Milwaukee Community Journal Dec 4, 2013

INSIDE: UNDRESSING THE “N-WORD” (Pg. 5)•New “Mrs. O’Bee’s Toy House” to spread Christmas Joy (Pg. 2) BLACK MILWAUKEE’S RITE OF THANKSGIVING WEEKEND The AKA and Christian Business Cotillions

The weekend of Thanksgiving in Milwaukee’s Black community has annually meant one thing...debutante balls! For a combined 73 years, two cotillions introducing our community’s jewels-the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Inc. Cotillion and the Christian Business and Professional Alliance Cotillion--have become as synonymous with this time of year as turkey, football and sweet potato pie! The AKA event was held at the Pfister Hotel, downtown. The theme for the 40th annual event was, “40 years of ‘Pearlfection’ and Excellence.” Olivia Williamson was crowned AKA Queen. Held at the Milwaukee Hilton Hotel downtown, the Christian Cotillion saw Cyrinthia Reasby crowned before members of the faith community, business owners, fellow debs and escorts, as well as family. (Photos by Yvonne Kemp)

COMMUNITY AKA Cotillion

VOL. XXXVIII Number 19 December 4, 2013

The Milwaukee

PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY

PHOTOS AND QUESTION BY YVONNE KEMP

JOURNAL

BARBARA MABRAWILLIAMS: “I don’t think so. Everything is picked over before it’s considered a Black Friday item. We (Black people) get the leftovers.”

BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PERMIT NO. 4668

Fresh Coast Classic hosts College Fair Black Chamber

head says voters must demand more of candidates WBCC’s Reuben Hopkins lists 10 questions to gauge candidates willingness to truly address Black issues Compiled by MCJ Staff

DARVIN D. MOORE: “Yes, because those who use their funds wisely can get the whole family presents for less money.”

GEE GEE SIMMONS: “No, because everything in the stores are reduced before ‘Black Friday’ starts.”

www.communityjournal.net 25 Cents

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

Question of the Week: “Is ‘Black Friday’ good for the Black community? Why or why not?”

DARVIN N. MOORE (SON): “Yes, because it’s one of the best ways to save money and still be able to shop for the whole family.”

Christian Business and Professional Alliance Cotillion

The head of the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerceof (WBCC) says no elective office holder or candidate should be invited to speak to churches, clubs or groups, and family members if they’re unwilling to address issues directly impacting the Black community.

“You will not get the Black community’s vote if you do not serve the Black community’s interests,” declared Reuben Hopkins, chairman/CEO of the Wisconsin Black Reuben Hopkins Chamber of Commerce in a statement released Wednesday aimed at incumbent lawmakers and office seekers who have their eyes set on the coming spring primary and general elections scheduled for February 18 and April 1 resepctively.

The focus of the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce is Black business development and quality of life issues in areas where Black people live, work and play.

Hopkins is of the belief political leaders who represent district’s within the Black community--and those who want to replace them--must go beyond “articulating the issues.” They must have doable, realistic plans and the commitment to push them to improve the economic, educational, health and social outcomes of the community.

To that end, Hopkins suggests Black organizations, churches and other entities doing their best to improve conditions within the community send--with (continued on page 2)

ELECTION

WATCH 2014

The Fresh Coast Classic kicked off the Thanksgiving weekend of high-caliber college and high school basketball with...EDUCATION! The classic hosted a college fair that saw over 5,000 area high school students jam the Wisconsin Center downtown to talk to recruiters from several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as well as representatives from local entities such as United Negro College Fund, Big Step, Building and Trades, Job Corps, the MPS College TEAMUP College Access Center and all of the military branches to name a few. On hand to kick off the festivities (Pictured at top): Mayor Tom Barrett, local reale state magnate Barry Mandel, MPS Superintendent Dr. Gregory Thornton, Ald. Willie Wade, and County Supervisor Russell Stamper, Jr. (Photos by Yvonne Kemp)

Historical Truth 101

H

istory

SIGNIFYIN’

By Mikel Kwaku Osei Holt

game about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, when in fact they were themselves cruel merchants of African flesh, known for raping their slaves even as in the distance you could make out the image of the bible through the flicking candlelight.

Oh excuse me. It wasn’t rape, because they didn’t believe we were human. You can’t rape a sheep or a cow, can you?

To say these “patriots” were good, Christian men is like saying Milwaukee Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer was a good neighbor. Some of the founding fathers participated in the most inhumane, cruel form of slavery known to mankind.

My young mentor’s and my discussion was sparked by the student’s statement that he wanted to be a history teacher, a career I applauded as both a noble profession, but also a powerful liberation tool for those in need of a historical foundation. But I cautioned him that false history could be used to mislead and imprison people.

Conversely, it can serve as a catalyst to empower people, particularly Black people who have been fed a daily diet of misinformation.

There was a reason why slaves were not allowed to read and it had nothing to do with a language barrier.

Knowledge is power! And knowing who and what we (continued on page 3)

“The discovery that Africans opened the is generfirst college known ally written by the to mankind and held conqueror. Whoever classes in the possesses the largest sciences, including sword, has the last medicine, when word.

Europeans were still That’s a lesson students need living in caves to know as they pick up a history book. He who controls the was powerful pen, gets to write HIS-STORY information that from their perspective, which may or may not be an accurate could usurp the depiction of what took place, steadfast and why.

I was explaining that fact recently belief that we are to a student I’ve been mentoring who intellectually was taken aback when I introduced conflicting historical facts to what he inferior.” had previously “learned.”

President Abe Lincoln did not free the slaves, and in fact, he wasn’t the first to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. And when he finally did, it was more a tactical decision than one motivated by Christian tenets or human compassion.

Most of the so-called “founding fathers” were hypocrites at best. Like Thomas Jefferson, they talked a good

Health Care Website Up to Speed, HHS says

By Frederick H. Lowe

HealthCare.gov, the federal government's online health-insurance marketplace, can handle 50,000 simultaneous users or 800,000 consumer visits per day after technicians fixed or replaced hardware and software that caused the website to freeze or crash.

The glitches embarrassed President Barack Obama and forced him to apologize and retract some of his earlier statements about the Affordable Care Act, his signature piece of legislation. At the same time, HealthCare.gov’s troubles rallied Republicans who had been pushing for repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Department of Health and Human Services reported on Sunday that HealthCare.gov's uptime is consistently above 90 percent, compared to an uptime of only 42.9 percent for the week ending November 2. The average visitor spends 20 to 30 minutes on HealthCare.gov, selecting a health insurance plan. The four distinct plans offered are categorized as Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

“Uptime improved 71.9 percent by November 9th , and has been consistently above 90 percent since then, including 95 percent uptime this past week," Julie Bataille, spokesperson for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said in a news release, titled “HHS.gov Digital Strategy: Operational Progress Report.”

“Again, this improvement in stability is driven by the hardware and software fixes, and we expect to see further improvements given the redundancy and capacity we've added to the system.”

When HealthCare. gov launched October 1, numerous software glitches prevented individuals from buying health insurance online. President Obama ordered the website fixed by November 30. He also apologized for its inadequate performance.

Medicare & Medicaid Services hired Quality Software Services Inc. of Columbia, Md., as the general contractor and systems integrator. The company, which is called QSSI, is owned by UnitedHealth Group. Jeffrey Zients was named the administration official overseeing the improvements.

Medicare & Medicaid Services and QSSI instituted a new management structure. According to the government, the new team fixed more than 400 bugs, including 50 that were completed November 30. Technicians also elim-

(continued on page 2)

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 Page 2

Health Care Website Up to Speed, HHS says

(continued from page 1) inated critical glitches, improving the consumers' experience on HealthCare.gov.

In addition, technicians also improved the front-end of the system that allowed consumers to register for health insurance. In addition, QSSI and Medicare & Medicaid Services added 12 large dedicated servers and upgraded the firewall that protects the system.

As a result, the HealthCare.gov's error rates or per page system time outs or failures dropped from 6 percent in October to .75 percent as of November 30.

“The bottom line---HealthCare.gov on December 1st is night and day from where it was on October 1st,” Zients said.

Although, the website has increased capacity, Bataille warned there could be times when it might be insufficient to handle peaks in simultaneous demand.

Some 44 million individuals, including 6.8 million African Americans, lack health insurance coverage.

Individuals who apply cannot be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, such as diabetes, high-blood pressure or a heart condition.

Mrs. O’Bee’s Toy House, A New Christmas Tradition

The Frazier’s, J.C. and Victoria, owners of the new Northwest Family Activity and Events Center are beginning a new Christmas tradition this week, Mrs. O’Bee’s Toy House.

Created to honor one of Milwaukee’s iconic legends, Mrs. Ernestine O’Bee, while at the same time rewarding many children with love, toys and fun during this most wonderful time of the year. Mrs. O’Bee’s Toy House will open this Sunday, December 8, from 1 until 5 p.m.

The Fraziers, sensitivity to families at their greatest time of need, coupled with Mrs. Frazier’s years as a master teacher, led them to combine their love for Mrs. O’Bee, the founder/president of Northwest Funeral Chapel, with the love for the community they serve and the children who have made their lists and that have been checked twice, a vision of Christmas 2013. Mrs. O’Bee’s Toy House is the embodiment of love!

Mrs. O’Bee’s Toy House is ready and alive with Christmas trees and lights and toys and joy!

Children under the age of 12 years must be accompanied by an adult, and may select one toy, while supplies last.

Check out the MCJ ad on page __for more details. And the Northwest Family, staff and management, wish you and yours a Merry, Merry Christmas!

The new Northwest Family Activity and Events Center, located at 4034 W. Good Hope Road, opened September 30 as the Northwest Funeral Chapel celebrated its 20th Anniversary of service. Designed to provide low-cost rental opportunities to families, organizations and corporations, the Northwest Family Activity and Events Center has party rooms, conference rooms, outdoor space for picnics, barbeques and a summer concert area.

PERSPECTIVES George Zimmerman: The

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 Page 3

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”--Martin Luther King, Jr.

poster boy for gun reform GUEST COMMENTARY

Sandy Phillips, the mother of Jessica ing death of Trayvon Martin in mid-July, Redfield Ghawi, a victim of the Aurora, ColZimmerman has garnered media attention orado Theater shooting tweeted, “George for several encounters. Shortly after the acBy Donovan X. Ramsey-Courtesy of theGrio.com Zimmerman. You are making our gun requittal, the pistol he killed Martin along form case for us! Man got away with murder, is an abuser and still has guns! Change is with and all the evidence presented in the trial was held because of the Justice Departcoming.” ment’s investigation into the case . There were no laws, however, keeping Zimmerman Phillips is but one of many gun reformers galvanized by the most recent arrest of from purchasing other weapons.

George Zimmerman. Across the country, groups are making a case for tighter regulations By the end of month, he was pulled over in Forney, Texas for speeding. Zimmerman with Zimmerman as a poster boy. told officers that he had a gun in his glove compartment. Gun possession is not a violation Debate around the availability of guns and Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” of Texas law. He was given a warning for speeding and was sent on his way. law heated up following the death of Trayvon Martin. Many have raised alarms over In August, he made a highly publicized visit to the Kel-Tec gun manufacturer in Cocoa, armed neighborhood watches. There has, however, been little change to the laws. Zimmer- Florida to inquire about a 12-round, 12-gauge shotgun. Then, in September, he made man’s latest arrest has now re-energized the debate over gun reform. news again for a domestic dispute with his wife Shelley, where she alleged that ZimmerOn one side, gun advocates argue Zimmerman has the right to possess a gun by law. man got into a physical altercation with her father and threatened her with a gun in her On the other, reformers like Sandy Phillips argue that Zimmerman represents why existfather’s Florida home where they were staying. Zimmerman denied ever threatening his ing gun laws are inadequate in keeping weapons out of the hands of potentially dangerwife and father-in-law with a weapon. No weapon was found and no charges were filed. ous people.

Then, last Monday, Zimmerman was charged with aggravated assault, battery and crimZimmerman’s defenders and some pro-gun activists argue that he, like everyone else, inal mischief in an incident where his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, says he threatened is entitled to the protections of the Second Amendment. When the Department of Justice her with a shotgun and pushed her out of her home. He called a 911 operator while the put a hold on the return of Zimmerman’s gun pending its civil rights investigation, prodispute was still in progress to protest his innocence saying he wanted to tell his side of gun organizations rallied around him. the story.

In fact, the Buckeye Firearms Association, based in Ohio, raised more than $12,000 to He denied threatening Scheibe with a gun. The judge in the case, Frederic Schott, set provide Zimmerman with money to purchase guns, ammunition, protective gear and a se- Zimmerman’s bond at $9,000, ordered him to stay away from Scheibe and wear a monicurity system. Today, that organization still stands by its decision. toring device. He was also forbidden from possessing guns, ammunition or travelling out “Why would something that is alleged to have happened many months later have of state. changed the analysis and decision made at the time with the above facts? If someone won To be clear, George Zimmerman has not been convicted of any crime or deemed mena car in a raffle and then is killed in an accident, should whoever gave him the car regret tally incapable of owning firearms. But isn’t that an incredibly low bar to set for owning a it?” asks Jim Irvine, chairman of the Buckeye Firearms Association in an interview with deadly weapon, particularly when we know the risk factors associated with gun violence? me last week.

Shouldn’t we be having a conversation about whether Zimmerman, and people with backIrvine says his organization by no means has second thoughts about providing Zimmer- grounds like his, should own deadly weapons? man with more than $12,000 because there’s “no evidence Zimmerman is anything but a There are an estimated 315 million people in the United States and more than 300 milguy coming out of a bad situation, put under a microscope and who’s reacting poorly to lion firearms. Gun violence takes more than 30,000 lives each year and injures another stress that was out on him unfairly by other people.”

75,000. It is indeed an epidemic. Now, keeping guns out of the hands of people who “It’s sad that the media will not allow George Zimmerman to lead normal life and deal shouldn’t own them is an important first step to reducing violence, but that only includes with a stress that, luckily, we’ve never had to deal with,” says Irvine. “If I were George convicted felons and those deemed mentally defective by a court. What about George ZimZimmerman, I wouldn’t be speeding. I realize that he’s created some of his issues for him- merman? self but what he’s done is not national news for anyone else doing the same thing. I think We need to close the gaps in our laws so that people who seem to be potentially danwhat the media is doing is sad and pathetic. We don’t go around harassing rape victims gerous do not continually slip through every day. How to close those gaps is a tough questhat way.” tion and a matter for national debate. Hopefully, we won’t miss this opportunity like we Since being acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the shoot- have so many others.

DuBois’ dilemma of “Twoness” and the masterful historical lessons for our path forward

By Taki S. Raton

History is not static. It does not stand still. It has movement and vitality. It is forever evolving pursuant unto generational assessments of passed era events mated with a constant reassessment of how respective episodic circumstances were, on any particular date and time, understood and interpreted.

Both Eurocentric and African American text assert for example that Black/African history was completely severed as a result of our enslavement. A reevaluation of this time and of the conclusions therein reveals that this was not the case.

There are numerous accounts demonstrating that many of our enslaved forbearers still referred to themselves as “African” and named their organizations as such – the African Education Society founded in 1829 to offer academic and mechanical skills training for Blacks in Washington, D.C., New York’s African Free School in 1815 and of course the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia in 1816 just to cite a few.

Another reassessment of note is the Black family. Even though under our enslavement Black families were often separated. But the idea, concept, love and commitment to kin were still intact. Numerous narratives are shared detailing the search for mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, uncles, grandparents prior to and following 1865’s Emancipation Proclamation.

The practice of Black family, both nuclear and extended, was strong well into the 1960’s. It would be Dr. Ray Hagins who would remind us in his reassessment of our history that the Black family was not destroyed in slavery, but in freedom as the Black community began facing a myriad of social dynamics over the past 40 plus years (i.e. welfare reform, affirmative action, women’s movement, single parent homes, dismal student schooling outcomes, Black male unemployment, incarceration, etc.).

And we further have to keep in mind that volumes upon volumes of African and African American history, as Tony Browder mentions in “Hidden Colors 2,” were written by White historians, White writers, White missionaries and the like.

And as such, the European will always win and the enslaved (or free) African will always and forever be – in his eyes - his inferior under the speculation of the White Supremist and Black Inferiority myth that we should spend our entire life and the lives of our progeny trying to “catch up with” and “be equal to” the White.

We must separate ourselves from any Black leadership espousing this point of view.

It must additionally be kept in mind, as Dr. Amos Wilson and a host of other Black scholars have posited, that we also have to be very careful of Black academicians, researchers, sociologist, historians, and even yes, our own Black educators who have studied exclusively under White historians/White teachers within the containment of Eurocentric academic environs as they too may fall into the same historical, social, and psychological interpretations of White Supremacy and Black Inferiority as mirrored by their Caucasian counterparts and instructors.

The point herein being is that one’s world-view, one’s frame-of-reference (African or European) is critical in the interpretation of reality and in the proper assessment of the historical record.

All of the foregoing was shared to make just one point about a passage often quoted by W.E.B. DuBois within the context of world-view. We have heard this passage quoted numerous times over the decades following his 1903 published title “Souls of Black Folk” where he writes: “…the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world – a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double- consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others; of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity…”

He goes on to assert in this his first chapter that, “One ever feels his twoness – an American, a Negro; two souls , two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”

DuBois in this instance is one prime example of why history must always be continually evolving, particularly Black History, or what this writer prefers to title: “African World Historiography.” We must view our history here in this country, on this American soil, within the context of our entire existence on this planet and not just encapsulated in the mere 246 years of indentureship and enslavement from 1619 to 1865 or contained in the 148 years from 1865 to the 2013 present.

History is functional when it first serves the present; when its lessons provide identity, purpose, direction and empowerment for the now living. And history is further functional secondly when the lessons learned provide a bright beacon illuminating the path of dignity, self-respect, and promise for our children and for the future.

DuBois’ comments on a “world which yields him no true self-consciousness” or this “double –consciousness” of looking at one’s self “through the eyes of others”; of measuring one’s soul “by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity.”

This “twoness” of being an American, a Negro; “two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body…” It’s like commercialized marketing in the popular culture arena – if you hear it long enough, over and over again – you will come to believe that this is the “natural” psychological functioning of the Black man in America.

No other man in the world thinks like this. No other man in the world has this kind of identity dilemma that he fosters onward onto his woman, his children, his family, his community, his culture or unto his race (or it might be just the reverse where the women – the mother – passes this “duality” down to her children – another writing perhaps).

With all due credit to our esteemed scholar ancestor, this passage in its entirety is an example of what this writer may label an “historic episode” lending an interpretation of his world as understood only at that time and only from the world view as he (DuBois) viewed it to be 110 years ago in 1903.

But today, given the African Centered worldview and the expanded lens of our historical record from a total African World historical perspective, there does not have to be this “twoness.” There is no “two souls, two thoughts” in one dark body.”

We do not have to see ourselves, nor do our children have to view themselves, through the eyes of the “Other.”

We now know what happened on the plantation, why it happened, how it happened, the whole entire process of the attempted de-Africanization of the African personality and again the attempted mental and psychological enslavement of the African.

But history informs us that the European actually failed in this attempt. He was not completely successful in de-Africanizing the African nor was he completely successful in the enslavement process as noted in Kenneth M. Stamps’ 1956 work “The Peculiar Institution.” Our resistance was too strong. Our ties to Africa, to Black, to self and kind were still intact.

Our history was not severed. Were that to be the case, we would not in present day be able to rescue, reclaim, reinterpret, reconstruct, resurrect, and restore our presence on this planet from humankind beginnings to the present.

We would not know of the African beginning of humankind, the migrations out of Africa where the first European was Black; where the Black man populated the foundational beginnings of all known world cultures. We would not know about the genius, contributions, accomplishments of Kemet (African Egypt) the African kingdoms of Mali, Ghana, Songhay or that the Moors literally civilized Europe over the 781 years from 711 A.D. to 1492. All of this majestic African DNA was in the huddled Black blood line on the slave ships harboring the kidnapped African across the Atlantic. Our genius came with us. The European captor did not know at that time what he captured.

There is nothing that we accomplished here on these shores that we did not previously invent, master and/or contribute to world civilizing order over millennia upon millennia upon millennia during the course of our own humankind existence.

Once our story is told from our own African world perspective, this enslavement era - as now falsely described by many White and Westernized traditional historians and believed by the majority of Blacks in America - may very well be one of our most proudest, monumental and victorious eras on these North American shores.

DuBois, of course, either did not or could not view our circumstance from this perspective – thus the “twoness” confusion.

History – Our History – reveals that during this time; during this enslavement period over these 246 years, the enslaved African was resilient, regularly resistant, masterfully adaptive to European life on this alien soil, masterfully creative, mas-

(continued on page 7)

Historical Truth 101

(continued from page 1) are puts into a different perspective where we are today and where we would have been had we known from the beginning.

For example, if I could prove we were the first man, the Garden of Eden was in Africa and Jesus was a Black man, that information would have jeopardized the justification for American slavery and the concept of White superiority.

The discovery that Africans opened the first college known to mankind and held classes in the sciences, including medicine, when Europeans were still living in caves and trying to figure out whether the tag on their briefs should be in the front or the back, was powerful information that could usurp the steadfast belief that we are intellectually inferior.

The world’s first genius, Imenhotep, was doing autopsies when his Northern neighbors were discovering how to make a wheel. Greeks and Roman studied at his feet and learned more than philosophy; they also learned math and aerodynamics.

Scan forward a few centuries. Black men and women were the masterminds behind the discovery of electricity, the steam engine and even plasma. A Black physician performed the first open heart surgery, Many of the aforementioned “discoveries” can be found in newer history books or at least presented during Black History Month as trivia questions.

What generally is not known are the subtle rewrites of history that paint the picture that America is something it is not, that we were always on the side of righteousness and God paved the path for us.

Tell that to the Native Americans, who had their land stolen, their people murdered and their culture dismantled all in the name of “Manifest Destiny.”

The history books paint a picture of Native Americans as being uncultured savages who murdered “settlers” for no reason than blood lust. The reality is Americans invaded their land, murdered all who opposed their will and forced survivors to live in what at best could be called concentration camps.

And to provide a more personal, closer look, Atkinson Avenue, which runs through Milwaukee’s central city was named after a general whose claim to fame was the mass murder of Wisconsin Indians.

As one historic journal described, he had his horse soldiers stump on the heads of peace loving braves and the fetuses cut out of the stomachs of murdered mothers.

Speaking of conquerors, the history books paint a picture of the “Texicans” who fought for their “freedom” and “independence” from the vicious, war mongering Mexicans. The truth of the matter is, it was a hostile takeover rooted, in part, on the “Americans” desire to bring slavery into the territory.

The Mexicans had outlawed slavery years earlier.

But along came Davy Crockett, a known supporter of slavery, and Jim Bowie and Colonel Bill Travis, who actually brought their slaves with them to the Alamo. According to some reports the only survivors of the Alamo battle were two slaves and a small group of women and children.

We can only assume what happened to the newly freed former slaves, but I would hope they caught the fastest available means of transportation and headed up North, even though it wasn’t a picnic for people of color up here.

Unwritten history is full of examples of laws to keep Black folks “in their place,” of riots before, during, and after the Civil War started by angry and bigoted Whites.

Hundreds, maybe thousands of innocent Black men and women were lynched, burned at the stake and otherwise savagely killed in New York by Whites who were mad at the conscription act (draft).

That riot was replicated in dozens of cities around the country. And there were thousands of Black men lynched in the 20th century for (supposedly) looking at a White woman, or not saying “nah sah” or “Yah sah Boss” fast enough.

And you could fill a library with Northern ordinances enacted to keep the races separated. Even in Milwaukee, there were covenants that restricted where Black Milwaukeeans could live. The open housing marches provided my first opportunity to participate in the Civil Rights Movement.

A short time later, Black folks chained themselves to bulldozers to stop the construction of a new high school on the west side of town because no Black students would be allowed to attend.

Remember also that back in the 1970s, the League of Martin had to sue the city of Milwaukee to hire Black police officers. Black firefighters followed suit. And it’s no coincidence that today Milwaukee is among the most segregated cities in the United States.

That’s a tad bit ironic because a century ago, abolitionists marched from Waukesha to the county jail to break out an escaped slave who then fled to Canada.

The real irony is that today, you can count on your hands the number of Black families who live in Waukesha, the home of the Freedman newspaper.

Yes, my young brother, teach history. But make sure you include those faded pages they don’t want you know about. Because only a true picture can provide the roadmap, and explain how we got here.

Hotep.

THE MILWAUKEE COMMUNITY JOURNAL 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: Classified Advertising Patricia O’Flynn -Pattillo Jimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep. Publisher, CEO Joan Hollingsworth, Sales Rep. Robert J. Thomas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Assoc. Publisher Taki S. Raton, Todd Thomas, Vice Pres.

Rev. Roxanne Cardenas, Mikel Holt, Assoc. Publisher Troy A. Sparks, Thomas E. Mitchell, Jr., Editor Sports Editor Kia Marie Green, Mang. Editor PHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp Teretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Billing Dept./ Publisher’s Admin. Assist.

Colleen Newsom, 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.

RELIGION

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 page 4

Out of seeming death, there is life

D

ecember 8 is the Second Sunday of Advent. Our readings are: Isaiah 11: 1-10, Romans 15: 4-9, and Matthew 3: 1-12.

All of the readings are full of hope and change. Isaiah has the grand vision of seeing something that was almost dead come back to life.

"A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom." Isaiah was speaking about the kings of Israel specifically. What had been a peaceful kingdom was now in chaos. But, Isaiah saw the future and it contained life and peace, justice and it

included all people. And "there will be no more harm or ruin on all my holy mountain."

All of us have times when it seems like life is being sucked out of us. We feel like a freezing day in mid-winter when all seems dead. But then we remember the spring and how life comes back and blossoms form on seemingly dead branches. And this happens in our lives.

Take the example of a young married woman and her husband returning from a trip out of town. On a snowing day what was a peaceful journey home turned into a killing ground. The car crashed and the husband was dead, as fast as that. The widow survived physically, but emotionally she was near death. A tragedy occurred and she might as well have been killed too.

But from that "stump" of being almost dead herself, she came back to life. A period of mourning took place.

She sought solace with family and friends and in prayer

BREAD IN THE

WILDERNESS

by Fr. Carl Diederichs, All Saints Catholic Church and then slowly she returned to the land of the living and even thoughthe sorrow will not disappear, the love of life and of others has returned. She is fully alive.

All of us have times when all seems dead. We lose our jobs and our families suffer. We get divorced and life seems to end. We are diagnosed with cancer and the cur-

Faith and hope of a new beginning Advent season begins with Hope for all the people on God’s great earth. It is the anticipation of only good things to come. In today’s world it almost seems that so many people that only tolerated each other all year long are now actually speaking to each other in a kinder gentler tone of voice; even showing a temporary since of respect and concern for the feelings of others. Could it be our attitudes are actually reflecting on the season itself, or the claims of the angel that promised us “good tidings of great joy?” Will these attitudes last throughout the year? Well, I’ll leave those decisions up to you.

Does any human emotion run as deep as Hope?

Some believe fairy tales are nearly as universal as Hope, which simply passes down from one generation to the next an almost irrepressible sense of belief that in the end, the forces of evil will lose their struggle and the brave and good will somehow triumph.

For four centuries, the people of Israel had only silence from their God. Not one prophet has made an appearance. They could only wait and wonder if God’s displeasure of them would ever end.

However, one small flicker of Hope remains, the ancient promise of a Messiah. And on that single promise the people of Israel keep their hope alive.

Then suddenly, the stories and the rumors begin to start spreading around about the possible birth of a child that would be like any other. A new and forever change in the lives of mankind is unfolding right before the world. Let me try and explain just what God is up to. These are some of the events that precede Jesus’ birth.

There was an elderly married couple, a priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. There was

Social Justice and the Church: What’s Your Church’s “Social” Status?

Churches have long since acknowledged their role as being social activists as recognized in Scripture which calls every believer to defend and uphold the dignity and wellbeing of all persons, especially the poor and the powerless. Committed Christian pioneers such as John Wesley helped to shape the social justice tradition by leading prison reform and abolitionism movements in the 18th Century in England. Within our generation, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, Mother Theresa of Calcutta and other people of faith took brave stands against the evils of injustice. Believers today are acting out of their convictions from Scripture and their experience of God’s grace and power to work for equality and justice regardless of race by promoting Christian involvement in crucial social issues such as immigration, anti-war matters, and environmental concerns as well as sex trafficking, abuse, hunger and homelessness.

Recently LifeWay Research published statistics that show Protestant participation in social justice efforts is on the rise. According to Ed Stetzer, President of Lifeway Research, in his blog of October 9, 2013, a series of telephone surveys were conducted by LifeWay Research between 2008 and 2012. The research suggests there is a growing awareness of and involvement in social justice ministries among Protestant churches in the United States, aimed at caring for the forgotten, disenfranchised, and oppressed.

Almost all (95%) of the 1,000 or more Protestant senior pastors surveyed agreed that caring for the poor is mandated by the gospel. When pastors believe this, their churches tend to care more about social justice issues. Stud-

ies show the percentage of churches engaged in care for the poor has increased over the past four years. In 2012, 90% of Protestant pastors said their churches had “mobilized its members to directly engage and care for the poor in their communities,” up from 76% in 2009 and 85% in 2010.

The pastors in this study also identified poverty as the most important issue facing our nation today when asked to rank the following five issues—poverty (25%), abortion (24%), same-sex marriage (20%), health care (19%), and the environment (3%). In addition to focusing on poverty and hunger, evangelicals in recent years have become active in the fight against human trafficking. With data indicating there are more people enslaved today than there were during the years of the transatlantic slave trade, many evangelicals have stepped into the fray, especially to address bonded labor and sex trafficking, the two most prominent forms of contemporary human slavery.

Beloved, according to the aforementioned research, the good news is more and more churches are answering the call to become more socially conscious resulting in social justice gaining considerable traction among churches. Yet, many believers still shy away from be-

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... the more we put into our faith journey the more we will receive from it.

Christ.

Think about the people in this wonderful story; the elderly couple that had given up on having a child, and what a child he would grow up to be. The Virgin Mary, not yet married and the responsibility God had bestowed upon her.

No when I speak to you of faith, it is not something that we just acquire and use. It should be a way of life.

We need to nurture our faith just like we nurture a small child that we want to grow into someone special.

All I am trying to tell you is that the more we put into our faith journey the more we will receive from it. When we continue to work at and practice our faith we become more confident that the Lord will never forsake us or leave us all alone.

As we leave this Advent season, don’t leave Hope behind. As we get closer to the New Year, let us not make resolutions that are just for the moment and will not have a lasting affect on our lives here, but also our Eternal one in Heaven.

Let us make resolutions that we resolve to be better disciples in spreading the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us try to be more patient with each other, take the time to say thank you, and constantly repeat to yourself: “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM THAT STRENGHTENS ME”

coming involved in social justice, especially when it involves controversial but crucial issues. The reason may very well be because social justice calls us to action and awareness and will take us out of our comfort zones. The bottom line is there is simply no way to preach and teach Jesus and not care about justice. Jesus announced the purpose of His ministry in Luke 4:18 as being primarily focused on the poor, the captive, the blind and the oppressed. Jesus was a social revolutionary and thus churches best represent the mission of Jesus when they are theologically conscious but also socially aware. By that I mean churches can join in the mission of Jesus when they engage their world with the redemptive message of God’s love by proclaiming the gospel; but also when they confront injustice and touch human needs. Stetzer noted every believer should sense a God-given desire and calling to serve the hurting, to restore the broken and minister to the marginalized with the tools and opportunities God has placed at their disposal. May I ask you a question? What’s your church’s “social” status? Better yet, what’s your “social” status?

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” - Isaiah 1:17 January – Making New Year’s Resolutions That Will Stick The writer does not assume responsibility in any way for readers’ efforts to apply or utilize information or recommendations made in these articles, as they may not be necessarily appropriate for every situation to which they may refer. If you would like to contact Rev. Lester, write to her c/o P.O. Box 121, Brookfield, WI. 53008.

tain seems to come down.

And even in our city we see signs of death. The murder rate is up. The poverty in Milwaukee puts us statistically at the very bottom. Our kids are hungry and poorly educated. Parents have walked away from their children physically and mentally.

But out of this seeming death, life comes. Think of the many men and women in our community working hard to bring life. The organizations that help returning convicts, the help given to poor veterans, the many churches who feed and clothe the poor. Let's not forget those great educators who don't give up on children and give their all. There is still life. And we can be the bearers of life to others.

"He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted."

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never a doubt of their love and loyalty to God. Their only regret they had was in all their years together they never had a child.

One day Zechariah was approached by the angel Gabriel, and was told he and his wife were soon to give birth to a baby son, and they were to name him John. And John will go out and tell the world of the “One” that will come after him.

Soon after, the old priest and his wife were bringing up John the Baptist.

However, before the birth of John, when Elizabeth was in her six month of pregnancy, the angel Gabriel had visited her cousin the Virgin Mary, who was engaged to be married to a local carpenter named Joseph.

Gabriel told Mary that God had sent him to let her know she had “found favor with God;” and that she would soon be “with child” and give birth to a son and that she would name him JESUS. “How will this be “Mary asked the angel, since I am still a virgin?

Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit “would come over her” and, after also telling Mary about his previous visit to her cousin Elizabeth; Mary believed him, and then meekly responded to Gabriel, saying “I am the Lord’s servant.” Mary now knew she had received the greatest honor God could provide to her and the world; the mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus

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There is still life. And we can be the bearers of life to others.

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"UNDRESSING THE N-WORD"

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 Page 5

By H. Lewis Smith

NATIONWIDE (BlackNews.com) -- Over the past year or so, many events have been occurring in the Black Community at the hand of the Black Community that continues to bring continual shame and degradation to the honorable memories, sacred struggle and sacrifice of African-American ascendants.

Some may argue against it, but these acts continue to adversely affect the growth, development, and progression of the Black community, on a whole, to this very day.

For instance, in November 2013, former NBA greats Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and ESPN commentator Michael Wilborn bowed down to and pledged their allegiance to a word that dehumanized, stigmatized and objectified their ancestors on national TV. That word is the n-word (n**ga).

It is this sort of pervasive 18th century slave mentality, blindness to such behaviors, and misuse of influential power - much-made possible by the blood and sacrifices of their own ancestors, that prompted writing the book Undressing of the N-word: Revealing the Naked Truth About Lies, Deceit and Mind Games.

It is high time that Black America stop the antics, halt the selfish mentality of "I got mines," and really use all resources they have to demand respect for the entire race within and without the community. Ignorance is no longer acceptable or the calling card to bring attention to Black America; rather, Black America must take the time to educate themselves, and in so doing, reality will be made clear.

The following are excerpts from one of the chapters in my soon-to-be released book entitled, Undressing The N-word: Revealing the Naked Truth About Lies, Deceit and Mind Games.

Forbiddingly, you learn today that your mother was brutally and unmerci-

“It is high time that Black America stop the antics, halt the selfish mentality of ‘I got mines,’ and really use all resources they have to demand respect for the entire race within and without the community. Ignorance is no longer acceptable or the calling card to bring attention to Black America; rather, Black America must take the time to educate themselves, and in so doing, reality will be made clear.”

fully bludgeoned to death with a hammer.

Now close your eyes and think about this for a moment: think about the heinousness in the act; see your mother screaming for her life and doing everything in her power to defend against and fight off her unrelenting attackers; think about all of the pain and anguish she endured as blow upon blow of the hammer welled down on her, before the final bit of life was unrightfully snatched with that last thud. Can you see it?

Can you see the multiple plugs imprinted into whatever part of her body

the hammer unforgivingly fell upon? Can you empathize with that dreadful moment in time?

Now ask yourself this: in order to memorialize your mother’s life and honor her sacred and beautiful memory, would you start using a hammer as a symbol or in remembrance of your mother? Of course not! To the contrary, every time you saw a hammer, it would likely stir up strong feelings of sadness, disgust, and, perhaps, even anger.

The hammer would symbolize the bashing murder of your mom and, because of this association, you would elect to never disgrace her memory or embrace the cruel acts carried out against her by adopting the hammer as a symbol of the love and respect you possess for your mother.

As a matter of fact, even if her murder occurred over 50 years ago, your feelings would not change and no one could convince you that a hammer is just a tool that carries no real power; rather, because of your experience, you would always view it as a weapon that unjustly ripped away a core part of who you are and someone that was most significant in your world.

In parallel to the previous analogy, replace the hammer with the term n**ger”; replace the mother figure with Black/African-American ancestors and present time Black America. The word n**ger (or n**ga or n**gah in ghetto vernacular) symbolizes death, terrorism and dehumanization in the lives of untold millions of Black people.

Men, women, AND children were butchered, slaughtered, severely beaten unmercifully, raped, disemboweled, and castrated all because they were considered valueless n**gers.

They were murdered with the chant of “n**ger, n**ger, n**ger” ringing in their ears as they drew their last breath. Racial slurs such as coon, jungle bunny, sambo, Uncle Tom, jigaboo, or porch monkey didn’t trigger mayhem, (continued on page 8)

POTAWATOMI BINGO CASINO TO ANNOUNCE 2013 MIRACLE ON CANAL STREET FUND-RAISING TOTAL DEC. 13

VOICE OF THE FATHERLESS CHILD CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING!

Members of Voice of the Fatherless Child community-based organization, were joined by their respective family members in celebrating Thanksgiving at the Destiny Plaza Center. This was the second year the organization held the holiday celebration. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

At least 20 children’s charities in southeastern Wisconsin will receive a big holiday gift Friday, Dec. 13, when Potawatomi Bingo Casino announces the fund-raising total for the 2013 Miracle on Canal Street program. And since this year marks the program’s 20th anniversary, you can bet there will be additional excitement and surprises in store during the grand finale held in the Casino’s Nest of Life Bingo Hall.

On Dec. 13, 10 additional charities will be randomly selected after the 2013 fund-raising total is revealed during a short program scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. in the Bingo Hall. Those charities will join the 10 signature Miracle on Canal Street charities already selected to participate in the 2013 program by the Casino’s media partners. This year’s signature charities include: • COA Youth & Family Centers - presented by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel • Milwaukee Public Museum - presented by Lamar Outdoor

• SHARP Literacy - presented by WITI-FOX 6 • Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity - presented by Milwaukee Radio Alliance • Hunger Task Force - presented by Milwaukee Radio Group • Meta House - presented by Clear Channel Media + Entertainment • Milwaukee Center for Independence - presented by WISN-TV 12 • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin - presented by Clear Channel Outdoor • Special Spaces-Wisconsin - presented by Journal Broadcast Group • Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center - presented by OnMilwaukee.com “The day we reveal the amount our guests have contributed to Miracle on Canal Street is always filled with anticipation and excitement,” said Melanie Martin, Potawatomi Bingo Casino bingo director. “I’m looking forward to revealing this year’s grand total and celebrating our 20th year of contributing funds to worthy children’s charities throughout our community.”

Miracle on Canal Street is the Casino’s signature charitable program. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for children in southeastern Wisconsin.

SMALL BUSINESS The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 page 6

Customers are king.

SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE: Radiance Nail Salon Customerserviceisnot.

Radiance Nail Salon is located at 6410 W North Avenue. The owner, Andrea Gaines has been doing nails for over 30 years, and she is definitely at the top of her game! The salon is a well-appointed little gem, nestled in the heart of Wauwatosa.

If you are looking for a quiet, spa like feel away from the hustle and bustle of the assembly line shops in the mall and a personal experience with an attentive and caring nail technician then look no further than Radiance Nail Salon. Andrea is a very caring individual and you will truly enjoy the time that you spend with her in the salon. She is a member of Greater New Birth Church and she believes in running her business with God as the head of her life.

Each customer is like a lifelong friend, and many are. For Andrea, doing nails is not simply a job or a business, it is her passion, and because of that she is committed to providing the best customer service.

Radiance is a full service salon, of-

fering manicures, pedicures, acrylic, waxing, permanent makeup and much, much more. Andrea also does make up for special occasions, so be sure to stop in for a, full set, fill, or a manicure and pedicure and book your makeup appointments for the holiday season.

Radiance is a small local business and Andrea believes in supporting other small businesses as well. She uses “Femibytoi cosmetics”, which is an awesome cosmetics line by a local makeup artist Latoya Stephens. She also uses Soul Purpose products, which is another local small business owned by Carmen Ray. Soul Purpose offers a great array of all natural products. In addition to these local brands Andrea also uses Footlogix Pedicuticals, which is specifically for diabetic clientswho need extra care for their feet.

Andrea is extremely knowledgeable regarding that care of natural nails, as well as making sure that your nails are in great shape under acrylic nails.

Since I started going to Andrea, my

Andrea Gaines natural nails are considerably longer, and much healthier. I can only attribute this to her knowledge, expertise and great products. Finding a nail technician who can grow your nails, is like finding a hair stylist with a “growing hand”; everyone simply does not have the skill, or the desire to commit to that journey with you. Andrea is definitely gifted. She uses an excellent assortment of high end products because she believes in giving her clients the very best. The salon is immaculately clean and each client has their

own set of nail tools. You can feel confident that you are in the right environment when it is clear that your health is a top priority.

Radiance nail salon is also offering a special for all new clients, 15% off of your first visit! Simply call the salon at 414-467-9232, book an appointment and mention that you saw the article in MCJ. This is a great opportunity to try out a fabulous new salon, support a great small business in the community, and have an awesome one on one experience and get a great deal while doing so. If you are a licensed nail technician who is interested in leasing space in the salon, please feel free to make an appointment to meet with Andrea and tour the salon. Be sure to mention that you saw the article in MCJ because Radiance has some special deals for new technicians as well.

By Allegra Walls is a Marquette University Graduate, freelance writer and Executive Director of Urban Fresh Inc.a non-profit in Milwaukee.

Pepper Pot Catering SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE Pepper Pot Catering has been in business for the last eight years but has opened a new location at 4120 West Capitol Drive. Owner, Dwight Jackson who moved to Milwaukee from Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine Jamaica in January of 1989, felt like it was time to expand the business and open daily.

Previously Pepper Pot mostly did catering, and was open for individual dinners to be purchased on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you wanted great Jamaican food in between, you simply had to count down the days, and salivate in anticipation. The new location which opened in June of this year is a carry out restaurant with a large, spacious commercial kitchen open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00am until 7:00pm.

Pepper Pot catering is the premier location for the most authentic Jamaican food in the city of Milwaukee.

If you are reminiscing over your last

Dwight Jackson trip to the beautiful island, or haven’t been yet, but want to experience a little taste, simply stop in and see Dwight.

His warm and inviting demeanor, courteous staff, awesome customer service, and great portion sizes will have you feeling like you are family. Dwight believes in treating his customers well and when you leave you’ll have both a full heart and more than enough food for a full stomach.

Pepper Pot offers a wide range of meat and seafood dishes, from the spicy favorite, jerk chicken, to a milder but very flavorful brown stewed chicken, traditional goat, oxtails, curry chicken,shrimp, and salmon. Every dinner comes with a heaping mound of piping hot, fresh red beans and rice, perfectly seasoned sautéed cabbage or steamed mixed veggies, and plantains that taste like a little sweet slice of heaven. Dwight also offers beef patties and a wide range of Jamaican drinks, like ginger beer and ting, a sweet pink grapefruit flavored soda. In addition to selling a wide variety of dinners and side items off of the regular menu, Dwight also does catering for any event large or small. If you are looking to cater a small family dinner or a large corporate event with something unique and different, Pepper Pot Catering should be your first stop.

Dwight says that cooking is his pas-

Are We Looking Through Our Own Glasses?

There is a glass sitting on a table with water filled halfway up the glass. Some see the glass half full, some half empty.

Which is correct? Neither. Both. This old saying is a terrific illustration of seeing things through your own filter. Most things in life are subjective, merely subjective. When you hear a salesperson say, “I had a great meeting and this guy is very interested. I feel like it’s 95% closed”. You analyze the account yourself and realize it really wasn’t qualified properly, your salesperson didn’t discuss the dollars it would take to get the job done and most importantly, he isn’t truly the decision maker. You would put a 50/50 chance on this at best.

The salesperson was bonding with the guy. They talked baseball for 25 minutes of the meeting, then laughed about their toddlers and how into the team they are already. This convinced him that he would buy. On the other hand, You feel since the proper questions weren’t asked and the proper presentation wasn’t done, it is bound for failure or luck, alone. Who is right, who is wrong? No one really knows which makes forecasting pretty difficult and illustrates the point that we see things the way we see them.

Why do they see this sales call so differently? Mostly it is because of those glasses. The sales guy sees the bonding as a huge buying sign because that is what he looks for when he buys. The sales manager sees the technique of the call and without the proper steps it can‘t work except for luck.

He is a guy that doesn’t believe in luck, he believes in fact and process. All of the tees need to be crossed and the I’s dotted then and only they will buy.

So who is correct? Not that there is necessarily a right answer besides the fact that everyone sees things very different. How important is that to know? Well let’s take this from a few angles. First, as a sales manager. Do you see how an enthusiastic salesperson can paint a picture so rosey that you have it practically booked and it isn’t even close? Or a sales-

Greta Schulz is a sales consultant for businesses and entrepreneurs. For more sales training tips and tools, please sign up for her free tips at www.schulzbusiness.com or join her new online sales training course at www.b2bsalesplaybook.com.

person says the prospect doesn’t like her, but really she is calling on a quiet, deep-thinker type and he was just going through the questions he felt were important, quietly and consciously. Actually he had all intentions in buying the product but the glasses she sees through is, “he doesn’t like me” which to her means, no sale.

As a salesperson, we do this most often in the presentation stage. We give all of the “features and benefits” of the product as we see them or worse as someone in corporate decided the benefits should be.

This reminds me of a car sales encounter I had years ago.

I was looking for an SUV. After looking at several of the “this car reminds me of something that totes a small village” type, I looked at a smaller version. I began telling this salesmen a little about my situation. He obviously had some training because he did ask me a few questions. “Is anyone in your family tall?” No, no one’s tall” I curiously answered while walking toward the car. I got in the car to drive and he proudly started telling me about the 12 extra inches of headroom that this car had as opposed to the other I had been looking at.

He asked me the question, but didn’t truly listen to the answer because someone in “Marketing felt this was an important feature”.

Back to our rose colored glasses, apparently his were made at the big and tall shop.

sion, and that to wake up every day, doing what he loves and being able to share his culture with the city of Milwaukee, is truly a blessing. After years of having a long term following and building up a solid clientele, opening the restaurant was a logical and necessary step. In the future, Pepper Pot Catering will ideally expand to a family style sit down restaurant and they will continue to be present at festivals in the summer, like African World Festival, Bastille Days and Jazz in the Park. Dwight’s goal is to allow for everyone to have a little taste of his home country. So pop into Pepper Pot Catering and pick up a dinner or two to go, and since you’ll have plenty of food, be sure to share with your coworkers and your family.

Allegra Walls is a Marquette University Graduate, freelance writer and Executive Director of Urban Fresh Inc., a non-profit in Milwaukee.

More customers should add up to more dollars for your business. Most business owners would tend to agree with that statement. However, at a recent seminar I conducted, over 80% of the participants were confused over the importance of marketing, sales strategy and customer service for their small business. Marketing makes your phones ring and sales is what you do after you answer the phone. Customer service keeps the customer happy and coming back for more.

In order of importance to growing your Antoine Miller business, in what order would you rank marketing, sales and customer service? Think for a moment and answer that question before reading on. Most of the participants in my seminar believed customer service was king. Somewhere after customer service, sales and marketing would get an honorable mention. I openly share my philosophy with business owners that marketing should be ranked first, followed by sales and finally customer service. Yet many business owners think of the order in reverse. These business owners struggle with growing their business because of this reverse thinking.

While customer service is definitely important, it is far more important to first have customers to actually service. As any seasoned business owner will tell you, your business won’t magically start out with customers; you have to win every customer you get. Therefore, time and energy should be spent in developing the area of sales and marketing upfront.

When you are starting out in business, most customers will not know who you are. They cannot buy from you because they don’t know you exist. You grow your customer base by reaching these potential customers through marketing.

After gaining a potential customer’s attention you are then in a better position to convert that person to a customer and complete the sale of your product or service. Only after you have the attention of the customer and have them sold can you begin service.

As I mentioned to the participants at my seminar, if you think too long on the philosophy you’re trying too hard. The idea is simple. You can’t service customers you don’t have. A business can have the greatest customer service in the world but what good is that if the business has no customers. The key is to market and sell to as many customers as you can if your goal is to grow your business.

While customer service at some point will be king, it should be viewed by business owners as an heir to the throne after marketing and sales.

TDS Telecommunications Corp. Account Executive, Antoine Miller, provides the best value on phone and internet services for small businesses throughout the Greater Milwaukee area. He is also the Founder of 99 SALES iDEAS LLC for Business Development. Miller is proud to help business owners do more with less in this challenging economy. He can be contacted by phone at 414-219-1989 or email at amiller@99salesideas.com

KALEIDOSCOPE

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 Page 7

the MCJ lifestyle & entertainment section Fraternity celebrates 60 magnificient Years!

The brothers of Omega Psi Phi Franternity, Inc.-Kappa Phi Chapter in Milwaukee, recently held a “Champagne, Bow Ties and Elegance Community Appreciation Gala at the Gehl Club Suite within Miller Park. Attending the event (pictured at left) were: Donald Stone, Roberthenry Davis, Sr., Thad Mcgrew, and Christopher Orr. This year, Kappa Phi celebrated the 102 anniversary of its fraternity, as well as the 60th anniversary of the chapter, whose motto is “Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

KOHL’S #GoBucksGo BIGGEST BUCKS FAN PHOTO CONTEST REWARDS CREATIVITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA The Milwaukee Bucks and Kohl's are again teaming up in 2013-14 to reward passionate Bucks fans throughout the season.

Kohl's, a long-time partner of the Bucks, loves to reward fans for showing their team spirit. For the second consecutive season, those who text their fan photo in-arena during Bucks home games to 55678 with the keyword KOHLSFAN are entered for the chance to see their photo on the jumbotron and on bucks.com/kohls, and to win a $50 Kohl's gift card. All fans who submit photos receive a mobile coupon good for $10 off their Kohl's in-store purchase of $30 or more.

Fans can now post their fan photos or videos to Twitter, Instagram or Vine with #GoBucksGo and @Kohls for the chance to win a $100 Kohl's Gift Card along with a Kohl's Swag Bag filled with Bucks gear that will be refreshed monthly. Fan content can also be uploaded to bucks.com/gobucksgo, where all approved photos and videos will be displayed.

For more details and to see the entries submitted thus far, visit www.bucks.com/gobucksgo.

W H O • W H AT • W H E R E • W H E N

Metcalfe Park Community Connect Forum

Metcalfe Park Neighborhood will hold a forum to update residents of the area on what’s happening in the community, as well as allow the opportunity to share ideas and concerns.

The forum will be held Saturday, December 7, at 12 noon, at Reformation Luthern Church, 2201 N. 35th Street.

Metcalfe resident will also have a chance to meet area partners and public officials who represent Metcalfe Park.

Forum topics include a report on the results of the community safety survey, an update on the Building Neighborhood Capacity Program, the crisis of boarded-up and foreclosed properties, and if they should or should not come down, exploring ways to rebuild the Metcalfe Neighborhood while providing support for the advancement of young Black men?

R&B legend Harvey Scales to hold toy and gift drive Dec. 6

Legendary local music icon Harvey Scales wil be collecting gifts and toys for families Friday, December 6, at Coffee Makes You Black, 2803 N. Teutonia Ave., starting at 5 p.m.

Those interested in participating should bring a toy, gift for any age child, or a cash donation. There will be a fish fry and entertainment, provided by Jon Gee.

Comedy DVD and CD Release party Dec. 8 at Hilton Inn on Port Washington Road

A release party launching the new comedy DVD and CD release of “God’s Got Your Back,” by Dorothy Sue Malone, will be held Saturday, December 8m at the Hilton Inn Milwaukee River Hotel, 4700 N. Port Washington Rd. “God’s Got Your Back,” was written by local music legend and Grammy winning songwriter Harvey Scales.

Also participating in the event will be comedians Marlin Hill and D Rock.

A meet-and-greet and dinner show will start at 3 p.m., with the Jackson Girl’s Quartet. To RSVP, contact Shanique at 414-446-2305, or 470-262-7340.

Registration Underway for Daddy Daughter Dance

Sisters Speaking Out!

Several prominent Black women from the community involved in everything from education, entrepreneurship, to healthcare shared their insight on what needs to take place in the community to solve its problems during a forum titled: “Black Women: Building Our Community and Watching Our Backs.” The event was sponsored by The Black Men’s Monday Night Meeting group, and held at the Wisconsin African American Women’s Center, 3020 W. Vliet Street. Noted educator Zakiya Courtney was the moderator. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

DuBois’ dilemma of “Twoness”

(continued from page 3)

4WCommunity Happenings

terfully skilled, masterfully equalizing to White and in many instances had the potential to masterfully outpace and be competitive with our oppressor.

The plantation was very much aware of the captive African’s adaptive skill, which is why many inhumane systems were put in place to break him. Stampp would assert that enslavement actually failed to completely “break” the captive African.

Even during this period of our captivity, speaking of masterful adaptability, there were upwards of 60,000 free Africans who had developed enterprises in nearly every area of the business community to include merchandising, real estate, manufacturing, construction, transportation, extractive industries, service occupations, painting and carpentry.

As of 1838 (still within the enslavement era) the “Register of Trades of Colored People” in Philadelphia listed eight bakers, 75 Blacksmiths, three brass founders, 15 cabinet makers and carpenters, five confectioners, two caulkers, two chair buttoners, 15 tailoring enterprises, 31 tanners, five weavers, and six wheelwrights.

Businesses ran by Black women according to this 1838 Register of Trades included 81 dressmakers and tailors, four dryers and scourers, two glass and paper makers, two fullers, and 98 hairdressers. This hairdresser segment is said to cover the largest trade group operating some of the most lucrative enterprises in Philadelphia at that time.

Dr. Michael D. Woodard in “Black Entrepreneurs in America” informs us that 123 years ago in 1890, close to 74,000 Africans were self-employed in various cities nationally in such trades as draymen, bankers, merchants, peddlers, salesmen, packers and shippers, hotel keeper, livery stable owners, contracted teachers, undertakers.

And this is just in the field of Black entrepreneurship. We can sample the same Black mastery in education, science, medicine, invention, journalism, government, religion, and writing.

There is no field of professional endeavor in White America that the Black man has not or could not have mastered, competed in and/or excelled over. Our oppressors did psychologically and internally know of our potential if freed.

And if given the opportunity in an open labor market arena, not only would we be competitive, but we could have easily outpaced him. Informed history would surface that we were in many instances even actually more literate and skilled than he in many areas.

The objective in this particular writing is to critically examine DuBois’ “historic episode” and bring a collective understanding of an “historical moment” within the context of the written record previous to his 1903 “twoness” perspective and from the lessons learned henceforth that would carry us forward as guided by our bright beacon illuminating the path of dignity, self-respect and promise for our children and for our future.

Even with the knowledge of his conflict with Marcus Mosiah Garvey, history moving forward would argue that DuBois was wrong even with this stance.

All men in the world who have standing and global eminence follow a “Race First” ethic.

In this regard, there would be no “peculiar sensation” of a “double-consciousness” or of seeing one’s self through the eyes of others, or of “measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity…”

Under “Race First”, there would be no “twoness” or of any internal personal conflict of “two souls, two thoughts” or “two warring ideals” in one Black body.

Cultures of prominence, dignity, self-respect, independence and self-empowerment in this multicultural pluralistic society and globally are raised and trained in the best of who they culturally are; in the best of what they have historically been, and with the promise of the continued self-cultivated best of that which they can become as a people.

DuBois perhaps may have reconsidered his position by realizing first that America is not an “integrative” society but one that is multicultural and pluralistic – where each and every group is responsible for the care, cultivation, protection and advancement of its own kind.

We are speaking here of the concept of Dual Mastery where each respective group first loves self and masters their own unique talents, skills, gifts and genius; where each and every group is raised with a positive and healthy sense of self-esteem, self-identity and self-ideals; where their young are raised with concrete and unwavering traits of a collective identity, purpose, direction, color, culture and consciousness; where each group, because of their need to be selfreliant, forms their own small businesses within their own communities, hire

their own people and rotate their own money in their own pockets.

Secondly within the context of Dual Mastery, each group prepares its membership to master the way of the dominant society without being fused into the identity of the “Other”. That is why “Race First” is so important such that there would not be any identity confusion; so that there would not be any “doubleconsciousness” or “twoness” or this “seeing one’s self through the eyes of others.”

This is the first line of mastery. The second line or stage of mastery is preparation for membership in the broader mainstream multicultural pluralistic society into which the ethno-cultural group must work, participate, compete and by choice perhaps live.

The “Way” of the broader society must also be taught and mastered within one’s own ethno-cultural space by one’s own people/culture/community and community institutions. No one else outside of the group should perform this function.

Citizenship, civility, and self-respect starts with where you are as a group. It is not the responsibility of another people to teach you who you are or how to be the best of what you can become.

In this regard, the cultural membership has both the duty and responsibility to prepare its young with the pluralistic traits of positive and dignified human interaction with all people, civil cooperation, work ethic preparedness, competitive skill set competency, and even with an orientation of societal contribution towards the onward flow of humankind ideals. Those of us who were raised in Black “Old School” were successfully tooled by these Dual (cultural) Mastery guidelines.

And lastly, Dr. Francis Cress Welsing in “Hidden Colors 1” and Dr. Claude Anderson in his DVD “A Vision Beyond the Dream” both speak to the concept of what Welsing terms the “Cultural Grid” and to what Anderson refers to as the “Cultural Immune System”.

All groups with Dual Mastery establishes their own internal and external Cultural Immune System and Cultural Grid around their community, around their families and within their own cultural institutions to first protect who they uniquely are and second to prevent other groups not of their kind to “integrate” into their culture and disrupt, culturally disarm, and destroy the best of who they are, the best of who they have been, and the promise of the very best that they can become.

That is why Milwaukee and other cities are so “segregated” - as they should be because people love first who they uniquely are. Each unto his own. Everyone else in the world understands this except the Black man in America.

Your cultural immune system is your history, your legacy, your heritage, your ancestry, your (Black/African) Higher Order Masterfully Black values, norms, traditions, standards, identity, purpose, direction, language, name, laws, birthright, spiritual systems, rituals, holidays; your unique vision of your tomorrows, future, destiny, eternity and forever. Go into any ethnic community in America and/or globally and you will find that each and every culture of prominence has and perpetuates the aforementioned traits as protected by their own Cultural Immune System; by their own Cultural Grid. Again, this is why there is among others no “twoness”, no duality, no identity confusion and no question as to the value of “self.”

As Malcolm said in his lecture on “Afro-American History (Pathfinder Press, 1967): “We’ve got to get together on the same basis they got together. Italians got together because they were Italian, the Jews got together on the basis of being Jews, the Irish got together on the basis of being Irish. Now what basis are you and I going to get together on?”

He advised earlier in his remarks that, “when you go back into the past and find out where you once were, then you will know that you weren’t always at this level; that you once had attained a higher level and made great achievements and contributions to society and to civilization. And you know that if you once did it, you can do it again.”

There is this “twoness” or this “double consciousness” only if you let the outside in; only if you let the “Other” (White) inside of you. He does not belong in your brain. He does not belong in your psyche.

He does not belong in your spirit. He does not belong in your soul. I am reminded in this regard the words of Dr. Amos Wilson in his “Negro Assimilationist” DVD where he describes what in this article is fashioned as “twoness” or “double consciousness” to be the result of in his (Wilson’s) words being “possessed”: “We are possessed by spirits and demons. We have let another people’s spirit take possession of our bodies and take possession of our minds.”

A proper reading of our history alone can purge our mind, psyche, spirit and soul of that “veil” as described by DuBois thereby causing us to view ourselves only through the revelation of the “Other.”

Only in this regard may we courageously with pride, confidence and direction walk that self illuminated path towards a future that belongs to us as a people; one that our children will be proud to grow into and inherit as their own.

Milwaukee area fathers have begun signing up for an annual celebration of the relationship between a dad and his daughter. Registrations are being taken for the 11th Annual Daddy Daughter Dance. The celebration will be held Saturday, February 15th from 5 to 8 pm at North Division Community Center at 1011 W. Center Street. The fun-filled evening will feature dancing, food and prizes.

A live DJ will play the best dance hits from every era, culminating in an annual tradition, the Cupid Shuffle. On-line registration has begun for the popular dance at the Milwaukee Recreation website http://milwaukeerecreation.net/daddy/. Dinner at the dance is limited to only those who preregister before February 10.

A limited number of walk-up registrations which do not include dinner will be taken after 5:45pm on the evening of the dance. The Daddy Daughter Dance is a project of the Milwaukee Recreation Department in partnership with the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative. For information on the evening visit the Milwaukee Recreation website or SDC’s site at www.cr-sdc.org.

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 Page 8

MCJ SPORTS

Marshall a 64-50 loss and Milwaukee South blew out Kenosha Bradford by a score of 53-32. Last year’s FCC champion Winston-Salem St. won the consolation game against Lane and Central St. won the FCC Championship against Clark Univ.

The final two high school games closed out this year’s edition of the FCC. Milwaukee Hamilton, with 6-foot-10 star Kevon Looney and all the hype surrounding him, was no match for Pewaukee. The Pirates

knew that Looney would score but his teammates couldn’t back him up.

Looney scored 32 and looked lazy on defense.

This is not to say that he takes plays off, but what looks easy at the high school level because of his height and his commitment to play ball at UCLA won’t be easy in college. Some might think that Looney is overrated. Teams will let him score his points, no matter how many short guys they put on him, because the other guys on that team can’t take

the pressure off No. 5. Hamilton lost 65-59.

Watch out for Milwaukee Washington. They closed out the tournament with a signature win over the Div. 1 runner-up in Mukwonago.

They did it with pressing and attacking the basket while going 100 miles an hour. The Purgolders will have something to say about who will take the City Conference title. The final game of the FCC ended around 10:30 p.m. with still enough time to shop before midnight.

"UNDRESSING THE N-WORD"

The action was fast and furious during the game between the Winston-Salem State University and Lane College during the Fresh Coast Classic tournament held at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

FCC A Success Despite Black Friday Shopping

W

By Troy Sparks AUWATOSA - When most people were done eating their Thanksgiving dinner and visiting friends and family, they headed to the retail stores for the all night shopping they planned to do when the doors opened at 8:00 p.m. Another event took a backseat and got underway the morning after Thanksgiving.

The 2013 Fresh Coast Classic, held from Nov. 27-30, showcased area city basketball teams that took on suburban teams.

Those games were sandwiched by four Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), NCAA Div. II teams that played for the Fresh Coast Championship at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Since the games took place from early last Friday and Saturday morning and concluded later that night on both days, there was plenty of time to hit the stores and come back to watch some exciting basketball in between.

This was the seventh year of the Fresh Coast Classic and the fourth year that WLC held the tournament on the campus.

On the day before Thanksgiving, over 5,000 high school students attended a college fair at the Wisconsin Center downtown that was organized by the MPS TEAMUP College Access Centers, one on the north side of town and the other on the south side.

The fair was created by the Running Rebels Organization, which was founded by Victor and Dawn Barnett.

The goal of the fair was to get more youth interested in attending college and give them exposure to

HBCUs. It exposed Milwaukee area adults and students to the legacy of HBCUs and the educational opportunities available at the prestigious institutions.

It was a celebration that commemorated academic achievement, tradition and sportsmanship that continued to be an entertainmentfilled, family-friendly weekend with something for everyone.

There were over 60 exhibitors, including the United Negro College Fund, Big Step, Building and Trades, Dynamic Education/Job Corps, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, MPS TEAMUP College Access Center, Milwaukee Fire & Police Academy and all the military branches.

The man responsible for overseeing the FCC weekend event was Russ Thomas. He served as the general manager of the event and Ald. Willie Wade was the board chair.

Joining the Barnetts on the board were Russell Stamper, Jacqueline Spence and Pastor Ervin Henderson.

MPS Commissioner of Athletics Bill Molbeck, Cozette McLemore, Natasha Coe and Sharnissa DunlapParker were the FCC team members.

Corporate sponsors were also a big

part of the event.

Basketball action was non-stop at the Rex Center, beginning around 10:30 a.m., Nov. 29. The Milwaukee Riverside boys opened the tournament with a 65-59 win over Whitnall.

Their girls team didn’t get the same result in the second game that followed.

The defending Div. 1 state champs were the top-ranked team in the state.

Unfortunately, the Lady Tigers suffered a 56-52 defeat into the hands of Waukesha West. It looks like that team has some soul-searching to do as a target will be on their backs all season.

In the early afternoon matinee, Lane College (TN) squared off against Central (OH) State Univ.

Central St. beat Lane to advance to the FCC Championship Game last Saturday.

Clark Atlanta Univ. (GA) survived an 89-81 win over Winston-Salem State Univ. (NC) in the other semifinal game. The Friday nightcap included an undersized Milwaukee King boys team against Sussex Hamilton.

The Generals’ game plan was to neutralize Iowa recruit Brady Ellingson, and they did a pretty good job of it in the first half when they led 3529. After Ellingson’s three-pointer tied the score at 41-41, King scored four straight and maintained their slim lead.

Ellingson’s desperation three at the buzzer hit the backboard, giving the Generals a 53-50 win. In the last game of the first night, Racine Case, with their size, manhandled Milwaukee Vincent 80-69. Case had five or six players that weighed more than 230 pounds on their squad.

On Day 2, city schools split the four games with the suburbs. Kettle Moraine handed Milwaukee Morse-

(continued from page 5) terror and death into the lives of Black African-American ancestors; instead, it was ONE word and ONE word only: n**ger.

The n-word is the most infamous and profane word in the English language. The origin, definition, and acts carried out under the guise of the term fueled the AfricanAmerican Holocaust - a holocaust that, sadly, has been sanitized by American historians.

"I’m an American, not African-American" is often times an argument advanced by many of those lost ones who have chosen to walk in identity blindness, trying hard to fit in or align with a culture not their own.

Hispanics have no problem identifying with their culture, Jewish people relate to their culture, Asians to theirs, Arabs to theirs, and so on. However, some Black Americans desire no part of identifying as an African descendant because they feel some sort of shame in being associated to Africa.

It matters not if your black heritage is linked to Haiti, Jamaica, West Indies, Caribbean, or India; ultimately, all roads somewhere down the line lead back to Africa, the Motherland.

Everyone with a color-filled complexion has some connection to Africa; and if one chooses to learn of their past and origins, he/she will find that their truest history is indeed a remarkable marvel in which to be proud and one from which they should be more than thankful to have been born.

Black people are the only people on the face of this earth who have been detached and separated from their ancient history and culture. Their acceptance of being defined as the n-word is not the mindset of a free people.

Ironically, some black people will reject the notion of being referred to as an African but will embrace the nword without hesitation, and will fight to defend their freedom of speech to use the pejorative word.

Is it racist to refer to self as “African-American” or to celebrate Kwanzaa? Some see the celebration of Kwanzaa as a racist act. Some propose that blacks should view themselves as Americans rather than African-Americans, and, thus, should have no separate holiday.

Some promote rejecting the holiday completely, using the justification that blacks would protest a white racist if they created a holiday to celebrate whiteness.

Perhaps, people should conduct their due diligence and research the origin of Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween and even the Christian religion itself which serves as an advocacy for White Supremacy. Ironically, the ethnocentrism celebrations of Cinco de Mayo (Hispanic and Latino), as well as Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Chanukah, just a few of the numerous Jewish holidays, are not considered racism.

However, any attempt by Black African-Americans to introduce, acknowledge or celebrate any form of African culture is considered racist and taboo. Black African-

Americans need to stop living within the confined boundaries of the 400-year-old anesthesia and start paying attention.

Acknowledging Kwanzaa would be one of the right steps to take in helping Black African-Americans re-establish their identities - unless of course Blacks choose to remain ashamed of being black as the indoctrination process was set in place to accomplish.

Thriving black civilizations maintain dates of existence to well before the Aztecs, Mayans, Greeks and Romans even came into the picture. High time has come for Black America to take back the strong cultural identity that was stolen and contorted into some dishonorable, foul worthless sense of being. Black America must stop acting victimized and no longer remain powerless to an on-going 400-year-old mind control game.

Some may have a problem with Kwanzaa’s founder Professor Maulana “Ron” Karenga and, perhaps, these concerns do not go unfounded. However, one should not lose the spirit, meaning, and intent of the holiday based on popular opinion of its founder.

As well, before one chooses to immediately cast away any credibility in the holiday and founder, lest not forget that America itself initially consisted of England’s undesirables, crooks, murderers and thieves; they were shipped to America because there was no hope of their rehabilitation. Now, America is the greatest country on earth, many thanks of course to the sweat, blood and tears of African enslaved ancestors.

Black America must not jump on the train of continual sabotage; rather, Black America must find the good in efforts such as Kwanzaa to use as a tool in re-gaining the much-needed collective self-awareness.

Many opponents of Kwanzaa reject the holiday and question its significance, but will openly accept and embrace the n-word without question - even while wellknowing the history of the n-word. How preposterous is that? A word connected to the mutilating, butchering and slaughtering of countless millions of black ancestors is used with no end by those same ancestors’ black descendants.

Regardless to its newness or past life of its founder, for the liberated mind, accepting Kwanzaa as a “real” holiday should be a no-brainer, and realized as a step in the direction of black unity, liberation, and progression.

The book Undressing The N-word: Revealing the Naked Truth About Lies, Deceit and Mind Games, will be available in book stores nationwide and in eBook versions shortly after the first of 2014. Also, to learn more about UVCC and its mission, visit www.theunitedvoices.com.

H. Lewis Smith is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. (www.theunitedvoices.com); and author of “Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word“.

Follow H. Lewis Smith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thescoop1

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 page 9

CLASSIFIEDS/LEGALS/PUBLIC NOTICES

SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY !OTICE A!D ORDER FOR !AME CHA!GE HEARI!G Case !o. 13CV009198 In the matter of the name change of: BRIANI KIERRA FRANKLIN By (Petitioner) BRIANI KIERRA FRANKLIN

NOTICE IS GIVEN: A petition was filed asking to change the name of the person listed above: From: BRIANI KIERRA FRANKLIN To: BRIANI KIERRA ISABELLA HERNANDEZ Birth Certificate BRIANI KIERRA FRANKLIN IT IS ORDERED This petition will be heard in the Circuit Court of Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Judge’s Name:HON.DANIEL A NOONAN ROOM 414 PLACE: 901 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233 DATE: December 20, 2013, TIME 9:30 A.M. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED: Notice of this hearing shall be given by publication as a Class 3 notice for three (3) weeks in a row prior to the date of the hearing in the Milwaukee Community Journal, a newspaper published in Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Dated: 10-4-2013

BY THE COURT: HON.DANIEL A NOONAN Circuit Court Judge 013-199/11-27/12-4-11-2013 SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY DIVORCE-40101 Case !o. 13FA007443 In Re: The marriage of MARIA G CEFALU, PetitionerandIGNAZIO NICOLOSI, Respondent THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, TO THE PERSON NAMED ABOVE AS RESPONDENT You are notified that the petitioner named above has filed a Petition for divorce or legal separation against you.

You must respond with a written demand for a copy of the Petition within 40 days from the day after the first date of publication.

The demand must be sent or delivered to the court at: Clerk of CourtMilwaukee County Courthouse 901 N. 9th St. ROOM 104 Milwaukee WI 53233 and to MARIA G CEFALU 4160 S 1stSt Milwaukee WI 53207 It is recommended, but not required, that you haveattorney help or represent you.

If you do not demand a copy of the Petition within 45 days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the Petition and you may lose your right to object anything that is or may be incorrect in the Petition.

A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property.

You are further notified that if the parties to this action have minor children, violation of 948.31, Wis. Stats., (Interference with custody by parent or others) is punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

If you and the petitioner have minor children, documents setting forth the percentage standard for child support established by the department under 49.22(9), Wis. Stats., and the factors that a court may consider for modification of that standard under 767.511(1m), Wis. Stats., are available upon your request from the Clerk of Court.

You are notified of the availability of information from the Circuit Court

Commissioner as set forth in 767.105,Wis. Stats.

767.105 Information from Circuit Court Commissioner.

(2) Upon the request of a party to an action affecting the family, including a revision of judgment or order under sec. 767.59 or 767.451: (a) The Circuit Court Commissioner shall, with or without charge provide the party with written information on the following, as appropriate to the action commenced: 1. The procedure for obtaining a judgment or order in the action.

2. The major issues usually addressed in such an action.

3. Community resources and family court counseling services available to assist the parties.

4. The procedure for setting modifying, and enforcing child support awards, or modifying and enforcing legal custody or physical placement judgments or orders. (b) The Circuit Court Commissioner shall provide a party, for inspection or purchase with a copy of the statutory provisions in this chapter generally pertinent to the action.

Date: 11-19-2013 By: MARIA G CEFALU 013-198/11-27/12-4-11-2013 SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY !OTICE A!D ORDER FOR !AME CHA!GE HEARI!G Case !o. 13CV009779 In the matter of the name change of: RUSSELL DESHON BELL NOTICE IS GIVEN: A petition was filed asking to change the name of the person listed above: From: RUSSELL DESHON BELL To: NOMI MALIYAH BELL Birth Certificate:RUSSELL DESHON BELL IT IS ORDERED This petition will be heard in the Circuit Court of Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Judge’s Name:HON.KEVIN E MARTENS BRANCH 27 ROOM 415 PLACE: 901 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233 DATE: December 19, 2013, TIME 2:00 P.M. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED: Notice of this hearing shall be given by publication as a Class 3 notice for three (3) weeks in a row prior to the date of the hearing in the Milwaukee Community Journal, a newspaper published in Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Dated: 10-23-2013

BY THE COURT: HON. KEVIN E MARTENS Circuit Court Judge 013-192/11-20-27/12-4-2013 SUMMO!S PUBLICATIO! STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY FAMILY COURT BRA!CH FAMILY: B CASE !O. 13FA006589 In re the Marriage of: WANDA IVETTE CENTENO, 2814 S 15thApt 6 Street Milwaukee Wisconsin 53215, Petitioner and GILBERT CENTENO, 1583 W Plainfield Ave Milwaukee, WI 53221 Respondent THE STATE OF WISCONSIN To the person named above as respondent: You are hereby notified that the petitioner named above has filed a petition for divorce against you.

Within 45 days after the 4thday of November, 2013 exclusive of the date just stated, you must respond with a written demand for a copy of the petition.

The demand must be sent or delivered to this Court, whose address is: Clerk of Circuit Court, Milwaukee County Courthouse901 N. 9th St., Milwaukee, WI 53233 and to Centro Legal the petitioner’s attorney, whose address is 614 W. National Ave., Floor 2, MilwaukeeWI 53204.

You may have an attorney represent you.

If you do not demand a copy within 45 days, the Court may grant a judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the petition, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the petition. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law.

Judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future and may also be enforced by garnishment of wages or seizure of property.

You are further hereby notified that if you or the petitioner has minor children, violation of the following criminal statute is punishable by a fine or imprisonment, or both: 948.31 Interference with custody by parent or others.

If you and the petitioner have minor children, a document setting forth the percentage standard for child support established by the department of Workforce Development under Wis. Stat. 49.22(9) and listing the factors that a court may consider for modification of that standard under Wis. Stat.

767.511(1m) is available upon your request form the clerk of court.

You are further hereby notified of the availability of information set forth in Wis. Stat. 767.105 from the office of family court commissioner.

Dated: October 30, 2013 Centro Legal Attorneys for the Petitioner By: JESSICA MARQUEZ MURPHY State bar No. 1064363 013-193/11-20-27/12-4-2013 SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY Case !o. 13FA5859 Divorce-40101 In Re: The marriage of:ANTONIO M FORE, Petitionerand Respondent: TABITHA M FORE THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, TO THE PERSON NAMED ABOVE AS RESPONDENT: You are notified that the petitioner named above has filed a Petition for divorce or legal separation against you.

You must respond with a written demand for a copy of the Petition within 45 days from the day after the first day of publication.

The demand must be sent or delivered to the court at: Clerk of Court, Milwaukee County Courthouse 901 N 9thStMilwaukee WI 53233 and to ANTONIO FORE 7034 W MEDFORD AVE MILWAUKEE WI 53218 It is recommended, but not required that you have an attorney help or represent you.

If you do not demand a copy of the Petition within 45 days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the Petition, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the Petition.

A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property.

You are further notified that if the parties to this action have minor children, violation of 948.31 Wis. Stats., (Interference with custody by parent or others) is punishable by fines and/or imprisonment: If you and the petitioner have minor children, documents setting forth the percentage standard for child support established by the depart-

ment under 49.22(9), Wis. Stats., and the factors that a court may consider for modification of that standard under 767.511 (1m). Wis Stats. are available upon your request from the Clerk of Court.

You are notified of the availability of information from the Circuit Court Commissioner as set forth in 767.105 WIs.Stats.

767.105 Information from Circuit Court Commissioner.

(2)Upon the request of a party to an action affecting the family, including a revision of judgment or order under sec. 767.59 or 767.451: (a)The Circuit Court Commissioner shall, with or without charge, provide the party with written information on the following, as appropriate to the action commenced: 1. The procedure for obtaining a judgment or order in the action 2. The major issues usually addressed in such an action.

3. Community resources and family court counseling services available to assist the parties.

4. The procedure for setting, modifying, and enforcing child support awards, or modifying and enforcing legal custody or physical placement judgments or orders. (b)The Circuit Court Commissioner shall provide a party, for inspection or purchase, with a copy of the statutory provisions in this chapter generally pertinent to the action.

Date:9-23-2013 BY:ANTONIO FORE 013-194/11-20-27/12-4-2013 SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI!: CIRCUIT COURT: FAMILY COURT BRA!CH MILWAUKEE COU!TY CASE !O. 2013FA006949 In re the marriage of: JOSE R ALVARADO, 2015 MILLER PARKWAY, Milwaukee WI 53219 Petitioner and MARIA M RAFAELRODRIGUEZ, ADDRESS UNKNOWN Respondent THE STATE OF WISCONSIN To the person named above as respondent: You are hereby notified that the petitioner named above has filed a petition for divorce against you.

Within forty days after the 18th day of November, 2013 exclusive of the date just stated, you must respond with a written demand for a copy of the petition.

The demand must be sent or delivered to this Court, whose address is: Clerk of Circuit Court Milwaukee County Courthouse 901 N 9th St. Milwaukee WI 53233 and to JOSE R ALVARADO whose address is 2015 MILLER PARKWAY Milwaukee WI 53219 You may have an attorney represent you.

If you do not demand a copy within forty (40) days, the Court may grant a judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the petition, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the petition. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. Ajudgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future and may also be enforced by garnishment of wages or seizure of property.

You are hereby further notified that the parties to this action are entitled to notification of the availability of the information set forth in sec.

767.081, Stats. The information is available from the family court commissioner.

You are further notified that if the parties to this action have minor children violation of the following criminal statutes is punishable by a fine not to exceed $10,000 or imprisonment not to exceed two years or both.

948.31 Interference with custody by

parent or others.

If you and the petitioner have minor children, a document setting forth the percentage standard for child support established by the Department of Health and Social Services under sec. 46.25(9)(a), Stats, and the listing the factors that a court may consider for modification for that standard under sec. 767.25(1m).

Stats, is available upon your request from the clerk of court.

Dated this 18th day of November 2013 By: JOSE R ALVARADO 013-196/11-20-27/12-4-2013

SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY !OTICE A!D ORDER FOR !AME CHA!GE HEARI!G Case !o. 13CV009981 In the matter of the name change of: BOBBIE RANDELL BRYANT By (Petitioner) BOBBIE RANDELL WEBBER JR NOTICE IS GIVEN: A petition was filed asking to change the name of the person listed above: From: BOBBIE RANDELL BRYANT To:BOBBIE RANDELL WEBBER JR Birth Certificate:BOBBIE RANDELL BRYANT IT IS ORDERED This petition will be heard in the Circuit Court of Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Judge’s Name:HON.KEVIN E MARTENS BRANCH 27 ROOM 415 PLACE: 901 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233 DATE: December 17, 2013, TIME 9:00 A.M. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED: Notice of this hearing shall be given by publication as a Class 3 notice for three (3) weeks in a row prior to the date of the hearing in the Milwaukee Community Journal, a newspaper published in Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Dated: 11-19-2013

BY THE COURT: HON. KEVIN E MARTENS Circuit Court Judge 013-195/11-20-27/12-4-2013 SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY DIVORCE-40101 Case !o. 13FA2237 In Re: The marriage of SHAVONNE L MITCHELL, Petitionerand LEONIDAS D HOWARD, Respondent THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, TO THE PERSON NAMED ABOVE AS RESPONDENT You are notified that the petitioner named above has filed a Petition for divorce or legal separation against you.

You must respond with a written demand for a copy of the Petition within 40 days from the day after the first date of publication.

The demand must be sent or delivered to the court at:Clerk of CourtMilwaukee County Courthouse 901 N. 9th St.ROOM 104 Milwaukee WI 53233and to SHAVONNE MITCHELL 3916 N 12thSt Milwaukee WI 53206 It is recommended, but not required, that you haveattorney help or represent you.

If you do not demand a copy of the Petition within 45 days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the Petition and you may lose your right to object anything that is or may be incorrect in the Petition.

A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or

seizure of property.

You are further notified that if the parties to this action have minor children, violation of 948.31, Wis. Stats., (Interference with custody by parent or others) is punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

If you and the petitioner have minor children, documents setting forth the percentage standard for child support established by the department under 49.22(9), Wis. Stats., and the factors that a court may consider for modification of that standard under 767.511(1m), Wis. Stats., are available upon your request from the Clerk of Court.

You are notified of the availability of information from the Circuit Court Commissioner as set forth in 767.105,Wis. Stats.

767.105 Information from Circuit Court Commissioner.

(2) Upon the request of a party to an action affecting the family, including a revision of judgment or order under sec. 767.59 or 767.451: (a) The Circuit Court Commissioner shall, with or without charge provide the party with written information on the following, as appropriate to the action commenced: 1. The procedure for obtaining a judgment or order in the action.

2. The major issues usually addressed in such an action.

3. Community resources and family court counseling services available to assist the parties.

4. The procedure for setting modifying, and enforcing child support awards, or modifying and enforcing legal custody or physical placement judgments or orders. (b) The Circuit Court Commissioner shall provide a party, for inspection or purchase with a copy of the statutory provisions in this chapter generally pertinent to the action.

Date: 11-13-2013 By: SHAVONNE MITCHELL 013-191/11-20-27/12-4-2013 SUMMO!S (PUBLICATIO!) STATE OF WISCO!SI! CIRCUIT COURT MILWAUKEE COU!TY !OTICE A!D ORDER FOR !AME CHA!GE HEARI!G Case !o. 13CV010599 In the matter of the name change of: JARED MARTIN GSCHEIDMEIER NOTICE IS GIVEN: A petition was filed asking to change the name of the person listed above: From: JARED MARTIN GSCHEIDMEIERTo:JARED MARTIN DRUMMOND Birth Certificate:JARED MARTIN GSCHEIDMEIER IT IS ORDERED This petition will be heard in the Circuit Court of Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Judge’s Name:HON.JEFFREY A CONENROOM 413 PLACE: 901 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233 DATE: January 13, 2014, TIME 9:30 A.M. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED: Notice of this hearing shall be given by publication as a Class 3 notice for three (3) weeks in a row prior to the date of the hearing in the Milwaukee Community Journal, a newspaper published in Milwaukee County, State of Wisconsin.

Dated: 11-27-2013

BY THE COURT: HON. JEFFREY A CONEN Circuit Court Judge 013-201/12-4-11-18-2013

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 4, 2013 Page 10