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Post from Community: Band shell season heats up in July | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care
June 25, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Indaba Nights, a brand-new outdoor summer concert series, has a music and dance-filled July planned. The Milwaukee Ballet, Florentine Opera Company, Skylight Music Theatre and a host of local performers will light up the Indaba Band Shell, 2450 W. North Ave., on Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The band shell, located at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care-Bucyrus Campus, offers a covered, wheelchair-accessible audience space, plus lawn seating. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Food trucks will also be at the venue. The series runs every Wednesday through August 25.
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The July entertainment lineup includes:
July 7:
6:30 The Festival City Symphony String Trio—violinists Ellen Willman and JoAnn Haasler and cellist Marti Kriefall—will play a mix of music, including classical, pop, ragtime and show tunes.
7:30 Sorry, We’re Open, an acoustic-based rock group influenced by the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones, takes pride in their unique arrangements of classic songs that invite audience participation.
Sorry, We’re Open
July 14:
6:30-8:30 Nite N’ Day Band offers an evening of soulful, swinging music—from Aretha Franklin to Billy Holiday and Lionel Richie to The Temptations. Sit back and enjoy the R&B and Motown sounds of Bobby Jiles, playing sax and piano and vocalizing with Julie Thompson on bass and JC on guitar.July 21:
6:30 The Florentine Opera Company explores the natural world through songs from around the globe. The Opera’s concert residents will share music inspired by the flora and fauna of summertime.
The Florentine Opera Company
7:30 Skylight Music Theatre Soul Review features powerhouse vocals from a trio of Skylight favorites—Raven Dockery, Keith James Sievert and Shawn Holmes, performing hits from Motown, Top 40 and music theatre.
Skylight Music Theatre Soul Review – Photo by: Mark Frohna
July 28:
6:30 Milwaukee Ballet’s Ballet Beat dancers star in scenes from classical ballets and breathtaking contemporary dance. The Company shares the stage with local artists including Catey Ott Thompson, Cyenthia Vijayakumar, Yaya Kambaye and Roxy Fair of Xalaat Africa Drum and Dance for Life, as well as local poets.
Ballet Beat
7:30 Starz Dance Academy will be on its toes tonight. The award-winning dance training program for youth, headquartered in Muskego, brings its ballet troupe to the stage for a spirited performance.Performers from the Festival City Symphony, Florentine Opera Company, Skylight Music Theatre and Milwaukee Ballet are presented in partnership with the United Performing Arts Fund’s UPAF Connect.
A mobile vaccination tent, operated by the Wisconsin National Guard, will be on site to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine and answer questions about its effectivity and safety. In observance of COVID-19 safety guidelines, guests who haven’t been vaccinated are asked to wear a mask and to practice social distancing on the grounds.
To get regular updates on the summer performance season, visit StAnnCenter.org/Indaba; or Facebook.com/IndabaBandShell. For more information, contact Gloria Miller at 414-210-2428.


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Nite-N-Day-Band.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 24, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Name *


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Post from Community: Goodwill Industries hosting community COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc
June 25, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Goodwill Industries, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Wisconsin National Guard is hosting a community COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on Tuesday, June 29 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the James O. Wright Center for Work and Training on Milwaukee’s northwest side.
No appointments are necessary and community members age 12 and up interested in being vaccinated are encouraged to walk in during clinic hours. Pfizer vaccines will be available at no cost with second dose appointments scheduled for Tuesday, July 20. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Non-vaccinated visitors must wear a face covering.
Attendees not able to receive the second dose as scheduled on July 20 may visit any local vaccinator that carries Pfizer to schedule their second dose appointment. A list of local vaccination clinics can be found here: https://www.vaccines.gov/search/.
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What: Goodwill Industries Community COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
Where: Goodwill James O. Wright Center for Work and Training, 6055 N. 91st Street, Milwaukee
When: Tuesday, June 29 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Who: Community members, age 12 and up looking to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine
For more information about the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic or to learn more about how Goodwill is working to help our community thrive, visit goodwillsew.com.


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Post from Community: Masks Around the World at Urban Ecology Center | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
June 25, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
6-8pm July 22nd at Urban Ecology Center-Menomonee Valley
Registration is required for this program
(For families) Enjoy learning about masks from around the world and throughout time. See all the color and designs brought to life by this form of art. Make your own mask inspired by nature and bring you creativity to life!
A hike through Three Bridges Park will be part of this program. As a friendly reminder, please bring appropriate clothing and gear to remain comfortable outdoors, this includes sunscreen and insect repellent. All materials will be provided for this program. Face coverings will be required for our indoor portion of this program.
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$9 to $14 per person
Please register per individual, children 3 and under are free.
For questions about this program, please contact us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.
Website: https://calendar.urbanecologycenter.org/event/masks-around-the-world/

author: Urban Ecology Center


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197596046_10159561804978698_6176854333799299679_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 25, 2021


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Post from Community: Medicine Making at Urban Ecology Center | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
June 25, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
6-8pm, July 15th at Menomonee Valey
Registration is required for this program
(For everyone) Have you ever created your own herbal tea blend with plants found at the park? We’ll hike through these ancestral lands and scavenge for plants right in our backyard to see how their herbal properties best connect to our lives. We will be creating herbal tea blends from brought materials and plants scavenged in Three Bridges Park. Please bring appropriate attire for outdoors.
$9 to $14 per person.
Please register per individual, children 3 and under are free.
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For questions about this program, please contact us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.
Website: https://30781a.blackbaudhosting.com/30781a/Medicine-Making


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196709797_10159561768388698_2436811024251692006_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 25, 2021


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UPDATE: Federal ban on evictions gets extended again. Here’s what you need to know. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
June 25, 2021
The ban on evictions will be lifted July 31. “This is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium,” CDC leaders said in a news release. (File photo by Adam Carr)
The Biden administration on Thursday extended a ban on evictions for a month to help struggling tenants, stressing that it is likely the last time the federal government will do so.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, said the new deadline is July 31. The ban on evictions had been set to expire June 30. “This is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium,” CDC leaders said in a news release.
Here are some things you should know:
Why did the CDC enact the ban?
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The CDC originally enacted the halt on evictions to stem the spread of COVID–19, seasonal influenza and the increased risk of homeless shelters becoming overcrowded in fall and winter.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health. Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings — like homeless shelters — by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19,” the CDC says on its website.
What did the moratorium do anyway?
Tenants who have missed monthly rent payments were protected from being forced out of their homes if they declared financial hardship. It slowed but did not completely halt eviction filings. Milwaukee is still seeing hundreds of eviction filings each month but far fewer than in typical years, according to Eviction Lab.
What are landlords saying?
Officials representing the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin have urged their members “to continue to work diligently to help their renters apply and complete the application process for emergency rental assistance.”
“We have tenants that have been with us for over 30 years, and we have never raised their rent, not once,” said Ethel Armstead, who owns several properties in Milwaukee with her husband, JW. “Now even though the federal eviction moratorium says that people still have to pay rent . . .  many tenants have taken it as they don’t have to pay since you can’t evict them.”
According to Armstead, the same way “slum landlords exist, slum tenants exist.”
“It’s difficult to provide decent and affordable housing when you are only losing money. We know several landlords that are liquidating and getting out of the business because it’s almost impossible to make a profit if that’s your only source of income,” she said. “The housing market is booming and they’re taking advantage of it.”
Denisha Tate-McAlister, project director at the Dominican Center in Amani, said she sees this often.
“I’ve had cases where we personally worked with tenants, and they choose not to utilize the resources available to them, but they also won’t vacate people’s properties unless forced out,” Tate-McAlister said. “When they finally do leave, they leave messes and damage behind.”
“Some tenants don’t care about the property and landlords pay for it,” Armstead added.
What should I do now?
Tenants should seek help through rent assistance programs being administered by  Community Advocates and the Social Development Commission, and they should reach out to the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center for other housing issues.
Resources to consult if you’re worried about eviction
In case you missed it
Four main takeaways from “Making rent,” a conversation about eviction and tenant rights
Check out our Instagram Story on “Milwaukee resources to help you avoid evictions.”
Help is just a text away with our News414 project with our friends from Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media. Text MILWAUKEE to 73224 to see how it works.
What renters need to know about the eviction process

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 24, 2021

author: Dwayne Burtin


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UPDATE: Make sure you file early to get expanded child tax credit | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
June 25, 2021
The expanded credit will give $3,600 per year for each child from birth to 5 years old, and $3,000 for each child ages 6 to 17. (Stock photo)
The Internal Revenue Service has released the Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool, a web-based portal that allows those who are eligible for the tax credit’s expanded benefits to file their taxes. (Those who have already filed their 2020 taxes should not use this tool.)
Julie Kerksick, a senior policy advocate at the Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, said that the earlier you can file, the better. She urged people to file by Thursday, July 1 in order to receive payments on July 15.
For those who do not file in time, however, that amount will be added on to later payments. If you file to receive the child tax credit, you will receive the full amount by December.
To file, you will need your:
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If you do not have a permanent mailing address, you can use the address of a reliable location to have your checks delivered, including a friend or relative’s house, a shelter or transitional housing program.
If you do not have a bank account, the money will be mailed to you via paper check. If you do, it will be direct deposited in your account.
Benefits from the tax credit do not count as income and will not affect standing in income-based assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Medicaid.
Here are other things to know:
1. What’s happening?
Parents and those responsible for raising children will get some extra financial help this year because of the expanded child tax credit funded by the American Rescue Plan.
The Internal Revenue Service will use information from 2020 tax returns to determine who receives the extra funds. Similar to the stimulus checks issued earlier this year, the money will be automatically deposited. No additional steps need to be taken.
2. How much money can I get?
Typically, the child tax credit gives $2,000 per year for each child on your tax return. The expanded credit will give $3,600 per year for each child from birth to 5 years old, and $3,000 for each child ages 6 to 17.
The amount will be reduced for married taxpayers filing a joint tax return with an income over $150,000, for head-of-household tax filers with an income over $112,500 and for single taxpayers over $75,000.
3. When can I expect to get the money?
The money will be paid in monthly installments beginning July 15. The expanded credit only runs from July to December, meaning you won’t get a full year’s worth of benefits. During a roundtable discussion earlier this month, Kerksick said there is an effort underway to make the changes permanent.
4. Grandparents raising kids should apply
Susan Conwell, executive director of Kids Matter, which helps neglected youth throughout Milwaukee, said that some grandparents may qualify for the tax credit.
“One thing they need to make clear is that they’re raising children,” Conwell emphasized
5. Who benefits from this?
The Internal Revenue Service estimates about 88% of children in the U.S. will benefit from the increase. Jon Peacock, research director at Kids Forward, a Madison-based child advocate group, said in a roundtable discussion with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and other Wisconsin community leaders that roughly half of the recipients in Wisconsin will be children of color.
Kerksick said:  “This extra money could be the difference between keeping a roof over your head, putting gas in your car, being able to buy food.”
6. What can I do if I have questions about the process?
Kerksick said those with questions can contact her at jkerksick@communityadvocates.net. Those inquiring about the tax credit should put “CTC question” in the subject line of the email.

author: Matt Martinez


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: June 28 to July 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
June 28, 2021
TRUE Skool is hosting a fundraiser this week. Pictured here is Domonique Whitehurst, a TRUE Skool participant, reading his original spoken word poem in 2015. (File photo by Andrea Waxman)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. March for citizenship for all: Day 9: Monday, June 28
Earlier this month, Voces de la Frontera launched a nine-day march to encourage the Biden administration and Congress to include citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the upcoming infrastructure and jobs budget bill. The final march will be taking place in Madison. The group plans to meet at the Voces de la Frontera Milwaukee offices, 733 W. Mitchell St., and leave at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June 28. The march will begin at Madison’s Olbrich Park, 3527 Atwood Ave., and head toward the state Capitol, 2 E. Main St., at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 28. For more information, call Fernanda at 262-721-6008.
2. Informational session on participatory budgeting: Monday, June 28
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The African American Roundtable is hosting an informational session on participatory budgeting and how it can impact Milwaukee. The meeting will take place virtually at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 28. Click here to register. The session is in response to recent action taken by nine Common Council members who signed a resolution to create participatory budgeting.
3. Virtual town hall: State of Black America MKE: Tuesday, June 29
Milwaukee Urban League is hosting a virtual town hall meeting called the “2021 State of Black America Milwaukee.” The first panel discussion will take place virtually from noon to 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29. Click here to register. The panel, “Intersecting Employment and Entrepreneurship: Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Pipeline” will feature Chytania Brown, president and CEO, Employ Milwaukee; Giacomo Fallucca, the CEO of Palermo’s Pizza; Nancy Hernandez, the Hispanic collaborative president of MMAC; Ugo Nwagbaraocha, president of Diamond Discs International; and more.
4. TRUE Skool fundraiser with Indeed Brewing Company: Wednesday, June 30
TRUE Skool is hosting a special fundraising event with Indeed Brewing Company called “TRUE Indeed.” Funds will go toward the organization to help it continue its mission to engage, educate and empower youth through the creative arts. The fundraiser will take place virtually and in person at Indeed Brewing Company, 530 S. 2nd St., from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30. There will be special guest bartenders, live music, raffles, food and more. Click here to make a donation.
5. Indaba Nights and vaccination event: Wednesday, June 30
The St. Ann Intergenerational Center, 2450 W. North Ave., has a weekly summer concert series, “Indaba Nights.” This week’s concert features Danceworks Dance Company and Lady Dee Jal. The performance will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30. The center will also be hosting a vaccine clinic from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. during the concert.
Bonus: Milwaukee Health Department: Crush COVID town hall: Tuesday, June 29
The Milwaukee Health Department is hosting two informational sessions on its Crush COVID Crew ambassador program. The meetings will take place virtually from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29. Click here for the 11 a.m. meeting and here for the 4 p.m. meeting. These meetings are suitable for local leaders, residents and organizations looking to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 27, 2021


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PHOTOS: An impromptu tour of South Side neighborhood art | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
June 29, 2021
Summertime is the perfect occasion to soak in the creativity of your neighbors.
This gallery features an eclectic assortment of public artworks on walls, garage doors, vehicles and front yards around the near South Side.

author: Adam Carr


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Post from Community: Big Brothers Big Sisters July Mix in the Morning at the Friendship Café! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee
June 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Did you know a little time can make a BIG difference in the life of a youth? There are HUNDREDS of Little Brothers and Sisters on our waiting list that could use a mentor just like YOU.
Our Mix@Six and Mix in the Mornings are great opportunities for prospective volunteers to meet current mentors and hear first-hand about their experiences. Big Brothers Big Sisters staff will discuss the specifics of our three mentoring opportunities and answer your questions. Socials are held at fun venues around Milwaukee and Waukesha, and are typically free. We encourage you to bring an adult guest(s) along too.
July Mix in the Morning – Sunday, July 18 at 9:30am: Join us for coffee and pastries on the patio at the Friendship Café & Bakery in Fox Point.
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Register today at https://bbbsjulymixinthemorning.eventbrite.com
We are looking forward to seeing you!


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2-Copy.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 28, 2021


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Post from Community: MCTS to lift passenger capacity limit starting July 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Transit System
June 29, 2021
(NNS file photo)
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced today that it will lift its passenger capacity limit starting Thursday, July 1. Per federal regulations, passengers and employees must continue wearing masks while on board, regardless of one’s vaccination status.
The return to full capacity on MCTS buses — for the first time since April 2020 — comes as a growing number of people in Milwaukee County become vaccinated. The adjustment also aligns with national transit trends, local reopening plans, and relaxed guidelines from health officials.
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Returning to full capacity on buses enables MCTS to better serve those who need reliable, on-time transportation to work, school, medical appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores, and other important destinations.
Since the start of the pandemic, MCTS has worked tirelessly to keep passengers and employees safe while still offering essential transit services that the community depends on. Continuing to wear masks and getting vaccinated are the most effective steps we can all take moving forward.
Below are reminders of current COVID-19-related policies and procedures that passengers should be aware of:
•Federal regulations still require the use of masks while riding public transportation, regardless of vaccination status. This federal requirement from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) supersedes any local or state mask policies and is expected to last until September 13.
•MCTS has free mask and hand sanitizer dispensers available on all buses.
•Passengers are encouraged to use best practices: wash hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, stay home when sick, limit unnecessary conversations and interaction, and use staggered seating when possible.
•MCTS is using an innovative air filtration treatment that coats each bus’s regular HVAC filters with a specialized polymer system that is independently tested to control bacteria and pathogens that house viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2.
•Buses go through extra disinfection processes using EPA-approved and CDC-recommended products in addition to the standard cleaning that vehicles receive regularly.
•Passengers are encouraged to use contactless fare payment methods like the M-CARD and Ride MCTS app to ensure fast, touch-free experiences while boarding.
•Passengers should enter the bus through the front door and exit via the rear door (unless the ramp or ‘kneeling feature’ of the bus is needed).
Additionally, the MCTS Administration Building, 1942 N. 17th Street, will reopen to the public starting July 1. Visitors must wear masks while indoors and any guests staying for an extended period of time will have to undergo a temperature check. The building will be open Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more on MCTS’s response to COVID-19, please visit RideMCTS.com/Coronavirus.

author: Milwaukee County Transit System


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 29, 2021


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Post from Community: United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County announces the 2021 Philanthropic 5 award winners | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
June 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County will celebrate and honor five community leaders and one outstanding youth for their commitment to the Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County area as the winners of the 2021 Philanthropic 5 Awards.
The awards, created by United Way’s Emerging Leaders, recognize five community leaders, in their 20s, 30s or 40s, and one exceptional youth, under 21, who give, advocate and volunteer for change throughout our local community. Each Philanthropic 5 winner is awarded $500 to invest in a United Way strategic issue area of their choice, and the Philanthropic Youth winner is awarded with a $500 scholarship for continuing education.
The award ceremony and recognition event will take place on Thursday, August 5, 2021 at GATHER at Deer District, 333 W Juneau Ave Ste B, Milwaukee from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Guests can learn more at UnitedWayGMWC.org/2021-P5-Winners. (There will also be a virtual option.)
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The 2021 Philanthropic 5 Award winners are:
Mark Boergers is the chair of visual and performing arts at Cardinal Stritch University as well as co-artistic director of The Arc Theatre in Chicago, IL and co-founder of “Shakespeare on the Ridge” in Evanston, IL. An advocate for the community impact of artistic craft across all demographics, Mark’s work in both academic and professional arts settings centers around the ability for artists of all ages and backgrounds to explore their voice, tell meaningful stories, present accessible experiences, and create a rich community dialogue. Most recently, Mark’s leadership and vision through creativity and nimbleness resulted in new ways to present and share these stories despite a global pandemic. Not only did that help his students, programs and university remain relevant, but it demonstrated we can (and do!) respond to any challenge. Mark received his Bachelor of Science in Business and Theater from Marquette University and his Master of Fine Arts in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. He recently received the honor of tenure and promotion to associate professor at Cardinal Stritch University.
Caitlin Cullen is the chef and owner of the Tandem restaurant at 18 and Fond Du Lac on Milwaukee’s North Side. A former schoolteacher, Cullen shifted gears upon arriving in Milwaukee in 2013, and learned the ins and outs of restaurant life by taking every job she could get her hands on. From schlepping cheesesteaks at the now-defunct Philly Way on Brady Street, to prep cooking her way up to the sous-chef position at Bavette La Boucherie in the Third Ward, she found joy in cooking people a solid meal. After three years in the industry, she had the ill-advised inspiration to open her own restaurant and ended up loving every minute of it. Since 2016, the Tandem has been serving scratch southern cooking while training the future of Milwaukee’s culinary workforce, one young person at a time. In addition to her commitment to strengthening the future of the youth of Milwaukee’s North Side neighborhoods, Caitlin is committed to building bridges between communities to make Milwaukee a more inviting place for all.
Clintel Hasan is co-founder of LiberatED Consulting, an anti-racist education consulting service dedicated to building the critical consciousness of educators and school leaders on topics of race, class, power, and privilege. She is also the strategic initiatives manager at Milwaukee Succeeds, working for educational equity in Milwaukee and leading their High School Success initiative, Youth Forward MKE and co-leading Milwaukee’s K12 Covid-19 Civic Response Team. In her early career, Clintel worked as the director of leadership development at Teach For America-Milwaukee. She provided teacher support aligned with culturally relevant pedagogy across the region, harnessed the power of TFA alumni in Wisconsin to advance educational equity, and led regional initiatives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. A Milwaukee native and proud homeowner and resident of the St. Joseph’s neighborhood, her passion for social justice developed early on while studying Sociology and Gender & Women Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also holds a master’s degree in Educational Policy and Leadership from Marquette University.
James Madlom serves as chief executive officer at Mueller Communications, Wisconsin’s leading strategic communications firm. Mueller is known for leveraging its strong relationships and problem-solving abilities to support the organizations making our community great. Through both his professional role at the firm and his volunteer commitments in the community, James is committed to expanding educational and economic opportunities for everyone in our community, but particularly for youth. He serves on numerous boards including SaintA, Near West Side Partners, Coalition for Children Youth & Families, Jewish Community Center and St. Charles Youth & Family Service. He holds a bachelor’s degree and J.D. from Marquette University. He and his wife Gina were foster parents and adopted each of their three children. When he’s not at Mueller or volunteering, you’ll find him on adventures with his family.
Bob Van Himbergen is the vice president & corporate controller for Johnson Controls, leading the global finance functions, global facilities and security. Bob has been with the company for 14 years, holding many positions with increasing responsibility. He has extensive global experience and has lived abroad in Shanghai, China on two different assignments. Prior to joining Johnson Controls, Bob worked at PriceWaterhouseCoopers for nine years. Bob currently sits on the Board of Next Door Foundation where he recently completed his 12 year serving the organization, including the last three as chairman. Bob is also the chairman of Ascension Southeast Wisconsin, where he has served for four years and the Ascension Southeast Wisconsin Foundation, where he has served for seven years and the last three as board chair. Bob received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Norbert College, and earned his CPA certification in Wisconsin in 2003.
Philanthropic Youth
Anya Ramos will be attending Marquette University in the fall of 2021 to pursue an education in social welfare and justice. During her high school years, she was an active leader and community steward. She co-led a team project to replace her high school’s drinking fountains with filtered fountain fixtures to address Milwaukee’s lead water crisis. She assisted in planning and organizing a school-wide community service day resulting in over 400 hours of service, two years in a row. Anya also co-founded a community service group at her Boys and Girls Club site mentoring younger classmates, helping to guide them in the professional world. Through Anya’s journey with O.C.D., she realized mental health stigmas were a rising issue and has spent time advocating for mental health during her Youth of the Year competition. Most recently, Anya worked on the Milwaukee Public School’s district election with Leaders Igniting Transformation writing testimonies, educating students on the importance of local elections, and advocating for students’ needs.


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Mark-Boergers-Caitlin-Cullen-Clintel-Hasan-James-Madlom-Bob-Van-Himbergen.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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June 29, 2021


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How eligible parents can receive $375 per child to offset summer meal costs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
June 30, 2021
Officials say that eligible parents should see the money automatically deposited on their QUEST card or P-EBT card during the weekend of Aug. 21. (File photo by Adam Carr)
Families who qualified for Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer, or P-EBT, or who are awarded FoodShare this summer are eligible to receive an additional $375 per eligible child for buying groceries.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services, or DHS, is now offering a new program called Summer P-EBT. This program is similar to the previous P-EBT programs for school-aged children and children under 6 years old.
According to the plan approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, parents are eligible if they meet at least one of the following conditions:
For Summer P-EBT, parents will receive either the full $375 per child or none at all. Previous P-EBT programs allowed parents to receive partial benefits based on how often their child was learning remotely, but no partial benefit will be awarded for Summer P-EBT.
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DHS officials said that eligible parents should see the money automatically deposited on their QUEST card or P-EBT card during the weekend of Aug. 21. Most eligible parents will receive the full $375 on this weekend, though DHS will also be administering a “catch-up issuance” in September for families that did not.
If you received summer meals from a food pantry or food service program, such as MPS’ “Stop, Grab and Go” program, you can still be eligible.
School P-EBT, Pre-6 P-EBT, Summer P-EBT: What’s the difference?
Though they go by the same name, each P-EBT program is separate and has slightly different eligibility requirements. All programs, however,  are focused on providing benefits to families that may have been eating at home more often during the COVID-19 pandemic for reasons such as a school or child care facility closed.
The School P-EBT is for parents of children that attended a school that participated in the National School Lunch Program but did not receive meals due to learning remotely at any point during the 2020-21 school year. You are eligible for this benefit if:
The Pre-6 P-EBT is for parents of children who were younger than 6 on Oct. 1, 2020. You are eligible to receive this money for individual months from October 2020 through September 2021 if you:
The summer P-EBT program provides a benefit covering the months in between the 2020-21 school year and the 2021-2022. Eligibility conditions for this program are above.
Parents can be eligible for more than one P-EBT program, depending on the age of their child, how often that child was learning remotely or how often most children in their region were learning remotely
To inquire about your eligibility, or to follow up if you expected to receive a benefit and did not, email PEBTsupport@wisconsin.gov or call 1-833-431-2224.
You can also use News414 by texting “MKE” to 73224 to talk to a reporter about your eligibility and benefits as well as get connected to other resources related to food, housing, jobs or anything else. Your story will not be included in an article without your permission.

author: Sam Woods


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Vaccination rates in central city neighborhoods remain low, reflecting disparities and apprehension | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
June 30, 2021
Vaccination efforts from the Dominican Center and Metcalfe Park Community Bridges have brought shots into the 53206 and 53210 ZIP codes over the last few months. Yet vaccination rates remain low when compared with other neighborhoods. (Photo provided by Melody McCurtis)
In Milwaukee’s central city neighborhoods, COVID-19 vaccination rates remain low when compared with the rest of Wisconsin.
In the 53206 ZIP code on the North Side, for example, about 6,200 residents have received one dose of the vaccine, accounting for 27% of the population, according to data from the Wisconsin Immunization Registry. In 53210, about 8,200 people, or 30% of the population, have received the vaccine.
In South Side ZIP codes, like 53215 and 53204, the rates are higher. 53215 has vaccinated nearly 42% of its residents, and 53204 has vaccinated 35%.
Nearly twice as many people are vaccinated in low-vulnerability areas, where residents are likely to have better health outcomes because of better access to health care and their environment than in high-vulnerability areas in Milwaukee, where residents are affected by lack of access and unhealthy conditions. It’s a difference between 61,000 and 33,000, respectively.
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Dr. Ben Weston, director of medical services for the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, said Milwaukee County lags just a bit behind the state’s overall vaccination rate. As of June 24, the state had vaccinated about 50% of residents, whereas Milwaukee County had vaccinated about 48%.
Weston said the vaccination rates reflect long-standing disparities in access to health care between the county’s most underserved neighborhoods and its wealthiest.
A look at the central city
Weston said the Evaluating Vulnerability and Equity (EVE) Model provides an in-depth portrait of the central city.
The EVE model places vaccination rates alongside the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index. The index uses data from the census to measure 15 social factors and environmental pressures that can lead to worse health outcomes, including socioeconomic status, housing, lack of access to transportation and disability. It also factors in race and language spoken for a given population.
The EVE Model map for Milwaukee County color codes areas with high vulnerability and low vaccination rates with deep orange. In Milwaukee, the 53204, 53206, 53210, 53215 and 53205 ZIP codes are represented in areas that are mostly deep orange.
The city does have some areas, including within those ZIP codes, that are coded as dark green, meaning they have high vulnerability and high vaccination rates. The goal of using the EVE Model is to shift all of the dark orange slots to dark green.
Weston said the lower rates in underserved areas were expected, but April’s “precipitous drop” in those seeking vaccinations was surprising. In a few days’ time, the number of people seeking first doses of the vaccine slid from over 5,200 a day to under 2,000.
COVID-19’s effects on racial disparities in these neighborhoods can be seen in the data. The Black population has seen nearly 2,500 hospitalizations from the virus since the beginning of the pandemic, just 300 less than the white population, which is over twice its size.
In addition, despite making up only 15% of the county’s population, the Latinx population has the second most cases in the county with over 25,000. These numbers follow state trends.
Weston said one of the keys to increasing vaccination rates is convenience. For many, getting the shot has been difficult because of transportation barriers. The city’s current strategy for vaccination relies heavily on pop-up clinics and mobile units going to underserved areas.
“We have to pop up where people are,” Weston said.
Denisha Tate-McAlister, interim executive director at the Dominican Center, said when the vaccine was first rolling out, people couldn’t find clinics in the Amani neighborhood to receive their vaccine. Efforts to get the vaccine into the community have helped.
“It gave people choice and agency,” Tate-McAlister said. “To want it and not have access to it adds to the disparity.”
The Dominican Center was part of a team with Metcalfe Park Community Bridges and other organizations that put together vaccination clinics at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and COA Goldin Center over the last few months.
Tate-McAlister said it was important to have the clinics at places in the community that were familiar and respected.
“It’s a place that neighbors identify as their own,” Tate-McAlister said. “It’s ours. I’m not going to a doctor’s office, I’m going to a place where I broke bread.”
Skepticism remains
For some, however, availability isn’t the issue. Dennis Walton, an Amani resident and community activist, has not received his COVID-19 vaccination.
Walton is mostly hesitant because of how quickly things rolled out, saying that he doesn’t trust a vaccine that could be developed in a few months. Compared to the normal development of a vaccine, the emergency use authorization granted by the Food and Drug Administration didn’t sit well with him.
“There should have been more data, education and research to make people trust this process,” Walton said.
The vaccine comes with the endorsement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It passed through clinical trials before being released and continues to be tested before use in younger populations.
Walton said he also feels many people have not done enough research into the ingredients of the vaccine.
“People [I’ve asked] can’t tell you what’s in it,” Walton said.
Walton said information that came out regarding the coronavirus was also unreliable, citing developing information that was reported by officials at the beginning of the pandemic.
“One day they’re saying it’s in wet markets in China and defaming Asian people,” Walton said. “A week later, coronavirus is on Locust Street and Black people started dying.”
Walton said the skepticism is also rooted in the vaccine becoming a political issue as well as mistrust by some in the Black community of the medical community after the Tuskegee syphilis study in which Black men diagnosed with syphilis were left untreated for 40 years.
“As a relatively healthy person, to go to a pop-up vaccination clinic and have someone stick a needle in me when I don’t know what the long-term effects are? It doesn’t make sense to me,” said Walton, who is 46 years old.
Walton said he respects the rights of others to choose what they want to do with their bodies, and he hopes they’ll respect his, too.
Tate-McAlister said many residents still have safety concerns, but she believes the Milwaukee Health Department has been diligent in answering people’s questions during the clinics.
In Amani, many are still masked up and still social distancing, but there is an “energy of joy, an energy of reunion” among its residents, Tate-McAlister said. But there is still cause for concern in the neighborhood, where outcomes are affected by socioeconomic disparities.
As a vaccinated person, Tate-McAlister isn’t worried about getting COVID-19, but she is concerned about “what it does to a family, the stability of a household” if it reaches someone who isn’t.
Even if the rest of the world seems to be doing OK, there’s still a need and even urgency for people to get vaccinated, Tate-McAlister said.
“We can’t let our guard down,” Tate-McAlister said.


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LIVING LEGENDS: ‘It’s better to be seen than viewed’: What I learned from my visit with Dr. Lester Carter | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Damia S. Causey
July 1, 2021
Dr. Lester Carter turns 90 next month. “I’m just the community druggist, nothing fancy,” he says. But our columnist disagrees. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
This is part of an occasional series of stories that honor members of Milwaukee’s vibrant senior community.
Damia S. Causey
The unassuming brick building on the corner of North 24  and West Burleigh streets holds decades of warm memories for Black and brown people in the 53206 ZIP code.
And especially for me.
When I step inside, I close my eyes and am immediately enveloped by the smell of vitamins and fresh buttered popcorn.
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Carter Drug Store was my family’s first pharmacy.
Dr. Lester Carter, its longtime pharmacist, is seated in a chair reading a book on herbs, with one leg propped on the other. He rises to greet me with the same smile I remember from my adolescent years. A little older, he now wears hearing aids, but his famous bow ties and white lab coat are still as I remember.
Things are a little different from visits past. This time, we both wear masks and we elbow-bump instead of hug.
It feels good to see him.
You can’t talk about community without talking about Dr. Carter, a Black pharmacist serving the Milwaukee community for over five decades.
The beginning
His story begins in his home state of Nebraska as the only child of parents who didn’t finish grade school.
His first job at age 14 was working as a “house boy” in a swank resort in Lake Okoboji, Iowa. He was charged with teaching rich white children how to swim. There was only one problem: He had to first learn how to swim himself. He went through a lifeguard program and spent the next four summers doing just that. He liked the water so much he joined the U.S. Navy.
Dr. Carter took an aptitude test after boot camp, and it showed he’d be good in medicine. He was sent to corpsman’s school in Portsmouth, Virginia, for training in health care.
After finishing, he was assigned to the USS Tortuga for two and a half years.
His job, he says, “was to keep the sailors straightened out.”
Dr. Carter has been an anchor in the community for over five decades. In 2018, the city honored his efforts by recognizing him with an honorary street sign at North 24th and West Burleigh streets. (File photo by Jenny Whidden)
After four years in the Navy, he was discharged in 1954 and decided to go to pharmacy school. Through the GI bill, he attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. There were 42 people in his program, he says, and he was the only African American.
During his junior year, Dr. Carter was hired by one of the biggest pharmacy names in the country, Rexall. The pharmacy was located in one of the richest and whitest neighborhoods in Omaha. His job? To mop the floors, clean the shelves and run a 20-seat fountain.
He met racism with a smile.
“You don’t act mad, you just suck it all in. This is the type of atmosphere that I came up in,” Dr. Carter says. “The government paid my tuition, but I had to live. I had to pay rent
Dr. Carter graduated in 1958. He was now a pharmacist, but Rexall didn’t know what to do with him.
“We can’t have a Black pharmacist in a rich white store. It’s unheard of,” he recalls officials saying.
The store came up with a solution by creating a space in the back where Dr. Carter could not be seen. The managers put him in charge of compounding prescriptions.
It suited him well because it was something he wanted to learn how to do as he waited for his opportunity to take over the entire pharmacy, which he would do six years later.
‘You know there’s a Black guy working in the pharmacy?’
Dr. Carter became friends with a Black pharmacy owner in Nebraska. This friend knew of a pharmacist in Milwaukee who needed relief help when taking time off for vacations.
After filling in for several weekends, Dr. Carter was offered a permanent position at the store. The owner offered to pay all of his moving expenses if he agreed to take the job. So Dr. Carter decided to give it a shot.
As he settled into his new job, he quickly realized the owners sold more booze than Benadryl. He remembers thinking: “I don’t know if I like this or not, but I’m here and I’m not going to move back to Omaha.”
He looked for his own store and heard about a pharmacy on North 24 and West Burleigh that was owned by a German pharmacist and his wife who were looking to retire. The community at the time was also heavily German.
“So, I go over to the store,” Dr. Carter recalls, “The wife greets me and says: ‘You that Carter guy?’ I say, “Yes, ma’am.”  She said: ‘Arthur is in the back.’ I’m this skinny little Black guy from Nebraska, and he’s this big German fella.
“He looked at me and I looked at him. We shook hands. And that was the sale of the store. No lawyers, no banks. In those days, when you looked a man in the eye, and you said I’ll do this or that, it was like a legal document,” Dr. Carter says.
Many in the community didn’t know how to take Dr. Carter initially. He said some customers would ask the former owner, “You know there’s a Black guy working in the pharmacy? He said, ‘Yeah, I work with him every day.’ ”
Over time the neighborhood warmed up to him, and the women would offer him lunch or baked goods as a thank you.
During his time on Burleigh Street, Dr. Carter has seen many children grow up and become adults. And they continue to stop in and visit. Some have even become pharmacists because of his influence. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
Growing up with Dr. Carter
I developed my own relationship with Dr. Carter’s drug store when I was young.
I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 2, and Dr. Carter was my first pharmacist. I grew up on North 21 and West Locust streets, just five blocks from the store. My mother would pick up my prescription for Phenobarbital from his store for many years.
Once I was old enough to walk to the store on my own, I would go there for popcorn and freeze pops. There was a popcorn machine immediately to the left when you’d first enter the store. The smell would hit you as soon as you opened the door.
Dr. Carter would be behind the high-rise countertop with his pleasant demeanor. Always nice, with a smile.
During his time on Burleigh Street, he’s seen many children grow up and become adults. And they continue to stop in and visit. Some have even become pharmacists because of his influence.
He  owned his store for 47 years, and though his famous sign no longer hangs outside, he still works part time as the pharmacy’s herbal specialist.
He sells 12 formulas that are his original compounds: one for regrowing hair after suffering from alopecia to one that gets rid of razor bumps or keloids, a common problem in Black skin. “The preparations I have put together have not been surpassed.”
His best health advice:
“Lose weight. About 70% -80% (of African Americans) are overweight and, of that, 20% are obese. That is one of the main reasons we are prime candidates for this virus COVID-19 and a whole host of other health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure,” he says. “Fast food is some of the worst there is. We need to get back to cooking meals.”
I asked Dr. Carter what the best part of his career has been.
“The whole career has been very good to me,” he says. “I went to one of the best schools in the country and then to get a store of my own for 47 years. I still got a reasonable amount of health. I don’t take any pills. I’m still here. When I go to the doctor, he just looks at me and says, ‘I’ll see you in six months.’”
On Aug. 10, Dr. Lester Carter will turn 90.
He says the community wants to give him a birthday party.
And then he waves his hand.  “I’m just the community druggist, nothing fancy,” he says.
His eyes well up a bit as he looks back on his time in the community. He says, “When people ask me, ‘How’d you do all this Dr. Carter?’ I don’t know.”
He becomes quiet.
I tell him, “Don’t you make me cry. I love you, Dr. Carter, and I appreciate you. It was so good to see you today.”
He touches my shoulder and says, “It’s better to be seen than viewed.”
Yes, it is, Dr. Carter. We see you.
In case you missed it: LIVING LEGENDS: Reuben Harpole’s secret: Be true to the day you were born

author: Damia S. Causey


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 30, 2021


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Dwayne Burtin
June 30, 2021


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‘They know they’re playing Russian roulette:’ Treatment program offers hope for men at risk of overdose | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
July 1, 2021
Jason Dobson, director of programs and facilities at Serenity Inns, graduated from the program in 2011. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Kj Bell takes his recovery from drug addiction one step at a time.
“I wake up and decide that I’m not going to use that day,” he said. “When the end of the day comes, I’m grateful that I didn’t.”
Raised on Milwaukee’s North Side, Bell, 37, said he used alcohol and weed as a teenager but kept it under control. After one of his best friends was murdered, he started to drink more but still didn’t see it as a problem. When his mother died in 2014, he started using prescription opioids. Three years ago, he turned to heroin.
“By then I knew I had a major problem, but I didn’t know what to do or how to stop,” Bell said. “It was hell.”
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Bell ended up in detox, where he learned of Serenity Inns, a safe place for men to recover from drugs or alcohol addictions. He entered treatment there and has been clean now for nearly a year. Although his recovery has been far from easy, Bell said, he knows he’s one of the fortunate ones. He found help before he came across a fatal dose of heroin, fentanyl or another drug. For more than 200 individuals so far this year in Milwaukee, that has not been the case.
From Jan. 1 to June 28, there were 207 confirmed drug overdose deaths, with 80 cases still pending, according to Karen Domagalski, operations manager for the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office. Among the cases still being investigated are nine deaths that occurred over the weekend, she said. During the same time period last year, there were 287 drug overdose deaths, which suggests that this year’s grim pace is mirroring last year’s record high.
Nearly half of this year’s victims (104) were white, while 82 were Black. Fourteen Hispanics, three Native Americans, two Asian/Pacific Islanders, one multiracial individual and one Eastern Indian individual also died. The drug overdose victims resided in all reaches of the city and suburbs, although the largest number, 22, called the 53204 ZIP code area on Milwaukee’s South Side home. The area that lost the second most victims (16) was 53208, which encompasses neighborhoods on the Near West Side and North Side. Nine victims were classified as homeless. More than three-fourths (77 percent) were men.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for every fatal drug overdose, there are many more that are nonfatal. But the mixture of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can kill in trace amounts, with other drugs, has increased the likelihood and number of fatal overdoses in Milwaukee and across the country.
Unfortunately, the risk of dying of a drug overdose is not enough of a deterrent to quit, said Jason Dobson, director of programs and facilities at Serenity Inns, located on North 28th and West Brown streets. He said when it comes to addiction, logic goes out the window.
“They know they’re playing Russian roulette,” he said. “But . . . none of that matters, and they’re going to take that chance.”
Finding help is crucial to survival, he said. That’s a challenge in Milwaukee, where the need for treatment outpaces availability. When one of 12 beds open up at Serenity, a free program that is privately funded through grants and donations and supported by volunteers, a call to detox will fill that spot in 15 minutes, Dobson said.
Bell arrived at Serenity in early September and said he struggled to adjust to structure of the program: daily meetings, a curfew and living with strangers.
“It was rough, but looking back it was what I needed,” he said.
Dobson said new patients can’t work or have phones, and they must follow other strict guidelines during the first stage of the program.
“It gives them time to focus on themselves and have no distractions while they go through treatment,” he said.
Everyone’s treatment plan is individualized, he said, while their motivation to quit is personal as well.
“It’s really whatever message they give themselves to convince themselves that they are done,” said Dobson, who graduated from the program at Serenity in 2011.
Eventually, the men can find work and save money while still receiving treatment. After seven months, the men transition into their own homes or to Serenity’s alumni house, which was purchased four years ago to house program graduates. They can remain engaged in programs for 18 months.
“The longer you keep them engaged in the recovery process, the better the outcome is,” said Dobson, adding that the recovery rate at Serenity is around 50%.
Bell graduated from the program and now lives at the alumni house. He said he enjoys the increased freedom and also the support and opportunity to live in an environment that is different from his old one.
“I regained my self-esteem, dignity and my confidence and being able to handle situations without getting high,” he said. “I’m able to become a part of my own kids’ life and to reunite with friends and family. My life got better in every way.”
Drug treatment services in the Milwaukee area are available at the Gateway to Change, 10th Street Comprehensive Treatment Center, Rogers Behavioral Health, Serenity Inns Inc., West Milwaukee Comprehensive Treatment Center, First Step Community Recovery Center, Meta House, West Allis Community Medical Services, United Community Center and other locations.

author: Edgar Mendez


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51278973028_f628f866c3_k (1) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
June 30, 2021


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5 things to do and know the weekend of July 2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
July 2, 2021
Earlier this week, MCTS lifted its passenger capacity limit, however passengers are still required to wear masks. (File photo by NNS)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
Milwaukee County Transit System lifts passenger capacity limit: Ongoing
Earlier this week, the Milwaukee County Transit System announced that its buses are returning to full capacity. The passenger capacity limit ended on Thursday, July 1. Passengers and employees are still required to wear masks while riding the bus, whether they are vaccinated or not. Free masks and hand sanitizer are available on all buses.
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2.  “Declaration of Donations” blood drive: Friday, July 2
The Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin and Advocate Aurora Healthcare are hosting the 20th annual “Declaration of Donations Blood Drive.” The blood drive will take place at the Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Bluemound Rd., from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, July 2. Donors will receive a free same-day zoo admission and parking pass and a complimentary ticket to the Wisconsin State Fair. Click here to make an appointment or call 1-877-232-4376.
3. Jamie Breiwick Quintet performance at Sam’s Place: Friday, July 2
The Jamie Breiwick Quintet will be performing at Sam’s Place, 3338 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, starting at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, July 2. The concert is free and open to the public. Breiwick will be on trumpet, with Carl Kennedy on piano; Tim Ipsen on bass; Sam Belton on drums; and Dumah Saafir on percussion.
4. Milwaukee Recreation: Happy Lil’ Campers: Friday, July 2
Milwaukee Recreation is hosting a camping adventure at Hawthorn Glen Outdoor Education Center, 1130 N. 60th St., for little campers ages 3 and older. The adventure will take place from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 2. There will be a tent, sleeping bags, games, songs, s’mores and more. Happy Lil’ Campers costs $5 for residents and $8 for non-residents. Click here to register.
5. CirculateMKE: Creative Entrepreneurial Market: Saturday, July 3
CirculateMKE’s Creative Entrepreneurial Market series is back. The market will take place at Alice’s Garden, 2136 N. 21st St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 3. In addition to the local makers and artists, there will be musical performances and demonstrations by local professionals and artists. Danceworks and TRUE Skool will be performing “Motion in the Garden” this weekend. Interested vendors can click here. In case you missed it: NNS Spotlight: Popular mobile market to make a triumphant in-person return this weekend
Bonus: Anomaly Catering fish fry at Alice’s Garden: Friday, July 2
Alice’s Garden, 2136 N. 21st St., is hosting a fish fry from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 2. The food will be prepared by Anomaly Catering. The garden has eight picnic tables, but attendees are invited to bring chairs and blankets.
In case you missed it: NNS Summer Survival Guide: 15 things to do in your neighborhood


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 1, 2021


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‘Neighbors helping neighbors’: Finding food, friendship and community at Friedens | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 2, 2021
Volunteers at Friedens show their appreciation for clients. Across its four locations, Friedens served over 36,000 meals in 2020 despite having to close one of its locations in March due to COVID-19. (Photo provided by Friendens Food Pantries)
Ten years ago, Andre Pirtle was working with youth and volunteering with the food pantry at his local YMCA. For him, the job became a refuge from his life: His father had spent most of Andre’s life in prison; his mother had developed cancer; and he was trying to help make ends meet.
“I was behind on my dreams. I was behind on my bills,” Pirtle remembered. “And then some guy with no sleeves and a trucker hat walks in and asks me if I want a cupcake.”
That “guy” was Pastor Max Ramsey. Ramsey was working at Friedens’ food pantry at Despensa de la Paz on the South Side. Pirtle did not know it at the time, but Ramsey was about to change his life.
“Within three minutes of talking, [Ramsey] was like ‘I think God is telling me to talk to you some more,’ ” Pirtle remembered. “So we met at Church’s Chicken, the most stereotypical place you could meet, and had a conversation that changed my life.”
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Pirtle is now 30 years old and has been working at the Despensa de la Paz pantry, at 1615 S. 22nd St., for 10 years. What keeps him coming back is what motivates seemingly everyone who works in the pantry: In a world of chaos, individualism and struggle, Friedens is a haven of peace, camaraderie and nourishment.
In an orientation for new volunteers in early May, Ramsey set the tone for the day right away.
“This is not a charity. You are not above anyone here. You are neighbors helping neighbors. Friends helping friends.”
Service in the city
Across its four locations, Friedens served over 36,600 meals in 2020, even with the Coggs Center closing in March because of the pandemic. The pantry helped people living in the 53204 and 53215 ZIP codes on the South Side and 53223, 53224 and 53225 on the Northwest Side, according to Executive Director Sophia Torrijos.
Beyond providing boxes of food for clients, Friedens also offers other services such as food delivery for those over 60 in certain ZIP codes and cooking demonstrations on its YouTube page. Volunteers can also connect clients with resources to help with other needs not directly related to food, such as housing and health care.
Though Torrijos said that Friedens’ data shows that government assistance has helped her clients stay afloat, she worries what will happen when that aid runs out.
“My fear is that a majority of families will not be bouncing back to normal when [the COVID-19 pandemic] is over,” she said.
Steady change
Since he arrived at Despensa de la Paz, or just “Despensa” as long-time volunteers call it, Pirtle said he has seen many changes in the surrounding Muskego Way neighborhood.
“This is a transient neighborhood, and the culture of the pantry changes with it. If you go outside right now,” where food is distributed, “you can hear five different languages from people with different cultures, values, languages and food tastes,” he said.
Based on client feedback, the pantry has switched from canned beans to dry beans and from broccoli to kale. It also works with local farmers and even grows its own lettuce in the basement.
Pirtle has even learned to love new foods as well.
“You’re gonna laugh, but I didn’t eat bok choy until I was 25!” he said.
Meri Murray, who lived in the neighborhood and has been volunteering for about as long as Pirtle, originally got involved because her granddaughter raved about Pirtle’s youth group at Despensa.
On Saturdays when the pantry is open, you can find her buzzing from one end of the pantry to the other, checking in with clients, coordinating food distribution and organizing volunteers.
“I do everything here except intake, but that’s only because I don’t like working on computers,” Murray said, laughing. “Both food and non-food, I just love it here.”
Cory Dixon, a frequent client who lives in the Kinnickinnic River Parkway area, said he’s been coming to Despensa for about 10 years for groceries but also for help with finding housing and filling out health care applications.
Even though there are food pantries closer to where he lives, Dixon said the camaraderie he feels at Despensa is what keeps him coming back.
“I consider them family,” Dixon said. “Everything I was told about this place has been proven true. They bend over backwards to help you with anything.”
About Friedens
In addition to its location at Despensa de la Paz, Friedens operates three other pantries at Hope House (located at 209 W. Orchard St.) Zion Rock (10230 W. Fond Du lac Ave.) and Coggs Center, which is located at 1220 W. Vliet St. but currently closed until the county reopens the building. You can find an updated list of location hours here.
Torrijos said 82 percent of Friedens clients rent, with less than 4 percent owning their home. About 12 percent are “extremely housing insecure and/or homeless.” Additionally, only 39 percent use a vehicle, with the others relying on hitching rides, taking the bus or walking to pantry locations.


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OPINION: Don’t say you love my Milwaukee if you are afraid of crossing the 16th Street Viaduct | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Francisco “Pancho” Sanchez
July 2, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank of TankThink)
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 Pancho Sanchez)
The NBA playoffs have brought a lot of national attention to Milwaukee. Most of the attention has been well-received. I mean who doesn’t want to be recognized for having one of the most dominant NBA teams?
However, when ESPN’s “First Take” crew was discussing playoff basketball and potential visits to the remaining contenders’ cities, we received some not-so-loving attention. They said they don’t want to visit “terrible” cities, including Milwaukee.
Since then, Milwaukeeans flooded social media to share their feelings. For a few days, it was hard to go on any social media platform without seeing someone post a response. I initially shared in this outrage, but I’ve had some time to reflect.
Let me start by sharing — I love Milwaukee. Milwaukee is and forever will be my home. Legend has it, I was born on April 14 as a testament to my love for the 414. The Allen-Bradley Clock Tower served as my timekeeper for most of my childhood. I’ve been to more tailgates at Miller Park (yes, MILLER PARK) than Sunday services, and I’m pretty sure my first words were probably “Bucks in 6.”
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So hearing people talk bad about my city stung. It felt like a mosquito bite — a sting that wasn’t painful initially but has resulted in an itch that I haven’t been able to scratch away.
It’s something other Milwaukeeans haven’t been able to scratch away either. Many have responded to these “terrible city” comments with high-quality images of places like the Milwaukee Art Museum, lakefront and Hoan Bridge, as if to say we cannot be “terrible” if we have such beautiful places. Don’t get me wrong, we should always celebrate the beauty of our city, but we need to recognize (and do something about) the important reality that Milwaukee has a “terrible” side.
These beautiful images do not negate the fact that we are still one of the most segregated cities in America. We are ranked one of the worst places for men of color to live, and we have one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country . . .  and don’t get me started on all these damn potholes! It’s fine for some to say we have a beautiful city, but we must recognize that the quality of life for many people who live in our city is, in fact, “terrible.”
Also many of the people that are the most offended by the idea of Milwaukee being “terrible” have a phobia of crossing the 16th Street Viaduct. Milwaukee is more than downtown. If you care about Milwaukee, you need to care about the Amani and Clarke Square neighborhoods the same way you care about the lakefront.
DONT CLAIM MILWAUKEE IF YOU DONT LOVE ALL OF MILWAUKEE!!!
Despite our challenges, I want to share some of what I find truly beautiful in my resilient city. We have neighborhoods that are engaging residents in reclaiming their streets. New, locally owned businesses are popping up. Artists are using their medium to tell the stories of the communities and organizations that are changing the lives of people in our city.
Let’s channel that anger and frustration we felt about our city being called “terrible” and use it to continue moving Milwaukee forward.
Francisco “Pancho” Sanchez is a lifelong Milwaukeean and community school coordinator at South Division High School.

author: Francisco “Pancho” Sanchez


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208278769_198976252021850_3522822638905267518_n | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 1, 2021


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Post from Community: La Placita – Cesar E. Chavez | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative
July 3, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
On Saturday, July 10th from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, we are inviting the community to El Rey Grocery Store at 915 S. Cesar Chavez Drive to inscribe tiles that will be embedded in the United Farm Worker “huelga” eagle.
The creation of the plaza setting surrounding the Cesar E. Chavez sculpture, celebrates the work of Cesar E. Chavez and Dolores Huerta, co-founders of the National Farm Worker Association and how they improved the lives of the working class community.
The plaza will have public art,  lighting, landscaping and a seating area.  Like other plazas in Spanish Speaking communities, we hope to create a gathering point for residents and visitors to the heart of Milwaukee’s Latinx community.
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Please join us by helping us finish the completion of La Placita.

author: Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative


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PlacitaPublicInscribing_2021.7.3_image-only.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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July 3, 2021


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: July 5 to July 10 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
July 5, 2021
LUNA is painting a mural in Walker Square and inviting the community to help paint. (Photo provided by LUNA)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. City of Milwaukee annual Fourth of July celebrations: Monday, July 5
The City of Milwaukee is celebrating the Fourth of July. This year, the various parades, picnics and fireworks will take place on Monday, July 5. Daytime celebrations will take place at Enderis Park, 2978 N. 72nd St. from 9 a.m. to noon and at King Center, 1531 W. Vliet St. from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fireworks will be set off in 10 Milwaukee County Parks including Alcott, Gordon, Humboldt, Jackson, Lake, Lincoln, Mitchell, Noyes, Washington and Wilson.
2. Metcalfe Park Community Bridges: Chess and art in the park: Wednesday, July 7
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Metcalfe Park Community Bridges is inviting youth ages 8 and older to join “Chess & Art in the Park.” The program will take place at Metcalfe Park Rising Park, 3401 W. Center St., from noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7. Master Quan Caston, a resident artist and chess instructor, will be leading the program. This is a weekly event and will continue through Wednesday, Sept. 12.
3. Washington Park Wheels: Naima and Adekola Adedapo performance: Wednesday, July 7
Washington Park Wednesday is back. This summer, the annual concert series is kicking off the season with Washington Park Wheels, the organization’s mobile concert series. The first concert will take place in the Martin Drive neighborhood from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7. Venus Rising, featuring Naima and Adekola Adedapo will host a pop-up concert at the Martin Drive Garden Park, 1313-1399 N. 46th St., at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7.
4. Leaders Igniting Transformation: Internship applications: Deadline: Sunday, July 18
Leaders Igniting Transformation is hiring college interns for the fall semester. The deadline to apply is Sunday, July 18. This is a paid internship and students can receive college credit. The internship will take place virtually and begin on Monday, Aug. 30. Click here to apply.
5. Community mural paint days with LUNA: Saturday, July 10 and Sunday, July 11
Latinas Unidas En Las Artes also known as LUNA is painting a mural and inviting Walker Square residents and community members to help. Those interested in painting are invited to meet on West Washington and South 10th Streets from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 10 and Sunday, July 11. Whitney Salgado and Katie Avila Loughmiller will be leading the paint days.
Bonus: Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition anniversary celebration: Monday, July 5
The Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. For 15 weeks, the organization will be hosting various events starting the week of Monday, July 5 and concluding on Friday, Oct. 15. The events range from neighborhood cleanups to bike rides to yoga. All of the events are free and open to the public. For the full list of events, click here.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 4, 2021


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Post from Community: ACLU of Wisconsin offers hybrid Youth Summer Justice Institute camp July 19 through 30 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
ACLU of Wisconsin
July 5, 2021
ACLU’s 2017 Youth Summer Justice Institute. (NNS file photo)
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The ACLU of Wisconsin is offering the free 2021 Summer Justice Institute for high school students from July 19 through the 30th in a hybrid format, with a mix of in-person and digital learning. Participants will be provided with all materials needed for the program and with lunch provided on in-person learning days.
For the past three summers, the ACLU of Wisconsin, in partnership with community groups and leaders, has provided approximately 40 high school students (including incoming freshman), a free two-week intensive camp experience teaching essential leadership and social justice issues, skills and techniques for civic engagement.
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This year’s year’s SJI will continue to focus on racial justice, systematic racism, identity work, organizing, visual arts, civil liberties and civil rights with the hopes that students will be able to create community action plans. From issues in immigration, LGBTQ+, mass incarceration, voting rights, and more, students will become experts on the issues currently being confronted in Wisconsin today.
To learn more for the Summer Justice Institute, go to our website here.
The deadline to register is July 9.

author: ACLU of Wisconsin


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 5, 2021


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OPINION: The real reason why critical race theory is under attack | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dr. Javier Tapia
July 6, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank)
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 Dr. Javier Tapia)
Five states (Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Tennessee) have passed laws against the teaching of critical race theory while similar bills have been introduced in 19 other states, including Wisconsin.
A common element in these bills is that public schools should not present the foundation of this country in a negative light nor discuss how the white/Caucasian (white from now on) population has benefited at the expense of racial/ethnic minority populations. Critics further argue that critical race theory is divisive.
Critical race theory can be defined as an intellectual framework used in academia to explore and analyze racial inequality in society. A key element of the theory is that society’s legal, economic and educational institutions operate (often in subtle ways) to marginalize racial and ethnic minority populations. As such, this process of marginalization tends to benefit the white population, primarily the wealthy class. Along with critical theory and multicultural education, critical race theory promote equity in society.
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We can trace critical race theory to the ‘70s when a number of scholars like Derrick Bell, Richard Delgado and Kimberlé Crenshaw pointed out that the legal system has played a key role in maintaining racial inequality in society in a systemic and pervasive way. Thus, the negative effects of systemic racism is not confined to the legal system, but it is also present in unequal access to jobs, housing and health care as broadly discussed by Diana Kendall in her book “Social Problems in a Diverse Society.” The effects of systemic racism became very visible when the African American and Latino communities were greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even though the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was crucial in its attempt to end discrimination, current events (as discussed below) indicate that we still have work to do. When we take a closer look at the criticisms against critical race theory (and multicultural education) we find them lacking in substance and critical analyses.
In order to understand the current context for this debate, we need to go back to the rise of the European powers in the 15th century. Immanuel Wallerstein’s “The Modern World-System” and Eric Wolf’s “Europe and the People without History” illustrate how the British, French, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese empires exploited human and natural resources in Asia, Africa and the Americas for their enrichment. A common element in these colonization practices was the idea that European values and practices were better, and this justified their exploitation in those areas of the world.
A similar mindset was present in the first white-European settlers who arrived into what today is the United States. The white population generated their economic growth by taking land away from Native Americans (and sending them to reservations), importing Black slaves from Africa and by taking land from Mexico. The actions of the white population were guided by the idea of manifest destiny present in the 19th century. According to this belief, God gave white Europeans the right to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific and all across North America. This view “justified” the dispossession of Native Americans, the U.S. invasion of Mexico and the expansion of slavery territories.
The critics of critical race theory and their efforts to ban its teaching through state legislatures make it seem as if it is rampart in K-12 schools. This is false! A more accurate discussion on European imperialism and U.S. history are present only in certain courses at the university level and a few courses that incorporate aspects of multicultural education at the high school level.
In my view, the efforts to ban critical race theory reflect changing demographics and the struggle for political control of the country. Reports from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that whites will become a minority by the year 2045. We see a clear pattern of white population decline and an increase in the number of racial/ethnic minorities. In the year 2000, whites represented 75% of the total population followed by Hispanics (12.5%), African Americans (12.3%) and Asian (3.6%). In 2020, we have Whites (60%), Hispanics (18.5%), African Americans (13.4%) and Asian (5.9%). Projections for 2060 are White (44.3%), Hispanics (27.5%), African Americans (15%) and Asians (9.1%). Of great importance is the fact that the white population is aging, and racial/ethnic minorities will become the engines of economic growth.
Critics of critical race theory cherry-pick information to argue that racism is no longer an issue and often point out that Asian Americans have a higher level of educational attainment than whites. This view ignores the different ways in which the various racial/ethnic groups have been incorporated into the U.S. and how they are viewed by white society. Thus, we have Vietnamese people incorporated as U.S. allies during the Vietnam War. Globalization has led to the expansion of middle class people in China and India, and many have migrated to the U.S. with a college degree. Nevertheless, the political climate in the last four years indicate the prevalence of racism and prejudice toward all non-white people. Thus, we have seen the murder of George Floyd, efforts to stop the Black Lives Matter movement, attacks toward Mexico, Mexicans, Muslims and also toward Asian Americans, who have been blamed (without basis) as being responsible for COVID-19.
Edward Luce’s “The Retreat of Western Liberalism” and Ian Bremmer’s  “Us vs Them” illustrate the factors leading to economic stagnation for a segment of the white population (primarily blue collar without a college degree). Resentment in this population led to the rise of populism and paved the way to victory for former President Donald Trump. In this context, it is easy to blame racial/ethnic minority people for the problems of the country. For many people, MAGA represented Making America Great by making it white. At the end, attacks against critical race theory and multicultural education are efforts by a sector of the white population to maintain control of the schools and society. This is un-American! Critical race theory and multiculturalism promote “Liberty and Justice for All.”
Dr. Javier Tapia is an associate professor of educational studies and community studies at UW-Milwaukee with a specialty in public anthropology, Latino affairs and global educational studies.

author: Dr. Javier Tapia


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OPINION: The ugly truth: Students need to see themselves in their country’s history even if it makes privileged critics uncomfortable | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Nicolo Onorato
July 6, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank)
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 Nicolo Onorato)
Throughout history, parents and teachers have heard a question from their children and students. A question that allows further exploration of ideas and facilitates discussion to gain a greater understanding of complex topics.
“Why?”
Sometimes the answers are easy (“Vegetables will help you grow big and strong.”) other times, answers are complex. As a teacher and parent, I want to answer the question honestly. To give my kids available information and teach them skills to analyze that info. If we want our kids to have a depth of understanding, they need more than one side of the story.
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Lately, we have seen social media posts, news stories, speeches and legislation working to make it harder to provide students with alternative perspectives to the traditional curriculum. These share a common claim that teaching these perspectives is unpatriotic, a harbinger of the downfall of our civilization.
They don’t want students to learn about parts of the American story that have often been glossed over, edited out or willfully forgotten.
Students need to see themselves in the history of their country. For many of us, the story of our ancestors starts well before 1776. Black history didn’t begin in 1619, yet what do we learn of the African civilizations that thrived before colonization? The stories of this land’s Indigenous peoples are pushed aside for romantic stories of westward expansion and manifest destiny. The plunder and eradication of people in Central and South America is a footnote in the story of European exploration.
Why?
Why are the stories of colonizers and conquerors more important than stories of the colonized and subjugated? Why are the heroes of our American history protected from enlightened scrutiny? Why is questioning the historical narrative perceived as an attack on the foundation of our nation?
Is it because we don’t like to see our heroes in unflattering ways? Does it make people uncomfortable that the heroes they idealize were not perfect? Is it that the “greatness of America” was great for a very small subset of people at the expense of others?
The powerful have often reaped benefits from losses of the less powerful. Giving a voice to those who lost may take away from the mythology of the self-made country that pulled itself up by its bootstraps. There are many things to be proud of in our history, but there are shadows of regret and shame that also must be learned, must be taught.
Why?
We deserve the truth. Not just one version of a story. We deserve to hear from the people who were there, reading the accounts of the winners and those who were defeated. Our country needs to be willing to acknowledge the unpleasantness, the crimes, the atrocities, that have long been ignored and recognize the pain that endures because of them. We need to be OK with having uncomfortable conversations about unpleasant topics. We have to recognize that there may not be any easy answers or fast resolution to societal and systemic problems. That doesn’t mean we don’t try.
Why?
The work must be done, and it is not the responsibility of the oppressed to convince their oppressor to change. It is up to all of us to recognize and identify those who benefit from the systems and power structures that have endured for hundreds of years.
We need to call out those who are actively trying to stop people from learning truths while passing laws to take the right to vote, plotting to redistrict communities to reduce representation and dismantling funding for public services and schools.
Why?
Because the powerful are threatened by the potential of the powerless. They will do everything they can to make sure that we are underrepresented, underfunded, over-policed and undereducated. They are afraid that questioning of these power structures will begin to dismantle the systems that fill their pockets. They are afraid of learning the truth about our history — our shared history — because they are afraid of what they may find.
Some of the heroes in the history books were villains and tyrants in versions of the stories that are rarely heard. Our country owes a debt to the people who helped to build it but who are never recognized for their contributions. There are cultural and community heroes across this country that are honored locally but who will not be included in textbooks.
The stories and histories of all people should be accessible to students, not just in Black History, Hispanic Heritage, AAPI Heritage or Pride months. Our stories are important every day, all year.
Why?
Because our stories are American history, too.
If someone doesn’t think so, you should be asking “Why?”
Nicolo Onorato is an MPS teacher and parent.

author: Nicolo Onorato


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20210705_150915 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 5, 2021


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Post from Community: Drive-Thru Job Fairs bringing opportunity to the community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Department of Workforce Development
July 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The City of Milwaukee Office of Workforce Development will be holding north side and south side Drive-Thru Job Fairs on Thursday (July 15th) for Milwaukee job seekers looking for immediate employment opportunities.
The job fair events are enthusiastically supported by Common Council members Chantia Lewis (9th District), José G. Pérez (12thDistrict), Russell W. Stamper, II (15th District) as a creative way to bring immediate job opportunities to residents (where they live) and in a manner that is safe during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic recovery.
The job fairs will focus on neighborhoods within the 9, 12, and 15 Aldermanic Districts, all of which have been t hit hard by COVID-19.All attendees will receive a no-contact bag packed with information on employment assistance programs and employers hiring right now, and the events will feature employers from manufacturing, office, healthcare, retail, transportation/logistics and much more.
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The Drive Thru Job Fair events on July 15 are co-sponsored by Milwaukee Common Council, Direct Connect Milwaukee, Northwest Side CDC, State Department of Workforce Development, Job Center of Wisconsin, Employ Milwaukee, The Milwaukee Urban League, Milwaukee Public Schools, and the City of Milwaukee
Thursday, July 15th 2021
Noon – 4:00 PM
THREE LOCATIONS:
North side (Location 1)
Employ Milwaukee, Inc.
2342 N. 27 Street, Parking Lot
*Enter lot from N. 27th St.
Northside (Location 2)
Social Development Commission
9155 N. 76 Street, Parking Lot
*Enter from N. 76th Street
South side
Basilica of St. Josaphat
2333 S. 6 Street, Parking Lot
*Enter from S. 6th St.
Ferias de Trabajo como Drive-Thru brindan oportunidades a la comunidad
Eventos en el lado norte y el lado sur se llevarán a cabo este jueves (15 de julio del 2021) de mediodía a 4 p.m.
El Departamento de Desarrollo de la Fuerza Laboral de la Ciudad de Milwaukee realizará Ferias de Trabajo como Drive-Thru en el lado norte y lado sur el jueves (15 de julio) para las personas en Milwaukee que buscan trabajo y oportunidades inmediatas de empleo.
Se presentan las ferias de trabajo por miembros del Consejo Común Chantia Lewis (9o Distrito), José G. Pérez (12o Distrito), Russell W. Stamper, II (15o Distrito) como una forma creativa de brindar oportunidades inmediatas de trabajos a los residentes (donde viven) y de manera segura durante la recuperación de la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19).
Las ferias de trabajo se enfocarán en vecindarios dentro de los distritos 9, 12 y 15, en donde les ha afectado más fuerte el COVID-19.  Todas las personas que asisten la feria de trabajo recibirán una bolsa sin tener contacto llena de información sobre programas de ayuda para encontrar trabajo y empresas que están contratando ahora, especialmente en industrias como fábricas, oficinas, cuidado médico, tiendas y establecimientos, transporte/logística y muchas más.
Las Ferias de Trabajo como Drive Thru del 15 de julio se patrocinan por El Consejo Común de Milwaukee, Direct Connect Milwaukee, Northwest Side CDC, Departamento Estatal de Desarrollo de la Fuerza Laboral, Job Center of Wisconsin/Centro de Trabajos de Wisconsin, Employ Milwaukee, Milwaukee Urban League/La Liga Urbana de Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Schools/Las escuelas Públicas de Milwaukee y la Ciudad de Milwaukee.
jueves 15 de julio del 2021
mediodía – 4:00 PM
TRES UBICACIONES:
Lado sur
Basilica de San Josaphat
2333 sur de la calle 6, Estacionamiento
*Entre por la calle 6
Lado norte (Ubicación 1)
Employ Milwaukee, Inc.
2342 norte de la calle 27, Estacionamiento
*Entre por la calle 27
Lado norte (Ubicación 2)
Social Development Commission
9155 norte de la calle 76, Estacionamiento
*Entre por la calle 76

author: Department of Workforce Development