text:
North Division committee calls for independent African-American board to run failing school | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ryeshia Farmer
July 11, 2018
North Division stakeholders, including Dr. Howard Fuller (front center), discuss the school’s future. (Photo by Ryeshia Farmer)
As North Division High School transitions to a “community school” in the fall, a group of stakeholders is calling for an independent school board made up of African-Americans to run the once-proud school, which now is ranked one of the worst in the state. A variety of efforts during the past several decades have failed to raise academic achievement.
A recent meeting organized by North Division’s Call to Action Committee, a group of alumni, students and neighborhood residents, was called to discuss the “community-controlled” school model, which supporters say incorporates the elements of a community school, but would be run by an independent school board comprised of African-Americans. The meeting was hosted by Ald. Russell Stamper, who has not taken a position on the committee’s proposal. North Division, at 1011 W. Center St., is in Stamper’s district.
North Division is slated to become one of 10 MPS community schools in the fall, under the Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership. Community schools provide academic supports, social and emotional learning, health and wellness, and family and community engagement, according to the United Way of Milwaukee and Waukesha County, which is taking a leadership role in the partnership.
“A community school is both a place, and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources,” Dr. Howard Fuller explained to the audience of about 100 people. He added that such schools offer a range of support for students, families and community members and are usually open for extended hours to everyone in the community.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Michelle R. Allison, a United Way community school coordinator at Auer Avenue School, said said that the school works with parents to provide food pantries, youth justice initiatives and improved academic achievement.
Extended learning opportunities and after-school enrichment are very important, said Fuller, who added that high-quality education, service learning, mental health services, adult education and workforce preparation all should be implemented in community schools.
Fuller, a North Division alumnus and former superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools, was invited to the meeting to discuss both the “community-controlled” and “community school” models.
Meeting attendees appear skeptical as they listen to the discussion. (Photo by Ryeshia Farmer)
According to Andrew Nelson, an MPS spokesperson, “The community school model is all about working with the students, families, educators and local community to develop a shared vision and goals that everyone collectively works towards.”
“Each community school looks different because it is defined locally,” Nelson added. United Way will place a full-time coordinator at North Division.
The Call to Action committee supports converting North Division to a community school, but wants it to be “community-controlled” — run by an independent school board comprised of local residents, according to committee member Torre Johnson. The board would choose the school’s principal and curriculum.
“North Division was always a high school for black people…so that’s why it’s important that we pick North Division as a hub for all of our community…We need to have something in our community that is a pillar for us, by us,” Johnson said.
The need for black-operated schools in African-American communities “is one of the reasons I want to talk about community-controlled schools,” said Fuller. He added, “Historically, people want to engage families, but what I want to do is give families power to make decisions about what happens in their children’s schools.”
School board members contacted multiple times by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service were not available for comment.
According to North Division’s state report card, 87.5 percent of students ranked “below basic” in math and 80 percent ranked the same in language arts during the 2016-17 school year. Below basic is the lowest category possible.
The school received a score of 22/100 on the state report card and ranks 333 of 335 Milwaukee County schools. Its graduation rate is 30 percent for students who attend for four years.
“That needs to change,” said Martinez Milton, a Call to Action committee member and the 2016 North Division valedictorian.
Although North Division’s student capacity is 1,000, only 354 students were enrolled at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.
“The notion of a community school could be one of the things that gives us an opportunity to increase the population in the building,” Fuller said.
Angela Harris, a kindergarten teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary school, asked Fuller where he and his peers were when community members canvassed for student enrollment.
Some audience members also questioned Fuller’s personal expertise on community schools as well as his motives. Fuller had proposed moving Milwaukee Collegiate Academy, a public charter school, into North Division, but withdrew the controversial proposal earlier this year.
Milton said that North Division is no longer the institution that spawned successful alumni such as U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore. “This school was neither my first, second, nor third choice. …I only came here, because my aunt worked as a security guard here and I felt safe,” he said.
According to Milton, the North Division community is “not giving students what they deserve,” which is “anything they can get that is top notch,” including a quality education from the best possible teachers.
“We’re just trying to take North Division to new levels,” Milton commented.
Dr. Pamela Malone, an MATC sociologist with expertise in black student achievement, said it’s important to have more black teachers at North Division.
“If we create the school the way that we want to, then we can get more black educators in the school,” noted Johnson.
Fuller said that the state report cards on Milwaukee’s eight existing community schools could help predict academic success under a community-controlled school model.
However, according to Nelson, community schools have not existed long enough to measure progress. The Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership was implemented during the 2015-16 school year, and he said that it takes six years to obtain valid data.


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 10, 2018

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Adam Carr


text:
ACLU organizer from 53206 inspires others and advocates for change | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Abby Ng
July 12, 2018
Sean Wilson started working at the ACLU of Wisconsin this spring, a little over a year after he was released from prison. (Photo by Abby Ng)
Editor’s note: This is one of an occasional series of articles about the people and places of 53206.
Sean Wilson’s family had a dream for him, but it was a “dream deferred” he said, quoting the famous Langston Hughes poem. After being incarcerated for 17 years, Wilson recently was hired as ACLU of Wisconsin’s Smart Justice statewide organizer, an advocate for criminal justice reform. Wilson’s family predicted that he was going to do great things, and Wilson is finally on his way to fulfilling that prediction.
“I’m proud that I’m able to make that promise, their vision, come to fruition,” he said.
With his family’s faith in him at the forefront of his mind, Wilson, 35, said he worked hard to better himself while in prison.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“Even while I was in prison, I was planning and preparing as if I was already out,” Wilson said.
As a self-proclaimed autodidact — a self-taught person, Wilson finished his high school education. While attending a Bible study class, he met his mentor and best friend, Rudy Bankston, who introduced him to a side of African-American history he was not taught in public school. In large part due to Bankston, Wilson said he read voraciously about black civil rights and power. Invigorated by his studies, Wilson said he realized his calling as an activist.
“You have to first come into the knowledge of yourself,” he said. “And when you come into the knowledge of yourself, you come into the knowledge of your responsibilities to your family, your community, your state, your country and your world as a whole.”
Sean Wilson poses for the camera as a teenager. (Photo courtesy of Sean Wilson)
Wilson also reflected on his childhood in 53206. He said he did not realize it at the time, but he experienced trauma while growing up and witnessing drug dealing, gun violence and prostitution. Wilson said peer pressure played a large part in his decision-making when he was convicted of armed robbery at 17 years old. He had scholarships to go to college, but Wilson said he “squandered those opportunities.”
“As a young person, you emulate what you see. You’re very impressionable,” Wilson said. “I’m glad that my poor decisions did not cause me the rest of my life.”
Now Wilson is using the rest of his life to make sure young men like him do not end up behind bars.
“I use my story, in hopes that they will be able to pull from it and allow it to be a deterrent as opposed to them having that experience for themselves,” he said.
Once Wilson was released in January 2017, he began volunteering with Urban Underground and Youth Justice Milwaukee to spread his message. Learning the power of mentorship from Bankston, Wilson said he wanted to continue the pattern of “paying it forward.”
Bankston said Wilson has the unique ability to do so.
“He’s relatable because he grew up in circumstances that a lot of people in the so-called hood are going through now,” Bankston said. “As painful as that was, he has that experience.”
Jarrett English, ACLU of Wisconsin youth organizer, said that Wilson also has the unique experience and knowledge needed to create change in the criminal justice system.
“The people closest to the issue are the best equipped to undo it. … that makes common sense,” English said.
“Even though he doesn’t have those degrees, he has that lived experience that is absolutely precious,” Bankston added. “He carries the experience of so many other brothers within him. He carries my story.”
Wilson was selected for the position out of 84 other applicants. English said he was chosen because he has connections to the decarceration community and thoroughly knows the prison system.
“Being able to meet people where they are while not seeming judgmental or condescending are very important characteristics in a good organizer, and I think Sean has all of that in spades,” English said.
As an organizer for ACLU’s Smart Justice campaign, Wilson’s long-term goal is to reduce the prison population by 50 percent by ending crimeless revocations and expanding the Earned Release Program (ERP). Crimeless revocations re-incarcerate those on extended supervision, parole or probation for minor rule violations. ERP provides inmates with drug treatment and the possibility for early release. Wilson has been working with organizations such as Just Leadership and Youth Justice Milwaukee to create a coalition to address these issues.
Wilson said his own encounters with wardens and prison guards motivate him to expose the system of mass incarceration that disadvantages black and brown people. He said he believes the criminal justice system should actually help those who go through it and prepare them to re-enter society.
Wilson said he hopes more institutions and companies can be as welcoming as the ACLU was for him.
“If society looked at us not as felons, but as humans, and gave us a second chance, (this country) would be in a better condition,” he said.
English said he admires Wilson because he did not let a system define him. Instead, Wilson stayed true to his family’s confidence in him and he now living their dream and his own.
Wilson’s family continues to inspire him, though one person in particular drives him to be the person he is today, he said. His greatest supporter was his grandmother, but she passed away just two weeks before he came home. Wilson said he knows she would be proud.
“I want to continue to make her smile,” he said.

author: Abby Ng


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 11, 2018


text:
Business training program targeting Milwaukee central city businesses accepting applications for second cohort | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Scale Up Milwaukee
July 12, 2018
(Photo courtesy of Scale Up Milwaukee)
Scale Up Milwaukee, an initiative of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, in partnership with WWBIC and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, is accepting applications for the second cohort of its SPARC initiative, a business training program that aims to infuse a greater ambition and capacity for growth within Milwaukee’s central city businesses.
The five-session training program teaches owners the practical skills to inject growth into their ventures. Taught by a team of expert entrepreneurs from around Milwaukee, SPARC helps owners create and implement strategies for rapid and sustainable growth, resulting in increased revenue, hiring, capital expenditures, and wealth creation. The program will run from September to December. SPARC is designed for minority and women owners with revenues over $100,000 located in Milwaukee.
Last year’s cohort graduated 19 companies that are projecting an average revenue growth of 57 percent this year.
The application opens July 11 at ScaleUpMilwaukee.org/SPARC.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!

author: Scale Up Milwaukee


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 12, 2018


text:
Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Community Appreciation Day offers free admission to Black Arts Fest MKE | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Black Arts Fest MKE
July 12, 2018
Organizers of Black Arts Fest MKE today announced a partnership with Potawatomi Hotel & Casino for the inaugural festival at the Summerfest grounds Saturday, August 4 from noon until midnight. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Community Appreciation Day offers the opportunity to members of the community to enjoy the festival for FREE.
On Saturday, August 4, between noon and 3:00 PM, the first 1,500 people that visit the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino tent at the mid gate will receive FREE admission to the festival. Those who receive a ticket for FREE admission will also get an offer for FKC Reward Play. Tickets for admission are only valid between noon and 3:00 PM.
“Potawatomi Hotel & Casino’s Community Appreciation Day extends a wonderful opportunity for the pubic to engage in Black culture,” said Patrice Harris, executive director of Black Arts Fest MKE. “We are thankful Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is a sponsor. Their engagement with Black Arts Fest MKE clearly demonstrates they recognize the importance of the festival to our community.”
“As one of the area’s largest employers represented by team members of many backgrounds, celebrating the diversity of our community is a priority for us,” said Rodney Ferguson, CEO and General Manager of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. “We’re proud our sponsorship will allow free admission to the first 1,500 attendees who are sure enjoy what promises to be a fantastic new event.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Black Arts Fest MKE will take place Saturday, August 4 from noon until midnight at Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds). From the time the gates open until they close, fest goers will enjoy traditional and contemporary dance forms, drumming, culturally focused activities for kids, a marketplace, contemporary music and more. Headline entertainment includes Bobby Rush, Tony! Toni! Toné, and MC Lyte at the Miller Lite Oasis. Headliners for the Johnson Controls Sound Stage will soon be announced.
For all the details on the festival, visit blackartsfestmke.com and like and follow us on Facebook.

author: Black Arts Fest MKE


text:
Former Finney Library to come back to life as retail market | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 13, 2018
Matt Bohlmann stands outside the former Finney Library, which he purchased from the city in 2015. (Photo by Abby Ng)
Three small business owners recently signed leases for space in the building that housed the Finney Library for 50 years. Building owner Matt Bohlmann was working to develop a financing package to convert the building into a marketplace for 12 food vendors when he received calls from several entrepreneurs who were losing their Milwaukee Mall rental space.
“I decided to take the bird in the hand,” Bohlmann said.
The Finney Library building, at 4243 W. North Ave., has been vacant since 2003 when Milwaukee Public Library built the Washington Park branch at 2121 N. Sherman Blvd. to replace it.
Bohlmann had visited the library as a child and had admired it for years. He purchased it from the city in March 2015. Since then he has been making repairs and working to repurpose the historic 1953 structure. His original plan was to move his own custom-made fine furniture workshop there and rent the remaining space to other artists.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Bohlmann had inadvertently created a business incubator on State Street in Wauwatosa. Prior to buying the former Finney Library, he acquired a 54,000-square-foot building that was much larger than he needed for his own studio and decided to rent his extra space to businesses that had outgrown their garages or other start-up spaces. He found he enjoyed providing opportunity and nurturing these entrepreneurs and wanted to do the same for artists, he said.
Ann Lee, the owner of A-Fashion, arranges hats in her store at Milwaukee Mall. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
But discussions with prominent local artist Reginald Baylor and other artists who considered renting studio space in the building, did not pan out for a variety of reasons, including the financial pressure that artists typically face. He mentioned that at least one prospective tenant’s husband did not want her working in the neighborhood in the evening because of safety concerns.
Bohlmann’s next concept was to seek out food vendors and create something like the Milwaukee Public Market.
“My product design had 12 spaces called turnkey kitchen kiosks,” which would be prepared with permits and ready for occupancy, Bohlmann said.
The problem with the idea was that the $3 million budget was too expensive, he said.
Bohlmann said he has invested $350,000 in the building, including $9,000 from a façade repair grant from the city.
“It is really hard to get anyone to lend any money to anyone in the inner city,” he said. “With the past projects I’ve done, I’ve been a good credit risk for more than a decade … if I have trouble with my record, someone with less experience” will have an even harder time.
Bohlmann thought that after the unrest in Sherman Park in August 2016, financing opportunities might open up, but that has not been the case, he said.
He noted that he has a verbal commitment for financial backing from the Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. “They do loan packages when banks don’t want to get involved.” However, “getting any kind of financing with any group takes at least 90 days,” he said.
“Access to capital is critical,” he said. “I have a great building on a high-traffic corner with an experienced developer and I need to be able to walk into the bank and walk out with money.”
The city’s Neighborhood Improvement Development Corp. is willing to work with him to attract tenants to the building, he said.
While Bohlmann was working with a consultant to figure out how to arrange financing, Antoinette Carter, the owner of #Designerz, called.
#Designerz is “known as the home of ‘the $100 designer outfit,’” said Carter, who has sold designer apparel, accessories and jewelry at wholesale prices at the Milwaukee Mall for the last three-and-a-half years.
Real estate developer Kalan Haywood is redeveloping Milwaukee Mall, a former Sears, Roebuck and Co. building at 2100 W. North Ave. that has been home to vendors selling clothing and other products since the early 1990s.
When Carter found out in May she would have to vacate that space in a few months, she thought, “I have to get into something really quick.” A business owner she knows suggested that she call Bohlmann, and Carter referred others at Milwaukee Mall to him.
Carter and other tenants tried to get help finding rental space from the North Avenue Fond du Lac Marketplace BID 32 but received no help at all, she said.
She signed a three-year lease at Finney and said she hopes to open there in August. Bohlmann said the tenants have the option to renew their leases for another three years.
The other two businesses that have signed leases at Finney are Young Sport, owned by Jinne Chung, and A-Fashion, owned by Ann Lee. Both long-time businesses sell clothing and accessories.
The three tenants will occupy about 6,000 of the almost 11,000-square-foot building, Bohlmann said. He is working with three additional prospective tenants.
Bohlmann, who has not been making furniture since he bought Finney, said he is passionate about the project. He joined the North Avenue Gateway Business Improvement District board and is now treasurer. The BID has supported his development efforts and has also helped bring two new businesses, Domino’s Pizza and BC Supermarket, to the block on North Avenue.

author: Andrea Waxman


text:
Urban Ecology Center hosts training for cities around the world | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
July 15, 2018
The Urban Ecology Center® (UEC) is hosting its first training Intensive for civic and community leaders from cities around the world this summer from July 23 – 27. Attendees are coming to learn about the unique urban environmental education and community center model that the UEC has been running in Milwaukee for over 25 years.
Rather than travelling to other cities, the Urban Ecology Center is bringing interested groups to Milwaukee. Confirmed participants are from Guadalajara, Mexico; Tiberias, Israel; Medellín, Columbia; and US cities in North Carolina, Missouri, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.
“In addition to our pride in our home city, much of our work revolves around having a sense of place,” said UEC executive director Ken Leinbach. “Our model is founded on understanding and nurturing our place – community members, local partners, land, water, plants, and wildlife. Bringing folks to Milwaukee provides them with the opportunity to see our model in action and helps participants to consider what it could look like in their own communities.”
Building on the lessons shared in the bestselling book Urban Ecology: A Natural Way to Transform Kids, Parks, Cities and the World written by Leinbach, the Intensive curriculum not only shares first-hand experience with the programs run by the UEC, but has sessions related to getting started, structure, and funding as well.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“We believe that cities of a certain size share a similar problem where green spaces in socially challenged neighborhoods become sites for negative activities. An Urban Ecology Center can turn this around,” said Leinbach. “Our goal is to provide enough training and guidance for participants to be able to take the next steps towards doing the same kind of work in their own cities. We believe that our model is replicable around the world and that our attendees will be more successful after coming to Milwaukee to see firsthand how it works, learning from us and each other.”
As is stated on the back of Urban Ecology: “There is a quiet experiment in Milwaukee that is turning heads. It’s a story of a group of ordinary people in an ordinary neighborhood who created something quite extraordinary. It starts with getting a city kid to explore their neighborhood park and has the power to transform a city. It’s remarkable. It’s contagious. And it works as a catalyst for social change.”
The Urban Ecology Center has three locations in Milwaukee each serving their surrounding neighborhoods and partnering with local schools to provide environmental education field trips. Each branch is connected to a public green space with native ecosystems that are cared for by UEC staff and volunteers and are used as outdoor classrooms. Annually, 225,000 individuals visit the UEC’s three branches and parks.
In addition to visiting the three branches, participants will be exploring Milwaukee highlights including Miller Park, Hubbard Park Beer Garden, the lakefront, and several local restaurants.
ABOUT US
For 25 years, the Urban Ecology Center has been committed to fostering ecological understanding as inspiration for change, neighborhood by neighborhood. Our three Environmental Community Centers provide outdoor science education for urban youth; protect and use public natural areas, making them safe, accessible and vibrant; preserve and enhance these natural areas and their surrounding waters; promote community by offering resources that support learning, volunteerism, stewardship, recreation and camaraderie; and practice and model environmentally responsible behaviors. Visit us at urbanecologycenter.org.

author: Urban Ecology Center


text:
Teenasia Scobey-Polacheck is now home safe with her family | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
James Madlom, Mueller Communications
July 15, 2018
The following statement was issued by Annemarie and Bill Scobey-Polacheck following the return of their daughter, Teenasia, who had been missing since July 1:
We are so very grateful to have Teenasia safe at home with her family. She is healthy and happy to be here and we are so happy to have her with us.
We want to thank the entire community who helped bring our daughter home, including the Glendale and Milwaukee Police Departments, community activist Tory Lowe, Safe & Sound, our family, friends and neighbors, and the many volunteers who helped make this joyful reunion possible.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Teenasia was reunited with her family late Friday night as a result of contacts made through community outreach.

author: James Madlom, Mueller Communications


text:
Sentencing software fosters mass incarceration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mac Indaworld
July 16, 2018
Milwaukee County Courthouse (Photo by Rebecca Carballo)
Mac Indaworld, a criminal lawyer practitioner and NAACP advocate in Wisconsin, writes that the use of the COMPAS software program to determine sentencing in criminal cases will further mass incarceration of minorities in the state.
In the 2016 State v. Loomis decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court approved the use of COMPAS (Correctional Offender Management Profiling Alternative Sanctions) software when determining sentencing in criminal cases.
It is unclear exactly how the COMPAS software works.  However, it allegedly consists of a series of algorithms that assess an individual’s risk of criminal behavior (“criminal risk”) based on the personal characteristics of known offenders in the U.S. criminal database. Unfortunately, such analyses focus on the criminal tendencies of one’s peers rather than the individual himself.   Peers are presumably defined as individuals within the same class or category of criminal and/or within the same socioeconomic demographic.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Criminal risk is defined as the likelihood that you (or people like you) will be arrested for either a violent or a non-violent felony over a three-year period. The creators of the proprietary software claim that COMPAS takes into account “the main factors that impact an offender’s future criminal behavior.” COMPAS uses actuarial risk assessments to predict group behavior and estimate criminal outcomes.
Though they may be well suited to insurance and financial industry practice, it is uncertain whether actuarial risk assessments are appropriate for use in the criminal justice system. Actuaries try to predict death rates based on tables of population data categorized by demographics (i.e. race, age, geographic region). Insurance and financial corporations apply these prediction models to capital investments to guide business practices; and, these industries may suffer financial loss if the actuarial assessment is incorrect.  The COMPAS software creators presume to equate risk of “death” with risk of “criminal proclivity.”
In addition, COMPAS employs both static and dynamic factors while actuarial assessments consider only static factors.  According to its developer, the COMPAS software reviews:  1) history of criminal involvement; 2) antisocial associates; 3) antisocial personality; 4) antisocial attitudes/criminal thinking; and 5) antisocial opportunity (risk) lifestyle.  Other factors considered include drug abuse, residence in high crime areas, poverty, antisocial parents/siblings, educational capital, prosocial bonds, supportive family and prosocial relations.
Neither you, nor your attorney, nor the circuit court has the authority to review the algorithms, data sets, actuarial coefficients or other potentially superfluous criteria employed by COMPAS when assigning criminal risk.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court deems such disclosure to be unnecessary.  Instead, the court has opted to protect the intellectual property rights of the COMPAS software proprietors and, in doing so, has effectively made the constitutional liberties of individuals secondary to the property rights of a corporation.
In sanctioning the use of COMPAS, the Wisconsin Supreme Court may be fostering “hyper-mass incarceration” in Wisconsin.  Blacks, Native Americans and Latinos represent less than 18 percent of the state’s total population; however, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, this collective group represents 48 percent of Wisconsin’s prison population as of 2010.   According to Pro Publica and other national news organizations, COMPAS has been shown to disproportionately peg minorities (black defendants) as higher risk.  In Wisconsin, with its peculiar tendency to over-incarcerate minority populations, COMPAS may subject minorities to longer sentences.
While most Americans would be embarrassed by these statistics, Wisconsin seems to be doubling down.  Perhaps one day, we’ll look back on these times and see more clearly how Wisconsin’s power players used government to further devastation upon minority citizens.  Perhaps one day, it will be obvious how the relentless displays of minorities committing crime on local TV news was actually a part of a larger effort to bully persons of color in Wisconsin into a criminal justice quagmire.
Perhaps one day, we will finally admit that only a few of us actually ever witnessed a crime, but yet we all know people of color who have been unfairly harassed by the police, denied full enjoyment of their constitutional rights, discriminated against and denied opportunities because of their race.  Perhaps one day, we will take responsibility for masking Wisconsin’s systemic racial hate in questionable rationalizations.  And, then perhaps we might see how our silence may have actually emboldened the establishment of the New Jim Crow in Wisconsin.

author: Mac Indaworld


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 15, 2018


text:
Silver City InterNational Festival call for artists | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Layton Boulevard West Neighbors
July 16, 2018
(Photo by Adam Carr)
The Silver City InterNational Festival is Saturday, September 8th!
We are looking for artists interested in being part of the Silver City InterNational Festival with a live art performance, as this event celebrates the rich cultural diversity of the Silver City neighborhood. Nearly 2,000 neighbors and visitors traveled the world along National Avenue between South 33rd and 35th street last year and sampled ethnic cuisine from countries spanning the globe while also enjoying live art performances, free live music, free activities for kids and displays from local businesses.
All exhibitors must transport, install and de-install their own works. Each artist is expected to be present and to communicate with the viewers during the festival. Before applying, you must be certain that you can meet these requirements.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Please include a photo of your work with your application. A stipend of $125 is provided for artists who do a live art performance. If you’re looking to be there as an artist vendor, there is a $40.00 fee.
To apply, please fill out this form.
El Festival InterNacional de Silver City es el sábado 8 de septiembre!
Estamos buscando artistas interesados en ser parte del Festival InterNacional de Silver City con una presentación de arte en vivo, ya que este evento celebra la rica diversidad cultural del vecindario de Silver City. Cerca de 2.000 vecinos y visitantes recorrieron el mundo a lo largo de National Avenue entre las calles 33 y 35 del sur el año pasado y probaron la cocina étnica de países de todo el mundo mientras disfrutaban de actuaciones de arte en vivo, música en vivo gratis, actividades gratuitas para niños y exhibiciones de empresas locales.
Todos los expositores deben transportar, instalar y desinstalar sus propios trabajos. Se espera que cada artista esté presente y se comunique con los espectadores durante el festival. Antes de aplicar, debe estar seguro de que puede cumplir estos requisitos.
Por favor incluya una foto de su trabajo con su aplicación. Se proporciona un estipendio de $ 125 para artistas que realicen una presentación de arte en vivo. Si buscas estar allí como vendedor de artistas, hay una tarifa de $ 40.00.
Para aplicar, complete este formulario.

author: Layton Boulevard West Neighbors


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 16, 2018


text:
Thousands of enthusiastic Club León fans cheer on team at Miller Park soccer match | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sophie Bolich
July 16, 2018
Fans from Los De Arriba Milwaukee assemble on the pedestrian bridge before marching into the stadium en masse. (Photo by Sophie Bolich)
The stream of green and white-clad fans emerging from between cars in the Miller Park lot seemed endless. Sporting masks, banners and musical instruments, the crowd just kept growing, as did the anticipation for the game between professional Mexican soccer teams Club León and C.F. Pachuca.
Even hours before kickoff, the León fans could barely contain their excitement. People waved green and white flags, played pickup soccer games in the few free parking spaces and broke into spontaneous song and dance.
“I wasn’t expecting a big crowd actually,” said Mario Ramirez, leader of the local León fan club, Los de Arriba Milwaukee. “I thought I would only need 25 tickets, mostly for my family, but look how it turned out.”
Ramirez ultimately purchased 300 tickets for friends and family, including some who traveled from Ohio and California.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“When I heard that León was coming to play in Milwaukee, I fell to my knees,” said Angel Flores, a member of Los Arriba de Milwaukee in Spanish. “I was speechless.”
Noemi Ramirez waves a flag while her fellow León fans practice their cheers before the game. (Photo by Sophie Bolich)
León fans comprised the majority of the more than 18,000 spectators at the professional match, which was León’s last scrimmage before the team returns to Mexico for the start of its official season later this month.
“You can tell our fan base isn’t as big here,” said Pachuca fan Hugo Quiñones. “But we are the best no matter what.”
Pachuca won the friendly match 3-1.
According to Ramirez, the score isn’t important so long as his team feels at home in Milwaukee.
“This could be the last time León plays in Milwaukee,” Ramirez said. “Or it could be the start of something beautiful. We’ll see.”
Ramirez and his family moved from León to the U.S. when he was 2 years old, and he says soccer connects him to Mexico.
“We value our people and miss our country, so these games are like a little piece of home,” he said.
Ramirez and his family often travel to Mexico to support León soccer.
“We always travel to home games and we’re becoming part of the fan club there as well,” said Ramirez’s sister, Lolis Ramirez. She said the fan club in Mexico is on another level, but she and her family try to bring back new ideas to improve Los Arriba de Milwaukee.
Ramirez said some of his friends who are undocumented aren’t able to see León play in their home stadium, but soccer provides them a reprieve from the fear and homesickness they face every day.
“It’s all worth it to forget about the political stuff and to just have fun,” he said.  “We’re just regular humans working and trying to enjoy life.”
Ramirez wants to keep improving his fan club and advocating for soccer in Milwaukee.
“I want other people to join me and bring this atmosphere to another level,” he said. “You don’t have to be a León fan; just show up to support soccer.”
When León leaves town, Ramirez says he goes back to being a Milwaukee sports fan just like anybody else.
“León is here now and it’s their day,” he said. “But when they leave I am all about supporting the Brewers and the Bucks. Milwaukee is my home and I love it.”

author: Sophie Bolich


text:
Canvassers go door to door to warn Amani residents about lead dangers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jenny Whidden
July 17, 2018
Dorothy Smith, 73 (left) and task force canvasser Marsha Ashley talk about lead prevention. (Photo by Jenny Whidden)
Each week day, Amani neighborhood residents Marsha Ashley and Orean Harper knock on their neighbors’ doors from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The backs of their shirts read, “Lead-Free Amani.”
The pair speak with residents about the dangers of lead and how to prevent poisoning. Their goal is to knock on every door in their neighborhood — about 5,200 homes.
Ashley and Harper are canvassers for the Milwaukee Nutrition & Lead Task Force, which was formed by Hunger Task Force (HTF), and is working with the Amani neighborhood’s Dominican Center to provide lead education.
HTF Advocacy Campaign Manager Matt Stienstra said the door-to-door canvassing stood out among the various lead education techniques the group used last summer, such as trainings and distributing information at community events.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“We realized pretty early on that going door to door and having these conversations was incredibly beneficial, and so we wanted to be able to do it in a more intentional way this summer,” Stienstra said.
He added that HTF is partnering with the Dominican Center because it is essential to conduct the campaign with culturally competent staff. HTF wanted to work with an organization that was already established and respected in the Amani community.
– Canvassers Marsha Ashley (left) and Orean Harper use tablets to keep track of the doors they have knocked on. (Photo by Jenny Whidden)
“The canvassers that work for this project both live right in the area, both within a few blocks of the Dominican Center. These are their neighbors that they are talking to; this is their community. These are problems that they’re facing,” Stienstra said.
Ashley, Harper, Stienstra and Earn & Learn students from Employ Milwaukee began canvassing on June 11 and will end on Sept. 30. With a month behind them, Stienstra said the team members are having more conversations than they had expected.
They originally predicted they would talk to five to six families a day, but they are actually reaching eight to 10 families a day.
“The conversations are taking longer than I thought, but in a really good way,” Stienstra added.  “It’s because families have questions and they want to talk about this.”
“(The residents) are just happy that we come by in the neighborhood,” Harper said. “The longer we talk to them, the more they know. I’m happy [about] that.”
At the start of summer, the task force mailed a survey to all Amani residents. The survey poses questions related to lead education such as “Circle four good sources of Vitamin C.” Key nutrients to help prevent absorption of lead are Vitamin C, iron and calcium.
Richard Diaz, the Amani community organizer at the Dominican Center, said though some of the survey’s questions seem simple, people don’t know this kind of general information about lead.
“People don’t know about how harmful this stuff is, how widespread it is in the neighborhoods and in the country, and how actually you can protect yourself,” he said.
Diaz said the task force plans to send out the same survey at the end of July and again at the end of September to measure how effective the door-to-door technique is.
If a resident mails the survey back, she or he is entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. Canvassers draw two winners a week.
Every morning, the task force members set out from the Dominican Center about 10:30 a.m. At the door, canvassers tell residents about the three main sources of lead in homes: paint, water and soil. They also teach them how to identify the presence of lead, what to do and what not to do.
Ashley said people in Amani generally know not to drink the tap water, but the conversation about tap water often is based on rumors.
Before being hired as a canvasser, Ashley said she vaguely knew about the lead crisis from the ‘90s. Now, she realizes some of the misconceptions she once held. “I remember (the crisis), but it’s like, ‘Oh that’s paint; no one said anything about the water,’” she said.
Canvassers also teach residents what to eat to help protect their bodies from lead. They let them know that an empty stomach increases the rate of lead absorption.
If no one answers the door, they leave an informational flier about water filters as well as a door hanger that points to information online.
Before the project began, the canvassers underwent a weeklong session of classroom training, which emphasized that they should direct families to appropriate resources.
“If people have questions that are medical…none of us are doctors,” Stienstra said. “We’re going to make sure that we point [them] to the nearest WIC (Women, Infants and Children) clinic or make sure we talk to them about how to get in touch with a pediatrician.”
Stienstra said conversations usually take 10 or more minutes. “Our goal is to have high-quality conversations with folks.”
HTF Executive Director Sherrie Tussler said she hopes the task force can learn from the project and replicate it in other neighborhoods.
“If I can just get through one ear, I’m proud of that,” Harper added. “One ear opens one mouth, then it goes to another one, then it goes to another one, then everybody’s aware almost. That’s why we’re out here.”

author: Jenny Whidden


text:
On the Block: An aspiring nurse | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jenny Whidden
July 17, 2018
Milwaukee native Shaquita Spencer looked like she was relaxing in Clarke Square park Monday evening, sitting in a lawn chair as her two kids played. However, she was actually reviewing newspaper delivery routes, a job that Spencer said consumes 365 days a year.
Spencer has another job as a certified nursing assistant, and she hopes to quit the newspaper gig after earning her registered nurse degree. She said her largest motivation is giving her two sons a better life.


text:
How to donate school supplies | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Martha Cannon, Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
July 18, 2018
With some Milwaukee Public Schools starting less than a month from now, back-to-school shopping is already well under way for many parents and children.
Prepare students for the upcoming school year by contributing school supplies. This is an ideal opportunity for community groups, churches, families and businesses to make a difference.  Volunteer Milwaukee, a service of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee features a calendar full of events, both one-time and ongoing. Here are some school supply drives.
Heartlove Place
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
1927 N. 4 St.
Milwaukee 53212
Students: Pre-school to high school age children
See list of school supplies here.
Need by July 25
Contact Latisha Gyden at info@heartloveplace.org or 414-372-1550
Neu-Life Community Development
2014 W. North Ave.
Milwaukee 53205
Students: Kindergarten through high school
See list of school supplies here.
Deadline: July 25
Contact Tracy Hrajnoha at tracy@neu-life.org or 312 371 7612.
Our Daily Bread Community Outreach Center
6040 W. Lisbon Ave., Suite #203
Milwaukee 53210
Students: Youth ages 6 – 17
See list of school supplies here.
Need by July 30
Contact Lea Kyle-Lewis at ourdailybreadmil@att.net or 414-349-4521.
Capuchin Community Services
1702 W. Walnut St.
Milwaukee 53205
Students: Children of all ages
See list of school supplies here or go to our Target wish list if you don’t have time to shop.
Need by Beginning of August
Contact Shirelle Jenkins at csvol@thecapuchins.org or 414-933-1300.
SEA Literacy
2819 W. Richardson Place
Milwaukee 53208
Students: Students range from age 6 to 23, but most are in middle school and high school.
See list of school supplies here.
Need by August 6 for early start student schools and August 28 for other schools.
Contact Dan (DJ) Jackson at djackson@sealmke.org or 414-439-3468.
HOPE Network for Single Mothers
N88 W17658 Christman Road.
Menomonee Falls 53051
Students: Elementary school age children in Milwaukee and other counties
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Aug. 10
Contact Jo Ann Durrett at admin@hopenetworkinc.org or 262-251-7333.
United Community Center
1028 S. 9 St.
Milwaukee 53204
Students: preschool, elementary and middle school age (ages 3 – 14).
See list of school supplies here.
Need week of Aug.13
Contact Joanna Rivas at jrivas@unitedcc.org or 414-389-4724.
COA Youth & Family Centers
909 E. North Ave.
Milwaukee 53212
Students: Kindergarten through high school
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Aug. 14
Contact Laura Lysaght at llysaght@coa-yfc.org or 414-263-8383.
Silver Spring Neighborhood Center
5460 N. 64 St.
Milwaukee 53218
Students: Youth ages 4 – 19 and adults in Adult Education Program
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Aug.15
Contact Devin Hudson at dhudson@ssnc-milw.org or 414-463-7950.
CommonBond Communities
9151 N. Jadam Ln.
Milwaukee 53224
Students: Kindergarten through high school
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Aug.16
Contact Sara Gilbert at sara.gilbert@commonbond.org or 414-375-1402.
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee
2819 W. Richardson Pl.
Milwaukee 53208
Students: Preschool to beyond high school
See list of school supplies.
Need by Aug. 17
Contact Tasha Parker at tparker@nh-milw.org or 414-933-6161.
Adult Learning Center
1916 N. 4 St.
Milwaukee 53212
Students: Adults working for High School Equivalency Diploma or G.E.D.
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Aug. 22
Contact Herb Hayden at herb@alcmke.org or 414-263-5874.
Northcott Neighborhood House
2460 N. 6 St.
Milwaukee 53212
Students: Youth ages 6-18
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Aug. 27
Contact Adriane Griffin at agriffin@northcotthouse.org or 414-372-3770.
Milwaukee Christian Center
807 S. 14 St.
Milwaukee 53204
Students: Elementary to high school age children
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Aug. 31
Contact Bernadette Arellano at barellano@mccwi.org or 414-645-5350.
Bay View Community Center
1320 E.Oklahoma Ave.
Milwaukee 53207
Students: Children ages 7-16
See list of school supplies here.
Need by Sept. 5
Contact Linda Nieft at lnieft@bayviewcenter.org or 414 482-1000.
Literacy Services Of Wisconsin
555 N. Plankinton Ave.
Milwaukee 53203
Students: Adults
See list of supplies here.
Need by Sept. 30
Contact Robin Brisco at Robin@literacyservices.org or 414-344-5878.
Milwaukee County – University Of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
6737 W. Washington St., Ste. 2202
West Allis 53214
Students: Youth ages 11-15 in Milwaukee
See list of school science supplies here.
Need by November
Contact Eva Terry at eva.terry@ces.uwex.edu or 414-615-0522.
Our Next Generation
3421 W. Lisbon Ave.
Milwaukee 53208
Students: Elementary, middle and high school age children
See list of school supplies here.
Throughout school year until Dec. 18
Contact Sessie Agbley at sagbley@ongkids.org or 414-344-2111.
Milwaukee Women’s Center
3025 W Mitchell St.
Milwaukee 53207
Students: Children of all ages
See list of school supplies here.
Need is year-round for children in shelter.
Contact Jeri Kavanaugh at jkavanaugh@communityadvocates.net or 414-270-2984.
If you miss the deadline date, please contact the agency. Many could use supplies at any time during the school year.


text:
School-Supplies photo | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 17, 2018

author: Dwayne Burtin


text:
Teens share their stories through new Mitchell Street Library mural | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Robyn Di Giacinto
July 18, 2018
Milwaukee Public Library teen intern Alvin Watts stands in front of his design, which was inspired by his cultural roots in Milwaukee. (Photo by Robyn Di Giacinto)
Applause thundered up the staircase of the Mitchell Street Library as community members celebrated the official unveiling of a new public mural designed by a team of eight Milwaukee Public Library teenage interns in the branch’s “makerspace” technology lab.
“It feels like something you think up in a daydream,” said Maliqk Martinez, a rising sophomore at Tamarack Waldorf School.
Martinez hopes to pursue a career in graphic design but he didn’t have much experience when his father suggested he apply for the internship late last year. He assumed he’d get some experience with Adobe software, but never imagined his art would be displayed in public.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Petra Duecker, teen education and outreach specialist for Milwaukee Public Libraries, explained that the mural was originally conceived as a way to add art to function when she learned that the makerspace would include bay-style garage doors to secure computers when no one was staffing the space.
“We wanted the library to be a place where people feel at home,” Duecker said, “so we wanted to bring color and life to the space.”
Meanwhile, the library was preparing to hire eight teen interns to start in January with funds from the Milwaukee Promise Zone initiative, a targeted economic development program that the Common Council launched in early 2017.
With the help of local nonprofit Artists Working in Education and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mitchell Street branch put out a call for an artist-in-residence, ultimately selecting three finalists. The interns themselves interviewed the finalists. They chose Erick Ledesma, a 31-year-old Puerto Rican visual artist with childhood roots in Milwaukee’s South Side.
Beginning in March, the interns worked with Ledesma on Wednesday afternoons to design the murals. They started by answering the prompt, “What is the meaning of personal home, culture and history?” Ledesma then met with interns one-on-one to brainstorm sketches to scan into Adobe Illustrator, and then arrange the individual designs into the final composition.
The result was a colorful mural that’s as diverse and unique as the eight collaborators.
Martinez, for example, drew a pair of blue fish swimming in a circle. His eyes lit up as he described a passion for marine biology sparked by his early childhood in California. “I don’t know, I feel like water represents me,” he explained.
Milwaukee Public Library teen interns Alex Beyreis-Heim, Maliqk Martinez and Alvin Watts cut the ribbon for a new mural at the Mitchell Street Library. (Photo by Robyn Di Giacinto)
Other interns created designs based on their hobbies. Alex Beyreis-Heim, a rising senior at Golda Meir School sporting a navy button-up shirt patterned with planets and rocket ships, insisted that she wasn’t a “visual artsy person” before starting this project. Rather, it was her love of numbers that inspired her response to Ledesma’s prompt: a poem of 11 lines of 11 syllables that, under Ledesma’s guidance, became a multicolored geometric grid.
“I think a lot of it was creating a lot of disparate things and turning them into a homogenous object,” Beyreis-Heim said quietly, folding her arms and smiling. “I hope that (when people look at the mural), they know there were people that made that … and that this was our lasting mark on the space.”
Other designs had more local roots. Alvin Watts, a recent graduate of the Northwest Campus of Carmen Schools of Science and Technology who’s set to start an engineering program in the fall, said his design was inspired by Milwaukee’s culture.
He picked at the straps of his gray UW-Platteville backpack as he pointed out various aspects of his artwork: a circle of music notes and street signs surrounding the bust of a woman whose hairline mirrors the Milwaukee skyline.
“People have seen Milwaukee as all the bad [things], but there’s other parts of Milwaukee you need to pay attention to,” Watts said. He added that being involved in the mural project has informed his desire to return to his hometown after he graduates from college, so he can help others to see its true beauty.
“All these teens … are in the phase of their life where they’re swimming through so much, (trying to) figure out who they are,” Ledesma said. “I think it’s really important to share our stories. They’re valid and worth listening to … (no) matter what stage of life.”

author: Robyn Di Giacinto


text:
42529308505_9274de1cc0_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 17, 2018


text:
42713047124_c477bcea2b_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 17, 2018


text:
Heal The Hood block parties, spoken-word classes promote violence prevention | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ryeshia Farmer
July 19, 2018
Vanessa Britton-Winston dances and chats with children at the Heal the Hood MKE block party and resource fair. (Photo by Ryeshia Farmer)
The first time Vanessa Britton-Winston attended a Heal the Hood MKE block party and resource fair, she had accidentally driven through a street barrier while heading to the grocery store. She found herself in the midst of a crowd of community members, when Ajamou Butler, founder of the event, approached her and explained its purpose. Britton-Winston parked her car and stayed until the fair ended.
Britton-Winston was one of about 450 people who attended the second of three Heal the Hood summer block parties last Saturday. She has volunteered to work at other Heal the Hood events, and was standing by in case Butler needed help.
“This event is something that I feel that Milwaukee needs,” Britton-Winston said. “We hear so much negativity, and this is just an opportunity for our people to get together and celebrate life, support one another’s businesses and show our children that we can do something with people whose only commonality with us is wanting to be together.”
Among the 25 volunteers were a half dozen of Butler’s students from Grandview High School, Milwaukee Collegiate Academy High School and Running Rebels, who helped out for the full day. Butler teaches spoken-word poetry at several schools and after-school programs.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“That to me means that it’s working, because the youth would rather be helping out at Heal The Hood than driving stolen cars [or] smoking weed,” Butler said.
The purpose of Heal The Hood MKE block parties is to share resources and promote anti-violence efforts throughout Milwaukee. Dana Smith, known as Ms. Lotus Funk on stage, said it gives “people who support non-violence a space to come together.”
Jason Ragland attended the block party, because “I figured I would make it my business to show my presence at the events of others who want to redirect the community by expressing love and hope.”
Added volunteer Atau Malik, “Six hours out of a weekend day, people are able to network, [share] fellowship and eat a meal with others in Milwaukee who have positive energy and are productive citizens.”
Butler, who coordinates Heal The Hood MKE’s operations, said that attendees could find information about housing, voting, medical or family and children’s resources at the block party.
“The first block party we did was on May 26, 2012, and there may have been about 30-40 people there. At the last block party we did, in May, there were about 750 people in attendance. So, to look at that growth — it does my soul so much good,” said Butler.
Last year Heal the Hood hosted four block parties, with the help of an anonymous donation. A second donation from the same source helped fund three this year. The third is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 26, and will take place on 24th and Burleigh Street.
Representatives from the Social Development Commission (SDC), Planned Parenthood, WestCare Wisconsin, the Office of Violence Prevention and Milwaukee Health Department attended the block party to explain their services. Running Rebels, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Milwaukee Collegiate Academy, and Milwaukee School of Math and Science personnel also participated.
The Milwaukee Flyers stunt team performs with ropes at the Heal The Hood block party and resource fair. (Photo by Ryeshia Farmer)
Donated veggie and beef burgers, hot dogs, chips, soda and water provided two free meals for registered attendees during the six-hour event. Vendors from Abbys To Go, The Corn Empire, and other small businesses also sold food.
Additionally, performers such as dancer Vee Adams, The Milwaukee Flyers male stunt team and singer Ms. Lotus Funk provided entertainment.
“We’ve all been entertained, reconnected with loved ones and been exposed to beautiful artists and artisans that are here in the neighborhood…You’ve got your mind, body and soul being taken care of right here, today,” said Ingrid Smith, a Milwaukee native and performer.
Added Britton-Winston, “We don’t want our children to be afraid of their neighbors. We don’t want to have to go out [of the neighborhood] to have a good time and feel safe.”
Heal the Hood’s lesser-known work happens in schools. Butler said that he primarily teaches spoken-word courses to freshmen, sophomores and juniors at the Milwaukee Collegiate Academy. He also teaches spoken-word poetry at Grandview High School, an alternative school, and at Marquette University’s Upward Bound program.
Butler also teaches African drumming, self defense, team building, and audio and visual recording. He partners with Running Rebels on a program for youth re-entering the community from the Lincoln Hills School for Boys, which is slated to close and offers classes at the Next Door Foundation and City on a Hill.
Butler noted that the block parties and his work in schools complement and strengthen each other.
“The block parties are amazing, and I love this aspect of it,” Butler said, “but getting into schools and teaching anti-violence, character and leadership development, and spoken-word curricula is my favorite part.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the date of the third Heal the Hood block party. It is on Aug. 26.

author: Ryeshia Farmer


text:
41669255570_2653da74a2_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 18, 2018


text:
43478596481_8a5356e6f6_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 18, 2018


text:
heal-hood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 19, 2018


text:
Ald. Coggs invites residents to Garfield Avenue Blues, Jazz, Gospel & Arts Festival | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
July 20, 2018
Monique Atkins (right) samples Nino’s rib tip sandwiches at Garfield Avenue Festival. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs invites residents to the 21st Annual Garfield Avenue Blues, Jazz, Gospel & Arts Festival in the Bronzeville neighborhood this weekend.
The festival takes place TOMORROW (Saturday, July 21), from noon until 8:00 p.m., on W. Garfield Avenue from N. 4th to N. 7th Streets. The opening ceremony will commence at noon at the main stage, featuring appearances by local elected officials and members of the community.
Local musicians will entertain crowds throughout the day on four stages and more than 100 vendors will be set up along the festival corridor. Attendees can also register to win tickets to Black Arts Festival MKE where performers will include MC Lyte, Tony! Toni! Toné! and Grammy Award-winning blues artist Bobby Rush on Saturday, August 4th at the Summerfest Grounds
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The event is free and open to the public. Sponsors include the Historic King Drive BID, the Richard and Ethel Herzfield Foundation, Jammin 98.3 FM, Gruber Law Offices, LLC, Bader Philanthropies, Inc. and Hupy and Abraham, S.C.
What: Garfield Avenue Blues, Jazz, Gospel & Arts Festival
When: Noon to 8:00 p.m. Saturday, July 21
Where: W. Garfield Ave. from N. 4th to N. 7th

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 21, 2018


text:
Camp Umoja balances fun, discipline to create future leaders | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Abby Ng
July 20, 2018
Naomi Young and students gather in All Peoples Church before classroom time begins. (Photo by Abby Ng)
The high-pitched sound of children chanting travels out the windows of All Peoples Church, 2600 N. 2nd St., but then abruptly, all voices are quiet. In just a few seconds, the students of Camp Umoja go from cheering good morning to sitting at full attention for their next guest speaker. It is an example of the balance between fun and discipline that Camp Umoja uses to create young community leaders.
Camp Umoja, named after the word for unity in Swahili, is a free six-week summer program offered for students in kindergarten through high school. The camp aims to provide a safe place for central city, mostly African-American, children to work on academics while learning to become advocates.
“We want every child that has interests and passions to be able to pursue them despite bad schools, neighborhood violence and drugs,” said Allen Ruppel, creator and director of Camp Umoja.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Currently in its third year, Camp Umoja is a program of Unity in Motion, a nonprofit Ruppel started 18 years ago. At first, Ruppel only wanted to provide free karate lessons, but he realized other needs in Milwaukee, he said.
“The need to empower the neighborhood, it has to come from within the neighborhood, and it has to come from this generation,” Ruppel said. “We have to empower our youth. We have to give them hope, but then give them the tools, and let them ultimately be the change agents.”
Over the course of camp, which runs five days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 125 students participate in a curriculum that is tailored to teach them leadership, responsibility, compassion and the importance of black history.
Each week is focused on a different theme based on the principles of Kwanzaa and the Freedom Schools of the 1960s. The six themes are unity, self-determination, communal work, entrepreneurship, economics, purpose and creativity.
“Each week is designed for them to feel like they can make a difference,” Ruppel said. “We’re saying, ‘Here is what happened. How can I make a difference? How do I empower myself to change my life, my family, my neighborhood and ultimately my community?’”
After eating a hot breakfast made with ingredients from the garden across the street, students listen to guest speakers, such as Mayor Tom Barrett and Margaret Rozga, a writer and widow of the Rev. James Groppi, who led the NAACP Youth Council during Milwaukee’s open housing marches of 1967 and ’68. They then break into groups to do school work. In the afternoon, Camp Umoja offers special interest activities such as martial arts, drum and dance, and poetry. Every Wednesday, students go on field trips to Brewers games, waterparks, and more. At the end of the program, students present what they learned at an open house celebration.
Students listen as a guest speaker tells them about the value of reading. (Photo by Abby Ng)
“I really enjoy Camp Umoja because they’re thinking outside of the box and about what’s important to their culture,” said Naomi Young, fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Camp Umoja. She added that she likes that students get the chance to share their own thoughts.
High school students are paid as teacher’s assistants for half of the day. Ruppel said this teaches them accountability and how to run an organization, skills they will need if they want to create positive change.
High school sophomore Hollywood Butler said he is no longer a “couch potato” thanks to Camp Umoja.
“Camp Umoja has affected me majorly,” he said. “It’s helped me with my work ethic.”
Butler walks 20 minutes to get to camp everyday and takes a bus home. He said he arrives early to set up the sound system and fills in when other high school leaders are sick. Butler said he feels a sense of responsibility to the children he advises and to Ruppel, who students affectionately call Mr. Al.
“Mr. Al, he’s just one of those guys that pushes you until you reach your full potential,” Butler said.
With this sense of empowerment, in addition to incentives such as the weekly field trip and pay for the high school students, Ruppel said Camp Umoja has an unusually high attendance rate of 96 percent.
Once students complete Camp Umoja, they participate in Unity in Motion until they graduate college. Hopefully, Ruppel said, students come back to Camp Umoja every year, moving up to the next level of the curriculum each time.
Year round, Unity in Motion staff — with help from organizations such as Pearls for Teen Girls — regularly check in on students to ensure they stay academically on track and involved in their communities. If students meet both these requirements, they are eligible for Unity in Motion scholarships.
Ruppel emphasized the significance of building and maintaining trustworthy relationships. He said change is gradual and happens one child at a time.
“We have to get past all the economic, racial and social barriers,” Ruppel said. “You can’t do that with a one-time program.”
According to Olivia Manns, a high school sophomore who has attended Camp Umoja for the past three years, Ruppel is a father figure to her and the love she feels at camp keeps her coming back.
“If I didn’t have Mr. Al, I don’t know where I’d be,” Manns said. “I probably would have an attitude, would have run away somewhere. I wouldn’t be here today.”
Mainly by word of mouth from students such as Butler and Manns, Camp Umoja already has a waiting list for next year. To accommodate more students, Ruppel said he plans to have two locations, one at St. Marcus Lutheran School and another on the northwest side of Milwaukee.
Ruppel said he is proud of what happens at Camp Umoja and of the leaders it creates. “We don’t hide from the realities that are going on,” he said. “We overcome them.”


text:
29625040498_c64f1eb4aa_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 19, 2018


text:
43427618892_62a4e3f03d_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
July 19, 2018


text:
Lunch & Learn Summer Series offers helpful training for developers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
July 20, 2018
The third FREE Lunch and Learn Summer Series session focused on City Approvals will be held at 12 p.m. on Monday, July 23 in room 301-B at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.
The series – about real estate development processes and procedures – is geared toward emerging developers in Milwaukee and was created by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey and Alderman José G. Pérez.
All Lunch and Learn sessions are free and attendees should bring their own lunch. Please see the full schedule below and on the attached flyer.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Alderwoman Coggs, Alderman Rainey and Alderman Pérez – ACRE (Association of Commercial Real Estate) alumni – developed the concept for the series to allow those interested in development to explore current development opportunities and challenges. The sessions are free and open to the public and offer valuable insights into a variety of subjects that are critical to any developer working in the City of Milwaukee.
The Monday, July 23 session on City Approvals has several topics to be covered including approval processes, timelines, special zoning regulations and how to work with various departments in the permitting process. There will be special focus on Licensing (bars/taverns/restaurants), Health Department, Historic Districts/ARBS (Area Review Boards), City Plan Commission and BOZA (Board of Zoning Appeals).
Seating is limited and prospective attendees are encouraged to go to milwaukee.gov/LunchAndLearn to sign up.
The milwaukee.gov/LunchAndLearn website also includes videos showing the May (Funding Resources) and June (Zoning) Lunch and Learn sessions.
Additional series sessions scheduled: Occupancy – Monday, August 20; Basic Building Code – Monday, September 24; and Department of Public Works – Monday, October 15.
Partners/supporters in the Lunch and Learn Series include the Office of Mayor Tom Barrett, the Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS), the Department of City Development (DCD) and LISC Milwaukee.
Reduced rate parking is available at the Milwaukee Center (SW corner of N. Water St. and E. Kilbourn Ave.). Parking is validated at the first floor rotunda information booth at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.

author: City of Milwaukee


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 20, 2018


text:
MATC to offer free summer camps in Culinary Arts, TV/Video Production and Science for sixth through tenth graders in August | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
July 20, 2018
Milwaukee Area Technical College will hold three free week-long summer camps for sixth through tenth graders at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, 700 W. State St., in August:
“TV and Video Production” will be held from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday, Aug. 6-10.
“Science Camp” will be held from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Aug. 13-16.
“Culinary Arts” will be held from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday, Aug. 13-17.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, all camps feature hands-on learning opportunities taught by MATC instructors. Lunch will be provided for the daylong camps.
For more information or to receive a registration form, call (414) 297-6136, or write explore@matc.edu. Space is limited, so register today.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


text:
Job opening: A pivotal position for early childhood education in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Cavalier Johnson
July 23, 2018
As part of the city budget adopted last fall, the Common Council approved the creation of a new director level position to champion early childhood education in Milwaukee.
The Office of Early Childhood Initiatives (OECI) Director is responsible for the establishment and operation of the new OECI and represents the City of Milwaukee’s interest in and commitment to ensuring that all Milwaukee children have equitable opportunities for their social, emotional, and intellectual development through access to high quality and research-based services and programs with a special focus on Milwaukee’s 4 Promise Zones.
The duties of the director will include working with an appointed Community Advisory Council to achieve these and other goals recommended by the city’s Early Education Task Force:
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The Director will be in a position to create great change as we work to put in place a comprehensive and unified early childhood education approach that serves all children, and especially those children in targeted areas where we know there is a wide achievement gap.
The Director will be working to increase enrollment of children ages 0-3 in quality early education services and programs, informing parents and caregivers of opportunities (using communication strategies that reach families in targeted areas of the city), building trust, and inspiring action.
We urge qualified applicants to learn more about this position here — https://bit.ly/2O9Rm09 — and we ask any interested partners, stakeholders and organizations to help spread the word about this critical opening.

author: Ald. Cavalier Johnson


text:
New sculpture installation to display diverse images of Virgin Mary | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Robyn Di Giacinto
July 23, 2018
A sculpture of Our Lady of Egypt, created by artist Lori Gramling, is part of a new public art installation in an alley at 26th and Mineral. (Photo by Robyn Di Giacinto)
In the quiet alleyway at 26th and Mineral streets behind Tree of Life Earthworks, a new art installation is starting to grow.
Five black wrought-iron trellises seem to have sprung up out of the cracks in the concrete. Two of the panels are already crowded with dozens of tiles covered in children’s scrawl, a multicolored garden of clay roses and doves secured with twisted copper wire.
At the center bloom two larger blue ceramic medallions. The faces of two young women rise off the circles in bas-relief. Their features and clothing are different — yet there is something strikingly similar in their kind eyes and serene smiles.
They are the first two of five planned sculptures of the Virgin Mary from various national and cultural traditions. Lori Gramling, the local artist who runs Tree of Life Earthworks out of her converted carriage house, said she first conceived the idea years ago, as a symbolic guardian for the neighborhood where she has lived and worked for more than a decade.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“Alleys can be a place of danger and of garbage. In a lot of neighborhoods, it’s the place you don’t want to walk in at night,” explained Gramling. “We knew it was important to claim our alleys as our backyards.”
The challenge was to design a project that was feasible and affordable. This winter, inspiration struck: why not use wire to attach individual ceramic pieces to fencing behind her studio?
A team of local artists spearheaded the art installation. From left: Lucas Alamo, Lori Gramling, Kathy Carlos and Tray Richardson. (Photo by Robyn Di Giacinto)
From the beginning, Gramling felt it was important to get Clarke Square residents involved in the project. “It was going to be the voice of our community, not just our voices,” she said.
In her Walls of Strength public art project in 2016, Gramling engaged community members by inviting them to inscribe messages of hope on small ceramic tiles. She adapted this concept for the new installation with three artists-in-residence: Lucas Alamo, 23, Kathy Carlos, 24, and Tray Richardson, 21.
Gramling made the busts while Alamo, Carlos and Richardson cut tiles into small shapes related to the story of each sculpture.
Then, for three weeks in April, they brought the tiles to art classes at the nearby Prince of Peace School, which enrolls children from 4-year-old kindergarten to eighth grade. They invited students to inscribe the tiles with their answers to the following prompt: If you were having a hard day and were walking down the alley, what would make you feel better?
Students participating in summer camps through Epic Center Community Organization and Ascension Lutheran Church have also inscribed tiles for the installation while visiting Gramling’s studio.
All three artists-in-residence agreed that their students were genuinely excited to participate in the project. Some even asked to do more tiles.
Alamo said that the project has benefited students by encouraging self-discipline, as well as teaching tactile and cognitive skills.
Other lessons have less to do with creating art and more with the relationships formed in the process.
“You put these kids in one room,” Carlos said. “You give them some simple instructions and they get to know each other.”
Richardson added, “I feel that’s very important…bringing people together and creating beautiful art in places where it’s needed.”
So far, two of the medallion sculptures have been completed: Our Lady of Egypt and Our Lady of Guadalupe, from Mexico. By fall, the artists hope to add three more figures: Our Lady of Aparecida from Brazil; the Black Madonna, also known as Our Lady of Częstochowa, in Poland; and Our Lady Queen of Peace, a title for the Virgin Mary that’s used across the world.
Gramling hopes that the project, from its subjects to its execution, reflects and celebrates the diversity of the Clarke Square community.
“I think it’s easy to grow up in a neighborhood like this not knowing what you have to give,” said Gramling. “The A student’s, they’re always going to make it…(but) everyone can be a part of this.
“That makes a huge difference in someone’s life. To be seen and heard.”


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 22, 2018

author: Adam Carr


text:
One of the biggest mistakes nonprofit board members make | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Frank Martinelli
July 23, 2018
Frank Martinelli, of The Nonprofit Repositioning Initiative, writes that more nonprofits and foundations should engage in advocacy — and the law allows them to do so.
One of the biggest mistakes nonprofit board members make is deciding not to engage in advocacy because they believe they’re prohibited by law from doing so.
This is simply not true. Advocacy is one of the most effective tools nonprofits and foundations can use to advance their mission and serve their communities. The term “advocacy” includes broader advocacy efforts, legislative lobbying and election-related activities. And the combination of advocacy and direct services can dramatically increase the mission impact of any nonprofit. Advocacy is all about your organization’s work and what it will take to advance it.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
According to the Stand for Your Mission Campaign, an initiative launched by BoardSource, the premier training resource for nonprofit boards in the United States, here’s the more accurate picture for 501(c)(3) organizations:
So why are so many nonprofit boards avoiding advocacy? What are the barriers to board involvement in this powerful activity? There are at least three:
and that their exempt status will be imperiled. The response: Provide board leaders – and sometimes their staff – with accurate information to demonstrate that advocacy is in fact allowable and that their exempt status will not be at risk.
The response: Demonstrate that advocacy is not mission drift if it is centered on issues that align with the mission. Also share strategies that enable nonprofits to incorporate advocacy into their work in cost-effective ways.
. Once again, this resistance sometimes arises from the mistaken belief that advocacy is not allowable. We’ve already suggested the response to this misinformation: Meet with donors, funders and board members to provide accurate information that advocacy is an allowable activity and that it will advance the mission that the donors, funders and board members presumably support.
There is another reason why there is sometimes a backlash on the part of donors, funders and some board members. And it’s a bit more complicated: At times the resistance to advocacy is the result of personal and business interests that conflict with the advocacy positions that a nonprofit might take in order to advance the mission. The response: Surface such potential conflicts of interest affecting current donors, funders or board members and seek a resolution that puts the mission first.
In the future, explain the nonprofit’s advocacy role and positions on issues to prospective supporters, stressing that advocacy helps to advance the mission that has attracted the donor or funder to the nonprofit in the first place. In terms of future board member vetting and recruitment, fully explain the nonprofit’s mission-aligned advocacy role and positions on issues.
Clearly communicate the expectations for board member involvement in advocacy, making sure that there are no potential conflicts of interest. If any exist, determine how such conflicts will be managed in keeping with the board’s conflict of interest policy, or suggest other non-board involvement opportunities.

author: Frank Martinelli


text:
Community leaders expect police settlement to bring reform, accountability | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 24, 2018
(Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Community leaders working against disparities in the criminal justice system are greeting the settlement agreement in the ACLU’s stop-and-frisk lawsuit against the city with hope. The $3.4 million settlement was made official Monday when U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller approved it.
The settlement “brings in some reforms and some accountability measures that will ensure that the police are accurately documenting all the reasons why they are stopping citizens,” said Fred Royal, president of the NAACP Milwaukee Branch. “The lawsuit revealed that there were individuals being stopped for nothing other than the color of their skin.”
Martha Barry, racial justice director at the YWCA of Southeast Wisconsin, noted that police likely would see the settlement as an attack. “But if it can get behavior to change that’s having a hugely detrimental impact on our community, it will … be a good thing,” she said. “If their motto of ‘protect and serve’ is really what they want to live by, then this will help them to better protect and serve the community that they’re in.”
The class-action lawsuit, filed in February 2017, was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Wisconsin and the law firm Covington and Burling LLC.,  representing Charles Collins and eight other Milwaukee residents. The parties reached a settlement that was approved by the Milwaukee Common Council and Mayor Tom Barrett on July 10.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The settlement aims “to end practices amounting to a decade-long stop-and-frisk program that resulted in hundreds of thousands of baseless stops as well as racial and ethnic profiling of black and Latino people citywide,” according to the ACLU’s website. The defendants were the City of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission and the police chief, now Alfonso Morales.
Community members discuss the DOJ draft report at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society on March 25. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Collins, a military veteran and longtime Milwaukee resident in his late 60s, was pulled over by MPD officers while driving home with his wife after visiting their son in 2014. Like the other plaintiffs, he broke no laws and was never charged.
“Hopefully (the agreement) will move us in a direction to make this community much more of a community that folks of color feel that they can live in and … work, breathe, play and not be under scrutiny,” Barry said.
Royal added that he hopes that the mandated participation of outside auditors as well as a local citizens oversight committee will ensure that new procedures for documenting police stops and monitoring other police interactions with community members will be adhered to.
He noted that the city has spent more than $26 million in the last eight years to settle police misconduct suits. Six fire stations were closed as a result of the financial strain on the city budget, Royal said.
The settlement calls for the Milwaukee Collaborative Community Committee, put together by the Common Council early this year, “to seek community input on police department operations to improve trust between law enforcement and city residents.”
The committee was established to address the U.S. Department of Justice’s draft report findings on MPD. It was tasked with collecting recommendations from community members on specific improvements they would like to see in police policies and procedures. Both Karyn Rotker, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Wisconsin, and Markasa Tucker said the group would not necessarily have the same members after its initial work is complete. Tucker and Royal are the co-chairs.
The committee held 14 discussion groups, where it collected recommendations; 65 additional residents contributed suggestions online. Three groups of police officers also participated. The committee is accepting proposals from academicians and nonprofits to analyze the information collected and prepare a report by the end of September.
Tucker said that though she is not sure how much power the committee will have, she thinks “it will be helpful to have community people who are really connected to the ground … that (can) help hold (the defendants) accountable for the things that they’re supposed to be doing.”
The agreement is a start, Tucker said, but it won’t end racially discriminatory practices by the police. “Until we can root out folks who are racists in our police department I don’t think (racial discrimination in policing) is going to change.” But Tucker believes the settlement will help. “That’s our hope,” she said.
Rotker noted that the plaintiffs did not receive any monetary compensation as a result of the suit. They did not seek financial damages but rather entered into the suit to change policies. She also pointed out that of the $1.9 million portion of the settlement allocated for attorneys’ fees and costs, the major part will go “for costs involved in bringing the case, including fees for three expert witnesses and deposition costs.”
During the next five years, the ACLU will continue to be involved in implementing the terms of the settlement by amending police policies, participating in community events, attending and reviewing new trainings, and weighing in on the consultant’s data analysis, among other tasks.
A team from the Crime and Justice Institute in Boston will serve as the consultant, Rotker said.
“A lot of the work is going to be involved in making sure there is compliance with what the city has agreed to do and listening to the community about it as well,” she said.
Nate Hamilton, co-founder of the Coalition for Justice and a member of the Milwaukee Collaborative Community Committee, said that the oversight requirements of the settlement will, at the very least, enable residents to better understand what the police are actually doing in the community.
Hamilton, brother of 2014 MPD shooting victim Dontre Hamilton, is disturbed by the cost of police misconduct, which he said takes funding away from better schooling, better streets and more programs for youth.
“I’m hoping (the settlement) is going to bring us to a better place in the city when it comes to policing and I hope that (the defendants) understand … (that) community and police relations have to strengthen,” Hamilton said.
He added that he doesn’t think that the police have engaged with the community, “by going door-to-door in their district, getting to know the people that they’re protecting and serving, changing the model … to be a protector of all citizens.”


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 23, 2018


text:
On the Block: Seize the day | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sophie Bolich
July 24, 2018
Michelle Beltran took shelter from the midday sun under a tree in Mitchell Park. She said her family often visits parks in Milwaukee to keep busy in the summer.
“You have to get out with your kids and spend time with them,” she said, her words punctuated with playful squeals from her grandchildren as they swung from the tree branches and snacked on pink-frosted cookies. “Here we are. We’ve gotten closer and that’s what it’s all about.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!


text:
Health fair at Pete’s Fruit Market provides information on disease prevention | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sophie Bolich
July 25, 2018
Cynthia Preston, an employee at Pete’s Fruit Market, distributes free water and apples at the fair. (Photo by Sophie Bolich)
“Brussels sprouts,” called out Breen Causey, rifling through a folder and handing over a recipe for roasted brussels sprouts with apples to an attendee at the Pete’s Fruit Market health fair on Saturday.
Causey, a social worker at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, oversaw a spinning pie chart decked out with pictures of vegetables such as potatoes, broccoli and carrots.
Community members spun the contraption “Wheel of Fortune” style, gleefully calling out the winning veggie each time the wheel ticked to a halt, then receiving a healthy recipe featuring the vegetable.
The miniature game show was part of a health fair at Pete’s Fruit Market, 2323 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, the latest event in an effort to promote healthy living in the North Side community.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
“You have to want to get healthy,” said John Walker, who asked vendors about back-to-school immunizations for his third-grade son, Jaylin. He said Jaylin loves vegetables, and they eat lots of cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes in their house.
Clara Dimoh fills out a form at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure table, which offered resources for breast cancer prevention. (Photo by Sophie Bolich)
Chronda Higgins, project manager at Athena Communications, helped organize the event, part of a new summer health series.
“We’re really encouraging people to get their yearly checkups and make sure they’re taking all the preventative measures,” said Higgins, who also noted that “cancer is rampant in the community, and we want to raise awareness so that we can catch it early or even prevent it.”
According to Higgins, Pete’s Fruit Market was the ideal location because it has already made a difference in how the community shops and eats.
“Pete’s provides healthy food within walking distance,” she said. “Buying and cooking fruits and vegetables is easier now and that’s the first step towards healthy living.”
She said the summer health series also includes cooking demonstrations.
To encourage cancer prevention, Susan G. Komen for the Cure had a table at the event with information about the importance of self-breast examinations and annual mammograms. The Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center had a similar table concerning prostate cancer.
“I do my mammogram every year, but I know some people don’t,” said Clara Dimoh. “I try to lead by example and try to get other people to take care of themselves as well.”
Anne Marie Tsitiridis, who owns Pete’s with her husband, Theodore, said she wants the community to learn how food can be used for disease prevention and management.
In addition to exercise and a healthy diet, a key part of community health is access to quality care. Tiffany Pitts, an outreach care specialist for Anthem Blue Cross Insurance, handed out brochures on diseases that affect the community most.
“A lot of people have been coming up and asking about diabetes and blood pressure,” she said. Pitts also distributed resource cards with contacts for assistance getting health care.
Pitts pointed out that a simple change people can make is to drink more water. “There are so many corner stores selling bottles of juice or soda at cheaper prices than water, so people just reach for the juices that are full of sugar.”
Pitts’ table was located next to the store’s entrance, where Pete’s employee Cynthia Preston handed out free bottles of water and apples to attendees.
The overcast weather and similar events in other neighborhoods resulted in a small turnout for the health fair, according to Higgins, but community member Freddie Johnson said he thinks the event was beneficial.
“It’s nice for the community to get educated on health,” he said. “It’s good to see new things and learn about getting screened to stay healthy.”


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 24, 2018


text:
How to prevent suicide | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dr. John Schneider, Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division
July 25, 2018
You may know someone struggling with suicidal thoughts and not know how to approach them or even if you should. Here are a few signs to look for and tips for what you can do to prevent suicide.
Suicide is a preventable serious health issue that impacts many of us. In fact, data reported last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that suicide rates in Wisconsin rose 25.8 percent from 1999 to 2016. Here are a few signs to look for and tips for what you can do to prevent suicide and save a life.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Suicide risk factors are based in very human experiences that all of us have lived though and can understand and empathize with. The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) website lists 12 signs or symptoms that may indicate someone is thinking about suicide:
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Once people know what to look for, they can act. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s trademarked program called “Talk Saves Lives” gives five simple steps to save lives.
Ask: Talk about their stresses in life. Don’t try to fix, or tell them how to feel, just listen. Ask them “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” Research shows that asking about suicidal thoughts does not increase risk of or thoughts of suicide.
Keep them safe: Reduce the person’s access to highly lethal items, means, or places. This has been shown to reduce risk and save lives. It’s appropriate to ask if they have a plan on how to hurt or kill themselves.
Be there: Be present. Listen and validate. Studies suggest that acknowledging and talking about suicide reduces suicidal thoughts. Don’t judge, don’t tell; listen, validate and empathize.
Help them connect: Call the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division (BHD) crisis line at 414-257-7222. Staff is available to talk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Help is also available at the BHD crisis resource centers at 5409 W. Villard St. or 2057 S. 14th St. Encourage individuals to also reach out family, friends, a spiritual advisor or mental health professional.
Follow up: Stay connected; being in touch after a crisis has been shown to reduce suicide. Part of our humanity is having connections to those around us.
While the issue of suicide can seem emotionally overwhelming or beyond what one person can do, studies show that by connecting with one another, we can have a lifesaving impact on people considering suicide.
Editor’s note: John Schneider, MD, FAPA is the Chief Medical Officer for the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine for the Medical College of Wisconsin and is President-Elect of the Wisconsin Psychiatric Association.