MCJ Feb 11, 2015 Edition

JJOUROURNALNALWISC O N S I N ’ S L A R G E S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N N E W S PA P E R

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OMMUNITYOMMUNITYVOL. XXXIX Number 29 February 11, 2015 www.communityjournal.net 25 Cents BULK RATE

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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSINPERMIT NO. 4668

By Thomas E. Mitchell, Jr.Milwaukee School Board Dist. 3 Candidate Stephany Pruitt is not intimi-

dated by the idea of running against incumbent Board President MichaelBonds. Far from it.When asked about going up against a current office holder who has had

some success in the district bringing back programs such as art and physicaleducation to district schools despite state cuts in funding, Pruitt shrugged itoff.“No one should run (for political office) unopposed,” said Pruitt, a licensed

mental health professional for over 20 years.“What makes better elected officials is having an opponent,” Pruitt added.

“I have the credentials and a lot to offer.”Pruitt will face off against Bonds in the April 7, 2015 general election.Pruitt has worked 27 years mostly in the non-profit world, 12 of those years

in directorship positions with MICAH (Milwaukee Inner City CongregationsAllied for Hope), Sojourner Family Peace Center, Mental Health of Americaand St. Vincent de Paul Society.Pruitt also has training in community organizing tactics. She received the

training from the Gamaliah Organization in Chicago, the same entity thattrained President Barack Obama in community organizing and outreach be-fore he pursued a career in politics.

(continued on page 8)

Dr. Umar A. Johnson is scheduledfor multiple Milwaukee appearancesin celebration of Black HistoryMonth 2015.On Monday, February 23, Johnson

will present his topic, “The Return ofJim Crow in the Age of Post-Racial-ism” in MATC’s Cooley Auditorium

beginning at 12 noon. Followingfrom 2 to 3:30 p.m., the internation-ally acclaimed speaker will hold amore personalized session, “ForBrothers Only” in MATC’s M614. The campus is located at 700 West

State Street. The college’s BlackStudent Union is hosting Johnson’s

Monday’s engagement.Tuesday, February 24, will be

Johnson’s widely received “commu-nity appearance” at the UniversalAcademy for the College Bound’sWebster Renaissance Campus, 6850North 53rd Street.Beginning at 6 p.m., Johnson will

present his remarks on “World WarIII: Black People vs. Everybody.”Doors will open at 5 p.m. Free park-ing in available.Sponsored by True Blue Produc-

tions, this is Dr. Johnson’s sixth visitto Milwaukee since his first invita-tion to this area at the King center inMay of 2011. Those who follow his work, face-

book postings and his YouTube lec-tures are aware of his vision to openhis own school for Black boys, theFrederick Douglas Marcus GarveyAcademy. Donations are requested

in support of this initiative.“We are excited to be hosting Dr.

Umar Johnson in Milwaukee again,”says Cheryl Blue, founder of TrueBlue Productions. She adds that,“There are many good speakers onthe lecture circuit right now, but Dr.Umar is hands down the most re-quested.” A Certified School Psychologist

who practices privately throughoutPennsylvania and lectures throughoutthe country, Dr. Johnson is a bloodrelative of the great Black abolition-ist and orator, Frederick Douglas. He is former Minister of Education

for the Marcus Garvey Movement,the Universal Negro ImprovementAssociation and the African Commu-nities League. A writer, political scientist, and

consultant to families, educators,(continued on page 2)

Umar Johnson returns to Milwaukee for BlackHistory Month atMATC and WebsterRenaissanceBy Taki S. Raton Dr. Umar Johnson

VERTAREE JENKINS: “Once again, we(African Americans) are not recognized forthe good work and talent that we possess.”

SHANAE PAYNE: “I’m surprised they did-n’t acknowledge one of their own (as an actorand director respectively). But to not acknowl-edge all the great actors is a real slap in theface of African Americans.”

MONTE MABRA: “To ignore the entiremovie (ed. note: Selma has been nominatedfor “Best Picture”) is a statement that we arestill a country divided. Also, to depict M.L.K.Jr. as a cheating husband verses a hero takesaway from the true values of his personal sac-rifices.”

MARRIS VIRGIL: “How can you ignoresomething that is so profound in America’shistory? They are not recognizing the diversityhere in the United States. This is part of ourhistory!”

PULSEPULSE OF THEOF THECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp

QUESTION OF THE COMMUNITY: “What do you think of the OscarAwardsignoring the director (Ava DuVernay) and lead actor (David Oyelowo) as itrelates to them getting nominations for their respective work on the movie“SELMA”?

MPS District 3 School Board Candidate Stephany Pruittnot intimidated by the challenge of running for, orgoverning in, public office

ELECTIONWATCH2015

Boys and Girls Club youths see the hit movie “SELMA”!

Tamika Chapman-Armstead (far right in pink) ac-companied youth from the Daniels/Mardak Boysand Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee were one ofseveral area Boys and Girls Club branches that at-tended a recent showing of the hit movie“SELMA” at the Marcus Northshore Cinema, 11700N. Port Washington Rd. in Mequon. The youthsfrom the various B&GCGM branches were able tosee the movie thanks to the Milwaukee area busi-ness community, which joined forces to raise$50,000 to enable club members to view the film.By seeing the movie, youth would have a greaterappreciation and awareness of the importance andimpact of the era, thus inspiring them to uplifttheir community. (Above photo by Yvonne Kemp)

David Oyelowo (standing) as Dr. King in the acclaimed hit movie “SELMA.”(Photo still from the movie courtesy of TechnologyTell.com)

Dist. 3 School Board Candidate Stephany Pruitt

BLACK LOVESTANDING STRONG

IN THE FACE OF STRUGGLE AND CHALLENGE

In Honor of Valentines Day and Black HistoryMonth, we Salute Noted Civil and Human RightsLeaders and Political Figures and the Women Who

Love and Loved Them and Had Their Backs!MARTIN LUTHER ANDCORETTA SCOTT KINGThe first couple of the civil rightsmovement inspired an entiregeneration. The Kings were mar-ried in 1953, and in his autobi-ography Dr. King wrote of hiswife, "I am indebted to my wifeCoretta, without whose love, sac-rifices and loyalty neither lifenor work would bring fulfillment. She has given me words of consolation when I neededthem and a well-ordered home where Christian love is a reality."

NELSON AND WINNIE MAN-DELANelson and Winnie areno longer together, butthat doesn't take any-thing away from theirimpact on their nativeSouth Africa and on theworld. In what would be Nelson's second marriage, he wed Winnie in 1958 andwas sent to prison in 1962. Winnie stayed devoted to Nelson throughout muchof his 27-year prison sentence, but the couple separated in 1992, two years be-fore Nelson became president of South Africa. Winnie, a polarizing, controver-sial activist who is affectionately referred to as "mother of the nation" by hersupporters, remains an important figure in South African history.

MALCOLM X AND BETTY SHABAZZMalcolm X and BettyShabazz were champions ofblack freedom and equalityin America. In 1955 the twomet at a dinner party wherethey shared stories of theirexperiences of racism. "I re-ally had a lot of pent-up anxiety about my experience in the South," Shabazzsaid in a 1990 interview, "and Malcolm reassured me that it was understand-able how I felt." After a long courtship, the two wed in 1958 and had six daugh-ters.

JACKIE AND RACHEL ROBINSONJackie Robinson, the firstblack major league baseballplayer, broke the color linesin America's favorite pas-time with Rachel Robinsonby his side. The couple wedin 1946 and were togetheruntil his death in 1972. To honor her late husband's memory, Rachel opened theJackie Robinson Foundation, a nonprofit organization that awards scholarshipsto minority students, in 1973.Library of Congress; Library of Congress

BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMAThis list wouldn't be com-plete without our presidentand first lady. Married fornearly 20 years, the Oba-mas are black love personi-fied and received the mostvotes from our readers forfavorite famous black couple. Excerpts of a photo collage of famous Black couplescompiled by Akoto Ofori-Atta, courtesy of TheRoot.com

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 11, 2015 Page 2

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

mental health professionals and to charter schoolsthroughout the country, he is considered to be one of themost popular faces and voices focusing upon the propereducation and development of African American chil-dren, Black males in particular. With a speaking style that many consider “reminis-

cent” of his late ancestor, Frederick Douglas, Johnson iscited in many published accounts as a prominent leaderin the field of Black psychology and education. A notedlecture descriptor says of his speaking style:“Umar possesses the rare ability to hold an audience

spellbound for hours as he unleashes a barrage of facts,statistics and practical information that leaves viewers inawe for weeks after his presentations.”Author of “Psycho-Academic Holocaust: The special

Education & ADHD Wars Against Black Boys,” he haspresented before embassies, museums, schools, univer-sities, churches, correctional facilities, stadiums, interna-tional audiences and at community centers. As he is known to say after his lectures when ques-

tioned about his speaking ability, he attributes his orator-ical talent to the “Almighty Creator, and to my Africanancestors who work through me. I simply open mymouth and their message comes fourth.”

As a school psychologist, Dr. Johnson evaluates chil-dren ages 3 to 21 in an effort to determine if they haveeducational disabilities and a need for special educationservices. He is considered a national expert on learning disabil-

ities and their effect on Black children as well as an ex-pert on helping schools and parents modify challengingbehaviors that can ultimately lead to disruptive behaviordisorder diagnosis in Black boys. In his child therapist capacity, he specializes in work-

ing with at-risk, violent, suicidal and depressed AfricanAmerican boys and girls. Over the past five years, he served as the youngest of

five African-American male school psychologists in thePhiladelphia School District, the 5th largest public schooldistrict in America. He has received commendations for his volunteer work

throughout the Pan-African community and has been afeatured guest on various Black talk shows throughoutthe United States. Johnson is a highly sought after motivational and in-

formational speaker who has presented at workshops,conferences, awards ceremonies, graduations and expertpanels throughout the country.

As an educator, psychologist, therapist and historian,he is considered an authority on the education of AfricanAmerican children and on mental health in the Blackcommunity. His diverse array of presentations and keynotes have

included such topics as; Attention-Deficit/HyperactivityDisorder and Black Boys, Special Education Law, Black-on-Black Violence, Post-Traumatic Slavery Disorder,Classroom Management for Teachers, What’s Wrongwith Special Education, Marcus Garvey & Frederick Douglas in Black History,

Effective Parenting Practices, Understanding Depressionin Black Children, The Over-Identification of Black Chil-dren as Mentally Retarded and Learning Disabled, BlackMale-Female Relationships, and Preparing BlackTeenagers for Success.Dr. Johnson is founder and Chief Scout Master for the

Emmett Till, Hector Peterson and Scottsboro Boys Pan-African Boys Scouts Program and the Queen Nzingah,Harriet Tubman and Birmingham for Pan-African GirlScouts Program, both of which are independent Africanmentorship programs for youth.Blue says that the excitement is “really growing” in

Milwaukee over anticipation of Bro. Umar’s appearance.“He is indeed a profoundly gifted orator in the tradition

of his ancestor Frederick Douglass. However, the attrac-tion to Dr. Johnson lies in his sincerity and commitmentto African people, and also the fact that he offers not justinformation, but solutions, particularly for parents deal-ing with the school system,” she says.Blue additionally brings to our attention that much has

transpired since his last visit to Milwaukee a year agonoting specifically Ferguson, the Eric Garner case andthe incident in Cleveland with the killing of 12-year-oldTamir Rice by police, accounts reflective of his Mondayand Tuesday presentation themes.All scheduled area events are free and open to the pub-

lic. For additional information, please contact Blue at(414) 751-0169

Umar Johnson returns to Milwaukee for Black HistoryMonth at MATC and Webster Renaissance(continued from page 1) “Umar possesses the rare ability

to hold an audience spellboundfor hours as he unleashes a barrage of facts, statistics andpractical information that leavesviewers in awe for weeks after hispresentations.”

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES QUOTE OF THE WEEK:”No living White person isresponsible for slavery at all. But all livingWhites reap its benefit, just like all livingBlacks wear its scars.”--Quote from a Twitter tweet by Talib Kweli Greene via “The Underground”


UNIVERSALLY SPEAKINGUNIVERSALLY SPEAKINGby Rahim Islam

LestWeForget –Part 3America, we cannot let you forget what was done

to the Black man in America. It’s fundamental to thefuture and success of the core ideas, concepts, andprinciples of the American way and creed. This position shouldn’t be viewed as a crutch for

Black people (this isn’t a position held by all Blackpeople) nor is it intended to be a weapon against thewhite people (many white people are extremely fear-ful of this discussion). This position is about is the TRUTH of America

and American history. We must not, nor can we, for-get how we got here. Doing so only increases theracial divide that currently exists in America and willplace an even greater burden on future generations. How America became the super power it is today

and how 45 million Black people suffer some of theworst disparities of any group in America must be putback in a public forum. The Black community is toobig to ignore and, unless this population can be phys-ically removed from America and/or be reduced to aneven greater degree of ineptitude and dependency,these conversations must continue. While one is highly unlikely, the other is extremely

costly (i.e. incarceration, education, health, etc.), ei-ther, left unchecked, could lead to future generationsexperiencing the full collapse and breakdown ofracial relations between Black and white people. I know you think I’m a broken record when all of

my conversations revert back to our history in thiscountry, but I will continue to be a broken record ifthat’s what it will take to wake up America (Blackand white). For the record, I’m not just writing or talking about

our problem – I’m doing something about it (I willdescribe in later articles). The current carnage that you see in the Black com-

munity has its roots in the legacy of slavery wherethe brainwashing was cemented. Bad habits wereformed out of conditions that were subhuman, de-grading, self-demoralizing, and self-destructive, andinvolved the supplanting of a great and powerfulBlack culture into one of captivity and survival. The cultural destruction has to be the deadliest

ramifications of the legacy of slavery. Oh, I knowwhat many white people and even some “inferioritydrunk” Black people are saying: “Look at those Blackpeople, they are this; they are that.” Always failingto recognize that the millions of Blacks that wereemancipated in 1865 were emancipated into absoluteand total poverty and chaos, into a hostile and unfa-miliar environment, while being predominantly illit-erate. This was at the same time that the White popula-

tion owned everything and was in complete controlof their destiny of becoming a world economicpower.Unfortunately, white America remains in a deep,

deep, state of denial about its role and responsibilityto African American people. Unlike every othergroup in America, except the Native Americans,Black people didn’t asked to be here; they wereforcibly captured and brought here as chattel propertyowned by white people. As the great James Baldwinsaid: “My genealogy ends with a Bill of Sale.” This is some major stuff and should not be treated

lightly. White America also denies the privilege thatthey currently enjoy as the result of the enslavementof Black people. For Black people this has been andremains a constant bewildering dilemma. All of the individual gains by Black people have

been achieved in the context of this knowledge. Thisis why our parents would tell us that we had to work10 times harder and be 10 times better if we are tosucceed in this country. This is just as true today as it was 50 years ago. If

we examine the excellent achievements of all thoseBlack individuals who exceled under the most diffi-cult of times and were able to integrate into many ofAmerica’s institutions (become the first Black this orthe first Black that) we would see the high level ofhard work and struggle demanded of Black people tosucceed in a racially biased America. Denial takes on many forms and one aspect of this

characteristic is to just deny that it’s not true or rele-vant. I hear it all of the time: “Slavery happenedyears ago and the Black man needs to get over it; wedidn’t enslave anyone so why should this be an issuefor us.” This is immature thinking because nothing could

be further from the truth. In my last article, I dis-cussed the concept of theft and those in receipt ofstolen property (both are crimes). What was stolenfrom the Black people was a system that extractedlabor for nearly 300 years without any compensationand a system that for the past 150 years has struc-turally locked out many Black people from effec-tively competing and the spoils (stolen property) arenow in possession of white people today. SigmundFreud refers to this type of behavior as “denial”,which describes when a person is faced with a factthat is too uncomfortable to accept, he rejects, insist-ing it is not true despite the overwhelming evidenceof its truth. Does this sound right? Webster describes three types of denial: (1) Simple

denial - denying the reality of the unpleasant fact al-together; (2) Minimization - admitting the fact butdenying its seriousness (a combination of denial and

rationalization); and (3) Projection - admitting boththe fact and seriousness but denying responsibility byblaming somebody or something else and all threeare embraced by White America. I liken the denial by white people of the benefits

of white privilege similar to a person with a seriousdrug addiction in which the denial is associated witha mental mechanism of an immature mind because itconflicts with the ability to learn from and cope withreality. I fundamentally believe that America has grown

from being an immature baby doing hateful things toBlack and brown people without suffering conse-quences to today where open racism isn’t accepted. However, America hasn’t fully grown up and been

able to stand as a mature adult because the fact re-mains that every gain achieved by Black people inAmerica has been vigorously opposed and hard-won. Given our contributions to this country, you would

think that equal rights, equitable education, fair hous-ing would be a “gimme” – but no, these and othergains were achieved with a heavy price paid by BlackAmericans. Further, given the limited, yet progressive growth

of America, you would think that recognition of thelegacy of slavery would be an obvious issue, but ithas been removed from every reliable medium in-cluding public opinion (i.e. church, media, universi-ties, courts, etc.). To downplay or outright deny the concept of inher-

itance is very suspect and convenient. I know a lotof Black people and spent most of my life with Blackpeople and I don’t know one Black person who in-herited anything of value. Why? Because our parentsand their parents and their parents (slaves) didn’thave anything to leave behind. Even the most hardnosed, conservative White per-

son has to acknowledge that it is fair to say that allWhite people born before 1964 were placed above allBlack people economically, socially and politically.This formal system of racial preference has a verylong history and had been perfected over time. I used 1964 because the passing of the historic civil

rights legislation, at least theoretically establishedequality in housing, voting and employment. Was this legislation supposed to cure what nearly

400 years of oppression did to Black people? It ab-solutely didn’t because the powers that fought againsteven implementing this legislation had the ability toadapt in the creation of other challenges that curtailedand/or derailed any perceived gains that this legisla-tion intended. Collectively, Blacks are in a worst condition now

than in 1964 with every negative demographic beingdominated by Black people (i.e. nearly 1.5 millionBlack men in prison compared to 250,000 in 1964). The American mass media continues to fuel and

divide America. Under the guise of “free press,” themedia has continued to turn the worse crime perpet-uated by America against Black people - as an in-significant event that happened 150 years ago – as ifit was a sports game or concert or single date in his-tory. During the American institution of slavery, unlike

anything else the world has ever seen, there wereclearly winners and losers. The Black communityand generations of Black people have lost as a resultof this institution. While I laud the historic efforts ofthe civil rights movement the final destination has tobe and will always be economic parity. This needle hasn’t moved since the emancipation

of Black people. At that time the small percentage offree Blacks owned less than one-half of one percentof the nation’s wealth and today with 100 percent of“so-called” freedom, Blacks still own less than onehalf of one percent of the nation’s wealth. Why is this? Without capital in America and with

many Blacks at or near poverty, Blacks or any othergroup will not be able to chart its own self-determi-nation. The economic conditions and “structural” poverty

(slavery was structural poverty) for too many Blackpeople threatens every aspect of life that will continuefor untold Black generations. I contend that, like wealth, poverty is inherited and

where one starts in life is extremely important andBlack people have never had the opportunity to not

only inherit wealth but to create wealth because theywere enslaved and their labor was never compen-sated. Black Americans have entered the new millennium

the same way they entered the previous four centuries– impoverished. Blacks still bear nearly ten timestheir proportional share of poverty and all of its nastyderivatives (i.e. broken homes, drug abuse, incarcer-ation, unemployment, etc.). When discussing the conditions of the Black man

in America, America suffers from a pathological typeof denial – its entrenched in the white psyche and isalso a legacy of slavery. It’s time for the white community to stop denying

that this even happened and to recognize who werethe oppressors and who were the oppressed. It’s timethat the white community acknowledges the benefitand privilege this afforded them.Malcolmn X once said that the American mass

media is the most powerful institution in the worldbecause it can make the right wrong and wrong rightand it can make the innocent guilty and the guilty in-nocent. Blacks and their descendants have been made to

appear guilty and whites and their descendants havebeen made to appear innocent. It is not enough that the American institution of

slavery has been downplayed and marginalized, aspart of the trick, the media has portrayed the Blackman in a negative light for nearly 400 years. This trick has impacted whites as well as blacks.

Whites enjoy the benefits of white supremacy andprivilege while Blacks suffer the highest levels of in-feriority and deep hopelessness. I contend that themedia sharply plays against our differences andshapes what we think about ourselves. The legacy of slavery is real and absolutely alive

and continues to perpetuate stereotypes about Blackpeople that attempt to justify their previous enslave-ment and torture, and today’s general denial about itsaffects. Black people have been portrayed in such a nega-

tive light for hundreds of years: Chattel slavery (1500– 1860) where Black people are portrayed as subhu-man beasts, uncivilized and whites are superior be-ings with God and the Church supporting thisposition; Civil War/Reconstruction (1865-1900)where Blacks were portrayed as inferior to whites andthey will seek revenge, rape our white women andkill us and they really don’t want anything better(lazy, illiterate); Jim Crow/KKK period and CivilRights (1900 – 1970) where Blacks are angry, dan-gerous, unemployable and addicted to handouts andwelfare, and Black power will result in a race war andwhites owned their position through hard work, dis-cipline, high morals, and family values; and post-Civil Rights (1970 – Present) where Blacks areresponsible for their current conditions, bring downproperty values and are prone to drugs, violence andcrime, credit risks; they need to be incarcerated.What is the general public’s opinion regarding the

state of Black America? Most people believe thatBlack people are inept and haven't worked hardenough to achieve the American dream so, therefore,are not deserving of the success that America offers. This public opinion reflects a belief that Blacks and

whites have had the same starting place and advan-tage and is completely ignorant of "white privilege"and the unbelievable struggle our people has hadsince being here. America, while it has participated in making eco-

nomic reparations to a number of different effortsover the years for wrongs committed against othergroups, people, or countries, has never even consid-ered addressing economic reparations for BlackAmerica to begin to mend some of the historical in-equities. In fact, after a hard fight in Congress, Congress al-

lowed some type of “apology” language for slaveryto be issued. Black people don’t need an apology;Black people need to be repaid for what has beendone to them. If you add the constant media depictions of Black

people, Black people’s general inferior belief of itself(many Black people have drank the Kool-Aid ofBlack inferiority); lack of Black ownership of the

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not nec-essarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Let-ters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for contentand length.

MCJ STAFF:Patricia O’Flynn -PattilloPublisher, CEORobert J. ThomasAssoc. PublisherTodd Thomas, Vice Pres.Mikel Holt, Assoc. PublisherThomas E. Mitchell, Jr., EditorTeretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Webmaster BillingDept./Publisher’s Admin. Assist.

Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Taki S. Raton, Richard G. Carter,Fr. Carl Diederichs, Rev. JoeMcLinPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

GUEST COMMENTARYGUEST COMMENTARYStreetcar vote a firststep down the pathto Milwaukee’s futureMany constituents and members of the commu-nity have reached out to me to express their opin-ions as my colleagues and I have considered themerits of the streetcar proposal adopted today bythe Common Council. I greatly appreciated the input throughout thisprocess and am grateful that they took the time tostay informed and actively participate in the de-bate.It's readily apparent thatthis has been a con-tentious and divisiveissue, often characterizedby posturing on bothsides. As President of theCommon Council and alife-long city resident, Ihave been saddened tosee public dialogue re-duced to inflammatoryand personal language,especially knowing that while opinions differ, weall wish to see the same outcome--a healthy Mil-waukee.Today, the Milwaukee Common Council ap-proved the Milwaukee streetcar and all relatedfiles. I, along with eight of my colleagues, supportedthis measure. We believe the streetcar not onlycomplements a largertransit network, but it also serves as a city-build-ing tool within a broader development plan--a planthat improves mass transit while attracting com-mercial and residential development in the heartof the city's tax base.We have the momentum to grow Milwaukee,and today's vote is a big step in the right direction. By pursuing coordinated and aggressive policyagendas that promote growth, we are fostering adynamic city center with enhanced mobility, ac-cess, employment and entertainment, all of whichinteract to produce a robust economy that helpssupport and expand the public services that arefundamental to a healthy, vibrant city.Milwaukee is resilient and in the midst of atransformation. While I do not doubt that we haveour share of challenges ahead, despite these, be-lieve that the best this city has to offer is still tocome.

By Ald. Michael J. MurphyMilwaukee Common Council Pres.

Common Council Pres. Michael Murphy

(continued on page 5)

Demonstrators flanked by National Guardsmen in Memphis in 1968. The Rev. MartinLuther King Jr. came to the city to support a strike by black sanitation workers.

Photo courtesy of “IAm” Photo Project

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 11, 2015 Page 4 The Milwaukee Community Journal February 11, 2015 Page 5

Peace Temple Church of God In Christ will hold a two day revival, March 5 and March 6, starting at 7 a.m. PeaceTemple is located at 3332 W. Lisbon Ave. (on the corner of 34th and Lisbon). Elder Ulyses Brewer is the pastor.The theme of the revival is: “Revive Us Again!”The revival will be conducted by Min. Tim Cole. For more information, contact Evangelist Margaret Adams at554-3888.

WHAT’S HAPPENING...In Your Faith-Based Community

RELIGIONRELIGION

Ambassadors For Christ radio broadcast will hold a fellowship event Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, starting at 10:30a.m., at Heritage International Church of God In Christ, 1036 W. Atkinson Ave. (on the corner of 11th and Atkin-son). There will be praise and worship, singing, praise dancing, and speakers. For further information, contactEvangelist Margaret Adams at 554-3888.

Fellowship event at HeritageInternational COGIC

Revival set for Peace Temple COGIC

Christian Couples Ministry (CCM) of the BrentwoodChurch of Christ will hold their 5th Annual Black Mar-riage Day Event on Saturday March 28, 2015 from 2:00- 4:00 pm at the church, 6425 N. 60th Street, Milwaukee,WI. The theme of the event will be Respect the Ring.The event will include entertainment by jazz vocalist

Cassandra McShepard and Evangelist Steven Thompson,Minister of the Central Church of Christ, will provide aninspirational message. At each event, special honors are given to the most

newlywed couple and the one that has been married thelongest. A dessert social will be held immediately follow-ing the program.Black Marriage Day is a national observance on the 4th

Sunday of March that celebrates marriage in the Blackcommunity. This event is open to everyone who believes in and

supports the value of marriage in the Black community;this includes singles and individuals from all cultures.Tickets are $20 per person and $25 for two, tickets can

be purchased in advance at Herb’s Hair Studio, 4800 N.Hopkins Street or at the event. For questions, please contact Thomas & Clarene

Mitchell, event organizers, at 414-736-1546 or [email protected]. The Black Marriage Day Event Facebook event page

is a source for more information as well.

Brentwood Church of Christ’s ChristianCouples Ministry to hold 5th annualBlack Marriage Day event March 28

In Loving Memory

Quality Service...a tenured tradition

sincere concern at your time of need.

Offering pre-need, at need andafter-care services to families inMilwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and

other communities throughout our state.

Hackett, Daisy B.Age 81 years. February 6, 2015. Funeral serviceswill be held on Saturday, February 14 at 12 Noonat Friendship Progressive Church 2127 W.Garfield St. Visitation

Saturday 11AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is servedby:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Johnson, Fannie M.Age 81 yrs. February 3, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday,February 10 at 11AM at Greater Galilee Baptist Church 2432 N. TeutoniaAve. Visitation Tuesday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. Thefamily is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier

6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

McNeail, RooseveltAge 81 yrs. February 3, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday,February 10 at 11AM at Metropolitan Baptist Church 1345 W. BurleighSt. Visitation Tuesday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. Thefamily is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Todd, JoyceAge 59 yrs. February 7, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Friday, Feb-ruary 13 at 1PM. Visitation Friday 12 Noon until time of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

J.C. Frazier, Funeral Director

Milwaukee6630 W. Hampton Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53218

Telephone: (414) 462-6020Fax: (414) 462-9937

Racine800 Barker St. Racine, WI 53402

Telephone: (262) 637-6400Fax: (262) 637-6416

Families served by:Northwest Funeral Chapel O’Bee, Ford & Frazier

Ernestine O’Bee, Founder

But seek first the Kingdom of God and HisRighteousness, and all these thiings shallbe added to you.”--Matthew 6:33


In celebration of the past success of the“Without Distraction” relationship conferenceits 11th Annual event; a combination of bothrelationship education and entertainment hasbecome one of Milwaukee’s best social and ro-mantic Valentine weekend of the year. Milwaukee has found this event to be re-

warding for both singles and Married Couples.Dr. LaFayette Russell and Dr. Ingrid Durr Rus-sell will be among the International speakersfor this year event February 13th, 14th & 15th2015. Venue- Crown Plaza Milwaukee Air-port: 6401 South 13th St. Milwaukee WI.53221. Singles are the foundation of every marriage

because a good marriage starts with your sin-gleness. Marriage brings you into a true op-portunity to express your love, feelings andwhat you are made of. Understanding the process and learning how

to unmask your feelings is one of the basic keysto success. Sometimes people adopt ways intheir childhood development and influencesthat becomes the norm; consequently the normto them could be a negative pattern that couldsabotage their relationships. Recognizing and Identify those patterns

could be the very answer to probable cause.

Being realistic about yourself and having a re-alist view of others will help give you a solidbuilding foundation to build on. Together we can discoverer what areas in

your life that can use some more fuel and So-cializing with other singles or couples likeyourself is good for everyone!The week end event includes: Friday 6:30pm Meet/Greet Social (refresh-

ments provided) 7pm begins with both Sin-gles and Marriage Topics in two sessions.Building and keeping a healthy relationshipwith understanding is power tools we are giv-ing to our communities for FREE! Yes, we aremaking the “Relationship teaching sessions”absolutely free. That means no cost to get thiswealth of information for life. Saturday at 11am combined Singles and

Marriage session Question & Answer paneldiscussion. The workshops is to empower andremove all frustrations. We will cover all areas of relationship from

personal, business to finance. Each year thereare numerous testimonies of this life changingevent. Don’t miss the Saturday evening7:00pm-Valentine’s Special Eloquent Roman-tic Dinner Including; Live Music, clean LiveComedy, and bliss of Love in the air set justright for the occasion. The cost is only $45 per

person and couples $10 off. (Advance only).Sunday at 1pm join us the close of the weekendevent. The entire family is welcome to be apartof our special Worship service. The topic is“Kingdom Relationship.” Knowledge is powerful.” Plain and

simple we could all use some guidance tomaintain or build a long lasting good rela-tionship based on Biblical truth. Free Registration and (no cost for the

teaching sessions) . For additional information, tickets,

sales, groups, vendors, hotel overnightreservation, and other compliments pleasecontact us708-745-4393 or 414-520-1567 Web-site:WWW.withoutdistractionrelation-ship.com Email:i n g r i d d u r r 4 u@ y a h o o . c o mfacebook.com/Ingrid Durr P.O. Box170024 Glendale Wisconsin 53217.Website: WWW.withoutdistractionrela-tionship.com. Email:i n g r i d d u r r 4 u@y a h o o . c om .facebook.com/Ingrid Durr. P.O. Box170024 Glendale Wisconsin 53217

The Nation of Islam’s MilwaukeeMuhammad Mosque No. 3 invitesthe community to come and enjoy anevening of fine dining, music and in-spiration as it hosts a Saviors’ Day“Call to Unity” banquet Friday, Feb-ruary 20, 7 p.m., at the WisconsinBlack Historical Society/Museum,2620 W. Center St.There will be live Jazz with Saxa-

phonist James Dallas, and music anddancing with DJ David Muhammad.The keynote speaker will be StudentMinister Abel Muhammad. Therewill also be a special tribute to theNation of Islam’s Milwaukee pio-neers.Donation is $40. For tickets, call

(414) 755-2006.On Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m., the

Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan willdeliver the Saviors’ Day keynote ad-dress titled, “The Intensifying Uni-versal Cry for Justice.” The message will be broadcast live

at the Wisconsin Black HistoricalMuseum. This event is free.

Nation ofIslam to hostSaviors’ Daybanquet

Goldenliving Colonia Manorto host Black history program

Eleventh (11th)annualrelationshipconferenceValentine’sDayweekend event

Goldenliving Colonial Manor will hold a resident Black history celebrationSunday, Feb. 15, from 1 to 5 p.m. Goldenliving Colonial Manor is located at1616 W. Bender Rd. The event is being hosted by the facility’s recreation andactivity department. The Providence Youth Choir, Dr. Joyce Marie Dixon,president of Agape Love Bible College; along with others will provide theentertainment and reflections on Black history. For more information, contacteither Leslie or Wanda at (414) 228-8700, ext. 1032.

Northwest Funeral Chapel, 6630 W. Hampton Avenuehas expanded mortuary services, this year. An iconic mor-tuary science leader in the State of Wisconsin, J.C. Fra-zier, President, CEO, of Northwest Funeral Chapel hasaffirmed the corporation’s trailblazing history by bringingcremation services to the business: along with their su-perb traditional services.Memorializing loved ones is a part of tradition and a

necessary part of the grieving/healing process. Selectingthe way that each family chooses to honor their familymembers continues to be at the forefront of the NorthwestFuneral Chapel family. So the addition of cremation, forgrieving families, represents a first in the central city ofMilwaukee, again ensuring that they meet the commu-nity’s needs.As families have moved and other family members re-

main in various parts of the country, more and more fam-ilies have sought cremation as a final memorial option.Additionally, world travel and exposure to many dif-

ferent cultures has played a role in some expressing cre-mation as their preference, at the time of transition.

Serving Milwaukee families, as they wish to be re-membered and in the manner they determine, fulfills themission of the Northwest Funeral Chapel leaders.Northwest Funeral Chapel has an outstanding legacy

of full service, including viewing at church, their memo-rial chapels or at home celebrations of life.The formula for honoring your loved one is totally the

families wishes. And, the families’ determination is al-ways the best choice. For nothing means more than to beat peace with the final services selected. And, providingquality service remains the mainstay of Northwest’s his-tory.The Northwest Funeral Chapel staff is expertly trained

to explain various services, including cremation. Specialpackages are available ( see their ad ). Time to discuss, examine and determine what’s best for

your loved ones is what these Black History Trailblazersdo each day.Wherever you decide to gather together and in what-

ever way you determine you wish to celebrate your fam-ilies lives, Northwest Funeral Chapel is there to serve.

Northwest Funeral Chapelhas new crematory

American economy and certainly not enough (critical mass)to effect change; white people’s feelings about themselvesbeing supreme; a structure and system in which white peopleare in control of nearly all of the resources and institutionsin America (i.e. wealth, government, education, health, legal,etc.), you have the makings of structural and systemic racismthat feeds “structural” poverty (apartheid). Let’s not get it twisted – America is about competition –

there is a fierce competition that exists between white people(i.e. Coke and Pepsi) and even white people against othergroups. But when it comes down to Black people competingin America, which is controlled by White people, given ourhistorical disadvantage and the massive media depictions ofBlack people coupled with a structured reality – this is in noway a fair fight. There has been a lot of attention given to income over the

past 10 – 15 years as a measurement of economic growth. Blacks, while they still lag significantly behind whites in

every category, recently exceeded one trillion dollars in an-nual income but still near zero in wealth. Unfortunately thistrillion dollar number is skewed and doesn’t reflect what isreally needed. Restated, if you consider that nearly two thirds of Black

Americans live at or near the poverty levels, I contend thatthe trillion dollars is not enough. Also, when you take into consideration that Blacks are the

last hired and the first fired, they are more underemployedand unemployed, the trillion dollars is definitely not enough. It sounds like a big number but it’s not when we’re talking

about 45 million people living in America. While America is recovering with job growth not seen in

the past 10 years and unemployment levels at pre-2007 re-cession rates, in too many American cities Blacks have dou-ble-digit unemployment and the economic prosperity hasn’t“lifted” our economic boats. Why?

Many white people want to forget or try to downplay theimportance and significance of Black people in America,during slavery and thereafter. White people have secured and amassed trillions of dol-

lars in wealth and an economic system that is the second tonone in the world and will ensure prosperity for its ownersfor generations to come. Whites control nearly 100 percent of American wealth

(est. $9 Trillion), its values and a system that supports theprotection and growth of their wealth. This doesn’t changethe fact that white people have problems of all types includ-ing a large population living at or near poverty as well. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Address at the

conclusion of the Selma march, stated that the way Americachose to account for its treatment of its own, white poor wasby telling them that “no matter how bad off he was, at leasthe was a white man, better than the Black man.” This lie and falsehood has created a race divide against

poor white people and all Black people as a comfort to theirown economic position. Even white people are generally dis-satisfied with the distribution of wealth amongst themselves. If you examine the mood of the people when there is a

discussion regarding repairing what happened to the Blackman, the outcry from rich conservatives and poor white peo-ple is aligned with complete and utter disdain. This is prob-ably the only time when both of these groups are on the samepage. In my next article I will go further into the white privilege

and many of its structural advantages. Rahim Islam is a National Speaker and Writer, Con-

vener of Philadelphia Community of Leaders, and Presi-dent/CEO of Universal Companies, a communitydevelopment and education management company head-quartered in Philadelphia, PA. Follow Rahim Islam onFaceBook(Rahim Islam) & Twitter (@RahimIslamUC)

(continued from page 3)

Lest We Forget – Part 3


BUSINESS CORNERBUSINESS CORNER

Champion Bartenders is Milwau-kee’s most sophisticated and afford-able bartending service. Champion Bartenders was founded

in 2011 by Temone Champion, whois a licensed bartender for the City ofMilwaukee and is specifically knownaround town for her delicious cock-tails. Temone is a former manager of

Bradley's Jazz Club and TerriLynn'son Bradley. After being commis-sioned to provide private bartenderservices for numerous wedding re-ceptions, events, and birthday parties,Champion Bartenders was born. Champion Bartenders is one of

Milwaukee's first Bartender-To-Goservice and they travel all over theSoutheastern WI providing extraor-dinary, professional bartender serv-ices. Their company is based on the be-

lief that their customers' needs are ofthe utmost importance. Champion Bartender’s entire team

is committed to meeting those needs.They offer a wide range of bartend-ing services to suit a variety of budg-ets and tastes. As a convenience to their clients, a

hassle free beverage service is of-fered. If you are not sure what to pur-chase for your event or simply do nothave time, they will do all the shop-ping and deliver a fully stocked barto your specifications. Service can include everything

from beer, wine, liquor, sodas, juices,water, garnishments, and ice deliv-ered right to your event. Upon re-

quest, portable bars and glasswaremay be provided.A bartending team will arrive at

the venue of your choice and makeyour event an enjoyable experience.Catering to events of all sizes, Cham-pion Bartenders provide knowledge-able, professional certifiedbartenders, quality customized cock-tails, and dependable punctual serv-ice to make any event a completesuccess. They specialize in bartending

birthday parties, weddings, luaus,bridal showers, home or officeevents, award ceremonies, bache-lors/bachelorette parties, or any spe-cial occasion! New Business Special!! Book your

event today and mention that yousaw this article in MCJ and receive15% discountContact Us At:Phone: 414 460-

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CHAMPION BARTENDERS

When facing overwhelmingamounts of consumer debt, bank-ruptcy can be an option. In mostcases we find ourselves in one of twobankruptcy situations: Chapter 7 orChapter 13. Chapter 7 is the complete wipeout

of all debt. Some people like to saythis is the fresh start bankruptcy. Remember we can’t just wake up

and file Chapter 7, you must qualify.To see if you qualify for Chapter 7you can consult a legal professionalto conduct a means test. The meanstest looks at your income, assets andhousehold size. Chapter13 bankruptcy it is quite

different. Chapter 13 is a re-organi-zation repayment bankruptcy. TheChapter 13 stops car repossessions,garnishment and even foreclosure.Chapter 13 STOPS LEGAL AC-TIONS and allows you to go into a3-5 year interest and penalty free re-payment of your debt. A lot of people have been misin-

formed about bankruptcy. One of

these misconceptions is that you willlose your house and car in Chapter 7. When the reality is you can protect

a lot of assets or simply keep payingand keep the assets while filingChapter 7. Another misconception is: "If I file

Chapter 13 I am repaying my debt sothat has to help my credit recoverfaster."

This is not the case. Most of usthink if we file Bankruptcy our creditis wrecked for 10 -15 years. Actually,if you file Chapter 7 and completelyeliminate your debt, you will be ableto quickly rebuild your credit.Deciding to file bankruptcy is a big

deal. It is a major step in admittingthat you need help overcoming yourdebt. It is okay to admit you are in fi-nancial trouble. The most important step is to sim-

ply get help. A debt professional willwork with you to determine the bestroad to recovery, be it Chapter 7 or13.

Shawn Ward is a Debt Consultantat the Wisconsin Debt Clinic. With 13years of legal and debt consolidationexperience, Ward is happy to provideinformation to people looking to getout of debt and make a financialcomeback. Ward can be reached atdebtfree@wisconsindebtclinic or414-455-0905.

BANKRUPTCY:The difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13

Shawn Ward

“I had to makemy own livingand my ownopportunity...Don’t sit downand wait for theopportunitiesto come. Youhave to get upand makethem.”--Madam C.J. Walker

The staff of Champion Bartenders

Article courtesy of Business Insider via“TheRundown”Americans are stressed in general, but

according to theAmerican PsychologicalAssociation's annual Stress in Americasurvey, releasedFeb.4,nogenerationfeelsthose effects more than millennials(thoughGenXers are close).Across generations, concerns about

money and finances are the biggest causeof stress."Money and finances have remained

the top stressor since our survey began in2007,"saidAPACEONormanB.Ander-son in a press release.Andwhilestressobviouslyhaspsycho-

logical manifestations like frustration andanxiety, the health effects of stress are agrowing concern too.Financial stress has been linked tohigh

blood pressure and other general healthproblems - which is very probably con-nected to the way mental health can affectphysical health.Still, it's not all bad news. Even though

we have more stress than is consideredhealthy, we're feeling less stress now thanwe were in recent years. There's been adownward trend in stress since 2007.Women,parents,andpeoplewith lower

incomes are disproportionally affected bystress, reportingsymptomslike inability tosleep, unhealthy behaviors, and not beingable tomake life changes thatwould helpthem better cope with stress.

It'sOfficial:Millennials are the most stressed-out generation


The Milwaukee Aces pro-fessional women’s basketballteam will hold open tryoutsfor women 21 years and olderwith two years of college bas-ketball experience on Sunday,March 29 at the Mount MaryUniversity Bloechl Center,2900 N. Menomonee RiverPkwy. Onsite registration begins at

8:30 a.m. with tryouts begin-ning at 10 a.m.The early registration fee is

$100. After March 23 participants

must register on site for a$150 fee. The general publicis invited to attend the tryoutsession for $5 per person.The first year franchise

team under the newly formedWomen’s American Basket-ball Association (WABA) isthe only women’s profes-sional basketball team in Wis-

consin. With the season slated to

start later this year, the Aces ispositioned to inject a new ex-citement in women’s sportsand entertainment and is look-ing for highly-skilled playersto take the helm.“Milwaukee Aces is poised

to take women’s basketball toanother level and we knowthere is talent in this state tomake it happen,” said BernellHooker, team owner and oper-ator.Hooker, an experienced and

respected retired women’sbasketball coach, is lookingfor strong, talented, diverseand multi-dimensional playerswho are passionate about thegame of basketball and com-munity involvement.Registration forms can be

found at www.milwau-keeaces.com.

KALEIDOSCOPEKALEIDOSCOPEthe MCJ l i fes ty le & en te r ta inment sec t ion

BLACK HISTORY BALL – AfricologyNow UW - Milwaukee presents the BlackHistory Ball Friday, February 13th from7Pm – 11:30pm. After 6 attire only. Specialpresentations by Teju the Storyteller and Ko-Thi Dance Ensemble. UW Student Union2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. For more informa-tion contact Africology Dept. at UWM 229-4155.SAVIOR’S DAY CALL TO UNITY

BANQUET – A special tribute to the Nationto Islam Pioneers in Milwaukee, Keynotespeaker – Student minister Abel Muhammad,Live jazz with saxophonist James Dallas andmusic and dancing with DJ David Muham-mad and a great dinner. Friday, February20th at 7:00PM at the Wisconsin Black His-torical Historical Society 2620 W. Center St.Donation $40.00. For tickets call 414-755-2006.DADDY/DAUGHTER DANCE – I am

taking my daughter to the 12th Annual Danceon Saturday, February 21stth at North Divi-sion High School. My sons are taking theirdaughters who are currently 6 years old and 4years old. My daughter is 26 years old. I amencouraging old school brothers like myselfto take their grown daughters to this event aswell in case you never had a chance to do itbefore like myself. Only 95 tickets left sodon’t hesitate. The deadline is Monday, Feb-ruary 16th. For more information call 414-475-8811.DR. UMAR JOHNSON RETURNS TO

MILWAUKEE - He will speak at MilwaukeeArea Technical College (MATC) the Down-town Campus on Monday, February 23rdfrom Noon to 4PM. He will have special ses-sion for Black Men 2:00PM – 3:30PM.Hewill also speak on Tuesday, February 24th atUACB Webster Renaissance at 6850 N. 53rdSt. Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 6:00PM. Bothevents are free to the public.BUS TRIP TO SELMA – The Wisconsin

Black Historical Society present Bus Trip toSelma for the 50th Anniversary Bloody Sun-day March (March 8, 1965 – March 8, 2015.Trip Date: March 5th to 8th, 2015. $375.00per person. 4 person occupancy. Join us andbe part of history!!! For more information call414-372-7677.DEDICATED TO BLACK WOMEN

THAT GOT BLACK MEN’S BACKS –The deadline to participate on this specialpage during Black History Month has been

extended to Monday, February 23rd. Brotherstake some time to sponsor the Black womenin your life living or deceased that have hadyour back. The cost is $25.00. Call 374-2364for more information.

FROMTHEBLACKBy Tony Courtney

MilwaukeeAces to Hold

Tryouts Open to Women 21Years and Older at

Mount Mary University

New film on the life and accomplishments of civil rights pioneer Vel Phillips to premiereFeb. 19 at Wisconsin Black Historical Society/MuseumThe Wisconsin Black Historical Society, America’s

Black Holocaust Museum and the Milwaukee UrbanLeague invites the community to see, “Vel Phillips:Dream Big Dreams,” a new film on the life and accom-plishments of Milwaukee political and civil rights pio-neer. The showing will be Thursday, Feb. 19, at the Wiscon-

sin Black Historical Society/Museum, 2620 W. Center St.from 6 to 8 p.m.. Admission is free. Doors open at 5:30p.m. with refreshments. To reserve a seat, call the Mil-waukee Urban League at (414) 374-5850 by Feb. 17.

Civil rights and political trailblazer VelPhillips pictured in a 1967 Milwaukee Jour-nal/Sentinel file photo during her tentureas the first Black and female alderpersonin the history of the city.

MCJ file photofrom last year’sDaddy/DaughterDance.


“I believe I can do just as good a job as anybody,” saidPruitt, whose four children and six grandchildren all at-tended—and are attending—Milwaukee Public Schools. “Education is a family value,” she said during a recent

interview at the MCJ. “I want public education to bearound for my grandchildren and all children.”Pruitt would like to help change the instability she sees

in the district in terms of a fair share in state funding,class size, the arts and music, as well as close the achieve-ment gap in reading and math.“Smaller class sizes have made a difference (in other

school districts). When you reduce class size, students dobetter in reading and math.”Pruitt noted the Greenfield School District has discon-

tinued open enrollment in order to focus on smaller classsizes to improve academic performance.“These are the things we should be fighting for,” Pruitt

stressed.The board candidate would also fight for—if elected

to the board—policies that bridge the gap between stu-dent mobility and academics, partner with parents and in-crease their involvement and presence in the schools;(fight for) community partnerships for the social andemotional needs of students; and fight for policies whichvalue teachers, maintain inclusive and open collabora-tions, and strengthen resources and build opportunities.“I’d work with teachers, principals and parents; give

more resources (to the schools) to do creative things thatwill bring stability (utilizing) existing resources,” Pruittsaid.As an example, Pruitt said she would push for the use

of psychologists and social workers trained in trauma andemotional care assisting teachers and helping reduce be-havioral problems in the classroom.“Create an environment so children with problems can

be educated.”What we perceive as learning disabilities, Pruitt sees

as issues stemming from poverty, which includes mentalhealth trauma.“Children need structure and (in some cases) it exists

outside their community. MPS becomes a vehicle to raisetheir consciousness so they (students) become life-longlearners, despite the emotional background.“Children need more understanding with what they

have to struggle with in their neighborhoods.”Pruitt said it takes a person with a trained eye—like a

psychologist—to provide guidance to teachers as to whatsome students show as it relates to behavior.Asked about her position on Parental School Choice

and Vouchers, Pruitt said she believes in options for par-ents, but has a problem with it when it negatively impactspublic education in terms of funding.“We need to look at the allocation of funds and if allo-

cating more funding for Choice creates a budget problemfor MPS and all children,” Pruitt said.“Dollars allocated toward Choice are public dollars.

(As I said) I don’t have a problem with private education.But I do have a problem with funding private educationwith tax dollars at the expense of public education.”Pruitt said she wants to be the community’s voice on

the board and work with other board members—and leg-islators in Madison—to achieve her goals of betteringpublic education.“I would develop partnerships with the schools, par-

ents, and teachers; be their voice on the board, not just bea rubber stamp. Raise the consciousness of the commu-nity through transparency on issues of public educationwithin MPS.“It’s not good to maintain the status quo at a time when

there needs to be change.”

ELECTIONWATCH:SchoolBoardCandidate StephanyPruitt(continued from page 1)

CHICAGO (AP) — Little League International has strippedJackie Robinson West of the national title that the Chicago teamwon last summer after an investigation revealed it had falsifiedboundaries to field ineligible players. In a stunning Wednesday announcement that came months

after the all-black team, whose ages ranged from 11 to 13 years,captured the attention of the country and the hearts of its home-town, the baseball organization said it also found that after theleague had changed the boundaries, some team officials wentto surrounding leagues to convince them to go along with whatthey’d done. “This is a heartbreaking decision,” Stephen D. Keener, the

Little League International president and CEO, said in a state-ment. “As painful as it is, we feel it is a necessary decision to main-

tain the integrity of the Little League program. No team can beallowed to attempt to strengthen its team by putting players on

their roster that live outside their boundaries.” The team hasbeen suspended from Little League tournament privileges untilnew leadership is found. The team’s manager, Darold Butler, is also suspended, and

an administrator from the district that includes Jackie RobinsonWest has been removed from his position, according to the state-ment. The march of the team riveted the city, all the way to itsloss in the world championship game to South Korea, and whenit was over, thousands of people lined Chicago’s streets to catcha glimpse of the boys as they were paraded by bus from theirSouth Side baseball field to a downtown park. There were countless heartwarming stories about the team,

including an effort by major league players to contribute moneyso the parents in the blue collar community could attend theWorld Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and another aboutCubs players huddled around a television watching the teamduring a rain delay at Wrigley Field. The team was treated to a trip to the major league World Se-

ries and to the White House to meet President Barack Obamaand the first lady, Michelle Obama.

Chicago’s Little League Championship Team Stripped of Title Article by Don Babwin, Associated Press-Courtesy of Blackpressusa.com





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MCJ Feb 11, 2015 Edition