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How Djdade Denson is building community and changing lives in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Meredith Melland
November 22, 2023
At 28, Djdade Denson has already established himself as a leader.
He co-owns a successful North Side coffee shop, oversees a camp for youths and is developing expertise in construction and development.
Denson is a co-owner of Coffee Makes You Black, a restaurant and gathering space that has operated at 2803 N. Teutonia Ave. since 2001. He also is the director of Jaha Workshop, which runs the annual Camp “Xhongo” Peace Father & Son Retreat.
Before taking on those roles, Denson, who goes by the nickname “DJ,”  worked in project management for a local construction company. But after three years, he felt the pull to do more for the community.
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Armed with a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Marquette University, Denson said “it’s almost my obligation to try new things to help my community.”
A Milwaukee native, Denson graduated from the Associates in Commercial Real Estate program, also known as ACRE, in May.
ACRE is an educational partnership between the Local Initiatives Support Corporation Milwaukee, Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Milwaukee School of Engineering that seeks to expand and support minority representation in the commercial real estate industry.
Denson continuously looks to learn and then share his knowledge to help promote homeownership, financial literacy and development to benefit the community.
“Milwaukee can’t do better than a guy like Djdade,” said Daniel Armstrong, Denson’s friend and co-owner of Coffee Makes You Black. “He’s all for the city. He’s all for the youth. He’s all about inspiring.”
Denson grew up in the 53206 ZIP code, an area on Milwaukee’s North Side located west of Interstate 43 to 27th Street, bordered by North Avenue to the south and Capitol Avenue to the north. The area has faced long-standing challenges related to poverty, joblessness and mass incarceration of Black men.
“I’ve been blessed to have parents who were really, really dedicated to education and togetherness (community),”  Denson said.
The second youngest of six siblings, Denson attended Milwaukee College Prep in middle school and University School of Milwaukee for high school.
With academic and athletic scholarships, Denson attended Marquette University, where he was a Division I track and field athlete. He graduated from Marquette in 2019.
Denson also is continuing his late father’s legacy of helping the city’s youths. His father, Ron Johnson, and others started the free annual father and son camping retreat after attending the Million Man March in Washington D.C., in 1995.
After 27 years, the camp is now nearly as old as Denson, who took over running it in 2022.
“He’s a lot like his dad . . .  the kind of person who wants something good for everybody,” said Tony Courtney, a regular at Coffee Makes You Black and a community elder. Courtney was a friend of Denson’s father.
In August, 95 boys and men from Milwaukee and Chicago traveled to the Blackhawk County Park campground in De Soto, near La Crosse, to camp, fish on the Mississippi River, play sports, watch a meteor shower and bond.
In addition to helping youths, the camp also has enabled Denson to make important business connections.
He and his business partners first approached Coffee Makes You Black owner Bradley Thurman about learning the ropes of the restaurant when they were at the camp in 2021.
“We went into the chief tent, and we told him what our thoughts were and what our intentions were, and you know, he embraced it,” Denson said. “He was like: ‘OK, y’all start Monday.’”
Thurman taught Denson and his business partners about running the restaurant, giving thema crash course in business and entrepreneurship from customer service to marketing and product consistency.
With his background in construction, Denson noticed that residents often are not included in development projects in Milwaukee and how out-of-town landlords own many properties in majority Black neighborhoods.
“How can you take pride in your surroundings when you don’t have any ownership?” he asked.
Feeling compelled to make a difference, Denson applied to the ACRE program. The program helped him to understand how real estate and development work in Milwaukee and how to include the community in future development projects to avoid displacing people.
“My goal is to equip the people who currently live where they live with the necessary tools, knowledge and apparatuses to be able to keep their homes and benefit from the increase in activity,” Denson said.
Andy Hunt, the Vieth director for the Center for Real Estate at Marquette University, called Denson a rising star who consistently demonstrated he was committed to success and building partnerships throughout the ACRE program.
“One of the things that I admire most about him as a leader is the fact that he’s so well-rounded,” Hunt said. “He recognizes how different parts need to come together to make the whole.”
Denson currently works for Jordan’s Construction Services as the superintendent on Gallery 507, 507 W. North Ave., which will be part of the Bronzeville Center for the Arts.
One of his goals is to continue learning about construction so he can teach others while building homes for the community.
Denson referenced an African proverb that gives him motivation: “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.”
“It was so impactful to me just because I’ve been embraced for the most part by my village, I guess, but I know that isn’t true for everyone,” he said.
“So just teaching the village how to embrace all of us is something that I think is one of my goals because then you can truly change lives and set a standard for how we want to be treated, loved and cared for.”
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

created: November 22, 2023


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53298405676_30b9065621_k-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 21, 2023

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: November 21, 2023

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

author: Ron Smith


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53298405676_30b9065621_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 21, 2023


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Nov. 24 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
November 24, 2023
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Men and women interested in finding out more about programs that will cover their training costs to become certified nursing assistants, or CNAs, are invited to a meet and greet hosted by Better Days Ahead CNA & CBRF Training. Attendees can ask questions and meet the instructor, staff and students in the certified nursing assistant field. This event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24 in the lower level of 3489 N. 76th St. Text 414-391-1842 to RSVP. More information here.
A group art exhibition, featuring local artists, will be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24 at Greenwood Park Gallery and Framing Inc., 4233 W. Fond du Lac Ave. This art exhibition is free and open to the public. Live entertainment and refreshments will be available. More information here.
Friday, Nov. 24 is the deadline to register for the 53rd annual lunch for the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee. The event will take place at noon Monday, Dec. 4 at the Marquette University Alumni Memorial Union, 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. Venice Williams of The Table and Alice’s Garden Urban Farms will be the keynote speaker. More information here.
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Karma Community Garden invites community members to a Thanksgiving community meal around a bonfire at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 2129 N. 35th St. More information here.
The second annual HYFIN Blackity Black Holiday Market will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 at Turner Hall, 1040 Vel R. Phillips Ave. The event will feature 50 vendors, music, food and community resources. More information here.

created: November 24, 2023

author: Chesnie Wardell


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53352229785_455c8442b1_b | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 23, 2023

created: November 23, 2023


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5 things to know and do the week of Nov. 27 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
November 27, 2023
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Attend drop-in sessions where you will learn the fundamentals of Medicare such as how to enroll and manage insurance. The sessions will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center, 1220 W. Vliet St., Room 104.  More information here.
MilWALKee Walks will hold its Volunteer Thank You celebration from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at the Center Street Library, 2727 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Click here to RSVP. More information here.
The Sherman Phoenix Marketplace will celebrate its five-year anniversary from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 with food, music and prizes at 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. This event is free and open to the public. More information here.
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Every last Wednesday of the month, Amazing Faith Dinner Dialogues brings people of different faiths  together to share their perspectives on faith over a meal. The next moderated discussions will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at Bay View United Methodist Church, 2772 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Registration is required. More information here.
At the Dec. 21 meeting of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, Milwaukee Public Schools administrators will recommend a single calendar for all schools in the district. To get feedback from the community, the district is asking residents to complete a survey at mpsmke.com/calsurvey, You will receive a link to the survey in your email. The deadline to complete the survey is Sunday, Dec. 3. More information here.
Milwaukee County’s annual Courthouse Tree Lighting ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 901 N. Ninth St., on the first-floor rotunda.  This free event will feature Santa Claus and music. More information here.

created: November 27, 2023


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Ron Smith
November 26, 2023

created: November 26, 2023


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A new name but same mission for Washington Park social service agency | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
November 28, 2023
After serving the Washington Park neighborhood for over three decades, United Methodist Children’s Services of Wisconsin has changed its name to better reflect its approach to addressing poverty in the community.
It’s now called Rooted & Rising – Washington Park.
Leaders revealed the new name to the public during the agency’s annual Chili Fest and Family Housing Resource Fair in October.
“Washington Park has been our home here for more than 30 years, and we are really proud of our history and our presence here,” said William Schmitt, the executive director of Rooted & Rising – Washington Park.
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“But we want to make sure that we’re presenting an image and just overall feel that is welcoming and inviting to everybody and reflects our commitment to remain in this neighborhood.”
The organization initially opened its Milwaukee office in the ’70s to operate a single program to help families overcome poverty. It has since expanded into a hub that provides services to Washington Park residents, business owners and partners with the goal of addressing poverty.
The agency, for example, partnered with other organizations and helped coordinate a 15-neighborhood effort to survey housing conditions in the City of Milwaukee.
The Washington Park neighborhood spans from North Avenue to West Vliet Street and Wisconsin Highway 175 to North 35th Street.
The neighborhood has a rich history, but it faces the same challenges as other parts of the city.
According to a report from Data You Can Use, the neighborhood has an unemployment rate of over 10% and almost 50% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Rooted & Rising – Washington Park uses a five-pillar approach to address poverty in the Washington Park neighborhood. The agency focuses on affordable housing, social services, community organizing, housing development and neighborhood safety.
Helping families find affordable housing, however, is the nonprofit agency’s top priority.
Rooted & Rising has 72 units of housing, including three apartment buildings and 20 townhomes. Fifty-three of the units are designated for low-income families that are working toward financial independence.
Fifteen units are reserved for those in the county’s mental health support program, and four units are allocated for families moving out of homelessness.
In addition, the agency recently re-entered the housing development sphere.
Rooted & Rising – Washington Park won a grant, alongside VIA Community Development Corp. or VIA CDC, to build nine new houses in the Washington Park neighborhood for first-time homeowners with completion expected in 2025. VIA CDC is an organization that focuses on economic development, housing and community leadership.
In partnership with Impact 2-1-1, the group’s social work team provides services such as crisis intervention, mental health monitoring and community-building activities to the surrounding community. Rooted & Rising also houses a licensed child care center, a family resource center and a food pantry.
Iran Jennings, a Washington Park resident who volunteers with Rooted & Rising, believes everyone in the neighborhood should be informed.
“I think people don’t know the resources that we have in Washington Park, and it’s important for them to have that information,” she said.
Jennings said when Rooted & Rising community organizers knocked on her door, she became more involved in the community.
“They show people one-on-one that their voices and opinions are important,” she said.
Rooted & Rising also has a safety task force.
Most recently, the group has been working to get cameras installed in an area of the city where illegal dumping is occurring.
“The neighbors are fed up with the dumping,” said Adrian Spencer, Rooted & Rising’s director of neighborhood engagement. “But they also don’t know what to do about it, so we’ve been supporting them to try to get cameras installed there and come up with solutions to help make that a safer area and an area that’s less desirable for folks to dump in.”
Spencer urges residents to support Rooted & Rising – Washington Park by attending meetings or volunteering.
For more information on Rooting & Rising – Washington Park, you can check out its website.

created: November 28, 2023

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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53281030354_3f95c6880e_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 27, 2023


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Abandoned properties get a new life with his murals | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
DeMar Walker
November 29, 2023
If you have traveled around the city lately, the murals of Gabriel Jesus Thomas may have caught your attention.
Thomas’ artwork can be seen on abandoned storefronts on the city’s North and East sides. Some of them are located at the intersections of Holton and Locust streets, 35th Street and Villard Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Port Washington Road.
“Art is me. I do it all the time. It’s who I am. I’m always with my sketchbook,” said the Milwaukee native.
Inspired by his cousin who sketched ninjas as a kid, Thomas developed an interest in visual art around the age of 5. As a teenager, he started his own business, customizing shoes and T-shirts for his friends.
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Thomas quickly recognized the impact his passion had on those around him, so he decided to highlight positive images by creating murals. He estimated that he has about a dozen murals throughout the city.
He first began creating murals while living in Dallas in 2020. When he returned to Milwaukee later that year, Thomas felt the need to share his practice in areas on the North and East sides where he used to hang out during his younger years.
The images reflect people praying and playing instruments and include Bible verses and other messages of hope. Thomas considers the murals a part of his ministry.
“Everything I do is a reflection of the relationship that I have with God,” he said.
To learn more information aboutGabriel Jesus Thomas, you can visit his Instagram page.
DeMar Walker is the arts and culture reporter for Milwaukee NNS.

created: November 29, 2023

author: DeMar Walker


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356hstreet | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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45th-Street | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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FAITH | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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Halluejihal | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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JOHN316 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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LOVEmural | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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PHOTOS: A sneak peek at First Stage’s ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jonathan Perez
November 29, 2023
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical” returns to the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater this holiday season after its last run in 2018.
The musical is based on the play by Barbara Robinson and created by the husband/wife team of Jahnna Beecham (playwright/lyricist) and Malcolm Hillgartner (composer/lyricist).
The storyline revolves around the horrible Herdmans, the worst kids in the history of the world. The entire town panics when these rowdy six siblings are cast in the church’s annual Christmas pageant.
It’s up to good-hearted Mrs. Bradley to help the Herdmans – and the rest of the town – discover the true meaning of Christmas before it’s too late.
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The musical runs through Dec. 24.
Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased in person at the Marcus Center Box Office at 929 N. Water St.; by phone at (414) 273-7206; or online at firststage.org.
Founded in 1987, First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. It produces plays that include diverse and traditionally underrepresented voices.

author: Jonathan Perez


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FSBCME_S1-2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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Ron Smith
November 28, 2023


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November 28, 2023


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Challenges in Narcan distribution hamper efforts to slow pace of drug overdose deaths | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
November 30, 2023
As soon as Rafael Mercado gets word in his South Side neighborhood that people are overdosing on a bad batch of fentanyl-laced drugs, he races to distribute Narcan before more lives are lost.
Narcan, a drug used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, is in short supply in Milwaukee. This worries advocates like Mercado who distribute the life-saving drug.
“We’ll take Narcan if we have it and fentanyl test strips and post up at the hot spots on National and Greenfield Avenue,” Mercado said. “We can’t hit the streets without Narcan or with minimal supplies of it.”
Mercado is the leader of Team HAVOC, a grassroots group that conducts street outreach, needle cleanups, and other addiction awareness activities in Milwaukee.
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He said obtaining doses of Narcan, the brand name for naloxone medication and a key tool in slowing the pace of drug overdose deaths, is a challenge in the city for groups like his that support individuals who use opioids.
Mercado is not alone, according to Desilynn Smith, clinical director at Gateway to Change, a treatment center located at 2319 W. Capitol Drive.
She also is the executive director at Uniting Garden Homes Inc., 4201 N. 27th St., a nonprofit that provides support to families and hosts Narcan training events.
“There are many agencies that need [Narcan] that don’t have it or don’t have enough,” Smith said. “We need enough of it to saturate the community if we want to save more lives.”
From Jan. 1 to Oct. 28, there were 362 confirmed drug overdose deaths, with 183 suspected cases pending toxicology in Milwaukee County, according to data provided by Karen Domagalski, operations manager for the Medical Examiner’s Office.
If all the pending cases are confirmed as drug overdose deaths, the total this year would jump to 545, nearly identical to last year’s total of 547 through the same period. In 2022, Milwaukee County recorded a record high 665 drug overdose deaths.
Mercado said his group obtains Narcan through several different avenues, none of which is always accessible.
One option, he said, is to pick up doses from the city’s 11 Narcan vending machines, but, he said, many are not open after hours or accessible at all.
A recent visit by NNS to a vending site at 1615 S. 22nd St. revealed that while the vending machine was filled with supplies, it wasn’t turned on.
“The machines are supposed to be accessible 24 hours a day, but that’s not always the case,” Mercado said. “Regardless, not everyone can get to these sites.”
Many local organizations, including Team HAVOC, access some of their Narcan supplies through the Milwaukee Health Department, which is a participant in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Narcan Direct Program. The program provides free Narcan for community distribution.
The program is available to county human service departments; local health departments; tribal health clinics or their designees; syringe-exchange programs; programs with recovery coaches and certified peer specialists; and state-certified opioid treatment programs.
While many organizations, including local participants such as the United Community Center, Vivent Health, and the Milwaukee Health Department, are eligible for and participate in the Narcan Direct Program, those stipulations leave out other organizations such asTeam HAVOC.
Capt. Gregory Miller, mobile integrated health care manager for the Milwaukee Fire Department, said his agency is no longer eligible for the Narcan Direct Program.
“We were prior to this year, but we’re not allowed to renew,” he said.
Miller, who helps oversee the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative, a partnership between the Fire Department, Milwaukee Health Department and other community partners, said the change resulted in low supplies of Narcan for a time.
But that gap closed when his department joined the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Leave Behind Program.
The Leave Behind Program provides emergency medical service providers funds to purchase Narcan and fentanyl test strips.
Smith’s organizations, Gateway to Change and Uniting Garden Homes, are also both ineligible for the Narcan Direct Program and rely on the Milwaukee Health Department and Wisconsin Voices for Recovery, a Madison-based organization, for the Narcan they distribute.
“We’ve run into situations where we don’t have it and can’t meet that immediate need,” Smith said.
Another issue is that there’s simply not enough Narcan available locally, said Courtney Geiger, who was the public health strategist, specializing in overdose and substance use disorder prevention for the City of Milwaukee Health Department at the time she was interviewed by NNS. She resigned from that position on Oct. 26.
“In Milwaukee, there’s not enough [Narcan] to get out the doors and not enough for all agencies,” said Geiger, adding that the city received 1,200 doses of Narcan through the Narcan Direct Program this year and submitted a request to obtain 6,000 in the next cycle.
A request for comment from the Milwaukee Health Department on any changes since Geiger’s departure did not receive an immediate response.
Despite the challenges, there are still places to find Narcan in Milwaukee, such as purchasing it at a pharmacy or going to any local fire station to receive a Hope Kit, which contains the drug and fentanyl test strips.
While those options can be helpful, Mercado said not having an ample supply on hand isn’t ideal when you’re racing to save lives.
“I get it when I can, but when I run out, I’m stuck because people need it and I can’t provide it,” he said.
How to use Narcan to save a life during a drug overdose
10th Street Comprehensive Treatment Center
Rogers Behavioral Health
West Milwaukee Comprehensive Treatment Center
First Step Community Recovery Center
Meta House
West Allis Community Medical Services
United Community Center

created: November 30, 2023

author: Edgar Mendez


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Ron Smith
November 29, 2023


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Ron Smith
November 29, 2023


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Concordia 27 enters final stretch: What you need to know about the housing and community hub on Near West Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Meredith Melland
November 30, 2023
Thanks to a contribution from Milwaukee County, Near West Side Partners is one step closer to its $20 million funding goal for Concordia 27, as the organization prepares to open the first finished space in the complex in mid-December.
In the 2024 budget, Milwaukee County allocated $2 million in affordable housing funding to go to Concordia 27, an affordable housing redevelopment and community hub led by Near West Side Partners, or NWSP.
Located in the Concordia neighborhood, at 27th and Wells streets, a four-story complex is being redeveloped into the mixed-use Concordia 27, which will have community space, nonprofit/commercial spaces and 33 affordable housing units for people making less than $15 an hour.
Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson and County Executive David Crowley signed the adopted 2024 Milwaukee County budget, with the funding provision in it, on Nov. 15 during a ceremony at Concordia 27.
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“As the supervisor representing this neighborhood, I led the county’s partnership with the Near West Side because of our shared commitment to equity and quality affordable housing,” Nicholson told NNS in an email.
Concordia 27 is designed to address inequities of housing insecurity, health disparities, food insecurity, trauma, unemployment and transportation access.
The building’s first floor will house Near West Side Partners; a large commercial kitchen and training space by Centers for Independence, or CFI; Fruition MKE, which includes coworking and maker spaces and a cafe; and Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee, a wellness nonprofit addressing trauma and stress.
Centers for Independence’s space is expected to open by mid-December, according to Lindsey St. Arnold Bell, executive director of Near West Side Partners.
CFI provides culinary workforce training to adults with disabilities and prepares over18,000 daily meals to more than 11,000 low-income children in schools and after-school programs in Milwaukee County.
The remaining first-floor spaces are expected to be completed in January, and tenants are expected to move in next spring.
The housing units are expected to be completed by fall 2024, pending full funding, St. Arnold Bell said.
NWSP previously secured $16 million in federal, state and private funding for the project, including $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding from the state of Wisconsin.
Rick Wiegand, who purchased the property in 2015, and his firm, Wiegand Enterprises LLC, is managing the development with NWSP and Quorum Architects.
Many of the stakeholders involved in Concordia 27 are already connected to the Near West Side and Concordia, including Tiffany Miller, a neighborhood resident who co-founded Fruition MKE.
“Our mission is to make the space (Fruition) accessible to the neighborhood because it’s needed,” Miller said during a building tour in September.
Once Concordia 27’s partners open their spaces, they plan to work with each other to meet community needs.
To provide healthy food options, Fruition MIKE’s cafe will sell reduced-priced meals made by CFI employees.
CFI’s commercial kitchen will be used during off hours as an incubator for food entrepreneurs who need a professional space.
“They’ll be able to leverage all of our equipment, all of our storage and our connections, so we’re pretty excited about that,” said Heidi Chada, vice president of employment and commercial services at CFI.
The entrepreneurs will also have the chance to sell their food in Fruition’s cafe.
St. Arnold Bell is excited about the building’s potential.
“At the end of the day, this is a beautiful building,” she said. “But it’s really who we bring in and how we enhance the opportunities here with programming that’s really going to make it an asset to the community.”
St. Arnold Bell said Concordia 27 is working with partners, including the City of Milwaukee, to make up the $2 million gap to reach its $20 million goal. It is also accepting donations.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

author: Meredith Melland


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Ron Smith
November 29, 2023


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Ron Smith
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5 things to know and do the weekend of Dec. 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
December 1, 2023
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
The Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center is hosting a “Diva Day” event for female veterans from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Dec. 1. at 5000 W. National Ave. The event will include refreshments, free items, makeup demonstrations and more. More information here.
Meet a librarian over coffee, tea and donuts to discuss books of your interests from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 at the Milwaukee Public Library Center Street Branch, 2727 W. Fond du Lac Ave.  More information here.
Spend some time at the Youth Forward Milwaukee “Winter Jam” from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 at Nō Studios, 1037 W. McKinley Ave. The event will feature food, music, raffles and youth vendors. More information here.
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Participate in a meeting to create committees to address the 10th anniversary of Dontre Hamilton, who was killed by a police officer at Red Arrow Park in Milwaukee. The meeting will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Progressive Baptist Church, 8324 W. Keefe Ave. The anniversary will also honor those who have lost their lives to violence in Milwaukee. More information here.
The Wisconsin Family Connections Center and PIK Photography will be partnering to host a photography workshop for teens from      10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. Teens will learn the basics of photography from an instructor with assistance from their parents and guardians. Registration is required. More information here.

created: December 1, 2023


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Ron Smith
November 30, 2023


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OPINION: How do we keep our neighborhoods safe? Three youths share their solutions. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Safe & Sound
December 1, 2023
Earlier this year, Safe & Sound hosted an essay contest and asked young people to share how to keep communities safe. Here are the winners and their essays.
First Place: Sebastian Rubalcava, 17, attends St. Francis High School
In our homes, in or schools, our places of employment and in our communities, there’s one thing all those places put ahead of everything else: SAFETY 1.
Everyone has the human right to be safe and to be safe in all these environments.
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What does it mean to be safe or feel safe?
In our homes, to be safe from abuse or neglect. In our schools or safe place, to be ourselves without being bullied. Safe to be able to talk to our teachers. In our places of employment, do we have proper safety equipment, being safe from sexual harassment, racism, or sexuality. In our communities, being safe from violence or other dangers such as drugs and gangs.
Now, how do I play my part.
Where do I begin? Let’s start with where I spend most of my day: In school, being very active in the athletics department; involved in three sports – football, wrestling and track.
I spend most of my time at school. For me I want my school to be a safe, fun, and memorable experience.
Safe from being singled out or bullied.
So how do I make my school a safer environment?
My biggest thing is awareness, which will be talked about in all my aspects of safety in different environments.
I make students aware of other students who might need a little more help than others.
For example, if my friend broke his leg, I’ll be aware to give him a little help with doors or even carry his books to his next class.
If there are students in wheelchairs, open doors for them.
Being kind to people is one of my ways to make school a safe place. Another way is by standing up to bullying. I would run an anti-bullying after-school program once a week for students to understand cognitive behavior and have self-awareness events. Not only for those getting bullied but those who wanted to help stop bullying.
It would be a total success. Bullying is no longer a big problem at my high school. This is just a small part of what I can contribute for safety in my school.
I would also start telling students who walk home to stay in bigger groups to feel safe getting to their destination after school. This would keep them safe from violence outside of school. Also, it is more visible to drivers.  It’s easier for motorists to see a large group of kids than just one or two.
So being a student for me, school is first when it comes to safety.
Now, to help peers at home be safe is a little more challenging.
First, we must be aware of our friends and other students’ mental health and emotional state of mind: If they keep coming into school looking sad, depressed, wearing the same clothes, and even as far as bruises on their body. Also, if they are eating lunch fast.
These are signs of things that are going on at home.
There have been a couple of times I have seen some of these things in a friend and in other students.
One of my friends would eat all his lunch and ask others for food they weren’t going to eat. He never did that before. So, I spoke to him and came to find out his father lost his job and couldn’t afford much food after paying bills.
So, I asked my friend if I could organize a food drive. He felt embarrassed but agreed. My friend was a good student and was a friend to everyone. Word got out and by the end of the week, the family had food that would last about a month.
His father got a new job, and my friend was safe. These are just some ways I try to make our homes a safe environment.
Another time my friend told me about his parents constantly arguing. We made the principal aware. The principal ended up having a conference with the parents regarding what students reported. The parents ended up having family counseling. Now the student feels safe being at home with no arguments.
Now for my community /neighborhood. I volunteer at a food pantry on the South Side of Milwaukee, I also volunteer for a nonprofit organization Core El Centro,  Your Move MKE Community Center and for Saint Adalbert Parish Church.
I have various duties, from interacting in the community, serving meals, setting up events and volunteering at those events.
How do I help make my community a safer environment? Awareness. During the times that I participate at the food pantry, I talk and interact with the people from the community and get to know the stories they have.
They would tell me things such as a little girl hit by a car because the driver was speeding and not following the streets signs to how they end up losing their job, even worse how they end up losing a love one.
The stories that are strong to hear are when the neighborhood speaks about how people are dying of drug overdoses and how they see people selling drugs to minors and young adults.
With this information, I’m aware of what I’m seeing around when I volunteer at Core El Centro or Your Move MKE.
We all want to find a safe place to be. Those places seem a safe place to be. I make it seem to other youth that it is okay to come to the organization that I give my time to so they can join this nonprofit and feel safe like I do.
I know it doesn’t seem much, but if we as a community get together, we can make a difference and be heard.
It’s important to get to know the community to know what the community needs are. We all watch each other’s backs.
If there is a person in wheelchair or deaf in the community, we get signs put up making passersby aware.
So how do I make my environment safer with awareness?
WE make friends, family and the community aware of unsafe environments. We can work together to change that unsafe place to a safer one. My name is Sebastian Rubalcava, and I use awareness to make my school, home and community safer places for everyone.
Second Place: Cruzcita Galvan Jenkins, 16, attends Milwaukee Lutheran High School
My name is Cruzcita Galvan-Jenkins, and I am a 16-year-old native of Milwaukee.
Growing up with events like community get-togethers, I learned to recognize my area as a safe and close-knit community.
I perceived Milwaukee overall as being like this, not just my neighborhood.
As I grew older, I was exposed to many of the negative aspects of the city, including violence and property crimes.
I was especially aware of all of this in 2020, which went on record as Milwaukee’s most violent year with 189 homicides.
Many Milwaukee residents, including me, had great difficulty during this period, which also included the COVID-19 pandemic.
When I realized that many of the victims of these murders were children and teenagers my age, I started becoming more involved in my neighborhood as a way to encourage other teens to engage in safer activities. It was hard to watch young people my age being killed by such violence.
For my part, I started getting involved in my neighborhood by just observing what was happening around me.
In my neighborhood and then in other parts of the city, where events ranging from small barbecues to major festivals were being done, I started attending community gatherings once it became safer for larger numbers to gather again.
This in itself changed my perspective about the positive aspects of this city, and I even started inviting my family and friends along to these activities.
I was giving someone else an opportunity by inviting them because they might not have otherwise learned about these events. After that, whenever I saw a flyer promoting a local event, I would take one or two and pass them around, but it didn’t quite end there.
I had been more involved in my community by attending these activities, but I wanted to be an active member. I wanted to be a member of the organizations that planned these activities and observe how each event brought the neighborhood closer together.
This is where I first learned about HeartLove Place, a nonprofit that, according to its mission statement, “connects communities through Christ to empower individuals, motivate families, and build stronger neighborhoods.”
After joining HeartLove, I began to love going out more.
Even my brothers had an opportunity to participate by going to HeartLove’s summer camp. By the time the camp was through, they emphasized how much fun they had and how excited they were to return the following year.
HeartLove is a great example of how to unite a community, and I’m happy to say that I was a part of it.
However, that is not the only way I have contributed to my neighborhood. I also became involved in uniting my community by supporting the Earn & Learn program, a summer job program for teens and young adults in the city.
With my first job site being a newly opened park, Earn & Learn helped me learn about all the new attractions that had opened in my community.
Knowing this, I informed two of my close friends who later joined employment as well!
I felt happy with myself since I was able to interest two other teenagers in what was happening in the city.
I am still active with HeartLove as of 2023, and I continue to attend several community-based events like the back-to-school gatherings.
Even though I have been contributing, I truly want to make it known that everyone in this city can contribute by listening to the ideas I want to convey in the hope that they will eventually be put into action.
First off, it is no secret that there has been strain in the relationship between the police and the neighborhoods. But I genuinely want to see a shift.
I want the police to relaunch the baseball card program to promote connection and lessen stigma.
Through my parents, I learned that this was a program highly promoted in the ’80s and the early ’90s. During this initiative, officers would go around handing out baseball cards to children and talking to them about avoiding drugs, gangs, and acts of violence.
I believe these can help create unity by showing kids that there are other ways to put themselves out there in the community, without adhering to violence.
Overall, I think that by helping to keep locals — especially young people — out of trouble and more community-oriented, all of these events will contribute to the good of the neighborhood and promote unity within it.
I’m happy to be able to share how I work to create a secure and unified community, and I want to see others do the same in the foreseeable future.
Honorable 2nd Place: Ryon Davis, 17, recent graduate of Pius High School, now a freshman at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
As a young man of God, I’m reminded that to be a faithful steward of my gifts. I must serve others (1 Peter 4:10).
I’ve done this most effectively within my school and church communities.
During my junior year, I joined a group called REDgen.
The mission of this club was to provide peer support to students who dealt with challenges that impacted their mental health.
I enjoyed my time with this team as a trusted peer specialist.
I was also a school ambassador, which allowed me to hone my mentorship skills.
I attended high school fairs to promote my school, served as a host for student-shadow days, and created safe spaces that allowed incoming freshmen to feel comfortable with their high school experience.
This was a great experience as I could help mentor the younger generation.
I also enjoy volunteering in a variety of capacities within my church. I can be found packing groceries for our monthly grocery giveaway, leading small groups in our youth ministry, assisting children in learning challenging choreography on our praise dance team, providing assistance during special events, and even working the cameras for our media team. I even once stepped in to assist a camera crew while attending a youth summit.
If I’m honest, I’ve learned better to understand myself in my service to my community. It brings me great joy to support the needs of others while stewarding my gifts in a way that pleases God.
What can be done to better ensure the safety of our neighborhoods and community?
If we want to ensure a safer community, the people of Milwaukee have to bridge the generational gaps that exist.
Discourse must continue to find solutions for the problems we face. The older generation must learn to trust the younger generation while the younger learns to listen.
The people of this city need to work as a team for the safety and betterment of the place we call home. When we judge each other, we’re only bringing each other down, so why do it? Tearing our fellow citizens down only creates more violence in our neighborhood.
We must move as one, working to preserve the beautiful place we live in. I’m reminded of a quote by rapper Common that says, “It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people’s energy.”
The city is made of many people, each part of varying generations. When we can work together in harmony, only then can we ensure the safety of our neighborhood and our community.
In what aspects has gun control, or lack thereof, affected your daily life?
Gun control has affected my daily life not only as a teenager but as a Black male. Whenever I turn on the news, I’m often met with stories of violent young Black men who choose to solve arguments with weapons like guns.
This stigma that people like me are dangerous has caused me to get certain looks from those around me.
Problems like gun control have also taken away the opportunities for the younger generation to have fun. For instance, people under the age of 18 can’t hang out at Mayfair Mall.
I understand there have been a series of fights, but not all young people are like that. Even driving out to suburban areas can be a hassle as they don’t want you there.
My brother and I enjoy skating around Wauwatosa, but you may not know that as an outsider looking in. Some may just categorize us as just two young Black men who are up to no good.
Although I’ve never owned a gun, stereotypes of those who do have continued to put an unfair target on my back.
If you were in a position of power, what would you do to create a safer city?
If I were in a position of power to create a safer city, I’d create more areas of intervention.
I believe that the biggest problem in the city right now is our misguided youth, so these centers can serve as alternatives to being in activities of violence.
Sometimes it seems like the people of Milwaukee spend more time judging the youth than providing them with outlets.
Could you imagine if the Kia Boys were given jobs within the trade as technicians and mechanics?
That alone can show the power of brilliance of the younger generation. It’s so easy to say discouraging things about other generations, but it takes a strong will to see the good in them. If we want to create a safer city, we have to start with the children.
The children are not only our future but our solution to some of the major problems in this city.

author: Safe & Sound


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5 things to know and do the week of Dec. 4 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
December 4, 2023
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon to 4 p.m., All Peoples Gathering Church will give away free produce at its table stand at West Clarke and North Second streets. In addition to produce, there will be plenty of organic vegetables, eggs, yogurt, bread and more. More information here.
The Sherman Phoenix Marketplace will hold a small business open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 4 at 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Individuals interested in learning more about small business, creative arts and retail space opportunities are welcome to attend. RSVP here.  More information here.
Growing MKE, the citywide planning effort that focuses on future housing growth and choice in the city, will host an open house from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4 at the Good Hope Library, 7715 Good Hope Road. More information here. In case you missed it: The city seeks your input on how Milwaukee grows. Here’s how to provide it.
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The monthly Keeping Community Covered virtual session takes place the first Tuesday of the month. The session for December will focus on the ins and outs of health insurance and run from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the event. More information here
Voces de la Frontera and the Milwaukee Public Library Mitchell Street Branch are partnering to offer citizenship classes from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. The classes, offered in English and Spanish, are for individuals who have at least five years of residency or three years as a permanent resident who is married to a U.S. citizen. To register, call 414-236-0415 or 262-346-4027. Walk-ins are welcome. More information here.
Enjoy an hour of free yoga and meditation from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.  on Monday, Dec. 4. at MKE Yoga Social at 735 N. Water St., Suite 728. MKE Yoga Social will be giving away yoga mats to participants. Click here to obtain a free ticket. More information here.

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It’s open enrollment time: Here’s what you need to know to get or keep health insurance | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Trisha Young
December 5, 2023
If you’re looking for health insurance, now is the time to enroll.
Open enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, and Medicaid renewal are underway.
Advocates warn that thousands of Wisconsinites may be at risk of losing their health insurance for 2024 if they don’t apply on time.
Open enrollment for the 2023–’24 ACA Marketplace Health Insurance is available on HealthCare.gov. To ensure coverage, consumers should  enroll in the federal health insurance marketplace by Jan. 16. You can find plans as low as $10 a month.
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Kennita Hickman is an entrepreneur and insured through the Affordable Care Act.
Hickman said she was fortunate to have a friend who is a health care navigator to help her find an option that worked best for her. She encourages others to do the same.
Health care navigators are people whocan help you review insurance options and complete applications, often for free.
“I know it can feel uncomfortable to share your information with people, but I wouldn’t try to navigate all of this on my own,” Hickman said.
The open enrollment period runs alongside the phased Wisconsin Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus renewal and redetermination process taking place now through May.
Wisconsinites are urged to renew their BadgerCare Plus or Wisconsin Medicaid via access.wi.gov or call 800-362-3002 Monday through Friday from  8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Visit Covering Wisconsin or call (608) 261-1455 or (877) 942-6837.
Visit Progressive Community Health Centers or call (414) 935-8000. Walk-ins are also encouraged at their Milwaukee locations at 3522 W Lisbon Ave. and 1452 N 7th St., Second Floor.
Do you have more questions? Visit Milwaukee Healthcare Partnership’s Milwaukee Enrollment Network page.

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Inside the NNS Newsroom: Veteran journalist Tannette Elie joins our staff as managing editor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
December 6, 2023
Tannette Elie, an award-winning journalist with 20 years of print/digital media experience, has been named the new managing editor of NNS.
She succeeds O. Ricardo Pimentel, who retired in September.
Elie serves as vice president of print for the Wisconsin Black Media Association and is a lecturer in communication at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois.
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She also is the creator and co-host of a soon-to-be launched podcast that will feature the unique stories of successful Black women in Milwaukee.
A seasoned higher education professional, Elie served as communications director and as a journalism lecturer for the University of Wisconsin Parkside for 15 years. In addition, she helped lead Marquette University’s Urban Journalism Workshop from 2015 to 2020.
Elie also spent 20 years as a reporter and business columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, where she covered a variety of beats before leaving the paper in 2009.
Elie will join Executive Director Ron Smith in the continuing effort to give Milwaukee the newsroom it deserves and the members of the NNS newsroom the support they need to soar.
“We are at a pivotal stage in the growth and development of NNS,” Smith said. “Our mission has always been not only to inform, but to transform. I am so thankful to have a thought partner who will help us feed the information needs of residents who often are ignored by other news outlets.”
Elie enjoys reading, walking,  practicing yoga and spending time with family.
“I believe the best way for journalists to serve communities of color is to elevate the residents of those communities through powerful storytelling,” she said. “I am excited to continue to fulfill that mission at NNS.  “

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PHOTOS: COA’s Family of the Year luncheon | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jonathan Perez
December 6, 2023
COA Youth & Family Centers held its Family of the Year fundraising luncheon last month at the Italian Community Center and recognized two Milwaukee families for making a difference in our communities.
Lorenzya Polnitz was first introduced to COA in 2019 as a guest at the Gill Family Resource Center food pantry. Wanting to get more involved, she began working for the pantry and played an essential role in continuing services during the pandemic.
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She now serves as the director of community programs and services at the Goldin Center and one of her duties includes managing the food pantry she once used.
Beginning with Mel and Leila Joy Goldin, four generations of the Goldin family have supported COA’s mission. In 2005, COA’s facility on West Burleigh Street was dedicated to Leila Joy and now serves over 1,000 families every year.


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New Concept Self Development Center, a fixture in Milwaukee’s central city, prepares to close its doors | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
December 7, 2023
After nearly five decades serving residents of Milwaukee’s central city, New Concept Self Development Center is closing.
Currently housed within the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1531 W. Vliet St., the organization once served more than 7,000 families a year and ran a number of programs for youths, adults and families.
This included parenting classes, a driver’s license recovery program, GED classes and employment assistance services.
“It is very difficult to quantify our impact over the last 48 years,” said Maria Flores, executive director of New Concept. “We innovated numerous programs that changed people’s lives.”
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According to New Concept Board Chair Ulla Pinion, the  center never recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced it to pivot from face-to-face services to online.
“Programming and funding became more and more limited,” Pinion said. This resulted in the board voting to close New Concept during a meeting in October.
The center will close its doors for good Dec. 31.
“Its legacy is going to be all of the people you see in the community that have passed through New Concept’s doors,” Pinion said.
Founded by June Perry and fellow social worker Geri McFadden in 1975, New Concept innovated culturally competent programming for African Americans in Milwaukee, Pinion said.
“There are a lot of organizations that just now do what New Concept was doing many years ago,” she said.
Some of New Concept’s successful programs over the years included the Each One Reach One girls mentoring program at the Hillside housing development; its model first time juvenile offenders program; prenatal care programs; and programs for men at the George M. Sanders Fathers’ Family Resource and Employment Center, located within its current facilities.
Terron Edwards, a current New Concept board member, was a participant in fatherhood programming at New Concept.
“That was when my boys were babies, and I was a teen dad,” Edwards said. “That was a time that I was really lost.”
Edwards said he learned many lessons from fatherhood mentors at New Concept, such as the purpose of being a father and how to help kids avoid childhood traumas you experienced.
He said he took those lessons with him as he started his own fatherhood group at Northcott Neighborhood House and eventually launched his own organization, Fathers Making Progress.
Fathers Making Progress, which also is located at the King Community Center, will take over fatherhood programming from New Concept.
“The lessons and the integrity I gained at New Concept continue into what our movement has become,” Edwards said. “I’m proud to be able to continue that tradition.”

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OPINION: My trip to Cuba didn’t make me proud to be an American. We have to do better. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jolan Kruse
December 7, 2023
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service invites community members to submit opinion pieces of 500-800 words on topics of interest to central city Milwaukee. To send a submission for consideration, please email info@milwaukeenns.org. The views expressed are solely those of the authors.
When I was in elementary school, my school had a tradition where every grade level learned a play in music class and then performed it for the rest of the school. One of the songs my grade sang one year was “Proud to be an American” by Lee Greenwood. The lyrics read:  “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.”
It wasn’t until years later that I realized I’m not always proud of my country.
This past summer, I spent a week and a half in Cuba as a participant in a peace-building delegation through the Witness for Peace Solidarity Collective about the U.S. embargo on Cuba and how we can work toward building solidarity. The trip was funded through Marquette University’s Center for Peacemaking’s Student Peacemaking Fellowship.
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The embargo affects the Cuban people in many ways. During my stay in Cuba, I saw doctors who couldn’t get their patients the medication they desperately needed, farmers who were overworked and underpaid and parents fighting to make ends meet so their children can have food on the table.
The United States also has Cuba on the state supporters of terrorism list. This means that trade and other transactions between the United States and Cuba are scarce if not prohibited. Since Cuba is so close to Florida, this makes it much more difficult for the Cuban people to have access to resources.
The terrorism list also makes it so that people in the United States cannot travel to Cuba without a license and a visa. As if this wasn’t difficult enough, once in Cuba, there is a list of places that Americans aren’t legally allowed to enter.
Many of these places, for example, Hotel National, are luxury hotels and resorts. Cuba relies on the income of many of these places to improve its damaged economy. Having these places be illegal means we have laws in place that directly harm the Cuban economy.
This has and continues to bring suffering to the Cuban people. The week and a half I spent in Cuba I didn’t witness supporters of terrorism: I witnessed survivors of it.
One of the places we visited was the Memorial de la Denuncia. Near the entrance, there are thousands of tiny crosses hung up along a white wall. Each cross represents a Cuban life lost because of terrorism.
Although these things don’t make me feel proud to be an American, I know that we can do better. I know that we can work toward repairing our relationship with Cuba. And I know that we can live up to a song that represents our nation but not always our actions. So, let’s change our actions one step at a time.
I understand that propaganda exists all over the world. It’s easy to give in to just one side of a story, but it is these habits that make us ignorant. I urge others to do research on Cuba. I urge others to go to Cuba and see for themselves the beauty of the country and the kindness of the Cuban people.
Cuba is a country that has every reason to hold a grudge toward the United States or to be skeptical, yet I experienced none of this. I saw a culture that was extremely welcoming and thankful for our presence.
Lastly, I urge people to be more open-minded. It’s a trait that is difficult to have but imperative for remaining peaceful with other nations.
Jolan Kruse is a junior at Marquette University, majoring in Journalism and Social Welfare and Justice.

author: Jolan Kruse


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Dec. 8 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
December 8, 2023
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
The Sherman Park Community Association will serve free pancakes to children, along with photo opportunities with Santa, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 2862 N. 53rd St. More information here.
Join the Friends of Havenwoods State Forest from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6141 N. Hopkins St., to decorate your own wreath. Natural materials will be provided. To register, call 414-527-0232 or arrive earlier as space is limited. More information here.
The Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley Branch is hosting a free public animal feeding with turtles, snakes, and other Native Wisconsin Animal Ambassadors from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 3700 W. Pierce St. All are welcome to attend. More information here.
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The Embassy Center MKE invites families to attend its third annual Jolly Jamboree from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 3725 N. Sherman Blvd. The event will feature holiday crafts, games, snacks and more. Click here for volunteer opportunities.  More information here.
Join host Sole Q.U.E.E.N. at the Sole Healing Arts open mic from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9  as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at The Q, a barbecue restaurant at 2730 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Experience live poets and singers. Purchase tickets here. More information here.

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5 things to know and do the week of Dec. 11 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
December 11, 2023
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Milwaukee Christian Center Youth Development Program will hold its monthly movie night for families from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 11 at the Kosciuszko Community Center, 2201 S. Seventh St.  You will receive free refreshments and get additional information about the program. Click here to RSVP. More information here.
Individuals are invited to come out and build a snowflake from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 11 at the Milwaukee Public Library Washington Park Branch, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd. Art supplies will be provided. More information here.
The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center hosts a movie night and discussion every second Tuesday of the month with drinks and snacks. The next one will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 315 W. Court St. and will feature the movie, “Pride.” More information here.
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“Snack Hack” at the Milwaukee Public Library Mitchell Street Branch aims to give adults the opportunity to learn about different foods through cooking demonstrations. The next one is from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. More information here.
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is in the midst of our annual fundraising campaign. As a nonprofit newsroom, we give you the news free of charge. But our staff has to be paid, too. No donation is too small (or too large). Please support us as we continue to give Milwaukee the newsroom it deserves.

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Should the National Guard be sent to Wisconsin prisons? Some think so. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
December 12, 2023
Some advocates and families are asking Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers to deploy the Wisconsin National Guard in prisons throughout the state to relieve chronic staffing shortages.
According to the most recent data from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, the vacancy rate for correctional officers and sergeants for adult facilities in the state is roughly 29%.
Some advocates say that the vacancy rate has created problems for those who are incarcerated.
Prisoners, for example, have reported bird droppings on food trays, reduced access to showers and insufficient medical care, among other issues, according to a New York Times article.
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In addition, a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of prisoners at Waupun Correctional Institution said that prisoners are routinely confined to their cells for up to 24 hours a day.
The suit alleged they are not provided with regular services and programming, including family visits, religious services and educational resources.
This degree of confinement is often referred to as a “lockdown” by prisoners and their advocates, but the Department of Corrections refers to the practice as “modified movement.”
Tommie Carter, who is incarcerated at Waupun, described potentially fatal consequences of such a practice.
“There are prisoners who have a long history of life-threatening suicide attempts, including myself, and serious mental illness,” Carter said in an email to NNS. “They are prone to psychological breakdowns when stress and trauma become severe … .”
In recent years, Evers has deployed the National Guard in different parts of the state in response to the coronavirus outbreak, floods and wildfires.
Although there is no consensus, those in favor of using the National Guard say that what is happening inside stateprisons is as serious as these emergencies.
If the National Guard was activated, it could be inside prisons within 48 to 72 hours, Keith Peter, director of public affairs for the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, said in an email.
Although the National Guard is “always ready to work” with its “partners across Wisconsin in state and local government,” the governor has not requested help with staffing issues in stateprisons, Peter said.
Evers’ office did not respond to requests for comment, but on Nov. 14, his office released a news release stating that staff vacancies at Waupun and Green Bay correctional institutions contribute to challenges maintaining “safety within the institutions for members of the public, staff and population of the facilities under normal operations.”
The most recent data from the Department of Corrections shows that both Waupun and Green Bay vacancy rates for correctional officer and sergeant positions are well over the statewide average, with rates of roughly 53% and roughly 40%, respectively.
A major strategy of the Evers administration to deal with these vacancies, said the release, was to secure pay raises for correctional officers.
At the beginning of the Evers administration, the starting wage for correctional officers was $16.65 per hour, and now it is $33 per hour, according to the release.
This new starting wage is more than 20% higher than the national average hourly wage of $26.33 for correctional officers and jailers, according to estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The news release added that the Department of Corrections “is already seeing the benefits” from the pay raise, and that “applications for security positions have increased and training class sizes continue to grow.”
Although governors can activate their state’s National Guard, local authorities also can request assistance.
The Department of Corrections is not, however, seeking support from the National Guard at this time, Kevin Hoffman, deputy director of communications for the department, said in an email.
Rather, Hoffman added, the pay increases have made the department “hopeful” that it can better attract and retain staff.
According to Evers’ news release, the Department of Corrections also is working toward restoring regular programming and services.
For example, Waupun “has been able to increase … work assignments in food service, health services, laundry, law library, restricted housing unit, sanitation, social services and housing units,” according to the news release.
But there have been subsequent reports that restrictions have not been changed or have not been changed to the extent stated by the news release.
One such report, from the attorney working on behalf of prisoners at Waupun, said those incarcerated are still excessively confined to their cells and are limited to one shower and one hour of recreation a week.
Although Evers’ office did not respond to requests for comment about these allegations, Hoffman said the attorney’s claims are consistent with statements made in the news release, which said that “rules related to visitation, personal hygiene frequency and recreation time remain suspended … .”
Others stress that this issue goes beyond deploying  the National Guard in prisons.
“If Wisconsin policymakers began to immediately enact common sense policies to reduce the prison population, there would be no need to use the National Guard,” said Mark Rice, Wisconsin transformational justice campaign coordinator at WISDOM.
“Wisconsin could then close several prisons and redirect resources to build safer, stronger and healthier communities,” Rice said.
WISDOM is a statewide faith-based social justice organization that helped arrange a news conference in October outside the Wisconsin State Capitol to highlight the plight of prisoners.
Some policymakers agree more needs to be done.
On Nov. 2, Wisconsin Democrats released information on a package of 17 bills aimed at prison and jail reform.
“Many of our prisons are over their designed capacity,” said Rep. Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee), adding that the deployment of the National Guard to prisons would help only in the short term.
One of the bills calls for more transparency and oversight regarding solitary confinement and lockdowns.
The bill requires that the Department of Corrections provide publicly available, real-time data about changes to a prisoner’s confinement as well as their ability to have visitors and communicate.
The bill also calls for a notification system for families of prisoners after these changes occur.
“Families, loved ones and other visitors of people who are currently incarcerated are left in the dark regarding the movements of their loved ones and conditions in prisons overall,” Madison said. “Our office gets dozens of letters a month from families unaware if their incarcerated family member is OK.”
Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

created: December 12, 2023

author: Devin Blake


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PHOTOS: Finals for 40th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speech Contest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jonathan Perez
December 13, 2023
On Saturday, Dec. 9, students from kindergarten through 12th grade delivered speeches at the We Energies Public Service Building Auditorium during the finals for the 40th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speech Contest.
Judges chose six winners who will deliver their speeches at the citywide Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration on Monday, Jan. 15 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
For the contest, sponsored by We Energies, students wrote a speech on the theme,  “What Affects One Affects All.”
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created: December 13, 2023


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Uptick in violence has Milwaukee’s trans community on high alert | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Trisha Young
December 13, 2023
These are anxious times for members of Milwaukee’s trans community.
They say they are being targeted by anti-trans legislation and are concerned about an uptick in violence directed at them. As a result, advocates worry about what they see as a growing threat to transgender health.
“When certain members of the community are legislated against, it has the very real potential to create poor health outcomes for these communities,” said Brandon Hill, CEO of Vivent Health.
Vivent Health is a clinic that specializes in the treatment and prevention of HIV. The clinic also offers other services, including gender-affirming care (the health care that many nonbinary and transgender persons require to change their gender) to patients.
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Some advocates believe that legislation targeting transgender people places them at greater risk of violence.
“When we talk about trans life, we need to talk about safety,” said Elle Halo, a board member of Diverse & Resilient,  an organization that aims to create health and social equity for people of LGBTQ+ identities in Wisconsin.
Halo also is a member of Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity, or SHEBA, a group of Black transgender women who meet for leadership training, health activities and social support.
Halo and other transgender advocates are concerned about the recent uptick in trans murders in the city.
Beginning in 2022, Milwaukee saw a disturbing trend  with the killing of four trans women, all of them Black.
Trans women of color,  particularly those who are Black, are disproportionately affected by fatal violence, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a national organization that fights for fair treatment and equal rights for LGBTQ+ people.
Chyna Long was the fourth Black trans woman to be killed in Milwaukee since June 2022. She suffered multiple gunshot wounds on the city’s Northwest Side, where she died on Oct. 8.
Long, 30, who grew up in Milwaukee and attended Washington High School, loved to dance and was a choreographer.
Long’s death comes after the homicides of Brazil Johnson, 28;  Regina “Mya” Allen, 35; and Cashay Henderson, 31. All three were Black transgender women who were shot and killed within a nine-month period from 2022 to 2023.
Before 2022, Milwaukee had not seen a murder of a Black trans woman in 12 years, according to SHEBA. But in 2010, 26-year-old Chanel Larkin, a SHEBA member, was shot and killed along North 23 Street.
No suspect has been charged in Johnson’s death. But charges have been filed in the cases of Long, Allen, Henderson and Larkin.
The Milwaukee Police Department confirmed that none of the killings, including Long’s death, were investigated as hate crimes.
When asked whether being a trans woman played a role in their deaths, the Milwaukee Police Department responded in an email that it did not believe they were targeted.
Approximately 22 states have recently passed laws limiting or prohibiting gender-affirming medical care for transgender people up to 26 years of age. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, 507 bills targeting LGBTQ+ and trans specific rights have been proposed.
In Wisconsin, Republicans have also pushed similar bills despite Gov. Tony Evers’ vow to veto them.
“Though I don’t like to speculate on causation, I think we can see the rise in violence against transgender and gender-diverse people is definitely culminating with the rise of anti-transgender rights legislation,” Hill said.
In September, the Board of Supervisors voted to make Milwaukee County a sanctuary county for transgender and nonbinary people.
But advocates say more needs to be done.
“There’s a political culture war happening, but that isn’t necessarily a priority for our girls when they’re worried about access to food and housing security, safety in the streets and access to a healthier life,” Halo said.
This means leaders and residents must confront  gun violence, racism, misogyny and poverty, not only for trans women, but for all Milwaukeeans, Halo said.
“If you address these issues like homelessness and gun violence for trans people, you’ll end up addressing these issues for every other member of the community, too,” she said.
Transgender activist Yante Turner said our political landscape has alienated a group of people that “you can politically, socially and spiritually charge.”
Turner is an organizer for Sun-Seeker MKE Collective, a Black trans-led abolitionist collective that uses community engagement to educate Milwaukeeans.
Turner said it’s important for transgender peopleto be visible in the community. His collective goes into neighborhoods where anti-trans violence has occurred and passes out farm fresh food. This, he said, humanizes trans people.
“Our most under-resourced ZIP codes in the city are also where many of these violent crimes against trans people happen,” Turner said.
To learn about SHEBA, visit its site or Facebook page.
To learn more about Sun-Seeker MKE Collective, visit its Facebook page or call (414) 909-1904.
To make an appointment at Vivent Health, check out its website or call (1-800) 359-9272.
Diverse & Resilient offers trauma-informed support for the LGBTQ+ community statewide. To talk to an advocate, call or text 414-856-LGBT (5428) or visit its office, 2439 N Holton St. in Milwaukee.
BESTD located at 1240 E Brady St. Phone number: (414) 272-2144
Holton Street Clinic located at 3251 N Holton St. Phone number: (414) 264-8800
Milwaukee Keenan Health Center located at 3200 N 36th St. Phone number: (414) 286-8840
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers located at 1032 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive. Phone number: (414) 897-5645
Outreach Community Health Centers located at 210 West Capitol Drive. Phone number: (414) 727-6320
Planned Parenthood- Wisconsin Avenue Health Center at 2207 W. Wisconsin Ave. Phone number: (844) 493-1052
Planned Parenthood- Mitchell Street Health Center at 1710 S. 7th St., Suite 300. Phone number: (844) 493-1052
Planned Parenthood- Northwest Health Center at 5380 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Phone number: (844) 493-1052
Planned Parenthood- Capitol Drive Health Center at 801 E. Capitol Drive. Phone number: (844) 493-1052
MKE LGBT Community Center located at 315 W. Court St. Phone number: (414) 271-2656
Courage MKE located at 1544 S. 6 St. Phone number: (414) 240-2882


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NNS Spotlight: How The Community fills information gaps for those who have been or are incarcerated | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
December 14, 2023
Over a third of individuals who have been released from Wisconsin’s prisons into Milwaukee County returned to prison within three years, according to the most recent data from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
Advocates say more work needs to be done to better serve this population and keep them in their communities.
The Community is finding ways to do this.
The Milwaukee nonprofit creates newsletters, videos and podcasts for and about people who have been incarcerated.
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The reason The Community’s staff does this kind of work is because it believes that the problem of recidivism – being rearrested, reconvicted or reincarcerated –  requires an intentional approach.
Successful re-entry work has to go deep, Shannon Ross, founder and executive director of The Community, said.
“We start a relationship with them (incarcerated individuals), helping them see themselves as human beings,” Ross said.
The Community does not employ social workers or case managers.
“What we do is more like a macro service rather than a micro,” Ross said.
The Community publishes a monthly newsletter, which boasts about 8,300 subscribers throughout Wisconsin’s prisons.
This is roughly 40% of people who are currently incarcerated at such facilities, according to Prison Policy Initiative data.
“I don’t know very many people who did not receive the newsletter,” said Raini Moede, who was released from prison last December.
Although digital for a time, the monthly newsletter now is available in hard copy to reach more people and provide more content, said Roy Rogers, pre-entry liaison and information analyst at The Community.
“While you are incarcerated, you do not have immediate Internet access. You do not have Google,” he said. “Information is limited to if somebody sends you a letter or you get on a phone call. And so, there’s a big information vacuum: You want to know things, but you cannot find them out.”
Such a vacuum can make being incarcerated and preparing for re-entry challenging.
“For example, during the pandemic, the government began to issue out stimulus checks to the population to help. OK, so the question was, ‘Hey, does this apply to those who are incarcerated?’” said Rogers. “No one had answers. No one had adequate answers.”
The Community’s staff eventually learned that those who were incarcerated were eligible to apply for these benefits.
Ross said The Community was initially the only organization in Wisconsin that advocated on their behalf.
In a place where researching information is unusually difficult, trusted sources of information become all the more important.
The April newsletter, for example, has information about medical exams, screenings, infectious diseases and chronic health conditions.
“When you’re incarcerated, you kind of hear like, ‘Oh, they’re going to pass a bill that calls for this, or they just passed this,’ and it’s just constant rumors amongst inmates,” Moede said. “The Community does fact-checking. They clarify and give the actual, real information.”
You can connect with The Community via email at  info@thecommunitynow.us
Information about events sponsored by The Community, and its partners, can be found on its Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram accounts.
Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
Catch up with the people and organizations who make Milwaukee great by reading “NNS Spotlight.”

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Post from Community: Miller Lite Free Rides program offers complimentary transportation on New Year’s Eve | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Molson Coors
December 14, 2023
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
As anticipation builds for the countdown to midnight, Molson Coors is helping Milwaukee residents celebrate the holiday season by offering complimentary mass transit on New Year’s Eve through its 2023 Miller Lite Free Rides program.
Partnering with Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), residents can enjoy fare-free rides on Sunday, Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Rides will be available on the following routes:
“As we embrace the new year, Molson Coors remains committed to championing alcohol responsibility in the communities it serves. It’s an honor to contribute to the night’s festivities across Milwaukee and welcome in 2024 together,” said Alison Hanrahan, community affairs manager, Molson Coors. “By partnering with MCTS, our hope is to not only provide free rides, but to foster a sense of community and responsibility as we collectively celebrate this new chapter.”
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Since its inception in 1988, the Free Rides program has been a cornerstone of Molson Coors’ commitment to promoting responsible celebrations. Through collaborative efforts with local mass transit, the program has extended fare-free rides to more than 8 million individuals across the U.S. During last year’s New Year’s Eve Free Rides in Milwaukee, more than 3,000 individuals took advantage of complimentary transit to welcome in the new year.
“We look forward to collaborating with Molson Coors every holiday season to provide our community with the gift of free rides during the New Year’s festivities,” said Kristina Hoffman, MCTS director of marketing and communications. “Through this collaboration, we are not only providing transportation; we are creating opportunities for unforgettable memories with friends and family.”
The New Year’s Eve Free Rides program concludes this year’s annual Free Rides initiative. This year, the program was offered in nine cities over the course of five events including St. Patrick’s Day, major holidays and professional sporting events. Molson Coors has expanded the Free Rides program over the past two years, providing increased access to free transportation options and reinforcing the company’s commitment to the communities it serves.
Milwaukee residents are encouraged to plan their free ride before the countdown to midnight begins. Riders can visit ridemcts.com to review transit routes and make arrangements for their journey into 2024.

author: Molson Coors


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