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At Milwaukee Christian Center, a focus on community persists | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
February 20, 2017
Liam Krueger (left) and Floyd Hopkins work on a YouthBuild home at 1979 S. 13th St. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Editor’s note: This article is one of an occasional series profiling the 15 finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs). The Milwaukee Christian Center is a finalist for the BMO Harris Cornerstone Award, which recognizes an organization for its commitment and effectiveness over time.
Marquis Parker was a senior in high school when he ended up in prison for involvement in a robbery. After a year, Parker was released and went to work for a temp agency. Though at one point he landed a janitorial position that lasted for six months, Parker, who had two young children, couldn’t find steady work.
“I had my daughter and my son at the time [and was] trying to provide for them,” said Parker, 24. “I really wasn’t bringing enough money in.”
He believes the offense, a felony, affected his ability to find work. That changed in November 2015 when he was accepted into the YouthBuild program at the Milwaukee Christian Center (MCC).
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“Before I came here, I was lost, I was confused — I really didn’t know what to do,” Parker said. “I knew that I needed my GED, and I knew that I needed money.”
He added, “Now, I’m getting my GED, getting paid and [gaining] experience in carpentry work.”
Parker’s story is similar to others who describe MCC as a place they belong, and where they have found individuals who believe in their ability to succeed.
“Milwaukee Christian Center is based on a sense of community that says: We all come together around a common need … and, as we work together, we all go away changed by that process,” said Executive Director Karen Higgins.
Higgins described that common sense of purpose as “a belief in the good of community, wanting that goodness to be there for all … striving for that and being a part of work that makes that happen.”
Many Southeast Asian refugees attend MCC’s senior programs. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
The mission of MCC, which has existed for 95 years on Milwaukee’s South Side, is to improve struggling communities by helping to lift people out of poverty, according to spokesperson Carol Hanrahan. The center operates programs focused on workforce development, creating affordable housing and providing opportunities to at-risk youth.
Many Southeast Asian refugees attend MCC’s senior programs. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Milwaukee’s poverty rate of 29 percent is almost twice the national average. The city’s minority communities, which make up 63 percent of the population, are disproportionately affected by poverty. While the poverty rate for white residents is on par with the national average, the percentage of black and Hispanic residents living in poverty are both above 30 percent. More than 40 percent of children in Milwaukee live in a home whose income is below the poverty level.
Though Higgins said MCC can’t take on poverty, the organization focuses on what it can influence. “What I do know … is that we will make a difference in certain people’s lives, and certain families’ lives, that allows them to take a step forward in what they need to do for themselves,” she said. “And that does take a nick out of what poverty does to our community.”
Derrick King, a senior at Bradley Tech High School who is involved in MCC’s Young Professionals Academy, said he got his first job through the program. King, who works at Toppers Pizza, said in the long term he plans a career in the skilled trades, but he acknowledged the positive impact of landing steady work for the first time.
“That helped boost my confidence” and tell me anything is possible, he said.
The center’s most significant investment over the last 30 years, according to Higgins, has been its commitment to providing affordable housing and home repair for low-income residents across the city. YouthBuild plays a large part in that investment. The program, which employs 20 full-time and three part-time trainees and includes a commitment of 900 hours worked, builds homes that are sold to individuals or families that make less than 80 percent of the county’s median income.
Higgins said it’s important for MCC to play a stabilizing role in neighborhoods; the majority of YouthBuild homes are sold to longtime residents of the areas where they’re built. All homes are built to be accessible for the disabled and elderly.
And participants get more than work experience. Patrick Schrank, who heads the program for MCC, said about two-thirds are also working toward earning their GED. The 18- to 24-year-olds, who were all unemployed or underemployed, take home $7.25 for every hour on the work site and in the classroom.
Parker, who had twins in September, is only a couple tests away from the GED and has been seeking permanent employment with positive early results. Parker said he likes construction work, and his time with MCC has made him more confident. Eventually, he wants to become a carpenter or electrician.
Liam Krueger, 20, a site assistant with YouthBuild, has also been with the program since November 2015. He said the experience and knowledge he’s gained doesn’t only apply to construction.
“Every day I come in I learn something new,” said Krueger.
Staff members help participants through the process, while keeping them accountable, according to Schrank. MCC’s focus is on teaching rather than lecturing, he said.
No experience is needed to participate in the program, only an interest in construction.
Milwaukee Christian Center seeks to understand and respond to needs within the community, Higgins said. The center has expertise in some areas, such as senior programming, she added, but also refers individuals to other agencies, as needed. MCC also was instrumental in establishing the United Community Center, Bay View Community Center and Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, and operates an emergency food pantry in the building that houses its senior center at 807 S. 15th St.
“Having residents that are anchored with a history of their neighborhood, and care about their neighborhood, is critical. And, I think we play a fundamental role in that,” said Higgins.
“I can’t look at winning the war on poverty … but what I can do is look at our own neck of the woods and see our minor victories in the midst of it. And … they’re major victories in terms of what these kids and families are having to go through to be able to move forward in their lives.”

created: February 20, 2017


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 19, 2017

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: February 19, 2017

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

author: Adam Carr


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Beyond ‘Hidden Figures’: Nurturing New Black and Latino Math Whizzes | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
February 20, 2017
The New York Times

author: Andrea Waxman


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First-Ever Tracker Of Hate Crimes Against Asian-Americans Launched | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
February 20, 2017
National Public Radio


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Local Residents Encourage Quitting Tobacco for American Heart Month | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dulce Castro
February 20, 2017
The 2015 Burden of Tobacco in Wisconsin reports that 14% of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) deaths in Wisconsin are caused by smoking cigarettes.
The Wisconsin Hispanic Latino Tobacco Prevention Network, believes that’s just one of the many reasons for tobacco users to think about quitting during American Heart Month this February.
“Smoking damages your body, especially your heart,” said Marquette University student Dulce Castro. Castro’s father had open heart surgery last year, which led them to close their family restaurant on Milwaukee’s South Side.
As damaging as smoking can be to the heart, quitting tobacco use can also be incredibly beneficial to one’s heart health. Once quitting, individuals can experience immediate improvement in breathing, more stamina and more energy. Since quitting, Castro’s father has taken up walking and doing other exercises.
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“He goes on and on about how much better he feels since he quit, and how he wished he’d done it before having heart problems,” Castro said.
The Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUIT NOW) is available to help those ready to give up tobacco use. Since it was established in 2001, the Quit Line has helped more than 200,000 callers, including Castro’s father who speaks only Spanish. Spanish speakers who wish to quit can access the Quit Line by calling 1-877-2NO-FUME. For more information about WHLTPN efforts you can contact Tina Rivera at 414-389-6501.

author: Dulce Castro


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Three Great New Libraries Coming | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
February 20, 2017
UrbanMilwaukee.com


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‘Urban Heroes, Urban Wood’ tells story of Milwaukee’s black community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jim McGowan
February 20, 2017
A group exhibit of paintings and photographs displayed on wood from Milwaukee’s ash trees is running at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, 2620 Center St., until March 17.
The exhibit, called “Urban Heroes, Urban Wood,” tells the story of Milwaukee’s black community. It is presented by the Fresh Perspective Art Collective, the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Wisconsin Urban Wood.
Among the Milwaukeeans portrayed in the artwork are Lloyd A. Barbee, William T. Green, Bernice Copeland-Lindsay, Mabel W. Raimey and Eric Von.
Participating artists include Cri-Edward Chapman, Alicia Christina, Luther Hall, Larry Leake, Ras ‘Ammar Nsoroma, Darron Reed, Bobby Sanford, Jr. and Willie Weaver-Bey.
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The museum is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is free for Wisconsin Black Historical Society members. General admission is $5; $4 for children age 12 and younger; and $4 for senior citizens.

author: Jim McGowan


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Executive director Vernon replaced at Walnut Way | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
February 21, 2017
LaShawndra Vernon received a gift from Walnut Way co-founder Sharon Adams in November. (Photo by Brittany Carloni)
Six months after being hired to replace the retiring Sharon Adams as executive director of Walnut Way Conservation Corp., LaShawndra Vernon has been replaced.
According to Fran Dawson, acting executive director at Walnut Way, a newly formed board of directors decided in January to fire Vernon.
“The board decided that going forward there should be more of a focus on community outreach,” Dawson said.
Dawson had served on the Walnut Way board for 10 years until January 2016, but left to focus on her job with the county. Dawson said she’s been involved with Walnut Way in some capacity since moving to Lindsay Heights 16 years ago. In December, she was asked to rejoin the newly convened board, and was asked to replace Vernon on Feb. 1.
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LaVondra Graham, president of the board at Walnut Way, said the group decided that a change in leadership was needed.
Fran Dawson, recently named acting executive director at Walnut Way, attended a Lindsay Heights update meeting in 2013. (Photo by Rick Brown)
“We’re reaching more into the community level and we felt that we needed someone else,” she said. Graham described Dawson as a very capable leader who has long been affiliated with the organization. She added that having Dawson quickly replace Vernon should ensure that the transition goes smoothly.
“We didn’t want to leave any voids,” Graham said.
Kwabena Antoine Nixon, a poet and leader of I Will Not Die Young, said he was surprised at the news of Vernon’s departure. Nixon attended an event celebrating her first 100 days in November.
“From what I knew LaShawndra [Vernon] worked in the direction of community outreach and she has been for some time. I’ve known her to do some real good work in the community,” Nixon added.
Vernon had previously served as program director for the Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families before being handpicked by Adams to lead Walnut Way. During a July interview with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Adams said she had no doubt Vernon was the right choice as her replacement, adding, “She (Vernon) has what it takes to carry on our vision for Lindsay Heights, and that’s to continue creating an economically diverse and vibrant community where people want to live and work.”
Vernon and Adams did not respond to requests for comment.
Vernon began her tenure at Walnut Way with 100 days of service, a plan to integrate herself into the organization by focusing on four specific components of her role at Walnut Way. She tracked highlights of her 100 days on Walnut Way’s website and through social media.
Walnut Way has grown steadily since Adams and her husband Larry founded the organization in 2000. Among its most recent successes has been the development of the Innovations and Wellness Commons. The development, now in its second phase, featured the rehabilitation of a historic building into a multi-use commercial building, located at 1615 W. North Ave.
The building houses Outpost Natural Foods, the Milwaukee Center for Independence, which runs a commercial kitchen there, Fondy Food Market and the Juice Kitchen. All are organizations promoting healthier lifestyles and food in Lindsay Heights. Plans for Phase II include constructing a new building adjacent to the current building, which will house physical, educational and economic development programming. The organization is currently seeking tenants for the new building, according to Graham.

created: February 21, 2017

author: Edgar Mendez


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 20, 2017


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On the Block: Dangerous political situation | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alexandria Bursiek
February 21, 2017
Jerry Walloch, a Harambee resident, is concerned that Milwaukee residents don’t care enough about politics. Walloch, who works at Water Buffalo Restaurant and attended Whitefish Bay High School, said it is important for people to care about politics and to have conversations about their views. Walloch also said that to be informed, individuals should get their news from multiple news sources so they get all sides of the story.

author: Alexandria Bursiek


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United Community Center’s enthusiastic volunteers to be honored at twelfth annual Volunteer Recognition Celebration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Community Center
February 21, 2017
The United Community Center (UCC) has been successfully serving Milwaukee’s south side since 1970 due, in large part, to dedicated volunteers throughout the region. Each year, more than 1,000 community members and organizations share their generosity of spirit with us and therefore share in our victories. The twelfth annual Volunteer Recognition Celebration will bring the sunshine to UCC, honoring of some of the most notable contributions on Thursday, February 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the Latino Arts Gallery:
Youth Volunteer of the Year: Mariana Rosales
Currently a student at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Mariana spends her summers working with the Latino Arts Strings summer program and tutoring Bruce-Guadalupe Community School (BGCS) students. She is also a regular assistant at the Latino Arts concerts.
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Athletic Coach of the Year: Roy Contreras
Over the past 20 years, Roy has served UCC as a coach and mentor to UCC youth. Roy coaches flag football, basketball and volleyball and has helped to win three conference championships.
Individual Volunteer of the Year: Lucy Apolinar
Lucy coordinates fundraising activities for the Strings Booster Club, all parent volunteer activities for the Latino Arts Strings program and chaperones at Latino Arts events, concerts and solo festivals.
Mentor of the Year: Emeli-Mari Gaston-Friedl
A mother of three and recent graduate of UW-Milwaukee, Emeli has been a loyal UCC volunteer for the past three years as a panelist for the UCC Life Changers Talk Show, which helps teens navigate the many challenges they face, and a mentor in the UCC Summer Recreation Program.
In-Kind Donor Volunteers of the Year: St. Mary Parish of Menomonee Falls
Each year, St. Mary Parish of Menomonee Falls and two of their lead volunteers, Chris Oliver and Jenny Grieb, donate gifts to 1st through 5th grade BGCS students for the Three Kings Day celebration.
Volunteer Group of the Year: Youth Empowered to Succeed (YES) Program
The YES Program is a group of college mentors from Marquette University that spends time with BGCS students mentoring, tutoring and coaching sports. They act as role models to UCC youth throughout the year.
Volunteer Group of the Year: Carroll University Nursing Students
The Carroll University Nursing Program supports more than 1,300 students annually at the in-school Health Center where they educate staff and students on diabetes, asthma, allergy awareness and prevention, and basic first aid. Last year, they had a total of 4,615 student visits and contributed more than 2,400 volunteer hours.
Corporate Volunteer Group of the Year: US Bank
For 25 years, US Bank has been supporting UCC by helping to establish the UCC Kids Bank, participating in the United Way Season of Caring, donating books in support of the Reading is Fundamental program, and providing holiday gifts to seniors at the UCC Senior Center.
Thank you to all of our volunteers for their contributions and efforts, and congratulations to our Volunteer of the Year Award Winners!

author: United Community Center


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Black professionals in Milwaukee encounter opportunity, frustration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Naomi Waxman
February 22, 2017
Participants in Social X’s trip to Lynden Sculpture Garden enjoy the lush surroundings as they walk toward afro-futurist artist Fo Wilson’s installation, “Eliza’s Peculiar Cabinet of Curiosities.” (Photo by Naomi Waxman)
When Ross Terrell, 22, received word that Wisconsin Public Radio had offered him a job, he found himself wondering, “Who wants to move to Wisconsin?”
A Georgia native who cut his reporting teeth covering the 2015-16 University of Missouri protests as a student journalist, Terrell made an effort to learn more about Milwaukee, the city that became his home last August.
“I noticed a nice population of African-Americans in Milwaukee but I didn’t realize how segregated it is,” said Terrell. “The first weekend I was here was the Sherman Park incident and I started to see that there is more here than meets the eye.”
Statistics paint a stark picture: Milwaukee is among the most racially segregated cities in the United States. According to the 2010 census, Wisconsin incarcerates African-American working age men (one in eight) at 10 times the rate of white men (one in 81). In Milwaukee County, 54 percent of black men between ages 16 and 64 were not employed in 2013, a statistic due in part to the profoundly negative impact a criminal record can have on access to job opportunities.
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Despite these troubling numbers, Milwaukee is also home to a successful community of black professionals seeking social events, networking opportunities and career advancement.
La’Ketta Caldwell, senior program manager at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, was born in Kentucky but forged a path to Milwaukee in 2011 by way of New York City.
Georgia native Ross Terrell moved to Milwaukee in August 2016, after accepting a position at Wisconsin Public Radio. (Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Potter)
“Milwaukee’s been a great place for my career and I’ve met a lot of nice people but it took a long time,” said Caldwell, 40. She emphasized the importance of building connections, especially for Milwaukee transplants such as herself. Caldwell credits Milwaukee artist and educator Sheri Williams Pannell with helping her build community in a new city.
“If I hadn’t met her then I would be lost,” she added. “If you don’t have a support system, you wouldn’t stay in this city.”
Anise Thrower, 38, shares Caldwell’s perspective. “I feel like it’s more about who you know, not what you know, that will either make or break your experiences. Networking is really important,” she said. Thrower earned a master’s in Business Administration from the Keller Graduate School of Management. She is now an IRIS consultant, helping individuals who are disabled or elderly access long-term at-home care.
Negative experiences with nepotism, favoritism and racism in past workplaces pushed Thrower to consider moving away from Milwaukee.
“I feel what’s needed to bring about a change is more black professionals in advanced positions,” said Thrower. “We need more black professionals who are decision-makers, who have hiring and decision-making power.”
A parent of two, Thrower plans to leave Milwaukee when her son graduates from high school in a few years. Texas, North Carolina and Arizona top her list of potential destinations. She added that her friends in those states don’t encounter the kind of red tape or income limitations that she has experienced in Milwaukee.
Leslie Gibbs, 44, has also considered leaving Milwaukee due to lack of opportunity. An employee of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, she estimates six of her friends have moved away in recent years, and Gibbs sees the appeal of southern states such as South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.
It was in the South, Gibbs recalled, that her daughter first observed the absence of segregation in comparison to her home city. “She noticed the difference right away,” said Gibbs.
Gibbs has a bleak outlook when it comes to what Milwaukee has to offer black professionals. “Not a lot,” she said. “I think that what’s sad to say is the crime and negativity is like a dark cloud over the city. I’m not saying there are no young black professionals, but it’s trying times here.”
Riverwest resident Marquayla Ellison, 27, a graphic designer and owner of Ellastic Designs, LLC, hopes to help disperse that cloud hovering over Milwaukee’s black professionals. Ellison also serves as creative director of Social X, a social and networking organization for young, diverse professionals in the Milwaukee area. Founded in 2012, the group began as seven friends gathering for a weekly happy hour. Five years later, it now boasts a network of more than 500 people.
“A lot of [Social X members] are not from Milwaukee,” said Ellison, who is a city native. “[Many are from] Detroit, Chicago, Florida …and they had to make Milwaukee work. What can you do? Where can you get your hair cut? Where are places where you’ll have fun and feel like you belong? Social X provides a foundation for [them].”
Caldwell attested to the support Social X offered as she got to know Milwaukee. “I’ve met a lot of people who really are into networking and helping individuals,” she said. “Social X does a great job of that.”
Though still a fairly recent transplant, Terrell has high hopes for Milwaukee and the opportunities he may find here, both professionally and socially.
“My experiences so far have been on the plus side. I do think there is real opportunity for black professionals to be successful here,” he said. “I don’t feel like the odds are stacked against you as much as they are in some other places… You give people an opportunity, they will make good on it.”

created: February 22, 2017

author: Naomi Waxman


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 21, 2017


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MPS joins with community partners for Family Forum focused on health and wellness topics | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
February 22, 2017
(Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Schools)
Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Darienne Driver, the Milwaukee Bucks, and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin will host MPS students and families at Washington High School for a day of learning about the importance of health and wellness in schools and at home. The Milwaukee Bucks and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin are sponsoring the event as part of their commitment to the health and wellness of Milwaukee families.
The Family Forum is Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. – Noon at Washington High School of Information Technology, 2525 N. Sherman Blvd., Milwaukee WI 53210. Dr. Driver and Milwaukee Bucks Legend Vin Baker will start the festivities with special remarks. There will also be a resource fair for families from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Workshops will focus on asthma basics; medicine, mental hygiene and supportive services; healthy eating on a budget; and raising confident, competent children. This is the district’s third Family Forum of the school year, with three more planned this spring. All forums have child care available for children three and older. A free family lunch will be provided along with prizes and giveaways. Reservations can be made at mpsmke.com/familyforum.
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Family Forums are full-day events that encourage learning, discussion and collaboration between MPS staff, families and the community. These events are planned in partnership with family representatives from the District Advisory Council and provide important information for students and families.

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 22, 2017


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Alderman Rainey grateful for BMO Harris Bank’s reinvestment in Sherman Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Khalif J. Rainey
February 23, 2017
BMO Harris Bank announced today that it plans to build a new branch at 3637 W. Fond Du Lac Ave., across the street from its current location at 3536 W. Fond Du Lac Ave. and right in the heart of the Sherman Park neighborhood.
As the member of the Milwaukee Common Council who represents that area, I want to extend gratitude to BMO Harris Bank on behalf of my neighbors and myself. BMO’s commitment to the neighborhood is evident in its decision to build a brand new, state-of-the-art banking facility that will allow residents to conveniently access important financial services.
BMO has been an important asset in our neighborhood since it acquired the current branch in 1959. Throughout the planning process for the new branch location, the BMO team has worked with the city and with neighbors to better serve our residents. Even now, they are partnering with local community groups to make redevelopment plans for the old building, which was built in 1927 and is a historic fixture on its block.
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Thank you, BMO Harris Bank, for being such good neighbors and partners in promoting Sherman Park as a great place to live, and I look forward to the grand opening this fall.

created: February 23, 2017

author: Ald. Khalif J. Rainey


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Green Tree Community Garden provides ‘feeling of safety and peace’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dean Bibens
February 23, 2017
Valerie Guerin and her husband Rick enjoy an afternoon at Green Tree Community Garden. (Photo by Jessica Noth)
Editor’s note: This article is one of an occasional series profiling the 15 finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs). The Green Tree Community Garden is a finalist for the Brewers Community Foundation Public Space Award, which recognizes a public space that helps build the community.
In 2013, a vacant lot inundated with overgrown weeds sat next to the Milwaukee Job Corps Center on 60Street and Green Tree Road.
Today, the same lot is home to 24 raised-bed vegetable gardens. A large pergola is adjacent to the vegetable gardens, providing shelter from rain or sun. The northwest corner boasts a large rain garden and perimeter benches provide a spot to watch butterflies or birds.
“We wanted to make this garden like a second home to the Green Tree community,” said Jessica Noth, project manager at Havenwoods Economic Development Corp.
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Noth, along with students at Job Corps, transformed the lot over a two-year period beginning in summer 2013. Many of the students, who are learning trades at the center, expressed interest in improving the vacant lot.
The project has done much more than that. “Prior to the garden being built, community relations were not as strong and people tended to stay confined to their own neighborhood,” Noth said. “Once the garden was finally established, it was a place where people felt like they could comfortably gather together and just have a good time with one another.”
Noth and her team created a blueprint for the garden and hired Stano Landscaping to help implement the project. The company created blueprints for the park design, built the pergola patio and planted trees. Stano also donated three ornamental trees and hundreds of square feet of patio pavers. Job Corps provided workers, machinery and equipment for constructing benches, digging footings, clearing sod and pouring cement slabs.
Job Corps students dig sculpture-footing holes during the creation of the garden. (Photo by Jessica Noth)
HEDC applied for and received two grants from the city of Milwaukee under the NIDC Community Improvement Project. The first grant of about $7,900 covered the cost of the rain garden, mulch, vegetable garden and pathways. The second grant of about $13,000 paid for the pergola, orchard, stone bricks, garden beds, benches and birdbaths.
Organizations such as Groundwork Milwaukee’s Urban Garden Network helped fund the garden. Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District donated rain barrels for storm water management.
Valerie Guerin, a Havenwoods resident and neighborhood coordinator for HEDC, said that breaking ground on the garden was symbolic of a change in the community.
“We put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this project and it was an overwhelmingly great experience for all us,” Guerin said. “Knowing that my hard work helped produce such a beautiful area meant a lot to me; I felt a huge sense of pride.”
Noth and Guerin agree that the garden has succeeded in bringing the community together.
“I look at the garden as a representation of ‘crosshatching’,” Guerin said. “Instead of people getting territorial over their proverbial neighborhood, the garden provides everyone with a feeling of safety and peace.”
Since the creation of the garden, residents and visitors have participated in the Havenwoods 5K, which ends at the garden, and relaxed while listening to music at the Rhythm and Blooms summer concert series. According to Noth, these gatherings have built the community’s identity and improved its quality of life.
“When we started the summer concert series last year, we had huge success,” she said. Although a lightning storm hit on the first night, 40-50 people showed up, Noth added. “The last concert brought in nearly 100 people from the community and it was a picture-perfect night. Everyone had a great time.”
Kimberly Komar, a Havenwoods resident, said that the 5K and concerts piqued her interest in the garden. “I never really got involved with the garden prior to these events and this made me realize how close the community has gotten,” said Komar, 41. “There was just a real calmness that the garden brought to the community,” she added.
Komar noted that the concerts gave her the opportunity to meet people she might never have run across without the garden. She said that she would be back again next summer.
An accountant, Komar said that she enjoys going to the garden after work to relieve stress. “Just sitting by myself and enjoying the nature around me gives me an inner peace,” she said. “It’s one of my favorite spots when I want to get away from it all for a little while.”
Christian Winkel, pastor at Redemption Evangelical Lutheran Church, has been an active participant at the garden since it was built. “Seeing the garden grow along with the community has to be the most special thing in my eyes,” he said. “With all the hard work that [the community] put into this project, they deserve to be proud of all they have accomplished.”
Added Noth, “This is what is possible when diverse people contribute their time and expertise to the greater good.”

author: Dean Bibens


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 23, 2017


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NNS on Lake Effect Radio: A day without Latinos, Immigrants and Refugees | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 23, 2017
Christine Neumann-Ortiz (left) speaks during a press conference at Voces de la Frontera as (from left) Salvador Rojas, Rafaela Flores, Guillermo Ramos and Rafael Sanchez look on. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
NNS reporter Jabril Faraj, goes on the air with Lake Effect’s Joy Powers to discuss  Voces de la Frontera, and a Day without Latinos, Immigrants and Refugees.

author: Dwayne Burtin


text:
0214 Day Without Latinos | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
February 23, 2017
“0214 Day Without Latinos”. Genre: Blues.


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ACLU suit alleges MPD ‘stop-and-frisk’ practices violate Constitution, Civil Rights Act | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
February 24, 2017
Plaintiff Tracy Adams (center) talks about her son being stopped by Milwaukee police as ACLU of Wisconsin Police Accountability Specialist Jarrett English (right) looks on. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Tracy Adams’ son was 11 years old the first time he was stopped by Milwaukee police. The boy was at his friend’s front door when an officer who had driven through a nearby alley asked him to come down off the porch; the officer didn’t say why, according to Adams.
“The police officer came up on the porch and guided him towards the car, took the phone out [of] his hand — his cell phone — put it up on top of the squad car and then proceeded to pat him down,” said Adams, who is black. “That was his first stop.”
It happened two more times, once when the boy was walking through an alley after leaving a friend’s house and while on the way to school. In all three instances, he was detained without reason and released without receiving a citation, according to the suit.
“Every time my son leaves the house I’m worried. I’m worried until he comes back home and I know he’s safe,” she said. “I’m standing with him, standing with other African-American mothers who have to tell their sons constantly, ‘When you [are stopped] by the police officers, be calm, answer their questions, cooperate and you may come home alive.’”
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On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and ACLU of Wisconsin announced a federal class action lawsuit, Collins v. City of Milwaukee, challenging what they called “the unconstitutional [and] suspicionless stop-and-frisk program of the Milwaukee Police Department.” Adams, a plaintiff in the case, made her remarks during a news conference at the Milwaukee Black Historical Society. The suit also names the Fire and Police Commission and Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) Chief Ed Flynn as defendants.
Charles Collins, 67, a military veteran and retired Certified Nursing Assistant for Milwaukee County, is the lead plaintiff in the case. Collins, who is black, recounted a traffic stop for which police did not give a reason, purportedly ran a warrant check and returned his ID without issuing a ticket or warning. Collins, who has lived in Milwaukee for 55 years, said he is constantly looking over his shoulder for police officers.
“It’s kind of an anxiety — I’m on edge,” he said.
Four other plaintiffs — Greg Chambers, a 32-year-old black man; Caleb Roberts, a 24-year-old Milwaukee native attending graduate school in Texas; Stephen Jansen, 29, who has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and Alicia Silvestre, a 60-year-old Latina woman who has worked in Milwaukee Public Schools for more than 30 years — are also named in the suit. Plaintiffs are seeking improved training, supervision, discipline and monitoring of officers; they are also demanding the regular release of data regarding stop and frisk incidents to ensure accountability.
MPD Chief Ed Flynn speaks to reporters Thursday at Police Headquarters downtown. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
The suit alleges MPD’s policies and practices violate the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution’s requirement that an officer must have a “reasonable suspicion of criminal activity” to make a stop and a “reasonable suspicion that a person is armed and dangerous” to frisk an individual. It also claims the department’s practices violate the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which guarantee equal protection and prohibit discrimination based on race, color and national origin.
At a news conference Wednesday, MPD Chief Ed Flynn “categorically and unequivocally” denied the allegations, citing that most of the violence in Milwaukee occurs in central city neighborhoods, which are overwhelmingly poor and non-white. He defended the department’s strategies and tactics, noting the goal is to deter crime, not “revenue-raising, harassment or the imposition of fines and warrants on people unable to pay them.” Officers are encouraged to make traffic stops, and to engage pedestrians, but often release people without a fine or ticket, according to Flynn.
“An active police department that gets out of its cars … affects perceptions of safety — it affects the fear level, it affects the fact that people believe those public spaces are being watched,” he said.
“The department has made no secret of its intentions to flood communities of color with police officers whenever parts of those communities are deemed to be hot spots for crime,” said Jason Williamson, ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project senior staff attorney. He noted, “Crime rates, or the occurrence of a particular crime, do not give the police license to ignore the Constitution.”
Williamson said, in addition to the accounts of the six plaintiffs, he and others spoke with “hundreds of ordinary Milwaukeeans” particularly black and Latino individuals who expressed “outrage, anxiety, deep frustration and a profound sense of sadness” regarding interactions with MPD during a nearly three-year investigation. In addition, ACLU lawyers attended public community gatherings, town hall meetings, public safety committee meetings and listening sessions where citizens raised similar concerns, according to ACLU of Wisconsin Senior Staff Attorney Karyn Rotker.
Flynn said that MPD does not engage in “stop-and-frisk” practices, stating that vehicle stops are made as the result of traffic infractions and department frisk policy is “grounded in constitutional principles,” meaning that officers must have “an articulable suspicion to frisk someone.”
He said MPD’s strategy was different than that of New York police, whose “stop-and-frisk” practice was ruled to be unconstitutional by a federal judge in 2013 for reasons similar to those cited in the Milwaukee suit.
“The key difference was, in New York City, they felt the need to document their interactions with an enforcement action,” Flynn said. “We avoided that trap completely.”
Based on a preliminary review of MPD data concerning police stops between 2010 and 2013, “tens of thousands of records” do not provide an adequate reason for the contact, according to Nusrat Choudhury, the lead attorney on the suit. She said more than 50,000 instances listed “suspicious person,” “suspicious vehicle,” “none” or other “vague descriptors” as reasons for the stops.
“None of these purported reasons demonstrate that an officer had reasonable suspicion of criminal activity that could justify the stop. And that is what the law requires,” Choudhury said.
Chambers, who police questioned on three separate occasions without cause, according to the suit, called the practice “a kind of targeting that has been geared towards people of color.
“As a person who does his best to stay out of trouble, it seems that, in these particular instances, there was no way I could avoid it.”
Rotker said these practices also undermine MPD’s relationship with minority communities and compromise its ability to investigate offenses and decrease crime in these communities. Choudhury said reform is necessary to rebuild that trust.
Choudhury added, “It’s time that the Milwaukee Police Department … took action, to bring their practices in compliance with the law.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Nusrat Choudhury’s last name. We apologize for the error.

created: February 24, 2017

author: Jabril Faraj


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Applauding black history, black excellence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Margaret Rozga
February 27, 2017
“Doctor” Lester Carter (right), seated next to Bon Her, received a Black Men Achieve Award on Feb. 23. Carter was presented with a Living Legacy Award the next day. (Photo by Emmy A. Yates)
Margaret Rozga, poet, civil rights activist and professor emerita of English at UW-Waukesha, applauds Black History Month celebrations that highlight leaders in Milwaukee’s African-American community.
I went to the inaugural Black History Month celebration in the City Hall rotunda on Friday, Feb. 24, at the urging of my daughter who recently re-connected, thanks to Facebook, with her middle school classmate, Chantia Lewis. In their recent conversations, they realized what they hadn’t realized in middle school: both their mothers had been members of the 1967 NAACP Youth Council that marched for 200 consecutive nights for national and local open housing legislation. I went to another event, the 32nd Black Excellence Awards dinner, the evening of that same day to join in honoring another person important to those open housing marches, Fred Reed.
I’m glad I went. Though the full-capacity attendance at each event prevented me from greeting either person I came to see, I saw something equally important: an impressive showing of the depth of talent in Milwaukee’s African-American community. It also showed me how celebrations build community.
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The brainchild of my daughter’s friend, now Alderperson Chantia Lewis, the Black History Celebration began with a spirited drumming procession from the second floor down to the crowded rotunda. Lewis and Milele Coggs served as moderators for the afternoon-long event and were praised by Mayor Tom Barrett as being women who put talk into action. The mayor also noted how buoyed he felt at the event’s joyous spirit.
Performances by the Nefertari African Dance Company made that spirit of joy palpable. Members of the Milwaukee Youth Council, a city-wide group including one representative from each aldermanic district, furthered that spirit as they portrayed national figures from African-American history, including Carter G. Woodson, the founder of African-American history month, and delivered speeches affirming the values of freedom and racial justice.
Also part of the program was the presentation of Living Legacy Awards, recognizing local African-American civic leaders. Spencer Coggs, recipient of the first of these awards, shifted attention from his own 35 years of public service as an elected official to other members of the Coggs family, Isaac, Marcia, Elizabeth, and Milele, who served or are serving in public office as well. Lewis’ mother, Deborah Tatum, was also an honoree for her life of active participation in community issues begun when she was a member of the 1967 NAACP Youth Council.
Others awarded for their leadership in a wide-range of community organizations were Cordelia Taylor, Kathie Walker, Brandon Pope, Erica Lofton, McArthur Weddle, Dr. Lester Carter, Neval Hill, Mother Annie Naomi Scott, Edward Montgomery, and Cherrye Trotman.
The Black Excellence Awards, the more formal evening event held at the Italian Community Center, honored 39 people this year, adding to the more than 900 individuals honored in the previous 31 years. This year’s honorees represented 16 areas of achievement, including business, education, law, health, media, social services, sports and religion. The mayor, county executive, lieutenant governor, and superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools each offered their welcome and congratulations, but the honorees were the stars of the evening.
Most had experienced twists and turns in their career paths. Lynda J. Jackson Conyers, publisher of the Milwaukee Times, which supports this awards program, said the “program has been fascinated with the desire to comprehend what compels African-Americans, who have been faced with extreme social injustice, unfairness and abuse, to rise above these conditions and succeed beyond anyone’s expectations.”
Fred Reed, my friend for 50 years, honored for extraordinary achievement, serves as an example. Fired from a welding job after participating in the open housing marches, he went on to sales positions and then, after earning college degrees, worked for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Financial Institutions.
I happened to be seated at a table where I knew no one. To start a conversation, I asked the person sitting next to me if she came because she knew one of the honorees. “Oh, no,” she said. “I came because my friend offered me a free ticket.” Though not personally connected with anyone receiving an award, she was among those applauding most vigorously, especially for the high school seniors awarded Louvenia Johnson Scholarships.
Concerned as it is with recognizing the full range of talent and achievement, the Black Excellence Awards program encourages the development of new talent with these scholarship awards. As each student was called forward to receive the award, the student’s grade point average and college plans were projected for all to see. Distinctive accomplishments — ranking first in the high school class, for example — and far-reaching career goals like biomedical research received particularly enthusiastic cheering. The person seated next to me vigorously applauded a student whose goal was to be a doctor and one who wanted to be engineer. “You go, girl!” she exclaimed.
Her enthusiasm convinced me of what I had first thought during the afternoon program. Applause not only honors the applauded, but it also rewards the applauder. It creates one audience from a gathering of separate individuals. Our applause also identifies us with what and with whom we applaud, no matter the different reasons that brought us to the same time and place. It is a way of building community, of creating an environment in which we all can thrive. We applaud, therefore we exist.

created: February 27, 2017

author: Margaret Rozga


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 26, 2017

created: February 26, 2017


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Johnsons Park revitalization culminates dozen-year effort in Lindsay Heights | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Camille Paul
February 27, 2017
Dezaray Bivens (left), 4, and Lazaya Thomson, 8, play on the slides in Johnsons Park. (Photo by Camille Paul)
This article is one of an occasional series profiling the 15 finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs). The Johnsons Park Revitalization Project is a finalist for the Brewers Community Foundation Public Space Award, which recognizes a public space that helps build the community.
Before Johnsons Park became a community space for Lindsay Heights, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad for slaves escaping the South and making their way to freedom in Canada.
In 1955 thousands of residents on Milwaukee’s North Side were displaced when their homes were demolished to make room for a new expressway. The state government and federal courts halted the project and Johnsons Park was created in an attempt to mollify the community.
In a 2002 report, the Public Policy Forum listed the park as one of the most neglected in Wisconsin. Preserve Our Parks, a nonprofit focusing on maintaining quality green spaces, reached out to the Center for Resilient Cities for help.
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The center, a nonprofit organization striving to create healthy neighborhoods, partnered with other community groups and launched the Johnsons Park Initiative.
Johnsons Park is the largest green space in the neighborhood, with 11.5 acres. (Photo by Camille Paul)
“This is the culmination of what has been a decade-plus of work and collaborative partnership,” said Marcia Caton Campbell, executive director of Center for Resilient Cities and project director of the Milwaukee office, which closed Aug. 31 because the project was completed.
“The community was involved in the planning and visioning process in 2005 and all the way through to the end,” added Caton Campbell.
The purpose of the initiative was to renovate 19 acres that included Alice’s Garden, Brown Street Academy Schoolyard and Johnsons Park. All together it took approximately 12 years to complete, starting in 2005 with Alice’s Garden, and finishing with the completion of Johnsons Park last June after two years of renovations.
“We have so many vacant lots in this area,” said Venice Williams, director of Alice’s Garden. “To have a space intentionally developed for activities and family gatherings is important.”
Johnsons Park is the largest public park space in Lindsay Heights, with 11.5 acres. Residents of surrounding neighborhoods and organizations such as Running Rebels use the park for sports, recreation and entertainment. Among its amenities are a multipurpose field, a Tee-ball field, a new lighting system, bathrooms, park benches, an open-air picnic area and a performance stage. The park also has a bioswale/infiltration basin to collect storm water and prevent flooding.
“As park use increased, that helped make the case to donors that this was a park space that needed to be renovated,” said Caton Campbell. “There was public investment but the lion’s share came from private investors.”
Of the $2 million budget for the initiative, $1.16 million came from private investors and $878,000 from the city and county of Milwaukee. Project partners also included the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Johnsons Park Neighborhood Association, Alice’s Garden and Walnut Way Conservation Corp.
Julius Sommerville often brings his daughter to the park to enjoy the swings. (Photo by Camille Paul)
The Rotary Club, which became involved with the Johnsons Park Initiative in 2008, assisted in raising funds for the park renovation. “It’s always a little bit of a struggle getting funding,” said Executive Director Mary McCormick. “It’s taken a little bit of time to get it activated, but I’m glad that it’s happening and we are a part of it.” The Rotary Club expects to install a new gate connecting Alice’s Garden and Johnsons Park in April.
Last June, a community celebration, including music and spoken-word performances, was held to mark the park’s re-opening.
Nettie McCullum, who has lived in the neighborhood for five years, discovered Johnsons Park last summer when her granddaughter Javese, 10, mentioned it to her.
“It’s a nice place to come for her,” said McCullum. “She likes to roller skate on the asphalt and it’s a safer atmosphere.”
Julius Sommerville has lived in the neighborhood for 13 years, but said he did not come to the park before the re-opening in 2016. He said he enjoys the park, but would like to see more amenities.
“It’s a safe park, I know that,” said Sommerville, who feels comfortable bringing his infant daughter there. “But it could be better. There isn’t enough for kids out here. They could have added a pool or a basketball court.”
Sommerville is optimistic about the park’s effect on the community. “This gave people hope,” he said. “People are thinking, ‘If they came to change this, then what else could they change around here?’”
Williams said she hopes that the park renovations will lead to more activities throughout the year. “I think this is just the beginning. “I am excited about the possibilities it will bring to the community,” she added.
“There have been so many promises to the community. “It’s good to see a project planned out and then completed.”

author: Camille Paul


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Lynching Survivor’s Legacy Lives On Through Milwaukee’s Black Holocaust Museum | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
admin
February 27, 2017
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio

author: admin


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St. Joan Antida High School’s International Baccalaureate students present essays to advisors in inaugural Silver Platter Ceremony | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Susie Falk
February 27, 2017
Two years after St. Joan Antida High School became an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, the school hosted its first Silver Platter Ceremony. The event, which celebrates the culmination of 18 months of intensive research, analysis and writing, features the IB students presenting their final product – an extended essay or research project – to their advisors in exchange for an IB pin.
The project topics presented were diverse, ranging from the impact of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) on humans, to alchemy in art, to the ethical debate over physician-assisted suicide. The essays’ authors were similarly diverse: St. Joan Antida High School seniors from various neighborhoods and backgrounds in Milwaukee. They did have this in common: A passion for learning, and a motivation to complete the intensive IB Extended Essay (IB Diploma Programme) or Reflective Project (IB Career-related Programme).
Witnessing the ceremony were proud parents, teachers, administrators, alumnae, board members and Sisters of Charity of St. Joan Antida.
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Paul Gessner, Head of School for St. Joan Antida High School, congratulated the students on their dedication and hard work. He said, “St. Joan Antida International Baccalaureate students, you should be proud of all you have accomplished. Your research essay is comparable to any original research at the college level.  You should be proud.”
The Essays in the IB Diploma Programme focus on topics of individual interest and involve the independent research and writing skills expected at the university level. The Reflective Projects associated with the IB Career-related Programme involve students analyzing, critically discussing and evaluating an ethical issue arising from their career-related studies in Engineering.
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB-DP) was created in 1968 to establish a pre-university curriculum that would provide international recognition for globally minded students. It is a rigorous course of study for high school Juniors and Seniors that provides a liberal arts curriculum from a global perspective. The students are expected to perform on a university level and sit for exams that are developed and assessed on international standards.
About St. Joan Antida High School
Founded in 1954, St. Joan Antida High School provides a student-centered, intensive college preparatory education to the young women it serves. As Milwaukee’s newest International Baccalaureate World School (IB), SJA is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing a competitive education to its students. Partnering with the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program, SJA has an enhanced STEM educational model that is oriented toward academic quality, a culture of excellence, and student-centered learning.
For more information about St. Joan Antida High School call (414) 379-2432 or visit website at www.SaintJoanAntida.org.

author: Susie Falk


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
February 27, 2017

author: Name *


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A New Tool in a Century-Old Fight for Voting Rights | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
admin
February 28, 2017
The Atlantic

created: February 28, 2017


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Attorney General Jeff Sessions Focuses On Violent Crime And Police Morale | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
admin
February 28, 2017
National Public Radio


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Black Lives Matter Finds ‘Renewed Focus’ 5 Years After Trayvon Martin | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
admin
February 28, 2017
National Public Radio


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Black Men Achieve event honors 20 Milwaukee leaders | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Emmy A. Yates
February 28, 2017
More than 100 people gathered at the City Hall Rotunda on Feb. 23 to celebrate 20 African-American men who were recognized for their leadership and positive contribution to the city. Those who were honored are playing a significant role in shaping past, present and future generations of Milwaukee, according to organizers.
The 20 honorees included “Dr.” Lester Carter, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Other honorees were: Victor Barnett, Clayborn Benson III, Ajamou Butler, Montreal Cain, Khalil Coleman, John Daniels III, Tracey Dent, Muhibb Dyer, Andre Lee Ellis, Jason Fields, Ashanti Hamilton, Kalan Haywood II, Albert Holmes, Jutiki Jackson, Joshua Johnson, William Muhammad, Kwabena Nixon, Supreme Moore Omokunde and Jamaal E. Smith.
The event offered food and refreshments, a photo booth, live entertainment by Nefertari African Dance Company and a performance of the black national anthem by Montreal Cain.
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author: Emmy A. Yates


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Council bestows Living Legacy Awards to deserving community members | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
February 28, 2017
Fourteen deserving members of Milwaukee’s African American community were honored by Milwaukee Common Council members with “Living Legacy Awards” during the city’s Inaugural Black History Program on Friday.
The awards are intended to recognize the individual contributions the recipients have made toward shaping the City of Milwaukee and the history of its African American community. Council members Milele A. Coggs, Chantia Lewis, Ashanti Hamilton, Russell W. Stamper, II, Khalif J. Rainey and Cavalier Johnson presented the awards to the recipients in front of a crowd of hundreds that participated in the Inaugural Black History Program, the culmination of the city’s efforts to recognize the local legacy of Black History Month.
The recipients of the Living Legacy Awards were:
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author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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Daddy Daughter Dance draws droves of dedicated dads | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
February 28, 2017
More than 1,000 people attended the 14th annual Daddy Daughter Dance, according to organizers. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Recreation)
Tristan Gross prepares to head to the dance with his daughter Raja. (Photo provided by Tristan Gross)
Each day for the two weeks leading up the Daddy Daughter Dance Tristan Gross’s 2-year-old, Raja, asked him, “Is it today, is it today?”
Finally, the day arrived, and wearing a pink and yellow dress with a yellow rose in her hair, she gazed at herself in the mirror, her father said.
“She smiled so much. She loved it. She was excited that whole day,” Gross said.
Gross and his daughter were among more than 1,000 attendees at the 14 annual Daddy Daughter Dance held recently at North Division High School, 1011 W. Center St. The dance, co-hosted by the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative (MFI), Social Development Commission and Milwaukee Recreation, a division of Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), creates memorable and bonding experiences for fathers and their daughters, said MFI co-director Dennis Walton.
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The event has grown each year and been sold out the last three, a testament to the power of collaboration and a retort to those who believe that local fathers are not around or committed to their children, Walton noted.
“That there are so many proud and nurturing fathers at this event every year says a lot about our community. Many of the issues we’re dealing with today can be directly addressed through the role of the father,” said Walton, who was accompanied to the dance by his daughter, Diata Ramzee Walton, 13. MFI’s goal is to engage fathers and push men to be more committed and responsible for their families, he added.
According to the National Center for Fathering, fatherhood absence is linked to lower educational attainment, drug and alcohol abuse, incarceration, and mental and behavioral problems. Females who have absent or unstable father figures are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, become pregnant as teenagers and have low-self esteem.
Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative co-director Dennis Walton attended the dance with his daughter, Diata Ramzee Walton. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Recreation)
“I see the impacts of those issues every day in my courtroom, said Milwaukee Municipal Court Judge Derek Mosley, who attended the dance with his daughters, 11 and 8.
When a father or father figure treats their mother with love and respect, that’s what young women look for; if the mother is treated poorly they look for that, Mosley said. “The goal is to expose them to good men and teach them how they should be treated,” he added.
Many of the daughters at the dance were treated to a new dress and shoes, hair and nail appointments, doors opened and hands held.
“I love it when we walk in and take pictures, and everybody’s smiling and dancing,” said Sania Gray, 13, who along with her sister Nalia, 4, was accompanied to the dance by their father Romico Gray, 39.
She described her dad as goofy, but determined to dance. One of the many reasons he’s so important to her is because there are certain things that a mom can’t teach, she said.
“I show them how a man should treat you and make you feel, and most importantly that their daddy loves them,” Gray said.
Treating them with respect and giving them a sense of security helps girls avoid becoming a victim of societal ills, said Walton. Doing so while dressed up at an elegant community event in the company of others allows the daughters and fathers to build bonds in ways they don’t always have a chance to do, he added. The impact of the annual dance on the community is long term, said Percy Eddie, MPS Recreation supervisor.
Donte Reid dances with his daughter at the dance. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Recreation)
“The memories they create during this special evening will be cherished for a lifetime,” he added.
Gross said this year’s Daddy Daughter Dance was the first he and his daughter attended. He said it’s an opportunity to set a blueprint for the future. “How we treat our young people, our daughters and sons, is what they’re going to deem as normal and replicate in their lives,” said Gross, who works at the Center for Youth Engagement.
The memories of attending the dance stretch back 10 years for Mosley, who first brought his older daughter when she was just a year old.
Referring to both his daughters, he said, “I still get emotional when I hold open the door for them and they walk out with that big smile.”


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 27, 2017

author: Adam Carr


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Tenants caught in legal tangle get evicted | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
admin
February 28, 2017
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel


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The Office on African American Affairs is hiring | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Executive
February 28, 2017
I have always been committed to tackling the challenges facing Milwaukee County, investing in sustainable programs and infrastructure that empower people to live better lives, and continuing to build the foundation for a stronger, healthier community.
Milwaukee County’s new Office on African American Affairs has the ambitious mission of recognizing and resolving the County’s racial inequities for the benefit of all of its citizenry and for the region to achieve its full potential. I am deeply committed to this mission and have made it the top priority of my second full term as County Executive. I fully expect and hope to be held accountable for improving outcomes in a tangible and measurable way.
In 2016, we began the work by building the foundation necessary to pursue long-term meaningful and measurable improvements to Milwaukee racial inequities. We did this by engaging the community and listening. We learned that the community wants us to focus on: building a comprehensive approach to workforce development in Milwaukee County, expanding entrepreneurship in the African American community, and laying the groundwork for meaningful criminal justice reform. This is what we plan to do. To learn more about the work we’re doing, visit the OAAA website and read the annual report.
In 2017, the Office will build on that foundation and move full speed ahead with a full-time staff dedicated to improving racial issues in Milwaukee County. Milwaukee County is actively recruiting a leader to serve as OAAA Director who will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the Office. We are looking for disciplined, accountable, performance-minded individuals who have a proven track record of getting things done. The Director will also lead the implementation of coordinated plans in areas that include workforce development, criminal justice, and other strategic areas.
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Apply Here
I am not looking to “check a box” with this hire. I am looking for a unique candidate that can unify the community, navigate internal and external politics, manage complex projects, and maintain a steadfast focus on producing quality outcomes. I look forward to working side-by-side with a candidate who is not concerned with appearances and flash, but is dedicated solely to bringing meaningful, actionable progress to Milwaukee.
While we have searched nationally for a Director, I know that the ideal candidate will understand Milwaukee and its unique history, assets, and challenges. If you think you have what it takes to lead an ambitious effort to meaningfully address Milwaukee racial inequities once and for all, I encourage you to apply at county.milwaukee.gov/careers.
Sincerely,
Chris Abele
To stay updated on the work of the Office on African American Affairs, you can sign up to receive updates. You can also visit our website or contact us at AfricanAmericanAffairs@milwaukeecountywi.gov.

author: Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Executive


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 28, 2017


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Founder’s Day event takes hard look at country’s painful racial history | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Naomi Waxman
March 1, 2017
Pardeep Singh Kaleka (left) addresses the audience at the American Black Holocaust Museum’s 2017 Founder’s Day event in Centennial Hall as Cassandra Greene, Warren Read and Jacqueline Olive listen. (Photo by Adam Carr)
In 1995, Georgia native Karen Branan discovered that her great-grandfather, once the sheriff of Harris County, sanctioned the lynching of four innocent African-Americans. Deeply shaken by this revelation, she spent the next 20 years uncovering painful truths about the legacy of mob violence against African-Americans lingering in her own family and community. Her work culminated in the publication of a book, “The Family Tree: A Lynching in Georgia, a Legacy of Secrets, and My Search for the Truth.”
“As a nation we have some ugly parts of our history,” said Reggie Jackson, head griot (a West African troubadour-historian) at America’s Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM), addressing an attentive crowd gathered in Centennial Hall at the annual Founder’s Day Gathering on a brisk Saturday morning.
“You can’t repair anything unless you’re honest about what happened,” Jackson added. “We believe that our nation should open up and start telling this truth about our history.”
The event, titled “Let’s Face It: How Communities Remember and Repair Racial Trauma,” explored the complexity of America’s racial history and how to take steps toward reconciliation and healing. Founder’s Day celebrates the legacy of Dr. James Cameron, founder of ABHM and a lynching survivor.
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The audience also viewed previews of “American Reckoning,” Milwaukee filmmaker Brad Lichtenstein’s upcoming film about unsolved civil rights-era murders, and Emmy award-winning director Jacqueline Olive’s documentary project “Always in Season,” slated to air on PBS in 2018.
“[Always in Season] is about telling the truth as best and honestly and accurately as I can…when you hedge on the truth you’re really making things worse,” said Olive. “All people involved in a lynching are affected by it, including those who attended…We’re all living with that trauma, passing it along from generation to generation.”
Attendees ventured out on a brisk Saturday morning to celebrate Dr. James Cameron and learn how truth-telling is essential to racial reconciliation. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Branan joined 10 other panelists, including Olive; Henry Banks, host of Wisconsin Public Radio’s People of Color; Randy Gamble, leader of the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis; Cassandra Greene, director of the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching reenactment; public historian Doria D. Johnson; Serve2Unite co-founder Pardeep Singh Kaleka; Greendale middle school teacher Colleen Perry; Warren Read, author of “The Lyncher in Me: A Search for Redemption in the Face of History”; as well as Maria Cunningham and Jordan Davis, volunteers with the Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation.
More than 4,000 African-Americans were publically murdered between 1877 and 1950, and while many of these crimes were perpetrated in the Deep South, the shame of lynching stains the streets of Milwaukee as well, panelists said. Falsely accused of killing a white man, 22-year-old George Marshall Clark lost his life in 1861, hung by the neck at the intersection of Buffalo and Water streets at the hands of an angry mob.
“We need to revisit our past in order to restore the harm [done] and truly reconcile,” said Kaleka, whose father, Satwant Singh Kaleka, president of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, died protecting worshipers from a white supremacist gunman in 2012.
Kaleka noted that he is concerned about the rise of “stochastic terrorism,” the manipulation of mass media messages such as memes or fake news stories, and its culpability in prompting individuals to perpetrate ideologically motivated attacks.
The pain of truth-telling is especially apparent to Greene, who commemorates the 1946 lynching of George W. and Mae Murray Dorsey, and Roger and Dorothy Malcom in Walton County, Georgia, by directing an annual reenactment in an effort to illuminate the past and heal old wounds.
“The experience of standing on the ground where they died every year has been…emotional, to say the least,” Greene said. “I cry as I’m directing people. I feel like their spirits…call out to me every time I’m on that ground.”
Cold Spring Park resident Sheila Payton, 68, knew Dr. Cameron personally through a writing group, New World Griots, before he founded ABHM. Payton was 6 years old when the Supreme Court ruled against “separate but equal” schooling in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education. She fears that young people today are not as emotionally well equipped as her generation to survive and thrive in a society marked by ongoing interpersonal and institutional racism.
“I think it’s very important to help them develop those skill sets so they can not only deal with those who might want to stop them but build upon a greater sense of ‘we’re all here together’…we can get to the point where Dr. Cameron was trying to get, where you can forgive but never forget.”
Dr. Cameron, a historian, civil rights activist, and founder of ABHM, survived an attempted lynching at the age of 16. He died in 2006 at the age of 92.
The brick-and-mortar museum, which was established in 1984, closed in 2008. ABHM currently functions as a virtual museum, posting exhibits online. It expects to re-establish a physical museum in 2018.
The historical images of lynchings, not only of murdered African-Americans but also of smiling observers in their Sunday best, weigh heavily on the spirit of Lindsay Heights resident Kima Hamilton, 39. For him and many of the panelists, there is a distinct parallel between the horror of the past and the police brutality and hate crimes of the present.
“It’s disappointing as a human being,” Hamilton said. “I’d like to think that we’re just wired to be good and to do good, and we’re programmed otherwise along the way.”
Echoing Payton’s hopes for young people of color, he said, “It’s important for young people to know how valuable they are to the conversation and I think we miss that as adult activists.” A generation raised with great technological capability, he said, has the potential to create powerful new models for activism and advocacy.
“When a person has something to wake up and live for and be involved in, I think that minimizes the [likelihood] that they’ll just be blowing in the wind.”


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Adam Carr
February 28, 2017


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 1, 2017


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DSC03417 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 28, 2017


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NNS on Lake Effect Radio: Safe Zones initiative | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 1, 2017
Ambassadors stop at the intersection of N. 27th Street and W. Burleigh Street during a patrol. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
NNS reporter Jabril Faraj, goes on the air with Lake Effect’s Joy Powers to discuss  Safe Zones community based policing initiative that evolved out of the Dontre Hamilton protests in 2014.
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0220 Safezones (1) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 1, 2017
“0220 Safezones (1)”. Genre: Other.


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On the Block: Need for change | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dean Bibens
March 1, 2017
Tracy Williams, a Harambee resident, would like to see many changes in Milwaukee, from fixing roads to overhauling the education system and the justice system. A semi-pro football player for the Milwaukee Scorpions, Williams, 31, said he wants Milwaukee to be a better place for his future children.


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Rehabilitated felons could buy city-owned property, under new legislation | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Khalif J. Rainey
March 1, 2017
Convicted felons who have reformed their ways and paid their debts to society will be allowed to purchase city-owned, tax-foreclosed property from the City of Milwaukee, under legislation passed today by the Common Council.
Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, the lead sponsor of the measure, said the intent is to ensure that equal opportunities for housing and employment are available to all Milwaukeeans, regardless of their background. Previously, the city code of ordinances allowed the Department of City Development to consider a buyer’s felony record in determining whether to allow a sale.
“Being able to buy a foreclosed property from the city is an opportunity, not only to obtain affordable housing, but also to realize economic benefits and employment by rehabbing and selling these homes,” Alderman Rainey said. “In a city that’s home to one of the country’s most incarcerated zip codes, we can ill afford to discriminate against people who made mistakes when they were younger, but now seek a better way of life.”
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Alderman Rainey said that the Department of City Development will continue to screen potential buyers of city-owned foreclosed properties, as it always has. The Department of City Development seeks responsible purchasers to rehabilitate properties in all neighborhoods.   Potential buyers are checked to ensure they have the financial means to acquire a home and the capacity to achieve and maintain compliance with the city building code. DCD also reviews whether buyers have a history of responsible property ownership, including checking for unpaid property taxes, judgments owed to the city and unabated code violation orders.
“Anyone who has reformed their ways and paid their debt to society should have an honest chance to get ahead,” Alderman Rainey said. “This measure, and the city’s recent ‘Ban the Box’ initiative, demonstrate the city’s commitment to creating an equal playing field for those with a criminal past and providing them with opportunities to help turn their lives around.”


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U.S. Cellular and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee announce results of Black History Month art contest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Melissa Warner
March 1, 2017
Scott Hanson, U.S. Cellular Associate Sales Manager; Sophia Armendariz, third place winner; Xzavier Lidesma, first place winner; artist Vedale Hill; Edwin Aleman, Club Manager at the Don & Sallie Davis Boys & Girls Club (Photo courtesy of U.S. Cellular)
U.S. Cellular and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee announced the winners of U.S. Cellular’s Black History Month Art Contest today with Lamarr Hughlett’s portrait of Barack Obama receiving the most votes and first place. Xzavier Lidesma’s portrait of Malcolm X was voted second place, and Sophia Armendariz’s portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. voted third place.
Each winner had their artwork framed and presented to them during a special ceremony at the Don & Sallie Davis Boys & Girls Club. The three winners also received VISA gift cards, $250 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place.
The ceremony followed a month-long contest in February in which artwork featuring prominent African-Americans submitted by 8 local Boys & Girls Clubs members was displayed in select U.S. Cellular stores. The public was invited into the stores to vote for their favorite works of art. The contest celebrated the artistic ability of community youth and honored influential African-Americans in history.
“We are so proud of all the young boys and girls who entered this contest,” said Scott Hanson, U.S. Cellular Area Sales Manager for Milwaukee. “U.S. Cellular is committed to supporting the talents of local youth and celebrating the rich and diverse cultures within the communities we serve.”
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The contest is an extension of ongoing collaboration between U.S. Cellular and Boys & Girls Clubs of America
“We are so grateful to have a strong relationship with U.S. Cellular in Milwaukee,” said Vincent Lyles, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. “Programs like these make a positive impact in our community and we applaud U.S. Cellular for helping us spotlight some of our amazing young people.”
In 2016, U.S. Cellular has donated $60,000 to support Boys & Girls Clubs locations in Milwaukee.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM), one of the largest youth serving agencies in Milwaukee, offers structured after-school and summer programming to more than 43,000 children and teens each year. Within the safety of 44 locations, youth have access to free meals, academic support, role models and opportunities to build character and explore new interests. Through programs like SPARK Early Literacy Initiative and World of Work, the Clubs provide a structured pathway for members to thrive in all stages of their education and gain valuable job experience that will help them develop successful careers as adults.
More than 86 percent of the organization’s annual budget goes toward youth programming. Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most-utilized charity evaluator, has given BGCGM its highest rating of four stars. For more information, please visit www.boysgirlsclubs.org.
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier offers coverage where the other carriers don’t and a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. U.S. Cellular has the Highest Wireless Network Quality Performance in the North Central Region, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, and 99 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.

author: Melissa Warner


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 1, 2017


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Justice Department Changes Position on Texas’ Discriminatory Voter ID Law | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
admin
March 2, 2017
Pro Publica


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LBWN matching grants help South Side residents beautify their homes | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alexandria Bursiek
March 2, 2017
Carol and Ezell McQuay stand outside their home on West Greenfield Avenue. (Photo by Alexandria Bursiek)
Editor’s note: This article is one of an occasional series profiling the 15 finalists for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs). Layton Boulevard Home Improvement Matching Grants Program is a finalist for the PNC Trailblazer Awardwhich recognizes an innovative approach to a community problem.
The moment he stepped inside, Todd Jackson knew that he had found his dream home. Jackson and his wife, Sonya Torres-Jackson, both love historic homes and in 2002 they purchased their house on the 2900 block of West Mitchell Street. It was built in 1916 and needed a significant amount of work.
During the last 10 years, Jackson and his family have worked on at least six home improvement projects with the help of Layton Boulevard West Neighbors. Three were grants through LBWN’s home improvement matching grants program, which began in 2012 with grants up to $500.
The program now offers $1,000 and $3,000 grants, depending on the size and scope of the project. All the matching grants are intended to improve the homes’ “curb appeal.” Residents of the Layton Boulevard West neighborhoods of Silver City, Burnham Park and Layton Park are eligible, and LBWN also previously offered grants to Clarke Square residents through a partnership with the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative.
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Carol and Ezell McQuay received an LBWN matching grant to paint the exterior, put block windows in the basement and landscape their home, shown before the renovations. (Photo courtesy of LBWN)
The goal is for residents to “be able to continue maintaining their beautiful homes,” said Brianna Sas-Perez, executive director of LBWN.  “Residents really care about this and they are really proud of their homes.”
Ian Bautista, executive director of the Clarke Square Neighborhood initiative, said the grant program “was a great opportunity to bring resources to neighbors and property owners in Clarke Square so they could do exterior projects.” He added that when one homeowner makes improvements it can encourage other residents to make renovations too.
In October 2015, Jackson and his family began a yearlong project to restore the siding on the east side of his home, while maintaining the home’s historic features. The project, which was completed in November, cost $18,500; LBWN provided a $1,000 grant. Jackson also plans to restore the west side of the house.
LBWN piloted the matching grants program in the area near Doerfler Elementary School in Silver City as part of the organization’s Quality of Life plan, which called for improving the neighborhoods’ physical appearance. During the pilot, LBWN provided $10,000 in grants for improvements on 22 homes.
The program expanded with the help of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, Wells Fargo and the Zilber Family Foundation. Currently, the Zilber Family Foundation provides funding for the home improvement grants. Since 2012, 232 homeowners in Layton Park, Silver City and Burnham Park have received about $239,000 in grants. In total, residents invested $717,495 in these projects, a three-to-one return on investment. Residents in Clarke Square have received $549,338 in grants.
Carol and Ezell McQuay’s home has a fresh coat of paint and new landscaping after the couple received an LBWN matching grant. (Photo courtesy of LBWN)
“When you are looking at increasing home ownership and improving the physical appearance of the neighborhood to help create positive perceptions, it really helps to have a housing stock that is kept up and neighbors who are happy in their homes,” said Erin Frederick, senior program officer at the Zilber Family Foundation.
Bobbi Elizondo and her husband Victor, residents of the 2100 block of 30th Street, received four $500 grants from LBWN. They used the funds to expand and reconfigure their sidewalk, replace windows and railings, and redo landscaping.
To apply for a grant, residents must submit photos of their project and fill out an online application, offered in both English and Spanish. Residents typically hear back from LBWN on whether their matching grant has been approved within three business days.
“It’s a very easy and simple process once you get over the initial fear of starting the project,” said Elizondo. “[LBWN] will give you all the time and energy you need to get your project going. They are very helpful and the turnaround time for their responses is very quick.”
Carol and Ezell McQuay, who live on the 2800 block of Greenfield Avenue, moved to the neighborhood 11 years ago and have received two matching grants. The first grant, for $1,800, allowed them to paint the exterior of their house, put block windows in their basement and landscape.
They recently received another $1,000 grant to repair the stucco on their house. Carol McQuay said that it is important that residents do work to keep up their homes every year. She added that she thinks extra guidance on hiring contractors would be useful for residents.
Referring to the matching grants, Sas-Perez noted, “For some folks it’s sort of like that extra push. Sometimes there’s this project that you really need to do on your house and knowing that there is this incentive makes you decide, ‘I’m going to do this.’”

author: Alexandria Bursiek


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Three environmental justice groups ask court to block I-94 expansion | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
ACLU of Wisconsin
March 2, 2017
At the time of its construction, the $810 million Marquette Interchange was the largest construction project in Wisconsin’s history.
Yesterday, organizations supporting racial and environmental justice – the NAACP Milwaukee Branch, Sierra Club John Muir Chapter, and Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) – filed suit in federal court in Milwaukee, seeking to block the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s efforts to spend over $1 billion dollars to rebuild and expand I-94 between 16th and 70th Streets when it is refusing to include necessary public transit expansion as part of the project.
“Spending billions of dollars on one extravagant highway expansion project after another, while transit services and funding keep getting cut, reduces the ability of many Milwaukee residents, particularly persons of color, to access employment, education, health care and other activities,” said Fred Royal, NAACP Milwaukee Branch President.
“One of MICAH’s biggest concerns is the extreme and unacceptable rate of joblessness in the central city, for persons of color in general and African-American men in particular,” stated Pastor Marilyn Miller, MICAH President.  “We all know that people of color depend on transit to get to work at all.  We need more transit – to more places where the jobs are – not just highways that don’t help these members of our community get to work.”
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“Expanding highways while support for transit declines also hurts our air quality, which is a health and environmental justice issue that concerns the Sierra Club,” said Bill Davis, Sierra Club John Muir Chapter Director.
The plaintiffs are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin Foundation. A copy of the lawsuit is available at http://aclu-wi.org/media/three-environmental-justice-groups-ask-court-block-i-94-expansion
The ACLU of Wisconsin is a non-profit, non-partisan, private organization whose 7,000 members support its efforts to defend the civil rights and liberties of all Wisconsin residents. For more on the ACLU of Wisconsin, visit our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @ACLUofWisconsin and @ACLUMadison.

author: ACLU of Wisconsin


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 3, 2017


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Alderwoman Coggs to host Bucks jobs informational session March 9 at Hillside | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
March 3, 2017
(Photo by Adam Carr)
The Milwaukee Bucks are joining forces with Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs for a Workforce Development Jobs Informational Session on Thursday, March 9, at the Hillside Resource Center, 1452 N. 7th St.
The session will begin at 5:30 p.m., and prospective attendees should RSVP to WisconsinESC.com/Careers. Light refreshments will be provided.
Alderwoman Coggs said the Bucks arena project and other development activity in the city are providing a significant number of job opportunities for individuals, and next week’s info session “is a prime opportunity to learn more about how to access the growing jobs pipeline” in Milwaukee.
“The development and construction momentum we are seeing right now in the city is offering a unique window of opportunity for starting a new career or learning a trade,” she said. “An important first step for anyone interested in having a chance of getting one of the jobs associated with the arena project or other developments is to attend an informational session like the one at Hillside on March 9, and I strongly encourage interested individuals to make plans to be there.”
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The session will include remarks by Alderwoman Coggs and Bucks Senior Vice- President Alex Lasry. Attendees will also be able to register for SkillSmart’s online job portal to access opportunities in construction and other jobs, and WRTP/Big Step will also be on-site to schedule Residential Preference Program (RPP) appointments and to certify qualified individuals.


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Free ACT Wings preparation classes for high school students offered by SDC | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
March 3, 2017
Taking the ACT is something many high school students find daunting. Preparing for the exam is often a costly expense students and their families cannot afford. ACT results are heavily weighed by higher education institutions during the admission process. The Social Development Commission’s (SDC) Youth Services division will provide FREE ACT preparation and supplies to high school students, grades 9 -12, that reside in Milwaukee County.
The ACT Wings preparation workshops consist of two half-day sessions. Students are required to attend both Saturday sessions – March 11 and March 25 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Participants will not only benefit from free instruction, but will complete practice exercises in all five test areas (English, mathematics, reading, science and writing), an ACT preparation book, Personal Study Plan guidance, strategies and tips for success. Individual follow-up will also be provided for participants.
The no cost workshops will be held at the Social Development Commission, 1730 West North Avenue, Milwaukee.
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Online registration is encouraged at www.cr-sdc.org under the Education & Training section of the Programs page. Interested parents and student may also contact Willie Mae Hill at whill@cr-sdc.org or 414.906.2790.
Funding for the ACT Wings Workshops is provided by the Youth Services division of the City of Milwaukee.
For more than 50 years, the Social Development Commission has operated as the Community Action Agency for Milwaukee County. SDC serves as a planner, coordinator, and provider of human service programs for low-income individuals and families residing in Milwaukee County. The agency is an intergovernmental commission and is governed by a board of 18 citizens from Milwaukee County, each of whom hold the title of “Commissioner.” For more information on SDC’s programs and services, visit cr-sdc.org. Connect with us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/SDCMilwaukee and Twitter www.twitter.com/CRSDC.

author: Social Development Commission


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Next Door fair raises awareness about moms’ and children’s health | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dean Bibens
March 3, 2017
Melissa Herron and her daughter Michellé enjoy a snack at Next Door. (Photo by Dean Bibens)
To Melissa Herron, nothing is more important than her 17-month-old daughter, Michellé. Herron attended a recent health fair at Next Door with her daughter to learn more about how to keep the little girl safe.
“I came here today to make myself more aware of potential life-saving trainings in case my daughter is ever in danger,” the 31-year-old mother said. “They didn’t have things like this back when I was a kid and I think my parents would have loved to experience a training seminar to become more aware of healthcare resources.”
Herron said the hearing and vision screenings for her child — Michellé checked out fine — were the most beneficial aspect of the event. In addition, “everyone was so friendly and willing to help,” she said.
Next Door and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan teamed up to educate parents about health, safety and nutrition for their children at the Baby Building Blocks and Community Health Fair. Next Door is a birth-to-5 early learning school that serves nearly 2,000 children at three locations in Milwaukee. UHC hosts Baby Building Blocks baby shower events for pregnant moms and children up to age 3.
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Quiana Howard stands with her 4-year-old son Davion Curlee in the Next Door play area. (Photo by Dean Bibens)
About two dozen parents and 31 children attended the health fair, which took place for the first time at Next Door. According to Angela Lampkin, early Head Start director, in previous years it has been held at the United Healthcare facility in Milwaukee.
“This event always has been geared towards learning the importance of prenatal and postnatal health care services,” Lampkin said. “My goal is to increase [attendees’] knowledge on a variety of different health topics,” she added.
In addition to information about prenatal and postpartum care, hearing and vision screenings and breast cancer screenings were available The event also offered training about SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome, and an opportunity to enroll in Next Door’s programs.
Parents received a tote bag with basic baby items on a first-come, first-served basis, courtesy of UnitedHealthcare. Children enjoyed face painting, refreshments, snacks and games.
Barry Schwartz, an adult education instructor at Next Door, said his main goal at the fair was to put a smile on children’s faces. “This is a fun event for all of us, so informing parents and playing with the kids is just great,” he said. “I’ve been doing this event for years now and it’s just as awesome every time.”
Quiana Howard, 37, brought her 4-year-old son, Davion Curlee, to enroll him for another year of preschool at Next Door. “I love this place; they provide a lot for my son and the resources they have help out all the families that come here,” she said.
“Mama knows best, she always takes care of me,” Davion interjected.
Howard said she got information about breast cancer screening at the health fair, and plans to be tested soon. “As a woman gets older, she becomes more likely to develop breast cancer so I’m going to utilize the screenings when I can.”
Added Lampkin, “Our program is here to support families … and help build their skills on becoming the best parents they can be.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 2, 2017