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Local teens celebrate fifth anniversary of Wisconsin law barring indoor smoking | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lorraine Lathen, WAATPN
July 20, 2015
With the sun shining down on their smiling faces and a gentle breeze keeping them cool, members of FACT, Wisconsin’s youth-led tobacco prevention movement, gathered recently in front of Atkinson Library, 1960 W. Atkinson Ave., to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the enactment of Wisconsin’s indoor smoking law.
The teens, members of Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network (WTPPN), Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network (WAATPN) and Wisconsin Hispanic/Latino FACT groups, marched on the sun-soaked library sidewalk holding up signs carrying messages like, “honk if u r smoke free,” “ Happy Anniversary Wisconsin, and “Protect yourself from secondhand-smoke!,” while also offering a slice of celebratory cake to passersby.
Stream after stream of vehicles traveling along the intersections of Atkinson Ave and Capitol Dr. blared horns in support while some on foot asked,”what are you all celebrating?”
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“Five years ago Wisconsin went smoke-free,” replied Christopher Richardson, a member of the WAATPN FACT group.
And while Richardson and the other FACT teens were there to celebrate and acknowledge that anniversary, the group also had other goals in mind, according to Tristan Gross, program coordinator for the WAATPN.
“We wanted people in the community to learn more about a law that has such a huge impact on their health,” Gross said.
The Wisconsin law, statute 111.123, outlawed smoking in public places, places of employment and other enclosed locations. Wisconsin is one of 36 states that currently have similar types of smoke-free laws in effect.
The FACT teens, whose ages range from 12-17, were still in elementary school when the law eliminated smoky bars and smoker’s sections at restaurants from the Wisconsin experience. Still, they do have faint memories of the days before the smoke-free law was passed
“I remember how bad it use to smell at a restaurant and how the smoke use to carry over to where we were sitting,” said Sherrie Foster, a member of WTPPN FACT.
One of the key lessons they’ve learned as members of FACT, she said, is how dangerous second-hand smoke can be.
“Exposure to second-hand smoke is harmful,” Foster said. Foster and her two sisters joined FACT in 2013, and are three of more than 3,000 current members, statewide.
While she said that the Wisconsin indoor smoking law is something that should be celebrated, she is concerned about the rising popularity of e-cigarettes, which are not included in the ban. The products, most commonly referred to as “e-cigs,” come in a variety of forms including vapes and hookahs.
Foster said that in recent years, she’s seen more and more teens at her Milwaukee school and in her community using and carrying e-cigs.
“I even know one boy that matches his e-cigs with his outfits each day,” Foster said.
Some of the growth in popularity of e-cigs, according to Gross, has occurred because companies have sought ways to circumvent laws banning indoor smoking by offering tobacco users a product they advertise as not just a safer alternative to smoking but also one which can be used anywhere.
Gross said it’s been a historical practice for tobacco companies to target minors with their products.
“Back in the day they used cartoon characters to entice teens and now they sell fruit and candy-flavored products in colorful packaging to entice them, which extends to their marketing of e-cigarettes,” Gross said, mentioning flavors such as grape, bubble gum and sour apple.
Those marketing practices appear to be working.
In fact, the 2014 Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Survey found that 8 percent of high school youth reported using e-cigarettes regularly, an increase from prior years. Nationally, e-cigarette usage rates among youth have, for the first time, outpaced that of traditional cigarettes.
A major concern among health advocates is that conclusive studies on the long-term effects of e-cigarettes are not yet available. Regardless, said Richardson, any type of smoking or tobacco use is bad for you.
“It’s going to make you sick or even worse eventually,” he said, holding a sign reading “Cancer Kills.”

author: Lorraine Lathen, WAATPN


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 20, 2015

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Adam Carr


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Painful childhood helps Boys & Girls Club manager help struggling kids | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 20, 2015
Ceso Sprewell encourages club members working on computer skills at the Boys & Girls Clubs North Division location. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Ceso Sprewell’s world went into a tailspin when he was a sixth-grader at Sarah Scott Middle School, 1017 N. 12 St. His parents both died of cancer within months of each other and his life changed suddenly.
“I was hurt,” Sprewell said. “I used to go to school sometimes and I didn’t want to read.” Nor did he want anyone telling him what to do.
His teachers didn’t understand his pain and confusion. “They didn’t even know that I didn’t eat,” Sprewell said.
Such experiences gave Sprewell the insight he needed to help kids dealing with similar struggles in the city’s poor central city neighborhoods. An interim job, after graduating from college in 2006, with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee gave him the opportunity to discover this calling.
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Now the club manager at the Boys & Girls Club North Division High School Community Learning Center, Sprewell sees similar pain in the young people who are members there and he has found a lot of satisfaction working with them and giving them the attention and support he wanted when he was in their position.
Sprewell plays a few rounds of ping-pong with middle school boys at the North Division Boys & Girls Club. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Back in middle school, Sprewell immersed himself in the sports kids played in his crime-ridden neighborhood around 27 and Burleigh streets.
“I was trying to deal with (the loss of my parents) and not be raging with this ball of fire in me and basketball took my whole life,” he said. He played on school teams and with neighborhood park leagues, including Running Rebels.
At Washington High School, he played basketball with some of the best players in the state and on a team that played in two state championships, he said. “We were first in Wisconsin and we got as far as maybe third in the country in 2001,” he said.
Sprewell listened and watched and found parental figures among his coaches and his friends’ parents. “There are so many things that I learned from my teammates, from them having moms and dads, that I was embarrassed to (ask about) because I probably should have known,” he said.
With the help of his first cousin, All-Star NBA basketball player Latrell Sprewell, he found his way to Three Rivers Community College, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. where he played under Coach Gene Bess. Bess, who has won more games than any other college coach in America, liked Sprewell so much that he invited him to apply for a position as assistant coach there. “He is a fine young man … with a lot of character and focus … he had a lot of enthusiasm and he was very unselfish,” Bess said.
La’Ketta Caldwell, Boys & Girls Clubs senior program manager, supervised Sprewell at the organization’s St. Joan Antida High School program, where he was the Character Leadership Program coordinator. She agrees with Bess that Sprewell’s enthusiasm stands out.
“He was my go-to person when I needed to have an increase in numbers (of kids participating in an activity or program). If Ceso does it, all the kids will do it,” she said. “When Ceso left, the girls cried. You would have thought there was a funeral, that he had passed,” she added.
After graduating from Harding University in Searcy, Ark., Sprewell dreamed of pursuing a basketball career. He considered playing junior national basketball in Puerto Rico with a college teammate who was from there, but connected with urban youth at the Boys & Girls Clubs while waiting for the season to start. It was the first thing that ever took his mind away from basketball, he said.
Some of his younger cousins find it difficult to understand why he didn’t pursue basketball, Sprewell said. “But I used basketball to go to school and go around the world … and experience a lot of different things but, at the same time, I didn’t let it use me.”
Sprewell has progressed from a part-time position teaching second-graders to club manager in eight years and he loves his job. Like a coach, he tries to bring out the best in his staff, he said. He tells them that they have the opportunity to change kids’ lives. “When they walk through the door (the kids) are looking to you for guidance and skill sets they might not get at home because of certain situations.”
“I want to help more and more and more and more. If I can teach one and they reach one and that keeps happening, the sky is the limit.”

author: Andrea Waxman


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 19, 2015


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Thousands pack 2015 Garfield Avenue Festival | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
July 20, 2015
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The annual Garfield Avenue Festival, held between 7th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in Bronzeville, drew large crowds despite an early-afternoon downpour. Food, music and homemade wares were plentiful at the day-long event.

author: Jabril Faraj


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Art gallery donates collection to Milwaukee Habitat | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
July 21, 2015
A print that will be sold on Gallery Night & Day. (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity)
During July’s Gallery Night & Day, Habitat for Humanity ReStore will be unveiling and selling a huge lot of artwork that was recently donated by Artistic Hangups by Wendy. The art gallery and framing studio recently closed and has donated hundreds of prints, posters & originals to ReStore, who’ll sell them at a fraction of the retail cost to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. Proceeds go to building homes, communities and hope for low-income families in Milwaukee. Donated artwork will be sold exclusively during the Third Ward’s Gallery Night & Day this Friday and Saturday at Habitat ReStore East – 420 S. 1st, Milwaukee.
As a business owner, Wendy Ruhl (of Artistic Hangups by Wendy) has always tried to give back to the community. So, when she made the decision to close her Franklin location, she immediately thought of ReStore. She first found out about ReStore through long-time client and ReStore Deconstruction volunteer, Cindy Gear. The ReStore Deconstruction Services team not only picked up and packaged the copious amount of artwork, but also salvaged fixtures and other reusable items from the store.
“[Cindy Gear] assured me she would help me through the process and care for everything in my gallery. She did not let me down. It truly was a great experience.” said Wendy.
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All of this fine art will be sold at 50%-75% below retail value, plus proceeds support Habitat’s work to eliminate poverty housing in Milwaukee, so patrons can feel good about their purchases.
HYP (Habitat Young Professionals) will be helping to facilitate this event alongside ReStore staff and volunteers. HYP seeks to engage socially conscious young professionals in greater Milwaukee to support Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity’s mission

author: Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 21, 2015


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Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee receives large donation to extend summer programming and keep kids safe | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee
July 21, 2015
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) today announced it received a $500,000 gift from longtime BGCGM supporter and former Senator Herb Kohl to extend its summer service schedule. The official announcement of the gift and the summer extension was made by Vincent Lyles, President & CEO of BGCGM, together with community leaders Edward Flynn, Chief of the Milwaukee Police Department and Tom Barrett, Mayor of the City of Milwaukee on Tuesday, July 21 at 10:30 a.m. at the Don & Sallie Davis Boys & Girls Club at 1975 S. 24th Street, Milwaukee. This gift allows BGCGM to continue to provide a safe place for kids every day in August, the first time that BGCGM has been able to provide this for their families.
Through the extended programming, BGCGM will continue to provide safe places and full-day activities for more than 5,000 kids aged five through eighteen who attend the Clubs each day. BGCGM gives its members access to caring adults and offers opportunities to participate in structured activities at a critical time during the summer when many kids may otherwise be unsupervised. During the extra program weeks in August, the Clubs will serve more than 70,000 meals to its members.
“I believe Boys & Girls Clubs are a valuable resource for our city, and I am happy to be able to contribute to the enrichment and safety of local youth for the entire summer,” said Senator Kohl.
“We are thankful Senator Kohl chose to invest in our future generation of leaders,” said Vincent Lyles, president & CEO of BGCGM. “Summer is a time when our families need a resource like the Clubs to ensure children are safe, well-fed and continuing to learn.”
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BGCGM is working in partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to offer the extended weeks of programing in August. As a result, 22 BGCGM clubs will be extending their programming, bringing the total number of clubs open in August to 36. Of the 36 clubs, 30 locations will be open through Friday, August 14 and six locations will be extended through Friday, August 28. MPS will supply meals for club members at its school-based Club locations during the extended summer schedule.
“MPS is proud to continue our collaborative partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs to further support learning and safety for our students,” saidDr. Darienne Driver, Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. “This extension will ensure youth have continued access to three nutritious meals per day, as well as ongoing enrichment and recreation activities to keep them safe and help prepare them for the 2015-16 school year.”
This announcement comes at a time when violence and homicide victims in Milwaukee, specifically involving youth, has far surpassed anything seen in recent years. A first quarter report from the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission found homicides are up 182 percent and shootings are up 31 percent since last year. Many of these victims are under 30 years old.
“The Milwaukee Police Department is working closely with the Boys & Girls Clubs to help engage our community about the importance of violence prevention,” said Chief Flynn. “This is the time of year when we need programs like this in place to keep our community and its youth safe.”
Some of the activities club members will have the opportunity to participate in during the extension period this summer include: visual arts programming, music lessons, baseball, teen-specific programming such as college tours and exploration of careers in the trades, field trips, swimming, African dance and drumming, and soccer. In addition, some members will continue participating in the Milwaukee Public Library’s Super Reader program to encourage summer reading.
“The City of Milwaukee is grateful to Senator Kohl and the Boys & Girls Clubs for providing our youth with opportunities to participate in meaningful and productive activities,” said Mayor Tom Barrett.
This announcement comes just a few months after Senator Kohl was honored at BGCGM’s MVP Salute to Youth event for his numerous contributions to the community as an advocate for BGCGM. He was praised for his role as co-author for a piece of legislation that made federal funding for the Boys & Girls Clubs an “annual event.”
For more information about the extended summer programming, visit: http://www.boysgirlsclubs.org/Programs/summer-programs.aspx.

author: Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee


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On The Block: Vendor’s first season | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Madeline Kennedy
July 21, 2015

author: Madeline Kennedy


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Rain garden to occupy lot in historic Cold Spring Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
July 22, 2015
Joyce Seiser, her husband Charlie Fox, and Scott Baran from the city Department of Public Works discuss plans and infrastructure for the new Cold Spring Park Garden. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
A vacant lot on McKinley Boulevard and 28 Street will become a park and community garden this fall thanks to three years of persistent effort by Joyce Seiser, president of the Cold Spring Park Neighborhood Association.
“It’s just been my dream to see something really pretty and attractive and safe. There is no other community gathering space in Cold Spring Park,” she said. Cold Spring Park is a residential neighborhood bounded by the north side of Highland Boulevard and the south side of Vliet Street, from 27th to 35th streets.
Seiser has worked since 2012 to garner the financial support needed to turn the lot into a formal neighborhood green space.
She said that neighbors’ complaints about criminal activity in the vacant lot spurred the idea for improvements. More specific plans were later generated through a series of neighborhood meetings with an architect from Marek Landscaping. According to Seiser, the garden is designed to “make the area less conducive to criminal activity and more conducive to the activity we do want.”
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Joyce Seiser describes her vision for her dream park in the neighborhood she proudly calls home. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Rain gardens will surround its perimeter to more effectively handle storm water runoff and to decrease the flow of foot traffic through the garden. Low shrubs will be planted to maintain clear visibility. An oval path will surround the park, paying homage to the horse and buggy racetrack that used to be in the historic neighborhood. The second phase of the garden installation will include benches, new signs, a little free library and a dog waste receptacle.
After pitching her idea, applying for grants and permits, and building connections with local organizations such as Clean Wisconsin, Seiser helped bring together a group of stakeholders whose collaboration is making the project feasible. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is providing the initial funding for the garden, and the Department of Public Works (DPW) will fund the rest of its implementation through the city’s Strong Neighborhoods Plan. Near West Side Partners (NWSP) facilitated the partnership between the Cold Spring Park Neighborhood Association and DPW.
“The representatives from Cold Spring Park were so passionate about the project that we felt it was important for us as an organization to find resources to make it happen… It’s a tribute to the advocacy of the Cold Spring Park neighbors,” said Rana Altenburg, president of NWSP and vice president for public affairs at Marquette University.
The dedication of neighbors to maintain the green space dates back to the 1970s when the lot became empty after a house burned down. “Neighbors adopted the lot,” said Alderman Robert Bauman and used the space as a park and garden. In more recent years, however, upkeep of the space has deteriorated. The neighborhood is determined to turn that around.
Bauman described the garden project as “a story of slow evolution of neighbors taking charge of their own space.”
Robert Wutke lives across the street from the lot and is excited about the coming improvements. “It will benefit the vision that we the community have to present an urban space that is very welcoming… Everyone who comes through will know that our community has a sense of pride,” he said.
Seiser has kept neighborhood residents involved in every step of the park’s progress. They are meeting soon to discuss what plants will go in the garden. “I need people in the neighborhood invested in planting and taking care of this garden. It’s theirs, it’s ours… I want people to feel a sense of ownership so they come and use it. Bring your lawn chairs. Have picnics here. Have parties here. Use it, it’s ours.”
This sense of ownership is what attracted DPW to the project. “It’s all about the neighborhood involvement. A lot of the neighborhood parks and lot projects that we get involved in do not have buy-in from the neighbors and that’s essential for them to be successful,” said Scott Baran, a landscape architect for DPW.
Seiser hopes that the park can serve as a model for what can be done with other empty lots in the city. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Cold Spring Park Garden will be held on Aug. 11 at 6 p.m.

author: Allison Dikanovic


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19271920654_23dd1e8810_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 21, 2015


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#BrownLivesMatter: Shootings of Unarmed Latinos by Police Continuously Earns Muted Reactions | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 23, 2015
Latin Post


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Minneapolis uses citywide plan to reduce youth violence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 23, 2015
jsonline.com


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Morehouse College students plan for careers in Milwaukee (Video) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 23, 2015
Milwaukee Business Journal


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On the Block: Jack of all trades | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
July 23, 2015
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/215915015″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Coleone Driver prides himself on being a provider, a role he filled for years as a father of two. Driver, who recently spent 10 months working in Whitewater, has been out of steady work for about a month, which has forced him to canvass for cash on the street.
Read more about Coleone Driver at milwaukeestories.org.
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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 22, 2015


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Under New Work Requirement, Thousands in Wisconsin Could Lose Food Stamps | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 23, 2015
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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Lecture series asks ‘Do Black Lives Matter?’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
July 24, 2015
Reggie Jackson is head griot at the online Black Holocaust Museum, located at 4th Street and North Avenue until 2008. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
In early 2013, the Racine Public Library hosted a program highlighting Polish heroes — people who helped Jews escape death at the hand of the Nazis — during the Jewish Holocaust in Europe. But Jessica MacPhail, the library’s director, felt there was more that needed to be said.
So, MacPhail, who has been involved with a Racine anti-racism group since 2005, invited Black Holocaust Museum Head Griot Reggie Jackson to speak on the black holocaust. MacPhail said the presentation was so well received that the library invited Jackson back. Since then, he has given a talk on Joshua Glover, a runaway slave who took refuge in Racine and flouted fugitive slave laws, and other race-related topics. Most recently, in early July, Jackson debuted a series titled #DoBlackLivesMatter.
The series of four talks examines the historical context of the statement “black lives matter,” which has become widely repeated, and derided, as a result of a series of high-profile killings of unarmed black men and boys by police, starting with the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012. A second series of talks will be held at the Villard Square branch of the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) on Aug. 3, Aug. 5, Aug. 10 and Aug. 12 from 5:30 to 7:30.
Jackson’s series addresses the 400-year-long history of black people in America, starting in 1619 when the first Africans were brought to the British colonies. Within 20 years, Massachusetts passed a law legalizing slavery and all of the other 13 original colonies followed suit.
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The Villard Square branch of the Milwaukee Public Library. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
“There’s been a … consistency in the way blacks have been devalued,” Jackson said in an interview. “We don’t study our history in-depth enough to realize it. We don’t talk about these things because they’re ugly things to talk about.”
Jackson begins his presentations by making the statement ‘black lives matter’; then, he asks the question ‘do black lives matter?’ “We can say that black lives matter … but when you look at the history of how blacks have been treated you have to question it,” he said.
Slavery “set the foundation” for the devaluation of black lives that Jackson said continues today in America. West African and European relations began as a “power relationship” as early as the 1400s when Portuguese sailors kidnapped a group of Africans who became servants and slaves.
“You’re in this situation where, from day to day, generation after generation, you are debased as a human being,” he said, adding that an 1811 manual on “how to control your slaves” mentally and physically recommended that “you debase them in such a way that they begin to accept their condition.”
Jackson said, as slaves, black men weren’t able to protect their families and it was against the law in every state to teach blacks to read and write. “You begin to have a … lack of self-worth — you don’t value yourself, you don’t value people who look like you,” said Jackson. “And, this is part of the mindset that continues even after slavery ends.”
On the other end, the mindset that enabled slavery resulted in “legal and extra-legal violence against blacks.” Jackson said during slavery it wasn’t illegal to kill a black person and someone doing so would not face criminal charges. The killer, however, could be held liable for trespassing against a slaveholder’s property. Jackson also cited Jim Crow laws, which promoted segregation, the refusal of Congress to pass anti-lynching laws and that “the first police departments in America were slave patrols.”
“In order for you to enslave millions and millions of people over several centuries, you have to develop a mindset where you don’t value their lives. You can’t have a situation where you look at them as your equals and treat them the way that these people are treated,” Jackson said.
Eventually, people — both black and white — began to question slavery. To justify slavery, purported scientists such as Samuel George Morton, Josiah Nott and others studied black bodies with a purpose of showing anatomical and intellectual differences between blacks and whites. But this research, influenced by the racial biases of its proponents, resulted in misreporting of data.
“If you go in thinking that blacks are inferior to whites … you’re going to prove that that’s true,” Jackson said, adding that the flawed research was accepted and “became the lasting justification for devaluing black lives in America.”
These pseudo-scientific justifications for black inferiority allowed for scientific and medical experiments to be perpetrated on black people by pharmaceutical companies, prisons and the United States government. The continued devaluation also resulted in the perpetuation of caricatures that promoted blacks as lazy, unintelligent and inarticulate.
“That’s part of the psychology that allowed this mass incarceration to occur,” said Jackson, referring to the fact that about 40 percent of America’s 2.3 million prisoners are black, despite being 13 percent of the population. “We criminalize blacks in the minds of America and, so, we have no problem throwing a million of them in prison, and throwing away the key and not really caring.”
“It has to have this debilitating impact on you, mentally,” Jackson said. “You have to begin to believe that you deserve this.”
Under such conditions, “it becomes very difficult to have a positive view of who you are as a person,” Jackson said. The emergence of the black power movement, Black Panther Party and the civil rights movement changed some of that perception but much of the momentum that had been built dissipated with the advent of the Vietnam War, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and COINTELPRO, an FBI program that aimed to discredit King and infiltrate domestic political organizations such as those fighting for black civil rights.
Jackson said that before King’s death the civil rights leader had shifted his focus to concentrate on economic issues and inequality because he realized that “if you can’t uplift people economically then all the other stuff you do will not make a difference.”
Programs were created, the War on Poverty was declared but a covert effort persisted to break up black leadership to assure, in the words of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, another “black messiah” would not emerge.
Though Jackson isn’t sure whether America is ready to have an honest conversation about the value of black lives, he hopes that providing information and context will inspire people to “challenge the system we live in.”
MacPhail said the power of his presentation is that people get a perspective they might not have thought about before. “Once you’ve heard the truth, once you’ve seen something that changes how you think about something or how you feel about something, you can’t go back and un-see it, you can’t go back to being the person you were before,” she said.
“I was appalled, to put it mildly,” said Mark Giese, a technical writer who is white and has attended a number of Coming Together Racine film presentations. Giese recommended attending the presentations even though the information might make people uncomfortable.
Maria Cunningham-Benn, who is a digital projects librarian at MPL and also works with the Black Holocaust Museum, said she expects a diverse audience of people who “want to discuss issues of race and issues of economic disparity” and that “the library is becoming, more and more, that place that people can go and have these discussions.”
“We’re excited to be hosting,” added Villard Square Branch Manager Rachel Collins. “It’s important to know that type of history.”
Jackson agreed. “We can’t just say ‘black lives matter’ and just leave it at that. We have to question whether or not it’s really true,” he said. “Because if you just assume that they do then there’s no problem, there’s nothing to fix.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 23, 2015


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Volunteers build new KaBOOM! playground at COA Goldin Center | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 24, 2015
Ten volunteers from U.S. Bank built a new KaBOOM! playground at COA Youth & Family Centers’ Goldin Center next to the soon-to-open Burke Early Education Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St. Representatives from Next Door Foundation signed children up for the new pre-school program. KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping communities build playgrounds.


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UEC Summer Celebration connects neighborhood and nature | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 26, 2015
Marking the second anniversary of Three Bridges Park, near south side residents came together for the Summer Celebration at the Menomonee Valley Urban Ecology Center.
The event included fishing lessons, free bike lending, bug and bird exploration hikes, a martial arts demonstration, “Snakes of the World” demonstration by the Milwaukee Snake Group, plen air painting, games, food and more. Music was performed by Acoustic Blu, Leana’ Cristiana’ (Mrs. Wisconsin America), and David HB Drake.


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Milwaukee Youth Jobs Program Aims to Reduce Violence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 27, 2015
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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Music outreach program for urban kids | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 27, 2015
88NINE Radio Milwaukee


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Summit focuses on removing employment barriers for local men | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
July 27, 2015
Alderman Jose G. Perez encouraged men at the My Brother’s Keeper Neighborhood Summit to take advantage of resources available to help them turn their lives around. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Wearing black-rimmed glasses and sporting a white t-shirt and shorts, Jerry Evans sat patiently on a brown plastic seat in a classroom at the Kosciuszko Park Recreational Center, 2201 S. 7 St., listening for his name to be called.
He was waiting to discuss his child support case with workers from Milwaukee County Child Support Services. Evans was one of dozens of men who made their way to the center to participate in the My Brother’s Keeper Neighborhood Summit.
The clock had yet to strike noon, but already Evans had learned about the opportunity to expunge misdemeanors from his record and how to get a free health screening. He also met with representatives from the Center for Driver’s License Recovery and Employability (CDLRE), who advised him on how to earn back driving privileges he’d lost three years ago.
“They walked me through all the steps. It was a great help,” said Evans, who added that he worried about what would happen to his kids if he were arrested for driving without a license.
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Jerry Evans, of Milwaukee, said the advice he received at the summit left him hopeful that he could finally recover his driver’s license. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
The purpose of the summit, said Dennis Walton, outreach coordinator for the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative (MFI), was to “empower men and fathers by removing barriers to success from their lives.”
It was the second such summit held in Milwaukee this summer. The first, also sponsored by MFI, City of Milwaukee, the national My Brother’s Keeper initiative and other organizations, was held on the North Side in June at Holy Redeemer Church, 3500 W. Mother Daniels Way.
After seeing the success of that trial event, said Walton, organizers thought the model was ready to expand to reach men in need on the South Side. Eventually, he added, he’d like summits to be held in locations across the state.
The summits are “welcome and needed,” according to Mayor Tom Barrett. Barrett described the South Side event as a way to help “create hope and opportunity for men in the city,” which he admitted is lacking in family-supporting jobs.
“Many of the better-paying jobs aren’t in the city of Milwaukee or accessible by bus,” said Angela Catania, supervisor at CDLRE. Additionally, she said, many employers consider a driver’s license a sign that an individual is responsible.
Alexander DeLaGarza, like Evans, is looking to get back his license. He said he’s held a few jobs since losing his license after an OWI last year, but believes he hasn’t gotten hired for one of the more desirable positions he’s applied for because of his driving status.
“They ask me if I have a license and then they ask me how I get around,” DeLaGarza said.
At the summit he learned that he’d have to pay all his fines and obtain an assessment at IMPACT, which provides drug and alcohol consultation services, before he could get his license back. DeLaGarza said learning that was a relief because he originally thought he’d also have to pay to install a costly ignition interlock device, which tests drivers for alcohol in their system.
With the help of Catania, DeLaGarza, Evans and other attendees were able to craft a plan to clear their license suspensions.
The CDLRE serves about 300 people a year at events such as My Brother’s Keeper Neighborhood Summit, in addition to enrolling individuals into its more comprehensive program, which offers case management and legal services.
Alderman Jose Perez, who co-hosted the summit held in his 12th district, said that like many others in the neighborhood he knows the struggles of having a license suspended.
After his was revoked he was forced for years to pay for an SR-22, a vehicle liability insurance document required for high-risk drivers in Wisconsin.
“I paid more in insurance than what my car was worth at the time,” Perez said.
But he overcame that and other struggles including the gang violence he said permeated the neighborhood during his youth. He encouraged men who attended the summit to do the same.
“I got myself on track in this rough neighborhood,” said Perez, adding, “Today is your opportunity.”

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 26, 2015


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Want Better Police Relations With the Community? Let Local Youth Train Them | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 27, 2015
The Atlantic CITYLAB


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On the Block: More than a motorcycle | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
July 28, 2015


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 27, 2015


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Traveling jail cell captivates youth, community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Madeline Kennedy
July 28, 2015
Johnson “Smithy” Chapman of the Phenomenal Men’s Support Group shows a young visitor the Cell on Wheels trailer, consisting of a bunk bed, toilet and an aluminum sheet for a mirror. (Photo by Madeline Kennedy)
The setup and the message are simple: if you do the crime you’re bound to do the time. Through its Cell on Wheels program, the Phenomenal Men’s Support Group (PMSG) aims to paint an accurate picture of what that time in jail is actually like.
“A lot of guys who were in prison come home and act like it’s a badge of honor to be in there,” said Johnson “Smithy” Chapman, president of the group. “That’s the image we’re trying to shake.”
PMSG was founded 15 years ago as a support group for recovering addicts and alcoholics. Chapman was one of five founding members. Today the organization has grown to include 75 members.
Rick Neighborhood has been with the group for eight years and has been off alcohol for almost a decade with the support of PMSG.
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Johnson Chapman and member Rick Neighborhood have brought the Cell on Wheels trailer to nearly a dozen events this summer. (Photo by Madeline Kennedy)
“It’s great what these guys do,” Neighborhood said. “It’s something I love being a part of because they gave me an opportunity to reach out and give back to the community.”
Cell on Wheels is PMSG’s most eye-catching community outreach initiative. The group has been bringing its makeshift jail cell to community events including church gatherings, school events and block parties for six years.
At a recent block party on Garfield Avenue, the cell quickly became one of the most eye-catching attractions. The dimly lit cell holds a bunk bed, toilet and a dull piece of reflective aluminum for a mirror.
Chapman explained that everything inside the makeshift jail cell was assembled by PMSG members and donated by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department. He added that the trailer is rarely cleaned and its overall dingy state is intentional.
“We didn’t want to make this a fun experience for them. A single bad decision could end you up in here and not enough kids realize that,” Chapman said. “Once you step in [the cell] you lose your name and become a number.”
Chapman added that before he was president of the organization and mentor to more than 50 youths in the community, he spent three years behind bars. After going to college on a track scholarship and starting a career in the Army, Chapman said he gave it up and “chose the streets.”
“I’m not proud of what I did and I don’t like to think of the lives I messed up,” he said. “But it occurred to me that there might be some kid out there who saw me flashing my money, cars and women and he was impressed by that. So I decided I wanted to tell the whole story.
By creating Cell on Wheels, Chapman said he hopes to shatter misconceptions and provide a clear picture of life in prison. He added that few people realize how much they depend on cell phones, computers and even refrigeration. He said that in jail, if you get something from the cafeteria and want to keep it cold, you have to put it in the toilet.
Chapman and the other PMSG members relayed these facts to any child or adult who stopped by the trailer at the block party. All of the cell’s temporary tenants were asked the same set of questions: How are you doing in school? Do you listen to your parents? Do like it in here? Upon leaving, each had a different reaction.
“It doesn’t look fun. It looks boring. I would never want to spend more time in there than I did just now,” said 12-year-old Martelus of his three-minute stint behind bars.
Others exiting the trailer laughed, walked away shocked or simply remarked, “You guys need an air freshener.”
“I think it’s good for the kids to see something like this,” said Tina Morales, who brought her son and his friends to the block party. “Most people know someone who’s been locked up, but they don’t actually think about what their lives are like while they’re in there. It paints a really interesting picture.”
Chapman said he believes that the Cell on Wheels program has been well received by the community and that it gets more popular each year. The cell is scheduled to stop at as many as three community events each day for the rest of the summer. Chapman, who is now retired, said he doesn’t mind the work or the demanding schedule.
“It’s important that the kids out here see us and see what we’re doing,” he said. “We want to catch them now so the Milwaukee Police don’t have to chase them later.”


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A conversation—a missed opportunity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Rick Deines
July 29, 2015
Rick Deines, a conversation facilitator with The Zeidler Center for Public Discussion and a Milwaukee resident for 33 years, imagines what a meaningful conversation with Gov. Scott Walker and other politicians would look like.
Leslie Flores, 13, of Waukesha, confronted Gov. Scott Walker at a campaign stop in Iowa on July 14.
“Governor Walker, why are you trying to break my family apart?”
Walker: Thanks, Leslie for being concerned about your dad’s future. That’s refreshing to hear. Tell me more about what you are experiencing?
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Leslie: He supports our family and contributes to the U.S. economy, but he is considered an ‘alien.’ Our family is what we live for and you support policies that force us apart.
Walker: Your point of view is important and your voice needs to be part of the conversation. We do need to follow the law, but sometimes the law is not fair. We need to work to change that. You can be part of that change.
Leslie: Thanks, Governor Walker. Can you suggest ways that I can be part of shaping these new approaches you want?
Walker: My staff and I are working hard to build relationships with people like you. I’ll have one of my assistants take down your information so we can keep in touch. I’m really interested in how you think we can move forward on this. There is nothing more important to me as a public official than the public. I can’t promise you immediate results, but I can invite you into the conversation.
Unfortunately, this is not the conversation that took place. Walker followed the line of most politicians and quickly used the power of his position to keep Leslie in her place. Instead of a discussion of a fair and just law, he hid behind the law. He used the trite, “I sympathize with your situation” to communicate compassion while showing no real concern for the person standing in front of him.
Leslie is left with nothing but more anger and frustration. She is a citizen, but in this exchange her voice does not count. The governor is not interested in her, her experience, or her point of view. He may not have meant it, but in essence he is saying, “You are not important to me or to the country. I must defend the law, just or unjust. Compassion is for the weak. Good luck to you and your dad. There is no future for you in my plans.”
This is not Walker’s problem alone. We are all complicit. It is not us vs. Walker, or pro-Walker. Our inability to have meaningful exchanges is more widespread and damaging than this one instance.
Would other politicians have handled it differently? Who really knows?
Imagine if the next 18 months were an exciting adventure of conversation and exploration with the candidates running for president in the primary
Public figures bend over backwards to be regular people and nice human beings. It is de rigueur to call for a “national conversation” on just about everything these days—race, health care, education. However, there are no political figures on the horizon who use an intentional and true conversational method.
Press conferences, town meetings or discussions of neighborhood problems are occasions for civil discourse. However, there is no obvious commitment from public officials or candidates to take on the challenging task of getting below the surface of the relationship.
What an improvement for our democracy if we had open, honest exchanges based on mutual respect and civility? Learning to say “please” and “thank you” is not just for preschoolers.
We can develop more creative approaches. We need leaders who can engage us in new ways of thinking and acting together. This is so much more than agreeing or disagreeing on policy.
What we have now is not conversation. Tainted by “gotcha” questions, the responses are too often mini-lectures, jingoistic positions and accusations against anyone who disagrees. The country is torn further apart partly because we think that what we have to say is more important than how the conversation is conducted.
Nothing new and useful can emerge when we engage one another as opponents. Formats that invite either applause or catcalls are not conversations. We only diminish ourselves by doing that.
Three hundred people gathered to support a politician who tells them what they want to hear is not a conversation.
A conversation strengthens the public when it engages the public. It is an exchange, not just of ideas; the exchange itself is marked by mutual curiosity and interest in what others have to say.
The art of conversation requires a “take it slow” approach that flies in the face of popular conversation. Firing off ‘tweets’ with no holds barred or accountability can be a dangerous freedom. We are fed by frenzy. We are sustained by the irritating edge of disagreement. We find an energized self when we have a clear opponent.
But conversation is about being responsible citizens, whether we are leaders or “regular” folk. Investment in a new kind of conversation would be worth the effort, however long it takes.

author: Rick Deines


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 29, 2015


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 28, 2015


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African-American arena supporters face skepticism from constituents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matthew Wisla
July 29, 2015
Supporters of a new Bucks arena look forward to a revitalized business and entertainment district around the facility. (Courtesy of the Milwaukee Bucks)
Whenever State Sen. Nikiya Harris Dodd talks in favor of the proposal to build a $500 million downtown arena that would be the new home for the Milwaukee Bucks she gets “pretty cold stares” from some of her constituents.
Ralph Hollman, president of the Urban League, said, “Believe me, in my community I get my share of pushback and frankly some criticism” whenever he voices his organization’s support for the arena.
The arena proposal was passed by the state Assembly and has gone to Gov. Scott Walker for his signature, but it is “a highly emotional issue for everyone in the community,” according to Harris Dodd. Bucks owners and former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, the previous owner, will pay $250 million, or about half the initial cost for the building. The other portion is slated to come from the state, county and city. Considering interest payments over the expected 20-year life of the funding package, the total public cost would likely be about $400 million, according to reports.
State Sen. Nikiya Harris Dodd supports the new arena and thinks it will increase interest in downtown. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Elected officials and community leaders who favor the proposal see it as an investment in the city’s future that would pay for itself, provide jobs and serve as a community asset. But controversy swirls around the public funding component and the value an NBA franchise brings to a city facing tight budgets and a range of challenges relating to poverty, crime, education and other issues.
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The arena would be built in State Sen. Lena Taylor’s district (District 4) and she too has heard her share of criticism from constituents. Nonetheless, she favors the project for economic reasons. NBA players will pay more than $700 million in local taxes over the next 32 years, according to Taylor. “Revenue from the Bucks arena through basketball games, concerts and other events will stimulate both Milwaukee’s economy and Wisconsin’s economy.”
Hollman points out that in 2013 Wisconsin collected about $6.5 million in taxes from NBA players. If the franchise pulled out of Milwaukee it would leave an immediate hole in the budget, he said.
“The Bucks provide a tangible economic benefit for the community,” Hollman said. “Without a strong economy we can’t deal with all our other challenges.”
Arena supporters see the public financing component of the proposal as a job creator and an investment in the broader community, while detractors call it a boondoggle for billionaire owners and rich players. “‘Corporate welfare’ is one of the strongest criticisms I get,” said Harris Dodd.
Eve Hall, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce, called the arena project “a once in a lifetime opportunity to grow this city.” She bases her support largely on the potential for development downtown and the jobs that would be added.
“With everything that’s being said (about the arena) don’t forget that this comes with jobs,” said Wallace White, a member of the board of directors at the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, “and nothing fights poverty like a job.”
The proposed site of the new arena and entertainment district, from Old World 3rd Street and Juneau Avenue. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Taylor agrees and points out that the existing arena, the BMO Harris Bradley Center, currently supports about 2,000 jobs that would likely be lost or diminished if the Bucks leave Milwaukee. In addition, she said approximately 4,000 jobs would be added during construction, and as many as 1,000 new, permanent positions would be needed to staff the larger facility and the proposed restaurants and other businesses that would be built around the new arena.
Many believe job growth must include provisions for minority hiring. Hollman, and others who met with the Bucks, say the owners are committed to minority participation and to creating good jobs capable of supporting families.
“The Bucks reached out to us early in this process and have shown they understand that all segments of the community need to be involved if we’re going to make Milwaukee a world class city,” Hollman said.
Harris Dodd thinks that increasing minority employment downtown will help create a dynamic business and entertainment district. “I believe a revitalized downtown will be a diversity hub,” she said. “It will have a much more welcoming vibe for African Americans than we have now.”
Speaking on behalf of the business community, Hall said companies looking to attract workers to Milwaukee or locate here see the Bucks as a drawing card. “Obviously, not everyone will attend the games but having the team and a new, bigger arena adds value to the community,” she said.
Building pride in Milwaukee and a greater sense of community provides further rationale for some to support the Bucks arena. “There is no way the Bucks should not be in Milwaukee,” said Victor Barnett, executive director and founder of the Running Rebels Community Organization. “The city needs things to rally around and the Bucks provide common ground.”
Walker has said he supports the proposal and intends to sign it.

author: Matthew Wisla


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Brady Corporation is hiring! Job fair Wednesday, Aug. 5th | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brady Corporation
July 30, 2015
Brady Corporation will be holding a job fair next week Wednesday, Aug. 5th, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at its Good Hope Road facility in Milwaukee.
Brady, a world leader in identification solutions and specialty materials, is hiring for machine operators, press operators, maintenance technicians, order pickers and packagers, and material handler/forklift drivers for all three shifts.
Over the next year, as Brady shifts from temporary and contract works to permanent employees for operations positions, Brady expects to hire approximately 50 employees in our distribution center and an additional 25 employees in other manufacturing positions throughout Milwaukee.
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In addition to offering competitive rates, Brady offers tuition reimbursement, paid vacation and holidays.
“These positions are a great opportunity for students working their way through college,” said Jon Evert, talent acquisition manager and HR business partner. “We’ve got several success stories of people who worked here in college, graduated, and were later promoted to senior positions at Brady. Plus, we offer tuition reimbursement for full time employees looking to continue their education.”
Applicants must be 18 years of age and legally able to work in the United States.
Applicants are asked to bring a current copy of their resume.

author: Brady Corporation


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Moody Park opening celebration August 20, 2015 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dominican Center
July 30, 2015
Photo taken by a student at Auer Avenue School
The grand reopening celebration of Amani neighborhood’s Moody Park is August 20, 2015. This celebration is the culmination of more than twelve years of neighborhood efforts to revitalize this cherished park located at 22nd and Burleigh. The resident group, Amani United, is working closely with local organizations to provide children’s games, refreshments and entertainment beginning at 2pm. The official ribbon cutting ceremony begins at 4pm, followed with a concert by AhVantSoul with Jon Pierre & Katt Webb.
Supporters of opening day’s activities include the Dominican Center for Women Inc., Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Hunger Task Force, COA Youth and Family Centers, Safe and Sound, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Parks, Milwaukee Police Department, Artists Working in Education, Molina Health Care, Auer Avenue School, Friends of Moody Park, Lad Lake, and other city and county leaders.
About Calvin C. Moody
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Moody Park is named in honor of Calvin C. Moody. He served as a Milwaukee police officer for 25 years, becoming one of the first African American detectives in 1949. After retiring from the MPD, Moody continued to serve the city in many capacities including County Supervisor, board member of the NAACP, the Milwaukee Urban League, Columbia Savings & Loans, and the director of the Northside YMCA. Calvin C. Moody died in 1974 at the age of 70. In 1982, the County Board of Supervisors named the pool and park at 22nd and Burleigh Street in Moody’s honor.

author: Dominican Center


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
July 30, 2015


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On the Block: ‘What I fell in love with’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
July 30, 2015
Ray Williams has played the blues guitar since he was 11, getting his first gig at the age of 12. Williams, who was inspired to pick up the instrument after seeing B.B. King play on TV, has an extensive collection of albums, from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Michael Jackson.
Read more about Ray Williams at milwaukeestories.org.
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Potawatomi Hotel & Casino to help fund Youth Works MKE program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 30, 2015
jsonline.com


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Second healthy food market proposed for King Drive | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mark Doremus
July 30, 2015
Bruce and Tamora “Tami” Martin presented their plans for the old Stella’s Restaurant at a community meeting hosted by Ald. Milele Coggs. (Photo by Mark Doremus)
A husband-and-wife team has announced plans to open a delicatessen and market with 15 employees in the former Stella’s Restaurant at 2730 N. Martin Luther King Drive.
At a Bronzeville community meeting, developers Bruce and Tamora “Tami” Martin told the crowd that they want to open a full-service grocery with fresh produce and hot food in the Stella’s building, which has been vacant since 2010 and is now owned by the city of Milwaukee. The new “King’s Fresh Market and Hot Food Deli” would be almost directly across the street from the Growing Power Deli and Food Market.
“Our mission is to affect the lives of Milwaukee residents by bringing fresh food options but also by pairing that with education about how to eat healthy,” Tami Martin said at a meeting hosted by 6th District Alderwoman Milele Coggs. “Will we have fried chicken? Absolutely, but your options are not just fried chicken and French fries; it’s going to be fried chicken with a healthy side dish.”
The building that once housed Stella’s Restaurant has been vacant since 2010. Now a Milwaukee couple has plans to convert it into a full-service grocery store. (Photo by Mark Doremus)
The area around the proposed market has been labeled a “food desert” in the past for its lack of healthy food options. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a food desert is an urban neighborhood where a large number of people live more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store. According to the USDA, the lack of access to good food contributes to a poor diet and can lead to higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.
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If the Martins were to open a second deli and fresh-food market on the 2700 block of King Drive, what was once a “food desert” would be more like an urban “food oasis” with two competing healthy food stores across the street from each other.
In response to an audience question at the Bronzeville community meeting, Tami Martin said she has 22 years of experience in financial services and currently owns real estate. She said that she and her husband would be the sole owners of the proposed King Market. According to city documents, Bruce Martin is a Marine Corps veteran who reports that he has been a Milwaukee resident since 1963 and has helped renovate several buildings in the city, including the headquarters of the Milwaukee Urban League at 435 W. North Ave.
The Stella’s building, which opened as a Ponderosa Restaurant in 2002, is for sale by the city with an asking price of $250,000, down from $330,000. As recently as 2014, according to city tax records, its assessed value was $798,000. A city inspection of the building a year ago found it to be in “good repair,” but with water and mold damage in the back kitchen area.
The purchase and renovation of the building requires city council approval.

author: Mark Doremus


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Tackling Crime in Milwaukee: All Hands on Deck | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
July 30, 2015
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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UEDA names new Executive Director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin, Inc
July 30, 2015
William Johnson retired from the Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin, Inc. (UEDA) in May, after serving as Executive Director for nine years. Bill will be greatly missed, but he has laid the foundation for UEDA’s future growth and community impact.
Kristi’s commitment to UEDA is unparalleled and the Board unanimously agreed that she was the best person to build upon the successes achieved under Bill’s leadership and drive UEDA’s continued growth and community impact.
at our annual gathering on Thursday, August 20.
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Alderman Hamilton invites residents to participate in vacant lot challenge | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Ashanti Hamilton
July 31, 2015
Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, in collaboration with Mayor Tom Barrett, is inviting Milwaukee residents to take part in the “Vacant Lot Challenge.” Participants will submit ideas for creating, improving, and activating a vacant lot, and the winning team will receive a $10,000 reimbursable grant for project implementation.
A special public workshop about the project will be held in the 1st District from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4 at the Villard Square Library (in the community room), 5190 N. 35th St.
The challenge is a pilot project that will showcase creative ideas and strategies for transforming Milwaukee’s vacant land into an asset that contributes to a community need. Nonprofits and business leaders who have an interest in improving neighborhoods are encouraged to partner with residents and submit ideas.
“The Vacant Lot Challenge can inspire drastic change in the neighborhoods that need it most,” said Alderman Hamilton. “This is an opportunity for residents to take ownership in the transformation of Milwaukee, one vacant lot at a time.”
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Strategies should engage residents and address a community need such as food systems, art, community space, economic development, education and storm water retention. Project selection criteria will be based on:
The submission deadline for the challenge is Friday, August 14, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.
For more information about the “Vacant Lot Challenge,” or the submission process, please visit www.milwaukee.gov/vlc.

author: Ald. Ashanti Hamilton


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Board approves Milwaukee Excellence Charter School proposal | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
July 31, 2015
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors on Thursday night voted to.
The vote means Milwaukee Public Schools can now negotiate to establish a non-instrumentality charter contract for the school, which would open in 2016-17. A location would be determined after the contract is negotiated.
Under the proposal that was approved with an amendment from the Board, Milwaukee Excellence Charter School would ultimately serve students in grades 6-12 beginning with grade 6 in its first year.
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The proposal presented to the Board was updated to clarify its alignment with MPS Discipline Policy and information related to school structure and culture. The updated proposal also includes additional information about academic and extracurricular activities the school intends to offer as well as student and teacher recruitment efforts.
Milwaukee Excellence Charter School expands the broad range of K3-12 school offerings available to MPS families, including strong neighborhood schools; arts, bilingual, International Baccalaureate, Montessori and language immersion schools; and charter schools.
In other action, the Board:

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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Family bike ride unites Harambee and Riverwest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
July 31, 2015
Residents of Riverwest and Harambee shared the streets and admired sites in both neighborhoods during the 53212 Unity Ride. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
The rhythms of familiar disco tunes pulsated, smiles flashed and colorful streamers flew down the streets of Harambee, signaling the kickoff of the first 53212 Unity Ride. While the idea of the slow-paced, family-friendly bike ride was simple — to get people outside and exercising — it had ambitious intentions. Timed in conjunction with the annual Riverwest 24 Hour Bike Race, the more accessible 53212 Unity Ride set out to bridge the gap between two historically disconnected neighborhoods that share the same ZIP code, Harambee and Riverwest.
The two neighborhoods are geographically similar, but there is a noticeable racial divide that runs along Holton Street. Harambee’s residents are primarily African-American while Riverwest’s are primarily white.
“I wanted to create a way to bring Harambee and Riverwest together in recognition that we’re one community, it’s all 53212, but so often we do things separately. There’s racial tension and stereotypes that happen about both neighborhoods, so we need to start getting together and doing events that make us act as one community,” said Shea Schachameyer of Connect 53212, the event’s organizer.
Christ Washington helps his daughter Shalisa decorate her bike. (Photo by Allison Dikanovic)
More than 100 participants including families, adults and children of all ages, shapes and sizes gathered outside DreamBikes to decorate their bicycles before the ride began. Christ Washington and his daughter Shalisa draped pink and yellow streamers over her handlebars. Washington said it was the first organized bike ride they had participated in.
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“It says ‘unity’ in the name, so I wanted to be a part of it,” Washington added. “Right now, people act like they don’t know how to get along in some communities. I think bicycles are a good way to bring people together.”
The ride took participants through both neighborhoods, highlighting landmarks such as parks, gardens, murals and bike paths. One of the stops acknowledged a new extension to the Beerline Trail that connects the northern part of Harambee to the rest of the path that continues through Riverwest. “That in itself is a great project that is linking these two neighborhoods because before it stopped at Holton Street,” said Schachameyer.
The riders also took a break at Clinton Rose Park in Harambee to catch their breath and hang out in the shade. It was a chance for strangers to chat with their neighbors.
“It’s a beautiful day outside to just build relationships,” said Adrian Spencer, a staff member of Safe and Sound. She described the alleged tension between Harambee and Riverwest as a “perception” that could be broken if people in both communities got to know each other and appreciate what each neighborhood has to offer.
Paul Szedeiewski, a resident of Riverwest since 1981, agreed. He described the 53212 Unity Ride as a “blending of peoples who have an interest in community” and said he hoped “more personal recognition and contact, just people knowing each other and being open,” would be the result of the ride and similar events going forward.
Schachameyer said she was thrilled with the positive response from community members and plans to organize another ride next year.
“We need to keep doing work that celebrates how unique each neighborhood is… The goal isn’t just to meld the two neighborhoods together but to really recognize there are these separate neighborhoods within one community, and together, we’ve got all these amazing assets,” she said.
Desiree Roberts, a staff member at Connect 53212, found beauty in the simplicity of the ride. “Personally, I think it’s a great opportunity for people to simply enjoy being together doing something fun,” she said.


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Coding Camp to Baltimore Schools: Bring Us Your Bored! | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
August 3, 2015
National Public Radio

created: August 3, 2015


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Common Ground seeks changes in traffic laws | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sue Vliet
August 3, 2015
Common Ground held a street soccer tournament to demand changes in traffic laws that it says make the walk to school dangerous for children. Milwaukee is one of the few cities in the nation where traffic is not required to stop for school buses. The group is advocating development of an indoor/outdoor soccer space on the South Side so that children don’t have to play the game on the streets.

author: Sue Vliet


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Community members gather to honor Welford Sanders’ legacy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
August 3, 2015
The late Welford Sanders, who was well known for his many successful redevelopment projects in the central city, was honored during the recent Gallery Night on King Drive. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Standing before a packed house on Gallery Night at King Drive Commons Gallery and Studio, Artistic Director Marquita Edwards fought back tears as she spoke of the late Welford Sanders.
“This building we’re sitting in now and the other newer buildings you see on King Drive are all part of his vision,” Edwards said.
The idea behind gallery nights on King Drive, which Edwards and Sanders worked together to create, was to give local artists a chance to showcase their work and residents an opportunity to enjoy art, music, food and fellowship.
“We both saw it as another way to empower the community,” Edwards said.
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Dawn Sanders (left), daughter of the late Welford Sanders, and Marquita Edwards, artistic director of the King Drive Commons Gallery and Studio, cut a piece of cake during a celebration of the late developer’s contributions to the community. (Photo by Adam Carr)
This Gallery Night, at 2775 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, was dedicated to Sanders, as family, friends, colleagues and others gathered to honor the memory of a man they described as a visionary and silent warrior, as well as the consummate professional. Sanders passed away in May after a long illness.
Marcellius A. Brown, a board member of the Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp. (MLKEDC), the organization Sanders ran as executive director beginning in 2001, recalled being immediately impressed by the man who wore a fedora and a long coat. Brown, who at that time was an organizer in Harambee, first encountered Sanders at a presentation on community development, he said.
A few years after that MLKEDC was in jeopardy and $100,000 in the hole when the group approached Sanders, who’d already been working with the organization, and asked him to take the reins, according to Brown,
“He came in with an “S” on his chest,” said Brown.
During Sanders’ tenure the organization fostered millions in investments, including the King Drive Commons and Growing Power, and remains strong financially, Brown added.
Sanders’ development projects would fit in on Oakland Avenue in Shorewood or on King Drive, said Christopher Boston, director of sustainable communities for LISC Milwaukee.
“That’s because he wouldn’t dumb down the standards of community development because of the status of the neighborhood,” Boston said. He described Sanders as competent in his craft and compassionate about advancing communities.
“He was really a gift that the city had for a long time,” Boston said.
Despite collective grief over the loss of Sanders, his legacy and work will continue through ongoing LISC projects that Sanders worked on in Harambee, Amani, Lindsay Heights and other communities, said Boston.
His zeal for redevelopment also will be carried on by the students of those he guided as a long-time instructor at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, said Carolyn Esswein, director of urban planning. She first met Sanders while taking a graduate course he taught at the university prior to joining him on the faculty. She said that Sanders, who specialized in urban redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization, often took students to job sites in the city to witness developments in progress.
“He shared his passion for community revitalization first hand with his students,” Esswein said.
She described him as a master at creating a vision for a community and seeing it through by piecing together the resources to make it happen.
Before he began working on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive it was full of empty or underused buildings, recalled Edwards. “He saw it as untapped potential,” she said.
Ultimately, Sanders wanted to help people live a better life, become empowered and have decent housing they could be proud of, she added.
“It was his calling, what God ordained him to do — and he did it.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 2, 2015

created: August 2, 2015


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 3, 2015


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Latino Incomes Are Rising, So Why Are Their Homeownership Rates Dropping? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
August 3, 2015
The Atlantic CITYLAB


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Neighbors help reclaim Walnut Way neighborhood with park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
August 3, 2015
jsonline.com


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Voting rights need to be the first priority | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Margaret Rozga
August 3, 2015
Margaret Rozga, poet, civil rights activist and professor emerita of English at UW-Waukesha, recounts her experience fighting for voting rights in 1965, and urges action to support voting rights today.
I never thought I’d have to defend voting rights again. Defending voting rights is what I did 50 summers ago, before and after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson.
This August 6th we celebrate the 50th anniversary of that historic signing. But the substance of the celebration has been eroded by the Chief Justice John Roberts-led Supreme Court decision, Shelby County v. Holder, and by a host of measures and practices that depress voter turnout, especially among African Americans, Latinos and people in poverty. On this major anniversary, I urge all who are concerned about electoral justice to make their voices heard by all their elected representatives in favor of voting rights protections
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In July 1965, I celebrated my 20th birthday, in Bullock County, Ala., working as one of four volunteers from Milwaukee in the Southern Christian Leadership’s Summer Community Organization and Political Education (SCOPE) project. We had been in this rural county about three weeks and had spent every day canvassing African-American areas encouraging people eligible to register at the Court House in Union Springs on one of the three registration days that month. Canvassing involved walking dirt roads in the hot sun, a tedium that sometimes evaporated with a warm welcome from a black family, and other times was wiped out by terror with the sudden appearance of hostile whites. But given the number of people who said they were willing to try to register, we expected to see hundreds of new voters that month.
Delays at the courthouse seemed to put that goal beyond reach. On the first of the three registration days, the courthouse closed after only seven people applied. The next day, the registrar worked slowly, and the courthouse closed for a two-hour lunch break.
I had a flat tire on one trip bringing people to town. After we got that first flat fixed, we drove just a few miles before getting another. The volunteer driving with me changed that tire himself in 95-degree heat. While we were stuck on the side of the road, an African- American teenager bicycled past us. He stopped only long enough to say, “Don’t go back to that gas station in Union Springs you were just at. My cousin works there. He said the man doesn’t like you.”
Despite these and other setbacks, 41 people came to register on these three July days. Local leaders were ecstatic. This was the highest number of African-Americans ever to apply, though they were the numerical majority in the county. At our meeting that night at a small country church, we had one of our largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the summer. We sang freedom songs and believed every word. We will overcome.
By the designated registration days in August, the Voting Rights Act was in effect. Even though there were no federal officials in Bullock County to oversee procedures, the behavior of the county registrar improved dramatically.
In the spring 1966 primary elections, African-Americans ran for office and finished first for sheriff, the state House of Representatives and tax assessor. Although these candidates did not win the general election that year, they did go on to win subsequent elections. African-Americans had power to work on other issues that affected their lives. They could feel that their lives mattered.
We live today in an era like that following Reconstruction, when gains for African- Americans are being rolled back, including gains in voting rights so fundamental to a democracy. After the Supreme Court gutted voting rights protections, Republican congressman James Sensenbrenner proposed an amendment that would reinvigorate the Voting Rights Act in ways compatible with the Supreme Court ruling. He introduced the Voting Rights Act Amendment of 2015 this February. In March, it was referred to the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Justice. Though at this point it has 73 co-sponsors including Gwen Moore, no one in Congress has made it a priority, and with no strong push from citizens, it is given almost no chance of passage this Congress.
It is not a perfect bill. While it allows for states or political subdivisions of states to be placed under “pre-clearance restrictions” if they have histories of discriminatory practices, it excludes requirements for a photo ID from the category of discriminatory practices. Still, as a signal of our national will to protect voting rights, this bill deserves to be brought up for full debate and a vote in Congress.
Another significant measure well worth pursuing is state-by-state adoption of the Oregon measure to register all citizens as soon as they are old enough to vote unless they explicitly decline to be registered. Then we could stand on more solid ground as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act for which so many people gave their lives.

author: Margaret Rozga


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White House Plan To Let Inmates Access Pell Grants Earns Praise From Reform Advocates | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
August 3, 2015
Wisconsin Public Radio


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Cicolvia MKE to encourage active living with the involvement of local businesses | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Cesar Chavez Drive BID
August 4, 2015
Ciclovia MKE will take place on Saturday, August 29th, 2015 at the intersection of Cesar Chavez Drive, and Washington St. The bike route is open from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., which starts on Washington St. and goes from Cesar Chavez Drive to Barclay St., and ends at the opening of the KK River Trail. An open market will be on Cesar Chavez drive from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. for participants that want to buy products from the local businesses.
The success of Ciclovia MKE is based on an engaging environment where families can participate in fun activities. Physical activities will include a soccer area coordinated by the Milwaukee Soccer Development along with a variety of traditional Mexican and American street games. Also, dance lessons and interactive entertainment will be provided by Academia de Danza Mexico and Instituto Cultural de Danza.
The Ciclovia MKE initiative allows local businesses to become integrated with the community as they join physical and social activities. In other communities, this initiative has proven to boost the economies of the local businesses. We believe hosting a successful Ciclovia event will vitalize the economic growth on Cesar Chavez Drive and benefit both local businesses and residents.
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This event provides support to the community through the involvement of the Wisconsin Bike Federation, Cesar Chavez BID, Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, City of Milwaukee, Walker Square Neighborhood Association and Milwaukee County Parks.
Ciclovia derives from a Latin American tradition, more specifically from Colombia, that is about minimizing the use of cars and promoting biking to explore the communal spaces. This way, residents can have the space available for walking, dancing, playing games, socializing, and most importantly promoting bike use for daily purposes. Ciclovia MKE is the first event of this type in Milwaukee and we encourage participants to adopt the healthy initiative. For more information, please visit Cicloviamke.org.

created: August 4, 2015

author: Cesar Chavez Drive BID


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 4, 2015

author: Adam Carr


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National Night Out, Tuesday, Aug. 4 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
August 4, 2015
National Night Out began in 1984 to promote safe neighborhoods, and now includes more than 35 million people across all 50 states. Here are a few opportunities to mark National Night Out on Aug. 4:
Milwaukee Police District 3
When: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Harley Davidson Parking Lot
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W. Juneau Avenue and N. 35th Street
Fun, games, food and activities for residents of all ages
Alderman Ashanti Hamilton and state Sen. Lena Taylor
When: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Blatz Pavilion at Lincoln Park
1301 W. Hampton Ave.
Free food, music, trolley rides, a movie, giveaways and more
Harambee Great Neighborhood Initiative & the Rose Park Sunday Softball League
When: 7 p.m.
Clinton & Bernice Rose Park (5 St & Chambers Ave)
Home Run Derby & Sunday League All Star Game
Entry to the home run derby costs $10, and winner will take all

author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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Nature, ecology are focal points of Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s August gift | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
August 4, 2015
A young biker explores Three Bridges Park in the Menomonee Valley. (Photo by Adam Carr, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service)
Experience the wonders of the natural world during a day of free access to sites in greater Milwaukee that advance environmental education, conservation, adventure and ecology. For its August Gift to the Community, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation is partnering with the Urban Ecology Center, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Riveredge Nature Center and Mequon Nature Preserve to offer free entry and an array of special programming across six different locations on Saturday, Aug. 22.
“Our partners for the August Gift to the Community all foster appreciation for our environment and community in distinct ways,” said Ellen M. Gilligan, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. “The possibilities for fun and discovery on Aug. 22 are vast and will hopefully inspire our guests to learn more about the wonders of the living world around us.”
Each partner will offer a host of unique activities for visitors of all ages. Complete details can be found on their respective websites, accessible through greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/gifts.
Opportunities include:
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8200 W. County Line Road, Mequon, WI 53097
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (trail access: dawn to dusk)
Three highlights:
4458 County Road Y, Saukville, WI 53080
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (trail access: dawn to dusk)
Three highlights:
1111 E. Brown Deer Road, Milwaukee, WI 53217
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (trail access: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Three highlights:
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (all branches)
Menomonee Valley Branch, 3700 W. Pierce St., Milwaukee, WI 53215
Three highlights:
Riverside Park Branch, 1500 E. Park Place, Milwaukee, WI 53211
Three highlights:
Washington Park Branch, 1859 N. 40th St., Milwaukee, WI 53208
Three highlights:
Now in its eighth month, the Gifts to the Community program has reached nearly 200,000 people in providing access and celebrating the resources that make this region special. The Foundation has offered these opportunities in honor of its 100th year of service. New gifts are revealed each month on FOX 6 Milwaukee.

author: Greater Milwaukee Foundation


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Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee welcomes new CEO | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
August 4, 2015
The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee welcomes Robert Meiksins as its new Chief Executive Officer. His first day serving as CEO will be September 1, 2015.
Meiksins comes to the organization after more than seven years as the owner of Forward Steps Consulting, where he has assisted Milwaukee-area nonprofits in achieving their missions through organizational development, including governance consulting, fund development, and strategic planning.
Meiksins’ past roles included serving as senior consultant at the McDonald Schaefer Group, a resource development consulting firm specializing in capital campaign design and management.
He served as grants coordinator for Forward Community Investments, which invests in, connects, and advises organizations and initiatives that reduce social, racial, and economic disparities in Wisconsin communities.
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Meiksins also served BoardStar as its board placement coordinator, connecting qualified candidates with boards in the nonprofit sector as well as developing and delivering workshops on governance and consulting to those boards.
For seven years, he served as executive director of Future Milwaukee, the Milwaukee area’s oldest and most active leadership development program, with a mission to identify, develop, place and support diverse community leaders.
“The nonprofit sector is an incredibly important part of the quality of life in Milwaukee and the Nonprofit Center has helped nonprofits succeed for decades,” says Meiksins. “I am very excited for the opportunity to build on the Nonprofit Center’s legacy as it faces new challenges.”
“We are pleased to welcome Rob into the senior staff leadership role of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee,” says Josh Bierbach, president of the organization’s board of directors. “His experience developing and serving Milwaukee-area nonprofits will be a boon to the organizations in our community and to the nonprofit sector as a whole.”

author: the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee


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On the Block: Art for all | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matthew Wisla
August 4, 2015
Ron Powell, shown with a recent painting called “The Man,” believes that creating works of art, like playing sports, contributes to personal development. Powell also works with central city boys as a volunteer with the Neighborhood Children’s Sports League because he thinks team sports help youths become responsible adults.
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(Photo by Matt Wisla)


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Public, charter and choice school leaders train together and build relationships | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
August 4, 2015
Howard Fuller tells school leaders that there is no more important work than theirs in a keynote address during a daylong training at Milwaukee College Prep Lola Rowe North Campus. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Longtime Milwaukee education leader Howard Fuller spoke words of respect, empathy, support, humor, inspiration and advice to urban school leaders from traditional MPS, charter and choice schools at a recent professional training day organized by the local nonprofit Schools That Can Milwaukee (STCM).
“We have to love these kids,” he said, granting that some are not lovable. “If you don’t love them, you can’t reach them. If you can’t reach them, how are you going to teach them?” he added.
In his keynote address, Fuller also challenged his audience to embrace change and be authentic.
“In your school community, you’ve got to have real conversations about real issues,” he noted.
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Fuller addressed more than 100 principals, instructional leaders and deans of students at the end of a day of training provided by STCM. STCM offers opportunities for educators to collaborate and build professional and personal connections to improve schools for the sake of Milwaukee’s children, according to Isral DeBruin, STCM’s communications and development manager.
Tianna McCullough, instructional coach for culture at Carver Academy, takes a lunch break after the morning session on adult learning principles. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The leaders training day also offered workshops on best practices for professional development training and other skills, as well as a panel discussion with parents and students. It was held at Milwaukee College Prep Lola Rowe North Campus, 1350 W. North Ave.
STCM, an independent affiliate of the national organization Schools That Can, works to help high-quality urban schools expand and high-potential urban schools improve. It currently partners with 38 high-performing schools and schools it identifies as having the capacity to improve. The latter are chosen primarily by evaluating their principals’ potential to grow, DeBruin said. STCM envisions 20,000 city students attending high-quality urban schools by 2020, according to its Web site.
In addition to group training, STCM provides partner schools with coaches who work one on one with educators in their schools. Educators also have access to other schools in the network.
“Teachers get to leave their schools … and get other ideas and strategies that they never thought of before,” said Suzanne Kirby, who has been the principal of Wedgewood Park International School, 6506 W. Warnimont Ave., for 10 years.
Kirby, whose southwest side school serves racially diverse sixth- through eighth-graders, added that the leaders training forces her “to reflect on all that I’ve done, what someone else is doing really effectively, and (consider whether) there are any holes I need to fill to keep bettering my work every day,” she said. She has attended the STCM training before.
Kirby noted that STCM’s weekly coaching has helped Wedgewood Park raise the bar for its students. Wedgewood Park is a traditional public school with an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme.
Tianna McCullough, the instructional coach for culture at Carver Academy, 1900 N. 1st St., also viewed the networking opportunities as an important benefit of the training.
“I love … the opportunity to network with people who are not within my school, who may not even be within my sector (Carver is a traditional public school). I’ve been able to make so many positive connections,” McCullough said.
She added that the morning session on best practices for leading professional development, including use of time and tools, was important to her because she is responsible for staff training at her school.
Notre Dame Primary School Assistant Principal Itzel Galindo, who has had experience in a variety of schools, said she sees value in all of the models and supports what she sees as “the driving purpose of the development day … (demonstrating) that it is possible to come together, share a vision and move towards unity and improving schools for kids. I think that’s ultimately what we all want,” She attended an MPS school growing up and has taught in MPS and worked at nonprofits and charter schools. Notre Dame, 1418 S. Layton Blvd., is a Catholic choice school.
Galindo said she was pleased to meet a principal from Waukesha whose school shares Notre Dame’s focus on a dual language curriculum.
The networking aspect was also the best part of the day for Michael Morgan, principal of Milwaukee College Prep (MCP) Lola Rowe North Campus. As a new principal at MCP … “being able to get on the phone and call someone from a partner school to ask simple questions, whether around enrollment, assessments or things that are changing in the city of Milwaukee, and be able to get an immediate response has been really good for me,” Morgan said.
Fuller assured the attentive school leaders at the end of the day, “There is nothing more important than the work being done in these schools,” adding, “You don’t have to do it alone.”

author: Andrea Waxman