MCJ053117 Pages Layout 1 6/1/17 12:01 AM Page 1 …...Newsmaker Luncheon Series is sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Milwaukee Press Club pres-ents the Newsmaker Luncheons

VOL. XL Number 45 May 31, 2017 www.milwaukeecommunityjournal.com 25 Cents BULK RATEU.S. POSTAGE PAID

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSINPERMIT NO. 4668

W I S C 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 P A P E R

RELIGION: Interfaith,SETmergertocreate stronger intergenerational communities

PULSEPULSE OF THE OF THE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:QUESTION OF THE WEEK:“We asked four MPS high school“We asked four MPS high school

graduates: ‘What do you plan to dograduates: ‘What do you plan to donow that you have graduated?’”now that you have graduated?’”

“I am going toattend the Uni-versity of Ari-zona. I willmajor in busi-ness and willone day want toown my own jewelry business.”

Tiarra Bean

“I will be attendingTexas Southern Uni-versity majoring inpolitical science andfinance. I also planon attending lawschool and obtain aJuris Doctorate. Iwant to get into poli-tics and serve in theU.S. Senate or Congress representing theunder-represented and minorities.”

Gregory Norwood

“I plan to attendcollege at UW-Whitewater ma-joring in businessmanagement.Once I haveearned my bache-lor’s degree, Ihope to realize my dream of becom-ing the CEO of my own business.”

TeyondaHamler

“I an currently at-tending UW-Whitewatermajoring in com-munications andbusiness manage-ment to fulfill mydream of owning and operating myown photography studio.”

MartinezMilton, Jr.

William Gore, formerchair of the Fire andPolice Commissionpasses at 83Funeral services will be

held Friday, June 2 at St.Mark AME Church forWilliam I. Gore, who wasthe first African Ameri-can to serve as chairmanof the Milwaukee Fireand Police Commission.Gore passed away May

27. He was 83.Appointed by then Mayor Henry

Maier in 1973, Gore served on thecommission for 15 years, eight of those as its chairman.During his time on the commission, Gore helped make unprecedented

changes in the recruitment policy of the Fire and Police Commission focusingon increasing the number of minorities on the force.Born July 30, 1933, Gore’s father was an AME minister father and his

mother was a public school teacher. He was the valedictorian of Booker T. Washington High School in Colum-

bia.He was a 1954 Graduate of Morehouse College(B.A. Political Science and

Economics); 1958 graduate of Atlanta University School Of Social Work(Master’s Degree); Completed a National Leadership Training Program forSocial Workers in Mental Health-1972. Gore was a U.S. Army veteran, serv-ing from 1954 to 1956 as a radar operator. He was honorably discharged.Gore moved to Milwaukee in June of 1958 after being recruited by Mil-

waukee County to work as an Adult Service Probation Officer. He worked for Milwaukee County for 30-plus years, including 17 years as

Director of Psychiatric Social Services at the Milwaukee County MentalHealth Complex, making him the first Black person to head a professionaldiscipline department in Milwaukee County’s history. He retired from Mil-waukee County in 1989. He was also an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Medical Col-

lege Of Wisconsin for several years until 1989. He was also on thefaculty/academic staff at UW-Milwaukee School of Social Welfare duringthe 1970s.Gore was an active member of St. Mark AME Church for more than 50

years, including 30 years as Treasurer of the Sunday School. He also servedas a trustee, junior steward, and a long time member of the church’s ChristianSocial Action Forum Committee.He was also active in the NAACP, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Morehouse

College Alumni Association, and was a 33rd Degree Prince Hall Mason. Gorewas also a Director with Columbia Savings And Loan Association and was along time director of the Willie D. Davis Scholarship Fund.Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 1:30, at which time the service will

start. St. Mark is located at 1616 W. Atkinson Ave. Rev. Darryl Williams isthe pastor.--Compiled by MCJ Editorial Staff

Former Green Bay Packer wide re-ceiver Donald Driver is congratu-lated by Milwaukee FireDepartment Chief Mark A. Rohlfingas Driver accepts a fire chief hat asa token of appreciation for his workas spokesperson for “Zero In Wis-consin” during the kick-off of thissummer’s “Click It or Ticket” pro-gram. State and local law enforce-ment officers will patrol in greaternumbers for longer hours lookingfor motorists who are not usingseat belts. When the seat belt adsfeaturing Driver first appeared in2009, overall seat belt use in Wis-consin was less than 74 percent.Last year’s usage rate of 88.4 is anall-time high for the state.--Photoby Yvonne Kemp

Former Packer greathelps kick off summerseat belt program

Awards were handed out to students who partic-ipated in a essay writing contest at the RunningRebels headquarters on Fond du Lac Avenue. Pic-tured at left are some of the participants andawardees with the programs founder and coordina-tor, professor Edith Adekunle-Wilson (third fromleft in front) are (front row, left to right): BrandiPatterson, mother of the first place winnerDeAveion Patterson (who is not pictured); CameronJohnson, Myles Allen (honorable mention); Whit-ney Bingham of the Running Rebels, who served asMC of the event; and Archie Carter, president andboard member of the Booker T. Boosters of Evans-ville, Ind.; (back row, left to right): Ron Court, na-tional president/founder of the Booker T.Washington Society; London Barby (third place win-ner), Jeremy Benton, and JaVaughn Byrd (secondplace winner). The young men who participated inthe initiative read a 40 page booklet titled “BookerT. Washington: American Hero and write a 250-500word essay on it.--Photo by Yvonne Kemp

Essay contest encouragesliteracy among young boys

CommonCouncil approves $2.3millionsettlement in Dontre Hamilton civil suit

As a Black male slept nearby fromwhere Donte Hamilton was killed bya Milwaukee police officer threeyears ago, family members of thevictim declared their continued vigi-

lance of police misconduct even asthe common council approved a $2.3million wrongful death settlement.The irony of the scenario was not

lost on those attending a press con-ference held at Red Arrow Park. Thekilling of Hamilton was precipitatedby a call to police by a Starbucks em-ployee about Hamilton sleeping atthe park, which is located across thestreet from city hall.The settlement comes after the

family received a partial victory infederal court, after a judge in a civilsuit ruled Milwaukee police officerChristopher Manney violated Hamil-ton’s constitutional rights by illegallypatting Hamilton down before heshot him.Manney was fired by Milwaukee

Police Chief Ed Flynn for not follow-ing proper pat-down procedure.

However criminal charges were notpursued by Milwaukee County Dis-trict Attorney John Chisholm or theU.S. Attorney’s office. Their inaction left the Hamiltons

with no other recourse but to file afederal civil rights suit.The Wednesday decision, decided

by 13 yes votes from the council,now goes to Mayor Tom Barrett’sdesk for his approval. Ald. TerryWitkowski was absent. Ald. BobDonovan, a staunch defender of thepolice department’s rank and file, ab-stained from the vote. During remarks he made before

the vote, Donovan decried the factsome of the money will go to the at-torneys for the family.At the press conference in the park

three hours after the approval of thesettlement, the family made it very

clear a large portion of the settlementwill be placed in a fund that Dontre’sson will receive after he becomes anadult.A press statement from the Hamil-

ton family’s attorneys stressed theHamilton parents and brothers werenever plaintiffs in the lawsuit. “Eventhough these individuals were nevergoing to benefit financially from thelawsuit, they have sought to obtainaccountability for the senseless lossof their son and brother, DontreHamilton, and to end future killings,”the statement read.“Hopefully the settlement will get

him (Dontre’s son) a better life,” saidMaria Hamilton during the newsconference. “Though everyone ishappy the family has a victory, it isnot a happy moment.”

Retired Milwaukee UrbanLeague President Ralph Holl-mon and Growing PowerCEO Will Allen received hon-orary degrees from the Med-ical College of Wisconsinduring its commencement cer-emony held recently at the Mil-waukee Theatre, downtown.With Hollmon in the abovephoto are Jacqueline Herd-Bar-ber, a member of the MCW board of trustees and Atty. Gregory M.Wesley, senior vice president, strategic alliances and business de-velopment for MCW. --Photos by Yvonne Kemp

Compiled by MCJ Editorial Staff

Dontre Hamilton

(continued on page 2)

William I. Gore

Ralph Hollmon honored by Medical College of Wisconsin

MCJ053117 Pages_Layout 1 6/1/17 12:01 AM Page 1

The Milwaukee Community Journal May 31, 2017 Page 2 The Milwaukee Community Journal May 31, 2017 Page 3

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESGUEST EDITORIALGUEST EDITORIAL

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

Billing Dept./Publisher’sAdmin. Assist.Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Richard G. Carter, Fr. CarlDiederichs, Rev. Joe McLinPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

NewsmakerLuncheon to Feature EarnellLucas, Candidatefor MilwaukeeCounty SheriffEarnell Lucas will be the featured

speaker at a Milwaukee Press ClubNewsmaker Luncheon on Wednes-day, June 7.Lucas, a former captain with the

Milwaukee Police Department andcurrently a vice president of securityfor Major League Baseball is seekingto become Milwaukee County’s nextsheriff. Lucas will take questions from a

panel of journalists and from the au-dience at the luncheon, set for 11:45a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the NewsroomPub, 137 E. Wells St. The event isopen to the public.Lucas registered as a candidate in

the 2018 Democratic Primary for thesheriff’s position before SheriffDavid Clarke announced he wouldleave in June for a position in the De-partment of Homeland Security.After Clarke’s announcement, Lucassaid he would seek an appointmentfrom Governor Scott Walker to re-place Clarke.

Federal officials have not con-firmed that Clarke will receive an ap-pointment.Lucas, a Milwaukee native, is a

graduate of Marquette University.The Milwaukee Press Club's

Newsmaker Luncheon Series issponsored by the Milwaukee JournalSentinel.The Milwaukee Press Club pres-

ents the Newsmaker Luncheons toshed light on issues of the day. Thepublic is invited to attend the lunch-

eons. The cost to attend is $20 forMPC members, $25 for non-mem-bers and $15 for students. Lunch isincluded. Seating is limited. Advanced registration and pay-

ment are required and may be doneonline at www.milwaukeepress-club.org. Checks may be mailed to the MPC

at PO Box 176, North Prairie, WI53153-0176. Cancellations will beaccepted up to 48 hours in advancefor a full refund.

Council approves$2.3 M settlement inHamilton civil suit(continued from page 1)The Hamilton matriarch said she and her family will continue to hold the

Milwaukee Police Department, the mayor and other elected officials account-able for the wrongs committed by the department and the justice system ingeneral. “My family will not stop fighting for justice. I will not grieve until we get

the justice Dontre deserves.”Thanking those supporters who stood with her and held her up, Mrs. Hamil-

ton urged the community to unite and stop hating each other and start lovingeach other. “I encourage everyone to continue to fight where you are, in yourown space, and create a loving environment.”Dameion Perkins, one of Dontre’s brothers noted the irony of a Black man

sleeping in the park (as well as an older White woman) without being harassedor shot 14 times as his brother was by Manney on April 30, 2014.“Today is not the end, but a beginning,” Perkins continued, adding justice

to him would be Manney paying for what he did just as Perkins would havehad to pay if he had taken a life.Dontre’s other brother, Nate Hamilton, who has been the family’s

spokesperson who for three years criticizing and daring the justice system,law enforcement and government officials to do better and give the familyand community justice while inspiring supporters, was momentarily at a lossfor words, overcome by emotion.Whiping away tears, Nate said it hurts to live in a society that doesn’t care

about Black people, nor recognize them as human beings. “Who wants to live like that? Who wants to hurt--to not have? That’s us.

Our family doesn’t have Dontre. We hurt everyday.”Noting the family’s detractors who have tried to discredit their efforts, Nate

said the family feeds off of the criticism.“We’re a family that doesn’t give up or care what you think of us,” Nate

said to those critics. “We will not let you continue doing what you have doneto other Dontres.”Nate said he and his family will continue to fight for other families in Mil-

waukee and across the nation. “To raise our voices despite the shouts for usto be quiet.”Nate said the settlement by the city is proof it knows what Manney did was

wrong. He noted the family wanted to go to trial to show Manney for who hewas, but eventually decided to take the settlement offer for the sake of Don-tre’s heir.

Are we witnessing the new Clarence Thomas?Thomas did a shocking thing when he voted with the majority

of his Supreme Court colleagues to strike down two racially ger-rymandered congressional districts in North Carolina. If the newClarence Thomas wants to stick around for awhile, we’re notmad at him, because in this new era when the Republicans ownevery branch of government—at least for now—we need all thehelp we can get.This is not a friendly time, nor is it a hospitable environment for civil

rights and voting rights.For Thomas, this decision is a dramatic departure from many of his

past opinions. The case at hand is Cooper v. Harris, where the nation’shigh court upheld the lower court’s decision to strike down Districts 1and 12 in North Carolina, which violate the Constitution because theGOP legislature racially gerrymandered them to dilute black votingpower.Thomas joined the court’s four liberal justices in rejecting the racially

biased districts, which were redrawn after the 2010 census. Typically,states are not allowed to use race as the chief factor in drawing electoraldistricts. Some believe the decision will make it easier for voting rightsadvocates to challenge voting districts that were crafted and manipulatedwith political partisanship and racial discrimination in mind. So, Thomas is on the right side of history, at least when it comes to this

case. But whether a righteous Clarence Thomas will reappear and do usa solid with other important civil rights cases is an open question.On civil rights and criminal justice, Thomas has generally disappointed.

His “originalist” interpretation of the Constitution from the viewpoint ofthe Founding Fathers does not help those who originally were regardedas three-fifths of a person. He has advocated for a racially unjust death penalty. The justice was

the lone dissenter in a case where the court ruled in favor of a black mansent to death row by an all-white jury, in which there was a concerted ef-fort by prosecutors to keep blacks off the jury.His judicial record suggests he has believed in colorblindness, that the

state should be neutral on matters of race—not the notion that racism isover, as white conservatives will proclaim, but rather that colorblindnessis the best black folks will get from the government. Thomas’ worldviewstems from a black conservatism which speaks to someone who grew upin a segregated South and who has a pro-Malcolm X, black nationalistpast, as some will suggest.However, rejecting the role of the government in helping black people

get ahead, Thomas has effectively put his head in the sand and advocateda bootstraps mentality, giving a green light to white supremacy and in-stitutional racism.

After shocking N.C. decision, will ClarenceThomas derail the GOP agenda?

By David A. Love, courtesy of thegrio.com


Gee’s new digs!The newly expanded Gee’s Clippers Barbering and Beauty Salon, located at 2200 N.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, held a grand opening ceremony recently. There waslive entertainment and light refreshments. Said Ald. Milele Coggs, who represents thedistrict the new barbershop is located: “The new and improved Gee’s Clippers will en-sure that owner Gaulien Smith and his talented staff continue to serve customers in theheart of Bronzeville and the Historic King Drive Business Improvement District formany years to come.”--Photo by Yvonne Kemp

The Milwaukee Urban Leaguerecently held a Youth Leader-ship Summit at Junior Achieve-ment of Wisconsin, 11111 W.Liberty Ave. The one day sum-mit’s aim was to help prepareyoung individuals to be the nextgeneration of Wisconsin lead-ers. The program also focusedon leadership development,community involvement/civicengagement, resolving conflictthrough negotiation and finan-cial literacy. Students were rec-ognized and awarded withlaptop computers. The summitwas a collaborative effort be-tween the MUL, its Guild, Jun-ior Achievement of Wisconsinand Pathways Milwaukee.--Photo by Yvonne Kemp

Milwaukee Urban League sponsors Youth Leadership Summit



PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESGUEST EDITORIALGUEST EDITORIAL SIGNIFYIN’SIGNIFYIN’

By Mikel Kwaku Oshi Holt

URBAN MyURBAN MyDIALOGUE...DIALOGUE...By Torre “ToeJoe” Johnson

MILLENNIALMILLENNIALMAGICMAGICBy Paishance Welch

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

Billing Dept./Publisher’sAdmin. Assist.Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Richard G. Carter, Fr. CarlDiederichs, Rev. Joe McLinPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

NewsmakerLuncheon to Feature EarnellLucas, Candidatefor MilwaukeeCounty SheriffEarnell Lucas will be the featured

speaker at a Milwaukee Press ClubNewsmaker Luncheon on Wednes-day, June 7.Lucas, a former captain with the

Milwaukee Police Department andcurrently a vice president of securityfor Major League Baseball is seekingto become Milwaukee County’s nextsheriff. Lucas will take questions from a

panel of journalists and from the au-dience at the luncheon, set for 11:45a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the NewsroomPub, 137 E. Wells St. The event isopen to the public.Lucas registered as a candidate in

the 2018 Democratic Primary for thesheriff’s position before SheriffDavid Clarke announced he wouldleave in June for a position in the De-partment of Homeland Security.After Clarke’s announcement, Lucassaid he would seek an appointmentfrom Governor Scott Walker to re-place Clarke.

Federal officials have not con-firmed that Clarke will receive an ap-pointment.Lucas, a Milwaukee native, is a

graduate of Marquette University.The Milwaukee Press Club's

Newsmaker Luncheon Series issponsored by the Milwaukee JournalSentinel.The Milwaukee Press Club pres-

ents the Newsmaker Luncheons toshed light on issues of the day. Thepublic is invited to attend the lunch-

eons. The cost to attend is $20 forMPC members, $25 for non-mem-bers and $15 for students. Lunch isincluded. Seating is limited. Advanced registration and pay-

ment are required and may be doneonline at www.milwaukeepress-club.org. Checks may be mailed to the MPC

at PO Box 176, North Prairie, WI53153-0176. Cancellations will beaccepted up to 48 hours in advancefor a full refund.

Council approves$2.3 M settlement inHamilton civil suit(continued from page 1)The Hamilton matriarch said she and her family will continue to hold the

Milwaukee Police Department, the mayor and other elected officials account-able for the wrongs committed by the department and the justice system ingeneral. “My family will not stop fighting for justice. I will not grieve until we get

the justice Dontre deserves.”Thanking those supporters who stood with her and held her up, Mrs. Hamil-

ton urged the community to unite and stop hating each other and start lovingeach other. “I encourage everyone to continue to fight where you are, in yourown space, and create a loving environment.”Dameion Perkins, one of Dontre’s brothers noted the irony of a Black man

sleeping in the park (as well as an older White woman) without being harassedor shot 14 times as his brother was by Manney on April 30, 2014.“Today is not the end, but a beginning,” Perkins continued, adding justice

to him would be Manney paying for what he did just as Perkins would havehad to pay if he had taken a life.Dontre’s other brother, Nate Hamilton, who has been the family’s

spokesperson who for three years criticizing and daring the justice system,law enforcement and government officials to do better and give the familyand community justice while inspiring supporters, was momentarily at a lossfor words, overcome by emotion.Whiping away tears, Nate said it hurts to live in a society that doesn’t care

about Black people, nor recognize them as human beings. “Who wants to live like that? Who wants to hurt--to not have? That’s us.

Our family doesn’t have Dontre. We hurt everyday.”Noting the family’s detractors who have tried to discredit their efforts, Nate

said the family feeds off of the criticism.“We’re a family that doesn’t give up or care what you think of us,” Nate

said to those critics. “We will not let you continue doing what you have doneto other Dontres.”Nate said he and his family will continue to fight for other families in Mil-

waukee and across the nation. “To raise our voices despite the shouts for usto be quiet.”Nate said the settlement by the city is proof it knows what Manney did was

wrong. He noted the family wanted to go to trial to show Manney for who hewas, but eventually decided to take the settlement offer for the sake of Don-tre’s heir.

Let UsNever ForgetIn Milwaukee, some areas are getting better and some are getting worst. I

am seeing areas in which many can’t shake that imaginary curse; the thoughtof always witnessing the hurt. So many of our people ignore the saying ‘Itgets greater later,’ because for them, later never seems to come.It saddens me that we refuse to break free. We are stuck inside our self-pity

and sorrow caused by others who share our worlds. We have needs and wants,but will do very little to help improve our shared space in this city. Althoughmany of us dress up pretty on the outside, we are experiencing ugliness onthe inside. Our scars are so deep. Some have yet to heal, causing many of usto remain numb. We cover up so much, even while seeming to have fun. I say everyday on my Facebook posts, on my block there’s shootings,

killings, robberies and hit and runs. I am in the 53206 area but that doesn'tmake it any scarier. Why is it thatmost of the crimes committed are by those traveling? There is always fear

of the unknown. That fear erases the hope of sharing love.We as a people must attack what has become the norm; the everyday

process of violence using different approaches. If we don’t attack the norm,then the same punishment will soon become less effective. We have a habitof doing the same thing expecting different results. It is easy to say it’s comingwhen I know it’s been here and has now gone. If we don't prepare now for itsreturn the same old results will be our new outcome.We as a community must agree on our immediate needs and work together

to achieve them. Together, we must attack the source and stop sugar coatingour problems. We must stop applauding scholars who are unwilling or unableto develop action plans that evolve over each year. Let’s allow those whotruly care, a place in the space taken up by air, (referring to those that talk agood game, while our people continuously get played.) We must protect, po-lice and teach ourselves. We must never give up, never give up.Mrs. Robinson loved to remind us of that and I will never forget that we

must never give up. We must also never forget that only we can save us. Wemust learn to have trust in ourselves. Black Families Stand Up.--Torre M Johnson Sr./ President of XMEN UNITED LLC.

Why Are MillennialsRaised in ChurchSlowly Leaving theChurch?We are already misunderstood and highly overlooked. Millennials are on a

clock worked schedule and it always seems to consist of proving ourselvesto people as well as being heard. Much of these unfortunate events tend tohappen in schools, the work area, with family (who are not millennials) andeven church. Yes, I said church. Although millennials have been said to be the most non-religious genera-

tion to ever exist, our distant behavior towards church is not a matter of usrunning from Jesus. In a place that was designed to be free of judgement andscrutiny, millennials have the hardest time with getting engaged in the churchand staying engaged. Millennials are totally over church because nobody lis-tens to us, tradition rules over everything and we need to be mentored, notpreached at. According to a Barna Research study, a market research firm specializing

in studying the religious beliefs and behavior of Americans and the intersec-tion of faith and culture, only 2 in 10 Americans under 30 believe attendingchurch is important or worthwhile. One of the reasons millennials have leftthe church is because no one listens to us. Church and Board members tend to overlook the younger people because,

“We don’t know anything.” or “We don’t understand.” Millennials value voiceand speech and when we aren’t asked or given the chance to be heard, themessage becomes clear to us: Our opinion doesn’t matter.Our generation is said to be the most intellectual and intelligent generations

of all time. So, with that being said, we want to voice our thoughts and opin-ions. We want to be taken seriously. We want to be heard. The feeling ofknowing that we are valued is what fuels our drive. Without appreciation oracknowledgement, we are merely shadows in the walls of our church andworship centers.The study also revealed that as of 2016, 35% of millennials have an anti-

church stance, believing the church does more harm than good. Aside fromthe hypocrites and judges in the sanctuary, the church is full of -forgive mefor saying this- old timers. According to a previous ABC News poll, it hasbeen found that religious belief and practice increase with age. Sixty percentof people age 65 and older report attending religious services at least once aweek; among 18 to 30-year-olds, just 28 percent go that often. One thing you can associate with older people, is tradition. Now, don’t get

me wrong. Tradition is neither negative nor positive. Sometimes it can domore harm than good and vice versa but in the case of integrating youth andyoung adults into the church services or church activities, tradition rules andwell, millennials…? We just don’t exist. Change is inevitable, but it seems like the older deacons and deaconesses,


College and cool acts of social protestLet’s take a vote on it—which of the recent col-lege commencement protests of Trump adminis-tration officials earned your nod as the CCC-17(coolest college confrontation of 2017).Was it the commencement callous of Black students as U.S. Educa-

tion Secretary Betsy DeVos addressed the graduating class at Bethune-Cookman University?Or was it the coldly calculated and dignified dissing of Vice Presi-

dent Mike Pence at Notre Dame?In the pantheon of cool acts of social protest, I don’t know which

demonstration earned my ice cube award, although I don’t expect ei-ther of them to be the last to qualify for the honor before PresidentDonald Trump is impeached.The DeVos dissing resonated more so than did the Pence protest, if

for no other reason than because it was unusual for Black hands to bitethe hands that fed them—at least under President Barack Obama.Many, if not most, of the Black students relied on government grants

and loans. But that won’t be the case if the Trump budget proposal isapproved. Trump not only will severely cut funding for Black colleges,but will take an ax to Pell Grants and guaranteed loans.Thus, from that perspective, DeVos represented what I call Trump-

care(less)—not only for health care, but also for students, elderly andthe needy.Which is one reason why I had to give DeVos credit for showing up.

Her appearance was advertised for weeks leading up to the graduation,and prompted a petition drive that had collected thousands of signa-tures.I also have to give her props for agreeing to speak at a Black college,

something I doubt any other Trump cabinet member would have largeenough testicles to do (pun intended).Ironically, DeVos’ message was inspiring, although she found it all

but impossible to step from under the shadow of one of the most de-spised presidents in history (that’s in part due to the ignorance of thestudents about the racist policies of most presidents leading up to andafter Abe Lincoln, who historians now believe felt our race was intel-lectually inferior).What many of the students at the Florida university did not take into

consideration—or apparently cared about—was that DeVos was in-vited for a reason. And it was not to display support for the Trump-care(less) administration, or merely to have a high-ranking dignitaryon campus.Instead, it was an attempt to curry favor with the secretary, although

that may have backfired.While the president of Bethune-Cookman University in Florida may

have held similar feelings about Trump, he looked beyond those con-cerns toward the horizon from which another generation of Black stu-dents could be seen and decided that he would get in bed with theenemy but didn’t have to get under the covers.His decision to invite and present DeVos was made within the con-

text of a familiar philosophy held by the president of the UNCF whonot only accepted, but solicited contributions from the infamous Kochbrothers. Talk about dichotomy? Or is the right word pragmatism?By any definition it is a reality. The Koch brothers, who support

some of the most far right organizations in the country and whoseagenda is said to be moving the country further to the right, are alsoone of the largest contributors to the United Negro College Fund!And while you may find that fact disconcerting, the reality is without

their support, thousands of Black children would not be able to attenda Black college.Of course, Bethune-Cookman president Edison Jackson didn’t use

that fact as justification, nor did he mention the possibility of DeVos’speech as oiling the door for possible federal funding.Instead, he came up with what some consider a lame explanation,

but one that after consideration had a ring of truth to it: declaring stu-dents would benefit from hearing from those with controversial idealsand differing beliefs."If our students are robbed of the opportunity to experience and in-

teract with views that may be different from their own, then they willbe tremendously less equipped for the demands of democratic citizen-ship," he said in a statement posted online.The Notre Dame protest was far more sanitized and was actually co-

ordinated with campus security. Not surprisingly, it wasn’t as well re-ceived by the parents of protesting students or alumni since most arecaviar conservatives who probably supported Trump, and paid for theexpensive college educations out of their piggy banks.To them, the Pence proclamation was marching orders and accept-

ance in a fraternity that few of us will be allowed to join.Thus, both protests had an impact, although for different reasons and

to different observers. They also brought to the forefront the power ofour essential freedom, a powerful tool that is also a double-edgedsword.One that can be used to cut an opponent or make an essential point,

or it can sometimes backfire and cut the yielder.More next week.

Are we witnessing the new Clarence Thomas?Thomas did a shocking thing when he voted with the majority

of his Supreme Court colleagues to strike down two racially ger-rymandered congressional districts in North Carolina. If the newClarence Thomas wants to stick around for awhile, we’re notmad at him, because in this new era when the Republicans ownevery branch of government—at least for now—we need all thehelp we can get.This is not a friendly time, nor is it a hospitable environment for civil

rights and voting rights.For Thomas, this decision is a dramatic departure from many of his

past opinions. The case at hand is Cooper v. Harris, where the nation’shigh court upheld the lower court’s decision to strike down Districts 1and 12 in North Carolina, which violate the Constitution because theGOP legislature racially gerrymandered them to dilute black votingpower.Thomas joined the court’s four liberal justices in rejecting the racially

biased districts, which were redrawn after the 2010 census. Typically,states are not allowed to use race as the chief factor in drawing electoraldistricts. Some believe the decision will make it easier for voting rightsadvocates to challenge voting districts that were crafted and manipulatedwith political partisanship and racial discrimination in mind. So, Thomas is on the right side of history, at least when it comes to this

case. But whether a righteous Clarence Thomas will reappear and do usa solid with other important civil rights cases is an open question.On civil rights and criminal justice, Thomas has generally disappointed.

His “originalist” interpretation of the Constitution from the viewpoint ofthe Founding Fathers does not help those who originally were regardedas three-fifths of a person. He has advocated for a racially unjust death penalty. The justice was

the lone dissenter in a case where the court ruled in favor of a black mansent to death row by an all-white jury, in which there was a concerted ef-fort by prosecutors to keep blacks off the jury.His judicial record suggests he has believed in colorblindness, that the

state should be neutral on matters of race—not the notion that racism isover, as white conservatives will proclaim, but rather that colorblindnessis the best black folks will get from the government. Thomas’ worldviewstems from a black conservatism which speaks to someone who grew upin a segregated South and who has a pro-Malcolm X, black nationalistpast, as some will suggest.However, rejecting the role of the government in helping black people

get ahead, Thomas has effectively put his head in the sand and advocateda bootstraps mentality, giving a green light to white supremacy and in-stitutional racism.

After shocking N.C. decision, will ClarenceThomas derail the GOP agenda?

By David A. Love, courtesy of thegrio.com

Clarence Thomas




RELIGIONRELIGION Interfaith Older Adult Programs, SET Ministry announce merger to createstronger intergenerational communitiesThe Boards of Directors of Interfaith Older Adult Pro-

grams and SET Ministry voted to merge the two non-profits and create a completely new organization. Thiswill bring together broader volunteer, family and olderadult services and resources to create stronger neighbor-hoods and communities in Milwaukee County.Discussions for a merger were started almost a year ago

according to David Pifer, Vice President of the InterfaithBoard of Directors. The new name and operational struc-ture were not announced. The merger is expected to becompleted by mid-summer. The two organizations willcontinue to operate separately and there will be no dis-ruption of support, resources and/or services to clients orvolunteers.“Together, Interfaith and SET will be able to have a

more meaningful, lasting impact on the social aspects ofhealth across the county, because good health starts wherewe live, learn, work and play,” said Laurene Lambach,the President and CEO of SET Ministry. Lambach willalso be the President and CEO of the new organization.For more than six months, the Former Director of the

Milwaukee County Department on Aging Stephanie SueStein has served as the Interim Director for Interfaith.Stein will will serve as a member of the board of directorsof the new organization. “I’m passionate about this neworganization and the future.”“By joining with SET Ministry we are adding value to

our capacity to reach more older adults, volunteers, andfamilies in our communities that need support,” saidStein. “From its start more than 40 years ago, Interfaithhas been helping older adults in many neighborhoodsthroughout Milwaukee County.”“The consolidation will be good for the community.

These organizations share an approach of serving peoplewhere they live and learn through delivery of services in

homes, schools and neighborhoods,” said Robert De Vita,Board Chair of SET. “The organizations also share a mis-sion of fostering intergenerational connections to increasethe self-sufficiency and well-being of children, familiesand older adults in our community.”“The diverse efforts of both organizations are compat-

ible because they build on each other to create strongneighborhoods and communities” said Pifer, Interfaith’sVice President of the Board of Directors.Timothy Klare, Interfaith’s Board President, added,

“By combining resources, professional expertise, and ex-perience, Interfaith/SET will be a stronger organizationand better equipped to address the intergenerational needsof Milwaukee families.”

New Organization OutreachThe new organization will serve more than 18,000

members of our community. Including the operation offive senior centers, 18 senior dining meal sites, and acommunity garden. In addition, services and outreach tohundreds of students in 59 Milwaukee Public Schoolsalong with help for individuals and families residing in13 public housing developments and 10 neighborhoodoutreach offices with the support from more than 190congregations and community organizations, 265 staffand 3,000 plus committed volunteers.Since 1975, Interfaith has been engaged in the physical

and social challenges of aging by providing innovativeprograms, successful solutions, and the often muchneeded extra helping hand.Lambach is very optimistic about the intergenerational

impact of combining Interfaith’s expertise in volunteerprogramming with SET’s trauma-informed approach tohealing. She is envisioning a new organization that willbe able to bring new hope to many more central-city fam-ilies, as SET has been doing since 1985.

Brentwood Church of Christ to hold two eventsBrentwood Church of Christ will celebrate its

75th anniversary with five days of spirit-filledevents. The celebration will be held July 15-20 atthe church, located at 6425 N. 60th St. The themefor the anniversary is: “We’ve Come This Far ByFaith”--II Corinthians. The theme encompassesthe churches faithful journey from its old 35thand Cherry location to its present location.The guest speaker will be Bro. Wesley T.

Leonard of Southside Church of Christ, Orlando,FL. For more information, contact the church at353-6757.

Brentwood Church of Christ,located at 6425 N. 60th St., willbe the place to see some of thecoolest cars, trucks and motor-cycles at its second annual carshow. The car show will be held on

June 17 on the church grounds,from 12 noon until 4 p.m. Individ-uals who think there care is thecoolest ride out there can partici-pate in the show. You can register at 10 a.m the

day of the show for $15. Theshow is being sponsored by thechurch “Y.E.S.” youth group tohelp raise funds for future activi-ties.

There is an ongoing, increasingand predominantly silent crisis in thehealth and well-being of men. Ac-cording to the Men’s Health Net-work, the primary source for thisarticle, due to a lack of awareness,poor health education, and culturallyinduced behavior patterns in theirwork and personal lives, men's healthand well-being are deterioratingsteadily. The men's health crisis is seen

most dramatically in mortality fig-ures. In 1920, the life expectancy ofmales and females was roughly thesame. Since that time and, increas-ingly, in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s,the life expectancy for men hasdropped in comparison with that ofwomen, with women outliving menby more than 5 years. Over the last30 years, the ratio of male mortalityover female mortality has increasedin every age category. In addition,consider:• Men have a higher death rate for most of the leading causes of death:• Heart Disease• Cancer• Chronic lower respiratory disease• Diabetes• Alzheimer’s• Homicide• HIV Infection• Men are also victims of over 92% of workplace deaths.• Depression in men is undiagnosed contributing to the

fact that men are 4 times as likely to commit suicide.June 12-18 2017 is recognized as Men’s Health Week.

The goal of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the aware-ness of preventable health problems and encourage earlydetection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

Men’s Health Week encourages menand boys to seek regular medical ad-vice and early treatment for diseaseand injury. Since its inception, the re-sponse has been overwhelming withhundreds of awareness activities inthe United States and around theglobe. Join the Men's Health Net-work in celebrating Men’s Healththis month. Their mission is to reachmen, boys, and their families wherethey live, work, play, and pray withhealth prevention messages andtools, screening programs, educa-tional materials, advocacy opportuni-ties, and patient navigation. Visit theMen’s Health Network at http://men-shealthnetwork.org.

WEAR BLUEWear BLUE was created by Men’s

Health Network to raise awarenessabout men’s health issues. How canyou contribute to this awareness?Your church or community serviceorganization can plan an educational

event during the month of June that brings awareness toa wide range of men’s health issues. Another consideration can be to sponsor a Men’s

Health Fair with screening for prostate cancer, bloodpressure, diabetes, kidney, liver, heart, and thyroid issues,etc. There is no shortage of conferences designed to ad-dress women’s health issues; thus, this writer encouragesyou to transition out of tradition and consider sponsoringa men’s health conference where men will be encouragedto tune up the WHOLE man: Mind, Body and Spirit.

The writer does not assume responsibility in any way forreaders’ efforts to apply or utilize information or recommenda-tions made in this article, as they may not be necessarily ap-propriate for every situation to which they may refer. Thisinformation is for educational purposes only. If you would liketo contact Rev. Lester, write to her c/o P.O. Box 121, Brookfield,WI. 53008.

National Men’s HealthAwareness Month

Biblical Counseling for Today’s

Christian FamilyBy: Rev. Judith T. Lester,B.Min., M.Th.

Archdiocese Partnerswith MilwaukeeCounty to ‘Bury theDead’First Burial Scheduled for June 2The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is partnering with Mil-

waukee County Health & Human Services to help withthe burials of “unclaimed indigent decedents” in south-eastern Wisconsin. The idea to connect came as a result of a discussion

with Mr. Héctor Colón, head of Milwaukee CountyHealth and Human Services, and Fr. Tim Kitzke, Vicarfor Urban Ministry.The first burial is scheduled for Friday, June 2, 2017, 1

p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery, 7301 W. Nash St., Milwau-kee. Fr. Kitzke will conduct the service. Unclaimed, indigent decedents are people for whom no

family, friends or neighbors will claim the person’s bodyfor a proper burial, and who don’t qualify for any of thegovernment programs that provide for burial expense.Sadly, Milwaukee County alone averages 15-20 un-claimed indigent decedents each year.Currently, Milwaukee County pays $1,000 for burial

services for each unclaimed decedent. Under a Memo-randum of Agreement (MOA) between the Departmentof Health & Human Services (DHHS) and the archdio-cese, Catholic Cemeteries will bury the unclaimed with-out the expectation of reimbursement. RELIGIOUS HAPPENINGS

Anyone can find thedirt in someone. Bethe one who finds thegold.”--Proverbs 11:27

Will ClarenceThomas derail the GOP agenda?Yet, he found it useful to invoke racial discrimination and argue his

confirmation hearing was a “high-tech lynching for uppity blacks whoin any way deign to think for themselves” when allegations of sexual ha-rassment from Anita Hill became an issue and things weren’t going hisway.Thomas has opposed affirmative action, and even suggested his Yale

Law degree was devalued because of he was admitted under the program.He disagreed with the 2003 court opinion upholding the University ofMichigan Law school’s affirmative action program.. He regarded suchprograms of inclusion as racial discrimination that weaken equality and“stamp minorities with a badge of inferiority and may cause them to de-velop dependencies or to adopt an attitude that they are ‘entitled’ to pref-erences.” Invoking Frederick Douglass–who told whites to let blackpeople fall if they cannot stand on their own legs, because their interfer-ence was hurting us– Thomas said “I believe blacks can achieve in everyavenue of American life without the meddling of university administra-tors.”Similarly, in the 2013 Fisher v. University of Texas affirmative action

case–which involved the reverse racism charges of a mediocre white stu-dent who was denied admission to college– Thomas wrote: “The worstforms of racial discrimination in this Nation have always been accompa-nied by straight-faced representations that discrimination helped minori-ties.”Thomas also participated in the gutting of the Voting Rights Act in

Shelby County v. Holder. His rationale for eliminating key provisions ofthe law was that times have changed, and rampant, pervasive discrimi-nation in voting no longer exists.However, in a few opinions, such as a cross burning case, Thomas

pleasantly surprised observers in civil rights advocates and the blackcommunity. “In our culture, cross burning has almost invariably meantlawlessness and understandably instills in its victims well-grounded fearof physical violence,” Thomas wrote in Virginia v. Black.While it is reasonable to have a healthy dose of skepticism that Justice

Thomas will moderate his stance in light of the North Carolina gerry-mandering case–against the backdrop of over 25 years of a staunchlyconservative record—it is worth considering. With his colleague NeilGorsuch replacing the late Antonin Scalia on the bench, the SupremeCourt is once again unambiguously conservative, and nine times out often, presumed to be no friend to people of color. Barring imprisonment,impeachment and/or electoral defeat, Trump and the GOP Congress havethe potential to damage the country a great deal with draconian policiesand threats to civil rights and civil liberties, from travel bans and immi-gration sweeps to voter purges. Thomas has the power to tip the scalesand reverse course on Trumpland, derailing the Republican agenda if hechooses to become a black man who seeks justice.If Thomas wanted to act more like his predecessor Thurgood Marshall,

now would be a good time for him to turn a new leaf and make thatchange.

(continued from page 3)



Interfaith Older Adult Programs, SET Ministry announce merger to createstronger intergenerational communitiesThe Boards of Directors of Interfaith Older Adult Pro-

grams and SET Ministry voted to merge the two non-profits and create a completely new organization. Thiswill bring together broader volunteer, family and olderadult services and resources to create stronger neighbor-hoods and communities in Milwaukee County.Discussions for a merger were started almost a year ago

according to David Pifer, Vice President of the InterfaithBoard of Directors. The new name and operational struc-ture were not announced. The merger is expected to becompleted by mid-summer. The two organizations willcontinue to operate separately and there will be no dis-ruption of support, resources and/or services to clients orvolunteers.“Together, Interfaith and SET will be able to have a

more meaningful, lasting impact on the social aspects ofhealth across the county, because good health starts wherewe live, learn, work and play,” said Laurene Lambach,the President and CEO of SET Ministry. Lambach willalso be the President and CEO of the new organization.For more than six months, the Former Director of the

Milwaukee County Department on Aging Stephanie SueStein has served as the Interim Director for Interfaith.Stein will will serve as a member of the board of directorsof the new organization. “I’m passionate about this neworganization and the future.”“By joining with SET Ministry we are adding value to

our capacity to reach more older adults, volunteers, andfamilies in our communities that need support,” saidStein. “From its start more than 40 years ago, Interfaithhas been helping older adults in many neighborhoodsthroughout Milwaukee County.”“The consolidation will be good for the community.

These organizations share an approach of serving peoplewhere they live and learn through delivery of services in

homes, schools and neighborhoods,” said Robert De Vita,Board Chair of SET. “The organizations also share a mis-sion of fostering intergenerational connections to increasethe self-sufficiency and well-being of children, familiesand older adults in our community.”“The diverse efforts of both organizations are compat-

ible because they build on each other to create strongneighborhoods and communities” said Pifer, Interfaith’sVice President of the Board of Directors.Timothy Klare, Interfaith’s Board President, added,

“By combining resources, professional expertise, and ex-perience, Interfaith/SET will be a stronger organizationand better equipped to address the intergenerational needsof Milwaukee families.”

New Organization OutreachThe new organization will serve more than 18,000

members of our community. Including the operation offive senior centers, 18 senior dining meal sites, and acommunity garden. In addition, services and outreach tohundreds of students in 59 Milwaukee Public Schoolsalong with help for individuals and families residing in13 public housing developments and 10 neighborhoodoutreach offices with the support from more than 190congregations and community organizations, 265 staffand 3,000 plus committed volunteers.Since 1975, Interfaith has been engaged in the physical

and social challenges of aging by providing innovativeprograms, successful solutions, and the often muchneeded extra helping hand.Lambach is very optimistic about the intergenerational

impact of combining Interfaith’s expertise in volunteerprogramming with SET’s trauma-informed approach tohealing. She is envisioning a new organization that willbe able to bring new hope to many more central-city fam-ilies, as SET has been doing since 1985.

Archdiocese Partnerswith MilwaukeeCounty to ‘Bury theDead’First Burial Scheduled for June 2The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is partnering with Mil-

waukee County Health & Human Services to help withthe burials of “unclaimed indigent decedents” in south-eastern Wisconsin. The idea to connect came as a result of a discussion

with Mr. Héctor Colón, head of Milwaukee CountyHealth and Human Services, and Fr. Tim Kitzke, Vicarfor Urban Ministry.The first burial is scheduled for Friday, June 2, 2017, 1

p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery, 7301 W. Nash St., Milwau-kee. Fr. Kitzke will conduct the service. Unclaimed, indigent decedents are people for whom no

family, friends or neighbors will claim the person’s bodyfor a proper burial, and who don’t qualify for any of thegovernment programs that provide for burial expense.Sadly, Milwaukee County alone averages 15-20 un-claimed indigent decedents each year.Currently, Milwaukee County pays $1,000 for burial

services for each unclaimed decedent. Under a Memo-randum of Agreement (MOA) between the Departmentof Health & Human Services (DHHS) and the archdio-cese, Catholic Cemeteries will bury the unclaimed with-out the expectation of reimbursement.

Anyone can find thedirt in someone. Bethe one who finds thegold.”--Proverbs 11:27

grandmothers and fathers of thechurch are afraid of new.They want church to stay the same

way it’s always been, years and yearsago. As mentioned in previous arti-cles, millennials are independent andwe follow our own paths. Anythingthat is structured, predetermined ortraditional, we turn the other way. The solution to being stuck on tra-

dition wouldn’t be to abruptly changethe way the service goes. No one likes sudden change; how-

ever, it would be a start if the congre-gation would allow a few add-inshere and there that involve originalthoughts and ideas of the youth andyoung adults. Finally, millennials have stopped

attending church because everythingturns into a sermon. One of the bestways to chase us off into the night, isa consistent chain of preaching andlectures. Yes, we need guidance but every-

thing does not have to consist ofscriptures, rules, and expectations.The worst thing anyone can do to amillennial is to put them in a box fullof rules and expect them to abide by

each rule. Millennials thrive of freedom and

independency and while we do liveby morals, standards and boundaries,we are composed of free spirits andan open mind.We are the generation with the

highest percentage EVER of father-less homes. We value and crave rela-tionships. We appreciate and take more from

someone who is more of a coach anda guide, rather than a preacher or dis-ciplinary figure. Millennials wantsomeone who can walk side by sidewith them and still make an impacton them with only words of wisdom,love, encouragement and peace. This is not to bash any church

goers. It is just too often that we –millennials- are looked down uponbecause of our decisions and our per-ception of the world and all that iswithin it and while there are manyother reasons why 59% percent ofmillennials raised in a church havedropped out, the above for mentionedexamples are ones that are docu-mented more frequently. --PaishanceWelch, Millennial Magic!

(continued from page 3)Millennial Magic

Will ClarenceThomas derail the GOP agenda?Yet, he found it useful to invoke racial discrimination and argue his

confirmation hearing was a “high-tech lynching for uppity blacks whoin any way deign to think for themselves” when allegations of sexual ha-rassment from Anita Hill became an issue and things weren’t going hisway.Thomas has opposed affirmative action, and even suggested his Yale

Law degree was devalued because of he was admitted under the program.He disagreed with the 2003 court opinion upholding the University ofMichigan Law school’s affirmative action program.. He regarded suchprograms of inclusion as racial discrimination that weaken equality and“stamp minorities with a badge of inferiority and may cause them to de-velop dependencies or to adopt an attitude that they are ‘entitled’ to pref-erences.” Invoking Frederick Douglass–who told whites to let blackpeople fall if they cannot stand on their own legs, because their interfer-ence was hurting us– Thomas said “I believe blacks can achieve in everyavenue of American life without the meddling of university administra-tors.”Similarly, in the 2013 Fisher v. University of Texas affirmative action

case–which involved the reverse racism charges of a mediocre white stu-dent who was denied admission to college– Thomas wrote: “The worstforms of racial discrimination in this Nation have always been accompa-nied by straight-faced representations that discrimination helped minori-ties.”Thomas also participated in the gutting of the Voting Rights Act in

Shelby County v. Holder. His rationale for eliminating key provisions ofthe law was that times have changed, and rampant, pervasive discrimi-nation in voting no longer exists.However, in a few opinions, such as a cross burning case, Thomas

pleasantly surprised observers in civil rights advocates and the blackcommunity. “In our culture, cross burning has almost invariably meantlawlessness and understandably instills in its victims well-grounded fearof physical violence,” Thomas wrote in Virginia v. Black.While it is reasonable to have a healthy dose of skepticism that Justice

Thomas will moderate his stance in light of the North Carolina gerry-mandering case–against the backdrop of over 25 years of a staunchlyconservative record—it is worth considering. With his colleague NeilGorsuch replacing the late Antonin Scalia on the bench, the SupremeCourt is once again unambiguously conservative, and nine times out often, presumed to be no friend to people of color. Barring imprisonment,impeachment and/or electoral defeat, Trump and the GOP Congress havethe potential to damage the country a great deal with draconian policiesand threats to civil rights and civil liberties, from travel bans and immi-gration sweeps to voter purges. Thomas has the power to tip the scalesand reverse course on Trumpland, derailing the Republican agenda if hechooses to become a black man who seeks justice.If Thomas wanted to act more like his predecessor Thurgood Marshall,

now would be a good time for him to turn a new leaf and make thatchange.

(continued from page 3)

The Milwaukee Bucks are partner-ing with Johnson Controls to con-struct a $150,000 multi-sportcomplex at Westlawn Gardens’Browning Elementary School andthe Silver Spring Neighborhood Cen-ter.The announcement was made yes-

terday (May 23), and according toAlderman Cavalier Johnson, the newcomplex will include multiple bas-ketball courts, a 200 meter track,playing fields, and other amenities. Additionally, the Bucks and John-

son Controls will also donate$60,000 annually for the next 10years toward community program-ming at Browning, 5440 N. 64th St.,and the Silver Spring NeighborhoodCenter, 5460 N. 64th St.

“The Milwaukee Bucks aredemonstrating that their commitmentto our community goes far beyondthe cranes in the sky downtown, andJohnson Controls continues to be avalued corporate citizen in our com-munity,” Alderman Johnson said. “The students served at Browning

Elementary School, the Silver SpringNeighborhood Center, and the resi-dents of the greater neighborhood arethankful and appreciative of thiswonderful commitment that will ben-efit Milwaukee’s youth and youngadults,” he said. “My great thanks tothe Bucks and Johnson Controls fortheir tremendous contribution to theneighborhood.”The complex is set to be completed

by the start school this fall.

Bucks, Johnson Controlsannounce major investmentat Westlawn Gardens

Safe & Sound Honors Bader Philanthropies, Milwaukee Bucksfor Community LeadershipSafe & Sound is pleased to announce its 2017 award recipients, who will be

honored at a gala, Building Community One Block at a Time, on September14, 2017, at the Italian Community Center. Each year, Safe & Sound honorscollaborative and inspiring leaders in the Milwaukee community. This year’sSafe & Sound Awards Gala recipients, who have made immense contributionsto neighborhood development, include:• Herb Kohl Champion Award: Bader Philanthropies, Inc. • Corporate Leadership Award: Milwaukee Bucks• Law Enforcement Leader Award: U.S. Marshal Kevin Carr• Resident Leader Award: Josephine Key and James KeyYouth Leader Award: Angelica SotoNamed the 2017 Gal-a-Lotta partner, Safe & Sound’s gala will be courtesy

of Care-A-Lotta, the charitable arm of the Bartolotta Restaurant Group. Co-Chairing the event are John and Connie Kordsmeier and Lafayette Crump ofPrism Technical. Special thanks to presenting sponsor Johnson Controls, a pastaward recipient and long-time supporter of Safe & Sound’s neighborhood strate-gies. Nearly 20 years ago, Safe & Sound was founded with a mission to uniteresidents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe andempowered neighborhoods.



YY&&EEY O U T H & E D U C A T I O NKALEIDOSCOPEKALEIDOSCOPEthe MCJ lifestyle & entertainment section

For teens, parents remainkey influencers,but trusted adultshave an importantrole to playWASHINGTON, DC—Teens con-sistently say that parents most influ-ence their decisions aboutrelationships and sex, but accordingto new data released today by TheNational Campaign to Prevent Teenand Unplanned Pregnancy, there is abroader role for 20-somethings andother trusted adults to positively in-fluence young people’s decisionsabout sex, love, and relationships.According to a new, nationally rep-

resentative survey of more than2,000 adults age 18-65 released dur-ing Teen Pregnancy PreventionMonth in May, more than 90% ofthose surveyed agree that young peo-ple should have a trusted adult or net-work—such as a peer or communitygroup, a club or team, or a mentor—to provide them with information andguidance on sensitive topics. Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) adults con-

sider themselves someone that ayounger person would come to as atrusted source of information.“Today’s survey results show how

important a trusted adult, such as aparent, aunt, or older sibling, canplay a positive and influential role inthe lives of young people,” saidGinny Ehrlich, CEO, The NationalCampaign to Prevent Teen and Un-planned Pregnancy. “Teens are listening, and in today’s

world which is full of many com-plexities, young people, now morethan ever, want and need a trustednetwork that provides positive guid-ance about sex, love, and relation-ships.”

Confidence in being a trustedadult—and experience with provid-ing counsel to young people on is-sues like sex, love, andrelationships—tends to increase withage. The youngest respondents, those18-34, considered themselves theleast likely to be a trusted source ofinformation on sensitive topics. Sim-

ilarly, that age group was the leastlikely to report having ever given ayoung person information or adviceon sex, love, relationships, or birthcontrol. Among the results of the sur-vey:More than 8 in 10 (83%) non-His-

panic Black respondents considerthemselves a trusted source of infor-mation on sensitive topics.More than 7 in 10 (75%) of 35-54

year-old respondents consider them-selves a trusted source of informationon sensitive topics.The likelihood that an adult had

ever given a young person informa-tion or advice on sex, love, relation-ships, or birth control increases withage, beginning at age 45.In 2016, as The National Cam-

paign celebrated our 20th anniver-sary, we set a new target for our next20 years of work. Included is our vi-sion that all young people have atrusted adult or social network withwhich they can discuss sex, relation-

ships, and their futures.May is National Teen Pregnancy

Prevention Month, a time for teensand adults alike to focus their atten-tion on topics like birth control,healthy relationships, and sex. Throughout the month of May,

teens and their parents were encour-aged to visit www.StayTeen.org toplay a brand new interactive gameand take the Teen Pregnancy Preven-tion Quiz, both released this month.For additional Teen Pregnancy Pre-vention Month resources and ways toget involved, visit our TPP Monthweb portal.About the survey: Data presented

here are drawn from a national websurvey, written by The NationalCampaign and conducted usingGoogle Surveys, May 2017. Interviews were conducted among

2,007 respondents who volunteeredto participate in Google online sur-veys and polls, and data are subse-

Milwaukee’s own localartist, Chris Crain, pres-ents A Soulful Celebra-tion of the great DonnyHathaway & Sam Cookein Wilson Theater atVogel Hall on September29-30. Tickets go on sale on Friday, June

9 at 12:00 pm and are available at theMarcus Center Box Office in personat 929 North Water Street, Down-town Milwaukee, by phone at 414-273-7206 or online atTicketmaster.com orMarcusCenter.org. Groups of 10 ormore SAVE! and should call GroupSales at 414-273-7121 x210 or x213.“This amazing show of artistry

tells two very different stories thatshare a common thread that pene-trates the soul” ~D. Blackburn. Theshow not only offers an unequaledmelodic experience saturated withlove and passion, but in a union ofrhythm and lyrics it does somethingspecial to the mood of its listeners;waking a part of the conscious thatmost of us ignore.Singer, Songwriter and multifac-

eted Musician Chris Crain is takingthe R&B scene by storm. His passionfor using his music to make a changeis prevalent in every lyric; everyrhythm; every note. Change – in theway people listen to music and theway it makes them feel.Born in Chicago, raised in Lum-

berton and now residing in Milwau-kee – Chris’ musical birthright wasjust the foundation of a greater plat-form. Although he was brought up in a

family of musicians and has playedan instrument since the age of 7,Chris never “planned” to be a musi-cian. It’s just who he’s always been.With over 12 years of experience

in Gospel & Jazz music behind himand the rest of his life ahead of himto leave his mark on an industrywhere only the strong survive – Chrisis more than ready to give the R&Bcommunity something it’s been miss-ing… Him! With an extensive re-sume that consists of 6 albums, 2WAMI’s for Contemporary JazzArtist of the Year and plethora of per-

formances that has taken him allacross the country, Chris is clearly nostranger to producing quality and im-pressionable music.The newly released album entitled,

The Better Project, is Chris’ most re-cent venture and already, the salesare taking off! The Better Project notonly offers an unequaled melodic ex-perience soulfully saturated withlove and passion, but in a union ofrhythm and lyrics it does somethingspecial to the mood of its listener;waking a part of the conscious thatmost of us ignore.– Better – is more than a feeling,

it’s a way of life. Chris Crain hasdedicated his greatest passion tomaking everything and everyone

around him better, including himself. Born with a special birth defect

called Brachial Plexus, he’s deter-mined to show the world that evenwhen your journey is an expectedhard and long road, the only thingthat will keep you from your dreamsis you. In support of families who suffer

from the hardships associated withdealing with Brachial Plexus, Chrishas started a foundation called TheBetter Project. A portion of the pro-ceeds from the album will go to-wards reaching the foundation’sscholarship goals.This event is being presented as

part of the Marcus Center Presentsseries.

[email protected]


My Father's House, Inc. will be co-hosting along withthe Park Lawn YMCA the 14th Annual pre-Father'sDay Celebration and Cookout, Saturday June 10,th atthe Park Lawn YMCA, at 46th and Congress Ave. from10 am thru 3 pm. Come join us, Free Food! Games! Prizes! Employ-

ment opportunities! Child Support Assistance! and

Much More! Come celebrate with us your Father's ! Grand-Fa-

ther's ! Step-Father's! and the Father Figures in yourlives. This is a Milwaukee County-wide eventIn addition: The Wisconsin Blood Center will be con-

ducting a Blood Drive in the gym, so come prepared toDONATE!

My Father’s House, Inc. to hold 14 annual pre-Father’s Day Celebration

Milwaukee Area Technical Col-lege will hold two free week-longsummer camps for high school stu-dents 16 years of age and older inJune at the Downtown MilwaukeeCampus, 700 W. State St. Offered through a Non-Tradi-

tional Occupations (NTO) grant,the goal of the camps is to exposestudents to careers generally occu-pied by workers of the oppositegender. NTO programs are definedas those in which men or womencomprise less than 25 percent of theworkforce.“Girls Who Bot, Build and Code: Robotics Summer

Camp” will be held from 9 a.m.-noon, Monday-Friday,June 12-16. The camp for girls will feature training in designing,

assembling and programming a robot to complete atask. Students will learn about electronics, mechanicaland coding components, technologies needed in robotcreation, computer-aided design, 3-D printing, mechan-ics, programming and basic source code. “Health Care Career Exploration for Boys” will be

held from 9 a.m.-noon, Monday-Thursday, June 12-15.Students will explore careers in echocardiography,anesthesia technology, surgical technology and healthinformation technology. Participants will be able to work with equipment

used in MATC health programs.Students must be at least 16, and have written

parental permission. The registration deadline for both camps is Wednes-

day, June 7. For more information and to obtain a per-mission and class registration form, call (414)297-7334, or write [email protected].

MATC to Offer Free Summer Campsin Robotics and Health Care Careersfor High School Students



KALEIDOSCOPEKALEIDOSCOPEthe MCJ lifestyle & entertainment section

For teens, parents remainkey influencers,but trusted adultshave an importantrole to playWASHINGTON, DC—Teens con-sistently say that parents most influ-ence their decisions aboutrelationships and sex, but accordingto new data released today by TheNational Campaign to Prevent Teenand Unplanned Pregnancy, there is abroader role for 20-somethings andother trusted adults to positively in-fluence young people’s decisionsabout sex, love, and relationships.According to a new, nationally rep-

resentative survey of more than2,000 adults age 18-65 released dur-ing Teen Pregnancy PreventionMonth in May, more than 90% ofthose surveyed agree that young peo-ple should have a trusted adult or net-work—such as a peer or communitygroup, a club or team, or a mentor—to provide them with information andguidance on sensitive topics. Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) adults con-

sider themselves someone that ayounger person would come to as atrusted source of information.“Today’s survey results show how

important a trusted adult, such as aparent, aunt, or older sibling, canplay a positive and influential role inthe lives of young people,” saidGinny Ehrlich, CEO, The NationalCampaign to Prevent Teen and Un-planned Pregnancy. “Teens are listening, and in today’s

world which is full of many com-plexities, young people, now morethan ever, want and need a trustednetwork that provides positive guid-ance about sex, love, and relation-ships.”

Confidence in being a trustedadult—and experience with provid-ing counsel to young people on is-sues like sex, love, andrelationships—tends to increase withage. The youngest respondents, those18-34, considered themselves theleast likely to be a trusted source ofinformation on sensitive topics. Sim-

ilarly, that age group was the leastlikely to report having ever given ayoung person information or adviceon sex, love, relationships, or birthcontrol. Among the results of the sur-vey:More than 8 in 10 (83%) non-His-

panic Black respondents considerthemselves a trusted source of infor-mation on sensitive topics.More than 7 in 10 (75%) of 35-54

year-old respondents consider them-selves a trusted source of informationon sensitive topics.The likelihood that an adult had

ever given a young person informa-tion or advice on sex, love, relation-ships, or birth control increases withage, beginning at age 45.In 2016, as The National Cam-

paign celebrated our 20th anniver-sary, we set a new target for our next20 years of work. Included is our vi-sion that all young people have atrusted adult or social network withwhich they can discuss sex, relation-

ships, and their futures.May is National Teen Pregnancy

Prevention Month, a time for teensand adults alike to focus their atten-tion on topics like birth control,healthy relationships, and sex. Throughout the month of May,

teens and their parents were encour-aged to visit www.StayTeen.org toplay a brand new interactive gameand take the Teen Pregnancy Preven-tion Quiz, both released this month.For additional Teen Pregnancy Pre-vention Month resources and ways toget involved, visit our TPP Monthweb portal.About the survey: Data presented

here are drawn from a national websurvey, written by The NationalCampaign and conducted usingGoogle Surveys, May 2017. Interviews were conducted among

2,007 respondents who volunteeredto participate in Google online sur-veys and polls, and data are subse-

Milwaukee’s own localartist, Chris Crain, pres-ents A Soulful Celebra-tion of the great DonnyHathaway & Sam Cookein Wilson Theater atVogel Hall on September29-30. Tickets go on sale on Friday, June

9 at 12:00 pm and are available at theMarcus Center Box Office in personat 929 North Water Street, Down-town Milwaukee, by phone at 414-273-7206 or online atTicketmaster.com orMarcusCenter.org. Groups of 10 ormore SAVE! and should call GroupSales at 414-273-7121 x210 or x213.“This amazing show of artistry

tells two very different stories thatshare a common thread that pene-trates the soul” ~D. Blackburn. Theshow not only offers an unequaledmelodic experience saturated withlove and passion, but in a union ofrhythm and lyrics it does somethingspecial to the mood of its listeners;waking a part of the conscious thatmost of us ignore.Singer, Songwriter and multifac-

eted Musician Chris Crain is takingthe R&B scene by storm. His passionfor using his music to make a changeis prevalent in every lyric; everyrhythm; every note. Change – in theway people listen to music and theway it makes them feel.Born in Chicago, raised in Lum-

berton and now residing in Milwau-kee – Chris’ musical birthright wasjust the foundation of a greater plat-form. Although he was brought up in a

family of musicians and has playedan instrument since the age of 7,Chris never “planned” to be a musi-cian. It’s just who he’s always been.With over 12 years of experience

in Gospel & Jazz music behind himand the rest of his life ahead of himto leave his mark on an industrywhere only the strong survive – Chrisis more than ready to give the R&Bcommunity something it’s been miss-ing… Him! With an extensive re-sume that consists of 6 albums, 2WAMI’s for Contemporary JazzArtist of the Year and plethora of per-

formances that has taken him allacross the country, Chris is clearly nostranger to producing quality and im-pressionable music.The newly released album entitled,

The Better Project, is Chris’ most re-cent venture and already, the salesare taking off! The Better Project notonly offers an unequaled melodic ex-perience soulfully saturated withlove and passion, but in a union ofrhythm and lyrics it does somethingspecial to the mood of its listener;waking a part of the conscious thatmost of us ignore.– Better – is more than a feeling,

it’s a way of life. Chris Crain hasdedicated his greatest passion tomaking everything and everyone

around him better, including himself. Born with a special birth defect

called Brachial Plexus, he’s deter-mined to show the world that evenwhen your journey is an expectedhard and long road, the only thingthat will keep you from your dreamsis you. In support of families who suffer

from the hardships associated withdealing with Brachial Plexus, Chrishas started a foundation called TheBetter Project. A portion of the pro-ceeds from the album will go to-wards reaching the foundation’sscholarship goals.This event is being presented as

part of the Marcus Center Presentsseries.

[email protected]


quently weighted to reflect the demo-graphic composition of men andwomen ages 18 and older who are in-ternet users. Google’s reports state a margin of

error of +/- 2.1% at the 95% confi-dence level, which provides a helpfulindication of the variability in theseresults; however, we note that be-cause the sample is based on thosewho initially self-selected for partic-ipation, this estimate rests on a spe-cific set of statistical assumptionsabout the selected sample, rather thanthe standard methodology for ran-dom probability sampling. Numbersmay not sum to 100 due to rounding.About The National Campaign:

The National Campaign is a private,non-partisan, non-profit organizationthat seeks to improve the lives andfuture prospects of children and fam-ilies by preventing teen and un-planned pregnancy. Please visit us atwww.TheNationalCampaign.org orfollow along on Facebook and Twit-ter.

Parents remainkey influencersof teens, but soare trustedadults(continued from page 6)

Milwaukee’s Own,Chris Crain, PaysTribute to Donny

Hathaway and SamCooke September

29-30 in WilsonTheater at Vogel Hall

milwau-keecommuni-tyjournal.com



For For 40 YEARS40 YEARS, the, theMILWAUKEE MILWAUKEE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY JOURNALJOURNAL has has

consistently inconsistently in--formed, analysedformed, analysedand entertainedand entertainedreaders. For readers. For 4040

YEARSYEARS, the , the COMMUNITY JOURCOMMUNITY JOUR--NAL NAL has provided ahas provided avoice to the comvoice to the com--munity, providing munity, providing

educational educational opportunities toopportunities to

students. We havestudents. We havekept the commukept the commu--

nity’s faith, stayednity’s faith, stayedthe course, andthe course, and

kept our finger onkept our finger onthe pulse of ourthe pulse of ourcommunity forcommunity for40 YEARS.40 YEARS. ..Your ..Your

Milwaukee Milwaukee Community Journal!Community Journal!




The Milwaukee Community Journal May 31, 2017 Page 10


Documents

MCJ053117 Pages Layout 1 6/1/17 12:01 AM Page 1 …...Newsmaker Luncheon Series is sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Milwaukee Press Club pres-ents the Newsmaker Luncheons