine arts and/or design are invited to apply to receive funding from the Grilled Cheese Grant. The Grilled Cheese Grant, in partnership with the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, was created as another way for graduating students to receive financial support for their projects outside of their institution. The application is due Tuesday, March 1. Application and more information can be found here. Those interested in donating to support the program, and in turn support Milwaukee’s emerging artists, can learn more about the program here.
2. Paid civic engagement opportunity for Southeast Asian young people: Deadline Wednesday, March 2
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The Hmong American Women’s Association is looking for Southeast Asian young people from the ages of 18 to 30 years old to participate in its Civic Engagement Cohort. This is a paid opportunity for young people to enhance their skillset around organizing Milwaukee’s Southeast Asian community. Applicants do not need prior experience and Southeast Asian women, girls, queer and trans folks are strongly encouraged to apply. The deadline to apply is 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2. More details and application can be found here.
Nomunication feat. Saké and Anime
Fans of saké and anime will love this recurring event at Nō Studios, where saké cocktails and buy-one-get-one flights are paired with popular anime. This month’s anime is Assassination Classroom. The event runs every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Nō Studios, located at 1037 W. McKinley Ave. More information can be found here.
Healing the Hurt Women’s Circle
Female patients of Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center are invited to this 14-week group that will provide a safe, private and supportive space to begin healing the invisible hurts caused from abuse. Those who are not currently patients can register by contacting Deborah Black at (414) 316-5046 to sign up for the group. The first meeting runs from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 3 at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, located at 930 W. Historic Mitchell St. More information can be found here.
For registered male patients, the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center also is hosting a biweekly Healing Voices Men’s Talking Circle and All Nations Men’s Drum Circle on alternating Thursdays. The Healing Voices Men’s Talking Circle will take place this Thursday, March 3 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 930 W. Historic Mitchell St. For more information, contact Daniel Preston at 414-316-5048.
5. Job fairs for aspiring school bus drivers, cafeteria workers and more: All week
Employ Milwaukee is hosting multiple job fairs hiring for school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, technology training for young adults and more. Events take place primarily on the Northwest Side of Milwaukee all week. More information about each event can be found here.

created: February 28, 2022


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 27, 2022

created: February 27, 2022


text:
Inside the NNS Newsroom: Reporter PrincessSafiya Byers wins national fellowship | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
March 1, 2022
Housing reporter PrincessSafiya Byers has been selected for the “Widening the Pipeline” fellowship designed to support early-career journalists of color and help them rise to positions of influence in U.S. newsrooms. (Photo by Tonda Thompson)
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service housing reporter PrincessSafiya Byers is among the 25 journalists from across the country selected by the National Press Foundation for a yearlong fellowship, “Widening the Pipeline.”
The fellowship is designed to support early-career journalists of color and help them rise to positions of influence in U.S. newsrooms. The journalists are based in 18 states and hail from print, radio, TV and digital newsrooms.
Fellows will meet in Washington, D.C., for a three-day workshop March 20-23, then meet once a month for virtual training sessions and return to Washington for  concluding training in 2023. Topics will include leadership, investigative reporting, accountability reporting, data journalism, multimedia skills and in-studio media training.
Byers, a 2020 graduate of the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University, covers housing for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, the editorially independent nonprofit newsroom that serves communities of color in Milwaukee.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
She comes to NNS via the acclaimed Report For America program, which places talented emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.
She is part of an award-winning newsroom housed in the Diederich College of Communication. NNS receives tremendous in-kind support from the college as well as other departments and units throughout the university.
But to pay its reporters and editors, NNS relies on donations and has garnered consistent financial support from the city’s leading philanthropic foundations during its 11 years of operation.
“Our work is free, but our labors are not,” said Editorial Director Ron Smith. “It’s heartening to be sitting on the national stage as an example of what community-fueled journalism can do for residents who have been largely ignored by other media outlets.
“Princess is an invaluable member of our staff,” he said. “I have no doubt she will learn from members of her cohort, and she will teach them things as well, and then she will come back to teach us in Milwaukee.”
Click here to catch up on some of Byers’ stories for NNS.
You can donate to NNS by clicking here.

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


text:
51502646910_9d70dbd401_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 28, 2022


text:
‘It has been set back years now’: Free calls to those who are incarcerated hits a snag in Milwaukee County | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 1, 2022
One of the private rooms that line the county jail’s booking room has a phone and a toilet. (NNS file photo)
This story has been updated to correct an error. The plan involves free calls for those incarcerated in Milwaukee County facilities, not the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, which is state-run.
A plan for free calls for those jailed at the Milwaukee County House of Correction and the Milwaukee County Jail has been blocked due to budgetary considerations.
This move, proponents of the free calls say, is prolonging an undue burden for families already struggling financially. And the action has, they say, the earmarks of balancing the county budget on the backs of those least able to afford it.
The plan had been for free or reduced costs for phone and video calls to those who are incarcerated. Amid budgetary concerns, those plans were recently placed on hold by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
An amendment passed by the Board of Supervisors in a 12-5 vote on Feb. 3 called for officials to gather more information and report back on how to best structure a proposal to efficiently provide free or low-cost calls and to look more closely at the plan’s potential impact on the budget. That plan is due before the board by July.
This amendment was attached to a resolution by Supervisor Ryan Clancy that would have provided at least 75 minutes of free phone calls and 75 minutes of free video calls a week.
Elizabeth Brown, an activist with Justice Wisconsin, a civil and human rights advocacy group, said she’s fed up with a system of incarceration that takes advantage of Milwaukee families, especially Black and low-income families. Key among their struggles is maintaining communication with loved ones because of the high cost of phone and video calls from the Milwaukee House of Correction and the Milwaukee County Jail.
“It causes extreme hurt to a family that was already struggling prior to their loved one being caught in the system to not have the ability or the money to talk to them,” said Brown, adding that on-site video visitation was suspended due to COVID. “Those calls help families maintain crucial connections and support each other.”
Katelyn Harvey said her loved one is serving an 11-month sentence at the House of Correction. She said paying to maintain communication with him has been difficult.
“Having to pay bills has been a struggle the last couple months,” she said. “But talking to a loved one is so important because it gives these people that are in the House of Corrections and in the county jail hope.”
According to a fiscal estimate conducted by Worth Rises, a national nonprofit that advocates for the dismantling of the prison system, Milwaukee families spend $5.1 million a year on phone and video calls from jail, a portion of which goes to the county.
These calls cost 21 cents per minute for phone calls and 41 cents a minute for video calls. Brown said she’s outraged that a resolution that would have provided free or low-cost calls to those housed in Milwaukee County facilities hit a major roadblock that could delay changes for years.
That plan, which Clancy said he’d worked for 13 months on, was initially supported by the Board of Supervisors but was amended due to concerns about its impact on the budget.
Clancy acknowledges those concerns but said a national nonprofit, Ameelio, a communications and educational technology company, agreed to donate free video calls. He said its administration fee is around $70,000 and added that the total of $600,000 needed to implement the plan was already available in the budget.
“We are gouging families and generating a lot of money for the county and it’s absolutely wrong,” he said.
Fellow County Supervisor Shawn Rolland introduced an amendment to the resolution that Clancy said “kicked the plan down the road.”
Rolland said he’s also against balancing the budget through fees charged to low-income and communities of color.
“It is immoral for us to do that,” he said.
But, he said, Clancy’s plan blows a big hole in the budget with no plan to fill it.
“His proposal didn’t explain the budget costs,” which Rolland said would have been more than $4 million. “It doesn’t include the extra staff that we would have to have on board to manage the calls and the safety of the jail.”
Without more time, the plan would have been doomed, he said.
“We can be a national leader if we get this right,” he said. “If they see us tripping up or making promises that we can’t keep, it won’t create systemic change.”
Other cities, including New York, San Diego and Louisville, have already made phone calls free for inmates. There also is a national push to federally regulate the cost of calls for prisoners. The Martha White Prison Phone Justice Act would require the Federal Communications Commission to establish maximum rates that providers could charge for those services and set caps in the interim.
While that legislation languishes in Congress, there’s still the matter of the county needing to balance its budget, with many of its departments struggling. Milwaukee County Parks, for example, has about $500 million in deferred maintenance projects, according to Parks Director Guy Smith.
Another challenge to moving toward free or low-cost calls is that the county supervisors recently approved a new three-year contract between the county and Inmate Calling Solutions, referred to as ICSolutions, the company that currently provides the phone and video services.
That contract guarantees the county a minimum annual payment from the firm to the county of $2.036 million and an additional $100,000 annually to cover the cost of a county employee to provide onsite administration of the communication system.
The company will also pay a one-time supplemental incentive of $425,000 to the county. The county has three one-year renewal options for the plan once it expires or it can renew it on a month-to-month basis. Exiting the plan early would result in a fee, according to Rolland.
The current resolution still offers a commitment by the supervisors to lower the cost of phone and video calls each year to free or an amount to cover reasonable costs. Clancy has limited hope that it will happen anytime soon.
“We were set to take immediate action, but it has been set back years now. It’s unconscionable,” he said.

author: Edgar Mendez


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 28, 2022


text:
OPINION: Attacks on ballot drop boxes are an attack on our democratic system | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jamie Lynn Crofts
March 1, 2022
Jamie Lynn Crofts writes: “Drop boxes make it easier for people to vote safely. In 2020, absentee voting and drop boxes helped Wisconsin achieve its highest voter turnout ever, with 76% of eligible voters casting ballots — all in the middle of a pandemic.” (Photo by Adam Carr)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
(Photo provided by Wisconsin Voices)
For far too long, courts and politicians have played games with our voting rights. This mockery of democracy is currently on full display in Wisconsin, with courts volleying decisions back and forth while the right to vote hangs in the balance.
Recently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that ballot drop boxes will not be permitted for the April 5 election. This ruling follows a series of opinions from various courts about the legality of ballot drop boxes, which have been safely used in Wisconsin communities for decades. Although not a final ruling on the case’s merits, the court’s decision to block the use of ballot drop boxes in April does not bode well for their future.
Drop boxes make it easier for people to vote safely. In 2020, absentee voting and drop boxes helped Wisconsin achieve its highest voter turnout ever, with almost 76% of eligible voters casting ballots — all in the middle of a pandemic. People who are disabled, elderly, lack transportation or are just busy, can use drop boxes to safely return their ballots. There is no evidence that drop boxes have resulted in any voter fraud – and ambitious people have been trying to find evidence of wrongdoing since before the 2020 election results were even finalized.
But the truth is, this fight isn’t just about drop boxes. The lawsuit attacking drop boxes is just one small part of a coordinated, multipronged attack on our democracy itself. Extremists have shown that they would rather disenfranchise their fellow Americans than see the other side win a free and fair election. And now, they are holding our democracy hostage until they get what they want. That is what this fight is about.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Anti-democracy extremists are trying to make it harder to vote while simultaneously casting doubt on our democratic process. We cannot let them succeed. Don’t be fooled by the propaganda — Wisconsin’s elections, like our drop boxes, are safe and secure.
It’s sadly fitting that this decision limiting voting rights came in the midst of Black History Month. As soon as African Americans won the right to vote, white supremacists sought to deny it. In 1870, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, declaring that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied … on account of race.” Sadly, more than 150 years later, we are still failing to live up to the promise of equal citizenship.
The Voting Rights Act has been gutted by the Supreme Court. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson opposes legislation that would protect the voting rights of his constituents. Our state legislature has passed bill after bill seeking to make it even harder for Wisconsinites to vote. And, despite study after study proving the legitimacy of the 2020 election, Wisconsin taxpayers are paying for a sham, partisan “audit” intended to cast doubt on our democratic system.
Attacks on voting rights are direct attacks on Black and Brown Americans. Every time we make it harder for people to vote, the increased burden falls on poor and working-class communities of color. To the attackers, this inequity is a feature, not a bug.
Voting rights are the very foundation of our democracy, and our republic is at its strongest when every American who is eligible to vote is also able to vote.
Now more than ever, we should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder.
Jamie Lynn Crofts is a policy director at Wisconsin Voices with experience in constitutional and civil rights law.

author: Jamie Lynn Crofts


text:
Journeys: ‘I work with people on the ground’: How Marcelia Nicholson’s life experiences shape her public service | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
March 2, 2022
Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson has served in that role since 2020. “When I look at things and when I introduce policy, I work with people on the ground,” she says. (Photo provided by Marcelia Nicholson)
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the age of Marcelia Nicholson. She is now 33, not 32.
“Journeys” is a new feature that looks at the career paths taken by our community entrepreneurs. Know of someone we should feature? Please send your suggestions to amartinez-ortiz@milwaukeenns.org.
Marcelia Nicholson never planned to go into politics.
As a girl she wanted to study education and become a teacher. Growing up, her teachers’ love and care uplifted her. And she wanted to provide the same thing to the next generation of students.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
But that plan faced challenges.
Nicholson started at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee but ended up dropping out because she couldn’t afford both rent and education.
None of that time was wasted. It shaped how Nicholson, 33, now a Milwaukee County supervisor who represents District 5, would do her job. She was first elected to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in 2016, was re-elected in 2018 and in 2020, when she made history by being elected by her colleagues to chair the board. She is the first Afro-Latina to have that role.
Nicholson was raised by her African American father and Puerto Rican mother in the Amani neighborhood. She said this background inspired her.
“My parents were extremely hard-working people,” Nicholson said. “But because of no fault of their own, they couldn’t quite get ahead.”
Her parents nonetheless laid the groundwork for her success.
“We tried to use everything going on around her as an experience,” said Nicholson’s father, Maurice Nicholson. “And we tried to expose her to as much as we could outside of our neighborhood.”
When she dropped out of UW-Milwaukee, she worked odd jobs before finally landing a job as a paraprofessional at Milwaukee Public Schools in 2012. She did that for two years before getting teacher certification and becoming a fourth-grade teacher at Pierce Elementary School (now Riverwest Elementary).
She said her experience there led her to seek public office.
“I was in a classroom with 36 students and no support,” Nicholson said. “I was using my paychecks to buy supplies for my students.”
She said on top of providing resources for students, she noticed that many of her students were experiencing trauma, such as unstable housing, food insecurity and violence outside of the classroom.
“That’s when I got engaged with policy,” she said. “I had questions about why things were going the way they were, and I wanted to advocate for people.”
Nicholson represents several neighborhoods, including the area around Washington Park, portions of the Marquette University campus and the East Side of Milwaukee.
She does her job with people such as her parents in mind.
“When I look at things and when I introduce policy, I work with people on the ground,” Nicholson said.
She eventually received her bachelor’s degree in communications at UW-Milwaukee. She is currently attending UW-Milwaukee for a master’s degree in public administration.
“I didn’t get into this knowing what I was doing, so now that I am here, I want to do it to the best capacity,” Nicholson said. “I believe that firsthand experience, professional development, the ability to decipher between theory and practice, relevant solution-finding and problem-solving, as well as skills and capacity-building through seeking tools and knowledge are important to being an effective and well-rounded leader.”
Nicholson said that her new role came with its challenges.
“Early in my career, I was very insecure about my lack of policy experience,” she said. “I declined many leadership opportunities under the guise that I wasn’t ready and remained in situations out of comfort or familiarity. I wish I’d been more open to challenging and believing in myself earlier on.”
She added, “To ensure I never felt that way again, I’ve increased my skill set and built mentoring relationships, and I’ve challenged myself to trust in my abilities. That’s given me confidence in my managerial skills, confidence in my public facing role and given me a trusted and respected group of advisers I can consult to support my work in the community.”
Sequanna Taylor, first vice chairwoman of the County Board, said of Nicholson’s leadership: “She really creates a cohesive and open and professional work environment.”
Others said she is a motivated by her community.
Stephanie Morales, Nicholson’s close friend, said, “She is the definition of servant leader.”
“She introduces policy that fights for the people she represents, but she’s also so transparent,” Morales said.


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 1, 2022


text:
Marcelia | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 1, 2022


text:
Need home repairs? Here is how you find help | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
March 2, 2022
In 2017, Block Build MKE repaired 30 homes on one block in Clarke Square. (NNS file photo by Keith Schubert)
Leer en español: ¿Necesita reparaciones en el hogar? Así es como encuentras
Denisha Tate-McAllister has been helping homeowners in the Amani neighborhood for years and finds herself hitting the same walls with the many families she serves.
People have a hard time accessing and applying for city resources.
She helps homeowners get funding to make critical repairs on their homes. But despite Milwaukee’s long list of loans and grants for homeowners, getting those critical repairs done has been a struggle for some.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“There are so many requirements and so much documentation needed that people get overwhelmed,” Tate-McAllister said. “I don’t think the people running these programs consider the dynamic of how families of color live.”
She said some homeowners are assisting struggling family members or temporarily housing someone for one reason or another.
“So when you ask for paperwork for every adult in a home, that may not necessarily reflect the actual income of that household,” she said. “It’s also important to acknowledge that if people don’t have certain documents on hand, and not everyone does, it costs money to access them.”
Emmett Gross, the homeownership preservation manager for Housing Resources Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps residents purchase homes, said that even housing experts can struggle to navigate the city’s resources.
Sometimes they “have difficulty keeping up with them,” Gross said. “We (Housing Resources Inc.) are lucky to have a rehab specialist who is great at helping people navigate resources.”
It pays to do your homework
Tracy Polk, the rehab specialist for Housing Resources Inc., said the best way to help yourself is to do your research.
Tate-McAllister said there is a list of things you should know before getting started.
Housing Resources Inc. is still running its free homebuyer program, which helps residents prepare to buy a home and walks them through the process. The program helps residents find resources and informs them on home upkeep. The nonprofit also distributes mortgage assistance funds to homeowners experiencing a lack of income due to COVID-19.
Tanz Rome, the business operations manager for the City of Milwaukee, said documentation often holds up the process for people to get help. But providing it is essential.
“If the application asks for it, you have to give it,” she said.
Rome also said that it’s important to know that programs are limited. She said once a program reaches capacity, you can go on a waiting list for the next year.
“There is not an endless amount of resources,” she said. “But the goal is to abate tax violations and make homes safe.”
She said a common fear in seeking assistance is that you can get into trouble by making the city aware of a problem.
“That is a misconception,” Rome said. “The goal is not to get you; we don’t do that.”
Here’s where you can get help
The Social Development Commission can assist with lead abatement, weatherization and other housing-related issues. You can call 414-906-2700.
Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council can help homeowners protect themselves from mortgage and foreclosure prevention scams as well as from predatory home loans. You can call 414-278-1240.
Housing Resources Inc. can provide counseling to homeowners and has programs to help people avoid foreclosure. You can call 414-461-6330.
Acts Housing provides counseling and real estate agent representation to help low-income families transition from renting to homebuying. You can call 414-933-2215.
Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee: The Housing Authority’s Section 32 program offers guidance through the homebuying process and sells rehabilitated homes to low-income residents. The agency offers some grants and subsidies for down-payment assistance and forgivable second mortgages for current Housing Authority homeowners. You can call 414-286-5405.
Bronzeville Resident Homeownership Initiative: The Bronzeville Homebuyer Assistance Program provides forgivable loans of up to $25,000 and technical assistance to help with property renovation for residents buying city-owned foreclosed homes in the Bronzeville Initiative area. You can call 414-286-5608.
Common Ground-Milwaukee Rising: Milwaukee Rising rehabilitates and sells foreclosed properties in the Sherman Park neighborhood. Matching grants of up to $5,000 are available for homeowners wanting to make repairs and improvements. Contact Bob Connolly at bconnolly@jamescompany.com for more information.
Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, or WHEDA, offers resources for homebuyers.
Housing Help will directly connect you with city homeowners’ resources.
Take Root Milwaukee offers free or low-cost services that can help you buy, keep, or fix a home. For more information you can call 414-921-4149.


text:
A Milwaukee-based project is bringing to life stories of pregnancy during the pandemic | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
March 3, 2022
N’Jameh Russell-Camara works on the Pandemic Pregnancy Project with her daughter beside her. (Photo provided by N’Jameh Russell-Camara)
When N’Jameh Russell-Camara tells her newborn daughter about the time and place she was born into, she’ll have a lot to say.
She’ll tell her about the uncertainty.
About not knowing if she’d have to give birth in a mask or not.
About going to prenatal appointments by herself because of restrictions.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
About having no family in the hospital for the birth.
About taking a vaccine to protect her without fully knowing what to expect, only knowing that she was willing to take that risk over getting COVID-19.
Through all the details, she hopes to make one thing evident.
“All of that happened because we love her,” she said. “And we wanted to bring her into this world.”
Russell-Camara has a story to tell. Several, in fact.
Russell-Camara, associate director of engagement at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, leads the Pandemic Pregnancy Project, a volunteer-based effort to gather stories from mothers locally and around the country.
Each story that Russell-Camara, an actress and Milwaukee native, hopes to gather is distinct in its own right, yet shares a common thread: the COVID-19 pandemic and pregnancy, adoption or childbirth.
Mothers give interviews, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, and their stories are condensed and transcribed into monologues that last up to four minutes.
Actors and storytellers then read the monologues aloud.
The name for the series is “Pandemic Pregnancies and Popsicles.”
The “popsicle” is supposed to represent a sweet lesson from the stories – something the audience can learn from.
“It’s not meant to be sweet in a Pollyanna way, like good vibes only,” Russell-Camara said. “That sweetness symbolizes a breath and an exhale – breathing life into someone else’s story so that person can vocalize their experience.”
The project has a goal to gather 30 stories from mothers around the country. So far, it has collected 23 stories, with a mix of families from Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, California and the East Coast.
The majority of participants are from Milwaukee, she said.
“People really do believe it’s empowering to share their story,” Russell-Camara said.
Some of the storytellers will remain anonymous, but we caught up with a few who are willing to share their stories.
‘The Rainbow Baby’
For Holly Muehlbauer, a mother of three and a teacher at Longfellow Middle School in Wauwatosa, giving birth to her 7-month-old son had an added significance.
She calls him her “Rainbow Baby”— as in, rainbow after the storm.
Muehlbauer had a miscarriage in July 2020. With pandemic restrictions, she got the news alone.
It was devastating.
“To be shut away from the one person I needed in that moment made it harder,” Muehlbauer said.
Muehlbauer said the experience was isolating, as she carried grief she had never felt. Knowing there was a tribe of women out there who had gone through the same thing, she wanted to share her story.
She’ll always remember the scene in the delivery room.
One of the most meaningful moments for her was seeing her husband’s raw emotion after having been able to only attend the first prenatal appointment and 20-week ultrasound.
“It was like he had gone through nine months in 10 minutes,” she said. “That’s something I’ll never forget.”
‘Tossing and turning’
Alexandra Maier, a mother from Bay View who participated in the project, said the interviewing process was cathartic.
“Being pregnant during the pandemic, there was a lot of tossing and turning,” Maier said. “There was a lot of uncertainty, and it could feel very lonely and isolating . . . having someone to just listen to me was a nice change of pace.”
Maier and her husband had struggled with infertility before the pandemic.
In February 2020, she finally found treatments she was looking for. A month later, everything closed down because of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That’s when the waiting started.
The date for her treatments kept getting moved back because of an increased number of cases. She started to wonder if the treatments were ever going to happen.
The lack of dialogue around infertility can make it all the more isolating.
“There’s a lot of taboo in talking about it,” Maier said. “You feel like people will get upset or won’t understand.”
Months later, it finally happened. Maier was able to get her treatments and nine months later, her daughter was born.
Maier said her biggest lesson from it all was finding hope in a time of uncertainty.
She hopes her story, and the others gathered, can resonate with people.
“During the pandemic, I would scour the internet for similar stories, but I couldn’t find any,” Maier said. “If I tell my story and one other person can feel like they’re not alone, it’s worth it.”
How to get involved
Do you have a story that you want to share with the Pandemic Pregnancy Project? Email pandmeicpregnancyproject@gmail.com to sign up.
For more updates, you can follow the project on Instagram.


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 2, 2022


text:
Post from Community: Trap Therapy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
March 3, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
I’m hosting a free community Mental Health event in response to the violence in the City of Milwaukee. This event is different from all others because hip hop music will be used to drive our conversation about a variety of Mental Health topics.


text:
inbound114853177973401316.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
March 1, 2022