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VOL. XXXIX Number 21 December 17, 2014
The Milwaukee
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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 PA P E R
Photo by Robert Bell
Youths go from “Boys in the Hood” to “Gentlemen on the Town” Article by
Andrea Waxman courtesy of
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
One hundred men and boys, ranging from 6- to 79-years-old, milled around a large upstairs room at Redemption Fellowship Church on the North Side. In one corner, a barber was cutting a teen’s hair. Along a wall, racks of tuxedos hung in brown garment bags. A line of boys waited for a volunteer to pin blue boutonnieres onto their lapels. Boys and men sat at tables writing letters and sealing them in envelopes to present to each other at the end of the day. This scene marked the final preparations for the latest event in Andre Lee Ellis’s “We Got This” grassroots program to support and mentor young Black men in his neighborhood, around 9th and Ring streets. On Saturday afternoon, Ellis gathered the 50 young men and 50 mentors together, encouraged them to continue supporting each other and their community and led them onto two buses that took them downtown. At Juneau Avenue east of the river, they disembarked and paraded across the bridge, amid cheers and chants of “Black lives matter” to Carson’s Prime Steak & Famous Barbecue, 301 W. Juneau. There the tuxedoclad “boys from the hood” became
Photos by Yvonne Kemp
Fist raised in triumph as well-wishers and supporters cheered, “We Got This” founder Andre Lee Ellis leads young boys and adult male mentors into Carson’s Prime Steak & Famous Barbecue, located on West Juneau Avenue where the young men enjoyed a formal dinner, conversation...and a bit of an etiquette lesson. An unnamed sponsor paid for the dinners and each mentor covered the cost of his own and his mentee’s tuxedo rental.
“gentlemen on the town.” Each young man was to sit with his mentor and enjoy a formal dinner, conversation and a bit of an etiquette lesson. An unnamed sponsor paid for the dinners, and each mentor covered the cost of his own and his mentee’s tuxedo rental. Roshaun Collins, 13, a sixthgrader at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School and a member of
Ellis’ “We Got This” group since last summer, summed up Ellis’ program. “People where we come from don’t make it far and Mr. Andre is showing us that we can,” Collins said. Isaiah Lavender, 13, a seventhgrader at LaFollette School, 3239 N. 9th St., met Ellis while walking to a corner store last spring. Ellis asked him to join the group. Lavender said
he enjoyed helping out in the neighborhood. “All the trash that’s on the ground, it didn’t look right.” Dwight Willis, 14, another Lafollette student, met Ellis at school. Willis called Ellis “a good man,”
Milwaukee joins nation in “Black Lives Matter Sunday” protests
Rev. Don Darius Butler, a member of a group of faith-based ministers, addresses the rally at Red Arrow Park downtown Sunday calling for justice in the Dontre Hamilton case and other cases around the nation in which Black men have died at the hands of law enforcement agencies. The rally was held in conjunction with national protests. (Photo courtesy of CBS 58.com) Compiled by MCJ Staff Demonstrators calling for justice for Dontre Hamilton again descended on Red Arrow Park Sunday; but this time they were part of a much bigger movement, a national movement calling attention to the deaths of Black men and boys at the hands of law enforcement across the nation. The Milwaukee protest/rally was headed up by Black community faith-based leaders and was part of --Rev. Don Darius Butler, one of the ministers the national day dubbed "Black Lives who was part of an interfaith coalition Matter Sunday." Protestors who packed Red Arrow Park, the site of Hamilton’s death at the hands of Mil- ing to a call to the park, located twice by Milwaukee Police officers waukee Police Officer Christopher across the street from City Hall, of a responding to a similar call to the Manney, who shot Hamilton 14 times man (Hamilton) sleeping on a park park about Hamilton. bench. Prior to Manney arriving on Hamilton’s sleeping on the park last April. Manney was reportedly respond- the scene, Hamilton was questioned bench is not against any city or
"We are summoned here because of America's unfinished business with respect to its citizens of African descent!”
county ordinances. A scuffle ensued as Manney tried to pat down Hamilton. During the scuffle, Manney shot Hamilton multiple times. Since the incident, there have been a number of marches and vigils protesting the shooting and calling for murder charges against Manney, who was fired two months ago by Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn for not following protocol when it comes to dealing with the mentally disabled individuals. As they had done countless times before, protestors Sunday again called for justice in the Hamilton case, but this time they were joining a national chorus of demonstrators calling for justice for all Black men and boys such as Michael Brown and Eric Garner, who have died at the hands of law enforcement. "We are summoned here because of America's unfinished business with respect to its citizens of African descent," said Rev. Don Darius Butler, one of the ministers who was part of the interfaith coalition of various religions and Christian denominations. There were also White individuals who attended the demonstration. Most notable among them was Mayor Tom Barrett and Chief Flynn. Also in attendance were several local political figures. “We need to take the time to get to know each other and to respect each other,” the mayor reportedly said to the gathering. “That’s why I’m here today because Black lives matter.” However, Milwaukee Nation of Islam Student Minister William Muhammad, a member of the faith(continued on page 2
adding, “[He] meets with us and talks about stuff like being respectful.” Willis said he “joined up early” with We Got This, working in the garden.
The dinner at Carson’s was the latest in a series of activities designed and carried out by Ellis since he (continued on page 2)
PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp
Though President Obama is still in office, Milwaukee Public Schools has already named a school after him. The question is:
Was it a good idea to name a school after a still sitting (current) U.S. president? Why or why not?
SHERRY HILL: “Yes, they should. Naming the school after the president may give the students (of the school) an extra incentive to excell and rise to the level of achievements as President Obama.
MONTE MABRA: Yes. So much as my daughter attends Barack Obama STE (the school in question). He’s a great president and Barack Obama is a great school; and of course, my daughter is at the top of her class and is receiving great grades. I hope to see her graduate from Barack Obama STE as well.”
LA VEALEA BALL JOHNSON: “Yes, because he is the first Black president. Young people can think more positively about their education. they can become what ever they want.”
DALE JONES: “I am impressed with MPS naming a school after our first Black president while he’s still in office. This school starts at K4 and continues to 12th grade. I’m sure Milwaukee is one of the first cities to name a school after President Barack Obama.”
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 2
“Boys in the Hood” to “Gentlemen on the Town”
(continued from page 1) started employing young men to maintain a neighborhood garden and clean up the community last summer Like the Pied Piper of Hamlin, the charismatic Ellis drew more and more young followers throughout the summer. He created a structured program, paying the young men $20 if they showed up before 8 a.m. and worked the whole morning. As his numbers grew, people began to notice. Ellis dubbed the program “We Got This” on his Facebook page, and emphasized the need for the black community to support its own children. Ellis began to draw adult supporters who contributed money to pay the young men and to talk with them about their own experiences growing up in similar communities.
Momentum grew throughout the summer and by the end of August more than 100 young men had joined in. The program is less active with school in session but the young men keep in touch with Ellis and each other. Since summer ended, Ellis has taken them to a Brewers baseball game, to UWM to accept an award, and to see President Obama when he visited North Division High School in October. The Rev. Anthony Caples, one of the mentors, found “We Got This” through Ellis’ Facebook page and started visiting the garden on Saturday mornings when there were just eight or nine participants. Caples noted that one-on-one mentoring relationships are necessary for young people to grow and flourish.
(continued from page 1) based group, wasn’t convinced by the mayor’s words. “We have to speak straight truth to the mayor, straight truth to the police chief,” Muhammad reportedly said in response to the mayor’s statement. “Those were nice and flowering words, but you’re actions have not backed what you’re saying,” Muhammad said. Saying he knows people are frustrated, with waiting for a decision for Milwaukee County D.A. John Chisholm in whether or not Manney will be indicted in the shooting death of Hamilton, Flynn said the criminal process takes a long time. After the rally at the park, dozens of demonstrators marched to the Safety Building on State Street where the District Attorney’s office is. Christmas cards were left on the doors of the building, not with holiday well wishes,
but with messages to Chisholm asking for a decision in the Hamilton case and to charge Manney in his death. Chisholm is reportedly waiting for the results of an external review of the case before he makes his decision. No timetable has been established for that decision. The rally in Milwaukee coincided with other protests across the country. There were large demonstrations in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Oakland, and Boston to name a few. In Washington, 5,000 people were expected, but according to reports, the crowd was believed to be more than 25,000 people. Nationally, marchers chanted, “I can’t breathe!” “Hands up, don’t shoot!” and waved signs reading Black Lives Matter!” Demonstrators also staged “die-ins” as they lay down across intersections. —Contributors to this story: James Cuco, CBS58 News, WISN 12, and Associated Press.
Senator Harris Dodd Appointed to Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission
our vital resources from dangerous pollutants and flooding," stated Senator Nikiya Harris Dodd. Senator Harris Dodd will attend her first MMSD meeting on Monday, December 22nd. "Over one million individuals depend on MMSD to protect the health of their families and loved ones through quality water treatment," explained Senator Harris Dodd. "It is an honor to be appointed by Mayor Tom Barrett, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Commission to create a safer, cleaner environment for our families." For more information about the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission, visit their website at http://www.mmsd.com/.
Milwaukee joins nation in “Black Lives Matter” protests
MADISON- Today, the Milwaukee Common Council appointed State Senator Nikiya Harris Dodd (D-Milwaukee) as a commissioner on the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Commission. "I am thrilled to be appointed to a Commission that has such a direct effect on my constituents and on Milwaukee as a whole. I plan to work to protect Lake Michigan and
PERSPECTIVES
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 3
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Racism is so universal in this country, so widespread, and deep-seated, that it is invisible because it is so normal.”--Shirley Chisholm
Mainstream media blows opportunity to MCJ MCJ report a positive event involving young EDITORIAL Black men and a unique experience
We’re sure the trip a group of young men from our community and their mentors made to a popular downtown restaurant was a life-changing event in their young lives; a “teachable moment” that gave them envaluable exposure to one of numerous activities beyond the limited boundries of their neighborhoods. The photos on our front page of the young men are inspiring and a true demonstration of the positive things that happen (on a daily basis) in our community. Interestingly, the city’s mainstream newspaper didn’t think so, and only one television news station, that we know of, covered the momentous event. Aside from a noted free lance photographer, Robert Bell--whose photo of the tuxedo clad young men and mentors with their fists raised in triumph on the Juneau Street bridge--and the Community Journal having a photographer on the scene to record in photos the his-
Remember when…
toric--yes historic--event, the only other media outlets--besides the one aforementioned TV station--was public radio (WUWM did a report on the young men as they were being fitted for their tuxedos at Torrence’s House of Threads) and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service which, like the MCJ, covers positive moments in Black Milwaukee. The absence of the city’s mainstream newspaper (we know they were absent because the volumous Sunday daily had nothing about the event at Carson’s on its pages, not even its Local Section where everything about our community is usually relegated) boldly illustrates just how myopic a view it (and the mainstream television stations) has of Milwaukee’s Black community, believing that only negative things take root in our soil. (An aside: The daily’s coverage of the national “Black Lives Matter” marches was relegated to the inside of its “A” Section.) Andre Lee Ellis (who put together the
The Spaniels’ “Pookie” Hudson epitomized original Black rhythm and blues By Richard G. Carter
“I fell down on my knees and I prayed, that the Lord would end our evil ways”... The Spaniels, “You Gave Me Peace of Mind” (Vee-Jay Records-1956) Every Christmas-New Year holiday season, I find myself recalling James “Pookie” Hudson, who left us, at 72, James “Pookie” Hudson on Jan. 16, 2007. Original Black R&B’s all-time best lead singer, Pookie and the Spaniels appeared many times at Milwaukee’s Colonial Theater. Over the last 16 years of his life, I became close personal friends with this talented singer-songwriter. As a result, he inspired my 1995 authorized biography “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight: The Story of the Spaniels” (August Press-1995). Known far and wide simply as “Pookie,” he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004, and music organizations provided financial help for treatment. The Clifton, N.J.-based United in Group Harmony Association run by the late Ronnie “I” Italiano led the way. Pookie had resumed performing with the legendary vocal group after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. He made a special New York appearance on Oct. 21, 2005 at Queensborough Community College, in a doo-wop and oldies variety show sponsored by Chief Osceola Townsend and his National Alliance of Native Americans. Billed as “A tribute to Pookie Hudson of the Spaniels,” the show was hosted
THE MILWAUKEE COMMUNITY JOURNAL
by DJ Bobby Jay, of New York’s WCBS-FM, who was a dynamite bass man of the Laddins and later with the Teenagers. Jay warmly and lovingly introduced Pookie from the stage. Two weeks earlier -- on Oct. 8, 2005 -- in my Milwaukee hometown with my wife, Susan, looking on from the wings of the venerable Pabst Theater, I was privileged to introduce Pookie with the original Spaniels in “The Ultimate Doo-Wop Show. On Jan. 21, 2007, I took part in a two-hour radio tribute to Pookie and the late Gerald Gregory, the Spaniels matchless bass singer, on Ken Held’s “DooWop Shop” live on the Internet via WLVJ-AM in South Florida. In 1989, Held and I talked by phone on his show, prompting a call from Pookie which led to my authorized biography of the group. In recent years, Pookie’s most notable national gig was on December 1999’s PBS telecast of “Doo-Wop 50” -- marking 50 years of original Black rhythm and blues. Jerry Butler’s introduction bespeaks how he was revered in the R&B community. To wit: “This man who is going to head this group is the prototype of Aaron Neville. He is the original ice man. He is unbelievable. So join me for one of the real (continued on page 9)
Ron Pounds
The Legacy of a Ron W. Pounds - Family, Community, History, and Scholarship By Taki S. Raton
Published twice weekly, Wednesday & Friday
3612 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212 Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: Editorial@communityjournal.net/Advertising@communityjournal.net MCJ STAFF: Patricia O’Flynn -Pattillo Publisher, CEO Robert J. Thomas Assoc. Publisher Todd Thomas, Vice Pres. Mikel Holt, Assoc. Publisher Thomas E. Mitchell, Jr., Editor Teretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Webmaster Billing Dept./Publisher’s Admin. Assist.
dinner) has shown, through his “We Got This” grassroots gardening and neighborhood beautification initiative (of which the boys are members), that beautiful flowers do take root and grow in our soil; beautifying our community with hope and inspiration. We salute Mr. Ellis and the mentors who made this event possible for the young men who ranged from grade school to high school age. The aforementioned lack of mainstream media interest again points to the importance and need of Black media--especially Black press--to “plead our own cause” as a community and a people; and alternative media outlets like WUWM and the Neighborhood News Service that “get it.” We will continue to report on the beauty within our community, while being mindful of the social and political issues impacting us locally and nationally. We’re committed to informing, educating and inspiring you, our readers, and Black Milwaukee.
Colleen Newsom, Classified Advertising Jimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Taki S. Raton, Richard G. Carter, Fr. Carl Diederichs, Rev. Joe McLin PHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp
Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Letters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for content and length.
Oshi Adelabu, a retired firefighter and community leader on Monday, December 8 on Motherlandmedia.com Internet radio, referred to Ron William Pounds as a “Renaissance Man,” that model of excellence, scholarship, class and confidence.
Nirvana Ministries executive director Dr. William Rogers in his Thursday evening December 11 remarks on Harambee Radio & TV’s “MenThink” broadcast dedicated to the life and work of Pounds says that his love for self, family, our youth and for his people extended beyond the verbal. “I considered Ron to be a master teacher,” said Rogers. “He shared in his teachings and in his books the spirit of the scholars and the experience of his travels in a presentation style of self-assuredness, love for his people and a superb command of his instructional material. Not only did he discuss and present the ideas and knowledge of the Ancient World, he searched for the physical evidence to support the ideas and information he presented,” he adds. Rogers notes that Pounds understood the necessity of primary sources in order for students to understand the depth and complex world of ancient Africa. “Ron toured Kemet and stood in the African sunlight as he viewed the Sphinx, stood in the doorway of the Great Pyramid of Giza and watched the rising of the African sun on African soil. And as a master teacher, he followed in the footsteps of such historians as Joel Schomburg, John G. Jackson, Chan-
FIRSTPERSON
By Ralph Hollmon, President and CEO of the Milwaukee Urban League
Deaths of Unarmed Black Men After Encounters with Police
On Saturday, December 13, 2014, I attended a peaceful rally in Red Arrow Park to support a call for justice in the death of Dontre Hamilton and to show support for the Hamilton family. I also joined with others to urge (Milwaukee County) District Attorney John Chisholm to make his decision regarding police officer Christopher Manney as soon as possible. It was stressed that we all want a thorough review of the facts in this case, but it has been seven months since Mr. Hamilton’s death and the longer the decision is delayed—it leads to speculation and more distrust of our criminal justice system. Saturday’s rally in Red Arrow Park also coincided with a National Day of rallies in Washington, D.C. and other cities across the U.S. to show support for the families of other unarmed Black males who have been killed in 2014 after encounters with police: Tamir Rice, Cleveland OH; Akai Gurley, Brooklyn, NY; Michael Brown, Ferguson, MO; and Eric Garner, Staten Island, NY. The tragic unacceptable deaths of unarmed Black males by police officers must stop and we need to do everything possible to make that happen. Currently, there are parts of our community that do not trust the police because they feel there is, and has been, a pattern of excessive force against Black males. It is crucial that we work to restore trust because we need each other. The community needs the police to protect and serve and the police need the community to help prevent and solve crimes. However, trust cannot be restored if we continue to have Black males killed under questionable circumstances by police officers. Trust cannot be achieved without a change in the way Black males are perceived and treated. Change starts with training and a number of things can and should be done in regards to training, especially as it relates to handling citizens with mental health issues. But, we need to begin by having all police officers show restraint and good judgment when dealing with our community. If we can get police officers to show restraint and good judgment in conjunction with their training, this will be a tremendous step towards stopping unnecessary deaths, rebuilding trust and improving police community relations.
cellor Williams and the great Carter G. Woodson.” Ron made his transition on Saturday, December 6, 2014. Moderated by Reserve Judge Russell Stamper Sr., the Milwaukee Celebration of his life, of his devoted family membership and of his work was held Wednesday, December 10 at Krause Funeral Home, 7001 West Brown Deer Road. With a host of friends and relatives from far and wide in his Windy City native home, Ron’s final Celebration was held Friday, December 12, 2014 at Cage Memorial Chapel in Chicago. Internment services followed thereafter at the nearby Oak Wood Cemetery, 1035 East 67th Street. Indeed, that entire week following his passing scheduled nearly every day with a celebration of the life and work of Ron W. Pounds. Monday, December 8 was the Adelabu Motherland broadcast out of Atlanta. On Wednesday, December 10, Oshi’s Motherland broadcast was again repeated live from Milwaukee at Dr. Rev. Nate Stampley’s Heritage International Ministries COGIC on 1036 West Atkinson Ave. with the Krause memorial gathering that evening. On Thursday, December 11 as hosted by this writer, Dr. Rogers and Bro. Oshi were guests on Harambee’s “MenThink” with the one-hour show dedicated to the legacy of Ron Pounds. And finally, his Chicago celebration Friday at Cage Memorial Chapel. The Milwaukee Community Journal also featured a front page notice on Pounds in its December 10 publication edition. Adelabu was additionally honored to pour the opening libation at both the Milwaukee’s Krause and the Chicago’s Cage Memorial Chapel ceremonies. Judge Stamper says of Ron that, “He was a soft-spoken, gentle, intellectual Afrikan Centered giant of a man; one who loved his family, his people and his/our Afrikan customs, culture, and traditions. “He and his beloved wife, Lillian, navigated through life in a most admirable fashion. On the one hand, living, loving and tasting the honey and all the sweetness that the good life brings while giving due regard, thought and dedication to our glorious Afrikan history and our struggle for dignity, liberation and justice. He is in numerous ways, a model for us to look at, admire, and emulate.” Shared his cousin Reginald Johnson from Schererville, Indiana, “As a community activist, resident historian of African American history and culture and ultimately the family patriarch, Ron was not only a source of knowledge and inspiration, but he also exhibited an esteemed level of class and integrity rarely seen and from which we all learned.” Bill (Butch) Holmes from Chicago said of Ron that over the 27 years of knowing him and his wife Lillian that Ron never said anything bad or derogatory about another person and that he always when you saw him mirrored those traits of, “gentleness, warmth, politeness and charm.” Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum founder and director Clayborn Benson in Milwaukee says that Ron was a scholarly man who openly and willingly shared his African Centered knowledge with young people and adults as well. “Although we have lost a great person in his passing, he will continue on in the spirit and memory of those that he has taught throughout the city. He will surely be missed!” Born January 13, 1943 in Chicago, as a child, Ron played the piano and marched in Chicago’s Bud Biliken Parades. Upon graduating from Harlan High School in 1963, he attended Wilson Junior College and Chicago Teachers College (now Northeastern Illinois University) before he was drafted into the army. Ron served from 1966 to 1968 during which time he was stationed in San Francisco and in Viet Nam. After his honorable discharge, Ron returned to Chicago and began working in the computer industry of which his programming skills led him to employment with Standard Oil, Montgomery Ward, and Washington National Insurance. Ron additionally wrote weekly articles on insurance matters for the Chicago Defender Newspaper. (continued on page 8)
RELIGION
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 4
WHAT’S HAPPENING In your faith-based community
Milwaukee's Biggest Community-Wide Ministerial student asks: Will future Chanukah Celebration Marks 40 Years ministers be as bold as Jesus in of World-wide Public Celebrations
times of conflict and controversy?
By Carla M. Mitchell, Third Year Seminary Student Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL
During the assemblies on Monday, Dec. 7th, there was a question that was raised by Rev. Dr. Reginald Blunt… ”what Jesus will you preach?” This was a question that was posed in both the noon and 6 p.m. assemblies that were sponsored by Garrett Evangelical Black Seminarians (G-EBS) and featured comments from the Garrett Black Faculty. Earlier that morning, there was a march in downtown Evanston that was organized by some Garrett students. Students and some faculty participated in the march and
while I didn’t participate, I was on campus when the group of about 30 returned and I joined them as they debriefed in the campus chapel; The Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful. It was a somber time and many of the students…mostly white shared their feelings about what they felt and how they felt participating in this activity and taking a stand against blatant injustice in this country. There were many pats on the back for taking a stand and I totally understand that. I would dare say that for many of these students who participated in this activity; this may have been the first type of social justice act for them in their lives. (continued on page 9)
Looking beyond the tinsel and snowflakes for the true meaning of Christmas BREAD IN THE WILDERNESS
The Fourth Sunday ofAdvent brings us closer to the Christmas Story. Our Gospel reading is Luke 1: 26-38. The angel Gabriel comes to a young woman and asks her if she would consider becoming the mother of the Savior. Mary was already engaged to Joseph, but they had not started living together. She was still a virgin. She was the most unlikely person to be asked this question. She wasn't even of the line of David and the Messiah was to born of David's line. This was so much for such a young person to comprehend. "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God," the angel said. Gabriel had already said that she was "full of grace" and that the Lord was already with her. One can only wonder what was going on in Mary's heart and mind. Her life would be forever changed if she agreed to this request from God. She asked one question, " How can this be," since she was not with a man? The angel answered and said that this child would be from God. And somehow, with the grace of God, she consented. She let go of her concerns and insecu-
By Fr. Carl Diederichs, All Saints Catholic Church
rities and was prepared to shoulder the shame that would probably come to her because of her marital situation. People would start whispering. She said yes! "Be it done unto me according to your word!" This one declarative sentence changed her whole life--and ours. She let go of her securities, her plans, and her way of life. All of us who have been baptized into Jesus receive a call from God as Mary did. We are called to make Christ present in our world, in our sphere of influence. And we too don't know the future and what our commitment to Jesus will mean. We do know it will mean changing our plans, as Mary had to do. The more we know Christ and His mission, the closer
!For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, laying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: !Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!"--Luke 2:11-14
Lubavitch of Wisconsin to Light Up One of 15,000 Public Menorahs Worldwide
we come to being like Mary. Mary, immediately after accepting God's plan for her, shows us how to act. She was told about Elizabeth, her cousin's pregnancy in her old age, and she went to her. We have many opportunities to go to others in their need. In fact, as a follower of Christ the needs of others come before our own. At least that is the way it should be. As we count down to Christmas, hopefully we will look beyond the tinsel and snowflakes to see others and their need for us in their lives. No gift can take the place of us being the "gift" for others. May God bless you and all God's children. May you have a blessed Christmas.
Lubavitch of Wisconsin will light a huge public menorah at Bayshore Town Center, followed by a community-wide celebration on the sixth night of Chanukah, Sunday, December 21st at 5:00pm, right after the 100 Car Menorah Parade arrives. The event will feature emcee, Jonah Kaplan, from Today's TMJ4. Following the menorah lighting ceremony, hundreds will enjoy a combined children's choir from Jewish Beginnings and Hillel Academy, the Hillel Academy drum line, and much more fun for the whole family. Kosher sufganiyot (traditional jelly doughnuts), latkes (potato pancakes), hot dogs, and hot cocoa will be provided. This year's celebration brings added significance as Milwaukee joins thousands of communities worldwide in marking forty years since the first public menorah was lit at the Liberty Bell in 1974. Today, that unprecedented public
display of Chanukah has become a staple of Jewish cultural and religious life, forever altering the American practice and perception of the festival. It all began a year earlier in 1973, when the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of blessed memory, considered the most influential rabbi in modern history, launched a worldwide Chanukah campaign, an effort to create awareness and promote observance of Chanukah. This year, the global campaign the Rebbe launched will reach an estimated 8,000,000 Jews (more than half of the world's Jewish population). The menorah at Bayshore Town Center is just one of Lubavitch of Wisconsin's many public menorahs throughout the state and is one of thousands of large public menorahs throughout the world, including in front of the White House, which attracts some 4,000 people, and near
the Eiffel Tower in central Paris, which has attracted as many as 20,000 French Jews. Throughout the Wisconsin Chabad-Lubavitch will be presenting scores of Chanukah events and celebrations, including public menorah lightings, Menorah Parades, Latkes parties, menorah and dreidel workshops at The Home Depot®,"Chanukah Wonderlands," and more. To find a local Chanukah event in Wisconsin, visit www.ChabadWI.org/LocalEvents.
St. Mark to host first ever “Blue Christmas” worship service
St. Mark AME Church is holding its first ever “Blue Christmas Worship service” Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014, from 4 to 6 p.m. St. Mark is located at 1616 W. Atkinson Ave. The aim of the service is to help individuals who are spending their first Christmas without a beloved family member who recently died or it may just be a time that has always been difficult to cope with given the constant refrain in the media, malls and churches about the happiness of the season getting together with family and friends. For more information, call St. Mark at 414-562-8030.
In Loving Memory Quality Service... a tenured tradition sincere concern at your time of need.
Ernestine O’Bee, Founder
Offering pre-need, at need and after-care services to families in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and other communities throughout our state.
Johnson, Genevieve M. Age 89 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 26 at 11AM. Visitation Friday 10AM until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Hudson-Ellis, Alicia B. Age 59 yrs. December 10, 2014. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, December 19, at 10AM at Our Saviors Lutheran Church 3022 W. Wisconsin Ave. The Family will gather from 9AM until the time of the Memorial Service. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W Hampton Ave (414)462-6020 Rice, James A. Age 65 yrs. December 8, 2014. A private Memorial Service will be held. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Martin, Clay Jr. Age 80 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 19 at 1PM. Visitation Friday 12 Noon until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Johnson, Genevieve M. Age 89 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 26 at 11AM at Wisconsin Memorial Park "Chapel of Chimes" 13235 W. Capitol Dr. Visitation Friday 10AM at the "Chapel of Chimes" until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier
J.C. Frazier, Funeral Director
6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Surveyor, Tracolli M. Age 17 yrs. December 10, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Thursday 11AM. Visitation Thursday 10AM until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Jeske, Gerald D. Age 75 yrs. December 13, 2014. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, December 17 at 11AM. The family will gather Wednesday 10AM until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Prewitt, Beverly Age 65 yrs. December 13, 2014. A Memorial Services will be held on Friday, December 19 at 11AM at the Milwaukee Citadell Community Center 4129 W. Villard Ave. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Henning, Christopher C. Age 44 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 22 at 11AM at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church 2315 N. 38th St. Visitation Monday 9AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Thomas, Alonna G. Age 23 yrs. December 9, 2014. A Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, December 20 at 1PM at Abiding Faith Fellowship Church 4600 W. Burleigh St. The family will gather Saturday at 11AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
Families served by:
Northwest Funeral Chapel O’Bee, Ford & Frazier
Milwaukee 6630 W. Hampton Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53218 Telephone: (414) 462-6020 Fax: (414) 462-9937
Racine 800 Barker St. Racine, WI 53402 Telephone: (262) 637-6400 Fax: (262) 637-6416
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 5
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 6
WISDOT’s I-94 East-West Corridor Proposal Discriminatory, Bad for our communities By Juan Carlos Ruiz
While state leaders do little to improve mobility and increase access to jobs for African Americans and Latinos, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is proposing to spend over a billion dollars on the expansion of I-94’s East-West Corridor between Cesar Chavez drive and 76Th ST. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has put forward only two options for the corridor; both call for expansion of the highway, at a cost of around $1 billion to Wisconsin taxpayers. The DOT has removed the considerably cheaper rebuilding option from consideration, and has altogether rejected including public transit options, which would strengthen local communities and connect workers to jobs. Even worse, this massive highway expansion will negatively impact communities of color, by worsening air and water pollution and public health in our communities and neglecting to improve transit for the thousands of Milwaukeeans who either use transit to get to work or need transit to get to jobs in Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha Counties. “The proposed options presented by WISDOT Secretary Gottlieb and Gov. Walker’s administration are wasteful, unnecessary and discriminatory,” said Juan Carlos Ruiz from the Cleaner Milwaukee Coalition. “What’s worse, they want to raise taxes and fees to pay for this boondoggle project. WISDOT should go back to the drawing board and give the community options that will enhance mobility in Milwaukee, not waste taxpayer money on an unnecessary expansion.” The Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) and the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit in 2012 against the DOT around the Zoo Interchange project on similar grounds. They argued that the environmental impact statement for the Zoo Interchange construction violated federal law by failing to consider the effects of this massive and costly highway project on communities of color. In 2013, the court in its decision agreed that parts of the plan appeared to violate federal environmental law. Following the court's decision, the parties went into mediation, which resulted in payments to support several bus routes from the central city to suburban job centers over four years. Despite this important victory, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has returned to their same old ways with the I-94 East-West Corridor project, rejecting transportation options that better serve communities of color in Milwaukee and focusing solely on freeway expansion while doing nothing to fix local roads or improve transit. On December 3 and 4, the DOT held public hearings on their two highway expansion proposals for the I-94 East-West Corridor. Opponents of the DOT’s highway
“Rather than squander billions of tax dollars on overbuilding highways, WISDOT should be offering a vision for transportation that will help strengthen communities, connect people to jobs, and better accommodate changing local needs.”--Juan Carlos Ruiz
expansion plans were joined by MICAH, NAACP President-Elect Fred Royal, State Representatives Mandela Barnes and Evan Goyke, Jackie Ivy of the Milwaukee Transit Riders Union, and many others to urge the people of Milwaukee to oppose both highway expansion options presented by the DOT and to tell them to go back to the drawing board and develop a better plan for the corridor. On Tuesday, the day before the DOT hearings, the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation, a coalition of 20 local and statewide organizations working to ensure taxpayer-funded transportation is responsible and not wasteful, proposed a transit alternative for the corridor. Their proposal was to return the highway to a state of good repair and safe and reliable operation without expansion, and, instead of highway expansion, include a high quality rapid-transit system. The system would link the Burleigh and 101st St. Park-and-Rides to the downtown Milwaukee Streetcar, the Intermodal Station, and other locations, with several cross-town connections via the Miller Park. The proposal would enhance economic development, better connect people to jobs in the region, and support local communities. “Governor Walker and WISDOT Secretary Gottlieb are proposing to build more boondoggles, and the DOT is asking us to pay for it with more taxes and fees,” concluded Ruiz. “Rather than squander billions of tax dollars on overbuilding highways, WISDOT should be offering a vision for transportation that will help strengthen communities, connect people to jobs, and better accommodate changing local needs. To finance these proposals, WISDOT Secretary Gottlieb has recommended raising taxes, including the gas tax, a diesel tax, a fee on hybrid owners and a fee on the purchase of new vehicles. He also wants to borrow more than $800 million in the next two-year budget. The Coalition for More Responsible Transportation along with partners and allies are working to get the DOT to consider alternatives that better serve communities of color and improve transportation options in Milwaukee without wasting taxpayer money. For more information call 414-758-0600
LEGAL INSIGHTS By Attorney John P. Casey
Don’t Let Toy-Related Injuries Harm Your Holidays
Toys are supposed to be fun. Trips to the ER are never fun. According to a new study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, every three minutes a toy sends a child to the ER. As parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, please consider the safety of your family when you are shopping for holiday toys. The study, released Dec. 1, found that an estimated 3,278,073 kids in the United States were treated in emergency rooms after suffering toy-related injuries from 1990-2011. The frequency of the injuries escalated in recent years in part because of the increased popularity of foot-powered scooters. Sure, scooters can be dangerous, especially when worn without a helmet. That is obvious. What is less obvious are those toys which seem benign, but whose dangers lurk within. According to consumer interest group, US PIRG, such dangers are in the form of toxics which exceed federal standards and choking hazards. Specifically, US PIRG found the following dangers in widely available toys on store shelves in 2014. • Lead. Childhood exposure to even low levels of lead can undermine development, damaging academic achievement and attentiveness. • Chromium. Skin contact with chromium can cause severe allergic reactions including skin redness, swelling and ulcers. Chromium compounds are also known to cause cancer. • Phthalates. Exposure to phthalates at crucial stages of development may harm development of the male reproductive system and is linked to early puberty. • Small parts and small balls are pieces that might block a child’s airway. • Balloons are easily inhaled in attempts to inflate them and can become stuck in children’s throats • Magnets. When two or more powerful magnets are swallowed, they can have fatal health consequences as their attractive forces draw them together inside the body, perforating intestinal walls. • Batteries. When batteries are ingested, chemical reactions can burn through the esophagus and blood vessels, causing fatal internal bleeding. Topping the dangerous toy list in 2014, according to US PIRG: • Badge Playset — This toy is listed for kids three and up and contains unsafe levels of lead. • Jake and the Neverland Pirates Tambourine — This toy is listed for kids two and up and contains unsafe levels of chromium.
“According to a new study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, found that an estimated 3,278,073 kids in the United States were treated in emergency rooms after suffering toy-related injuries from 1990-2011. The frequency of the injuries escalated in recent years in part because of the increased popularity of foot-powered scooters.”
• Hello Kitty Bracelet and Hair Clips Accessory Set — This accessory set is for kids three and up and has unsafe levels of phthalate. • Disney Junior Doc McStuffins Figurine Playset — The figures in the set can be broken and the small parts can be choked on. • Mega Value Pack 16 Latex Punch Balloons — The U.S. PIRG lists balloons as unsafe for children under eight, but this set is listed as safe for children three and up. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, you are responsible for protecting our children. Please take the following precautions this holiday season: • Examine toys carefully for hazards before your buy them. Don’t trust that toys are safe, just because they are in stores. • If you give the gift of a bike or scooter, include a helmet that fits. • Remove small batteries if there is any question about their inaccessibility and the toy is intended for small children. • Look for small parts or toys broken into small parts. Keep out of reach of children. • Report any unsafe toys or toy-related injuries to the US Consumer Products Safety Commission at : www.saferproducts.org • Before you shop, visit the US PIRG Education Fund’s Toy Safety Tips web page at: www.toysafetytips.org Please enjoy a safe and happy holiday. About the Author: For nearly 25 years, Attorney John P. Casey has been practicing personal injury law, successfully representing the wrongly injured. Attorney Casey applies a combination of efficiency, understanding, and tenacity to each of his cases. Visit www.casey-injurylaw.com to schedule a free consultation. Or call 414.272.5564 or 800.779.5280 Toll-free.
“Mister Speaker, I am proud that the Milwaukee Community Journal hails from the 4th Congressional District. It has consistently informed, analysed and entertained readers for nearly 38 years. I am pleased to give praise to Patricia O’Flynn Pattillo and her staff for providing a voice to the community and providing educational opportunities to students. I wish them many more years of success.” --A segment from Cong. Gwen Moore’s remarks she made on the Congressional Record paying tribute to the Milwaukee Community Journal’s Dr. Terence N. Thomas Scholarship Annual Brunch
Sounding the call for Salvation Army donations!
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 7
Andrea Williams of radio station WMJR (Jammin’) 98.3 and Eric Von, founder of the Brain, Brawn, and Body website, were two of the 29 media celebrities and community leaders to ring bells for the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign at The Public Market, 400 N. Water St. in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND INSPIRATION! YOUR Milwaukee Community Journal!
38years of feeling the PULSE of Your Community!
The Legacy of a Ron W. Pounds
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 8
(continued from page 3)
As a young man, he was always involved in community organizations such as the Systems Programmers Society and the South End Jaycees in Chicago. Ron met Lillian Carter on the dance floor of the Guys & Gals Lounge in May of 1968. The couple then married on August 7, 1971. Ron and Lillian moved to Milwaukee in 1975 after he was recruited by the Schlitz Brewing Company. They welcomed Jamila Lynette, their only child, into the world in 1978. Following Schlitz, Ron then worked at Wisconsin Gas and retired from the City of Milwaukee in 2008. For well over 30 years, Ron immersed himself in Milwaukee’s African American community, first as a founding member of MICRO (Minorities In Computer Related Occupations), a non-profit organizations that raised scholarship funds for area college-bound students. This group was known for their fundraising parties held at the clubhouse in Servite Woods. Ron also volunteered with OTA (Office Technology Academy) which assisted women in the development of clerical skills to increase and upgrade their employability. He joined and eventually became President of the Milwaukee Chapter of 100 Black Men where he started within the organization a mentoring program for young African American males. In this 100 Black Men mentoring effort, he saw early on the need for more role models in the Milwaukee area. He expanded his teachings first to Homestead High School in Mequon, then to Madison High School and eventually offering mentoring workshops to young men and women in the juvenile system. Ron truly believed that by devoting time in the lives and development of young people; by teaching them their history and by giving them a positive role model, that they could become productive members in the uplift of their own community and positive contributory citizens in the broader society. In 1987, Ron and Lil took a lifechanging voyage to Egypt (Kemet) with ASCAC (the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations) where he embraced to true history and meaning of Classical Ancient African culture. Upon his return, he co-founded and headed the local Milwaukee Chapter of ASCAC. Called Ka-Tawi, this organization held regular study group meetings and invited local, regional and national scholarly African Americans to educate the local membership about
their true cultural and ancestral roots. He also joined the Milwaukee Chapter of NBUF (the National Black United Front) and wrote and published several books – “From Boys to Men,” a guide for mentors celebrating the history of African people; “Powernomics,” a review of the economic challenges and solutions in the Black community as inspired by Dr. Claude Anderson; “Black Male and Female Relationships” focusing on the myriad of issues facing Black men and women in today’s society, and “Black Consciousness Means Black Power,” a discussion exploring how the Black community has become crippled and notable insights as to the reversal of such damaging trends. Ron and Lil enjoyed inviting friends and family together for a party, regardless of the occasion. In the 1980’s, they held all-night Bid Whist tournaments and during the 1990’s, their Super Bowl parties became legendary with coverage on more than one occasion in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In 2008, the couple became snowbirds, spending the winter months in Ajijic, Mexico near Guadalajara. Ron was diagnosed with colon cancer in May of 2014. His passing leaves behind Lillian his wife of 43 years; daughter, Jamila McCallum; son-in-law Brian McCallum; mother, Johnnie Mas Winston; brother, Al pounds; sister-in-law, Linda; sister, Cheryl Pounds; nephews, Charon Carter and Eddie Oglesby, and niece, Aisha Ruther. “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Ron Pounds,” says Milwaukee attorney Roy Evans. “Ron was a cultural warrior who understood the significance of African world history and its meaningful impact on our culture as an African people,” he adds. He further shares that Ron, “broadened my thinking with his unwavering enthusiasm for promoting the greatness of our African history and culture” and that Ron and Lillian reminded him of a “royal couple who always respected and embraced the historical status bestowed upon them by the legacy of kings and queens of our proud African antiquity. And yes, we all had much fun at the parties and shared good times like kings and queens are supposed to do.” Evans laments that, “Ron planted seeds of cultural knowledge wherever he went, whenever he could, and with whom he ever has met. And now that he has joined the ancestors, his legacy will continue through all those with whom he touched.” Thomas Mitchell, editor of the
Milwaukee Community Journal, remembers Ron as, “one of those individuals who helped raise my level of Black consciousness and awareness. I will forever be in his debt and grateful for his insight and knowledge on the challenges facing our people.” Milwaukee community activist and leader Anthony (Tony) Courtney says that, “One of the true test of Black manhood is to do what needs to be done in the midst of adversity. Ron pursued his agenda to educate not only young Black boys, but adults as well. He was an active participant in a number of organizations that sought to enlighten and empower the Black community.” MonitorArt.Com president Tony Phillips out of Derry, New Hampshire recalls that, “Ron Pounds was a dear friend and a man who possessed a gracious spirit. He had a keen, curious mind and was a considerate person who always spoke kindly of and to others. He never used or needed to use foul language to make a point. Ron loved his family, was one hell of a chess player and he understood the importance of standing tall. He would not let outside pressures against our culture stop him from achievement. That made him an example for others.” Milwaukee Public School educator Diamond Suggs echoes that Ron, “was a true Renaissance man” with many talents and skills. And when he returned from Egypt in 1987, he found his purpose which was to help and serve young African American males. “He loved to see young Black males do well and it truly gave him a sense of purpose to help them through the various organizations of which he was a part. “He always found a way to help young Black men become productive citizens and potential scholars. Ron was one of the finest examples of Black manhood that I have ever seen. He was a true gentleman, a scholar and the epitome of style and class.” Throughout this writing and in this writer’s own words and thoughts, when I think Ron, I recall his unconditional support of the then emerging African Centered model of curriculum instruction, and in particular his support and involvement of Blyden Delany Academy, an African Centered school here in Milwaukee serving our children in grades K4 through 8 from 1998 to 2008. But I am more hasten to note that our good Bro. Ron W. Pounds has now joined the highest and most honored realm of eternal life. “And we are therefore confident that the ancestors will be pleased with his work and with his legacy of the rescue, reclamation, restoration and resurrection in the hearts, mind, soul and spirit of many of the African’s rightful place on the world stage of time and achievement.
And his daughter Jamila writes of her father that, “However humble your efforts were, you wanted to make an impact on those around you. You wanted to help us better ourselves. You wanted your legacy to be that we follow your example – support the family and contribute to the community. Rest assure, this will be your legacy. “You wanted us to take pride in our heritage. You wanted us to be true to
ourselves, true to our principles, our values, our consciousness. You wanted us to handle our business. We will. We will do this in honor of you and in honor of all our ancestors who have come before us. “And, now, you are gone from us – husband, father, son, brother, cousin, friend, leader, role model. It is painful to know we no longer get to hear your voice, see your smile or feel the warmth of your embrace.
But we will carry you in our hearts always. We will carry with us the lessons you shared, the stories you told, the example you set, the joy you brought and the memories you created. “By your example we follow, through your guidance we learn, on your shoulder we stand, from your love we grow. We honor you, cherish you and we will miss you dearly. We love you.”
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 9
Will future ministers be as bold as Jesus in times of conflict and controversy?
(continued from page 4) As they were talking, a thought kept going through my mind and would not let me stay quiet! The thought was “with all of the injustice we have seen in America over these past few years – from Travon Martin in Florida, Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Ohio, Michael Brown in Missouri, Eric Garner in New York and the death of Corey Stingley in my hometown of Milwaukee, could you…would you be able to preach about this injustice from your pulpit to a congregation that looked like you…white and privileged? Not financially privileged, but privileged because of the color of your skin? Privileged because you will never know what it’s like to be stopped by police simply because you are “driving while black” in a car people think you stole or in a neighborhood people think you should not be in, or with a group of people that don’t look like you? Each of these men (young boys) was unarmed. Each with the exception of Travon Martin was killed by either white men or white police officers (Martin was killed by George Zimmerman who is identified as a white Hispanic… interesting). The killers of each of these men were either found not guilty or it was determined by a grand jury (made up mostly of white Americans) that there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against these men…really?! When I heard the grand jury’s decision regarding Eric Garner, I was appalled and honestly in shock. I must note that Tamir’s death has just been ruled a homicide, but so was Eric Garner, and the officer who killed him will face no criminal charges, per a grand jury who determined there was not insufficient evidence, so I’m not holding out hope that Tamir’s murderer will see his day in court. Black lives matter. They matter to me and I know they matter to God! Blacks in America have the misfortunate of “living while black…and mostly living while a black male” in a society (a country) that unfortunately has too many people in power who want to keep us oppressed and on the outer margins of society! They see nothing wrong with this mindset because many of them have falsely convinced themselves that Blacks and people of color deserve to be on the margins and that we are not worth the effort to engage and allow equal opportunities to live, work and make decent lives for ourselves and our children and help advance this nation that is the only home we have ever known and was made great on the backs of our ancestors…slaves! I know that people of all races make deliberate choices and some unfortunately choose to behave badly towards others. Some people feel that anyone who doesn’t look like them, believe like them, worship like them is less than they are, can be treated negatively and their lives discounted or devalued, because, after all, they are different. This behavior is clearly not of God. In America, suffering is experienced more by people of color, but I don’t believe we can say it’s exclusive. The response to suffering, injustice against people of color is highly different…often times less urgent than suffering or injustice against whites. All one has to do is look at how the media responds to missing persons of color versus white missing persons. The media coverage is often times exhaustive. Now, let me say, that the exhaustive coverage is NOT a bad thing…it simply should be at parity regardless of the race, gender, sexual preference of the person. The outrage displayed when a white person is killed, abducted, etc. by the national media, needs to be the same level of outrage when a person of color is killed, adducted, etc. So while I believe Dr. Blount’s question “what Jesus will you preach” is appropriate, I believe we must take that question one step further and ask all Garrett seminarians, faculty and staff; “what Jesus will you model your ministry (your life) after?” Will you model your ministry (and your life) after the Jesus who deliberately reached out to the last, the lost and the least? The people discarded by society because of their race, gender, economic status, medical illness, religion or something else? Will you model your ministry after Jesus so that you boldly speak about and speak for people whom your white, black, Asian or mixed congregation and your community feel are not worth mentioning or acknowledging simply because they do not attend your church or because they don’t live in your community or because their skin color is different from yours? Will you model your ministry after the Jesus who took the time to be present with people who were on the margins of society and help restore them to wholeness of faith and community by your including them, inviting them to become a part of your flock and circle of associates and then deliberately challenge your members to “go and do likewise”? Jesus had no problem with challenging the elite, the privileged and the policy makers of his day when he thought their actions (behaviors), comments (words) and beliefs were wrong, sinful and harmful to God’s children. Throughout his ministry, Jesus demonstrated that all were worthy of his time and of the blessings he could bestow upon them, blessings of healing, restoration into relationship with God and community, the blessing of conversation…whatever! Jesus never required anyone he healed, restored or saved to change anything about themselves before he acted? Jesus simply acted, because they were God’s children in need or being unfairly treated by the privileged and Jesus had the ability because he was God’s son to act and he did. If we are indeed to be the bold leaders for the church of tomorrow, will we be willing to act boldly? Preach boldly? Lead boldly even if it means we have to stand alone, or that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with people who are outside of our congregations and community? Can we challenge the local (or national) media when it is slow to provide the same level of intense and massive coverage when it is a black person who has gone missing like it does when it is a white person? Will we challenge the “dominate narrative” (as one of my fellow white Chaplain-Interns calls himself) when it chooses to only publish stories that continue to reflect Blacks and other people of color in a negative light and never acknowledge and highlight the positive accomplishments and achievements done. If seminarians are to be the bold leaders of the of tomorrow, regardless of our color or race…and especially because of your white privilege…then Black and White clergy must be willing to be uncomfortable, unpopular and not always liked. Black and White clergy must be willing to seek God’s guidance and direction and discern when God needs us to be the persons out front or be the white clergy who stands beside Black, Hispanic and Asian clergy to call for politicians, law enforcement and the courts to find a better way to be more equal in how we apprehend, prosecute and sentence all people and especially people of color. Black lives matter and they can’t just matter to Black folk! Black lives must matter to all people so that we can get to a place in this country… and then the world where all lives not only matter, but matter equally and are treated that way.
Students awarded for “Doing The Right Thing”
Milwaukee Urban League President and CEO Ralph Hollmon (top of photo in the center) and Clarice Young, business intelligence manager/corporate banking-CRE for Associated Bank (to Hollmon’s right) stand with local students in grades three to 12 who were recognized for their stellar achievements during the MUL’s annual “Doing The Right Thing” awards ceremony at Destiny High School, 7210 N. 76th St. The event recognizes students who are making positive strides in one of four categories: Academics, Athletics, Extracurricular Activities, or Volunteer Service. Young was the keynote speaker for the awards program. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
Common Council approves Milwaukee Promise funding to help city neighborhoods
The Common Council today approved a recommendation of the Community and Economic Development Committee to allocate $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for the Milwaukee Promise initiative – the multifaceted city effort to address systemic poverty, joblessness, poor health, crime and low educational achievement in city neighborhoods. Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, author of the legislation that created the Milwaukee Promise, said the funding will provide “a bright flame that can ignite revitalization of neighborhoods and lives” across Milwaukee. “The Milwaukee Promise will be fostering effective and productive collaboration among agencies of city government and the development of place-based and data-driven approaches to community revitalization that I believe can transform neighborhoods struggling with issues such as poverty, low employment, poor health and other issues,” he said. The initiative will address conditions in four city “Promise Zones” (see attached maps) where combined, more than 45% of households make less than $25,000 annually (compared to 36% citywide and 22% statewide), the median household income is less than $26,000 (compared to nearly $36,000 citywide and over $52,000 statewide), and where in some areas more than 56% of the total population and more than 71% of children live in poverty. Alderman Hamilton, chair of the Common Council’s Judiciary and Legislation Committee and co-chair of the Black Male Achievement Advisory Council (BMAAC), said the BMAAC has recommended specific Milwaukee Promise funding targets, and those recommendations were also approved today by the Council. Those funding targets are: • $50,000 to Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board for the Employment Readiness initiative. (continued on page 10)
The Spaniels’ “Pookie” Hudson epitomized original Black rhythm and blues
(continued from page 3) legends of doo-wop and any other music you can think of. Welcome Pookie Hudson and the Spaniels.” Pookie burst forth at 19 in 1953 with the Spaniels’ haunting “Baby, It’s You” -- still R&B’s finest record. His silky smooth voice set the standard for male group lead singers. I first met Pookie on Feb. 21, 1991 -- proclaimed by Mayor David Dinkins as “Rhythm and Blues Day in New York” -- when the Spaniels received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. We got together again June 8, and finalized plans for the book prior to the “25th Royal Doo-Wop Show” at Radio City Music Hall, where my wife, Janice and I, watched the Spaniels wow an almost all-white audience. That summer, I spent a week researching in Gary, Ind. with the original group and learned Pookie wrote some 200 songs -- 120 of which they recorded. I’ll never forget them singing a cappella for me in Willie C. Jackson’s basement rec room, and the hospitality of Pookie and Opal Courtney Jr., with whom I stayed. And we talked about everything. Pookie loved to mimic novelties such as Amos Milburn’s “Bad, Bad Whiskey”; “Bacon Fat” (Andre Williams); “Flat Foot Floogie with the Floy Floy” (Slam Stewart and Slim Gaillard); “Open the Door, Richard” (Louis Jordan and his Tympanny Five); “Rag Mop” (Lionel Hampton); “Mack The Knife” (Louis Armstrong); “Long Tall Sally” (Little Richard); “Moody’s Mood” (King Pleasure), and “I Don’t Know” (Willie Mabon). Over the years, Pookie and I shared many special moments. On August 9, 1991, he invited Janice and I backstage at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater as the Spaniels
stole the show in a “Rhythm & Blues Reunion.” On April 25, 1992, at Symphony Space in the city, I visited with Pookie and the group prior to their entry into the UGHA Hall of Fame. On June 20, 1992, my pal, George Sanders and I put on a Spaniels “Father’s Eve Concert” here, on the Marquette University campus, which I emceed. That afternoon, I took Pookie and the group to my father, Sanford Carter’s, church for lunch. During the show, my friend John Givens gave him a proclamation from the Milwaukee County Executive. Afterwards, Givens and his wife, Rosa, hosted a reception at their home. Then there was Nov. 11, 1994, when Pookie stayed at my home in Milwaukee before jamming with Al Jarreau in the studio for “The Carter-McGee Report” on WNOVAM radio; March 1, 1997, when Susan and I mingled with Pookie and the group, along with some of their wives and friends at a UGHA Spaniels’ concert in New Jersey, and June 11, 1997, when Pookie, Gregory and Billy Shelton joined me and Susan for a book-signing at my cousin Carla Allison’s Reader’s Choice book store in Milwaukee. Incredibly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame still has not inducted the hit-making Spaniels, despite their influences. This includes 1954’s smash “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight,” which introduced white America to Black R&B. What a shame. One of Pookie’s last records was a stunning version of “At Last” in 2005 -- in tribute to Etta James -- one of his former flames. So goodnight again, Pookie, I guess it was time for you to go. You were a great artist and a true gentleman.--Milwaukee native Richard G. Carter is a freelance columnist
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 10
MCJ SPORTS
Common Council approves Milwaukee Promise funding to help city neighborhoods
(continued from page 9) “The Milwaukee Prom• $100,000 to Milwaukee Area ise will be fostering efWorkforce Investment Board for the Youth Employment and Engagement fective and productive collaboration among initiative. • $75,000 to Black Health Coali- agencies of city govtion for the Trauma-Informed Care ernment and the develAssistance and Referral initiative. • $30,000 to the Housing Authority opment of place-based of the City of Milwaukee for the Mil- and data-driven apwaukee Fatherhood Initiative Micro proaches to commuSummits initiative. nity revitalization that I • $2,500 to Urban Strategies, Inc. believe can transform for the Youth Police Listening Cirneighborhoods strugcles Initiative. • $10,000 to Lead2Change for the gling with issues such Learn, Earn and Achieve with Police as poverty, low emprogram. ployment, poor • $32,500 to Word of Hope Minhealth...” istries for the Milwaukee Job Train--Ald. Hamilton ing and Placement program. Alderman Hamilton said the CDBG funding approved today is leveraged by more than $500,000 in resources allocated in the 2015 budget through the amendment process (and the zones were also approved) with the support of the Mayor and Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Willie C. Wade, Alderman Nik Kovac, Alderman José G. Pérez, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II, Common Council President Michael J. Murphy, Alderman Terry L. Witkowski, Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. and Alderman Robert J. Bauman. In a related move, the Council today also approved an ordinance revising the composition of the Black Male Achievement Advisory Council (BMAAC). The membership of the advisory council will increase from 12 to 16 members. The new members will be the city treasurer, a representative of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, a representative of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, and two members representing the philanthropic community. The ordinance also expands the purpose of the BMAAC to include making recommendations relating to the My Brother’s Keeper presidential initiative. The My Brother’s Keeper initiative is an interagency effort to measurably improve the expected educational and life outcomes for and address the persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color. The My Brother’s Keeper initiative encourages communities to implement a coherent cradle-to-college-and-career strategy for improving the life outcomes of all young people to ensure that they can reach their full potential, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or the circumstances into which they are born.
MARQUETTE BEATS ARIZONA STATE AT THE BC
MU COACH STEVE WOJCIECHOWSKI USING A LITTLE “BODY ENGLISH.”
LUKE FISHER IN HIS FIRST MU GAME
DUANE WILSON FROM MILW. DOMINICAN HIGH SCHOOL
JAJUAN JOHNSON LAYING UP TWO POINTS
MATT CARLINO
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 11
The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014 Page 12