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5 things to know and do the weekend of Aug. 5 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
August 5, 2022
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Bring the family to Havenwoods State Forest for 16 short films on the theme of “Earth.” The event kicks off with an “animal meet and greet” at 5 p.m. and the films end around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5 at 6144 W. Hopkins St.
Bronzeville Week is back again this year to celebrate Black Milwaukee culture, history, art and more. The week’s celebration begins on Saturday, Aug. 6 with the seventh annual HaRUNbee, a 5K (run or walk) in support of the National Coalition for Healthy Black Families at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Pete’s Fruit Market at 2323 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Register for the 5K here.
Black Arts Fest MKE, a full day of festivities celebrating the deep roots of African heritage, the creative magnificence of Black cultural arts and local Milwaukee talent, takes place from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds.) General admission tickets are $15, $12 for seniors and $10 for youths.
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Get your knickknacks from your neighbors in the Silver Spring neighborhood at this rummage sale, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Redemption Lutheran Church parking lot at 5641 N. 68th St. There are $5 space rental and $5 table rental fees.
Learn about Washington Park’s storied past, including its time as a zoo and its connection to New York’s Central Park, from journalist and historian Virginia Small. The tour runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7 at Washington Park. Fees start at $10.
This festival has free school supplies, free haircuts for youths, bounce houses, free food, clothing and more. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6 at Jericho Church Without Walls, located at 8086 N. 76th St.
BONUS II: Back-to-school supplies: Saturday, Aug. 5.
Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, partnering with Outreach Community Health Centers, hosts its annual Community Health and Resource Fair on Saturday, Aug. 5 at Ebenezer Church of God in Christ, 3132 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Molina will pass out backpacks and school supplies. Also included: health information for children and adults.

created: August 5, 2022


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52263917935_22cde2055e_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
August 4, 2022

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: August 4, 2022

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

author: Ron Smith


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Bronzeville Week is back: Here’s what to know and do | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
August 5, 2022
Bronzeville Week, Milwaukee’s annual celebration of our city’s Black culture, history, art and more, is back.
The weeklong series of events takes place within the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District, a cultural and economic zone in the Harambee neighborhood that draws inspiration from Milwaukee’s old Bronzeville neighborhood. This initiative is an effort to keep Black culture alive in and around its historical home in Milwaukee.
Events for this year’s Bronzeville Week begins with the HaRUNbee 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, Aug. 6 through the Bronzeville Art Walk & Afro Caribbean Cultural Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 13.
You can see this year’s schedule of events here.
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author: Sam Woods


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28818877395_3ee7136076_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
August 4, 2022


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NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 things to do this August in Milwaukee neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
August 5, 2022
NNS’ Sam Woods joined WUWM 89.7-FM, Milwaukee’s NPR and Joy Powers of “Lake Effect” for the August  installment of our monthly “5 Things” feature.
This month includes a Wild Child Film Festival at Havenwoods; the citywide Black Theater Festival; cultural festivals, including Black Arts Fest, Puerto Rican Family Festival and Mexican Fiesta; a historical tour of Washington Park with Virginia Small, and the HaRUNbee 5K Walk/Run.
Listen to the interview here.
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48432111896_f95bb895d9_k (2) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
August 4, 2022


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Ron Smith
August 4, 2022


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Post From Community: Polling place change for the August 9th Partisan Primary | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jeff Fleming
August 5, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Voters in Wards 2, 3, and 5 have had an emergency change in their polling place for the upcoming August 9 Partisan Primary. .  The Election Commission is posting signs at the old polling site directing voters to the correct location, as well as posting signage throughout the affected wards to notify voters of the last minute change.
We would also like to take this opportunity to encourage ALL voters to double-check their polling place before Election Day, especially due to the 2022 redistricting that took place earlier this year. Voters may do this by going to MyVote.wi.gov and clicking the “Find my polling place” tile or by calling (414) 286-VOTE.
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author: Jeff Fleming


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image003.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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August 5, 2022

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Federal food aid in Wisconsin has evolved, but users still face decades-old barriers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Joey Prestley / Wisconsin Watch and Sam Watson / Wisconsin Watch
August 7, 2022
Although she’s been receiving federal food assistance for around 15 years, Madison resident Elizabeth Blume has never eaten government cheese. But she’s heard horror stories from people who ate the gelatinous orange substance.
Today, federal food programs no longer rely on surplus dairy products to feed food-insecure Americans. Eligibility requirements have been loosened, there are easier payment options, and the current system provides users with more choice and dignity.
While Blume, 39, has more choice than early commodity recipients, it’s still hard to maintain a balanced diet using food pantry donations and FoodShare benefits.
“Healthy food should be a basic right for everyone, but it’s just not,” Blume said.
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Before the pandemic, the $155 per month she received in FoodShare benefits made it hard to buy food that matched her dietary needs, such as $5 gallons of lactose-free milk.
Instead, Blume often sticks to cheap foods like rice and potatoes and depends on food pantries for donations.
“You just feel more tired,” Blume said. “You feel sluggish. Your digestion is not quite … on par. (But) you don’t have a choice.”
Insufficient benefits aren’t the only hurdle. Participants must navigate a convoluted process to apply for and keep food assistance. And they continue to face social stigma for participating in a program that’s been around in one form or another for nearly 90 years.
A top official formerly in charge of administering Wisconsin’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as FoodShare, says the process is hopelessly complex for the people it seeks to help. In fact, nearly 1 out of 5 people eligible do not participate in the program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports.
“I’m a well-educated, smart individual, (and) that was my job, and if I had to apply for benefits, I would be challenged to do so,” said Rebecca McAtee, who ran the program in the Department of Health Services from 2016 to 2021.
Each state differs in how it counts assets, if it requires work and how often recipients must report their income to renew benefits.
Wisconsin’s program requires able-bodied recipients between the ages of 18 and 49 to work, do job training or complete job search activities for at least 80 hours per month. Exemptions apply for recipients who have a child in the household and for primary caregivers of people who cannot care for themselves.
Since the pandemic, all work requirements have been waived, but the waiver expires Sept. 30.
In Wisconsin, recipients cannot make more than 200% of the poverty level or risk losing FoodShare. A single recipient cannot earn more than $2,148 per month, or $25,776 a year, to qualify for help. A family of four cannot make more than $53,016 a year.
In the past two decades, the percentage of Wisconsinites using FoodShare has more than doubled from 6.8% of the state’s residents in 2001 to 15.7% in 2020.
And government funding for Wisconsin’s FoodShare program in 2021 stood at $2.1 billion — by far the highest it’s been in a decade. That has sparked concerns from legislative Republicans that the state is spending too much and possibly disincentivizing work.
The federal food assistance program has changed in numerous ways since it was implemented in 1933. During the Great Depression, America faced twin crises: starvation and surplus. While impoverished families went hungry, crop prices declined and farmers were left with excess food. In response, the federal government bought up surplus foods and distributed them to people in need.
But the food, consisting of whatever farmers and manufacturers produced too much of, provided little nutritional balance. Families waited in line to receive huge quantities of commodity foods, from canned goods to perishables including cheese and potatoes. They ate the same foods for a month before the next box arrived.
Since federal food assistance programs were first implemented, users like Blume have expressed dissatisfaction with them. Frustration from commodity recipients, combined with lobbying from the food industry, led to the creation of the first food stamps program in 1939.
In the early days of the program, families would spend their monthly grocery budget to purchase food stamps. A $10 food stamp purchase bought $10 in orange stamps to buy any food and $5 in blue stamps to buy government-designated surplus foods.
It also subjected users to social stigma.
“People used to get paper food stamps, and they would go to the grocery store and they were segregated in lines separately from people who were paying with cash or check,” recalled Sherrie Tussler, executive director of the Milwaukee-based Hunger Task Force.
Twenty-five years after food stamps first began, President Lyndon Johnson made it permanent in 1964 as part of the Democratic president’s War on Poverty. The Food Stamp Act also allowed users to purchase a wide variety of foods, not just surplus products.
The food stamps program was opt-in, meaning states and counties could choose to issue food stamps, continue with the commodity system or not provide any assistance at all. Even when state and local governments implemented the program, individuals with no income or irregular income often could not afford to buy stamps, said Laurie B. Green, an associate professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin.
As a result, only 18% of America’s poor were served by the food stamp or commodity programs in 1968, according to the influential report, Hunger, U.S.A.
Some progress toward greater accessibility was made in 1971, when the Republican administration of President Richard Nixon made food stamps free for those most in need. Three years later, it doubled the average benefits users received and mandated that states implement it.
But the new program had its drawbacks, requiring some participants to pay up to 30% of their monthly income upfront to receive assistance. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, remedied this issue by ending the purchase requirement for food stamps. Instead, recipients were given determined amounts of food stamps based on income.
In 2002, the EBT system replaced physical food stamps, allowing recipients to pay for groceries with funds preloaded onto a card. In 2004, Wisconsin renamed the stigma-laden food stamps program FoodShare.
Growing up in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Britnie Remer used to be angry at her single father for not “doing the right things” to escape poverty. He worked multiple strenuous jobs to provide for her — but the family still needed FoodShare to make ends meet.
She told herself, “I’m going to make different choices, and (…) my life will be different and I won’t struggle.”
But in college, Remer realized it wasn’t that simple, falling into $40,000 of student loan debt despite working two full-time jobs. Later, after years without benefits — and still no degree — she signed up for FoodShare again.
Today, Remer, who now lives in Wausau, is a chair for Wisconsin Poor People’s Campaign, which fights systemic poverty. She believes food insecurity is a symptom of a system that fabricates scarcity and “prioritizes profit over human life.”
Though Remer understands this, she still suffered the social stigma of poverty. It was obvious at grocery stores, when her father would pull out the green Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, the form of payment used by FoodShare recipients.
During her time as FoodShare director, McAtee realized the complex and often tedious nature of the application process, including extensive paperwork, interviews with a caseworker and notifications whenever a recipient’s monthly income rises above 130% of the poverty level — even if it’s just by a dollar.
Blume is familiar with this issue. One time, she was denied federal food assistance because she surpassed the monthly income limit by $6.
The overly complicated bureaucracy of FoodShare makes it hard for substantial changes to be made, McAtee said. She favors streamlining the program to make recipients who are eligible for other federal programs eligible for FoodShare.
In the meantime, it’s frustrating for all parties involved, McAtee said, adding that was part of the reason she left.
“You can only kind of bang your head against the wall so many times before you’re finally like, ‘This is too much,’ ” McAtee said.
Chris Kane, director of client services for Society of St. Vincent DePaul Madison, has noticed the government’s inaction in addressing food insecurity during his 26 years with the charity.
“I’ve always believed myself that it really is the government that should be taking care of people, and making it so … that people don’t need to go to a place of charity to get food,” he said.
Just as food stamps began as an emergency response to the Great Depression, the sweeping recent changes to food assistance programs were sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Trump administration had planned to cut back on federal food assistance funding but instead raised all SNAP recipient households to the maximum benefit based on their income level and family size. Now, a no-income household with two adults and three children could receive $768 per month — around $240 more than before.
The move, part of a “robust” federal response, kept people fed despite widespread unemployment, said Judi Bartfeld, project coordinator for the Wisconsin Food Security Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
As some pandemic measures lapsed in 2021, the administration of President Joe Biden permanently increased average SNAP benefits to over 25% above pre-pandemic levels, or a national average addition of around $36 per person per month — the biggest permanent change in the program since 1979, when Carter eliminated the purchase requirement for food stamps.
But in Wisconsin, pandemic-era policies that helped alleviate food insecurity may be short-lived. Earlier this year Republican legislators introduced Assembly Bill 935, which would have reinstated work requirements to receive FoodShare.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a massive expansion in the size and scope of government welfare programs,” said Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, in a heated hearing over AB 935. “You can just get all kinds of money in these programs now, with more people on them than ever before.”
Given the contentious divide over food assistance policy, Bartfeld is doubtful pandemic-related measures will become permanent fixtures of Wisconsin’s approach to addressing food insecurity.
Said Bartfeld: “There’s interest in making access to food much more streamlined and less restrictive, and there’s interest in really restrictive policies, and I don’t know that either of those are going to get any traction right now.”
Former University of Wisconsin-Madison student Rachel Clark contributed to this report. The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with WPR, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
Those making less than the maximum income requirements can get EBT credit to buy food through Wisconsin’s FoodShare program at dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/.
Use the 211 Wisconsin website to find a food pantry in your neighborhood by dialing 2-1-1 or texting your ZIP code to TXT-211 (898-211). You may want to call ahead because hours at pantries can vary.
For those 60 or older, Meals on Wheels will deliver meals to you and anyone living with you who also qualifies. You can find the Meals on Wheels program closest to you by searching its website, mealsonwheelsamerica.org/find-meals. Requirements vary by program and areas served, and there are some dine-in options for mobile seniors.

created: August 7, 2022


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2021-07-13(Wisconsin.Watch_Food.Pantry)IW_2.JPG | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
August 4, 2022

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Dwayne Burtin
August 4, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
August 4, 2022


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August 4, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
August 4, 2022


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Aug. 8 to Aug. 12 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
August 8, 2022
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
The annual celebration of local Black culture, history and arts is back all week with events ranging from theater classes to trivia to unplugged soul shows.
Legal Action of Wisconsin is attempting to reduce the length of time eviction records are held and searchable from 20 years to just one year in most cases. Learn more during a virtual session at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 9 on Legal Action Wisconsin’s Facebook page.
A week-long celebration of local Black theater, including a staged reading of “Khloe’s Beautiful Blues” and the documentary theater production of “Milwaukee Voices of Gun Violence,” begins Wednesday, Aug. 10. More information here.
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Newline Café, Escuela Verde’s student-run and operated café in Silver City, will host a trivia night focused on the TV show “Stranger Things” from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 3618 W. Pierce St.
Urban Ecology Center leads this tutorial on getting your hands dirty in the raised-bed gardens of Menomonee Valley from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11.  Registration is required  and will close 24 hours before the event’s start time.
Tuesday, Aug. 9 is Election Day. Find out what’s on your ballot here and where to vote here. In case you missed it: What you need to know about the Aug. 9 primary election in Milwaukee.

created: August 8, 2022


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28213027783_09b5387077_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
August 7, 2022


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What you need to know about the Aug. 9 primary election in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
O. Ricardo Pimentel
August 8, 2022
Residents will help choose their party’s nominees for such high-profile races as governor and the U.S. Senate on Tuesday with the Senate race in particular drawing national attention.
But voters will also determine which two candidates will advance to the November election to succeed Mayor Cavalier Johnson in Aldermanic District 2. This is a nonpartisan race.
And because no Republicans have filed to run for Milwaukee County sheriff, voters will choose among three candidates for that office.
Also on the ballot for local office: who will be the next Clerk of Circuit Court for Milwaukee County.
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The governor’s race and the U.S. Senate race have the highest profiles on the airwaves so far. Democrats have viewed GOP incumbent Ron Johnson as vulnerable and key to growing Democratic numbers in the Senate. Retired educator David Schroeder is also on the GOP ballot.
Voters in the Democratic primary will choose who will challenge Johnson in the general election. The candidates are Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes; Alex Lasry, senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks; Kou Lee, a restaurant owner; Sarah Godlewski, state treasurer; Peter Peckarsky, an attorney; Steven Olikara, entrepreneur and founder and former chief executive of the Millennial Action Project; Darrell Williams, administrator of the Division of Emergency Management in the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (on leave);  and Tom Nelson, Outagamie County Executive.
The general election will be Nov. 8.
The governor’s race features incumbent Tony Evers on the Democratic side. Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch; construction business co-owner Tim Michels; State Rep. Timothy Ramthun; and real estate business owner Adam Fischer are running for the GOP nomination. Businessman Kevin Nicholson recently dropped out of the race.
In other statewide races, there are primary candidates on the ballot for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer.
In Milwaukee, there are also candidates on the ballot for Congressional District 4 and for state Assembly District 16.
The incumbent on the ballot in the congressional race is Democrat Gwen Moore. Tim Rogers and Travis Clark are the Republicans on the ballot for their party primary.
In Assembly District 16, Democratic incumbent Kalan Haywood is on the ballot. No one is on the ballot on the Republican side.
Jerel Ballard, 27; Mark Chambers Jr., 35; and Keyellia “Kiki” Morries, 52, are vying for the District 2 seat formerly held by Mayor Johnson, who was elected in April.
(Another council seat is vacant following the departure of District 3 Ald. Nik Kovac, who was appointed budget director by Johnson. Democratic state Rep. Jonathan Brostoff is the only candidate and he will be on the November ballot.)
Ballard is a Milwaukee native and former television journalist. He is a Riverside University High School and Columbia College Chicago graduate. He was the communications and marketing officer for the Milwaukee Police Department and is currently communications director for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. He founded the Milwaukee’s Finest Scholarship Foundation. Ballard did not respond to requests for an interview.
Chambers is also a Milwaukee native, growing up in the Westlawn Projects section of District 2. He graduated from Bay View High School and attended Milwaukee Area Technical College. He worked in the financial sector and is now a business consultant for Community Related Training in Milwaukee.
Chambers said the most important issues for the city are gun violence and reckless driving.
“We’re in a crisis,” he said. “What separates me from the others is that I’ve lived through it personally.”
He said he lost his father to gun violence and a friend to reckless driving, adding that holding people with guns accountable will be key in addressing gun violence.
Morries was born and raised in the 53212 ZIP code, which includes the Harambee neighborhood. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Mount Senario College  and a master’s degree in management from Cardinal Stritch University. She retired as a detective from the Milwaukee Police Department, having served 28 years, and now owns real estate companies.
Morries said the city’s most important issue is public safety.
“We have to first go to the core problem – working together with the police department to come up with those strategies,” she said. “They have things in place and we just need to implement them.”
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, only Chambers currently lives in the district. Ballard and Morries will have to move into the district if elected.
But Morries said she has an apartment, where she gets her mail, and other properties in the district.
The Democratic candidates for county sheriff are Denita Ball, Brian Barkow and Thomas Beal. No Republican has filed for the office, which means the primary could effectively decide the next sheriff.
All the candidates work in the Sheriff’s Department: Ball as chief deputy; Barkow as inspector and commander of the Investigative Services Bureau; and Beal is a sheriff’s captain.
The race for the Clerk of Circuit Court pits current Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson, the incumbent because he was previously appointed as interim clerk of the court, against Anna Maria Hodges, the retired chief deputy clerk of the Circuit Court.
To vote, you must register. If you haven’t registered, you can do so at your voting site on Election Day.
If you are uncertain of your registration status, name or address, you can go to My Vote Wisconsin to look up your record.
For a list of what constitutes proof of residence, go here.
To find your polling place to register on the day of the election, you can enter your address here.
Once your address and name are updated, go to MyVote to update your voter registration.
To find your polling place to register on the day of the election, you can enter your address here.
And to find a complete sample ballot, click here.

author: O. Ricardo Pimentel


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Ron Smith
July 18, 2022


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Post from Community: Informational meeting on substance use resources, August 15 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
August 9, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II invites community members to attend an informational meeting hosted by Wisconsin Community Services on August 15 from 4-5 p.m. at 2610 W. North Ave. The meeting will provide an opportunity to learn about Wisconsin Community Services and its work to help individuals in overcoming their substance use struggles.
“I encourage all to attend and learn about the important work that Wisconsin Community Services does in helping our community members heal and overcome their challenges,” Alderman Stamper said.
To learn more about WCS, please visit their website: https://www.wiscs.org/
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What:      Informational meeting on substance use resources
When:        4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Friday – August 15
Where:        Wisconsin Community Services at 2610 W. North Ave.

created: August 9, 2022

author: City of Milwaukee


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Post From Community: Milwaukee Health Department begins administering Novavax COVID-19 vaccine | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Health Department
August 9, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Beginning Tuesday, August 9, 2022, the Milwaukee Health Department will have the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine available at all three COVID-19 clinics. The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine was authorized on July 13, 2022 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use to prevent COVID-19. It is a two-dose series, administered three weeks apart, for individuals 18 years and older who have not previously received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. There is currently no booster series available.
The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is different than the Moderna or Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, and experts are hopeful having multiple types of vaccines available will offer more flexibility for the public to protect themselves against the COVID-19 virus. Novavax is similar to other traditional vaccines that individuals may have received, such as the Hepatitis B vaccine.
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use mRNA to teach cells how to make a protein when injected, which triggers an immune response, which produces antibodies to protect against the virus in the future. The Novavax vaccine is a traditional subunit protein vaccine. Rather than using mRNA, the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine uses the premade coronavirus spike protein. When injected, immune systems produce antibodies against it, which provide future protection.
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Like other COVID-19 vaccines, Novavax does not cause COVID-19 infection. It can’t get you sick. This vaccine doesn’t contain either live or inactivated virus. Studies show the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is 90.4% effective in preventing mild, moderate or severe cases of COVID-19.
Individuals interested in receiving the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine should visit the Northwest Health Center (7630 W. Mill Rd.), Southside Health Center (1639 S. 23rd St.), or Menomonee Valley Drive-Thru Clinic (2401 W. St. Paul Ave.). No appointment is needed and all COVID-19 vaccines are free of charge. Hours of operation available at Milwaukee.gov/COVIDvax.

author: Milwaukee Health Department


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Post From Community: This school year, prioritize your child’s physical and mental health | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Rhonda L. Randall, D.O., Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare
August 9, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
With back-to-school season quickly approaching, it’s important to ensure your child is ready for the school year both physically and emotionally by scheduling a well-child visit.
Well-child visits are annual doctor appointments for preventive health services and are essential for ensuring a child’s growth and tracking developmental milestones. The well-child visit is also the time for routine immunizations to prevent diseases like measles, polio, hepatitis B, chickenpox, whooping cough, and other serious diseases.
Like vaccines, which prevent physical health conditions, speaking with your child’s primary care physician regularly about mental health concerns is also an essential part of overall preventive care and the annual well-child visit is an opportunity to have a conversation with your child’s physician. It’s best to have these conversations when problems or warning signs first appear, so that your physician can take the appropriate steps to best treat them.
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If you’re not sure what questions to ask your child’s primary care physician during an annual well-child visit, consider the following:
If you haven’t already, now is the time to schedule your child’s appointment to give your child a healthy start to the school year. Regular well-child visits are essential in making sure your child is up to date on immunizations and their developmental milestones are on track… including their mental wellbeing.
To learn more about recommended preventive care for your child, visit UHC.com.


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August 9, 2022


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Post From Community: Radio Milwaukee celebrates 15 years with birthday party on Oct. 1 at Walker’s Point Studios | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sarah Lahr
August 9, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Radio Milwaukee (WYMS-88.9FM) will host its 15th birthday party on Saturday, Oct. 1 at its Walker’s Point studios, the station announced Tuesday.
The birthday party, beginning at 4 p.m., is free and open to the public, and will feature food and beverages from local food trucks, interactive entertainment and live music performances from an all-Milwaukee lineup of dark-pop duo You Win !!!, hip-hop artist Kia Rap Princess and reggaeton brothers Gego y Nony.
“We are so excited to be able to welcome the entire Radio Milwaukee community back into our Walker’s Point home for our first major event since early 2020,” said Dori Zori, 88Nine Program Director. “We’ve curated a lineup of Milwaukee musicians that represent the diversity in genre that our listeners love from both 88Nine and HYFIN. We can’t wait to have a big dance party and everyone’s invited!”
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In addition to the lineup of Milwaukee artists, the party will feature DJ sets from Radio Milwaukee’s specialty programs, including “Rhythm Lab Radio,” which has been a part of the station’s programming since 2007.
“I’ve been fortunate to be a part of Radio Milwaukee since the beginning, and I was originally drawn to the station for its mission to be a catalyst for change not just in Milwaukee, but across the country,” said Tarik Moody, HYFIN Program Director. “I am thankful to have seen my show ‘Rhythm Lab Radio’ change the game in public radio and become a pilot for the Urban Alternative format that ultimately gave us our new channel, HYFIN. We have accomplished so much in 15 years and I know that this is just the beginning for our media organization.”
Music programming will take place in the station’s performance space and green rooftop. Lineups for both areas are as follows:
Performance Space
4 p.m. – “Kids Disco” Dance Party with DJ Dori Zori
5 p.m. – You Win !!!
6 p.m. – Kia Rap Princess
7 p.m. – Gego y Nony
Green Rooftop
4 p.m. – VIP Hour with DJ Anthony Foster
5 p.m. – “Sound Travels” with DJ Marcus Doucette
6 p.m. – “Rhythm Lab Radio” with DJ Tarik Moody
7 p.m. – “In the Mix” with DJ Kenny Perez
A limited number of VIP tickets are available for purchase and include early access to the green rooftop for the 4 p.m. VIP hour, two drink tickets, a limited-edition 15th birthday party poster and brand-new Radio Milwaukee t-shirt. Tickets are available at radiomilwaukee.org/birthday.
In addition to music, the family-friendly party will feature art activations from Farmhouse Paint & Sip; food from Chucho’s Red Tacos and Tatay’s Truck; beer; wine from The Ruby Tap; birthday treats from Classy Girl Cupcakes and Todo Postres; and a big announcement. Additional vendors and participants to be announced in the coming weeks.
Radio Milwaukee’s 15th Birthday Party receives generous support from Educators Credit Union and Frank Productions.
Media can download press photos of artists and event artwork at: https://bit.ly/15thBirthday
For more information or interview requests, please contact Sarah Lahr at sarahm@radiomilwaukee.org or 414-892-4190.

author: Sarah Lahr


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Post From Community: Rocketship Public Schools names executive director for Wisconsin region | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Elise Hill
August 9, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Rocketship Public Schools has appointed an executive director for its Wisconsin region, which consists of two high-performing charter public elementary schools serving a concentration of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in North and South Milwaukee.
Kadeem Gill, previously Managing Director of Exceptional Student Education at Breakthrough Public Schools, will now oversee all aspects of the school network in the region. Gill is a career educator who brings deep experience in classroom, school, and network leadership to Rocketship. Gill’s tenure at Breakthrough Public Schools was marked by partnership with families, leadership on increasing diversity in hiring, and commitment to serving students of all abilities with excellence, which helped to steer the organization to new heights of impact.
“Kadeem’s life proves the power of choice in public education. Kadeem understands firsthand the devastating consequences of a lack of educational opportunities for all kids, as he was chosen to attend a gifted and talented school while his brothers remained behind in a poor performing local school. Kadeem ended up at Princeton, while one brother was lost to gun violence and another to prison,” said Ralph Weber, Chairman of the Board of Rocketship Public Schools Wisconsin. “Kadeem’s record of achievement and experience, along with  his  passion for  equity in education, impressed the entire board. As we launch new efforts to overcome enduring achievement gaps for Milwaukee children and their families, we are thankful Kadeem will be leading Rocketship Public Schools Wisconsin.”
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Gill was chosen for the leadership position after a selection committee screened a wide variety of candidates of different backgrounds. Board Chair Ralph Weber led the search committee, with assistance from a diverse panel of Rocketship leaders from both the regional and national level. Rocketship parents interviewed Gill and participated in our selection process as well.
“What school system is going to allow you as a parent, especially as a new parent to come in, be on a committee and to actually interview the senior most leader of the organization? It was so uplifting and made me feel that the organization really cares about me and my opinion as a parent,” said Ieshia Wiggins, parent at Rocketship Transformation Prep. “And I am so excited for Kadeem’s leadership! It was an easy pick for me because Kadeem has everything we need in Milwaukee. All of us collectively as a parent committee were unanimous that he was it.”
Gill is a proven leader in eliminating achievement gaps for low-income students of color. During his tenure at Breakthrough and in spite of the challenges of remote instruction due to COVID, the network supported scholars with exceptional learning needs to increase proficiency in literacy and math by 8 percentage points. The team also decreased the number of scholars performing two or more grade-levels below by 18 percentage points in both subjects. Prior to Breakthrough, Gill was the Senior Director of Special Populations at Explore Schools in Brooklyn, New York, where he led a team of network-based and school-based leaders to achieve a 5-year charter renewal as well as outstanding student academic growth. Gill began his educational leadership journey serving as special education director at the Equity Project Charter School in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood, and taught special education for many years in the Bronx.
“We are so excited to have someone of Kadeem’s caliber, experience, and passion leading Rocketship Wisconsin in its next phase of excellence and impact,” said Preston Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of Rocketship Public Schools. “Kadeem is not only a pedagogical expert, but his personal experiences and deep connections with our communities make him an even more powerful, authentic leader. Kadeem embodies the mission of Rocketship Public Schools to unleash the potential of students, staff, and families.”
Gill attended Princeton University, earned a Master’s Degree from Hunter College in Special Education, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from the Bank Street School of Education, and is currently working on his Educational Doctorate Degree in Leadership and Innovation from New York University.
“I started my career as a special education teacher because I wanted to help students that society too often gives up on,” Gill said. “That shared mission is what drew me to Rocketship. At Rocketship, we serve a majority of students of color, students living in poverty, and students whose families are immigrants or refugees. We work to unleash the potential inside of every student that we serve, and when our students go on to attend other middle and high schools, they enter those schools prepared to succeed, with parents who know how to advocate for their students. I’m excited to help Rocketship continue to excel here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin so that more students have access to a high quality public education at the elementary school level, which benefits our entire system of public education.”
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About Rocketship Public Schools
Rocketship Public Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing public elementary (K4 through 5th grade) charter schools serving disadvantaged communities across the country. The organization launched in 2007 with a vision to eliminate the achievement gap in every community it serves. Rocketship schools consistently rank among the top 10% of all public schools serving similar student populations.Through its high-performing public school model, Rocketship Public Schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. Visit http://www.rocketshipschools.org/ to learn more.

author: Elise Hill


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The 3rd annual Milwaukee Black Theater Festival shines a spotlight on the Black family | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
August 9, 2022
With the theme of  “The Black Family: Generations Speak!” the third annual Milwaukee Black Theater Festival is all about family ties.
Presented by generations of Black artists, the event acknowledges community challenges and encourages everyone to come together to celebrate Black theater, healing and unity.
The weeklong celebration of Black arts and culture will take place Wednesday through Sunday. It features free and ticketed events each day, including an R&B and gospel fundraiser concert, spoken word and dance performances as well as talk-back and panel discussions.
“For the first time, the festival will be held across multiple venues, in an effort to expose more of the city to rich cross-disciplinary artistic and cultural activity produced by Milwaukee-based Black artists,” said Cory Nettles, the board chair for Black Arts MKE. “We’re proud to produce Milwaukee Black Theater Festival to share more of our stories and put a spotlight on emerging young Black playwrights and professional theater organizations, including Bronzeville Arts Ensemble and Lights! Camera! Soul!.”
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There also will be events at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, St. Ann Center’s Indaba Community Band Shell, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center and The Table Vocational Center.
“We really wanted to make this accessible,” said Ashley Jordan, the artistic associate for Black Arts MKE, which is leading this year’s festival. “Which is why it’s spread across the city and affordable. We’re hoping to reach a bit of everybody.”
Black Arts MKE, an organization that provides Milwaukee-based artists of color with employment, access, visibility, and development opportunities through public performances, will be leading the event for the first time.
The organization also has partnered with the Pink Umbrella Theater Co., to make the youth and family night accessible to youth with disabilities.
“Disabilities can be invisible,” said Katie Cummings the executive director. “We want to make sure that kids with those disabilities are able to enjoy theater as well.”
The festival is supported by the United Performing Arts Fund, or UPA), Wisconsin Humanities, The Black Seed, National Endowment for the Arts and BMO Harris Bank.
In 2020, the first festival took place virtually.
“During that initial stretch of the pandemic, stages went dark but we wanted to continue the tradition of storytelling even through the pandemic,” said Sheri Williams Pannell, co-founder of Milwaukee Black Theater Festival and Bronzeville Arts Ensemble producing artistic director. “This was a way to ensure that the voices of Black playwrights are heard and amplified.”
You can access the festival’s digital program here or visit blackartsmke.org

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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52266341899_2ac981c40a_h | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
August 8, 2022


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Post From Community: City Champs expands free martial arts training for youths to Milwaukee’s Northwest Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Rick Moon
August 10, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
MILWAUKEE – City Champs Foundation, a local organization dedicated to helping youths gain confidence and maturity via the discipline of martial arts, has launched a new free training program on the city’s northwest side.
City Champs is offering a free eight-week program at its City Training Center, located within Combat Corner, 6333 W. Douglas Ave., Mondays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The training, which focuses on basic self-defense using jiu jitsu and kickboxing, is open to all youths ages 7 to 18.
Registration can be made at https://www.citychamps.org/registration. Although the program launched June 27, openings remain and new attendees will be immediately added.
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“Martial arts training isn’t about teaching kids to fight,” said Jared Bell, founder of City Champs. “It’s about instructing them how to stand up to bullies in a non-confrontational manner, and not live in fear. This confidence carries over positively into many other areas of their lives.”
Founded in 2016, City Champs coaches have trained hundreds of children in programs at gyms and community centers. Its courses take children off the streets, puts them in an environment of discipline and self-respect, and encourages them to achieve their personal potential.
“Kids want guidance and structure, which is why we see them showing up for our classes a half-hour before start time,” Bell said. “This training channels children’s natural energy and impulses in a constructive manner, teaching them self-assurance, self-control and leadership.”
City Champs, a 501(c)3 organization, is seeking sponsors as it grows its presence in Milwaukee. Just $300 can provide life-changing instruction for a child. Contributions can be made at www.citychamps.org/support.
City Champs seeks to benefit the community by getting kids into gyms with engaged coaching, where they learn goal-setting and valuable life skills. More information is available at www.citychamps.org, or by following the organization on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube.

author: Rick Moon


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City-Champs-logo.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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August 8, 2022


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Post From Community: First Stage’s AMPLIFY BIPOC Play Series begins with play reading of HIDDEN HEROES August 13 and 14, 2022 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Cindy Moran
August 10, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Name of Event: First Stage’s Amplify BIPOC Play Series begins with play reading of HIDDEN HEROES, presented as part of the Milwaukee Black Theater Festival
Dates, Times & Locations:
Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
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Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
325 W. Walnut Street; Milwaukee, WI  53212
Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
Wisconsin Black Historical Society Museum
2620 W. Center Street; Milwaukee, WI  53206
Description: The third season of First Stage’s Amplify BIPOC Play Series kicks offs off Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14 with the inspiring play HIDDEN HEROES by playwright Shá Cage and based on the book Hidden Human Computers: The Black Women of NASA by Sue Bradford Edwards and Duchess Harris. Published by ABDO Publishing, Minneapolis, MN. The play will be directed by First Stage Director of Artistic Inclusion and Community Engagement Samantha D. Montgomery.
“It doesn’t matter what you look like, what your size is, what your color is. You can be anything you want to, but you do have to work at it,” says Annie Easley’s mother to her young daughter. In the 1950s and ’60s, the black women of NASA fought against racial and gender discrimination for a place on the leading edge of math, science and technology. Be inspired as First Stage tells the stories of how these women were influenced as young girls to eventually make critical contributions that launched U.S. astronauts into space and returned them safely back to Earth. For families with young people ages 7 and up.
From Artistic Director Jeff Frank: “This remarkable play by Shá Cage celebrates the brilliance and creativity of these young girls as they break barriers, conquer the seemingly impossible and become the women whose work in mathematics and engineering would help make space exploration possible.”
This season’s Amplify Series will be presented as readings of three new plays, to be held at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center and other community locations. A talkback will follow each reading, allowing audiences opportunities to share their voices with the playwright and artists – helping shape the development of the plays and potential future productions at First Stage.
The Amplify readings will also be made available on the First Stage YouTube channel for a short period following the live presentations. youtube.com/firststage
Cost: First Stage will again offer the 2022/23 Amplify Series at no cost to attendees, but registration will be required. For additional information and to register, please go to: firststage.org/events-tickets/2022-23-season/amplify-reading-series/
COVID protocols: Masks are optional at Milwaukee Youth Arts Center but be advised that the City of Milwaukee is currently under a Mask Advisory and as such encourages all folks wear a mask while indoors at a public setting. Masks will be available at the theater should you need one.
Website: firststage.org
Phone: (414) 267-2961
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About First Stage
First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves nearly 2,000 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote literacy, character building and experiential learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students each year. First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2012) and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Eureka Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education and the arts for its Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum (2013, 2015). First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a proud cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). firststage.org
About 2022 Milwaukee Black Theater Festival
Black Arts MKE is proud to present the third annual Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, returning to venues across the city from August 10 – 14. The week-long celebration of Black arts and culture features free and ticketed events throughout each day including full-production and staged reading plays, an R&B and Gospel fundraiser concert, spoken word, music and dance performances, talk-back and panel discussions. This year’s theme is The Black Family: Generations Speak! Presented by generations of MKE-based Black artists, the festival includes events for the entire family, acknowledges community challenges and encourages everyone to come together now to celebrate Black theater, healing and unity. 2022 Milwaukee Black Theater Festival

author: Cindy Moran


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NNS-FirstStageLogo-01.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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August 4, 2022


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Post From Community: START…in the name of love | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Cindy Novak
August 10, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Saturday, Aug. 27, 9:00 a.m.-noon.
The Wellness Commons – Walnut Way
2240 N 17th Street, Milwaukee
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Light refreshments will be available.
?
Contact Joyce McGhee at
414-460-2282 or loretta.mcghee@aah.org

author: Cindy Novak


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LAMP-Faith-Leader-Flyer-reduced-size.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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August 3, 2022

created: August 3, 2022


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Post From Community: United Way invests in Dominican Center through racial equity fund | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Christina Chronister
August 10, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 4, 2022 — The Dominican Center (DC) is pleased and honored to announce it has received a multi-year investment from the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County’s Racial Equity Fund. The first-year investment is a $100,000 grant that will increase DC’s capacity to grow and continue to provide the Amani neighborhood with equitable housing resources.
DC works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future, and is committed to providing support, opportunities, training, resources and seats at the table to help Amani residents revitalize their neighborhood. DC works with the Amani United neighborhood association’s Housing and Economic Development committee to secure funds to create and complete projects that support the Amani Revitalization plan, a document DC developed in partnership with Amani residents. DC has also worked with neighborhood partners on the Block-by-Block initiative, which aims to revitalize the entire community, one block at a time, and serve as a model for neighborhood revitalization in Milwaukee and beyond.
The goal of United Way’s Racial Equity fund is to invest in Black- and Brown-led organizations to increase organizational capacity. A total of $1.5 million will be invested in 11 organizations over the next three years. United Way believes in racial equity and believes “it affects everyone when a social system is out of balance, but the people of color feel the impact most severely,” a statement on the organization’s website said. “Racial equity works to eliminate racial disparities and improve outcomes for everyone.”
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This generous funding gift will support a full-time position focused on housing and allow DC to provide more housing resources and connections to neighborhood partners who offer beneficial services that support the Amani Revitalization Plan. DC believes hometown neighborhoods should provide a safe, clean and environmentally healthy ecosystem where residents can live in a comfortable and safe home, connect socially, access fresh food and engage in recreational and civic activities. DC strives to make sure that Amani families are assured access to quality services and all members of the family are nurtured, encouraged and secure.
“Housing is fundamental to wellbeing, and it’s a basic need that every family deserves,” said DC Executive Director Maricha Harris. “This generous investment from United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County will provide Dominican Center with the resources needed to increase our capacity to execute a housing strategy and deepen our impact.”
About the Dominican Center
The Dominican Center in the Amani neighborhood works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future. Founded in 1995, the Dominican Center began as an urban ministry program to learn more about the women in the neighborhood and has since evolved to serve all Amani residents and respond to the changing needs of the community. Today, DC serves as the community anchor for the White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, Building Neighborhood Capacity Program and is the lead community partner for the US Department of Justice’s Innovations of Community Based Crime Reduction grant for Amani.
Please contact Christina Chronister at the Dominican Center for additional information at
(414) 444-9930 or by email at christina@dominican-center.org

author: Christina Chronister


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mobile10small.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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August 8, 2022


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Post From Community: UW Credit Union distributes more than $130,000 in scholarships to UW system students | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Tanya Pinsoneault
August 10, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
UW Credit Union awarded 10 students a combined $30,000 this month on behalf of the credit union’s annual Community Values Scholarship program. An additional 17 students received nearly $105,000 in scholarships during the 2021-2022 school year through UW Credit Union’s campus endowment programs.
Now in its ninth year, UW Credit Union’s Community Values Scholarship honors the volunteerism, activism and mentorship efforts of new and returning full-time undergraduate students attending a UW System school, Madison College or Edgewood College.
“The resilience of today’s students never ceases to amaze us,” said Steph Harrill Kyle, Director of Financial Inclusion and Community Engagement.  “These young individuals are dedicated to helping fellow classmates and community members thrive, while simultaneously maintaining strong academic performance. We recognize that economic pressures, including rising gas prices and housing inflation, have contributed to students’ debt burden. Scholarship funds reward their commitment in a focused, meaningful way.”
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From elevating international education to fostering healthcare equity among underserved populations, all winners of the 2022 Community Value Scholarship highlight the power of leading by example. The following ten students will receive $3,000 each to be directly deposited into their tuition account.
“Through my campus commitments, I have learned to lead by serving others and to appreciate the importance of community,” said Edith Ben-Eboh. “I understand that we have to use our voice to advocate for the changes we wish to see; especially for those who cannot do so directly.”
Beyond the Community Values Scholarship Program, UW Credit Union’s endowment fund supports eight campuses and is valued at over $3 million, improving access to higher education for dozens of Wisconsin students each year. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this includes the Great People Scholarship Program established in 2008, as well as the Chancellor’s Scholarship Endowment Fund (Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program) established in 2018. Since 2008, UW Credit Union has distributed more than $1.8 million in endowment scholarships, benefitting 520 students.
To learn more, visit https://www.uwcu.org/about-us/community-giving/scholarship/.
About UW Credit Union
UW Credit Union is a growing, federally insured financial institution and a leading provider of a full range of financial services to University of Wisconsin communities. UW Credit Union’s more than 850 employees serve the financial needs of more than 315,000 members through world-class technology systems, and through a convenient network of 30 branch locations and over 100 ATMs. With $5 billion in assets, UW Credit Union is ranked nationally among the leading credit unions. Founded more than 90 years ago by members of the University of Wisconsin faculty and staff, UW Credit Union continues to operate as a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative with locations in the Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point, Green Bay, Oshkosh, Whitewater and La Crosse areas.

author: Tanya Pinsoneault


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Post From Community: You’re invited: Discover Wellness in Grant Park August 18 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lisa Kaiser
August 10, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Diverse groups from across Milwaukee County are inviting individuals and families to Grant Park on Thursday, August 18, to experience activities and gather resources that will improve their health and wellness. “Discover Wellness” will feature a Walk for Wellness, free food, prizes, activities, and a chance to win a Milwaukee Bucks swag bag, a Kwik Trip gift card, an adult and kid’s bike, and more.
“Discover Wellness” will encompass the eight dimensions of wellness—emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual, financial, social, environmental, and spiritual—to provide visitors with a broad range of activities that can help to enhance their health and well-being.
Highlights include: comfort dogs, craft kits, sound baths, an obstacle course, coloring and drawing, a Walk for Wellness, a cooking demonstration, and more. Free food will be provided by Neu-Life Community Development’s Farmfork, an urban agriculture and culinary arts program for youth.
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Donated raffle prizes include a kid’s and adult’s bike, a Milwaukee Bucks swag bag, a $100 Kwik Trip gift card, and more.
“Discover Wellness” will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 18, at Grant Park Location 4, 1335 Grant Park Dr., South Milwaukee. All are invited to attend this free community event.
“Discover Wellness” sponsors include Healthiest Cudahy Collaboration; Healthiest Oak Creek Coalition; Healthy Mind, Healthy Greendale; Milwaukee County Substance Abuse Prevention coalition; Neu-Life Community Development; The Parenting Network; Volition Franklin; Wellpoint Care Network; West Allis-West Milwaukee Family Resource Center; and Community Advocates Public Policy Institute.

author: Lisa Kaiser


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Where you can find free or discounted school supplies (and how you can help others) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
August 10, 2022
With young students returning to school soon, it’s time to start thinking about where to get school supplies such as backpacks, notebooks and pencils.
The cost of these can add up quickly, but luckily there are folks in our neighborhoods organizing drives to make sure children have access to supplies they need at a price they can afford or for free.
This list of back-to-school drives shows that preparing children for school is a community effort, as items and services are offered by churches, nail salons, barber shops, radio stations and more.
Most of the drives require your child to be present to receive free supplies.
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Don’t see a drive or donation opportunity listed? Email us at info@milwaukeenns.org
Change 4 Sylville Smith bookbag drive: Saturday, Aug. 13
The sixth annual bookbag drive in memory of Sylville Smith, who was killed by a Milwaukee police officer in 2016, runs from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at Sherman Park, located at 3000 N. Sherman Blvd. In addition to free school supplies, there will also be a bike giveaway, free food and live music.
A’lanit fashion backpack giveaway: Saturday, Aug. 13
Backpacks will be given away while supplies last starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the intersection of North 68th Street and West Fiebrantz Avenue.
Back-to-school giveaway at Lindsay Park: Saturday, Aug. 13
Book bags and school supplies will be given away, and there will be bounce houses, raffles, games and food, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at Lindsay Park, located at 4360 N. 87th St.
Operation Back to School: Saturday, Aug. 13
Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative is hosting this event to prepare veterans and their children for the start of the new school year with school supplies, lunch, bounce houses and games. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at Liberty Heights Park, located at 1540 S. 62nd St. RSVP by calling 414-257-4111
27th annual King Community Center Breakfast and Back to School Event: Saturday, Aug. 13
WJMR Jammin’ 98.3 hosts this breakfast and back-to- school event where children who are present get a bookbag full of school supplies and a free breakfast. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center, located at 1531 W. Vliet St.
School supply giveaway at Risen Savior Lutheran School: Saturday, Aug. 13
Any kindergarten through 8th grade child can receive school supplies and get their hair cut or braided from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 3909 W. Clinton Ave.
Free haircuts from Fade Factory: Sunday, Aug. 14
Fade Factory barbers will be giving free haircuts to youths 13 and younger from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14 at 7515 W. Oklahoma Ave. Cuts will be given on a first come, first served basis.
Heal the Hood and African American Roundtable back-to-school block party: Saturday, Aug. 20
Get a book bag and school supplies while enjoying free food, yoga in the park, more than 30 local vendors, a children’s corner, music and performances. The event lasts from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 at Clovernook Playfield, located at 6600 N. Landers St.
My Little Dreamers back-to-school drive: Saturday, Aug. 20
My Little Dreamers Child Care Center is organizing its seventh annual school supply drive. You can get free book bags and school supplies while the kids enjoy food, games, a bounce house and face paint. The drive lasts from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 4036 N. 51st Blvd.
Noir’e Hair District back to school giveaway: Saturday, Aug. 20
Noir’e Hair District has organized a giveaway of free clothing and school supplies from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 1947 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Children must be present.
Book bag giveaway and free hairstyles and cuts for kids: Saturday, Aug. 20
Lavish Crowns LLC hosts this book bag and school supply giveaway with free hairstyles and cuts for kids returning to school. The giveaway runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 7319 N. Teutonia Ave.
Book bag giveaway and resource fair: Saturday, Aug. 20
Mommie & Me Prenatal Care Services is hosting a book bag giveaway and resource fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 2829 N. Teutonia Ave.
School supplies and live performances: Saturday, Aug. 20
Amazing Angels Child Care hosts this event where parents can get free school supplies and enjoy live performances while the kids enjoy bounce houses at this kid-friendly event. The event runs from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 at the intersection of North 11 and West Clarke streets.
Back-to-school festival and talent show at Washington Park: Sunday, Aug. 21
Supply-filled backpacks, kid-friendly vendors, a talent show for youth ages 6 through 16, bounce houses and more will be at the Washington Park bandshell from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21
Back 2 school pop up shop: Saturday, Aug. 27
Free backpacks and school supplies for children who are present between noon and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 1935 W. Silver Spring Drive.
Back to school car show: Saturday, Aug. 27
Free backpacks with school supplies, free haircuts, a car show, horse rides and more at this back-to-school event from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27 at McGovern Park Area 1, located at 5400 N. 51st Blvd. M
Community day at Brentwood Church of Christ: Saturday, Aug. 27
This day party includes free school supplies and clothes in addition to resources for seniors, food, entertainment, a motorcycle show and local vendors. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 6425 N. 60th St.
Back-to-school giveaway at the Center Street Library: Friday, Sept. 2
School supplies will be given away at the Milwaukee Public Library’s Center Street branch from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2 at 2727 W. Fond du Lac Ave.
Back to school giveaway: Saturday, Sept. 3
Get school supplies as well as food, face painting and raffles from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 8700 W. Brown Deer Rd.
The MPS Foundation is not hosting a public giveaway of school supplies but will be raising $50,000 through  Sept. 14 to purchase book bags and supplies for students. Instructions for how to donate here.
MPS is also collecting school supplies in-kind and monetary donations to purchase supplies through Sept. 9. Instructions on how to donate here.
Capuchin Community Services is collecting in-kind and monetary donations now through Aug. 19. More information here.
United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County is collecting donations to purchase school supplies here.
The Milwaukee Rescue Mission is collecting in-kind and monetary donations, more information here.
As part of the Eighth Annual Sleepover for Education, Tracey Dent, executive director of Peace for Change Alliance, is collecting in-kind and monetary donations to bring school supplies to one MPS school. More information here.
First Day Fits is accepting clothing through Aug. 12 for young people returning to school.  Details on how to donate here.


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Ron Smith
August 9, 2022

author: Ron Smith


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If you weren’t eligible for rental assistance before, you may be now | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
August 11, 2022
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Milwaukeeans struggled to find rental assistance that was not directly tied to a loss of income because of the pandemic.
But more recent Emergency Rental Assistance funds are more flexible and may be able to help those who were slipping through the cracks.
Now programs like Community Advocates’ Rent Assistance Program can assist people who have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic and are behind on rent or utilities. The reason for their need no longer has to be related to the pandemic.
Initial Emergency Rent Assistance “dollars were only eligible to people who had lost their income due to the pandemic,” said Deborah Heffner, the housing strategy director for Community Advocates. “These funds are more flexible.”
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She said, because of the different funds, Community Advocates has been able to help families with paying up to 18 months of rent.
Though ERA 2 funds remove the necessity for need to be directly tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are still COVID relief funds, which means the funds cannot be used for needs dating before March of 2020.
Eligibility for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) 1 funds and Emergency Rental Assistance 2 funds remain similar. Eligibility for ERA 2 funds say people qualify if:
Though things have slowed down a bit, Heffner said there is still a steady number of applications coming in weekly. She hopes that being able to hire additional housing navigators through funds helped along by Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee will enable staffers to continue to assist people.
In addition, residents have other rental assistance opportunities.
Krystina Kohler, the financial stability portfolio manager for the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, said the Safe and Stable Homes initiative provides grants to several housing agencies that can help.
She pointed to the Family Flex Fund, which provides tiered financial support and case management for families on the IMPACT/Milwaukee Continuum of Care’s prioritization list who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, as well as rapid rehousing and shelter services. All can be accessed through IMPACT 211.
“I know it may feel like we are telling you things you already know or making you wait when you call,” Kohler said. “But those calls go into a system, and you are put on a prevention list.”
She added: “I want be people to be confident in calling because conversations on how to better assist them are happening. We are doing our best and working on being better, weekly.”
Kohler said the most important thing you can do if you’re worried about housing is to reach out as soon as possible.
“Milwaukee has a bunch of different prevention programs that can help every step of the way,” she said. “Engaging them as early as possible can really help.”
(This story has been updated to clarify the eligibility requirements).


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Ron Smith
August 10, 2022


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Inside the NNS Newsroom: We are hiring a reporter | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
August 11, 2022
Two of my most favorites words (besides “free food”) are: We’re hiring!
So if you care passionately about informing readers about health-related topics and giving Milwaukee residents the information they need to navigate complicated systems, then the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service wants to hear from you.
We seek a reporter who can dig into issues such as the city’s ongoing lead crisis, examine Milwaukee’s ongoing rise in violence from a public health perspective and report on how the pandemic continues to disproportionately affect our communities.
The bulk of your time will be spent serving as the newsroom’s health and communities reporter. But you also will have mini-beats as our newsroom is small yet mighty. In addition, you will be a key contributor to News 414, which delivers resources to community residents via texts.
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You need to be able to connect readers to resources that help them better navigate their lives while also ensuring that the ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things in the community are covered.
Because we serve communities that have been misrepresented, ignored or only get media attention when there is crime and conflict, NNS has a three-pronged editorial agenda. We celebrate the resilience of residents by consistently spotlighting the good works of our community leaders and organizations. We educate our readers by connecting them to resources that can help uncomplicate their busy lives. And we illuminate through good shoe-leather watchdog reporting issues that create much-needed dialogue while holding institutions and leaders accountable.
This job requires curiosity, creativity and tenacity. We seek reporters who have initiative, resolve and the willingness to dig deep while simultaneously centering the voices of communities of color into their stories. We are not looking for stenographers who summarize meetings or rewrite news releases. Instead, we seek journalists who can connect the dots and deliver insightful stories that leave our readers better informed.
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS) is a small but mighty nonprofit newsroom that serves the city’s Black and Latinx communities. Through our website, e-newsletters and News414 texting service, we report on the ordinary people who do extraordinary things, connect readers with resources they need to better their lives and we serve as a ferocious watchdog for our audience.
Our readers are our neighbors and filling their information needs is our top priority. We are an editorially independent project of Marquette University, which provides significant in-kind support and have offices in the Diederich College of Communication.
We consider our newsroom staff to be family and value collaboration, communication, creativity. We hire people for who they are … and for what they can become. We want everyone to win.
You’re a good fit if:
Audio or video reporting skills are a plus.
We expect great things. But we know no one can have all the skills listed above. So apply anyway.
We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people, veterans and people with disabilities. We believe that a newsroom that includes a broad range of life experiences will ultimately produce better journalism.
The salary range for this position is $33,500 – $35,000 plus health benefits (https://www.marquette.edu/hr/employeebenefits.shtml)
You can reach out to Executive Director Ron Smith and discuss this position. He can be reached at ronald.smith@marquette.edu
To formally apply, please click this link https://employment.marquette.edu/postings/17364


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Ron Smith
August 10, 2022


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Ron Smith
August 10, 2022


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Post From Community: City Forward Collective names Brittany Kinser next president and executive director￼ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Isral DeBruin
August 11, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The K-12 education nonprofit City Forward Collective Thursday announced veteran Milwaukee school leader Brittany Kinser will be the organization’s next president and executive director.
“Expanding educational opportunity is absolutely critical to Milwaukee’s future,” said Leslie Dixon, City Forward Collective board co-chair and recently retired executive at Baird. “City Forward Collective has quickly become an important piece of the city’s K-12 education ecosystem. We are proud of what we have achieved so far, and Brittany Kinser is the right leader to build on what we started.”
Most recently, Kinser was executive director of the Milwaukee region for the nationally recognized charter school network Rocketship Public Schools. For the past two years she also served as president of the Milwaukee Charter School Advocates. Her record includes success in launching new schools, organizing parents, fundraising, relationship building and political advocacy.
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“Brittany has an impressive record of impact,” said Rashida Evans, a City Forward Collective board member and part of the search committee, as well as a partner at the national education nonprofit TNTP. “She brings the energy, experience, skills and commitment needed to maximize City Forward Collective’s strong momentum.”
Kinser’s selection was the result of a months-long nationwide search led by best-in-class recruiters at Promise54, which culminated in a unanimous vote by City Forward Collective’s search committee.
“City Forward Collective is at an exciting moment,” Kinser said. “Together, we will continue developing this organization to make the impact Milwaukee – and its kids – deserve.”
City Forward Collective works to ensure all Milwaukee K-12 students have equitable access to resources and high-quality schools by supporting programs to develop school leader and teacher talent pipelines; identifying necessary education policy reforms and advocating for them; and by awarding grants to increase the number of student seats available in high-performing schools.
Kinser will succeed Dr. Patricia Hoben, who launched City Forward Collective in 2019 out of the merger of education nonprofits PAVE and Schools That Can Milwaukee. Hoben built a team and steered the organization as it established and began to implement its core strategies – all while providing critical support to city schools as they navigated immense challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. She announced her pending retirement earlier this year.
“It has been an honor to launch and lead City Forward Collective,” Hoben said. “I’m profoundly grateful to our amazing staff team and all the educators, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders who have come together to create and execute the organization’s vision and strategic goals over the past three years.”
Under Hoben’s leadership, City Forward Collective recorded significant achievements, including:
Kinser has already begun collaborating with City Forward Collective’s board and staff to help ensure a smooth transition. She formally assumes leadership of the organization on Monday, Sept. 19. To assist with the transition, Hoben will remain with City Forward Collective through the end of the year.
“We thank Patricia for taking on the leadership of City Forward Collective to get the organization firmly established,” said Austin Ramirez, board co-chair and CEO of Husco. “After building a great team and notching some key wins, we are grateful she has agreed to spend the rest of 2022 ensuring a seamless transition in leadership. We wish her the very best in her coming retirement.”
About Brittany Kinser
Kinser has spent her professional life as a teacher and education leader. After teaching in both Chicago and Japan, Kinser was recruited to help launch the IIT Math and Science Academy in Chicago, where she served as the founding Science and Special Education Instructional Leader. Starting in 2012, Kinser joined Rocketship Public Schools as an Assistant Principal in California before moving to Milwaukee to serve as Founding Principal at the network’s first school outside of California, Rocketship Southside Community Prep. The school’s strong results earned Rocketship the opportunity to open Rocketship Transformation Prep on the city’s north side. Most recently, Kinser has served as Executive Director of Rocketship’s Milwaukee region, which now serves 700 students across both school sites. For the past two years, Kinser has also served as President of the Milwaukee Charter School Advocates, supporting the city’s public charter schools in engaging parents and advocating for effective public policy.
Kinser holds a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Eastern Illinois University, a master’s degree in Designing Science Curriculum from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College.
About City Forward Collective
City Forward Collective launched in June 2019 with a mission to secure Milwaukee’s future by ending educational inequity and ensuring every child has the opportunity to attend a high-quality school. To advance this mission, the organization will build capacity for 5,000 more high-quality school seats in Milwaukee K-12 schools by 2025 with three key strategies:
For more information, visit http://cityforwardcollective.org or contact Isral DeBruin by phone at 414-459-1894 or by email at Isral.debruin@cityforwardcollective.org.

author: Isral DeBruin


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Post from Community: SHARP Literacy’s A Novel Event 2022 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Elizabeth Elias
August 11, 2022
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (August 10, 2022) – Milwaukee Brewers pitchers Corbin Burnes, Taylor Rogers and Brent Suter will be featured guests at SHARP Literacy’s annual “A Novel Event” on Thursday, September 15 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at American Family Field. The event will celebrate the 21 annual Novel Event and mark over 25 years of SHARP delivering innovative programming to urban elementary students. Michelle and George Baumann, Marybeth Budisch and Mark Sabljak are serving as event co-chairs. Fox 6 Anchor Ted Perry will emcee the event.
The event will feature a casual vibe with food and drink stations offering elevated ballpark fare, raffles, award presentations, and a voice auction. The pitchers will participate in a program filled with baseball banter and a lively behind-the-scenes conversation centered around their experiences in the sport and with the Brewers. The program will also include a question and answer session with all three pitchers.
At the event, Joel Huffman, past SHARP Literacy board member and civic volunteer, will receive the Literacy Champion Award for his longstanding support of SHARP. Over the years, Joel has selflessly donated his time and many talents to furthering SHARP’s mission of improving the lives of urban elementary students. American Family Insurance will also receive the Literacy Champion Award for their ongoing commitment to SHARP and its programs, which will be presented to Maggie Pascaly, community investment manager.
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The message of this year’s A Novel Event is the importance of teamwork, according to Lynda Kohler, president and CEO of SHARP Literacy. “We’re asking the community to get involved and help us address the academic needs of young urban students. Support of SHARP Literacy helps to level the playing field for thousands of young students who may face overwhelming challenges in school and life.” Kohler went on to say, “With the support of partners like Brewers Community Foundation, we’re addressing that critical need by delivering a STEAM-based educational program that provides students with the opportunity to improve their literary skills and develop a life-long love of learning.”
Funds raised at A Novel Event will support the delivery of SHARP’s foundational literacy program to thousands of K3 through fifth grade students and educators in over 50 urban schools across Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha.
Individual tickets for the event are $200 for standard and $300 for VIP, with a $50 discount for early bird pricing through August 12. Tickets may be purchased online at novel22.givesmart.com, or by calling 414.410.3204. Various levels of corporate and individual sponsorships are also available. SHARP Literacy wishes to thank this year’s largest event sponsors to date: American Family Insurance, Brewers Community Foundation, BMO Harris, Continental Properties, and Great Lakes Rubber. SHARP is also grateful to media partners 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, BizTimes Milwaukee, CW 18/My 24 Milwaukee, ESPN Milwaukee, OnMilwaukee, and Urban Milwaukee.
SHARP Literacy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Milwaukee nonprofit educational program whose mission is to partner with educators to foster a love of learning and advance children’s futures through innovative STEAM-based experiences and programs. The primary goal of SHARP Literacy is to provide elementary school students with an imaginative learning experience that builds confidence, self-esteem, and a greater awareness of the world.  In 2022/2023, SHARP Literacy, Inc. will impact growth in foundational literacy skills in thousands of urban elementary school students and educators in over 50 schools across Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha. For more information, visit sharpliteracy.org.
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author: Elizabeth Elias


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August 11, 2022

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5 things to know and do the weekend of Aug. 12￼ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
August 12, 2022
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Mystic Phoenix Art Studio is hosting weekly back-to-school craft-making sessions starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 12 at Capitol Drive Lutheran Church, located at 5305 W. Capitol Drive.
Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative hosts its monthly neighborhood cleanup, or “Basura Bash,” from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Meet at West Scott and South 18th streets.
Radio station WNOV-AM (860) hosts its eighth annual community resource fair featuring free bookbags, bounce house, spades competition and more. The Milwaukee Health Department and Molina Healthcare are also offering $100 Visa gift cards for those getting their first or second COVID-19 shot and $50 for booster shots. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 1531 W. Vliet St.
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Community leader Andre Lee Ellis is celebrating his birthday by giving away more than 150 bicycles and throwing a community picnic. The event starts with a bike giveaway at 10 a.m., followed by a neighborhood bike ride and picnic on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 1313 W. Reservoir Ave.
Join Milky Way Tech Hub in canvassing the Sherman Park neighborhood to inform residents about the “Affordable Connectivity Program,” which provides discounts for high-speed internet. Canvassing runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, meeting at 3803 W. Fond Du Lac Ave.
Businesses and organizations are giving away free backpacks and school supplies all month. See a full list of events here.

author: Sam Woods


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Ron Smith
August 11, 2022


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Why was the leader of the Office of Violence Prevention ousted? More than a week later, answers remain elusive. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
August 12, 2022
It’s been more than a week since the removal of Arnitta Holliman as director of the city’s Office of Violence Prevention, or OVP, and questions about why she was ousted still remain.
At the time, Jim Bohl, chief of staff for Mayor Cavalier Johnson, cited a need for “increasing the office’s responsiveness to changing demands and expectations in public safety.”
Yet, a more specific rationale from the mayor’s office for her removal has been vague.
Jeff Fleming, Johnson’s spokesperson, wrote in an email to NNS that “there are ethical and legal restrictions on what we can say about personnel actions.”
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He added: “The mayor wants the department to be maximally effective in preventing violence.”
Milwaukee is on pace to surpass its homicide record for a third straight year. Some tie the increase in murders to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused increased economic hardship and social isolation, which disconnected some from support systems and resulted in increased stress and partner violence, experts say.
Several leaders in the community have spoken out against Holliman’s removal. Jeanne Geraci, executive director of the Benedict Center, a nonprofit that serves women, said she was surprised by the decision.
“Arnitta Holliman is a strong leader who built strong community ties and understands the underlying trauma of violence so critical in this work,” Geraci said. Holliman previously served as the director of the Sisters Program at the Benedict Center, which helps women ensnared in street-based sex work.
Geraci said she has concerns about the city’s support of the Office of Violence Prevention, which is part of the Milwaukee Health Department. She worries that it will be set up to fail by being held to standards beyond its scope or resources.
“So much of the violence we experience as a city requires systemic changes,” she said. The Office of Violence Prevention’s “success will require strong support and coordination from the mayor’s office and the Common Council.”
Melissa Ugland is a public health consultant who advised the Office of Violence Prevention in 2010. She said back then, the demands of the office were minimal compared to now.
“The current OVP deploys people into known dangerous situations to mediate conflicts between people, provides support to families who have experienced gun violence by making hospital visits, stays in touch routinely with community leaders and attends events on behalf of OVP and a lot more,” Ugland said.
She added that all are evidence-based practices successfully implemented elsewhere. Ugland said when she heard that the Common Council was requesting data related to outcomes, she wondered what its members wanted to see.
“When you are dealing with evidence-based interventions, the activities are often what drives the most successful outcomes,” she said. “Violence reduction takes consistent relationship building, gaining community trust, and lots of time spent doing the work few people are willing to do.”
Ugland was referring to calls from Aldermen Michael Murphy and Mark Borkowski, among other Common Council members, for Holliman’s office to produce data and other metrics that proved its effectiveness and justified its $5.6 million budget, which will increase in 2022 and 2023 due to an influx of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
“Right now we’re starving for information,” Borkowski said. “I would like to see a sign that we’re making progress.”
In June, Holliman, who didn’t respond to an interview request, said her office was unfairly being held accountable for the city’s spike in violence.
“What’s not fair is OVP being held solely accountable for either a spike or a reduction in crime in the city when we are one portion of the solution or the response,” Holliman told the Public Safety and Health Committee that month.
Holliman was appointed director of the OVP by former Mayor Tom Barrett in May 2021. She replaced Reggie Moore, who resigned and became the director of Violence Prevention Policy and Engagement for the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Injury Center. Calls for data proving the OVP’s effectiveness began as early as September of that year.
Borkowski said Holliman had become increasingly defensive in recent months over the criticisms of her office.
“We scrutinize a lot of people, including the police department,” he said.
Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa, issued a statement to NNS echoing similar concerns, including some related to the OVP’s efforts on the South Side of Milwaukee.
“Although it is always unfortunate to have to see individuals leave, every city agency must be responsive when it comes to requests and to communication with the mayor, Common Council members, commissioners and the like,” she wrote. “I can tell you that for me it is paramount to see some sincere commitment by OVP to Milwaukee’s near south side. I have felt that my advocacy, in particular, for the Clarke Square neighborhood – that (Council) President Pérez and I share – has fallen on deaf ears.”
According to Fleming, members of the Common Council provided input or received notice of the decision to remove Holliman. Borkowski said he was not involved in the decision, and other council members have also stated that they were not included.
According to Fleming, Johnson has already identified some candidates.
“The process of bringing on a new director has advanced significantly,” he wrote. “The same process that was used to bring on the past two OVP directors will be replicated this time.”
He said that although not all council members have been involved in that process, there have been discussions and there will be more. He reiterated that the position is not subject to confirmation by the Common Council and said the new director would guide any changes in the operation of the OVP.
Both Zamarripa and Borkowski indicated that they still hope to be involved in the process, and that metrics demonstrating what impact OVP is having should be a vital component of the office’s work.
Ugland said she wants to know how the city will ensure that the next leader of the OVP is chosen by the community and is supportive of the community.
“Very few people have the skill set that Reggie Moore had, or Arnitta Holliman had, to step into these roles,” she said. “Even fewer people have the stomach to attend more children’s funerals, prayer vigils or other heart-wrenching events that have come to be daily events.”

author: Edgar Mendez


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Ron Smith
August 11, 2022


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Ron Smith
August 11, 2022


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arnitta | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
August 11, 2022