COMMUNITY VOL. XXXIX Number 39 April 29, 2015
The Milwaukee
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DELTA SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS MEET NOTED AUTHOR AT SORORITY’S ANNUAL LITERARY LUNCHEON
National best-selling author ReShonda TateBillingsley is flanked by scholarship recipients at the 39th annual Delta Sigma Theta Literacy Luncheon, held Saturday at the Italian Conference Center in the Third Ward. Tate-Billingsley was the keynote speaker of the event. She is the author of 35 books. Her newest novel, “What’s Done in the Dark,” is now in bookstores and her second novel, “Let the Church Say Amen,” has been made into a movie. The Delta Memorial Endowment Fund 2015 Scholarship recipients pictured are (in no particular order): Brianna Langs, Victoria Millet, Ruhongeka Ntabala, Sydnei Parker, Brielle Richmond, Nhia Vang, and Jazmin Vargas. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
NEW WELDING CLASS UNVEILED AT NORTH DIVISION HIGH SCHOOL
North Division High School unveiled its new welding class and students recently. North Division’s principal, Stanley McWilliams (far left), proudly stands with student welders (left to right): Herman Paige, Devonta Tharp, Anthony Norris, Darrell Thompson, Exavier Sandifer, Arkee Kirk, and Shemar Moore. Standing between Kirk and Moore is the class’ teacher, Darrel Iwanski. The class will give the students training and exposure to a sought after (and lucrative) trade. Also on hand were North Division alumni who joined the students in a symbolic “ribbon cutting” ceremony. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
As her father Lorenzo Lynch and husband Stephen Hargrove look on, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden administers the oath to Loretta Lynch, making her the 83rd and first Black female U.S. Attorney General in the nation’s history. Photo courtesy of Mark Wilson of Getty Images.
Loretta Lynch Sworn InAs First African American Woman United States Attorney General In Moving Ceremony By Lynette Holloway, courtesy of NewsOne.com
KUDOS is Back!
THREE YOUNG MEN LEARN HOW TO BE “CONSTRUCTIVE” IN THEIR COMMUNITY!
What better way to bring back our “KUDOS!” photos honoring people and events that show the positives of our community then with this impressive story of three young men learning to be constructive by being...well, “constructive.” Eddie Knox (second from left) of A Star Home Improvement, is showing Rickey Ragiano, Jerrell Pearson-Huff, and Rishon Ragland (from left to right) how to rebuild a porch at a home in the 2000 block of 11th Street in the North Division neighborhood. According to Knox, the boys are learning a skill that will last them a lifetime and empower them to perhaps start their own construction business one day. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Loretta Lynch was recently confirmed and sworn in as the first African American woman U.S. Attorney General. Do you think she can do the job? Why or why not?
A GRAND TIME AT HOMEPLATE!
Milwaukee Brewers Outfielder Elian Herrera (facing camera) is congratulated by teammates (left to right): Infielder Jean Segura, Catcher Martin Maldonado, and Infielder Aramis Ramirez, after Herrera hit his first career grand slam in a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Miller Park. However, it wasn’t enough to put the Brew Crew in the win column. The team lost a slug fest by a 16 to 10 score. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
Loretta Lynch was sworn in Monday morning by Vice President Joe Biden as the 83rd U.S. attorney general during a moving ceremony at the U.S. Department of Justice. The long-awaited ceremony followed a rancorous debate over the Republican Senate’s five-month delay to confirm Lynch in a partisan dispute with President Barack Obama. Finally confirmed last week, Lynch, 55, on Monday was flanked by her husband, Stephen Hargrove, and father, Lorenzo, as Biden sang her praises during the ceremony that was broadcast live on CNN and observed by NewsOne. He began by saying she and her predecessor, Eric H. Holder Jr., are cut from the same cloth. “Loretta Lynch will exceed the high standards set for her because she is cut from the exact same cloth as [Holder],” Biden said. “Both she and Eric embody the mantra of one their predecessors [Robert F. Kennedy], a man after whom this building is named who said, ‘The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.’” Biden also paid homage to Lynch’s 83-year-old father, a Baptist preacher, who has played an important role in her personal and professional life. Lynch, the former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District in New York, graduated from Harvard Law School and Harvard College. “As I’ve read, your dad always taught you to stand up for what’s right, speak out for what’s just, get up when you get knocked down and move on,” Biden said. “And following her father’s example, she excelled in everything she’s done from the time she was a child. She’s never been limited by the lower expectations of others, but has always exceeded those expectations she set for herself. “For 30 years, she has been a fair-minded, independent lawyer and prosecutor as a U.S. attorney and in private practice,” he continued. “She has shown resolve to prosecuting and jailing terrorists, mobsters and gang members. She’s shown fidelity to the law, rooted out public corruption. She’s shown determination to bring down financial fraudsters and child abusers. She’s shown a dogged pursuit to bust human trafficking rings she has encountered. She has shown an unyielding commitment to the law and basic human rights. She has shown us her entire life who she is, so believe her.” With that, Lynch was confirmed by placing her left hand on the Bible and raising the right one. In remarks, given after resounding applause, she even joked about the long delay in her confirmation.
CONG. GWEN MOORE: “Atty. Genera. Lynch’s confirmation is long over due. Her confirmation was held up because Republicans once again insisted upon interfering. This is a victory for our country, the Civil Rights Movement, and our system of law.”
STATE REP. MANDELA BARNES: “I am very confident that she can do the job. It is very unfortunate that it has taken so long to confirm Atty. General Lynch. Her resume speaks to her ability.”
JANIE HATTON: “With strong affirmation: ABSOLUTELY! Mrs. Lynch has confounded the legal system with competence, integrity and a will to have fidelity for justice. Finally, she’s a child of God and a Delta built to serve.”
my father passed away, I was sad. Still, I had a feeling of great contentment that we allowed my father to die with dignity surrounded in a sea of love. Fast forward eight years later, my family noticed my twin boys’ speech was not developing typically. It was the weirdest thing because they were able to read words, but their pronunciation was not discernable to anyone who were not around them on a regular basis. As a former, special education teacher and school psychologist, I was fearful about putting my boys into a system that seemed more counterproductive than productive for ed-
ucational and social growth. However, armed with a family of support we placed our boys in the Birth to Three program. I am pleased to state that the services my boys received from a plethora of sources helped them tremendously. Even with this help, they still needed additional services when they entered in school. Special education is not a place to be navigated alone; but, with dedicated parents armed with a strong support system and exceptional educators and para-professionals who are often overshadowed by their more nefarious colleagues, it can indeed be special and have special re-
sults. If you are still reading, you are probably wondering if this is an autobiography or an article on educational reform. Family, it was the totality of these two experiences that confirmed to me that if we are truly going to help our students, we need to surround them in a cocoon of structure and support from the cradle to the grave; but, it shouldn’t have to be from a deficit and reactive perspective. The care my father received as he exited this world and the care my sons enjoyed as they were just entering the world should be allocated to every sentient being. What if all of
MEN MEN The School System: EMPOWERING MEN MEN Educational Revolution By Dr. Ramel Smith “The Blaquesmith”
In 2003, I was scheduled to defend my dissertation at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This should have been a great time in my life, but my family was planning the earthly transition for my father. After the cancer occupied more portions of his body than healthy cells, the doctors told us it was only a matter of time before his time on earth would be over. The hospital introduced our family to a palliative care program, as we prepared to place my father into a hospice. Palliative care is a multidisciplinary focus that focuses on the
physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of those with life ending illnesses. Like most caring families, I was against putting my father into anything that resembled a nursing home setting. However, after the staff showed me the hospice and informed my family someone could be with my father 24 hours a day and what palliative care really encompassed my fears were eased. I remember me, my sister and Aunt all taking the lion share of the shifts to stay with my father. The rest of the family were able to rotate in from all across the city, state and nation at various times. When
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ODELL BALL: “Atty. General Loretta Lynch is more than qualified for this position and much more. I get tired of haters doubting the ability of well qualified people.”
Dr. Ramel Smith
our healthy elders received palliative care before they were on their death bed when they could really appreciate and enjoy it. What if all children received specialized Birth to Three services? The activities and interventions the pro(continued on page 8)
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 2
THE PULSE
The WHO•WHAT•WHERE• WHEN of YOUR Community!
F o r m e r l y
t h e
4 W
C o m m u n i t y
H a p p e n i n g s
HEALTH ADVOCACY AGENCY CREATES PETITION AGAINST TOY GUNS
James Beckum, one of the founders of the Beckum-Stapleton Little League addressed Little Leaguers, their parents, coaches and city officials at a past ceremony opening the Little League baseball season and the renaming of a park after Beckum. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
Beckum Stapleton Little League Holds its Opening Day Parade & Ceremony for the 2015 Little League Season
Beckum Stapleton Little League, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2015) – Beckum Stapleton Little League will hold its Opening Parade & Ceremony for this year’s Little League Season on May 2, 2015, starting at 11:00 a.m. with the Parade from the Clinton Rose Park. Beckum Stapleton Little League is chartered by Little League for (BASEBALL: Tee Ball, Minor, Major, and Junior Division) Special mention for the start of this season include the honoring of Jimmie Ruth Beckum, the wife of James Beckum, who passed away earlier this year. She was a solid part of the foundation of the League and we will honor her legacy this season by wearing a badge with her initials on the jerseys. Also we would like
“Airsoft guns” is a generic term for realistic replica toys or training devices that are made to look like real firearms and fire 6mm plastic pellets. (Photo by Rob Pincus-personaldefensenetwork.com) having toy guns police officers thought were real guns. Some may say kids have played with toy guns for generations. Dr. McManus argues that violence has increased so dramatically that children can no longer innocently play with toy guns. There has been a desensitizing to violence based on exposure to gun violence in video games and movies. The constant exposure has normalized violence. Dr. McManus asserts that there is a direct correlation CALL-TO-ACTION ISSUED TO BLACK with the playing of guns as kids and the involvement with violence later in life. McManus believes mixed messages MOMS AND GRANDMOTHERS are given to kids when they are allowed to play with toy At a time when the Black community in Milwaukee guns, “they don’t have the ability to discern the difference and across the country is being traumatized by inplaying and the deadly consequences that come between creased gun violence, Black Health Coalition of Wiswith real guns.” consin, Inc. (BHCW) has created the Black Moms and For over 25 years, BHCW has been a strong voice Grandmothers Against Toy Guns petition through Color against racial health disparities. The agency’s health adof Change. “We are offering this petition as one way to vocacy approach works to address the broad spectrum of address a very complex issue,” stated Dr. Patricia Mcissues that impede the community’s health. Gun violence Manus, President/CEO of Black Health Coalition of terrorizes communities unlike other crimes, the impact Wisconsin, Inc. permeates throughout the community. The petition offers African Americans, who make up only 6.5 percent of community a way to be a part of the solution to end the Wisconsin’s population, accounted for two-thirds of its gun violence. An awareness campaign such as this may firearm homicide victims in 2014. Blacks in Wisconsin seem simple, but awareness is the first step to behavioral were more than 30 times as likely as non-Hispanic whites change. to die in gun homicides. From 2008 to 2012, federal staAlthough the anti-toy guns petition is addressed to tistics show, this ratio was 20 to 1 for Wisconsin and 10 Black moms and grandmothers, BHCW welcomes Black to 1 for the nation. dads and grandfathers, as well as people from other comIn 2014, three Milwaukee kids age 10 and under were munities, to support the call-to-action. “Moms and grandfatally shot. So far in 2015, gun violence injuries and are the backbone of the Black community,” Dr. mothers deaths in Milwaukee are rapidly nearing the overall total McManus stated, “Black grandmothers play a crucial role for 2014. to children, she continued. It is without question that viable solutions to eradicate “Oftentimes it is the mother burying their sons who gun violence in the Black community are needed. The have died due to gun violence and the grandmothers who rate of gun related deaths in the African American comare left to raise the grandchildren.” She urges everyone munity is much higher than the national average. to take an active role in eradicating gun violence. This violence occurs within the Black community; This sentiment is echoed by one of the petition signers: whether through gang activity, robberies, unintentional “I'm not Black, and I'm not a mother, but this could be injuries and other methods. All too often lately there has piece of the puzzle to reduce violence.” one been increased gun violence perpetrated on Black people The Black Moms and Grandmothers Against Toy Guns by the police. Some of these cases involved the victims can be accessed via BHCW’s website, www.bhcw.org.
to acknowledge the supporters that have supported the League, including a special donation this season by J.P. Morgan Chase and GloballGiving. Opening Day Parade & Ceremony is the official kickoff to the 2015 season for the Beckum Stapleton Little League. This year, there is even more to celebrate, as League celebrates its 50th Anniversary as a Little League Affiliate. “Our Opening Ceremonies are always a wonderful day to celebrate our players, parents and volunteers,” said Tasha Jenkins, League President. “This year is extra special as we honor those that have been the foundation of the League and those that continue to support our efforts. We’re excited to kick off our new season and looking forward to a great year of baseball.” For 76 years, Little League has provided communities around the world the opportunity for families to connect and for children to come together in a healthy, safe environment to learn the values of team sports and the fundamentals of baseball and softball. Beckum Stapleton Little League is proud to be able to provide this opportunity to our community. The season will run until July 2015, and continue through the tournament season. The League continues to seek volunteers for various functions during the season.
PERSPECTIVES
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 3
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“A freedom that only asks what’s in it for me, A freedom without commitment to others, A freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, Is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.--President Barack Obama
The Clark “BLACK Doll/WHITE Doll Test” and the politics of “self-hate”
We were in the musical phase of the Sunday services at the House of Grace Ministries when I looked over my shoulder and was shocked to see my great grand niece twirling the blond hair of a Barbie Doll. My first impulse was to snatch the doll from her two-year-old hands, but common sense got the better of me and instead I whispered to her mother that she should replace the ‘Barbie’ with a Black doll (preferably with dreads or a natural, a big butt and large kissable lips). Actually, I probably didn’t have to make my observation, given that my grandniece was raised by parents who embraced a cultural paradigm that was in tune with my philosophy. And if that isn’t defining enough, she is married to an African. The doll, she told me later, was a gift from her mother’s Hispanic fiancé’ who died a few weeks ago, and thus held a special meaning to her, and her daughter. Moreover, she explained, her daughter has several Black dolls, and as she matures will be indoctrinated on America’s racial dynamics. All of my siblings and most of my close relatives understand the importance of instilling within our children a strong Africentric foundation. Part of that cultural paradigm consists of opening our children’s eyes to the richness of African and African American history. Replacing White dolls with Black ones is also part of the equation, as it focuses on Black pride and more importantly, counters
one of the most insidious social phenomena impacting Black America: Internalized racism and a hatred of our Blackness. Over 50 years ago Dr. Kenneth Clark and his wife Mamie, conducted a landmark study that focused on stereotypes and Black children’s self ‘perceptions about race.’ The researchers interviewed Black children between three and five. The results clearly revealed that Black children favored white dolls over Black ones, and opened a national debate on the effects of institutional racism and the far-reaching ramifications of self-hatred. In their research, the children overwhelmingly favored white skin over their own. The children also gave the color 'white' positive attributes like ‘good and pretty.’ On the contrary, 'black' was attributed to being bad and ugly.’ The last question asked by the Clarks’ was considered the most disturbing, since by that point, most of the Black children had already identified the black doll as the bad one. Among the subjects, 44% said the White doll looked like them! While the study was conducted 14 years before the Brown vs. Board of Education school segregation trial, it became a center pierce of that landmark legal ruling and dozens to follow proving, “that school segregation was distorting the minds of young Black kids, causing them to internalize stereotypes and self hatred based on their skin color.”
SIGNIFYIN’ By Mikel Kweku Osei Holt
“You can look like, sound like or smell like anyone or anything you wish. You can wear extensions down to the ground, pierce your nose, lips and eye brows, dye your skin until you look like Michael Jackson, deflate your butt and thin out your lips—that’s your prerogative. I love you and God bless you. But as for me, I like natural Black people, proud of what God blessed them with—-thick lips, and nappy hair (naturals, Afros, or dreads) crowning their chocolate faces.”
Called the “Clark Doll Test” by attorneys in the segregation lawsuit, the research ‘helped to persuade the American Supreme Court that “separate but equal” schools for Black and White Americans were anything but equal in practice and were therefore illegal. Everybody, from civil rights attorneys to janitors, have debated both the methodology of the Clark study to whether segregation in and of itself can be blamed for low esteem and self hatred among Black Americans. I would agree, for example, that the issue was not necessarily about “integration” (which cannot be ordered by court or legislation), but instead about equal opportunity, and unequal resources between white schools and segregated Black schools. On the flip-side, can you say
graduates of traditionally Black colleges and universities are hurt because of “segregation?” In fact, the opposite may very well be true: Black students generally emerge with both a degree and cultural pride. Following that train of thought, it could be theorized that Black children attending a predominantly white school may be overwhelmed by the Eurocentric paradigm that exists there. I’m not talking about the idiotic rants of stupid Black folks who say those Black students are “acting or talking white.” I’m talking about the many Black students who emerge from those predominately white schools in denial or hatred of their blackness as they try to “fit in,” and adapt to the predominant Eurocentric cultural paradigm. But this is not a new phenomena. Low Black esteem, or the racist—
albeit widely accepted—-adage that “if you’re White you are all right, if you’re yellow you’re mellow, if you’re brown stick around, but if you’re Black stay back,” has roots dating back to slavery. Free Black Americans (I can only assume that title is accurate) and their slave counterparts were indoctrinated to believe that Whites were superior members of a system that afforded them special privilege akin to what White South Africans held under apartheid. Not by coincidence, mixed race South Africans were classified as ‘colored’ and were granted intermediate privileges. Many of them, including Indians like Mahatma Ghandi, looked down upon and discriminated against Black South Africans. (Yeah, you got that right. The man idolized by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was also a bigot.) Some of those cultural nuances were replicated in America, including efforts by darker skinned African Americans to assimilate into what they deem the “beautiful” or dominant society. Until recently, Black magazines ran ads for skin whiteners. They didn’t have skin whiteners during the slavery era, so many Black men used wheel grease on their hair so it would look like their “massas’ hair.” Until a few decades ago, one of the most popular, and expensive, services offered by urban barbers was the “process” in which the barbers applied lye to straighten those nappy locks.
Today, it is the weave, a “fad” that has made Korean beauty supply chains millions of dollars. So “desperate” are some Black women to look European, they not only crossed the picket lines at Beauty Island (also known derisively as “Booty Island”), but they threatened Black protesters who demonstrated because the store owner allegedly assaulted a pregnant Black woman he accused of stealing. (I participated in those protests, but I always wondered whether the pregnant sister went back later to get a weave for her ebony baby.) Don’t get me wrong. You can look like, sound like or smell like anyone or anything you wish. You can wear extensions down to the ground, pierce your nose, lips and eye brows, dye your skin until you look like Michael Jackson, deflate your butt and thin out your lips—that’s your prerogative. I love you and God bless you. But as for me, I like natural Black people, proud of what God blessed them with—-thick lips, and nappy hair (naturals, Afros, or dreads) crowning their chocolate faces. Maybe the compromise is to show pride in your beautiful Black self, your African heritage, and the journey God ordained for you. And if you want to give your little girl a white doll, so be it. But give her a Black one too, and explain that she’s the queen, a descendent of greatness and God’s chosen. Hotep.
Give the People What They Want! We Want Freedom, Justice and Equality
This article is written about the powerful and most timely song written and produced by the legendary songwriting team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff: “Give the People What They Want” which was performed by the O’Jays. The song ultimately went number one on the R&B Charts in 1975 "Give the People What They Want" was also used as part of the regular playlist at campaign events for President Barack Obama's 2008 presidential candidacy. The timelessness of the song is apparent in the fact that it is currently being used by NBC to promote one of their affiliate station's news and programming. Like all of the music made by Gamble & Huff, this song has transcended race, age and background. It is heavily sampled in EPMD's song "Give the People" from their 1990 album Business as Usual and is also used as the intro theme music for former NBA player Jalen Rose's podcast, The Jalen Rose Report. A portion of the lyrics are: You got to give the people, now - Give the people what they want - Well, well, well, well No, don't know you - You got to give the people - Give the people what they want? But I done been all over the world - And everybody feels the same - It's a unanimous decision - I said they're ready for a change, yeah, yeah, yeah Don't know you - Got to give the people, give it up - Give the people what they want? - Well, well No, don't know? You don't know, no - Got to give the people - Well, well – Give the people what they want Well, it's about time for things to get better - We want the truth, the truth and no more lies We want freedom, justice and equality - I want it for you and I want it for me Black people, like all other people, want freedom, justice, and equality. The mere fact that these words were being “coined” in a song in 1975 suggests that Black people hadn’t achieved them then – and, I say, that we haven’t achieved them today. Why has this been so elusive for Black people? As the great Marvin Gaye stated: “What’s Going On?” I believe that we have been misled; lied to; bamboozled; and hoodwinked. What do I mean? I mean that we have been sold a bill of goods that have distracted us from the real focus that we should have been focusing on all along. Guided by liberal leadership, we have been chasing social equity in this country when the real race that we should have been running is for “economic equity.” In fact, one can’t have social equity in America without economic equity. At the end of the day, no matter how you slice it, it is the economic benefits that America refuses to share with Blacks. They won’t even acknowledge the role that Black people played in helping America become the rich superpower it is today. Black people want freedom, justice, and equality. Beginning in the early 1600’s with the massive kidnapping of Black people from Africa, followed by the torturous “transatlantic passage” and culminating with the enslavement (chattel slavery) of millions of Black people that would last for 350 years, the American institution of slavery and its lethal legacy continues to wreak havoc on the Black community. I reference slavery as an American Institution because I like to make some very clear distinctions that we must ponder:
brutality against Black people. That’s why today, freedom, justice and equality for Black people is so elusive. 2) Like all institutions, it becomes self-protecting and depending on the economic windfall, will dictate and direct all other institutions. Slavery was America’s cash cow and controlled every aspect of American life at the exclusive expense of Black people. The American institution of slavery was a crime against Africa, Africans, and all of humanity and when you express this in economic terms, slavery was the largest and most lucrative economic windfall the world has ever witnessed. American slavery was the catalyst for the massive expansion of a global economy creating wealth beyond anyone’s comprehension. Not only did Americans become extremely wealthy, but nearly all the countries of Europe were direct participants and beneficiaries of slavery on the backs of free black labor. Slavery was beyond profitable; its economic impact was the foundation for today’s $100+ trillion in wealth and has placed America in its position of a as the clear superpower and global leader today. America was built on the economics of slavery on the backs of Black people – that’s why today, freedom justice and equality for Black people is so elusive. America owes a real economic debt to the Black community that it has refused to pay. To make matters worse, America, via its political, financial, educational, and other systems have made Black people, who are the victims, the culprit. This is the result of measuring today’s economic gains without consideration of the start for both groups (why can’t the Black community do better, you’ve been free for 150 years). Too much emphasis is placed on the inadequacies of the Black community without any reference to our past in this country – where you start matters, how you start matters, especially in an economic race.
Kenny Gamble (standing) and Leon Huff
1) There has been some form of slavery that has been documented since the beginning of time – in fact, even today, slavery of some sort exists. What makes American slavery so unique is the “global” scale of it and the number of Blacks enslaved (millions); how many European countries participated; how many industries were supported by it; and on a local level, how brutal it was and, unlike other forms of slavery, American slavery was chattel slavery (humans were reduced to being nothing but property). Historically, slaves were prisoners of war or had committed some type of crime. The American form of slavery had Black people hunted and captured like animals and forced into generational slavery. Other types of slavery provided the enslaved with some rights and there were conditions whereby they could earn and/or buy their freedom; slavery didn’t subject their children and their children’s children into perpetual enslavement (they would be born free). Blacks under American slavery had no rights (animals had more rights) and all of the laws supported a brutality perpetrated against Black people that had never been seen before or since. As stated earlier, this enslavement wasn’t for a few years, this enslavement lasted nearly 350 years where an entire nation and a culture of hate and brutality was created. Millions of our Black people were forced and/or born into slavery with no way out (millions of Black people died in slavery). Slavery in America was by far the worst and most prolonged barbaric treatment of human beings in modern history and, even today, the legacy of slavery is nearly as powerful. Black people have been severely damaged by slavery. America was built on slavery and the
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RELIGION
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 4
“A Change Is Gonna’ (Has To ) Come” Introducing a Reorientation of Mission in the Black Church
RELIGIOUS COMMENTARY Rev. Derrick D. Rogers Pastor, Compassion Ministries of Milwaukee -Director, The XodusEd Group
Scene from the 30th anniversary celebration for Rev. and First Lady John and Barbara Patterson at Mt. Olive Baptist Church. (Photos courtesy of Mt. Olive Bapt. Church)
Rev. Derrick D. Rogers
Pastor and First Lady of Mt. Olive Baptist Church celebrate 30 years of preaching and teaching God’s Word
On Sunday, April 26, the Rev. John K. Patterson, along with his wife, First Lady Barbara Patterson, celebrated 30 years of “Preaching and teaching God’s Word to His People.” This Appreciation Service was held at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, located at 5277 N. 36th Street. The theme for the service was, “The Pastor: God’s Gift to the Church.” Guest speakers for the morning service included Rev. John McVicker, of Christ the King Baptist Church, who preached on the topic: “Problems or Possibilities.” The afternoon guest speaker was Rev. John and First Lady Barbara Patterson Rev. Demetrius Williams of Community Baptist Church. Rev. Williams spoke on “Pastoral Appreciation.” This celebratory weekend was highlighted by guests from California, Illinois, Missouri, Texas and other states as well. Rev. Patterson is a native of the city of Milwaukee, who married his high school sweetheart, Sis. Barbara J. Strickland. They were blessed with two children, Kevin D. and Chanice J. Patterson. Pastor Patterson was called into the Ministry in May 1985 and preached his first sermon in July 1985. In September of 1987, Pastor Patterson was called as the first Pastor of Greater Community Baptist Church in Missouri and later pastored at the Greater Metropolitan Baptist Church of Springfield, Missouri for seven years. He is the son of the late Genora and Zenobia Patterson. Pastor Patterson is a graduate of Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies and a Master’s Degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity University in Deerfield, IL in Religious Studies. Currently, he plans to go back to school for his Doctorate in Leadership and Communication. Pastor Patterson has been the Pastor the Mt. Olive Baptist Church for the last eighteen years, where he enjoys a warm and intense God-led partnership with his congregants.
There is a genuine sense that here in Milwaukee and elsewhere across this county, a dramatic change in worldview has been taking place for probably the past 50 years.
Whatever we may call it, this shift from a modern to postmodern world generally has been difficult for the church to accept. We find ourselves lost in a perplexing global jungle where our well used Christian theological GPS systems don’t seem to be operable anymore. It seems we’ve awaken to find ourselves in contact with a strange and unexpected reality that defies our customary ways of dealing with issues of the church and its’ mission. All of this amounts to what I would refer to as an ecclesial (“church”) future shock, where we are left wandering in a society and world we really don’t recognize anymore. In the struggle to grasp our new reality, many of our most anointed and gifted ministers and church leaders have become painfully aware that their inherited concepts, language, and indeed their whole way of thinking is often inadequate to describe what is going on around us. The problems raised in such a situation are not merely intellectual, but together amount to an intense spiritual, emotional, and existential crisis. The truth is that the 21st century is
“Every day we are corralled into a repressively demonic system that provides us the slick illusion of freedom but all the while scoffs at free will, stymies our creative and revolutionary capacities, and leaves us little room to authentically carve out our own paths. This systemic construct is designed to strip the “faithful” of our inclination to empathize and cooperate, siphon our communal spirit, stifle our capacity to imagine a better world, and make us accept the necessity to trample one another to ‘get ahead’. “
turning out to be a highly complex phenomenon where neo-liberalism, globalization technological innovation, and discontinuous change confront us at every point. Worldwide hunger, poverty, economic crisis, nuclear proliferation, climate change, and terrorist threats are monumental concerns. Every day we are corralled into a repressively demonic system that provides us the slick illusion of freedom but all the while scoffs at free will, stymies our creative and revolutionary capacities, and leaves us little room to authentically carve out our own paths. This systemic construct is designed to strip the “faithful” of our inclination to empathize and cooperate, siphon our communal spirit, stifle our capacity to imagine a better world, and make us accept the necessity to trample one another to “get ahead”. In terms of the black community, there is perpetual specter of racial, cultural, and economic oppression, violence, and class warfare that diminish our opportunities for collective empowerment and self-determination. In the face of all of this, even the most confident among us would have to admit that the “black” church as we know it faces a significant adaptive challenge. An overwhelming majority of black community church leaders today report that it is becoming far more difficult for their communities to negotiate the increasing complex-
ities in which they find themselves. As a result, the church is on a massive, long trended decline in America. In this situation we must ask ourselves probing questions: “Will more of the same do the trick? Can we simply rework the very same modes and understanding of church and finally, in an ultimate tweak of the system, come up with a winning formula?” I am convinced that the inherited formulas will not work anymore and I am not alone in this view. There is a massive roaming of minds going on here in Milwaukee and elsewhere as the search for alternative heats up. There is a radical remnant of Christ followers who are trying to avoid the present paradigms of church ministry in a desperate effort to put distance between the widespread negative perceptions of organized religion and their genuine faith in Jesus. Our Savior paid the redemptive price for a people who would reflect the radiance of his glory and the lib(continued on page 8)
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 5
Y&E
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 6
YOUTH&EDUCATION
Extreme Elites gala fundraiser at Mt. Zion Church By Taki S. Raton
The Extreme Elites will hold their first fundraiser on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at Mt. Zion Church of God In Christ, 1527 North Astor beginning at 11 a.m. Ranging in ages from 4 to 17, the Extreme Elites are a dance troupe, “united by our passion to dance,” says Coretta Kimble, parent coordinator for Extreme
Elites with a 7 and 16-year-old in the group. The troupe came together in early March according to Kimble and she adds that, “we’ve since created an unbreakable bond.” Nivia Davis-Frechette, the inspiration behind Extreme Elites, has had a passion for dance since beginning at the age of 5. Davis-Frechette claimed dancing as a “safe place to express herself openly.” Inspired by her Pastor, Elder John Daniels III by his sermon on “Purpose,” she sought consultation and direction from him regarding her vision to teach dance. He advised her to pursue her dream and start her very own dance team. Utilizing her skills and talent to dance, she is now the CEO and Head Coach of Extreme Elites. Pastor Daniels and his wife, First Lady Ericka Joy Daniels according to Kimble, are among the Extreme Elite’s biggest sponsors and supporters. Davis-Frechette’s purpose for Extreme Elites is her contribution towards helping to heal the community by starting with the young and by giving
them a safe and positive environment “to be free and express themselves with integrity!” Serving as assistant coach is Quieta Brown. The group’s practices are held every Monday and Wednesday at 3500 West Mother Daniels Way from 5 to 7 p.m. According to their Mission Statement, the Extreme Elites are “Dedicated to Distinction” in their development of both recreational and competitive level talent. Each and every Extreme Elite member is provided with a solid foundation for dance and the guidance to assist each dancer to discover their strengths and to reach their own personal potential. Within their shared learning experience, the Extreme Elites underscore in their statement, “Dedicated to Motivate,” that their goal is to inspire team members to be motivated by one another in their ef-
fort to live, learn, teach, create and develop an appreciation for dance. In their comment noting their “Dedication to This Team,” the Extreme Elites learn and grow as a group. “Together we share the responsibility for developing self-worth and cultivating self-assurance,” as is stated in their Mission Statement. “We place the highest value on respect – respect for each other and respect for ourselves,” it is noted. Kimble says of Extreme Elites that, “I support that which I love, and I love to see young girls and young ladies come together as a single unit, drama free, in a positive environment.” For additional information on the group’s Mt. Zion Church of God In Christ fundraiser or for details on the Extreme Elite dance troupe, please contact Davis-Frechette at (414) 750-0559.
Give the People What They Want!
(continued from page 3) THIS IS JUST NOT FAIR, IN FACT, IT’S DEAD WRONG. Why are all of these people and their systems steeped in denial and why do they blame the victim for its condition? Black people have done nothing but struggle in this country and continue to do so today. Blacks continue to lose ground in nearly every category with positive demographics decreasing and nearly every negative demographic increasing and the topic of compensation for nearly 300 years of free labor is completely absent. Today, everything is viewed through a lens as if Blacks have freedom, justice and equality and nothing could be further from the truth. Let’s unpack freedom, justice, and equality and what its potential application would mean for the Black community today. Freedom (real freedom is economic freedom) – The Emancipation Proclamation signaled the end of the American institution of slavery. This was no small feat to be free Blacks from slavery. It took a civil war and the threat of the entire economic disruption of America that most didn’t want to see happen. Ending slavery wasn’t a moral issue; it was an economic issue. Ultimately, the freedom of Black people would pit Black people against those who enslaved them, especially poor whites, and chattel slavery would ultimately morph into other forms of slavery which are equally as lethal. In the economic race, these things significantly slowed the progress of freed Blacks, specifically Jim Crow and segregation, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and the terrorism of its lynching, failed public policies, war casualties, mass incarceration black males, voter suppression, and failed public education systems (and many more). These “economic traps” were all designed by the enemies of Black people that fully embraced the culture of hate which was produced by the American Institution of slavery and have all significantly impeded the social and economic progress of Black people since emancipation. Restated, it wasn’t enough that the Black people, with nearly 100% poverty and 100% illiteracy were freed to become Americans, the truth of the matter is, at every step along the way, the former slave owners would lay out trap after trap to trip up and knock down Black people. When you consider the following two key facts (there are so many more): 1) Black ownership of the nation’s wealth remains where it was in 1860 near the end of slavery (pre-emancipation) at one half of one percent (0.05%). After 150 years, 100% physical freedom, and America’s token addressing of social issues, Blacks still only own one half of one percent (0.05%) of the nation’s wealth. Why is this? Wealth inheritance is the passing of past benefits and gains from previous generations to future generations. Currently, nearly 90% of all of the nation’s wealth was passed from one generation to another. This wealth is forever locked up (i.e. cash, stocks, bonds, land, business, trust accounts, endowments, foundations, etc.). While not all White people are rich, there is a massive disparity between the net assets of the average White family versus the average Black family ($100k+ vs $6-8k). This plays out in educational opportunities, housing and neighborhood selection, capitalization of entrepreneurial aspirations, and a genuine ability for self-determination for Black people. Let’s look at this differently in a way that might help you to get a better understanding of the economic challenges that Black people face today (many of us can’t handle the truth). The freeing of the Black community can be compared to the release of someone who has been unjustly incarcerated at age 17 for 50 years and who is now 67. During his period of incarceration, he worked from sun up to sun down and wasn’t afforded development of any real empowerment skills, so when he was released, he was completely penniless and nearly illiterate. His captives, who acknowledge that he was imprisoned unjustly, now tells him that his physical freedom is all he needs and to now go out here and compete. There are no reparations; there is no payment for the injustice that was perpetuated; there was no preferential treatment for housing, employment, for food; there was nothing, except that he achieved his physical freedom. He has no skills, no money, yet he has to survive and now, at age 67 he has to compete for resources with those who are educationally and economically giants over him. How ridiculous is this? In many respects this is the state of the Black community. TRUE FREEDOM IS ECONOMIC FREEDOM Everyone marvels at Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream Speech”, but few no the real contents of this most powerful speech and some say it represented a turning point in the philosophy of Dr. King. He called the Emancipation Proclamation (the physical freedom) a “symbolic shadow.” “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.” Today, nearly 45 million Black people struggle in America socially and economically. Our great hero Dr. Martin Luther King said it over and over but unfortunately, this isn’t what is talked about when we mention him – we’ve allowed the same enemies of Black people that created and implemented new types of slavery to also water down his message and the message of so many of our other heroes. Yes, physical freedom was important but where is the economic justice? Where is the deal to repair what was/is being done to Black people and how does the children of those who were captive and enslaved benefit from the economic windfall that is afforded to the children who enslave them? Real freedom is economic freedom and Black people want and deserve to have real freedom. Today, Blacks rank (continued on page 8)
KALEIDOSCOPE
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 7
the MCJ lifestyle & entertainment section
FROM THE BLACK By Tony Courtney
STRESS FREE FOR LIFE is an excellent book to help you eliminate the
stress in your life and help you get back on track. This is an excellent book to
help your loved ones that are locked up in the penitentiary. They have time to
read and get a great understanding of what the book is saying that will help them change their lives around.
You can order a copy by calling the publisher Taui Network at 718-
469-3199. The cost of the book is $29.95 (includes shipping and handling). Pass the word to other friends and family members to do the same thing. It’s time for a revolution of the mind.
AhVant Soul First Friday-Jon Pierre Gee and AhVant
Soul perform live classic soul, R&B, jazz and blues music. This Friday, May 1
from 6 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. no cover charge. Join us for a delicious fish fry at Cof-
fee Makes You Black, 2803 N. Teutonia, call 562-5225 for more information.
Body and Soul Spring Market-You are invited to keep your money
and support in the community by shopping at this market located in the Sher-
man Park neighborhood, bringing together the talent and creativity of many Milwaukee artists, food artisans, crafters, and more.
Saturday, May 2, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Body and Soul Heal-
ing Arts Center, 3617 N. 48th St.
International Workers Day-Join us May 1 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00
p.m. for a presentation about Peace and Jobs. Speakers-Brian Verdin, educator
and activists, George Martin-MLK Justice Coalition, Angela Walker-Jobs Now and Chrisitine Neuman-Ortiz, founder and director of Voices De La Frontera.
This event will be held at the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts.
926 E. Center St. and is sponsored by Riverwest Artists Association.
DNS internship program a possible path to city employment
Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II is encouraging interested residents to apply for the Department of Neighborhood Services’ Code Enforcement Intern program -- a two-year training initiative that combines classroom training and on-thejob experience to prepare individuals for Code Enforcement Inspector positions. Alderman Stamper said interested individuals should go to http://bit.ly/1zVqnHh for more information and to apply. Applications are being accepted until the close of business on Wednesday, May 6, 2015. “The City of Milwaukee is looking for individuals who are willing to dedicate themselves to a regimen that includes work experience in the field and college coursework in this positive initiative,” Alderman Stamper said. Minimum requirements for the Code Enforcement Intern program curriculum consist of approximately 31 college credits in the combined fields of English, social sciences, math/computers, architecture, and code enforcement. The position carries a starting salary of more than $26,000 per year.
Charlotte Ghazarian receives the Qualified Kingdom The School System: Advisor designation from Kingdom Advisors Educational Revolution
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 8
Charlotte Ghazarian with Thrivent Financial® in Glendale,WI has received the Qualified Kingdom Advisor™ designation from Atlanta-based Kingdom Advisors, Inc. The Qualified Kingdom Advisor™ is granted to financial professionals who have met high standards in training, integrity, character, and competence as an advisor, leader, and counselor. Qualified Kingdom Advisors™ are individuals who have demonstrated themselves to be: Believers in Jesus Christ – by pledging agreement with the Kingdom Advisors Statement of Faith and providing a personal testimony of accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Able to Apply Biblical Wisdom in Counsel – by successfully completing the Kingdom Advisors Core Training, participating in on-going training courses, and committing to
Charlotte Ghazarian
incorporate biblical principles in their financial advice. Technically Competent – by providing evidence of an approved professional designation (varying by discipline) or having at least 10 years full-time experience in their discipline. Ethical and of Integrity – by agreeing to espouse and practice the Kingdom Advisors Code of Ethics,
maintain active local church involvement, as well as providing pastoral and client letters of reference. Biblical Stewards – by pledging that they practice biblical stewardship in their personal and professional life and giving regularly in proportion to their income. Ron Blue, president of Kingdom Advisors, describes the individuals who attain this designation as, “trained and committed to be people of character who, from a biblical worldview, serve clients with biblical financial advice on how to best meet the goals God has given them as stewards of the finances entrusted to them.” To visit the national directory of Qualified Kingdom Advisors or receive more information on the Qualified Kingdom Advisor™ designation, please visit www.KingdomAdvisors.org.
Lynch sworn in as first Black PACKERS SET woman U. S. Attorney General
SPORTS
TO HOST 2015 NFL DRAFT PARTY SATURDAY IN MILWAUKEE
Attendees can enter for chance to announce Packers draft picks The Green Bay Packers are set to host their official 2015 NFL Draft Party on Saturday, May 2, at Evolution in Milwaukee. Event attendees will have the chance to participate in the draft by entering raffles for the opportunity to announce Packers draft picks live on the NFL Network or its online partners. The party will also feature a program hosted by Larry McCarren from noon to 1:30 p.m. The program will include appearances and autographs by Packers alumni Antonio Freeman, Jim Grabowski, LeRoy Butler, Mark Chmura and Derrick Mayes, as well as other prize raffles and fan giveaways. The Saturday party is free to the public and space will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, with activities offered from 11 a.m. until the draft concludes. A $5 limited party menu will be offered and all tap beer will be $4 during the event. (continued on page 9)
(continued from page 1) “Well, here we are,” she said laughing. “I have to say as I look out on all of you gathered here today, it seems like such an understatement to say that my heart is full, but it is. It is full of the most deep and profound gratitude that I’ve felt in quite some time. I must, of course, thank the people who have made it possible for me to stand her today. First and foremost, I have to thank the president for his faith in me and asking me to lead the department that I love to even greater heights.”
“A Change Is Gonna’ (Has To ) Come”
(continued from page 4) erating transformative reality of his presence to every tongue, tribe and nation, but somehow we seem to have squandered his legacy amidst a mess of ecclesial misdirection. Over the next few months I hope to take a journey with you as together we take a cursory peek into things that are very deep; things that if recovered, resurrected, and applied could have considerable ramifications for American Christianity, the black church, and the Milwaukee community. Collectively let us experience intrigue, alarm, challenge, and hope. Exercising a Sankofan spirit let us build upon the finest of what the saints have done and are currently doing, and explore a fresh and provocative view of the church, Jesus, and his teachings. We can discover how an emerging understanding of Jesus and his core message can infuse us with purpose and passion to both transform individuals and address the economic, political, environmental, and social dysfunctions that have overtaken our world. A “change is gonna’ (has to) come” y’all. Be assured that I write as someone who is not claiming this fact as my own. If anything, like all who receive grace from God, I feel that I am the humble recipient of but a miniscule portion of clarity and an infinitesimal fragment of revelation. There is an unearthing of something primal occurring in which I feel privileged to participate. In upcoming articles I will share portions of my stumbling attempt to articulate some of this elusive revelation: something that belongs to the gospel itself and therefore to the whole of the faithful who live by it.
(continued from page 1) fessionals engaged my boys in would have benefited any child with or without developmental delays. Family we need to create a womb to the tomb strategy that helps our mothers with pre-natal care ensuring all children are given a true chance entering the world and keep them covered with protection until their time on the earth has ended. This means that true education reforms begins with our families and communities, not the school system, family. In a previous article I wrote, I discussed the uniqueness of the human infant and the tremendous effect of their environment on their developing brain and personality. Last week, I stated that our government needed to allocate more funding for educational reform. We can begin to distribute those funds with any facility that houses children from 6 weeks to 4 years old. It is confusing to me how the qualifications for these settings and individuals who work with the infants and toddlers are less restrictive than those who work with older children. I do not think one need have a college degree to work with these precious souls, per se. In the same vein, just because one has a diploma from an institution of higher learning does not mean they are appropriately qualified. I believe a combination of those trained in educational settings combined with those who have an innate ability to love, nurture and work with small children. This sets the tone for multiple entities to work together with a singular focus of helping each child maximize their ability. In a society where we have a true collective impact, we take a multi-disciplinary approach allowing each entity to work within their individual silos, but with a connec-
tive bridge that allows all involved with the child to communicate effortlessly and simultaneously. In special education, we are required to create an individualized a education plan for each student. I submit that every child should have an individualizedl plan? And not just for school, but for all areas of theire life. We hold school teachers accountable for failing stu-t dents, who do we hold responsible for children who fail in life? Yes, the parents take on this responsibility, but ifM they fail – and we know many do—do these innocentT souls just slip through the cracks and be forced to fend for themselves or is there a safety net for them? This isp where our palliative care work should theoretically com-C p mence. Family, there should be multiple resources allocated for each child before that are labeled at-risk or adjudicated by the juvenile court system. Let’s see…… we have a problem with unemployment. We have a need for an army of workers to work with children that could benefit our society today and tomorrow. Family, I just wanted to begin the conversation for educational revolution with this article. Beloved, the strategies this week were purposely ambiguous, nebulous and utopian-like, as this was to serve as the seed for brainstorming. Remember, this is not a quick fix and it cannot be reactionary. For any formula to have success, it must have a multi-systemic team, be proactive, have a sustained approach that is critically analyzed and regularly examined. The next article will deal with concrete ideas that can be implemented immediately and in the future. Selah. Ashe. The BLAQUESMITH
Universally Speaking
(continued from page 7) dead last in almost every positive demographics, and dominate in all of the negative demographics. All of the negative demographics have worsened over the past fifty years. All of this can be tied directly to our economic struggles in this country. Contrary to the media hype, Black people never had glowing economic numbers at any time since emancipation. Poverty, lack of educational achievements, addictions, unemployment and underemployment, incarceration, and the demise of the Black family all threaten the future of our race and are symptoms of the economic struggle. The Black community has been
through it all and continues to struggle with the number of disparities that we face, but there is no bigger disparity and more damaging to our community than the economic disparity that exists between the Black community and the White community. Reparations are about making right on wrongs – it is the act of making atonement, mends, and indemnity for a wrong committed against another. I’ve already stated that the wrong inflicted against Blacks in America is the worst in modern history, so why is there not even a conversation about it. The term implies an active repairing of the damage or injury inflicted on the wrong party. The right to reparations has long been recognized in Interna-
tional Law. While there a few that can be referenced, none more than reparations paid to the Jewish victims of the Nazi persecution of the 1930s and 40s. America was built on the economics of slavery acquired on the backs of Black people. That’s why today, freedom justice and equality for Black people is so elusive. WE HAVE TO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY WANT FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY (THANK YOU GAMBLE AND HUFF). My next article will discuss the components of “justice” and “equality” and how they too are elusive and their connection to economic freedom.
PACKERS SET TO HOST 2015 NFL DRAFT PARTY SATURDAY IN MILWAUKEE
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 9
(continued from page 8) Those wishing to enter the raffle to announce the Packers’ draft picks live on television or online can begin entering starting at 11 a.m. Raffle entrants must be present to win. Evolution is located in downtown Milwaukee's trendy yet Historic Third Ward, at 233 E. Chicago St. Event parking is available in the parking structure next door (225 E. Chicago St.), where full day parking passes will be $10. In addition to a restaurant, bar, lounge, and two private party rooms,
Evolution sports 12 top-quality table-tennis courts on cushioned Olympic-competition flooring, plus a 13th stadium-like center court. Party attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase Packers Pro Shop merchandise, including the Packers’ official 2015 NFL Draft caps and other popular items from the store, at Evolution throughout the day’s festivities. Additionally, fans at the event will be able to enjoy special promotions and interactive displays from MillerCoors, Chevy and Associated Bank.
The party will include draft coverage on TV screens throughout Evolution, and will provide Wi-Fi Internet access, allowing attendees who bring wireless-enabled laptops and mobile devices to log on to their favorite draft websites and follow the action online. The NFL Draft features a three-day format, with Round 1 beginning at 7 p.m. CT, on Thursday, April 30, followed by Rounds 2-3 beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT Friday, May 1, and Rounds 4-7 beginning at 11:00 a.m. CT on Saturday, May 2. More information on the NFL Draft can be found online at www.packers.com.
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 29, 2015 Page 10