Thursday, February 27, 2020 Wednesday, February 20, 2020 Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper The Milwaukee Times Newspaper and milwaukeetimesnews.com
2020 Black Excellence Awards
The
Milwaukee's Only “Blue Chip” Community Newspaper
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Vol. 39 • No.8 • Thurs., Feb. 27, 2020 - Wed., March 04, 2020 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 65¢
35 Annual Black Excellence Awards th
Special Honorees: Women on the Leading Edge of …
Regina Manns
Tamara Johnson
Carolyn Stanford Taylor
Dr. Candice Lovell
Rosemary Ollison
Andre Douglas
The Hon. Marvin Pratt
The Late Darrin Reasby
Cecilia Nation-Gardner
Angela Stinson
Felice Green
Therese Bailey
Pastor Clara Atwater
Dr. Shawnee M. Daniels-Sykes
Gerry Howze
Edward J. Bryant
The Hon. Elder Ricky Price, Sr.
Margaret Todd
Nita Farrow
Brandon Watkins
Music
Karen James
Ronnie Gilchrist
Ronnie Lockett
Carol L. Haywood
Sr. Callista Robinson
Dionne Grayson
Hosts
Keynote Speaker
Sheldon Dutes Adrienne Pedersen
Kim Godwin
WISN 12 News Anchors
Santana Lee
Michael Cummings
London Bates
Noah Cotton
Treyvon Hamberlin
Shak'la Harrington
Naoshi Johnson
Asani Mashaka
Dr. Lester L. Carter, Jr. Scholarship Award Recipient
Executive Vice President of CBS News
Tanya McNeal
Kevin Norris
Bobbie Kelsey
Saluting the Best in Our Community!
2020 Louvenia Johnson Scholarship Recipients
Daelon Adaway
Samuel McClain, Jr.
Sports
Social Service
Deacon Bennie Morris, Sr.
Denise M. Thomas
Stephanie Findley
Corporate Trailblazers
Religion
Cressida Neal
Atty. Ashley Smith
Minority Business
Dewayne Walls
Volunteerism
Deirdre "Dee" Mingo
Jim Gaillard
Business
The Hon. Brittany Atty. Kristen D. Hardy Grayson
Community Service
Yvonne McCaskill
Public Service
Chanaye Brown
Atty. Kori Ashley
Dr. Aronica V. Williams
Media
Extraordinary Achievement
Reginald Baylor
Dr. Bridgett Moss
Community Leadership
Arts
Vedale Hill
Law
Medicine
Education
Devaki Sanon
Joshua Williams
Courtney Johnson
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Dr. Lester Carter www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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The Milwaukee Times Founders
The Late Louvenia Johnson
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The Late Nathan Conyers
n 1985, a group of Milwaukee citizens initiated the Black Excellence Awards ceremony. With unwavering tenacity and vision, our group saw the good deeds of people and wanted to praise living unsung heroes and heroines. Today, 35 years later, their vision continues, staunch and steadfast. “Saluting the Best” is what these individuals are all about. Over the past 35 years, the Black Excellence Awards have honored more than 1,100 individuals who would have gone unnoticed for their outstanding contributions and their great leadership. Still today we often hear that they have flourished to an even higher level of excellence in their personal endeavors and professional careers. The success of the Awards ceremony is due to a dedicated committee that has worked diligently and persistently to spotlight our
The Late Luther Golden
honorees. We most graciously thank our 35th Annual Award Partners in Excellence: WISN-Channel 12, Reid’s New Golden Gate Funeral Home, Inc., Brewers Community Foundation, AT&T, Walmart, David Gruber Law Offices, LLC, Green Bay Packers Giveback, We Energies, Ascension Health Care, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Potowatomi Hotel & Casino, Von Briesen and Roper, S.C., Associated Bank, Werner & Associates, Columbia Savings & Loan Association, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Molina Health Care, and Dr. Lester Carter, Jr. of Hayat-Carter Herbal Shoppe. We also thank our volunteers, supporters and The Milwaukee Times staff for keeping the Awards ceremony at the forefront of Black History throughout the years. As we continue to infuse our efforts and commitment in cultivating a new leadership, let us look forward to a future filled with the excellence of those who have striven to persevere.
Statement from the Publisher MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper Louvenia Johnson Luther Golden Nathan Conyers (1981-2008) (1981-2005) (1981-2018 ) Lynda J. Jackson Conyers, Publisher Morgan A. Conyers, Associate Publisher Jacquelyn D. Heath, Editorial Page Editor
The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper
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very culture is rooted in its traditions. They provide a way to honor its past, to preserve its values and beliefs, and to usher in its future. Therefore, Black History month is a perfect time to explore and exalt in the wonderful African American traditions that shape our identify, as well as to create new ones--- in our communities, with our families, and for ourselves – that will preserve the vibrant heritage we share.
Lynda Jackson Conyers For the past 35 years, one of Milwaukee Times’ most significant Black History month tradition is our Annual Black Excellence Awards. It is our opportunity to pay tribute to outstanding visionaries who exemplify the dignity, the determination and courage required to uplift and inspire others. This year’s honorees are women and men from distinctly different fields and backgrounds; they beautifully represent the breadth and depth of great
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achievement. With profound gratitude for their contributions and accomplishments, The Milwaukee Times invites you to take part in our Black History tradition as we pay tribute to the 2020 Black Excellence Honorees. I would like to thank our sponsors, our volunteers, The Milwaukee Times staff along with our writing team and YOU for supporting this event. Thank you and God Bless.
NCON Publications welcomes letters to the editor, as a response to subjects reported or analyzed in the newspaper or on other issues of interest to the community. All letters must be legible, and contain a signature and a phone number. Submissions must be received by Friday to be considered for the following Thursday’s publication.
STAFF President/Publisher Lynda J. Jackson Conyers Graphic Artists William Gooden Michelle Anibas
Founders Louvenia Johnson Nathan Conyers Luther Golden Marketing Carmen Murguía
Web Site Manager Tony Farrell The Milwaukee Times Weekly newspaper is published each Thursday at 1936 N. MLK Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53212 Telephone: 414-263-5088 • Fax: 414-263-4445 Email: miltimes@gmail.com • http://milwaukeetimesnews.com www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
2020 Black Excellence Awards
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Thank You To Our Partners in Excellence
Werner & Associates Dr. Lester Carter, Jr. www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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Keynote Speaker Kim Godwin
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imberly, or "Kim," Godwin is Executive Vice President of News, CBS News, where she has top editorial oversight of newsgathering around the world, including the national desks, foreign desks and bureaus. Kim has served as a top CBS News editorial leader in multiple key positions since joining the network in 2007, most recently serving as Vice President of News. She also served as CBS News’ executive director for development and diversity and a senior broadcast producer of the CBS EVENING NEWS. With dozens of years in newsrooms across the country, Kim is a proven executive and respected newsroom leader. In her role as executive director for development and diversity, Kim significantly enhanced CBS News’ profile at conferences around the country and cultivated a strong pipeline of potential employees. She also developed a lecture series featuring top CBS News journalists sharing their reporting ex-
periences with colleagues. An accomplished newsroom leader and executive, Kim has helped shape the network’s flagship evening broadcast and the network’s coverage of major national and international events. She was named a senior producer on the broadcast in 2007 and played a key role in developing the CBS EVENING NEWS’ day-to-day and longterm coverage of major news events. She was a key part of the team covering the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting, the Boston Marathon bombings, the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, Hurricane Matthew, the Orlando Pulse nightclub tragedy, the eclipse, and the mass shooting in Las Vegas.
Our Hosts
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Sheldon Dutes and Adrienne Pedersen
heldon Dutes co-anchors the weekday editions of WISN 12 News This Morning. In addition to his anchoring duties, Sheldon also reports for various newscasts. He joined WISN 12 in 2015 as weekend evening co-anchor. Sheldon’s live reporting from the field and the anchor desk during breaking news have helped WISN 12 News earn two Emmy awards for Outstanding Achievement for News Programming.
WISN 12 News Anchors
American Studies. Sheldon was senior class president and Before joining WISN 12, continues to serve his classhe spent three years cover- mates in that capacity through ing breaking news and severe the Notre Dame Alumni Assoweather in New York City, ciation. New Jersey and Connecticut as a reporter for WNBC-TV. Sheldon is also an advisory He previously worked as a gen- board member for The Gallieral assignment reporter for van Program in Journalism, WBAL-TV, the Hearst-owned Ethics, and Democracy at NBC affiliate in Baltimore. He Notre Dame. In 2019, he was also reported for WCSC-TV in elected Vice President of the Charleston, South Carolina. Wisconsin Black Media Association. Sheldon started his career as a production assistant at the Traveling, reading and runNBC affiliate in South Bend, ning are some of the ways ShelIndiana. don spends his free time. He's completed two marathons and He graduated from the Uni- several half marathons; and versity of Notre Dame with enjoys exploring Milwaukee a bachelor of arts degree in on his runs. An NCON Communications Publication
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drienne Pedersen is a co-anchor of WISN 12 News This Morning and the host of "UPFRONT," a public affairs program that airs Sundays in Milwaukee and across the state. Adrienne joined the "UPFRONT" team in February 2019 after her "Coffee with the Candidates" series in 2018. Adrienne started at WISN 12 as a weekend evening co-anchor and weekday evening reporter in August 2016. After just a few weeks into the job, she anchored several hours of breaking news coverage during the Sherman Park riots. Adrienne moved to the morning eral tropical storms. One of the most program with Sheldon Dutes in difficult stories she covered was the September 2018. massacre at Orlando's Pulse nightclub in June 2016. Prior to coming to Wisconsin, Adrienne covered news in Tampa, Adrienne graduated summa cum Florida for six years at WFLA-TV. laude from the University of MisDuring that time she reported na- souri School of Journalism. She grew tional events like the 2012 Repub- up in Naperville, a suburb of Chicalican National Convention and sev- go, has family in Wisconsin, and is thrilled to be back in the Midwest. Adrienne loves spending time with her husband and their Goldendoodle, Kensington.
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Special Honorees: Women on the Leading Edge of Education
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amara Johnson, Executive Director and Principal of Malaika Early Learning Center, grew up navigating between two worlds. During the day she attended mostly Caucasian schools in the Wauwatosa School District, and at night she returned home to her central city neighborhood on 19th and Atkinson. “I learned a lot, early on, about adapting to different situations. Even with that, I had a good childhood. My mom, Donna Hopkins, was a single parent raising two daughters, and she was very engaged in our lives—at home and at school. She didn’t start working until both my sister and I were in school full-time. Before that, she volunteered at my school. Ultimately, I returned to the Milwaukee Public School System during my high school years and graduated from Custer High School,” said Tamara. When she was 18 years old, Tamara became a single mom. It’s that event that caused her to seek out information about child rearing and early childhood education. “I was looking for information and resources to help me become a great parent. I ended up taking a class at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in early childhood education. I wasn’t looking for a career, but I loved the class so much that I ended up taking another one. I’ve been working in this field ever since,” she said. Tamara earned an associate degree in child development and a bachelor’s in human services. She also has a master’s degree in early childhood administration from National Louis University. In addition, she has earned multiple certifications, including a certificate in Early Childhood Leadership. Over the years, she has held a number of progressively responsible positions at Milwaukee Public Schools (district parent involvement) and COA Youth and Family Centers' Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY/HIP) program. She has also held positions on the board of directors of the Black Child Development Institute (BCDI); Milwaukee Affiliate; Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators (MMABSE); and Parents Plus Inc., among other organizations. She was elected to a four-year term as a governing board member of the National Association for the Education
Tamara Johnson Malaika Early Learning Center of Young Children (NAEYC) in 2017. Some of Tamara’s previous accomplishments include 2005 Fellow of the Children’s Defense Fund Emerging Leaders Project; 2005 participant in the National Women’s Law Center PLAN (Progressive Leadership and Advocacy Network); and 2007 participant in the White House Project. She is a contributing author to the article, “Leadership Development for a Changing Early Childhood Landscape,” in NAEYC’s Young Children journal in May 2015. Tamara has participated in the Marquette University College of Professional Studies, Future Milwaukee Program, and the Early Childhood Leadership Credential program at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She also was named a 2013–14 Fellow for NAEYC’s Legacy Leadership program. Today, Tamara leads Malaika Early Learning Center, a state-of-the-art facility that focuses on children from birth through age 8 in its early childhood and elementary school programs. She credits her long-time mentor and friend, Ann Terrell, for not only pushing her academically, but encouraging her to apply for employment positions, as well as positions on various local and national boards.
While Tamara wrestles with ways to consciously give back to others, she acknowledges that others tell her that she’s a role model for them. “Many of the staff I work with have earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. They tell me that I have modeled the importance of higher education and helped push them to achieve. That’s just something I do naturally, in any space that I’m in. I encourage people and remind them that anything is attainable. Also, I’ve always been transparent about my struggles as well as the rewards,” she said. With her climb to leadership, Tamara acknowledges some of the challenges she has and continues to face. Among them is being a Black woman in leadership and getting people to fully understand the value of early childhood education. “As Black women, there’s a tendency for us to give 200 percent to something that may only require 100 percent. We go above and beyond expectations because I think, in our mind, that’s what we are supposed to do. We have to stop. We are killing ourselves. “We, as a community and leaders, must begin to place more value on the merits of early childhood education. We have a responsibility to look back at the lives of some of our teens and young adults, and ask ourselves where we failed these little people in life. At some point, we must realize children are our greatest asset. All kids are important, no matter their age; but we need to place a greater emphasis on taking care of young children, regardless of where they live. We must get to the point where—regardless of affordability and access—early childhood education is equitable. We’ve grown Malaika to be an example of what’s possible for our children. Our children leave this school well-rounded with a solid academic foundation and social emotional grounding to become intelligent leaders. I would love to see Malaika replicated across the community,” she said.
R egina Manns’ parents not only stressed
the importance of education and the desire for their children to live a life better than theirs, but they demonstrated it. Her father, while working full-time, returned to school to get his GED; and her mother worked her way out of hardship to eventually become a court reporter for Milwaukee County. Regina didn’t disappoint. Now as a Lead Induction Specialist for Milwaukee Public Schools, and an adjunct professor for Milwaukee Public School University (MPSU), she earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a minor in English from Lakeland College. Additionally, she earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, as well as director of instruction certification from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She also earned a reading certification from Viterbo University. “At one point, I thought I would follow in my mother’s footsteps and become a court reporter, but I quickly learned that was not my calling,” she said. After marrying and starting a family, Regina enrolled in a program at MATC for individuals interested pursuing careers in education. She later enrolled at Lakeland College at night, while working at school during the day. “My boys struggled in school and I was always trying to figure out strategies to support them. In the process, I found myself getting frustrated with the system of one-size-fits-all. One of my sons is musically inclined, but struggled academically. I first started out at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) as a volunteer and I discovered that I enjoyed motivating and collaborating with www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Regina Manns Milwaukee Public Schools the kids. It was like God decided this was a career path for me because I was good at it,” she said. Over the years, Regina has worn several hats within the MPS system, including paraprofessional, curriculum generalist, and educator. At one point, while working at Frances Starms School, she paired up with another teacher to work with the lowest performing grade level in that school to improve their academic outcomes. This resulted in academic gains in both reading and mathematics for 95 percent of those students. She has spent the last three years teaching at Marvin Pratt Elementary School. Regina attributes most of her success and motivation to her parents and a supportive husband. “Watching my mother take the bus to school and helping her study in the evenings to better herself was inspiring. Also, witnessing my dad return to school to get his GED was a big-time motivator. And, I can’t say enough about my
husband. We’ve been together since 1986 and he’s always had my back. He would tell me, ‘Don’t worry; I’ve got the kids.’ He has always been my backbone. There’s an old adage that behind every good man is a good woman, and I feel the same way about him,” she said. Along her journey, Regina also met individuals like Martha Wheeler-Fair, the former principal at Frances Starms; colleague Joyce Peterson; and her aunt Elaine Agee, who motivated and encouraged her. “When I was a paraprofessional, it was Martha Wheeler-Fair who encouraged me to finish school. She was always supportive of everyone— helping them find their niche. Joyce was one of the first teachers I worked with, and we remain in contact to this day. Then my Aunt Elaine was also an inspiration. She was one of the first African American nutritionist to oversee MPS’s school lunch program. The central office named a cafeteria in her honor. She was very articulate and always walked around dressed to the nines,” said Regina. As an educator, one of Regina’s personal motivations is the notion that education can change a person forever. “I feel that if we (as educators) get it right, we can change the world. The only way to change (Continued on pg. 11) An NCON Communications Publication
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35th Annual Black Excellence Awards Special Honorees: Women on the Leading Edge of Education
rowing up in a racially segregated enG vironment, Carolyn Stanford Taylor faced many barriers. With support and encour-
agement from her family, she persevered and overcame those obstacles to become Wisconsin’s first African American state superintendent of public instruction. The ninth of 14 children, resources were scarce growing up in Marks, Mississippi. Carolyn’s parents, Leroy and Lena Stanford, realized early on that education was their family’s ticket out of poverty, and a key to lifelong success. “I come from humble beginnings — where the railroad tracks literally separated the black and white communities — but my home life was filled with love and encouragement,” Carolyn said. Carolyn’s grandmother worked as a domestic in the nearby white community. On the way to visit her, Carolyn and her siblings would cross the railroad tracks only to encounter verbal and physical confrontations. “Sometimes we would have rocks thrown at us, dogs set on us, or hear people calling us names,” she said, adding that she’d pass the white school on her way and take note of the brick, two-story building with a well-manicured lawn and pristine swimming pool. That same swimming pool was one of the main motivators for Carolyn and her siblings when their parents gave them the choice to attend another school following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While other black students also attended the white school with Carolyn and her siblings, it was short-lived for a number of them, as many were unable to endure the racial inequality prevalent at the school. With the goal of building a foundation based on education, and despite the hostile atmosphere that surrounded them, Carolyn and her siblings stayed at the school. Carolyn noted a majority of the negativity came from teachers and staff rather than her peers. “They found subtle and not-so-subtle ways of letting us know we were not welcomed or valued,” she said. “The difference for us was our home environment … we knew we had the support and advocacy of our parents, who instilled confidence in us and encouraged us, so it didn’t matter how we were treated by others.”
Carolyn Stanford Taylor
Superintendent of Public Instruction of WI After graduating from high school, Carolyn earned a scholarship to attend Mississippi Valley State University. One of her brothers headed north, moving to Wisconsin and enrolling in the University of Wisconsin – Madison on a scholarship. It was his encouragement that led to her following him, and she transferred to UW-Madison. With her parents and family hundreds of miles away, and being one of only a handful of students of color in the School of Education, Carolyn found friends in the School of Engineering. She leaned on her new friends for support and encouragement, and she returned the favor. Carolyn’s original plan was to return to Mississippi following graduation and start a career back home. But she fell in love with the smalltown feel and excellent public schools in Madison, and started shaping the lives of students in Wisconsin. Beginning as a teacher, Carolyn became an administrator and spent more than two decades working in the Madison Metropolitan School District. During that span, she noticed a shift toward a much more diverse population in the district and needs that were being unmet. Instinctively, Carolyn took action. Carolyn was called upon to help staff within the district learn how to effectively work with student diversity. That work and its results opened
the door to another opportunity – becoming the first African American assistant state superintendent in Wisconsin. She was appointed to the position by Elizabeth Burmaster, the newly-elected state superintendent at the time, and worked in the role for 17 years before being called upon, once again, in January 2019 – this time to serve as the chief advocate for Wisconsin’s education system, its students and employees, as state superintendent of public instruction. Carolyn’s message to the educators, students, families, and communities in Wisconsin is based on her own personal experiences growing up in Mississippi: “For students to achieve success, families, and the surrounding community must create environments that support a sense of belonging in them early on and help them unearth their many gifts and talents.” Despite the discouraging public environment she grew up in, Carolyn said she was fortunate to have a base of people who made investments in her, holding her up, and holding her accountable. “Today’s youth need people behind them to help them understand their greatness,” she said. Carolyn isn’t just a firm believer that no matter your background, your skin color, or your income, you should have an equal opportunity for excellence. She’s a living example of it. Throughout her career, and especially as state superintendent, Carolyn has called for us as a society to move forward by making educational equity a priority. There are many ways to accomplish that mission, she said, and one is by focusing on the front-end with early childhood initiatives instead of spending time correcting on the back-end. Carolyn has served on numerous boards and committees. She has also been a recipient of many awards. Most recently, she was the 2018 Virginia Hart honoree. Carolyn and her husband, Larry, have five children — all public school graduates. Two are public school educators.
Special Honorees: Women on the Leading Edge of Medicine he seed to become a doctor was first T planted in Candice Lovell's mind when she was in middle school. As her mother was
completing graduate studies, Candice read some of her mother’s research work on the effect of cocaine on babies. Candice was moved by this information and wanted to do something to help. “Initially I thought I wanted to become a pediatrician. Each summer throughout high school, I participated in youth research programs at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). I basically took advantage of every program that was available to high school students, and that confirmed to me that a career in medicine was the path I wanted to pursue,” she said. A Rufus King High School graduate, Candice earned a bachelor of science degree, with a pre-medicine focus from Xavier University of Louisiana. After college, she returned to Milwaukee, completing both medical school and doing her residency at the Medical College. Candice said that throughout college and her residency, two female physicians have been strong supporters and advocates. She was able to shadow one, who is an obstetrician and gynecologist (OB/GYN), while in high school and college; and another helped her with networking and navigating the medical community. “One doctor sparked my interest in the OB/ GYN field. She actually made me love it so much that I gave up the notion of becoming a pediatrician to become an OB/GYN. Another doctor was instrumental in helping me network at the Medical College. She is a pediatrician who introAn NCON Communications Publication
I love where I practice,” she said. While being a doctor is challenging and can make for a very stressful life, Candice says that she tries to find balance. She also tries to strike work-life-balance for the sake of her husband, Terrance, and four-year-old son, Caleb. While she has a busy practice and other demands on her time, Candice believes it’s important to pay it forward, so she always takes time to help others. “I had great mentors, so I make a point of mentoring several young women—especially African American women. I receive calls from individuals from high school through medical college, and I always open my doors to them. They shadDr. Candice Lovell, MD, FACOG ow me, ask advice and we discuss medicine. I Froedtert & Medical College of WI also try to give back with my patients. I have two very different practices—one in the suburbs and duced me to chairs of various departments. She one in the inner city. Oftentimes, I serve as more was also very engaged in various community ini- than just a physician to my patients in the inner tiatives. I really admired her. These two individu- city. Some of them, in addition to health conals kept me going and encouraged me to become cerns, need direction or perhaps just someone to talk with about their lives,” she said. the doctor that I am today,” said Candice. Candice said that she thinks about her legacy a “I actually thought I would leave Milwaukee lot, and she wants people to remember that she after college. I didn’t get accepted to any oth- served them with compassion, dignity, respect er medical college, and I was comfortable with and kindness. the Medical College of Wisconsin and their programs. When MCW accepted me, I stayed. I liked MCW’s residency program and ended up finding a group of wonderful attending physicians there who offered me a job. We are partners in practice now. Since then, I have developed a very busy practice. I love what I do. I love my patients, and www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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hen she was nine years old, a routine visW it to the pediatrician’s office set Bridgett Moss on her path to becoming a physician.
“I recall being a little apprehensive during that visit, but the doctor was very nice and let me listen to his heart with his stethoscope. That small act of kindness not only relaxed me but planted the seed for me to become a doctor. From that day on, becoming a doctor became my goal in life–to help people feel the same way I felt at that time,” she said. Today Dr. Bridgett Moss has achieved that goal, with the encouragement of family and friends. Originally from Milwaukee, Bridgett attended North Division High School because it was a medical specialty school at the time. Then she went to University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for her undergraduate studies majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. She attended medical school at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Iowa. “In choosing a medical school, I also wanted to have a medical background that represented me—one that was open to alternative avenues of treatment and training—like osteopathic medicine,” she said. During her years at UW-Whitewater, she was surrounded by support from the Educational Opportunity Program under the direction of Dr. Roger Pulliam, Dr. Elizabeth Ogunsola, Mrs. Freeda Briscoe and many others. She also received support from the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, which helps prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies. Bridgett recalls when her Organic Chemistry 2 professor decided not to give her a passing grade, which caused her to retake the class. He later told her that he could have passed her, however he
Dr. Bridgett Moss, DO Ascension Health Care wanted her to retake his class because he knew she could do better. “He saw my potential, so retaking the class was not meant as a punishment. I passed the class with an ‘A’ the second time and he had me assisting him in teaching,” she said. She later entered a family medicine residency at St. Luke’s Hospital where she was taught by Dr. Tito Izard, Dr. Alison Lux, Dr. Lisa Sullivan-Vetter, Dr. Janice Litza and many others who encouraged her. During her medical residency rotations, she had numerous attending physicians in different specialties that shared their knowledge with her; but one pediatrician, Dr. David Rosenberg, left a great impression on her. Not only did he enlighten her with his traditional/conventional medical knowledge, but he also reinforced her knowledge and interest in complementary and alternative medicine.
She started her medical career at Milwaukee Health Services Inc., under the leadership of current CEO Dr. Tito Izard, where she treats the underserved and underinsured populations. She worked there for seven years which provided her with an unforgettable and phenomenal experience. She used that platform not only to give excellent quality care to patients but to be a mentor to many medical and nursing students and mid-level providers. When treating her patients, she took the approach of meeting patients where they were and allowed them to be a team player in their healthcare. She took pride in breaking communication barriers which she accomplished by being an active listener. Although Bridgett no longer works for Milwaukee Health Services Inc., she continues to make an impact on the community by being an active board member. She recently completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine from the Andrew Weil Center of Integrative Medicine in Tucson, Arizona and also recently received a fellowship distinction from the American Academy of Family Practice. In her personal life, Bridgett is married with two daughters. She currently works for Ascension Health Care system as a community physician. And, while juggling a demanding career, marriage and family, she still finds ways to pay it forward by helping other students pursuing careers in medicine. She allows medical students to shadow her and teaches residents and mid-level providers. “It’s a pleasure to talk and engage with them. It’s important for them to see someone who looks like them doing something positive in the community, so I tell my story freely. I believe that your life is a testimony to be able to help others that are experiencing similar situations. I had to work hard to get where I am. I want them to know that their environment does not stop them. (Continued on pg. 11)
r. Aronica V. Williams, a family pracD tice physician and chief medical officer at Milwaukee Health Services, Inc., (MHSI) took
a circuitous route to a career in medicine. Born and raised in Milwaukee, after graduating from Golda Meir School and Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School, she attended Loyola University in New Orleans, where she earned an undergraduate degree in music. “During high school music was my passion and gift, but I was considering a career in engineering, so I participated in a summer program at UW-Milwaukee. At the same time, one of my friends was in another summer bridge program on the campus. While visiting with her, I met her mentor—Dr. Sandra Underwood—who became my mentor. She piqued my interest in medical research and, after participating in her College of Nursing summer bridge program, I changed my focus to medicine,” she said. Each summer Aronica participated in the medical program and was able to focus on various areas of the field aimed at helping students determine and decide what path in medicine they wanted to pursue as a career. Since music was always a passion for Aronica, she enrolled in Loyola University, a liberal arts school. While she majored in music, Aronica simultaneously completed many of the medical coursework prerequisites. Upon graduating, she attended Xavier University to take higher level science classes and later entered a medical prep program at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. This program was designed for students who chose nontraditional majors or were science majors. She earned a degree in medicine from the University of Illinois-Chicago Medical School. Aronica admits that the coursework for a career in medicine is rigorous, but lauds the merits of having a strong support system. She credits her parents for supporting and encouraging her throughout college and her professional career. www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
number of African American students entering medical schools,” she said.
Dr. Aronica V. Williams, MD Milwaukee Health Services, Inc. “Both my parents had degrees in education and pursued careers in that field, so certainly academic achievement was always important to them. “I am also grateful for the support of individuals like Dr. Sandra Underwood, Dr. Laurie Thomas and Dr. Mary Horowitz, of the Medical College of Wisconsin, who helped and encouraged me during the summers when I was in the medical school and worked at the Medical College,” said Aronica. Because she was attracted to the field of medicine through UW-Milwaukee’s summer bridge program, Aronica served as a mentor while she was in medical school, giving back to the program that had introduced her to the field of medicine. “These days I continue to mentor students who are interested in pursuing medical careers and create opportunities for them to shadow me in my clinics. One of the main thrusts for me and Dr. Tito Izard, Chief Executive Officer of MHSI, is creating a pipeline for individuals interested in medical careers with the goal of increasing the
In her spare time, Aronica is active in the community and her sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho, where she serves as president of her chapter. She is also involved with youth advocacy and creating more opportunities for other medical students through involvement with organizations like the Cream City Medical Society. “I believe it’s important to educate others about the importance of health and spending time mentoring individuals interested in medical careers. I also try to give voice to some of those who may not necessarily have one. I’m involved with my church through health-related initiatives and my gift of music. Music can be medicine for the soul for some people so I enjoy using that gift in my spare time,” she said. Aronica acknowledges that many patients continue to be surprised when they first see her. “Many times people don’t expect to see an African American physician—particularly a woman, so there’s always that challenge of bridging the gap to help other people become comfortable with me. “I want people to think of me as a bridge builder; someone who assists others in attaining their goals, even if it’s not related to medicine. I don’t know everything, but I am willing to help find the answer. As we make progress, it’s important to look behind you to help others progress. We can make it together, and it becomes an easier lift; empowering, building bridges and lifting as we climb,” she said. An NCON Communications Publication
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ori Ashley, staff attorney at Legal AcK tion of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, comes from a lineage of prominent law professionals
who influenced her pursuit of a career in law. Her uncle is the Honorable Judge Carl Ashley of Milwaukee County Circuit Court, Branch 33 and her aunt, Carol Ashley, is an attorney. She also has a cousin who is attending law school. Over the years, Kori’s personal pursuit of justice has been fueled by and is constantly reignited by the systemic injustices she witnesses. She is determined to make a positive difference. “It’s sometimes difficult working within the confines of the current laws; you can only do so much in terms of expungement, and the sheer difficulty individuals encounter trying to make their way out of the justice system is daunting. I’d like to create a ‘one-stop shop’ pathway for individuals coming out of the justice system to have access to solid programs that allows them to remove legal barriers to employment, that includes case management and attaches them to educational and job opportunities,” she said. While she grew up in Milwaukee, following college, Kori never expected to return to this city to live and work. After graduating from DePaul University in Chicago where she majored in political science, with minors in history and sociology, Kori attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. “I admit that I wanted to leave Milwaukee and swore I would never return, but I missed my hometown. Ultimately, I felt that I had a responsibility to participate in the discussions and events that helped transform Milwaukee into what it is today. I’m happy to be home and honored to engage with the parts of our city that are growing, thriving and developing into a positive community,” she said. Kori sees and understands some of the issues facing Milwaukee, particularly within the central city, even though she grew up in the diverse, middle class Sherman Park neighborhood. She believes she can be a change agent by helping guide young Milwaukeeans, especially young people of color entangled in the criminal justice system; to rowing up in Brookfield, with her exG tended family which included her mother, grandparents and a cousin, Hon. Judge
Brittany Grayson admits that while she never lacked the basics, she didn’t have a lot of material things. She did, however, have a role model—particularly in her grandmother—who influenced her to work hard to secure the things she wanted. “Growing up, I saw my grandmother as a strong, independent Black woman, so she was my closest role model as far as how I wanted to see myself as an adult. I didn’t know what my grandmother did for a living, but I knew she carried a briefcase. So as a child, I would imitate her—putting on heels and walking around the house with her briefcase. I remember thinking that one day I would become a doctor or a lawyer,” she said. Brittany attended Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha, where she excelled in track and field. As a hurdler, she went to the state championships for two years, and was undefeated in the high hurdle event during her last year of high school. She was chosen as the 2003 Wisconsin Track Coaches’ Association Female Athlete of the Year. No doubt the discipline and tenacity required as a student athlete also played a role in her success as a student. Brittany attended Marquette University with the notion that she would pursue a career in business law. “We were required to read a really thick business law book. I recall some of my classmates complaining about how thick the book was, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. After a conversation with my professor, I found myself drawn to the path of law as a realistic career option. I did get my undergraduate degree in business and thought I would work in that field. It was during An NCON Communications Publication
Attorney Kori Ashley
Legal Action of Wisconsin second chances for themselves and their families. “Working at Legal Action allows me to be in the courtroom, work as a litigator, and advocate for fair treatment on behalf of disadvantaged people who live and work in some of Milwaukee’s most disenfranchised neighborhoods. I practice public interest law because I’m extremely passionate about helping people find a way out of the system. Public interest law offers people a chance to become self-sufficient, while empowering themselves, their families and their neighborhoods for positive growth. I want to help people turn the page. People should be able to turn the page and move on with their lives after serving their time,” she said. As she successfully juggles and balances the joys and challenges of being a new mom, working and engaging with youth through formal and informal mentoring, time management and work-life balance are critical. “The most important rule I abide by in terms of time management, other than scheduling, is knowing when to say ‘no.’ I only volunteer for positions that I can fully commit to, and I make sure that I volunteer in areas that I find genuinely interesting,” she said. One of those areas that she is passionate about is working with youth.
“I started volunteering at the LaVarnway Boys and Girls Club when I was nine. I spent the next 15 years learning and leading activities there, teaching kids and other volunteers the value of self-worth, hard work and a great college education. “I’ve benefitted tremendously from individuals in my village—people who have counseled me, written letters of recommendation and shared their life experiences with me. I tell my mentees to work their butts off, jot down their goals, renew them and achieve them,” she said. Kori is already leaving her mark on the next generation. After serving as a judge in the State Bar of Wisconsin’s High School Mock Trial Tournament and witnessing the lack of racial diversity among the participants, she was determined to change that. She reached out to the Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers (WAAL) and proposed creating a mock trial program with one of Milwaukee’s high schools. “I’m grateful that my fellow WAAL members responded so positively to this. Last year, we sponsored a team at Golda Meir School and they went to the regional competition. The team did a fantastic job. This year, as we prepare for the 2020 competition in February, we’ve doubled the number of participants from eight to 16. We also had four coaches, including judges. My uncle helped the students practice-judge the competition,” she said. In addition to being a new mom and homeowner, Kori and her husband, Kwadwo Owusu-Ofori, spend a good deal of their spare time in hardware stores, working on projects in their Enderis Park home. She also admits that her ‘happy place’ is spent on the sofa watching full seasons of action-packed or crime-related movies and television showws.
were many other attorneys and judges who helped and influenced her; one that really stands out is retired Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske. “Justice Geske taught mediation and restorative justice clinics at the law school and provided my first exposure to a world of law where the focus is bigger The Honorable Judge Brittany Grayson than prosecuting someone. She taught us how we Milwaukee County Circuit Court can look at accountability differently and address this business law elective class that I decided to the needs of both the offender and the victim. go to law school and potentially become a busi- Talking with her and going through her clinics were remarkable and eye-opening experiences. ness lawyer,” she said. Brittany is thankful for the help she received in “As law students, we traveled to Green Bay studying and applying for law school. Correctional Institute and worked with inmates “While I knew I wanted to study business law, for 2-1/2 days. Justice Geske taught me about the I didn’t know the process for getting into law importance of remembering to humanize peoschool. I’m grateful that I received a lot of help ple. This experience didn’t change my view of the from a good friend, Sammi-Jo Nevin, who was judicial system, but it put some puzzle pieces toa year older. She had gone through the process gether for me. I attribute this experience and Jusso she helped me with the logistics of applying tice Geske’s teachings to helping me become the to law school, introduced me to the LSAT and kind of person I try to be in my role as a judge. helped me study. We would go to the library and She used her legal background to make a differwhile she was doing her homework, she would ence in that way, ” she said. time me as I practiced taking the LSAT. Those were the extraordinary kinds of things she did to Brittany also said that, while she has never met help prepare me for law school and I’m so grateher, Michelle Obama is also a mentor. ful,” said Brittany. Throughout her time at Marquette University (Continued on pg.11) Law School, Brittany acknowledges that there www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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rowing up in an idyllic, Detroit suburb G with her younger brother and parents, Kristen Hardy, legal counsel at Briggs & Strat-
ton, was fortunate that she never had to look far to find role models. “I was well taken care of—by my parents and both sets of grandparents. I had a host of great Black women as guideposts. My maternal grandmother was the only babysitter any of us had growing up, and she taught me more than I think she realizes. Once I started school, I was already able to read some elementary content. And my mom is a rock star. She is strong and assertive but at the same time, she is kind and a good person. I think that I have inherited similar traits from her,” said Kristen. Kristen initially thought she would become a scientist, but after her freshman year, she decided to take a step back to look at the things she really enjoyed; reading and writing were at the forefront. She also enjoyed philosophy, so with that in mind, she thought a career in law might suit her. After completing her undergraduate studies at Seton Hall University on the East coast, where she majored in criminal justice and minored in psychology, Kristen decided that she wanted to attend law school closer to home. “I ended up falling in love with the idea of attending law school during my sophomore year. I really felt that my skills would be best used in that profession due to my passion for reading, research, and writing. I came to Milwaukee in 2011
Attorney Kristen D. Hardy Briggs & Stratton Corporation to attend Marquette Law School, in large part because I wanted to be closer to home. Once I visited the beautiful Eckstein Hall, I was sold,” she said. Kristen said that while she can’t recall any specific difficulties beyond the normal challenges of attending law school, learning to navigate through the profession proved difficult. “I didn’t have any immediate family members that were lawyers or judges, so simply understanding the dynamics of the professional world of law was new to me, as is often the case for many African Americans and other people of color. As a professional, you try to do your job to the best of your ability knowing that bias, both conscious and unconscious, may cause people to automatically doubt your ability. There are times when, despite displaying aptitude, that your ability may be challenged. Despite these instances, there was never a moment where I thought about giving up. In many ways, the law profession remains the same as it was years ago; you see more people of color and women than in the past, but
fter growing up in the south suburbs A of Chicago, Ashley Smith attended the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in
psychology. When it was time to apply to law schools, she knew she didn’t want to be that far away from her family, so she applied to law schools close to home—ending up at Marquette Law School in Milwaukee. “While an undergraduate, each year I served as a tour guide. The school was welcoming and the environment was comfortable and resources were in place to help ensure my success. When my parents and I toured Marquette’s Law School, we got that same feeling. I felt that it was a place where I could be successful,” she said. Thanks to her dad who spent his entire life in sales, Ashley knew that she wanted to be in a relationship environment—no matter what career path she chose. Although when she initially started her undergrad studies she was not pursuing a career in law, in each year it became more clear that’s exactly what she was supposed to do. “My dad used to take me and my siblings with him to lunch when he met with his clients. So, early on, I knew how to build relationships and the significance of them. However, 2011 wasn’t a good time to be an attorney, with the stock market crash. Regardless, it became increasingly clear to me that that’s what I was supposed to do. I love working with people. I love writing, and I knew these skills would be best served in the field of law,” she said. Ashley can’t say enough good things about her employer, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., where she is employed as an associate on the corporate team. Prior to joining the firm full time, she worked two summers as an associate. While in law school, Ashley worked at the Milwaukee Volunteer Legal Clinic and was inducted into the Pro Bono Honor Society after completing more than 50 hours of volunteer work. She served as president of Marquette’s Black Law Student Association and was the Midwest Black Law Student Association Regional Secretary. She was also a www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Attorney Ashley Smith Godfrey & Kahn, SC leader and national competitor of Marquette’s Moot Court program. She interned at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. “Godfrey & Kahn has an internship and a fellowship program. Each year, they select a student from Marquette University or the University of WI-Madison to receive a fellowship. They interviewed me even before I started law school. Along with a paid internship, I received the fellowship, and it has had a significant impact on my career path,” she said. While she tried to keep an open mind, Ashley didn’t think she wanted to practice business law, but after working at Godfrey & Kahn, she began to consider it as a viable career path. “I began to see myself at Godfrey & Kahn because they are extremely hard workers, they are involved in the community and with their families. It’s such a collaborative environment. Their underlying values meshed with mine, so I felt that it was a place where I not only felt comfortable, but they were invested in me. I was invited to return after my first summer there and after
it’s still relatively homogenous. “I’ve been fortunate to work for companies that care about me and my growth, including at Briggs & Stratton. Not all attorneys are that fortunate. I’m always cognizant of the fact that there’s more work to be done in terms of diversity. I hope that 20 years from now, we’re not still having conversations about making the legal community more diverse, because it will be more diverse. Little by little, we are trying to dismantle the lack of diversity within the legal community,” she said. In addition to the support of her family, Kristen credits individuals like Judge Nancy Joseph and Marquette Law Professor Kali Murray for helping her advance through law school. “I interned for Judge Joseph during my second year of law school, and I credit her with challenging me to think about legal issues more critically. Professor Murray is one of the few African American professors at Marquette Law School, and she quietly wraps her arms around all of her students in an attempt to make us better. While being taught and coached by these women, I didn’t necessarily think of them as mentors. But in retrospect they definitely were, and continue to be women I look to for advice. So many people have gone out on a limb to offer me advice and mentorship, which is one of the reasons I feel so strongly about paying it forward,” she said. Kristen is a mentor with the Judge Charles Clevert Mentoring and Internship Program, a partnership between the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association and Marquette Law School. Through the Summer Youth Institute (SYI), City of Milwaukee middle and high school students are introduced to the legal system. They are exposed to careers in law, and given practical tools for their educational goals. The classes visit the federal courthouse, participate in a mock jury trial where they serve as jurors, and meet (Continued on pg.11) my last year of law school, was offered a position with the firm,” she said. Throughout her life and during every tough decision she’s had to make, Ashley never had to look far for counsel, advice or role models—she found them in her parents. “I’m the only lawyer in my family, but I feel that I am a reflection of them. If they weren’t who they are, I wouldn’t be who I am. My mom just graduated with her bachelor’s degree two years ago, after raising a family. My parents made me and my siblings their priority. They have enough life experiences, that they are the first people I call if I have issues or need advice. There are professionals that I look up to, but my mom and dad are definitely the shoulders I stand on,” she said. After realizing that she would be in Milwaukee for the long-term, one of the first things Ashley did was seek out ways to give back to the community; and she does so in many ways. “I’m very interested in and committed to the entrepreneurial space. I’m always talking to entrepreneurs and willing to listen or connect them to people. I am also mentor for an accelerated program for entrepreneurs, so I get to work with early-stage companies, helping them navigate issues and obstacles that they encounter,” she said. Ashley recently became a volunteer with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative (WWBIC) and she is a board member of the Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers. “Unofficially I’m also involved with the law school students. I make it a point to meet with the black law students each year; many of them are transplants to Milwaukee. Sometimes just having someone they know they can call, with no (Continued on pg.11)
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35th Annual Black Excellence Awards Special Honorees: Women on the Leading Edge of Business
t an early age, those around Stephanie A Findley knew that she was unique. For example, at the age of seven Stephanie created a
brochure and went door-to-door to garner support for Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign. Today, Stephanie is the CEO of Midwest Construction and Management Services, LLC, a residential and commercial construction firm that she started in 2012. While construction is typically a male-dominated field, Stephanie has no qualms about rolling up her sleeves and going up against the best to show that she not only knows what she’s doing, but she also knows how to do it. She is one of the first female Black contractors in Wisconsin. “Midwest Construction is not a trucking company or a pass through (prime contractor). I’m self-taught and when I got into this field, I wanted to learn from the ground up. I like to get my hands dirty. I know how to demolish concrete and do all the jobs that my crew does. There are so many takers in this industry, so if you aren’t on your game, you can be taken to the cleaners. I need to know how long it takes to paint a 20-unit apartment building or I’ll lose my shirt,” she said. Born in San Francisco, California, Stephanie grew up living between Beloit and Milwaukee. Her father—a fabricator—was hired by the Gardner Company in South Beloit, Illinois. When she was five years old, her parents separated so she split her time between them. “For a time, I also lived with my grandparents in Ashley County, Arkansas. My grandfather was a sharecropper with about 100 acres of land. We basically grew everything we ate. I learned a lot about picking apples, oranges, and pecans. My grandfather wanted to make sure that his city grandchildren had good work ethics, so one of the jobs he gave me and my brother was taking the leftover food, putting it into a slop bucket and feeding the pigs. My grandmother taught me how to snap peas and pick greens. Working on the farm helped me appreciate individuals like President Jimmy Carter, who operated a peanut farm. That’s one of the reasons I supported his presidential campaign,” she said. Stephanie split her time between her mother’s house in Milwaukee and father's in Beloit, spending the most time during the year with her father. While attending McNeil Junior High in
Stephanie Findley
Midwest Construction & Management Services, LLC
Beloit, Stephanie opted to take shop instead of the traditional home economics offered for girls. “I didn’t know where my interest in shop would take me at the time, but I knew I didn’t want to pursue the traditional route of home economics. I never thought I would end up in the construction industry, but as I look back over the years, that shop class was the beginning. Then, in my early adult life, I worked for a drywall company headquartered in the Twin Cities with an office in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. I would go to the worksites and to the construction material stores, as part of my job. I was fascinated because constructing buildings was a part of history. I realized that these buildings would remain standing after the builders were long dead and gone,” she said. After graduating from James Madison High School in Milwaukee, Stephanie earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Concordia University and a master’s degree in management from Cardinal Stritch in 2007. She also gained an appreciation for statistics, which she honed in her master’s program and she’s perfecting in her doctoral program through Grand Canyon University. Her fascination with the construction industry deepened after becoming a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce, where she interacted with construction owners and learned of their challenges. She would advocate for them and interact with individuals in the industry on their behalf.
enise Thomas is the president and D owner of The Effective Communication Coach, LLC, a consultancy focused on
transforming emerging and existing professionals into great leaders by mastering the art of effective communication and networking. Her clients include Kraft Heinz, Associated Bank, Northwestern Mutual and Manpower Group. Organizations she’s consulted and coached include the National Black MBA Association, Thurgood Marshall Leadership Institute, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. Born and raised in Evansville, Illinois, Denise moved to Milwaukee in 2003, at the age of 27. Growing up as an only child, she learned early on how to entertain herself by scheduling meetings with her Barbie dolls. “My parents—who have been married for 51 years—recognized that I was a bright student, but excessive talker. My father was the financial supporter for the family and my mother was my mom-manager. She introduced me to reading when I was three years old. Consequently, I was a pretty fluent reader, but loved to talk which became evident based on feedback my parents received from teachers.
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Denise Thomas The Effective Communications Coach “I appreciate the fact that my mother didn’t consider that trait as a negative. She would take me to the library and during story hour, most of the children would sit there quietly and listen as the librarian read to them. I, on the other hand, would ask if I could read the story and sometimes I wouldn’t ask; I just started reading aloud,” she said with a laugh. Recognizing her gift of gab, Denise’s mother signed her up for talent shows—especially during Black History Month. At one of her first competitions, Denise recited a poem written by Maya Angelou. She didn’t win, but at 11 years old, it was Denise’s introduction to speaking in front of large audiences. “I wasn’t nervous at all. I think that’s when I knew I had a gift. After that, I received invitations to speak at various events as a teenager and throughout college. It’s meaningful to have someone in your life who identifies your gift and makes you aware of it even before you are. That’s
In 2004, Stephanie did some public involvement work on the Marquette Interchange Project and in 2012, while exploring other opportunities, someone suggested she start her own construction company. Intrigued but unsure if this was a route she should take, Stephanie consulted with her father and uncle, both of whom confirmed that she was ready and encouraged her to pursue it. Armed with their blessing and encouragement, Stephanie tapped into her 401K, obtained all necessary certifications and started Midwest Construction. Eight years later, she runs a successful, woman-owned construction company that regularly employs 12 individuals depending on projects, and has employed as many as 30 individuals at one time. “I had tumbled in politics and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to tumble with the guys in construction, but my dad reminded me that he helped build me for such a time as this. I listened and, today, I am a general contractor. On the residential side we do complete renovations and on the commercial side, we do painting, flooring, and concrete finishing,” she said. Besides her father and uncle, Stephanie acknowledges a number of individuals that have uplifted, encouraged and empowered her along the way, including local leaders Ulice Payne, Martha Love, Faithe Colas, Sandra Robinson, Curt Harris, Wallace White, Jim Milner, Gerard Randall and Cory Nettles, to name a few. “I pay it forward by helping quite a few individuals—especially African American females. I live by inspiring, uplifting and empowering others. I don’t think there’s anything else you can do but leave a mark for other people and leave a footprint for someone else. It’s rewarding to be able to change someone else’s life for the better. That’s why I get up every day. It’s not about me; it’s about what I can do and leave for others to make this world a better place,” she said.
what happened with me. My mother, Maurene Thomas, was always big on me owning my gift. She was a native of South America who immigrated to the United States when she and my father married. She constantly emphasized the education and opportunities in the United States and she helped me take advantage of those opportunities,” she said. Denise earned a bachelor of arts degree in business management from Cardinal Stritch University and—in her words—she ‘earned an upper-level degree in the 'School of Life.’ She fully credits her grandmothers Essie Thomas and Agatha Schroeder, former Milwaukee Times Black Excellence recipient Carmen Giles, and others for setting standards and creating pathways for her success. “I didn’t purposefully start using my gift in 2015 until I started my LLC. Then, in 2016, I graduated from the Cardinal Stritch African American Leadership Program pioneered by Dr. Jeanette Mitchell. It was there that I developed my company’s mission statement. My journey has never been a sole effort. People like my mother and Dr. Mitchell used their gifts to help others, like me, recognize our gifts. “There are many individuals whose shoulders I stand on, and it is my responsibility to prepare my shoulders to be stood on as well—for the next generation. That is not an option; it’s an obligation. “My absolute, non-negotiable passion is to make sure young Black girls know their worth and the royalty they come from. I try to make sure that those young Black women I interact with know that they can do absolutely anything (Continued on pg. 11) www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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Special Honorees: Women on the Leading Edge of Education, Medicine, Law and Business (con't.) Regina Manns (Continued from pg. 5)
the world is to start in our homes, schools and then that big thing called the world. I approach my students and parents more like a community by helping them understand that education is bigger than just being present here and now. If children can’t read, write and do math it will change their entire direction. “One of the things I did with students was create community service projects, such as acknowledging and thanking their teachers. Sometimes teachers don’t feel they are accomplishing much, but our community needs them; so students provided items to create baskets to give to the teachers in the school. This helps our kids feel good about themselves and the teachers feel appreciated,” she said. Regina views the student-parent-teacher relationship as a three-tier team, with collaboration being the key to success. “You must collaborate with the principal and teachers, the families and students. I’m good at analyzing data, so I take time to show parents where their children are academically, where they need to be, and what strategies we’re going to use to get them where they should be. It’s my responsibility to help students learn and grow so they can attain a better quality of life. Working with adults, as a teacher-mentor, I employ the same strategies. I stress how big the role of a teacher is in helping students achieve in life. “I’m a motivator; a fighter. I work hard to help others succeed and I love kids. I strongly believe we are all one big family—teachers/principals, students, parents—and working together we can accomplish many things,” she said.
Dr. Bridgett Moss (Continued from pg. 7)
I encourage students to move forward to pursue whatever their goals are in life—whether it’s becoming a physician or another profession,” she said. Bridgett shared this bit of advice from her own experience: “Don’t stop! Whatever obstacles are in your way, jump over them. I don’t like the word ‘hard’, instead I use ‘challenge’. ‘Hard’ creates a barrier. Go after your passion. I’m trying to set that example for my daughters, nieces, nephews, other family members, friends and students. It may not be challenging, but keep moving forward to become whatever you want,” she said.
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The Hon. Brittany Grayson (Continued from pg. 8)
“I admire her confidence, grace, demeanor, intelligence and beauty. You would never see her look anything but confident in public,” she said. Key among the reasons why Brittany enjoyed being a prosecutor and why she likes being a judge is representation. “It’s so important for children to see people in all walks of life who look like them, doing all kinds of jobs—whether serving as the President of the United States, as a judge or whatever. I enjoy talking to kids and going to schools to meet with them. I met some youth recently at the NAACP Freedom Fund dinner who were full of questions. They were so excited to see a young black judge. They were in awe of the fact that there is a Black person who looks like them doing this job. I enjoy being a resource to them. It’s one thing to say you attended law school, but it’s quite another to sit down with students and discuss the logistics of how you go about getting into law school. I see myself being both a source of representation and a role model,” she said. Brittany believes that it’s important for the community and the people who come into the courtrooms to see people of color in power. “People need to see someone who has the power to make decisions on their behalf in the courtroom. Even if it’s just the perception that they will receive a fairer shot by seeing me, that’s important. Individuals and families that come to support their relatives need to see that. I can be both a source of information and an inspiration to the kids,” she said. Brittany also makes a conscious effort to practice empathy with everyone she encounters. “I make it my task to practice empathy. Our judicial system is designed to dehumanize people; for example, cases are referred to as the State versus the person’s name or maybe just the case number. I challenge myself daily to use people’s names in my courtroom. Oftentimes, showing that level of respect can change the experience to a more positive one. Without a doubt, the demands of being a judge can be a daunting and heavy burden to carry. Thankfully, Brittany’s husband, Ryan Sanson, is a prosecutor, so he not only understands the demands of her job, but can serve as a sounding board for the judge. “Knowing that no matter what I do or what decision I render, someone is going to be unhappy, carries a lot of weight, so I try to find the most reasonable solution to problems. I did this even as a prosecutor. Some lawyers enjoy the back and forth banter, but I always preferred to just get to the most reasonable solution."
Atty. Kristen D. Hardy (Continued from pg. 9)
various attorneys, judges, and other professionals who work and practice in federal court. Justices of the Eastern District of Wisconsin also support SYI by judging SYI’s oral argument which is the grand finale of the SYI program. Kristen is also the immediate past president of Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers (WAAL), whose mission is to diversify the legal community. With rich historical roots, including the participation of Milwaukee icons such as the late Vel and Dale Phillips and Mildred Harpole, WAAL continues to be a pillar for minority attorneys in Wisconsin. During Kristen’s year as president, the organization raised more than $50,000 to provide scholarships to African American law students in Wisconsin. The group has also helped build a pipeline for lawyers interested in becoming members of the judiciary.
“Overall, we need more people of color at every level of the judiciary. Our group has been instrumental in connecting attorneys with judicial aspirations with information and mentors to help that dream come to fruition. WAAL also has found ways to help elevate African American attorneys within the community, such as identifying writing and speaking opportunities for them,” she said. Kristen’s hard work is paying off in her career in corporate law at Briggs & Stratton, as she’s been recognized as one of Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 under 40, Top Corporate Counsel: Rising Star, and Wisconsin Law Journal’s Up and Coming Lawyers. She remains committed to making a positive impact in the community. “When people think of me, I want them to be able to say that I helped others—whether through giving advice or information, extending an opportunity, or just listening. I want to help people climb the ladder and live out their full potential. There’s room for all of us,” she said.
Atty. Ashley Smith (Continued from pg. 9)
strings attached, is important. It’s really important for me to give that back ten-fold, because I was a recipient of that kind of attention,” she said. Ashley’s future looks bright. She likes the law firm environment where she works and she sees herself staying in that environment and, one day, even becoming a partner. “I think that (partnership) could happen at Godfrey & Kahn but more important to me is how you affect your community. It’s important for me to be here in Milwaukee. In this city, you are able to see the impact you make on the community in real time. In larger markets like New York, even though you may be making a difference, you don’t feel the impact like you do in Milwaukee because it’s small. If I can be a ‘go-to person’ using my skills, I want to be known as someone who will find the answer, if I don’t know it. I just want to be present. Sometimes people just don’t know who to call and being that person for my community is extremely important to me,” she said.
Denise Thomas (Continued from pg. 10)
that they know is part of their gift. Too often, Black women in particular, face so much negativity, including undermining, condescending, and disrespect. Knowing your worth will help you navigate through that. Specifically, I work with groups like PEARLS for Teen Girls and the Girls Group that is part of the Boys & Girls Club. We (Black women) are the most oppressed species on planet earth; that’s a fact, not a feeling,” she said. Denise serves on the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin Board of Directors, Mount Mary University’s Communications Advisory Council and on the Cardinal Stritch University College of Business Advisory Council in Milwaukee. She is member of The Links Incorporated—Milwaukee Chapter, TEMPO Milwaukee and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee’s Women United Leadership Council. She is also a lead facilitator at St. Norbert College as part of the School of Business’s Center of Exceptional Leadership and a co-instructor for the Cardinal Stritch University Mission Fuel Leadership Program. She is also a certified Hogan Assessment and CEL360 Coach. Denise is the mother of two future leaders, her daughter Dominique and son Daren. An NCON Communications Publication
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In Memoriam...
Mrs. Louvenia Johnson, Milwaukee Times Founder
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ouvenia Johnson, one of the founders of The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper and the benefactor of the journalism college scholarship fund that bears her name, passed away on February 27, 2008, due to complications following a stroke. She was 96 years old. Mrs. Johnson was known for being a woman of faith, strength, integrity, and always being willing and available to offer a kind word of hope and sound advice. She was an astute businesswoman, communicator and grassroots activist who lived her belief of helping others less fortunate than herself. Trained as a licensed practical nurse, she moved to Milwaukee in 1939 with her husband, the late Paul Johnson, from her hometown of Dermott, Arkansas. In addition to working in healthcare, she also worked in the social service arena, serving as executive director of Project Focal Point, an agency serving both youth and elderly adults on Milwaukee’s north side. In 1981 as a retiree, she and two other Milwaukeeans – The late Nathan Conyers, and the late Luther Golden – established a
bi-weekly newspaper devoted to church news within the city’s African American faith community known as, The Christian Times. Within its first year of publication, the paper grew in appeal to cover more general community news and was renamed The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper, with The Christian Times remaining as a standing feature section to this day.
In 1985, Mrs. Johnson and her publishing team launched the Black Excellence Awards program, as a way to pay tribute to the good works of ordinary people from Milwaukee’s black community who were accomplishing extraordinary things, yet going unnoticed. The awards program observes its 35th year on February 28, 2020 and has honored more than 1,100 local citizens engaged in various endeavors that have benefited all of Milwaukee. At the third Black Excellence Awards program on February 27, 1988, Mrs. Johnson established The Louvenia Johnson Journalism Scholarship Fund, initially started with her retirement funds from Social Security, to assist college-bound high school graduates who wished to pursue careers in print and broadcast journalism. To date, more than half a million dollars have been awarded to area students by the scholarship, which is now a 501c3, nonprofit, charitable organization under the IRS. Scholarship recipients include Jamal Abdul-Alim, former urban affairs reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and Silvia Acevedo, former news reporter for WTMJ-TV/Channel 4 in Milwaukee.
The Dr. Lester L. Carter, Jr. Scholarship Award
Congratulates Courtney Johnson! On Being Named the 2020 Dr. Lester L. Carter, Jr. Scholarship Winner!
Courtney Johnson is the third student to receive a scholarship at the Black Excellence Awards from Dr. Lester L. Carter, Jr., R.Ph.
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Louvenia Johnson Scholarship Recipients 1988 - 2019 Jamaal Abdul-Alim Nyairah Abdullah Silvia I. Acevedo Job Alexander Abdilkarim Ali Sequoya Allen Priscilla Avant Raven Avery-Moore Jonathan O. Babalola Shaneika Baldwin Jennifer Ball-Sharpe Lauren Barber Darren Barton Chez Bass Aris Battiste Marita Benvenue Risharda Bond Jevita D. Brister Sharvon Montgomery Brown Jaslyn Brown Reniqua Brown Montae Brown-Crawford Qiana Burns Louis Burrell Devin Burton Raetricia Byrd-Townsell N’namdi Carter Michah Childs Brianna Christian Qiana Christian Mindee Cohen Tamyra Cooper Jacqueline Gail Crymes Destiny Dallas Trenton Daniels Jamal Davis Carla Dew Jordan Dinsmore Sa’Sha Nicole Edwards Adrian Ellis Kurtez Ellis Quina Elzie Henry Eruchalu Muhammad Faizal Fakaruddin Kaiyla Farrington David Faye Shaun Flanagan Chelsey French Shanilah Frierson Jessica Gathing Deanna Gauthier Nathan Gollop Isaiah Gordon Donald Grace Darnell Granberry Jeanessa Gant Jaelyn Green Michael Green Pamanisha Gross Denean P. Hall Timothy Hall Megan Harmon Gary Harvey Ebony Haynes Michaiah Hinds Cynthia M. Hodnett www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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Malik Holt Sade Hood Jamea Hoover Kayla Howze Kiera Hudson Autherine Ikanih Monique Ingram Wendy Isom Isaac Izard Kiara Jackson Marcell Lanell Jackson Torey Jobe Camille Johnson Siarah Jones Fred Jones-Rosa Asiane Jordan Demond Jude Kendall Keith Domonique Kent Kathryn Lanier Camille Lester Justin Lester Robyn Lockett Kara Macon Kayla Madlock Raven Major Nandi Mallett Tre’Quan Martin Billie Jo Mason-Saffold Collins McClain Trevonte McClain Alice McCoy Brian McDowell, Jr. LaDae'meona McDowell Kharma McGee Kara McKinney James Miller Martinez Milton, Jr. Treba Mitchell Maasio Mohamed Na Mia Moore Crystal Morgan Marissa Morgan
Wendmy Nida Moyenga Mohamed Mursal Nathan Nelson Ikenna Obiora Jaya Owens Darian Perkins Melissa Pettis Clifton Phelps Levar Pickens Robert Pickens Carter Piggee Denise Pitchford Amber Polk Eva Porter Dominique Portis Lawrence Rabon Knjya Reed Mia Rimmer Rahsaan Roberson Teague Briana Roberts Stephon Roby Corbin Robinson DeArquise Robinson Tammy Robinson Edward Rogers, Jr. Angellic Ross Ismel Sahid Shakura Salahaladyn Savanna Samuels Chiara Sanders Josephine Scott Destiny Scott-Dyson Avrianne Seals Tanzania Sewell Trentyn Shaw Justine Shorter Donald Singleton Nicole Singleton Brittany Smith Jordyn Smith Lonnie R. Smith Alexandria Smith-Richard Rhonda Stingley Sonia Summers Alyssa Sylvester Courtney Teague Lori Lynn Tharps Verla Thibou Devon Thomas Olivia Thomas Quinton Thomas Abigail Thompson Benjamin Thompson Nikki Denise Thompson Ashanti Travers, Jr. Trinity Tucker Myles Walker Dalyn Ward Jaymes Warrior Nicole White Aaron Wilder Richard Williams Tabithas Williams Yaaji Williamson Jonathan Woods Deondre Wright Khamaria Wright An NCON Communications Publication
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Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper
2020 Louvenia Johnson Scholarship Recipients Daelon Adaway
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aelon Adaway possesses a wealth of skills necessary to pursue his dream of starting his own news company. By his own account he is a fast learner, good with numbers, works well under the pressure of deadlines, is knowledgeable about whatever product he is promoting, and is an effective communicator. Daelon served as social media coordinator, assistant editor of the school newspaper and chief yearbook editor, earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.55 at Golda Meir High School. According to one of his advisors at Golda Meir, Daelon's leadership and communication skills will be missed when he leaves for college.
London Bates
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ondon Bates is the perfect person to get a group project rolling. Her Advanced Placement language and composition teacher at Golda Meir High School describes London as a “perceptive, sharp, quick individual with a high aptitude for critical thinking.” In addition to earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.90, London has been a member of the PEOPLE pre-college enrichment program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison receiving post-secondary planning advice, preparation for the ACT exam, and completing college admission and scholarship applications. At Golda Meir, London served on the Senior Senate, was a member of the National Honor Society and served as the class historian.
Noah Cotton
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oah Cotton is an avid volunteer with the Milwaukee Public School system as part of his required 60 hours of community service as a member of the National Honor Society. Noah also participated in student government, the Cultural Awareness Club, Peers With Influence and the Rufus King Link Crew. The Rufus King High School senior has a cumulative grade point average of 3.69. Noah is a gifted student who will do great things in this world, expressed one his teachers. Last summer Noah was one of several students who traveled to South Africa. This trip changed his future plans, and now Noah plans on studying international business.
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Treyvon Hamberlin
reyvon Hamberlin and a group of his friends created a You Tube channel in order to entertain viewers. In an essay on job creation from technology, he highlighted this as an example of the way that technology positively impacts the future of today’s youth, ultimately opening up many job opportunities. Treyvon is a senior at Milwaukee Lutheran High School where he has a cumulative grade point average of 3.10. The principal at Henry David Thoreau School said Treyvon has been a very dependable volunteer who never missed a shift for which he has signed up. While maintaining honor roll status and a vigorous volunteer schedule, Treyvon has also participated as a member of the school basketball team, worked part-time at a local shoe store and helped care for both his mother and grandmother. The dedication he has demonstrated leads his principal to conclude that Treyvon will succeed at whatever he sets out to accomplish.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.“ - Nelson Mandela
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2020 Louvenia Johnson Scholarship Recipients Shak'la Harrington
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hak’la Harrington is captain of the debate team at Golda Meir High School and ranked academically number 1 out 104 in her class, earning a cumulative grade point average of 4.28. Last summer, Shak’la served as a legislative intern in the office of State Representative Sheila Stubbs. Her school counselor said Shak’la is capable of improving the dynamics for herself, her family and everyone else around her. “Her service to her community, school and her family will continue on through her post-secondary college plans,” the counselor wrote. Shak’la has applied to Washington University in St. Louis and New York University. She plans on studying psychology and economics.
Asani Mashaka
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sani Mashaka is an member of the soccer team at Washington High School of Information Technology. His African American Literature teacher said Asani leads by example, both on the soccer field and in the classroom. Asani earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.27. “Because of his leadership skills, I often offer him opportunities to participate in career field experiences like job shadows,” said his algebra II instructor ,who added that he has utilized Asani as a teacher’s helper to explain different mathematical concepts to students.
Tanya McNeal
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anya McNeaL is a senior at Washington High School of Information Technology where she earned a 4.11 cumulative grade point average. In addition to her outstanding academic record, Tanya has also dedicated all four of her high school years to basketball and track and field. Other students regularly seek out Tanya for her assistance and expertise, said her math instructor, who added that Tanya is also “an incredibly hard worker, patient and kind to her fellow students.” Tanya hopes to major in business administration. She has applied to Tennessee State University and Grambling State University.
Kevin Norris
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evin Norris hopes to major in either petroleum engineering or mining engineering. He is already fluent in French and his dream is to work in the petroleum industry and travel to all of the French-speaking countries in the world. He has already been accepted at the Colorado School of Mines and Louisiana State University. Kevin is a senior at Nicolet High School where he earned a cumulative grade point average of 4.04. Kevin has made the high honors dean’s list every semester at Nicolet. He serves as co-president of the school's French Honor Society. He also writes, records and produces his own music and videos.
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2020 Louvenia Johnson Scholarship Recipients Devaki Sanon
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evaki Sanon and her family made a life-changing decision to move from the African nation of Burkina Faso to the United States. She has been to four schools in the past four years and hasn’t missed a beat, according to one of her instructors. Devaki earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.43 at Nicolet High School. She is fluent in three languages: French, English and Djula. For the past two years, she has been a member of the International Club and the French Honor Society. “She is a great self-advocate and appreciates the help of other students without relying on them,” according to her school counselor. In college she hopes to major in either business management or international business. Devaki has applied to DePaul University and Marquette University.
Joshua Williams
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oshua Williams is an advisor to the children’s choir, the teen missionary group and a Sunday school teacher at St. Matthew Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. For a number of years, he participated in church choir, performing musical solos and choral readings. He is currently a children’s choir ringer at St. Matthew, modeling performance etiquette and promoting literacy for younger children. His advisor and Sunday school instructor at St. Matthew said his personal characteristics and moral values have helped him discover the importance of hard work and service to others. He earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.97 at Rufus King International High School. His extracurricular high school activities include four years of participation with the robotics team, and the varsity tennis team, as well as three years participation as a new student orientation presenter. Joshua hopes to major in mechanical engineering and has applied to Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The Dr. Lester L. Carter, Jr. Scholarship Award
Courtney Johnson
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ourtney Johnson is a leader at Golda Meir High School, according to the chair of the social studies department at the school who said Courtney demonstrated her leadership skills through her work on student council, student ambassadors, as well as other clubs and leadership activities. She earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.95. “Courtney stood out to me from the day I started at Golda Meir six years ago,” said her school counselor. “She is focused, determined and motivated” and frequently seeks out opportunities to get involved in programs that will assist her in exploring her college and career options. She hopes to major in pre-medicine and has applied to Penn State and the University of Iowa.
The Richard T. Werner Scholarship Award
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Naoshi Johnson
aoshi Johnson is academically ranked second out of her class of 149 at Pulaski High School, where she earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.93. Her goal is to earn a master’s degree in biomedical science at Howard University. “Naoshi is a stand-out student. She receives excellent marks, participates in student leadership committees and is an advocate for social justice in our community,” said her freshman English teacher. Naoshi has been a member of the honor roll for four years and volunteers with the Wisconsin Humane Society. She also served on the discipline committee at Pulaski and the Superintendent’s Advisory Council for Milwaukee Public Schools. Among her hobbies, Naoshi lists reading and writing short stories, fantasy and fiction. An NCON Communications Publication
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Annual Black Excellence Awards Arts
edale Hill didn’t really consider himself V a gifted artist, but thankfully, a principal saw his potential and encouraged him to enroll
in the Milwaukee High School of the Arts. That’s one of the best decisions he made as a young student, and it’s one that set him on the path that he continues to pursue today. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Vedale grew up in one of Milwaukee’s lower income neighborhoods. Living with his mother, older brother and two younger sisters, Vedale attended school with friends and cousins, and somehow managed to get into a lot of fights. His GPA never fell too far from a perfect 4.0, but he was prone to fighting and had more suspensions than he can remember. After getting kicked out of Washington High School, Vedale found himself a bit lost when his second school, Juneau High School, shut down. With the help of his former principal, who looked past his reputation as a troublemaker and saw his talent, he enrolled in Milwaukee High School of the Arts, and began to thrive. “The principal was fond of my artwork, even though I got into a lot of trouble and was in her office quite a bit. She wanted me to stay away from my cousins who attended the same school, so she recommended I attend the School of the Arts, because she was sure they wouldn’t follow me there,” he said. Vedale knew he could draw and he always took advanced art classes, including painting, clay sculpture and some dyeing fabric work, but he didn’t really think his talent was anything extraordinary, until he started entering and winning various contests. “When I was at the High School of the Arts, I entered and won several contests in Wisconsin and beyond. That’s when I first started feeling as if I could do something with my gift. I took higher level courses at Milwaukee Institute of Art &
Vedale Hill
Mixed Media Artist Design (MIAD), including art history and went to the art museum twice a week during my senior year. I got accepted into a pre-college program at MIAD which I attended, even during the summer, and received a bachelor of fine arts degree from MIAD,” he said. Today, Vedale’s art is shown in galleries and museums across the country. Moreover, for the third consecutive year, his art will be on display at Art Basel in Miami, Florida. Art Basel is a four-day event that first launched in 2002. It has become one of the premiere art festivals in the world, where galleries and artists from everywhere convene. Vedale is also an adjunct instructor at MIAD during the spring semester, teaches art at the Boys and Girls Club, and he and his brother, Darren, also founded and operate Jazale’s Art Studio. Jazale’s provides art education and mentoring to youth in the Milwaukee area by working with
osemary Ollison is a self-taught MilR waukee artist. Rosemary was raised by her grandparent on a plantation in Arkansas.
After the death of her grandfather she and her grandmother moved to the Midwest. Rosemary never really considered herself an artist and, in fact, she didn’t begin making art until she was in her 50s. Initially, her art was ‘therapy’ – a way for her to tell her story about being a Black woman and her journey of healing from a history of abuse. In 1984, Rosemary began making art to celebrate the power and freedom she began to feel. She is quick to share that she creates art in dialog with God: “When I am creating, I am satisfied. I am free. I no longer just exist, I am alive! “I had no thoughts about being an artist. I started drawing after reading the Bible because I was confused and looking for my identity. I read Psalm 139:23-24, and was inspired to buy a sketch pad and some magic markers. It was as if the Scriptures were speaking to me. Those first drawings came out of my personal relationship with God. "Over the next 2-1/2 years I drew more than 2,000 images. The first were about the darkness and pain I felt. After a while, as I came to realize who I was, I started drawing other types of art. The images come into my head. I draw what I see and feel. It’s a gift from God that I would be afraid to take credit for,” Rosemary said of her work. Rosemary’s journey into the artistic world is interesting and liberating. After graduating from St. Benedict High School, she attended MATC off and on for years, finally earning an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She was employed by St. Francis Children’s Center for special need children—and worked there for more than 18 years. Even though it’s not what she was hired to do, her employer allowed her to do art projects with the children. Most of the art engaged the children, and she enjoyed teaching them. Now 77 years old, Rosemary said that her creative artwork was as mysterious to her as anyone. She can’t quite explain it, except to say she was www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Rosemary Ollison Fibers, Illustration & Mixed Media inspired by a passage of Scripture and a desire to be healed. Since retirement, her art is so popular and in high demand that it has become her livelihood. “A friend—Tony Fikes—asked if I was an artist and when I responded that I wasn’t sure, he brought local artist Evelyn Terry to my home. She confirmed that I was an artist; so much so that she included me in her show. After that I met artist Della Wells and became part of their artistic community for a while. I attended various meetings and was in 12 or so shows over time, but I didn’t like the paperwork. We had to submit biographies and artist statements for each show. I didn’t feel as if I was an artist, even though other artists had confirmed to me that I was an artist." Rosemary is a winner of emerging artist of the 2018 Noel Fellowship award, and is a City of Milwaukee artist of the year. She has exhibited work at the 2017 and 2018 Outsider Art Fair, in New York; UWM Union Gallery, Milwaukee; Indianapolis Public Library; Walker’s Point Center for the Arts; Uihlein Peters Gallery; Cissy Peltz Gallery, Milwaukee; and Alphons Gallery. Her work is included in the collections of the Chipstone Foundation and the Milwaukee Art Museum. In 2019, she designed a room for the Saint Kate's Art Hotel, a new art-focused hotel in Milwaukee, in a show “Taking Leather to the Limit” at the Haggerty Museum and had a solo show at the
them on a project basis and through year-round programming. Vedale noted that Milwaukee’s job market is one of the biggest challenges he and others in the arts community face. Running a studio is largely dependent on grants and funding typically runs out in two or three years. He said that pursuing a full-time career as an artist can be challenging in terms of maintaining a steady income. “One of the major challenges is budgeting. It’s difficult to budget when you are uncertain of where your next check is coming from. The cost of living is rising faster than wages or opportunities, so it takes some juggling and creative budgeting to make it work. “My siblings and I grew up in pretty extreme poverty and it’s difficult to see your potential as a young man of color living in a world that does not nurture creativity. Minorities are really in a tough situation—trying to build careers when there are few opportunities. Companies that catapulted the Black middle class like American Motors and A. O. Smith no longer exist. Now, to get ahead, you have to become an entrepreneur. We teach youth 7 to 17 years of age to be pragmatic. Beyond that, we also mentor young adults. Sometimes we even mentor our peers when it comes to arts, business and entrepreneurship. My brother and I reach back into the community to help out however we can,” said Vedale. “I found a way to do what I want to do and serve humanity at the same time. I did what I wanted and I am also able to help others. I’m able to take care of my family and make sure my kids are doing great in school. They are tough, kind, smart and creative. I try to make sure they are taken care of in every respect so that they are successful and can build their own careers,” he said. Lynden Sculpture Garden. She is represented by the Portrait Society Gallery. She remains adamant that her art originates from her personal relationship with God. Originally, she had no intention of sharing her artwork with others. Rosemary credits people like Evelyn Patricia Terry and Della Wells with helping her navigate the arts community. She attended classes at UWM and MATC to learn how to create a website and she designed one for herself. Someone else told her that she should create a Facebook page; she did, but her heart was never into social media. It did, however, expose her to new artists and the art world. It also connected her with Debra Brehmer, the director of the Portrait Society. Debra saw her artwork posted on Facebook and asked Della to introduce her to Rosemary. Rosemary does not like any of the administrative tasks associated with selling her artwork such as responding to emails, arranging shows or even hanging her artwork. When Della introduced her to Deb, she considered it a godsend. “I prayed to God to help me get out of doing these dreaded tasks, and a couple of days later Della called and introduced me to Deb. Now she’s handles all the administrative work. If I had to do all those things, I would stop selling my artwork tomorrow, but she does everything for me. It’s a gift. I don’t bring my art to Portrait Society; they come and get it. I trust them. They are professional and take care of me quite well. Everything is documented, so I’m not anxious about anything,” she said. Rosemary understands that her art is a gift; and she wants it to continue long after she’s gone. “All my needs are fulfilled I’m happy and satisfied. There was a time when I just worked for God and did not have a personal relationship with Him. I totally and completely trust God. I am at the point in my life where I don’t have to search anymore, and I’m at peace. “I journal and I have more than 450 poems that I have pulled from my journals. I have five books ready to be published. One day they will be published,” she said. An NCON Communications Publication
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Annual Black Excellence Awards
ndre Douglas is a A first-generation college graduate who is determined to help
others not only succeed in life, but recognize the merits of education as a ticket out of poverty as he challenges students to pursue higher education. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Andre attended John Marshall High School before transferring to the Milwaukee School of Entrepreneurship. While he and his younger brother grew up in a single-female headed household, Andre always received positive support and influence from his mother, uncles, his godparents, and his church family. “Thanks to ‘my village’ I always knew that the pathway for success was part of my destiny because I had so many people looking out for me as I was growing up and even in my adulthood," he said. Andre attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he earned an undergraduate degree in speech with a minor in journalism. He also earned a master’s degree in student personnel administration from Concordia University Wisconsin. At one point Andre considered a career in broadcast journalism, and even envisioned himself as an on-air disc jockey or television reporter and hosting parties as a DJ. Everything changed, though, when he took a summer internship with the Office of Pre-College Programs at UW-Whitewater. “I discovered my passion was helping students get into college. I
Community Leadership
was a college wanted to grow student in need the program, of a job and so I created the one summer I plan and delinked up with veloped all the a program on activities for campus workthis program, ing with stuin conjuncdents. It had tion with the never crossed development my mind to department do this line of who helped work. It was a fundraise for good fit for me the program. so I decided to We were blesscontinue along ed to have the that path,” he program fundsaid. ed at $750,000. Andre Douglas After graduThe students Boys and Girls Clubs ating with his that initialundergraduate ly entered the of Greater Milwaukee degree, Anprogram are dre worked at UW-Whitewater as currently high school sophomores assistant director of the Office of and they will be involved through Pre-college Programs before taking college,” he said. a position with Blackhawk TechniAs with most nonprofit organizacal College as an academic advisor. tions, Andre said that finding dolToday, he is Director of the Grad lars and resources to support their Plus College Access and Success mission is always a challenge. Services at the Boys & Girls Clubs “We operate with limited resourcof Greater Milwaukee. He’s been es. People see Boys & Girls Clubs with the Boys and Girls Clubs for and assume that because it’s a nasix years and in his current position tional organization, we don’t need for almost three years. money, but there are never enough Andre is proud of his contribu- resources. Unfortunately, we sometions to the Boys & Girls Clubs and times have to turn students away points to one program that he creat- because we don’t have enough space ed called the Future College Schol- to serve them all. It’s difficult saying ars. no to someone who really wants to “When I first started working get involved, but when you don’t here, we had an umbrella of sever- have the space or resources to serve al college access and success pro- them, that’s the reality,” he said. grams. About two years ago, we Along his journey, Andre recalls
vonne McCaskill was born in the hills of Y Kentucky—the daughter of a coal miner. Her mother was a domestic and after her hus-
band’s death when Yvonne was only five years old, she moved Yvonne and her four siblings to Milwaukee to be near a sister. Growing up on Ninth Street, near Lapham Park in part of the community referred to as Bronzeville, Yvonne recalls living in a close knit community, where neighbors helped and looked out for each other. She also recalls that it was a ‘big deal’ when the family moved to Eighth and Wright Streets somewhat reminiscent of The Jeffersons' theme song, “Movin’ On Up”. “We really thought we had moved up in the world because only a few African Americans lived north of North Avenue." Yvonne graduated from North Division High School. Today she is one of the charter members that founded the North Division Alumni Association. She also has served as that organization’s president for the past five years. After graduating from North, Yvonne attended Spencerian Business College, with the goal of securing an office job. She also attended MATC for two years, earning a certificate in secretarial science. “My first job out of high school was working at Three Sisters Clothing Store. I had taken classes in cashiering so I applied for a cashier position with the store. On my first day, they put me in a room in the back of the store. I told my supervisor that I thought I was hired to be a cashier. She responded that ‘little Black girls are not on the selling floor.’ I cried the rest of the day, but returned the next day because I needed a paycheck,” she said. Eventually, Yvonne was hired as a mail and file clerk at Allis Chalmers, where she worked her way into the company’s secretarial pool. She also worked at General Electric, but within a few years knew she didn’t want to do that for the rest of her life. An NCON Communications Publication
Yvonne McCaskill Century City Triangle Neighborhood Association A neighbor who was an alumnus of Lincoln University told her about an opportunity to attend his alma mater on a full ride scholarship, so she applied and ended up in Missouri at Lincoln University. “That was a real cultural shock for me. The summer after my second year there, I returned to Milwaukee, secured a job, met my husband, and ultimately earned my degree in education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I started out studying social work, but switched to education so I could have the summers off,” she said. Alternately between attending school full-time and part-time, Yvonne eventually earned a degree and was hired by Milwaukee Public Schools as an educator in 1974. After 30 years, she retired in 2004. Not quite ready to completely stop working and still too young to draw Social Security, she worked as a consultant, conducting training sessions within school systems to help improve achievement.
some of the individuals who served and continue to serve as mentors to him, including Dr. Jeff Janz, Dr. Dennis Baskin, Jud Snyder, Harris Turner, his godfather, Rev. Michael Dudley and a host of others. As a way of paying it forward, he doesn’t shy away from using his own life experiences to motivate, challenge or encourage students. “I always use my experiences as an example. For instance, when I was studying for my undergraduate degree, I changed my major seven times and finally settled on speech because I was just ready to graduate. I also talk about my experience with student loan debt. I tell students that there is way too much free money out there to get in debt over college. They need to put in the time, effort and get the grades to qualify for these scholarships. “Students need support that they don’t always get from their families, not because families don’t want to give it, but sometimes they don’t know how. That’s a role I try to fill— being a mentor and advisor to help them succeed. One of my favorite quotes includes the verse, “If I can help somebody along the way, then my living shall not be in vain.” That is a personal goal—understanding of this race called life and knowing that my personal mission in life is to help other people find theirs,” he said.
One day while looking around the neighborhood, she noticed how properties were deteriorating, the quality of life was diminishing and trash was accumulating—and the seed was planted for Yvonne’s ‘second act’. “I could see some of the properties deteriorate. Rather than move from the area, some neighbors and I decided we would advocate for ourselves at a grassroots, resident-led level, so we founded the Century City Triangle Neighborhood Association. We took our name from the Century City business park, which is across the street. “We didn’t want to become a nonprofit, so we created a less-structured organization. It really works for us and it takes egos out of the equation. “Initially the Association held simple neighborhood clean-ups, then we developed a partnership with the 5th District police department to address crime and safety issues. We also partnered with the City of Milwaukee Redevelopment Authority to discuss some of the unkempt city-owned properties called 'out lots'. “We are seeing improvements—crime has decreased and other entities are contacting us to partner with them. We are also a designated Targeted Investment Neighborhood, which has allowed us to receive funding to start Art in the Park,” she said. Art in the Park, now in its 15th year, is an intergenerational activity held in the summer, geared toward the youth but engaging seniors’ participation. The Association has received funding to bring in local and national artists to work with youth, with the goal of promoting team building and creating entrepreneurship with children. About five years ago, the Association forged a partnership with Clean Wisconsin, which partners with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District (MMSD) on environmental stewardship initiatives. “Art in the Park now focuses on environmental stewardship and environmental art. We use (Continued on pg. 20) www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
2020 Black Excellence Awards
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im Gaillard, born and raised in MilwauJ kee, left his lower northside community in his teens to attend Oshkosh High School,
as part of an academic talent search program called A Better Chance (ABC). He and 11 other students recruited from across the nation (DC, NY, NJ, and Chicago), lived in all-white communities. They studied together, played basketball together, and today—while they are spread all over the country—remain in contact with one another. “Going from an all-black, lower-class community to living in a mostly white, middle-class community, was quite an experience, but it’s one that helped me assimilate and navigate in the world. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And, the bond that I and the nine other guys and one young lady forged during those high school years is one that can never be broken. We learned to support, encourage and depend on each other,” he said. Jim attended Marquette University, but ended up dropping out during his junior year, to later pursue a career in the trades. Always good at mathematics, he became an apprentice electrician with the City of Milwaukee and progressed to journeyman electrician. He is now a master electrician and the co-owner of Pyramid Electric, sole proprietor of WHIRE Electric and vice president of a non-profit organization called Ezekiel Community Development Corporation—Project Hope (Ezekiel CDC). Today, he and partner, Don Utech, operate Ezekiel CDC. The program trains workers in the construction trades, including electrical, plumbing, and carpentry, and pays trainees while they are learning. They rehab boarded-up inner city homes which are, in turn, sold to first-time homeowners. Profits from the home sales are used to purchase other homes to rehab. An important component of the program is that many of the workers are or have been incarcerated and receive training through a work release partner-
to others because of where He has delivered me from,” he said.
Jim Gaillard Ezekiel CDC ship with the Wisconsin House of Corrections. Inmates learn job skills that, once released, enable them to seek employment that pays family-sustaining wages. Jim’s passion for the program is a labor of love. He’s made connections with the Mayor, Common Council members, community leaders and business partners, but one of his proudest moments was giving his life to Christ and getting baptized because he attributes his transformation to God. “There’s so much that I want to accomplish in this city. Too many of people in our community—especially our young people—have no hope. No one has ever poured into their lives, told them they were significant, or showed them a better way of life. I want to give hope to as many of them as I can. I want to motivate and encourage them, and expose them to a lifestyle they never knew existed. I can’t pay God back, for God has everything and can do anything, but I felt in my spirit that He has groomed me to ‘pay it forward’
Ezekiel—Project Hope is also part of the team that is working to revitalize the Amani neighborhood. The Amani Housing Strategy, an initiative developed in partnership with residents and community partners – including Northwestern Mutual, LISC, Dominican Center, Amani United, Milwaukee Christian Center, and Ezekiel CDC is addressing the need for quality and affordable housing in the neighborhood, located just northwest of downtown. The plan is designed to improve existing and new housing stock and expand the range of quality developments in the neighborhood. The plan will be piloted on a single block which began this past summer and continue through 2020, to not only ‘spruce up’ the neighborhood, but an important component is referring individuals to participate in the job training component. “The Amani Housing Strategy will not only improve the physical infrastructure of the Amani neighborhood, but our goal is to help instill a sense of community among residents, with the goal of improving safety, health and economic opportunities for individuals living in the area." “It’s not enough to go into a neighborhood, paint a few porches, repair a few roofs and leave. There are real needs within some Milwaukee neighborhoods. We are grateful to the commitment of our partners who realize that a neighborhood revitalization project doesn’t just involve buildings but understand that revitalization efforts must engage the people living there. We are also working with residents to train them in the trades with the goal of helping them earn family-sustaining wages. The ultimate outcome would be to see them not only invest their own dollars into the area, but become homeowners, taking care of their properties,” he said.
erry Howze, Executive Director of G PEARLS for Teen Girls, grew up in Chicago in what she calls a “sweet bubble.” She and
her twin sister lived with two loving parents— her mother was an educator and her dad owned a barber shop. Then, as she terms it, after their deaths her “made for Lifetime movie” life started. “Growing up with my parents, we were afforded lots of privileges and opportunities many black and brown children didn’t have—material things, vacations and access to affluence and resources were readily available to us. Then a year after my sister and I started middle school, our bubble burst. My mother died from leukemia and a year later my dad passed from a heart attack. The family began fighting over who would get custody of us, because whoever got custody, got control over everything—my parents' money and property,” said Gerry. Because of the rift between her maternal and paternal sides of the family, Gerry ultimately chose to live with her godmother, who became she and her sister’s legal guardian. That decision started a whirlwind of unexpected and traumatic experiences. “I ended up in an emotionally and verbally abusive household. Our godmother/guardian split me and my sister up, and sent us to different boarding schools in different parts of the country during our sophomore year. Everything looked nice on the outside, but it was not a good living situation. She often told me that I was fat, ugly, that nobody would ever love me, and I was only good for welfare and making babies. It’s very telling that at 53 years old, I can still recite her words, as if she just spoke them to me yesterday. Thankfully, I used those words as motivation to prove her wrong because I clung to the foundation and confidence my parents had instilled in me,” said Gerry. During her junior year in high school Gerry got pregnant and was sent away to a Catholic www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Gerry Howze P.E.A.R.L.S. For Teen Girls, Inc. boarding school for pregnant girls to have the baby. After being forced to give her baby up for adoption she returned to her high school - a predominately Caucasian, Seventh Day Adventist high school in rural Wisconsin. Her sister was sent to an all-black boarding school in Piney Woods, Mississippi and was exposed to a completely different culture. “A benefit of my high school experience – though separated from my twin sister – was that high school provided me with a wholesome, safe environment where I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Upon graduating, I was pregnant again and this time, determined not to give up my child, my sister and I moved into an apartment together,” she said. Because they grew up differently, the living arrangement with her sister was short lived and Gerry found herself struggling to make ends meet with her son. Ineligible for welfare or other
resources because she owned property left to her by her parents, for a while Gerry depended on the grace of God and people’s hearts to survive. “I had been so sheltered—I had book smarts but I was street stupid, so I made lots of poor decisions," she said. After several episodes of instability and moving around the country, Gerry, now with two sons, reluctantly moved to Milwaukee to stay with one of her sister’s friends. After putting her children in Neighborhood House for kindergarten, she started participating a parenting program offered to students’ families titled the Nurturing Program. “I fell in love with the program and eventually became a peer facilitator. I received my certification as a trainer, and eventually earned my national certification and became the lead trainer for Aurora Family Services (AFS). I met the development director for AFS through the training that the then president Dave Hoffman, mandated that all his staff experience. She referred me to my first “real” job as the assistant to the development director at United Cerebral Palsy. I later moved on to the Nonprofit Center (at the time called MAUD) as the assistant to the executive director. AFS’s development director eventually offered to mentor me, and I returned to AFS as her assistant. “I learned my work ethic, value and understanding of the importance of culture from AFS. As I began my healing process as a peer facilitator, I was on welfare, broken and hopeless but because I was treated with dignity and respect and their culture allowed me to be a part of my own rescue, it made all the difference in the world (Continued on pg. 29)
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dward J. Bryant has been Vice President E of Business Banking and Community Lending at Town Bank, a division of Wintrust,
for less than six months. However, over the course of 20 years, he worked his way up the corporate ladder, though not without some setbacks beyond his control along the way. Edward began his career in banking as a customer service representative with a bank in Jackson, Mississippi that was later acquired by Regions Bank after earning a bachelor of arts degree in finance from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi in 1997. Jackson State is one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to serve the African American community which was largely prohibited from attending other institutions of higher education. After about two years in that position, he relocated to a larger branch in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2000 he and his wife, Delora, relocated to Milwaukee where Edward accepted a position as a branch manager with US Bank. From there he accepted a bank manager position with Associated Bank and finally in February 2003 he became a commercial loan officer and operations manager with Legacy Bank, one of a handful of African American owned banks formerly based in Milwaukee. In 2006 his career in commercial lending began to rise after he accepted a position as a senior commercial lender with the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). He was the first African American to hold that position with WHEDA. In that position, his responsibilities included the development and growth of the southeastern region of Wisconsin, managing a commercial loan portfolio valued at $40 million and developing new commercial loan relationships. After more than four years with WHEDA, Edward became vice president of commercial lending and chief lending officer in 2010 for North Milwaukee State Bank, another African American owned bank formerly located in Milwaukee. Both Legacy Bank and North Milwaukee State Bank were unable to recover from the Great Recession of 2007. Seaway was eventually acquired by North Carolina based Self-Help Federal Credit Union of Greensboro and North Milwaukee State Bank was also acquired by First Citizen’s Bank of Raleigh, North Carolina. Edward was
Edward J. Bryant Town Bank/Wintrust laid off from North Milwaukee State Bank in 2013 due to budget cuts. “The minority-owned banks are always the first to be hit and the last to come out of economic hard times,” Edward said. “The central city of Milwaukee is still suffering from the effects of the Great Recession. I feel we still have our challenges, but many people are working hard to try and make things better.” With three children still in school, Edward could not afford to dwell long on the disproportionate economic shock suffered by majority African American neighborhoods during the aftermath of the Great Recession. After being laid off from North Milwaukee State Bank, Edward formed Edward Capital, LLC and became a consultant, enabling him to maintain regular contact with his network of colleagues. Among his clients was North Milwaukee State Bank until it was closed and acquired by First Citizen’s in 2016. As a consultant, Edward said he helped raise capital for businesses and religious organization, consulted with banks to underwrite and analyze commercial credit, coordinated meetings for loan committees and revolving loan funds and lectured at small business forums, among many other duties. After about two years of working as a consultant, he accepted a position as community development financial insti-
tution director and director of lending with the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation (NWSCDC) in Milwaukee. He continuesd to maintain Edward Capital, LLC. Edward followed his time at NWSDC with brief stints at Chicago-based Byline Bank and the Black Business Investment Fund in Orlando, Florida before landing his current position with Town Bank. “My family and I have made Milwaukee our home,” Edward said. The couple have three daughters: Azariah, Ashai, and Ayanna. Edward and his family are members of Northtown Church of Christ where he serves as a deacon and on the church finance committee. Edward has a long history of community service in addition to his corporate trailblazing. He served as president and treasurer of the Fondy Food Center, a board member of the Riverworks Development Corporation, a revolving loan committee member for the City of Milwaukee Small Business Development, vice president and treasurer of the Highland Community School and a loan committee member for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Milwaukee and Legacy Redevelopment Corporation. Edward said he is committed to playing the long game when it comes to helping drive economic growth in Milwaukee’s central city. “I don’t consider myself a lender,” he said. “I’m an economic advocate for the local economy. Banks are the cornerstone of the local economy. They should be economic advocates. I want all of Milwaukee’s neighborhoods to become more prosperous.” In addition to his undergraduate degree, Edward has earned an MBA and a commercial real estate certificate through ACRE (Associates in Commercial Real Estate). Edward has also attended many banking and professional development courses.
Yvonne McCaskill (Continued from pg. 18)
specific strategies to teach youth about the importance of environmental stewardship— why it’s important to fix cars that leak oil, why you should not leave your dog’s poop on the ground and things like that," Yvonne said. Students from the Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, which is down the street, also engage with residents to paint rain barrels and help the Association with garden maintenance. The students receive points for community service on their college applications. Association members also teach environmental stewardship classes at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, which will become a ‘green’ school this year.
“Now when partners approach us to do something in our neighborhood, I require them to put funds in their budget so we can at least pay our youth stipends. At some point, our residents should be paid for their intellectual property as well. I’m not concerned about getting paid myself. I like money too, but it’s not important to the work that I do, but I want our youth and some of our residents to be compensated for their time and intellectual property. The legacy I want to leave is that I allowed my heart to lead the way because of my concern about the quality of life of all people,” Yvonne said. An NCON Communications Publication
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“In 2016 our community was chosen as Green Luminary by MMSD and I was invited to join the U.S. Water Alliance, so now I sit on that team.
www.we-energies.com/foundation www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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ita Farrow, performance auditor with N Milwaukee Public Schools, is a poster child for achieving educational goals with hard
work and determination. She also knows not to ever let others define or dictate what you can’t do. Nita willingly admits that when in high school, she was not an “A” student, but she studied and worked hard to be what she terms a “B-C” student. “When I was in the eighth grade, my teacher told me I would never get into Rufus King High School—she said I wasn’t smart enough and my grades weren’t good enough. And, I attended Harambee Community School, a small, community-based, private school. So going from there to Rufus King was a cultural shock. It was a huge high school and I struggled socially, trying to fit in. “Even though things were not easy for me, I got into Rufus King and during my sophomore year, I started trying to figure out my career goals,” she said. Nita recalls that she started taking business classes when she became a junior and met Mrs. Clara Lovell who was an accounting teacher. “She took us on field trips to places like MillerCoors (formerly Miller Brewing Company), and I saw all these African American women working in the accounting department. I was impressed with that so I studied hard, attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee and majored in accounting,” she said. After earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Nita wanted to become a certified public accountant (CPA) and remain in Tennessee. Two things changed her mind. First, the requirements for becoming a CPA in Tennessee were more stringent; they required potential CPA candidates to have 150 credit hours, which is equivalent to a master’s degree. Earning a CPA in Wisconsin only requires 120 credit hours. Secondly, she was encouraged by her grandmother to come home.
Nita Farrow Milwaukee Public Schools Fresh out of college, Nita shares that she struggled to find a job. At first she worked in the M&I Bank's (now BMO Harris Bank) Trust department through a temporary agency as an account representative; then she was hired on full-time with Robert W. Baird & Co. “I was only making $7.70 an hour with an accounting degree. I was really at a low point in my life. I saw a job opportunity with Coleman and Williams, Ltd.—a minority accounting firm— and was hired there. “Working at Coleman and Williams was another cultural shock because everyone there was of African descent—not African American. Mr. Coleman is from the Ivory Coast and his plan was to recruit other Africans, give them accounting experience, then have them return to their native country. I was the only Black woman at his firm,” she said. Nita worked at Coleman and Williams for two years before she was put on the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) account. While working on an audit at MPS, she was recruited by them and she’s
randon Watkins is a rare breed—born B and raised in Milwaukee and after graduating from Tennessee State University, opted to
use his talents at MillerCoors right here in his home town. A graduate of Homestead High School, Brandon earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering, a master’s degree from Keller Graduate School of Management, and he is a certified professional project manager. Throughout high school, he played basketball and, for a year, attended St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin where he played basketball. After a year, he transferred to his parents’ home state of Tennessee to complete his education at Tennessee State University. “I came from a very nurturing household, living with parents who had high expectations for my brother and me. My brother is a pharmacist and has worked at Walgreen’s for more than 20 years. Growing up, keeping God first, family, learning and developing skills were important traits my parents instilled in us,” he said. Brandon never had to look far for a role model—his dad, Shelton Watkins—aptly filled that role. “My father taught me the importance of having a great work ethic. He also helped me to understand and believe that I could do whatever I set my mind to do, if I put in the work. I also admire his ability to communicate and connect with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives which I try to emulate. For instance, I went from attending predominately Caucasian schools— Homestead High and St. Norbert College—to an HBCU, Tennessee State. This major ethnic and cultural transition was easy, because I watched how my dad interfaced with people and was able
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Brandon Watkins MillerCoors to influence and build relationships, and I adapted some of those principles for myself,” he said. Now with MillerCoors for more than 18 years, Brandon started working in Milwaukee as a corporate electrical engineer. He then moved to Fort Worth, Texas for four years, and to Albany, Georgia for about four years, working in leadership roles in engineering and operations before moving back to Milwaukee seven years ago. As with anything worth achieving, success doesn’t come without some challenges. Brandon has encountered, faced and overcome his share of challenges. “Figuring out the right balance of managing senior level resources and new employees in the workforce can be challenging. The ability to adjust styles and communicate differently to get the most out of each employee has always been a focus. In addition, being an African American in the corporate environment—where diversity is limited specifically in the technical side of the brewing industry—comes with challenges. It can be difficult navigating a career and surviving in an environment like this. Building relationships and gaining trust can take longer. I’m one of a few
been there since 1997. “Unfortunately, I’ve not really had any mentors who work in accounting, but in 2017 I joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (DST). Many of them are educators, so while I still have no accounting mentors, I do have encouragement and support from my sorors—especially from people like Janie Hatton, who continues to encourage me, even though she’s now retired from MPS,” she said. While working full-time, Nita has earned two master’s degrees—in business administration and public administration. She has also received the School Business Administration license from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Since 2014, she has been an adjunct lecturer, teaching accounting at Concordia University, and she serves as a trustee with her church. “I try to mentor some of my students—one is actually my intern. I also recently started a bookkeeping and tax business on the side. While I’m busy, whenever I speak to young people I tell them not to let the fact that they may not be “A” students stop them from pursuing their dreams. Many minority students struggle with numbers and math—especially since they don’t teach traditional math in school. Math is a numbers game, but it’s more analytical than you think; you have to think outside the box. “My career has been challenging, but I feel I’ve overcome obstacles by working hard in a male-dominated field. I’m at a point now where I’ve found my ‘happy’ and I’m in a good place,” she said. African American technical resources that have a long tenure with the company. Thankfully, I’ve had many mentors throughout my professional career who have lent their insight and guidance to help me understand how to succeed within a corporate environment,” he said. The upside of being one of few individuals on a technical career path is that Brandon understands the need to groom those coming beside and behind him. To that end, he makes it a point to mentor employees at MillerCoors. “I know many of the African American employees at MillerCoors—particularly those based in Milwaukee—and even some outside of this state. I try to do my due diligence to mentor and give them the tools they need. It can be a challenge if you don’t know how to maneuver in this dynamic environment. Also, each year, I get involved with the African American Male Initiative through Concordia University. The purpose of the African American Male Initiative is to support young Black men toward higher levels of academic performance in their persistence toward college/trade readiness and completion. For the past four years I have brought 80-100 high school students to MillerCoors’ campus to meet with leaders who provide mentorship and discuss their backgrounds, knowledge and experiences. It’s impactful—not only for the kids— but MillerCoors’ leaders as well,” he said. Brandon also supports Junior Achievement Day, where MillerCoors employees go into Hopkins-Lloyd Community School and spend a day with students. They cover specific information that the students apply by enhancing their understanding around entrepreneurship, workforce readiness and financial literacy. MillerCoors also has an African American Employee Network (AAEN), which is an employee resource group that focuses on developing and retaining (Continued on pg. 26) An NCON Communications Publication
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hen he was a youth, Reginald Baylor W earned the distinction of being ‘the artist in the family,’ and lent his talents to help pro-
mote the family’s produce business by painting signage and other items related to the business. Growing up in Milwaukee on 41st and Hampton, Reginald attended Lutheran parochial schools, where teachers encouraged him in his artwork. He also credits his parents for recognizing and supporting his talent and passion. When Reginald was in seventh grade, his family moved to Mequon, where he attended public schools and graduated from Homestead High School. After graduation he attended UW-Oshkosh, majoring in fine arts, with an emphasis on sculpture. As a backup plan to ensure he would not become a starving artist, Reginald switched his major to art education with the intent of becoming an art teacher. Three credits shy of earning a degree, he left college in 1988. He remained in Oshkosh for a few years before moving to California. There he met his wife, Jill, and worked at the Laguna Beach Art Museum and Newport Art Museum, helping to install exhibits. The experience was critical to his own artistry, and he moved from sculpture to painting in acrylics. In 1995, he connected with Suzanne Zada, a Beverly Hills, California art dealer, who continues to represent him today. In 1995, Reginald moved his family to Chicago, where he was employed as an owner-operator for Mason Dixon Trucking. “It was my own truck and obviously was a secure job so I could provide for my family. Since I was my own businessman, I could continue working part-time on my art. By the time I quit driving the truck, I had about 20 paintings in my inventory. With Suzanne selling my paintings back in California, I started believing that my art could sustain my family, but since the cost of living was so high in California, I returned to Milwaukee,” he said. After relocating to Milwaukee in 1998, Reginald began his full time career creating and rowing up in Dallas, Texas in the Jim G Crow South, Marvin Pratt experienced first-hand the water fountains marked “Colored”
and “White”; sitting in the back of street cars, and eating lunch at H.L. Green’s Department Store, but in the basement—not at the lunch counter, because Blacks were not allowed there. “We grew up in public housing in Dallas. It wasn’t bad, certainly there was a stigma attached to living in the projects; but the dwellings and living conditions were not bad. I experienced segregation first-hand, but as I got older, I was idealistic enough to think that politicians and people in public service could make a difference. My mother was politically astute and I recall as a kid that when Dwight Eisenhower won the presidential election she said, ‘Well, I guess we’ll be eating beans and cornbread from now on.” The next day, we had pork chops, so I remember thinking, it must not be that bad,” he said. After Marvin’s family moved to Milwaukee, he attended North Division High School and entered the United States Air Force following graduation. Since he was always well read, Marvin knew about the civil rights and Black Power movements, but he didn’t get involved until after serving four years in the military. “The first time I really became engaged with politics was with was the Kennedy presidential
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Reginald Baylor Reginald Baylor Studio exhibiting his artwork from his studio in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. In 2009 he even served as artist-in-residence at the Pfister Hotel. The residency afforded Reginald an opportunity to learn more about the business aspects of being an artist, such as marketing and planning. “My mom, Helen Baylor, was always one of my biggest fans. She was also part of the African American Art Alliance (AAAA). She introduced me to Sande Robinson, an avid art collector, member of the board of trustees of the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) and president of the AAAA. Sande, in turn, introduced me to Curtis L. Carter, professor of aesthetics at Marquette and chief curator of the Haggerty Museum of Art. That was my biggest break into the Milwaukee art community,” he said. Today, Reginald Baylor Studio is located in Walker’s Point. The studio’s tagline is ”Manufacturing Creativity,” which concisely describes the
business’ mission. “We’re a design firm that provides creative services to any individual, group or business, whether it’s a product, experience or marketing concept. If clients need help finding ways to be more creative, that’s what we do,” he said. Reginald hasn’t forgotten his stint as a student art teacher, so he is committed to giving several presentations a year to students about art and art history—mostly at the elementary school level. “The studio has always had some arm in education. The studio is a big fan of True School and Artworks, which is a mentor organization for me. We are also in the process of establishing some programs specifically offering services to underrepresented populations in Milwaukee; it’s an unrepresented movement,” he said. One of the challenges Reginald sees is helping people understand the value of creativity. The studio focuses on commissioned work, 2D prints, but also sells smaller accessible works like t-shirts, shower curtains, and jewelry. “Creativity economically isn’t measured properly; it isn’t valued properly. Many think art is about possessing million dollar paintings. I’m more on the accessible side of the art world than the extravagant, high-end side. I want people to value, understand and appreciate creativity,” he said. Reginald said that all he wants people to remember about him is that he tried to provide opportunities. “That’s all—I provided opportunities,” he said.
Upon graduating from Marquette University with a bachelor's degree in political science, Marvin set out to put it to good use. His job working as an intern for Milwaukee Mayor Henry Maier marked the beginning of a long and extraordinary political career. In 1984, he ran unsuccessfully for alderman against Roy B. Nabors and, in a 1986 special election for the same seat, Marvin ran and won. After that election, he was appointed to the common council's Finance and Personnel Committee. As a comThe Honorable Marvin Pratt mittee member, one of Former Alderman, Mayor, & County Executive the initiatives that Marvin worked on was the campaign. I was intrigued by Kennedy’s chalResidents Preference Program, which helped to lenge of 'ask not what your country can do for create employment opportunities for City of Milyou, but what you can do for your country.' It was waukee residents. a time of high idealism and I got caught up in it, In 1996, he was elected as chairman of the Fimaking real changes in life. nance and Personnel Committee, a position he “I wasn’t in the forefront of the open housing held until 2000, when he was elected Milwaukee marches here in Milwaukee, but I participated Common Council president, a position he held in the marches organized by Father Groppi. I until 2004. remember that former city council member and In 2004, when Mayor John Norquist stepped judge Vel Phillips would attend the meetings at down, Marvin was appointed as the acting MaySt. Boniface and fire up the crowd. I recall naor of Milwaukee, the first African American to tional figures coming to Milwaukee to support hold that position. He subsequently ran for MayFather Groppi, including Congressman Ron Delor in 2004, but lost the election to Tom Barrett. lums (who later became the Mayor of Oakland, In 2006, Pratt began his own consulting firm, California), Dick Gregory and others. I was inMarvin Pratt and Associates LLC, which specialvolved with the marches, but at the time it was ized in government relations. just something to do; I wasn’t fully aware of the (Continued on pg. 26) significance or impact at first,” he said. www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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arrin Reasby (1966-2019) was born in D Milwaukee to Juneza Reasby and Professor “Jim Dandy” Williams. A graduate of John
Marshall High School, Darrin loved people and had a special passion for graphic arts, cooking and fashion design. He especially enjoyed investing in the lives of young people and helping them realize their potential. Darrin’s commitment to enriching the lives of young people allowed him to work with hundreds of promising youth over the years. He served as a father figure to a number of young “divas.” in the community, but of utmost importance to him was his relationship to his mother, Juneza. Prior to his death, he acknowledged that he was the man he became because of his mother and that he owed everything to her. She was always Darrin’s number one support and lifeline. Committed to living a life of service, Darrin valued his family, God, community, business and life. One of the ways Darrin served the community was by mentoring young women with the Born 2 Dream Divas In Training. Born 2 Dream helps educate young women in business and entrepreneurship to prepare them to be the future business leaders of America. Darrin and other volunteers in the program help teach the young women how make money, save it by open a savings account, and give back to the community by supporting a charity of their choice. The Divas chose to raise money to help support the fight against breast cancer. As a transplant recipient, he was determined to make his donor proud for giving him his heart and a second chance at life. Darrin was also grateful for the exceptional care he received
outside the body. It can be used as a bridge to transplant — helping a patient survive months or years until a donor heart is available. While Darrin always loved to bake, it wasn’t until he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure that he was able to turn his passion into a business. After his heart transplant, Darrin was on his feet and cooking after two weeks at home. He threw a party to celebrate his 51st birthday in September 2017, won a local cooking competition and made plans to open a storefront in Milwaukee for his business. While toward the end of his life, Darrin mentioned that he wanted to move and ‘get out’ of Milwaukee, he wanted his friends and family to know that he wasn’t talking about going to another city to live; he was referring to his heavenly home. On October 19, 2019, with his mother, son, brother, cousins and close friends by his side to bid him farewell, Darrin moved. He departed this earth to take up his citizenship in heaven.
The Late Darrin Reasby Born2Dream Divas in Training from a father and son superstar cardiothoracic surgeon duo—Drs. Lyle and David Joyce. His doctors agreed that he would benefit from a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to help his heart continue to pump while he waited for a donor heart. Ventricular assist devices are surgically implanted mechanical pumps. The pump connects to a control unit and battery pack worn
er birth mother’s compassionate act of H giving her up for adoption has significantly and positively impacted Angela Stinson’s
life of service and compassion for others. It is also one of the reasons why she volunteers so much of her time to help others. “After living in a convent for unwed teen mothers, my birth mother allowed me to be adopted. I was raised and cared for by two loving parents who made sure I was never neglected or deprived. I learned discipline, the importance of education, self-respect and respect for others and my community, and developed a strong work ethic under the love and care of my great uncle and great aunt. God also allowed me to get to know and develop a relationship with my birth mother, who is now 87 years old, my siblings, nieces, nephews and other relatives,” Angela said. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Angela graduated from Rufus King International High School. Right out of school, she was hired as a teaching assistant at West Division High School (now High School of the Arts). She later became a paraprofessional with Milwaukee Public Schools while attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, earning a bachelor’s degree in social work and welfare. She then earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from National Louis University—Illinois and became a certified classroom teacher for 21 years with Milwaukee Public Schools. She was also a finance specialist and personnel supervisor for the Army National Guard. Several of her military tours included Fort Sill in Oklahoma; Schofield Barracks in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. She also served during the Desert Storm conflict. She retired as a staff sergeant E-6 after 20 years of service. Baptized and raised as a member of St. Matthew’s Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Angela retired from Milwaukee Public Schools in 2011. Unsure of what to do next, she sought God for guidance and direction. She didn’t have to look far for opportunities to volunteer her talents. Angela began tutoring children at her church in various subjects for a year and eventually, she joined the Ida Mae Black Missionary Society and became fully engaged in servant leadership positions. She is chairperson of the Mary www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Angela Stinson U.S. Army National Guard (Retired) Turner Circle, which serves the sick and shut-in by visiting members of the church in nursing homes and hospitals, as well as assisting with taking members to medical appointments when needed. She also serves as the correspondence secretary, sending get-well cheer and uplifting sympathy cards to members and families. The Ida Mae Black Missionary society is a part of the Milwaukee District and the 3rd Episcopal district of the CME Church's Southeast Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin Region. It provides funds for various initiatives such as Helena B. Cobbs Scholarship (helping young men and women who are college bound), S.O. S. (Save Our Sons) scholarship for young men. In addition, the society supports Hunger Meals for Millions and overseas missions. Angela is a member of Church Women United-Milwaukee Unit and has served as memorial chairperson for four years. Church Women United (CWU) is comprised of women of many Christian denominations who work together using resources, and money God has entrusted to the missions of Christ. Church Women United
helps agencies like Boudicca, Guadalupe, Children’s Hospital Safe Harbor and VETS Place with gifts, clothing, donations, toys and so much more. Each month the CWU meetings are held at a member church. Angela was also honored in 2018 as Missionary of the Year for exemplary, dedicated and faithful service by the Ida Mae Black Missionary Society. “The last five years as one of the advisors for St. Matthew’s Blanket of Love sanctuary has been near and dear to my heart. The infant mortality rate in Milwaukee is at a crisis. In 2019, 100 babies died in Milwaukee before their first birthdays. Our Blanket of Love Sanctuary church ministry supports families, young pregnant mothers and young fathers-to-be by connecting them to resources. Many of these young people need pre-natal care, ongoing medical care, housing, education and job preparation and a lot of love; so we are here to help them however we can,” she said. Angela is a member of Milwaukee North Sunrise Rotary Club. Rotary’s goal is to build peace and a better life for people in their communities, where people connect, unite, and take action to create lasting change across the world and in communities promoting peace and conflict resolutions. “I wanted to be able to give back in some way by volunteering my time when and where it’s needed. I wanted to use my time and vigor for making a positive difference in people’s lives. I want to return some of the love and compassion I received throughout my life. Someone poured compassion, love and caring into my life, and if there are ways I can pay it forward—large or small—I want to do that. As an educator, I was able to touch the future—our children—as well as help adults achieve a better quality of life. I’m grateful that I can continue serving and can use my talents beyond retirement,” she said. An NCON Communications Publication
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ewayne Walls is an award-winning 33 D year employee of WISN-TV Channel 12. Dewayne began his career at Channel 12 as a
floor director, responsible for managing the communications from the control room to the crew on the floor, and generally keeping the flow of the set dynamic for the viewers at home. In the course of his long and varied tenure at the station, he has been honored by the National Association of Black Journalists for producing WISN 12's top news series, “Children in the Line of Fire.” He has also been honored by the Milwaukee Press Club, and by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with two regional Emmy® Awards for producing WISN 12's teen talk series "Teen Forum." Though both his parents, Lois and Roosevelt Walls, hailed from Memphis, Tennessee; Dewayne was born and raised in Milwaukee. From a young age Dewayne was interested in journalism. He once finished 2nd place in the Milwaukee Journal's Young Writers Contest. He graduated from Rufus King International High School in 1976 and then attended the US Air Force Acad-
Dewayne Walls WISN-TV12 emy, making him the first black student from Milwaukee at that service academy. After his military service he earned a commercial pilot's license for Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1982. Dewayne had originally planned on a career as an air traffic controller. However, during the 1981 Air Traffic Controllers Strike, all then-employed air traffic controllers were fired and replaced under orders from
then-President Ronald Reagan. Dewayne thought it was better to look for a career elsewhere. As part of his college course work, Dewayne had to write, produce, and direct a TV commercial for a marketing class. This experience ignited his interest in television production. In 1986, he graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College with a degree in television and video production and shortly thereafter was hired by WISN 12. When asked why he has stayed in TV, despite the rise in popularity of social media, Dewayne said, "I see it as a medium that can still really impact the lives of the viewers. It still has a lot of untapped potential." Besides his distinguished career at Channel 12, Dewayne takes every opportunity available to him to try and make his hometown a better place to live and work. He is a former Boys and Girls Club Alumnus of the Year and credits the Franklin Place Boys and Girls Club with much of his success. "You have to try and find your passion and be true to it. You have to try and stay focused despite the inevitable life distractions that will arise." Dewayne is the brother of Sheila and Terrence, and the proud father of Pamela, Juwan, Najee and Maya.
Minority Business hérèse Bailey, founder of ZenZen, LLC, T left years of working in the corporate sector to pursue a career offering the opportuni-
ty to express her passion in movement, exercise and aerial arts. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, she and her three siblings were raised by their mother and grandmother, who both passed away when Thérèse was nine years old. “After a brief stay in foster homes, we were split up among relatives on my mother’s side of the family. I and my baby brother, who was two years old, lived with a cousin. Since I had learned from my mother how to look after the baby, I became his caretaker in my relative’s home.” she said. Thérèse excelled throughout school and graduated valedictorian of her high school class. She passed the civil service test to be hired for a job in the federal government. She made her way to Washington, DC and it was not long before she made the major step to fulfill her dream and earn a college degree. Working full time and taking a full load of classes each semester, she graduated from Howard University with a liberal arts degree. “I was unsure of the career path to pursue, but getting hired at that time was not difficult. I dabbled in the clothing business and custom-designed styles selling to co-workers, friends, and others. I was very comfortable, exercising, eating well and taking care of myself, going about my life. However I discovered, after years in corporate systems and management, something needed to change. I left DC, and moved to Los Angeles where my sister was living,” she said. Her new job in Los Angeles meant networking and meeting other professionals at conferences around the country. Friendship with one these associates became a long-distance romance. He lived in Wisconsin while she lived in California. Things became serious and he proposed, so she moved to Milwaukee to start a new life. Sadly, the relationship ended in a few months and they went their separate ways, but Thérèse decided to remain in Milwaukee. “The people I met in Milwaukee were friendly and unpretentious. For eight years, I thrived in corporate marketing until the company began layoffs and just before the holidays I became one An NCON Communications Publication
Thérèse Bailey ZenZen Yoga Arts of the casualties. This gave me pause to recognize life was more than a paycheck. Turning toward my spiritual practice, as I had done throughout my life, the ‘ah-ha’ moment was revealed. I took a step back from it all and did absolutely nothing. With enough money saved, very little debt, and a reasonable severance package, financial concerns became light,” she said. She knew the time had come to follow a different path and while visiting her elderly aunt who had been struggling with a bad back, Thérèse offered her guidance through yoga movements to help to bring her aunt a degree of relief. “I had been inspired by a host of yoga teachers and yoga masters and was certified to teach, but never seriously considered going beyond my personal practice. When my aunt said, ‘you should be teaching this’, her words were a light to me. I had great respect and admiration for her and trusted her judgment; so the next day I began my search for studios that might be hiring
yoga teachers,” she said. With enough money saved to achieve the additional training and further certifications she needed, Thérèse landed contracts with several Milwaukee businesses, including Mortgage Guarantee Insurance Corporation, The Woman’s Club of Wisconsin and Aveda Institute Milwaukee, to offer classes at each location. “While doing some online research, I saw that a certain type of yoga had been trending, where participants used a silky sling for their practice. It was called aerial yoga. After taking classes in Chicago, it took no time for me to decide to open a studio in Milwaukee, especially since the city had nothing of its type available,” she said. As she pursued this passion, she recalls one of her favorite songs by Whitney Houston, “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.” It became her mantra at ZenZen Yoga Arts. “My online presence had steady growth and was fueled via word-of-mouth. They enjoyed sharing time with others who were learning to move their body in different and more expressive ways. ZenZen Yoga Arts became a gathering place for a new crop of local aerialists.” she said. Now in her eighth year of studio ownership, Thérèse is considering a second location. In September 2019 the compass pointed to a relocation in the Bay View neighborhood. For the 10 years since forming ZenZen, LLC, she has kept growing and learning and has received several certifications in her specialty, including becoming a registered affiliate of Yoga Alliance and the Worldwide Federation of Female Professionals. Thérèse believes her challenges have mainly been misguided perceptions of how she and others see the world around them. She said she stopped doing what was making life a struggle and started doing what would make life a joy. “Sometimes we see a situation and put our own limited label on it, causing us to feel depressed, lonely, unworthy. If I can step back and remove the label and the judgment (of things, people, etc.), I can get through any storm. I’m guided by the principles of God’s love for us all, our forgiveness for each other, and allowing myself to be authentic in every way. We all have gifts and our gifts need to be expressed,” she said. www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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onnie Gilchrist traveled to Memphis, Tennessee in 2003 to learn the fire cutting hair technique from his uncle. He is certain he is the only hair stylist in Milwaukee offering the technique and most likely the only one in Wisconsin. Fire cutting relies on fire instead of a razor and scissors to cut hair. A quick search of the internet reveals a number of different ways in which fire is used to cut hair. Ronnie said he relies on an oversize butane lighter. He said the technique, which he cautions should never be undertaken by someone who has no experience, can be beneficial for people who suffer from split ends. “This is a technique, not a style,” said Ronnie. He typically does an average of about two fire cuts per week. In order to obtain a satisfactory fire cut, Ronnie said hair must be shampooed twice and conditioner applied afterward. As he performs the technique, he usually plays theme music from the movie “Shaft” which he said was composed by his cousin, the late Isaac Hayes. In addition to fire cuts, Ronnie offers a full range of service at SerFuture Fashions Hair & Barber Salon. He has been in business since 1980 and at the same location on Burleigh Street for the past 16 years. Ronnie is the youngest of five children and was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He said he initially planned on making a career in the Army, but he was wounded in Viet Nam and honorably discharged in 1965. After his discharge, he returned to Memphis, and began working at Wonder Bread. He left Memphis for Milwaukee in 1970 in order to seek a better opportunity for himself and his young family, which by then included his wife, Minerva, and children Ronnie, Reginald, Echo, Angela and Tremane. Before he opened his own salon, Ronnie said he spent 10
Ronnie Gilchrist SerFuture Fashions Hair & Barber Salon years, first obtaining his degree in cosmetology and business management from Milwaukee Area Technical College and then several years as an apprentice. “Hair styling was not so much a passion of mine, but it was an excellent way to keep your own hours and to earn a respectable income,” Ronnie said. “Quality of service and punctuality is what keeps customers coming back. I frequently attend trade shows in Chicago to keep current on the latest styles and to share my knowledge with employees who might not get to go.” Ronnie currently manages a staff of four including himself. At the salon, one is encouraged to ask for “Gill, the owner” if one is interested in receiving a fire cut. SerFuture Fashions Hair & Barber Salon was originally located for 23 years
aren James first discovered her love of K designing clothes and modeling fashion at age 12 when her mother, Dorothy, gave
her a sewing machine. Initially she said she made clothes featuring her designs in fashion shows for her Barbie dolls. Unfortunately, Karen said, one of her sisters had a habit of sabotaging the fashion set with a sweep of her young hand. Karen quickly developed an eye for fashion and an undying belief that one day she would be discovered by a top designer who would help her achieve another unconquered dream: that of becoming financially independent for the rest of her life. “I’m still working on the financially independent part,” she said, “but God has blessed me to connect with some wonderful people in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is my home. I continue to expect to be discovered someday.” Karen relocated to Milwaukee from Chicago when she was five years old. She is the owner of Creations and Designs by KCJ. At her studio, she designs and creates custom clothes for weddings, proms, children’s clothing for school – whatever the occasion for women of all sizes and shapes. She said she typically spends an average of 1020 hours on each design, depending on what the customer wants. “God downloads my brain,” she said. “If you can imagine something in your mind, you can create it. Whatever I do has to have that look, that flair that says ‘look at me’. My goal is to have a vision to create something unique for each person. “I design for all sizes,” she said. “I question why someone would spend money for something that doesn’t flatter a full-figured woman and costs as much to alter as it did to buy, especially when you can have something custom made.” The gift of the sewing machine was made possible in part after her fourth-grade sewing teacher at Victor Berger Elementary School helped her obtain a scholarship. “That was where I began to develop an eye for style and design,” Karen said. Karen had her first adult fashion show at age 15. She also began modeling at that time, something www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Karen James Creations and Designs by KCJ she continues to do. She attended Riverside High School and graduated from Robert Fulton High School which has since been renamed Malcolm X High School. After graduation, Karen briefly attended Mount Mary University in Milwaukee on a scholarship, but her passion for fashion was too strong and she left before graduating. For a number of years after college, Karen said she worked out of her home. “For years I prayed for a landlord who had a compassionate heart,” she said. “I moved into my own studio for the first time in 2014. It was a test. I didn’t have enough money to get started, but pretty soon the money started coming in.” Business varies depending on the time of year, according to Karen who said that prom season and weddings are her busiest time. In a typical year, she said she will create about two dozen wedding dresses which she said tend to be the most glamorous design.
near 49th St. and North Ave. He said he spent a considerable amount of time driving around Milwaukee to find the perfect place to relocate. SerFuture Fashions Ser Hair & Barber Salon Future was named after his Fashions son, Ser, who was killed by a drunk driver when he was 12 years old. Ronnie said he initially hoped that Ser would follow him into the family business. Ronnie did not return to his business for three months after his son’s death. He credits other siblings for rallying around him during that difficult time. Ronnie is currently a deacon at Way of the Cross Missionary Baptist Church. He previously volunteered with a church newsletter for 12 years. He was appointed to the Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology by former Governor Tommy Thompson. The Wisconsin Board of Cosmetology is in charge of enforcing laws and regulations through inspections, and investigation into complaints submitted by consumers. It conducts hearings, imposes penalties and enforces actions when deemed necessary. Through education and the enforcement of the cosmetology laws in Wisconsin, the state board ensures the safety, welfare and public health by regulating the salons, schools and individuals who practice cosmetology. The board also issues licenses to individuals who qualify for reciprocity or administration of a written and practical examination to schools and salons.
age five. “At first I felt like Mary Tyler Moore,” she said of her fresh start in a new city. “But it wasn’t what I thought it would be when I first arrived there. It was hard to find a job that permitted me to continue to pursue fashion. I made most of my money that year in Milwaukee.” In order to help make ends meet while living in Chicago, Karen said she began doing alterations, interior design work and customized apartment painting. “The pace was exhausting and it didn’t pay the bills,” she said. In addition to designing and creating unique clothes, Karen said she also creates custom gift baskets, arranges flowers, draws, recovers shoes and boots and she designs and creates personalized dolls which resemble the client. Karen attends Greater New Birth Church where she volunteers with the outreach ministry, helping to provide clothes and food to the homeless. The most recent project undertaken by the church involved assisting the tent city residents located underneath the Pere Marquette viaduct. “We do clothing drives under the leadership of Bishop R.J. Burt, our pastor” she said. “If you have a talent or a gift, he encourages you to showcase it on the third Sunday of the month as a way to inspire other members of the congregation. “I look at where I started and where I’ve come. I didn’t learn a whole lot in school. If it wasn’t for God blessing me, there would be a lot of things I wouldn’t know how to do. Most of my education has come through experience.” Karen has two adult children: a daughter, Starresa and a son, Karayne.
Except for one year in Chicago, Karen has called Milwaukee home since relocating here at An NCON Communications Publication
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hen Ronnie Lockett was ten years old, W his mother, Myrtle Jude, regularly cut his hair; but one time she cut too deep and left a
bald spot. After that, he was determined to learn to cut his own hair. That event was fortuitous, but the owner of one of Milwaukee’s most popular barbershops didn’t realize it would set him on the path to becoming an entrepreneur. After graduating from what was then Milwaukee Trade and Technical School (now Bradley Tech), Ronnie went into the Navy serving for four years. He was honorably discharged as a Machinist Mate third class in the engineering department. After the military he worked briefly at United Parcel Services, the Bradley Center and the Kelly Company before entering the world of cosmetology. He learned of a part-time barber position at Glen’s Beauty Salon and started working there, as an apprentice while attending MATC. Ronnie continues to take classes at MATC, only now he’s taking Spanish. “I aspire to become an instructor in barber and cosmetology. MATC recently had a position available, but they wanted someone who was bilingual to fill it. Taking Spanish puts me in a better position for the next opening. It’s been fun. I actually started teaching myself Spanish before enrolling in classes. I have a great respect for the culture, and they respect me for trying to learn their language. We can connect by bridging those gaps and taking time to get to know each other,” he said. “By coincidence, while attending MATC as an apprentice, I met the guy who I replaced at Glen’s Beauty Salon. We started talking and hit it off. After a while, he asked if I would be interested in working at Jenkins’ Barbershop, where he worked. At the time, Jenkins was ‘the place’ to get a good haircut,” he said. Ronnie was torn about taking the job because he and the owner of Glen’s, Mrs. Glennie Pickett, had become very close and he didn’t want to disappoint her. When Ronnie told her about the new job opportunity, they both cried, but she let him out of his apprenticeship contract in 1996 so that he could take the job at Jenkins. During this time, by happenstance, he ran into Edward Jenkins, owner of Jenkins Barbershop, and his wife while out doing errands. He informed Ronnie that the two other barbers had given their seal of approval for him to ‘fill the empty chair' in his barbershop and the rest is his-
Ronnie Lockett Ronnie's Barber Shop tory. Ronnie laments that when he started at Jenkins, he was the new guy and it took a while for people to accept him as a barber. “Doug was the new and up and coming young man. Even though I brought something new, at first customers wouldn’t give me a chance. I still showed up and tried to show a different side of what professionalism looked like by my dress and demeanor. One person gave me a chance, and a legend was born. People saw that the ‘young dude’ could cut hair. It didn’t bother me that people didn’t want to give me a chance at first. I had to prove myself and I did,” he said. One day, shop owner Edward Jenkins called Ronnie to come to his home and told him that if he went to school and earned all his licenses the barbershop would be his one day, but that he should ‘keep it under his hat’. Surprised that, as the youngest barber, the opportunity was offered to him, Ronnie didn’t take him seriously. “For all those years I kept it ‘under my hat’ and in 2001, after Jenkins passed, his wife, Susie, told us that Jenkins’ wish was to give Ronnie the first opportunity to purchase the barbershop, which she planned to sell in about three years. I immediately started getting my financial affairs in order, paying off my bills and saving money,” he said.
Brandon Watkins (Continued from pg. 21)
and African American talent within the organization. In addition, the group shares cultural insights that supports the business and programs that benefit the community. Brandon previously served as the group’s president. “I want to be a leader who helps others reach their ultimate goals. Throughout my career I’ve observed that if I give my employees the skills and tools they need to grow, develop and deliver results, everything else—from my standpoint—will take care of itself,” he said. Brandon and his wife of 16 years, Brandy, have three children—Brandon, age 12; Brayden, age 9; and a newborn daughter, Braya. In his downtime, Brandon loves coaching basketball with his son’s team and spending time with youth, helping them develop. “My younger son, Brayden, has cerebral palsy and he’s really helped me develop and become a better person and leader. When I see his daily struggles working extremely hard on the little things in life that we take for granted, it helps me put things in perspective when I’m going through my challenges. There is nothing to complain about as no challenge is too great if you have the right mindset,” he said. An NCON Communications Publication
In 2004, Ronnie informed Susie Jenkins that he was ready to purchase the building, but because she wasn’t really ready to sell, she came up with a high sell price. “I knew the revenue from the building was her livelihood, so I gave her what she wanted. The bank gave me 90 percent of the purchase price, but I was still short ten thousand dollars. I negotiated with Mrs. Jenkins to pay the additional money to her over time, if she lowered the price by ten thousand and she agreed,” he said. After that the shop became Ronnie’s Barber Shop, which he has owned now for 15 years. “My mother has been instrumental in my success because of the way she raised me. She taught me to be straight up with people and to ‘do what you say, say what you do.’ People talk to me about their lives and I don’t share that with others. My mother is a hard worker, who always made sure we (my siblings and I) had all we needed. She did the best job that any mother can do. My sisters are entrepreneurs as well—they have daycare centers and restaurants. “When I suffered from PTSD in the military and wanted to come home, she made me stay. She said ‘you signed up for it; you stay and finish what you started.’ At the time I had only completed 18 months of my four-year commitment, but her conversation helped me complete my service. “God gave me a talent—the ability to help people look good, give people advice, and also to learn from other people. Within the community, I’m looked upon as someone who gives back because so many have given to me. My dad was absent from my life but a lot of men who were important in my life, like my Uncle Tommie Lockett gave me advice, talked to me about life, and I’m appreciative. It honors me that people older than me look at me and say they are proud of and thankful for me,” he said. “Without people, there’s no me. I always remember what Mr. Jenkins told me, “Take care of the people and they will take care of you,” Ronnie said.
Marvin Pratt
(Continued from pg. 22) In 2011, he was elected as interim Milwaukee County Executive, making him the first person to hold both the positions of mayor and county executive in Milwaukee. In 2016, Milwaukee Public Schools named an elementary school in his honor—Marvin E. Pratt Elementary School. Pratt also holds the rank of major in the United States Army Reserves. Over the years, Marvin has made himself available to mentor several younger politicians, including current Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton, who once served as his aide. “I continue to believe in the political process. I’ve heard people use the analogy that changing the system is like turning a large vessel or yacht—the process is slow. As I reflect on service, I think I accomplished a few things after becoming more politically involved. One of the initiatives I’m proud of creating is the Code Enforcement Internship Program, as a way to build up the number of Black building inspectors. Participants had to live in the block grant area where most African Americans lived. They became interns, went through the necessary training, including a year-long course at MATC, and afterwards were able to get good jobs, earning family-sustaining wages,” he said. Pratt and his wife, Dianne, have two children, Michael Pratt and Andrea Pratt-Ellzey, and five grandchildren. www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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arol L. Haywood found her vocation C when her high school choral teacher informed her that she had a voice that could sing
opera solos. Carol decided that she would dedicate her life to finding an outlet which would allow her to pursue her desire to become an opera soloist, despite the fact that she made this decision in an era when there were virtually no African American opera singers in Milwaukee. Before her gift was recognized by her high school choral teacher, Carol gave her first performance at her church when she was five years old. Her mother, Clara, taught at a one-room schoolhouse in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. As a toddler, Carol came to school with her mother and could already read and write by age five. “Most church music is written in the middle to low vocal range,” she said. “Opera gave me a chance to explore the high range," she said. Carol moved to Milwaukee to accept a music teaching position at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, a prestigious, independent community school that offers classical, jazz, rock, folk and blues musical concerts throughout the year. In Milwaukee Carol achieved her dream of becoming a featured soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for the Youth Concert Series, and with conductor Doc Severinsen the Milwaukee Symphony Pops series among others. As an opera singer, recitalist, choral director, conductor, and teacher, Carol performed numerous roles on stage, such as “Euridice” in Orpheus, “Olympia” in Tales of Hoffman, “Adele” in Die Fledermaus, “Lucy” in The Telephone, “Papagena” in The Magic Flute, “Susanna” in The Marriage of Figaro, and “Yum Yum” in The Mikado for Skylight Opera and the Great Lakes Opera Company After becoming the first African American to sing with the Skylight Theatre of Milwaukee, Carol continued to perform for more than 10 years with that company. Now Skylight owns and operates the Broadway Theatre Center. Carole said she can remember a time when performances were held in a converted garage which could seat a maximum of 250 people and the
Carol L. Haywood Soprano performers had to do double duty as stagehands. “I never got a bad review,” she said. “I still have all my clippings. I can remember teaching all day and then getting on a bus to perform somewhere in Wisconsin and then coming back at 3 a.m., only to wake up at 6 a.m., to teach the next day.” Carol was born the fourth of five children. After her church singing debut, she continued to perform at churches before discovering opera. At a very young age she fell in love with performing, and along with her mother, father Levi and youngest brother also named Levi formed a quartet that performed at churches. In high school she formed a quartet with three other female classmates and sang popular songs from that era. The Skylight Music Theatre performances are in English. At the time there were only two operatic companies in Milwaukee. Carol performed with both of them. She said she only performed as a chorus member with Milwaukee's Florentine Opera for one year, however. “I found out they only used out-of-town so-
orn and raised in Milwaukee, Samuel B McClain grew up in a blended family. While money was short, his life was enriched
with a great love for music and undying encouragement from his mother. Samuel started playing the piano when he was seven years old. His mother recognized his gift as he quickly picked up songs and played them by ear, so she bought him a keyboard. By the time he was 13 years old, Samuel was playing music professionally. “I started out playing in St. Leo Catholic Church. My first music teacher was my grandmother, Evangelist Cleo Bost. She passed away in 2008. She’s a former Black Excellence honoree, so I’m grateful to follow in her footsteps as one of this year’s honorees,” he said. Samuel said that after attending Pius XI, Mesmer and Custer High Schools, he eventually earned his GED from MATC. He also attended the Conservatory of Music for two years, but since he was self-taught and had been playing for so many years, to him the investment in time and money wasn’t sufficient enough to justify continuing. “By the time I was in high school, I was making enough money to help my mother and stepfather with the bills. Guys that I went to school with were working at fast food restaurants, making minimum wage, but I was able to help sustain our large family. My mother, Tina Bost, had seven kids—six boys and one girl—and she was good at taking a little bit of nothing and turning it into a whole bunch of something. I was glad I could provide some financial relief. In addition to helping my family out, I just love making music, so it wasn’t like I was working,” he said. Samuel has been an active, long-time member of Milwaukee’s music scene. Known for his versatility, energy, and stage presence, he has performed for numerous bands, including The Eddie Butts Band and The North Coast Orchestra.
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Samuel McClain Pianist In addition to his busy performing schedule, he leads the popular rhythm and blues band, Keepin’ It Clean. The unique joy he brings to each performance makes him an especially memorable performer. Samuel said there are many individuals who recognized and encouraged his talent, including his grandmother and especially his mother. He also credits individuals who were well known in Milwaukee’s music scene like Chris Tillman, Thomas Watley, Eddie Butts and Duchie Rodgers, with helping him. “Chris (Tillman) is my godfather and a wellknown piano player who helped me a lot. There were many individuals that gave me their time and attention, but my mother was one of the most important people who encouraged me. She’s my backbone. She pushed me hard once she learned that I wanted to be a musician. She challenged
loists,” she said. “I left because I wanted to be a soloist.” In 1960, Carol earned a degree in music education and voice from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. After finishing college, she accepted a teaching position with the Milwaukee Public Schoosl system (MPS). She taught at a number of different MPS schools, retiring in 1994 after 34 years as a music teacher. “I love children,” Carol said. “Children like to perform and be recognized. People still recognize me and greet me when I go out. That is part of the pay that teachers get.” Carol dedicated her life to teaching children, but opera is her passion. She was the first female band director for MPS. She also became the first African American to sing at the Skylight Music Theatre. She has been a featured soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for the Youth Concert Series, and with conductor Doc Severinsen and the Milwaukee Symphony Pops series. Despite her love for opera, Carol has remained passionately involved with church music. She previously was choir director at Mt. Zion Baptist Church for 15 years and has been the choir director at Calvary Baptist Church for the past 15 years. Carol has contributed to her church congregation in numerous other ways as well. Four years ago, she became one of the first female deacons at Calvary Church under the pastorship of Dr. John R. Walton, Jr. “Deacons and pastors are the only ordained church personnel,” Carol said. “I am assigned 50 members and must make physical or telephone contact with each one at least once every 60 days. We provide spiritual assistance.” Carol holds an advanced music teaching license which has not had any new members certified in a number of years. The “500 License” qualifies her to teach any type of music class: band, choir, orchestra and dance. She is proficient on the piano and clarinet, but can play the basic harmony and melodies on every single orchestral instrument. Her husband, Earl, Sr., died in 2009. Carol has one adult son, Cory. me. She would give me a bunch of music and tell me to learn it; it started out with simple things, and rhythm and blues that my father had me listen to. Eventually my mother would give music by such greats as Beethoven, Mozart, Herbie Hancock; but her main lady was Chaka Khan. That’s all she played at home. “Father Mike Bertram, of St. Francis of Assisi, also encouraged me, along with the All Saints Gospel Choir. Father Mike is a good man and he looked out for me. When I was an arrogant, 20-something, he really helped me see that my ministry is bigger than me,” he said. The motivation, energy and determination to succeed behind Samuel’s professional success has a name—it’s Edith McClain—Samuel’s daughter. “My mother has always been my rock, but Edith is the reason I work so hard. I became a father when I was 22 years old and there was no more time for hanging out. I had to buckle down and raise my daughter. My father left our family when I was four years old, and he was in and out of my life. I didn’t want to be like that. While I wanted to be a musician, I knew I couldn’t be on the road all the time, so I had to prioritize. God has blessed me to be able to pursue my love of music full time. I’ve been able to help my mother and provide for my daughter. She is my number one focus. If I wasn’t playing a gig, she was not eating, so I had to work. My siblings have been a great support team for me, but my mother and daughter are the reason I became the man that I am today. I’m happy and proud of the decisions I’ve made in life,” he said. Samuel hasn’t forgotten those whose shoulders he stands on and spends great time and care helping young Black artists in Milwaukee. “Being a musician isn’t easy, and it can be especially difficult for Black musicians. Sometimes, unfortunately, we don’t want to share our (Continued on pg. 36)
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ate in the evening on January 5, 2019, L Chanaye Brown stopped the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus she was
driving to let a passenger board near 79th and Hampton. As she began to pull away from the curb, Chanaye caught sight of flames coming out of a ground-floor window of a darkened apartment building. A passenger pulled out his cell phone and called 911 as Chanaye notified MCTS dispatchers. “I’m going to see if I can get somebody’s attention,” Chanaye said as she ran outside. Chanaye pounded on the front door while screaming that there was a fire. Terrified residents, including multiple children, started to evacuate. Most residents didn’t know about the fire until Chanaye arrived. Chanaye heard the voices of other children who were still inside. She decided to run into the burning apartment unit, where she tried using a resident’s fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Unfortunately, the device was not working properly. Police officers and firefighters pulled up to the scene moments later and successfully extinguished the fire. No one was hurt. Authorities said the incident is a reminder about the importance of having working smoke detectors. As part of Fire Prevention Week 2019, officials with the Milwaukee Fire Department commended Chanaye for her actions. On October 10, 2019, she was named “Honorary Chief of the Day.” She then canvassed a neighborhood with firefighters and Red Cross volunteers to check for working smoke detectors, and install new alarms when needed. Later that evening, she was recognized with a Community Hero Award during the department’s annual Meritorious Service Awards Ceremony. “The Milwaukee Fire Department is proud of the actions and quick thinking of Chanaye Brown, resulting in minimal fire instead of what most likely would have been a full-fledged structure fire,” said Lieutenant Michael Ball, Community Relations Director for the Milwaukee Fire Department. “Because of her actions in calling the fire department first, alerting residents, and attempting to help extinguish the fire, not only ecilia Nation-Gardner had been a bus opC erator for less than a year on the morning of May 15, 2019 when she noticed a little
boy walking in the street near the intersection of North 35th and West Vliet Streets. “I honked the horn, but cars kept driving and no adult came to get him,” she said. “I stopped the bus and went into the middle of the intersection to try and stop traffic.” The boy had difficulty communicating and at first Cecilia thought he might be speaking in a different language. She notified the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) dispatch operator and informed the operator of the situation and the police were summoned. Cecilia said the child was calm while they waited. “After I arrived at my layover destination, I was met by a supervisor who said that I had done a good deed,” she said. “That’s when I learned that the child was six years old and autistic. My heart just dropped.” This was not the only good deed that Cecilia performed during her first year as a bus operator with MCTS. Not long after helping reunite the young boy with his family, Cecilia was driving south on Kinnickinnic Avenue in Cudahy when she noticed a young girl in the median, unaccompanied by an adult and holding a blanket and her shoes in her hands. “I pulled the bus to a stop a little behind her so she would not be startled and said, ‘Baby, where are you going’?” Cecilia said. “She said she was on her way to her mother’s. I asked her where her mother was and she said Georgia.” Cecilia invited the girl who also happened to be six years old to wait on the bus while help was summoned. An NCON Communications Publication
Chanaye Brown Milwaukee County Transit System was no one hurt, but minimal damage occurred to the building — allowing the rest of the residents to return to their apartments rather than be displaced. We commend Chanaye for her quick and decisive action in stepping up and helping when the situation arose.” Chanaye said the whole thing happened so quickly, there was little time to think about her actions. “I wasn’t thinking,” Chanaye said. “When I saw the video of me entering a burning building, I was shocked. I’m raising three kids of my own. When I hear kids in trouble, I act. It made me feel good that I was able to help and provide a good example for my own children.” Chanaye is a native of Milwaukee and the fourth of 15 children born to Ennis Brown and Janice Dorn. Chanaye said as a child, she and her siblings built and raced go-karts. Chanaye and her siblings continue to do a lot of activities together such as family dinners, fishing and performing karaoke. In January, Chanaye drove 12 hours one way with her three children, DeAnthony, 11; NayShaun, 10; and Cristina, 8, in order to visit
relatives in Arkansas and fulfill a promise to her mother, who was hospitalized and wanted to see her father. She returned to Milwaukee with her grandfather, Curtis Dorn. “This was something all of my siblings needed,” she said. “We were blessed to be together as a family for Christmas and New Year’s.” Chanaye’s mother died after a long illness on January 4. Chanaye said her mother had a tremendous influence on the direction her life has taken. “I tried to set myself up to accomplish some goals that my parents could not,” she said. “My mom was always there encouraging us. She always told us to look out for each other. Growing up I saw how she always tried to help other people.” Each bus route has its unique rewards, according to Chanaye. Some passengers have shared candy with her. This year a passenger gave her a pumpkin for Halloween. “That was really nice because my daughter had missed her field trip to the pumpkin farm,” she said. “I picked up a passenger in the morning and he asked me if I had children. When I picked him up in the evening, he had the pumpkin for me. He said that I was a very good driver.” Chanaye said her father had always wanted to be a county bus driver and he was the part of her inspiration for applying to MCTS. Chanaye has been driving with MCTS for three years. She is currently an extra on the day shift. Before going to work for MCTS, Chanaye drove a school bus and for five years trained other school bus drivers. “I actually enjoy driving a county bus more than my own vehicle,” Chanaye said. “I enjoy (Continued on pg. 36)
cilia said. “This is a career.” Cecilia applied again to become an MCTS bus operator 18 months ago. After successfully undergoing interviews and a written test, Cecilia completed a rigorous, five-week training class and began transporting passengers on her own. Following her one-year anniversary, she was promoted to the “night extra board.” During a shift, Cecilia said she will make between three and 12 round trips, depending on the length. MCTS buses do not have odometers in them, so she is unsure how many miles she drives per day. When passengers come aboard, Cecilia said she always greets people cheerfully. Occasionally she will recognize a passenger she transported on a different route and when she does, she makes a special effort to greet the person. For a number of years Cecilia played in a softball league and now competes in billiards and Cecilia Nation-Gardner dart leagues during her free time. Milwaukee County Transit System Cecilia and her husband, Cedric, have a blended family which includes seven children: Sylvia, “She was smart as a whip,” Cecilia recalled. The Chiquita, Robert, Darius, Nunciata, Zedric, and child was soon reunited with her family. Tamiya, and three grandchildren. The couple Cecilia was born and raised in El Dorado, Ar- attends Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church kansas. She relocated to Milwaukee in 1993 and where Cecilia sings in the choir and serves as an soon began driving a school bus. She harbored usher. dreams about becoming an MCTS bus operator and went so far as to apply in 1995, but at the time her three children were still young and she did not have anyone who could help watch them after school. In between stints as a school bus driver, Cecilia worked at a facility that manufactured fire-resistant gloves primarily for firefighters, but when business was slow her hours were reduced. “I decided I needed a better life for myself,” Cewww.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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he temperature was already above averT age at approximately 4:00 a.m., on Friday, July 5, 2019. Cressida Neal had recently started
her day shift as a bus operator for the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), when she noticed a shoeless little boy in the intersection near Humboldt and East Capitol Drive. “I stopped the bus behind him and saw that he was hysterical,” she said. “I asked him what he was doing.” Later Cressida learned that the child had been staying overnight at his grandmother’s house and wandered away. Sunrise was less than an hour away. She invited the child to wait on the bus until a police officer arrived. “He must have thought it was time to go outside and play and then got turned around,” Cressida said. “He was probably only about three years old. He didn’t say much until the police arrived and then he started talking more.” Cressida said MCTS trains its bus operators to pay attention to people and their body language along the routes they navigate. “If someone appears to be in need of assistance, we can contact the dispatch operator,” Cressida said. “There are cameras all over the bus and we can put a time stamp on the recording for anything that appears to be out of the ordinary.” In addition to being a bus operator for MCTS, Cressida is also the co-owner of Creative Kids Learning Center, which opened in February 2019. The center accepts children age six weeks to 12 years old and currently has an enrollment of about 35 children. “I have people who work directly with the children since my hours driving overlap with the hours the learning center is open,” Cressida said adding that she and the other co-owner of the learning center own the building in which the center is located. When asked whether her pupils or bus passengers present the bigger challenge, Cressida did not hesitate in replying that rude passengers are more difficult.
Cressida Neal Milwaukee County Transit System “The overwhelming majority of passengers are pleasant,” she said. “It just takes one unruly, disrespectful person to create a challenging commute for everyone else.” Cressida is a Milwaukee native. She said she and her younger sister, Deidra, enjoyed a wonderful childhood. Their house was located near a creek in the neighborhood. During the winter months the neighborhood children would go sledding and in the warmer weather months they would ride bicycles, roller skate and swim at McGovern Park. “We were outside playing almost every day,” she said. “We had to be on our front porch by the time the streetlights came on. These days I think kids spend too much time in front of a [computer or smart phone] screen.” Cressida’s father, Rennord, still lives in the house where she and her sister grew up. Unfortunately her mother, Patricia, passed away in 2009. Cressida celebrated her fifth anniversary as an MCTS bus operator in January 2020. She is an
Gerry Howze
TEMPO’s Emerging Women Leaders board, and TEMPO’s Diversity and Inclusion committee. She is also a member of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties Speakers Bureau.
(Continued from pg. 19) in shifting my beliefs and direction of what was possible for my life. It’s there that I learned about leadership opportunities and training. After attending one training in Atlanta, I returned to Milwaukee with a greater purpose. I became obsessed with finding ways that I could make a difference,” she said. Gerry looked to her foundation of faith for answers, and knew that her purpose on earth was to love. Fascinated with leadership, Aurora started a leadership academy and Gerry developed a leadership program for young adults, 16-24 years of age. During this time the founder of PEARLS, Colleen Fitzgerald, was conducting strategic planning with leaders at AFS. As the assistant to the development director she and Gerry developed a rapport and one day she invited Gerry to a meeting. Gerry learned that she was looking for an African American woman interested in facilitating self-development and leadership training for middle school girls. That discussion resulted in Gerry becoming the first PEARLS group facilitator, then the first program director and now the organization’s third executive director. Over the years, she had enrolled in college courses at MATC, UWM, and Alverno College. Joining the PEARLS team proved to be a turning point for Gerry. Because she couldn’t model academic achievement for girls if she didn’t earn a degree, she earned a bachelor of arts degree in human services from Springfield College, graduating summa cum laude. “I feel really honored that I have had the opportunity to grow with PEARLS and be there www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
extra on the day shift. Her hours are typically from 3:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. One of her first jobs was as a school bus driver and she dreamed of driving for MCTS, but at the time she was below the minimum age requirement. Before she joined MCTS, Cressida said she worked as a dental assistant. One day each month, she dedicated time to performing dental procedures on animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo -- including gorillas, lions, tigers, and warthogs. After 14 years in that position, she said she wanted to try something different. For a year she taught in the dental assistant program at Everest Community College, which is now part of Bryant & Stratton College. After a year as a community college instructor, Cressida relocated to Miami, Florida for a year. She fell in love with the sunshine and ocean. “I’m a warm weather girl,” she said. “Eventually I’d like to buy a beachfront house in Fort Lauderdale.” She said she is very happy driving a bus and being the co-owner of a learning center. Cressida said she enjoys traveling, but not by car. If the destination is more than three hours away, she said she prefers flying or taking a train. Cressida recently returned to Miami for the Super Bowl. She did not have tickets for the game, but said she wanted to tailgate and experience the entertainment and atmosphere of a warm weather city hosting a major sports event. In addition to holding a license as a dental assistant and a commercial driver's license, Cressida is also a licensed cosmetologist/esthetician with a certificate from VICI Technical College.
from the beginning when the founder. Through blood, sweat and tears we collectively created the framework, logic model and theory that we continue to use to this day. I really did not want this job when Danae Davis left. Her last day was the first day we moved into our current location. The team was great. We moved into a space three times larger, with no development director, but I had the team’s and alumnae’s confidence, and as I served as interim, I earned the board’s confidence. Though I thought I didn’t want the position, I realized that there wasn’t anyone who knew this organization better, or loved it more. PEARLS is my baby—it’s like my youngest child who got the most of my attention,” she said. Gerry unselfishly lends her time and talent to many other community initiatives. She is a 2005 Future Milwaukee graduate. She has certificates in youth development, training, and leadership. She has served on the boards of Repairers of the Breach, Milwaukee Scholars and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts’ Diversity & Community Engagement Committee, and Renaissance Theatreworks. She is currently a board member for Diverse & Resilience, vice chair of
“December 20189 marks 30 years since I came to Milwaukee lost, broken and feeling defeated. I have been afforded so many opportunities that have supported my personal and professional development over the years – two major ones include being selected to learn from and share with amazing nonprofit leaders from around the world at both Georgetown and Harvard. When my boys and I struggled to survive during the worst of times, I could never imagine that my life would wind up like this. I am a walking, talking testimony of grace, favor, resilience,” she said. Gerry’s story of grace, mercy and redemption doesn’t end there. A few years back, when she and her staff were gathered in her office preparing to celebrate the holidays, the phone rang and it was the daughter Gerry had given up for adoption. “She found me. I fell out of my chair and started sobbing. She visited me the day after Christmas and it was like looking at myself in the mirror—even our Afrocentric outfits were coordinated. The entire experience has been wonderful. I’m now connected to all my children. It’s such a blessing." An NCON Communications Publication
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can expect to be called “precious” Y outhroughout any conversation with
Mother Clara Atwater, and have that conversation end with “have a gingerbready day.” Mother Clara, pastor emeritus of Love Tabernacle and founder of Gingerbread Land, Inc., walks the talk she preaches. She wants everyone to feel special and she knows that, in God’s eyes, everyone IS precious. Mother Clara, as she likes to be called, moved to Milwaukee from Detroit, Michigan in the early 1960s as a young woman seeking employment, because jobs were more plentiful here during that time. Shortly after arriving in Milwaukee she accepted Christ and began to embrace the notion that her purpose in life was to benefit others. “I didn’t really know anybody in Milwaukee, so I started going out into the community and befriending people. I noticed children going to school and saw that no one seemed to be caring about them. I started helping them by holding classes in my home after school. In addition to their school work, I taught them how to get along with others and become better human beings. Before I knew it, parents heard about what I was doing, noticed the difference in their children’s attitudes, and not only did they start sending more children, but adults also started coming to my home,” she said. That was the impetus for founding Love Tabernacle and, eventually, its nonprofit arm, Gingerbread Land. Including Mother Clara’s house, these entities now occupy seven homes on First and Burleigh Streets. She dubbed her house the Gingerbread House because it is colorfully painted in pinks and purples. “For a time, I was touring and teaching women in California. During one visit to the University of California at Berkeley, I went into this beautiful gingerbread-themed restaurant. I looked around at the décor—there were dolls and everything was bright, lively with happy colors. While I was sitting there the thought came to me to return to Milwaukee and create Gingerbread Land, so I did,” she said. Gingerbread Land is a nonprofit organization reaching out to those in need of support,
Religion
Mother Clara Atwater Love Tabernacle, Gingerbread Land, Inc.
guidance, and love. Since 1989, thousands have been assisted through the organization, thanks to Mother Clara’s efforts and love. The mission of the organization is to be a beacon of love and hope to all while instilling a sense of worth, personal growth, and Christian values in the underserved people in Milwaukee; and providing food, shelter, and clothing for the needy. The seven housing units that comprise Gingerbread Land are located on Milwaukee’s East Side. Currently, recovering drug addicts, persons with physical and mental disabilities, and several people in need of temporary shelter occupy the homes. It has been a safe haven for many of the residents as they attend church at Love Tabernacle, where Mother Clara’s grandson now ministers the word of God. “The mission for Love Tabernacle is one of love. We initially met in the basement of my home. We quickly outgrew the basement, so we moved to Third and Wright streets and started the mission of love. After even more growth, we “I’m going to do what I do until my body removed to First and Center Streets and, after three tires, but I enjoy it. I watch all my family; they years, purchased the building,” she said. are mostly teachers and professionals. I love my Mother Clara also gives praise to the Milwau- family,” she said. kee Brewers baseball club, which helped her pur-
hawnee Daniels-Sykes, Ph.D., a noted exS pert on ethics, morality and Black Catholic studies, is a tenured professor at Mount Mary
University and has led a life of service within and outside the church. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Shawnee lauds the sacrifices her parents—her late father Watson W. Sykes and mother Louise Sykes—made to give their children a sound education. She graduated from Harambee Community School in 1975, Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in 1979, Spelman College in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in biology/biochemistry, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in nursing, and completed a doctorate in religious studies at Marquette University in 2007. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on fetal tissue research and vulnerable populations, which focused on the disproportionate rate of elective abortions in the Black community and the underground network that uses the organs and tissue remains from aborted fetuses to sell to companies for stem cell research and transplantation. A registered nurse by trade, Shawnee is the only Black Catholic female health care ethicist in the United States. As a Catholic theological ethicist, researcher, and published author, Shawnee’s research interests include beginning-, middle-, and end-of-life issues, especially as related to institutionalized race, class and gender oppression.
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chase some of the properties and donated the houses to her. “People have seen what we do and how we do it, and they support us. Many of the young people that we took off the streets and embraced at Gingerbread Land are now professionals—teachers and the like. They also support our efforts, come back and visit and recount how not one of them living on the block and visiting Gingerbread Land ended up dying to violence,” she said. Mother Clara also has a radio show and now at age 80-plus, she broadcasts five days a week on radio station WTLB-DB, from 12 noon to 12:30 p.m. “We teach prayer and how to develop prayers so that people can communicate with their spiritual father. We teach the simplicity of prayer. We have never kept membership information at Love Tabernacle. We take people in, teach them, and then expect them to go out into the community to help others. I take the hooligans, as they call them, love the troublemakers, and teach them to become productive. You have to care about your community. Milwaukee isn’t a bad place to be; you just have to love people. Children come here in droves. We are helping people to develop and mature,” she said. Throughout the block where Gingerbread Land stands, there is African artwork prominently displayed. “We teach about African heritage. Everything we do is to educate people about who they are. We have beautiful art displays. People stop and read. The pieces have commentary on how wonderfully we have been created,” she said.
Dr. Shawnee M. Daniels-Sykes, Ph.D. Mount Mary University Shawnee has developed and taught courses in bioethics, sexual ethics, social ethics, including systematic theology at Mount Mary University for 13 years. She is also an adjunct professor for the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana. At Xavier, she teaches a graduate course, “Moral Questions in the Black Community,” during the summers. In addition to being an author and nationally recognized speaker on issues of ethics and theology, Shawnee has directed Mount Mary University’s Honors Program for four years; she is a former chair of the faculty assembly, and has served on various committees at Mount Mary. She is a member of St. Martin DePorres Catholic
Church, where she serves on the Parish Council. She also serves on the Quality Assurance Committee for the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin and the Board of Directors and the Program Committee for Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. A longtime member of the Ministry Council for the House of Peace, she is active in several learned societies, including the Catholic Theological Society of America, the Society of Christian Ethics, and the Black Catholic Theological Symposium. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc./Upsilon Mu Omega Chapter, where she serves as chaplain. During 22 years with the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Shawnee was able to dedicate her life to prayer, service, and ministry to the world. She has been out of the Congregation for five years, and now lives with her mother and sister, as they “take care of each other.” For years, Shawnee struggled with health challenges that she now manages with the support of a stellar team of health care professionals. “I’m a nurse by training, but even with a healthcare background, initially there was a lack of attentiveness to my digestive challenges and voiced concerns. Finally, in my early 30s I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder. It took health professionals a long time to diagnose this. I found my way to Froedtert Hospital and am now a long-time patient there. My doctors are my mentors. They are wonderful people. Gastrointestinal surgeon, Dr. Mary F. Otterson is my friend and surgeon along with advanced practice nurse Sarah Lundeen. They have been my rock; they have been there (Continued on pg. 36) www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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Annual Black Excellence Awards Religion
eacon Bennie Morris, Sr., is a bear of a D man with a deep speaking voice, but in church choirs and with his quartet he sings so-
prano. He can hit the high notes and has sung in church choirs for many years. Bennie is a Chicago native and a lifelong churchgoer. He was baptized at age 14 and has been active his entire life as a church volunteer. In addition to singing in choirs, he is currently general chairman and treasurer for the Wisconsin General Baptist State Laymen and the treasurer of the deacon ministry at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He relocated to Milwaukee in 2002 in order to be closer to his future wife, Deloise. After moving to Milwaukee, Bennie joined New Hope. For the past four years he volunteered as a delivery driver for the church food pantry ministry, which is affiliated with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. He picks up donated food from one of several participating food suppliers and delivers it to the church on Milwaukee’s North Side for sorting and distribution. The Wisconsin General Baptist Laymen hold monthly meetings and Bennie has attended faithfully for a number of years. Several years ago, Bennie helped to organize an annual Deacon Recognition Banquet for the Wisconsin General Baptist Laymen. Each year the recognition banquet has increased its attendance, requiring him to devote more time toward helping plan and organize the event. He said he likes to keep busy and does not find his church volunteer work burdensome. “I enjoy helping others,” he said. “There is a passage in the Gospel of John where Jesus asks his disciples to ‘feed my sheep’. I like to stay busy and I’m still in pretty good health, so this is something that I believe is worthwhile.” Bennie and his wife are also the foster parents
Deacon Bennie Morris, Sr. New Hope Missionary Baptist Church of two young brothers who are still in elementary school. He has been a foster parent for most of his adult life. The couple have seven children: Dervin, Antwann, Bennie, Jr., Aaron, Carmen, Katresa and Bernard. They have 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Bennie first began working as a grocery store clerk when he was 11 years old. He retired in 2004 after working for 30 years at Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. When he retired, he was a sleeping car attendant on the California Zephyr line, which runs for six days round-trip between Chicago and Oakland. He served in that capacity for 17 years. He said he enjoyed the travel and the time off between assignments, but during the six-day round-trip run, he often went with little or no sleep. Soon after he was hired by Amtrak, Bennie began smoking tobacco, partly as a way to re-
ince third grade, Sister Callista RobinS son has been preparing for a life of service and ministry in the Catholic Church. Born
to Forest and Rosina Robinson, she grew up on Chicago’s South Side with three brothers. She recalls her upbringing as being family-oriented, warm and she lived in a neighborhood where residents looked out for each other. Growing up, she attended Catholic grade and high schools. “My brothers and I used to play ‘school’ and I would be the teacher, dressing up like the nuns in my school. The nuns were my influence from attending Catholic grade school. I saw them as kind people who tried to help us. They knew our families and we had good relationships with them. Then, in high school, the ‘call’ became even stronger, and I knew that was where I belonged,” she said. At one point, Sister Callista met the Mother General of her community and was impressed by her kind and caring demeanor. At the time, African Americans couldn’t just go into any religious order; they had to identify orders that would accept them. “In addition to meeting Mother General, I was impressed with the Franciscan order because of the social justice issues most Franciscans embrace. A priest friend wrote to several orders on behalf of three African Americans, which included me, and most of the responses were negative. The one from Mother General Thomasine was positive and beautiful, so the priest wrote back to her that there were a few other African American girls, including me, who wanted to join the Franciscan order. Father drove us to visit with her and we were in awe of her kindness, friendliness and concern. After a second meeting with her at St. Francis Convent in Little Falls, Minnesota, we began the paperwork to enter the Franciscan order,” she said. The process for becoming a nun involves several steps. After graduating from high school, Sister Callista entered St. Francis Convent in Little Falls and became a postulant which is the first step to becoming a nun. She was then a novice for two years, learning about the community, the church and the meaning behind becoming a www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Sr. Callista Robinson, OSF St. Martin De Porres Parish Franciscan. She then pronounced her first vows and was assigned to the House of Studies in St. Paul, Minnesota to begin studies at St. Catherine College, now St. Catherine University. After one year, Sister Callista was transferred to Moorhead, Minnesota where she was assigned to become a switchboard operator and receptionist at St. Ansgar Hospital. Sister Callista worked there for nine years, before being transferred to Cudahy, Wisconsin to do similar work. While there, she enrolled in Edgewood College in Madison, WI and studied to become an elementary school teacher. She graduated in 1975 and began her teaching ministry at Harambee Community School. During this time, Sister Callista studied at Marquette University, earning a master’s degree in education. Sister Callista is known for her tireless efforts as coordinator of the Brother Booker Ashe Lay Ministry Program and as assistant administrator of the Adult Learning Center. She also chairs the Black Religious and Clergy of Wisconsin and is a founding member of the National Black Sisters Conference. At her parish, St. Martin de Porres, she serves as lector and chairperson of the
main alert during long shifts. After he joined New Hope Church in Milwaukee, he decided to quit smoking immediately and said he has not smoked a cigarette since he decided to give it up in September 2002. Although he has never run as a candidate, Bennie has volunteered numerous hours for various political causes and candidates. He has also served as an election inspector in Wisconsin and when he lived in Illinois. When he was a young child Bennie said he wanted to be a fireman, but his mother, Lois, talked him out of it over concern for his safety. She was slightly less successful convincing him that he should not pursue his passion to become a cowboy. During summers as a child, Bennie said he would visit his mother’s family in Arkansas, where he was first exposed to horses. This led to a lifelong love of being around and working with horses. When he is not busy volunteering for church he said he likes to watch western movies on television. He continues to be fascinated with horses and now owns two. For the past six years he has been a member of the Silverado Trailriders. The club organizes charitable events, educational workshops for children, group trail rides and "hoe downs." “I’m a cowboy,” he said with a straight face. Many of the group activities offered to the Central City are rare encounter with horses and the ‘Wild West’ cowboy stories, include the largely overlooked vital contribution African American cowboys made to helping the United States become a transcontinental nation. “We have a lot of youth who are fascinated to learn there were and still are African American cowboys roaming the range,” he said.
prayer and worship committee. Sister Callista said that venues like the National Black Sisters Conference, of which she is one of the founders, changed her life. “Black Catholic sisters came together in 1968, under the leadership of Sister Martin de Porres Grey, to determine what we could do to help and support one another and recruit others. We recently celebrated our 50-year anniversary as an organization and we are still going strong. While some members have passed, we still have more than 120 active members who understand that we can’t just sit back in our convents. We have to be in the church and active in the community,” she said. In addition to the lengthy process to become a nun, Sister Callista said that, as an African American, she felt a need to go above and beyond that which was required. Her lifelong efforts in educating youth and adults as a teacher, principal, and chief executive administrator at Harambee Community School have made a powerful impact in the Milwaukee community. She currently serves as assistant administrator of the Adult Learning Center, located at St. Francis of Assisi Parish and also coordinator of the Brother Booker Ashe Lay Ministry Program for African American Catholics who want to become lay ministers in their parishes. “Certainly as an African American you always know that you have to do more. You always have to prove yourself; you don’t just do the average or minimum, whether you choose a career in sports, music or religion. Whatever career or vocation you choose, you have to study harder and longer. You must be able to speak to issues and, when you have opportunities to be ‘at the table’, you must know what you are talking about. In my religious community I am the only African American in this order, and I’m very adamant about helping our sisters learn more about our history and the struggles that continue. “I want to be of service—especially to African Americans—and to all people. I want to be known for giving back to the African American community from which I came,” she said. An NCON Communications Publication
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orn and raised in Milwaukee, Dionne B Grayson comes from a family whose foundation is deeply rooted in faith and service.
Her father was employed full-time by Discipleship Unlimited and traveled across the country ministering to people on death row. Growing up, the family lived in a duplex; the upstairs served as their living quarters and the downstairs housed a food and clothing pantry, and regular Bible studies were held there. Now the President and CEO of Lead2Change, Inc., Dionne continues that legacy of service to the community. “Faith was a large part of my upbringing. I have fond memories of my parents' involvement with ministry and service throughout the community. Much of my training for work is also the result of the leadership training I received at Parklawn Assembly of God, under the leadership of Bishop Walter Harvey, when he was the church's youth pastor," she said. A graduate of Milwaukee Trade and Technical High School, Dionne earned a degree in clinical psychology from Alverno College and a master’s degree in social work administration, with a focus on children and families, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dionne has served youth for nearly 30 years and has consulted with several organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater
Dionne Grayson Lead2Change, Inc. Milwaukee, Marquette University, and 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. Lead2Change was born from her career at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. She began there as a volunteer and her supervisor became a strong supporter. Under his leadership, she was employed by the Foundation as senior program officer before founding Lead2Change in 2011. “I absolutely love working with young people. After immense growth of the Youth In Service Fund, the Foundation asked me to spin it off to become its own organization and that’s how Lead2Change was started. Twenty-two youth and I worked together to co-found the organization. “Homestead High School helped write mission and vision statements, and the youth designed the website. The youth and I met with attorneys
antana Lee didn’t have to attend school S to learn about some of the barriers and challenges that children in foster care or kinship
care face; she lived it. She is thankful that her paternal grandmother stepped up to take her and her two brothers in and raised them during most of their primary years. “Life was okay growing up as I knew it. My dad was in and out of my life because he was in the military and when he was no longer in the military, he worked two jobs. He provided financial support to my grandmother, who I am grateful to for taking us in,” said Santana. A teen mom, Santana graduated from an alternative high school before attending Kaplan College, where she earned a dental assistant certification. She then went to Milwaukee Area Technical Collage (MATC) and took some psychology courses. Santana is now the Executive Director of All4Kidz, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that she founded to help youth in foster care with healing and give them a safe space to discuss their feelings. “I saw other organizations engaged with children in foster care, but they were not focused on emotional healing. There were programs to assist them with employment, housing and other issues, but none of that matters if they haven’t dealt with the pain and trauma in their lives. All4Kidz is a way to help youth learn how to heal the core of who they are and what they have gone through before they get pushed out into the real world,” she said.
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Santana Lee All4Kidz A unique aspect of All4Kidz is that it is youthbased, youth-focused and youth-driven. The goal of the organization is to create a brotherhood and sisterhood among the youth to help them heal each other. “Sometimes youth come into our program with the notion that adults are disrespecting them. In a group setting, everybody takes turns giving the others constructive criticism and feedback to help them with their issues. They groom each other. They eat together and fellowship together. I cook for every group, and we develop a comradery to help them help each other. The youth do all the work; I’m just there to facilitate. They each have individual goals, even though the program is group-based. In addition, they have small, every day, quarterly and yearly goals to keep them motivated and focused on positive outcomes,” she said. The mother of nine children herself—three of whom she adopted—Santana uses some of those same principles to run her household. “We function as a team. Everyone has a role and responsibility, but we all work together. We have a lot of structure and I attribute that to the
to draw up the necessary paperwork. Our youth were true partners in helping to establish this organization,” she said. Through Lead2Change and her patented program, Dream.Explore.Build., Dionne empowers youth to live their life by design and not by default. The program involves youth taking a deep dive into looking at themselves. “I developed the program model while at UW-Milwaukee and I taught the curriculum at Marquette University for nine years. With a grant from the Mayor’s office, I was also able to take the program city-wide. Hundreds of young people have graduated from the program. It helps them figure out who they are and gets them onto a path of what they were designed to do,” she said. Dionne credits several individuals for encouraging and inspiring her, including her mother who passed in 2010; Pastor Melva Henderson (World Outreach Church); Danae Davis (Milwaukee Succeeds); and Dr. Yolanda Wilson. “My mother is the reason why I push to do things. She always said that if you can see it, you can do it. She was my absolute biggest cheerleader. And, while my mother didn’t get a chance to meet him, I absolutely have to give credit to my husband; he’s such an awesome supporter. I’m grateful to have that man in my life,” she said. As a smaller nonprofit organization, Dionne acknowledges that there are challenges, but rather than focus on them, she looks for opportunities. “The work we do is so great, but it’s important for all organizations serving youth to work together so that we can take a holistic approach to serving them. We can’t do everything but together we can pool our resources. (Continued on pg. 36)
fact that my father was in the military. There’s a lot of discipline taking place; it helps us to keep things stress-free, as a result, everyone feels supported,” she said. Santana is grateful that she had individuals in her life who instilled morals and values in her, and helped nurture her into womanhood. “Three women helped make me who I am today; and the number-one person was my grandmother. I also had a cousin who took me in after I had my second child. She nourished me and took care of me until I was able to take care of myself. My son’s grandmother also played a strong role in helping me. These women held me up when I was still trying to figure out how to be a woman and how to be a mom. “I also had the male influence of my oldest brother, who passed away when I was 15 years old. He was always supportive and protective. He helped me set standards and goals for myself and told me that I could achieve anything if I put my mind to it. His belief in me helped me to believe in myself,” she said. The support system Santana experienced energizes her to support the youth in her program. At any one time she is working with more than 20 youth—male and female—from 11 to 21 years old. They are referred to her mostly by word of mouth. She has also developed strong referral connections with group homes and foster care organizations. “They appreciate the relationship and rapport that I have with the youth. I meet with the girls’ group and boys’ group on separate days, once a week. On Saturdays I do home visits with the youth and I make follow up calls with them on Mondays and Tuesdays of every week. “Each youth has my personal cell phone number, so I’m available for them to reach me any time. I also provide one-on-one services for youth who are uncomfortable in group settings. All4Kidz has a youth leadership component, for youth who are more mature. In addition to developing their leadership skills, they take part in speaking opportunities to give individuals a (Continued on pg. 36) www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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Annual Black Excellence Awards Sports
ichael Cummings has had the rare M opportunity of spending his entire career as a teacher, coach and administrator at the
school he entered as a seventh grader in 1957— North Division High School. He left Milwaukee briefly, to attend Kentucky State University, located in Frankfort, Kentucky where he played baseball for KSU’s Thoroughbreds. After earning a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education, he returned to Milwaukee in 1967 to begin his teaching career. He married his high school sweetheart, Janice Neal, and they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Together they raised four children. “I grew up in the North Division neighborhood—off the corner of 11th and Wright Streets—with my mother, stepfather and sister. It was natural for me to attend North Division High School. It’s amazing and wonderful that I’ve spent most of my adult life working in that same area,” he said. Michael also earned a master’s degree in leadership and supervision from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), but even with a master’s in hand and opportunities for advancement within MPS, he chose to stay in the classroom. “I just felt that I could have a greater impact in the classroom. During my 32 years of teaching, serving as athletic director, equipment manager, coaching a variety of sports, including girls’ tennis, football and track and field, having a positive impact on the lives of students has been most rewarding. I run into students and parents today
Michael Cummings Milwaukee Public Schools (Retired) who remember me, hug me and thank me for helping them or their children. That makes it all worthwhile,” he said. Michael was also one of the founders of the North-Lincoln Alumni Basketball games, which enjoyed a run of more than 35 years and raised more than $150,000 in scholarships for North Division students. “North Division and (the former) Lincoln High school have always had a friendly rivalry. I had an equipment need so I approached the athletic director at Lincoln about co-hosting an alumni
obbie Kelsey is the Commissioner of B Athletics and Academics for Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). After an impressive
career in sports, she knows first-hand the importance of excelling on and off the field. Born in Pontiac, Michigan, her parents later moved to Georgia where she graduated from Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Georgia. Bobbie earned an undergraduate degree from Stanford University, majoring in communications, with an emphasis in media studies. “I thought I would work behind the scenes in television production, but it didn’t happen that way; I ended up in front of the cameras as an assistant coach and, later, a sports commentator. “I think it’s important to impress upon our student-athletes the importance of academics. I use myself as an example when I talk to students. I had to put in the academic work at Stanford. Our student-athletes need to understand that they must learn to use their academic disciplines to their advantage. I’ve used my degree in every career I’ve had since earning it in 1996. At some point, the ball will stop bouncing and they must be able use their education to manage businesses, manage their finances or enter other careers. We’re not just going to shelve the academics,” she said. Bobbie’s basketball coaching career spans 22 years as she started coaching right out of college. She was an assistant basketball coach for Stanford University and a four-year player for the Stanford Cardinals. She also spent three years as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech before returning to her alma mater for a coaching position. She also held assistant coaching positions at Western Carolina, Evansville, Florida and Boise State University. In 2011 she was hired as the women’s head basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and later worked as an assistant coach with the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks. After servings as vice president of corporate wellness with the Boys and Girls Clubs, she landed her www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Bobbie Kelsey Milwaukee Public Schools current position as Commissioner of Athletics and Academics for MPS. Bobbie said that overseeing MPS’ athletic programs segues nicely into what she’s done in the past. “When you’re running your own program the challenges are different. In college, you are responsible for running YOUR program. Now I’m responsible for 20 programs, eligibility issues, games, hiring and scheduling officials. Among other challenges Bobbie faces is ensuring that all MPS student-athletes use athletics as a vehicle on the road to success. “I want our student-athletes to understand that they have to allow their access to athletics to play a key role in building their confidence and changing their mindset to one of thriving, not just surviving. And in order to thrive, they must continue to do everything in their control to become successful. We will do that by helping to always take the positive outlook on sometimes negative situations,” she said. Bobbie can’t say enough about the support and encouragement she’s had throughout her career, from other coaches and her family.
basketball game to raise funds to purchase the equipment. Once he was onboard we called former players like Harry Oden, Max Walker, and others. On the day of the first game, the gym was jam-packed. We couldn’t believe it so after that, the games just continued as an annual event—for 35 years,” he said. There were plenty of individuals that Michael points to who have encouraged him along the way; among them are Coach Robert Harris, Ed Withers, Sarah Grant, Mr. Rowe, Carl Turner and retired principal Andre Ptak. He even remembers his 7th and 8th grade teacher/coach, Ralph Williams. “Back then (when in middle and high school), there were so many good teachers. We were blessed to have them. Sarah Grant was really nice and impacted my life greatly and spiritually. When I returned to North Division as a colleague, she was like an older sister to me. We team-taught physical education and health for 20 years or so. “Along with a few other guys, some years back we started talking about establishing a North Division Athletic Hall of Fame. We got together and became the founders—ultimately inducting people like Robert Cargile, James Smith, Mr. Bland and others into the Sports Hall of Fame. Once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil,” he said. Michael was also one of a handful of teachers that became involved with a grassroots effort to halt the decision to make North Division a citywide specialty school, rather than a neighborhood school. “Some teachers were afraid to get involved or be vocal about trying to save the old North Division, but when we moved into the new North Division half the population was from Rufus King and the other half from North Division. There were two rival factions and lots of pressure on teachers trying to keep peace, but somehow we got through it. Then, we learned about plans to (Continued on pg. 36) “So many people have helped and encouraged me; people like Bernell Hooker, of the Milwaukee Aces. She has been a good advocate; taking me around and introducing me to people. Numerous other individuals, like my former college assistant coach Julie Plank, and Tina Krah, have professionally put wind in the sails. I worked with Joy Williams early on as a new coach in Florida and she became like a big sister to me. Personally, my husband, my parents and my uncles— especially Uncle Abraham Walker—have been great encouragers. The best gift my husband and family have given me is faith. They believe in me, especially my grandmother who believed in being a person who didn’t make excuses, and I get that from her,” she said. Bobbie said that one of her goals at MPS is to make sure that all kids that come through MPS are proud of being a part of the school district and have a great athletic experience—whether they continue in their respective sport or not. “Realistically, they won’t all become professional athletes. No matter how far they go in their athletic career, if they can look back and say they had a good time, that’s the positive I want them to have. We don’t know or understand what many of these kids are going through at home. Some are raising themselves. I tell coaches to let the student athletes know they are loved; the coaches may be the only person that tells them that. It’s important that we don’t let our kids down. If you tell them something, they are looking to hold you accountable. If we don’t do that to the best of our ability, we are failing them. At the same time, athletics is not everything; they have to focus on academics. Athletics may be the vehicle to get them where they want to go, but they have to have an education. I had to get into college first and I took my academics very seriously; they go hand in hand,” she said. An NCON Communications Publication
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Annual Black Excellence Awards Volunteerism
ifelong Milwaukee resident Felice Green L has always had a passion for servanthood. Over the years she has found many causes
that have allowed her to pursue this passion— professionally and through volunteering. Felice was raised by a single mom and grew up in the Sherman Park area that was considered a working-class neighborhood during her youth. “My mom instilled in me a work ethic and strong values and self-worth. After college I started working in the nonprofit arena and volunteering with different organizations as a way to get acquainted with people and become familiar with other neighborhoods. Volunteering is my way of giving back to the community and serving others,” said Felice. A graduate of John Marshall High School, Felice attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications. Growing up, she recalls watching her grandmother read the newspapers, so she started reading them; it’s what got her interested in journalism. Felice credits her grandmother with piquing her interest in a career in journalism, but she also looks to her as a role model. She admires and respects the fact that her grandmother returned to school later in life to earn a teaching degree from UWM. “My mother and grandmother are definitely pioneers in my life who influenced me to become the person that I am today. My grandmother passed away during my senior year in high school. I’m so proud of the fact that she had the courage and determination to pursue her passion to teach as a way to make a difference. “Throughout my professional career, it’s been important to me to mentor other African American women pursuing careers in media or public relations. It’s my way of paying it forward because I received support, guidance and advice from other African American women who paved the way before me in the field of communications.
Felice Green Community Volunteer I understand many of the challenges, such as being the only African American woman in the workplace; so being a mentor for young women gives me joy. I love seeing them develop and pursue their professional careers. I’m still in contact with many of them today. It’s also important for me to note that I wouldn’t be where I am without Christ in my life. I’d be completely lost. The Bible has truly been my foundation,” she said. Volunteerism is not just a matter of giving back, Felice quickly points out; it’s also a way to identify potential employers and get your foot in the door for job opportunities. In the beginning of her career, she interned in the development/ PR office at an all-girls high school, worked at the daily newspaper and volunteered for organizations such as the Red Cross and the Share Program, a program where people get a break on their grocery bills by exchanging volunteer time for the opportunity to buy affordable food. “I started doing pro bono work with various organizations to explore other interests and gain
Y
ears ago, Deirdre Mingo, often referred to as “Dee,” made a decision to give her life to Christ. Soon after she became engaged to a minister in her church. Unfortunately she didn’t realize her fiancé had anger and control issues. They had an elaborate wedding ceremony at the insistence of her fiancé and immediately after they were married, he began to abuse Dee and her son emotionally and physically. The final indignity came when her spouse took her car from her employer’s parking lot while she was working, changed the locks and drained their joint bank account in order to buy himself his own car. Since Dee’s name was on the apartment lease, she was the one with the eviction notice. With her bank accounts empty, she could not pay monthly bills, leaving her and her son homeless and in economic distress. After a costly and drawn-out divorce, Dee was eventually able to repair her credit and free herself. Her own experience of abuse, homelessness and despair left Dee with empathy for other women who suddenly find themselves without a stable home environment and the avalanche of financial problems which often follow when one has to flee for one’s life. In response, she began working with struggling young women, some of whom she provided shelter for in her home. A couple of young ladies stayed for years and became part of Dee’s family. She served as a lay counselor and workshop speaker in abused women’s shelters and with individuals in the
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Deirdre "Dee" Mingo On Eagles Wings 4UL community. Nine years ago, Dee married Charles Mingo, a supportive man and a licensed preacher. However when a distraught, suddenly homeless woman came looking for help, it quickly became apparent that she could no longer provide temporary shelter to abused women in her home. She reached out to many resources in the city to try to find shelter, but was not able to help the woman and it left her very discouraged. Eventually God showed Dee other ways to help women in distress. In 2015, she founded On Eagles Wings 4UL (OEW4UL). The ‘4UL’ stands “For You Lord.” The basis and inspiration for the not-forprofit organization came from the book of Isaiah, chapter 40:31: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they walk, and not faint.” The organization is a gap ministry, according to Dee. “Our objective is to help women get over
a different kind of work experience. I was our neighborhood Community Site Coordinator for my church. I enjoyed helping our congregation and neighbors save on their food. An unexpected benefit is that I ended up being offered employment by two of the organizations for which I volunteered,” she said. Volunteering does not come without its challenges. There’s a balancing act required and boundaries that must be set and respected. “Some of the same challenges overlap in the professional and volunteer worlds. I’m an advocate for quality education for all children regardless of their zip codes, environmental, and social justice issues that have a high negative impact in minority communities. I serve on public task forces, committees and boards to be a part of the solution and bring insights and experiences that many may not have. “Milwaukee’s negatives are known nationwide—high Black male unemployment, high poverty rates, racism, health disparities, and so on. We cannot become desensitized to these and other problems. We have to find workable, better solutions." Felice also believes that it’s critical that children see people of color engaged as volunteers, just as it’s important to see them represented in various professions. “It’s important for them to see us represented not just as recipients of services, but as providers and givers. I love books and one of my favorite volunteer times is with the United Way My Very Own Library program, where Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) students can select free books. Seeing the smiles on their faces and being able to say, ‘I read that when I was in third or fifth grade,’ makes my day,” she said. Since 2007, Felice has been a volunteer voter registrar for the City of Milwaukee Election Commission, Sherman Park Neighborhood Association site. (Continued on pg. 36) some hurdles, eventually become independent and able to take care of themselves and their children if they have them in their custody,” she said. “I describe it as a gap ministry because when I looked around, I saw several agencies that were handling the big issues such as housing using the 211 impact system. However there were some other little services I noticed that were not readily available that create distress for a woman in need.” These gap services include providing assistance creating a resume; providing newly employed women with a bus pass until they receives a first paycheck; or providing temporary rent assistance to someone who has moved too many times and therefore missed a W2 appointment with her case worker. “We have delivered hot food to those on the street and in some shelters as the need arises, provided clothing,” Dee said “We have been blessed to provide some furniture to a few women who were just getting set up in apartments after coming out of shelters and have provided computer training for older adults who didn’t feel comfortable or motivated to go to the library.” For the last 3 years OEW4UL has also conducted winter and summer drives to collect items to be distributed to the homeless. These drive are in collaboration with the city of Milwaukee’s P.I.T. (Point in Time) program, which counts the homeless in the city twice a year. Typically when someone contacts OEW4UL seeking assistance, Dee is the one who conducts the initial interview and offers counseling and prayer. Her husband, Charles, also assists in numerous ways, including coming along if a call comes late at night. “He helps keep me grounded,” Dee said. “Otherwise I will overextend myself.” In addition to being the founder, Dee is also the director of OEW4UL. She works with a five-member board which also includes a (Continued on pg. 37) www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
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n addition to spending countless hours of I volunteerism doing community service, Elder Ricky Price, Sr., is a motivational speaker
ties and walks of life, for all kinds of gatherings,” he said. Ricky is also the founder and president of the ‘Weekend With The Teamsters’, where he trains, equips and empowers America’s future leaders. This year will be his 10th year of hosting this event, where he reminds people that everyone is put on this earth with incredible potential and a divine destiny. Even while Ricky is busy juggling community and church events, he has had to overcome his own personal challenges and losses. “I’ve have suffered some devastating losses in the last two years. My nephew was killed at work, and my brother and sister-in-law passed away within 18 months of each other. My brother was only 68, my nephew was 35 years old, and my sister-in-law was 75. They all passed within a short time frame. I understand the Word of God The Honorable Elder Ricky Price, Sr. and that time heals, so I hold onto that. We will Motivational Speaker & Writer recover. I have many of my favorite scriptures hanging on the wall in my office to remind me, taught us how to give and show respect to oth- strengthen and help me through life’s challengers. I give credit to God and to my mother for es,” he said. instilling in me the importance of giving back to Ricky doesn’t want much in return for the sacothers,” he said. rifices he makes on behalf of others and his comMarried to Dr. Monica Parchia Price, the Pric- munity. es have five children. He credits his wife for being “I just want people to say that I was a good very supportive not only in family matters, but in man. That’s it. I was a good man and I tried to his ministry as well. help everyone that I could,” he said. “Family is everything to me. In 1991, I organized a citywide appreciation for Bishop Dr. Earl Parchia’s son who passed away with testicular cancer. It was a memorable and honorable event that gave me the confidence to know that bringing together people from all walks of life is one of my gifts. Asmya father-in-law, Bishop Parchia was a great mentor. I framed a letter that he wrote me that was unbelievable. It hangs in my office today. By watching him over the years, I became adept at organizing and bringing large groups of people together, from various ethnici-
hen Margaret Todd, first began teachW ing the computer specialty program at Washington High School in the early 1970's,
the quarterly mailing and mailed letters/membership cards. The organization has engaged in a number of activities to help foster school spirit. She also volunteered to tutor basketball players in the evening, and other students during the day. The alumni association continues to provide mentorship assistance to students. The alumni association also greets all students on the first day of school. The association would sometimes distribute school supplies. “My generation has a love for North Division,” she said. “Back in the day you lived in the neighborhood where you went to school. We knew each other and played together as children. You have to nurture a sense of love for each other,” Margaret said. “Students today who are bused from long distances have challenges participating in after-school activities and that makes it hard for them to establish long-lasting and caring relationships.” In order to encourage punctuality and better attendance the alumni association recently held a pizza party for all North Division High School students who achieved at least a 95 percent attendance rate. This is done periodically throughout the school year. Margaret will assist in organizing/sponsoring “Family Friendly Fridays” to bring together staff, administrators, students, parents, and alumni in a relaxed atmosphere. The Friday night dinners will began in January. “My hope for North Division is that we are able to ensure that future graduates are able to earn a living wage by using the skills developed
and writer. This dedicated man of God currently serves as the chaplain for the Milwaukee Frontiers, works diligently with the Milwaukee Seventh District Police Auxiliary and is one of the organizers of the United Fellowship Basketball League. Born and raised in Jackson, Tennessee, Rickey's single mother moved him and his siblings to Milwaukee in 1970. Once settled here, he attended and graduated from Riverside High School in 1976, and accepted a call into ministry in 1999. Ricky earned a bachelor’s degree in urban ministry from the Milwaukee Theological Institute and, for a short time, lived in Atlanta, Georgia before returning to Milwaukee. In 2015, he was presented with a certification for specialized training in Advance Domestic Violence, Christian counseling, Law Enforcement, Fire Personnel, Line of Duty, and Death Advance Crime Scene for the Chaplain. He received a master of chaplaincy as a Lieutenant Colonel from the International Police and Fire Chaplain Association and Bible College, and in 2017, was promoted to colonel. After working many years under the spiritual leadership of his mother, the late pastor Ada Price, founder of The Power House of Deliverance Church of the Apostolic Faith, Inc., Ricky became a member of the ministerial staff of Mt. Zion Assembly of the Apostolic Faith Church, where Pastor District Elder Monica Price is Senior Pastor. He also serves as the Superintendent of the Senior Division of the Christian Education Department. “My mother was my example. Growing up in Tennessee, she picked cotton to support us. She was a strong, dedicated woman of God who became one of the first female pastors in Milwaukee. She raised ten children by herself and she
she partnered with JC Penney using the department store’s enormous mainframe computer into which data was fed on paper punch cards and then stored on large reel-to-reel tapes. By the time she retired in 2000, the internet had become an everyday tool of business and many households. Its importance in daily life has only increased since its inception.
After graduating from North Division High School in 1963, Margaret earned a bachelor of science degree in business education in 1967 from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. She later earned a master of education degree from Nation Louis University in Evanston, Illinois. She returned to Milwaukee and accepted a position teaching business education classes at Washington High School. At the time of her retirement in 2000, she was the implementer of the Computer Data Processing Career Specialty Program. She also taught beginning computer courses in the evening for adults in the MPS Recreation Program and for Carter Development Center. Margaret was not content to rest on her laurels after retirement. She continued to expand her knowledge about computer technology. After retiring, Margaret continued to teach for Concordia University Wisconsin—Sherman Park Site for 10 years. She was a teacher assessor for the Milwaukee Teacher Education Center; she taught third and fifth grade at Hickman Academy, and taught third grade at Johnson Christian Academy. Margaret ended her career by teaching computer courses for 5 years at the Milwaukee Urban League. During the classes at the Milwaukee Urban League, Margaret worked with a number of students who had suffered significant trauma in their life. Others lacked confidence that they possessed the talent to become successful prewww.milwaukeetimesnews.com
Margaret Todd Milwaukee Public Schools (Retired) paring a resume or learning how to prepare a budget using a spreadsheet. In recent years she has shared her sharp intellect and deep computer experience in various ways for volunteer organizations to which she dedicates a significant amount of her weekly schedule. “At church I use an account software program called Quick Books to generate reports and write checks,” she said. “I had a good basic understanding of computers, but before becoming the recording steward I had never worked with that software program and had to teach myself.” For more than eight years Margaret has been a member of the North Division High School Alumni Association. She served as interim secretary for one year, and helped to establish the alumni office, ordered supplies, and created and updated the alumni database. She also assisted in providing databases for reunions, sending emails for yearly membership campaigns and for the yearly spring fling; provided labels for
(Continued on pg. 37)
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Samuel McClain (Continued from pg. 27)
knowledge, and other times there are young artists that only want to play R&B. I talk to them and tell them to branch out with their musical genre; we (as Black musicians) have the gift to do so. There’s lots of talent coming out of Milwaukee and I try to keep it real with them. I tell the Black artists that if they want to make it, they have to give it 110 percent,” he said. Young artists would do well to heed Samuel’s advice. He’s been able to earn
a living as a musician for more than 30 years. He has faced and overcome every challenge he’s encountered, crediting his mother for his tenacity. He’s also gone outside his comfort zone to
play all genres of music, including country & western. “The only thing that can stop me from doing anything is me. I just learn to adapt. There’s a difference between being a legend and an entertainer. I want to be a legend; someone that is known for paving the way for others. Music is a hard business. I don’t want to be a selfish musician; if someone has potential and is willing to do the work, I want to help them. At the same time, I expect them to pay it forward by teaching the next generation,” he said.
Dr. Shawnee Daniels-Sykes, Ph.D. (Continued from pg. 30)
for me whenever I needed them for help. I have personal relationships with my gastroenterologist, Dr. Daniel Stein and Kari Best, his physician assistant, too. "First and foremost, I credit God for not only enduring this health challenge, but as a person of faith, I believe that I have this disease for a reason. It reminds me of my vulnerability and that we are all vulnerable as human beings. I have an invisible chronic disability that nobody knows about unless I tell them. It keeps me grounded and lets me know when I’m doing too much. As a Black woman and a high achiever, there’s always a tendency to give 110 percent. I’m really blessed to have wonderful people who I deeply cherish as my health care providers. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I didn’t have a background in healthcare; so many other people don’t know how to navigate the healthcare system and most importantly how to get to know their health care providers,” she said. Shawnee's focus is not only on taking care of herself, but also on others as she looks to the future.
“I want all children/young people, my relatives and my church family to know that they can achieve their life’s goals, while bringing about social justice and social transformation which are so essential for human life and human flourishing for all of us. I want all students to take education seriously and know that anything is possible if they put their minds to it. I don’t want them to let anyone tell them that they can’t do something. I care about the babies, including the ones getting hit by cars, getting senselessly shot, and dying. As a human family, we have got to stop and pay attention to the fact that our legacy is being killed off and too many times it is by us,” she said.
Santana Lee
tic option. Case managers are so overloaded that they don’t or can’t always work to help them get in a position so they can thrive, so youth are put on the back burner because helping them find housing and employment is not a priority.
(Continued from pg. 32) perspective on issues they deal with in the community. They’ve participated in radio and television interviews,” she said. “I don’t have any challenges working with the youth, but there are some challenges because of the way some laws are set up to prevent youth from succeeding. For example, youth age out of foster care
“I am wholeheartedly passionate about protectand try to go into indepening, advocating and helping dent living arrangements. youth become great, sucThey are basically homeless cessful, productive adults in because returning to their the community, ” she said. own home is not a realis-
Michael Cummings
later we learned that some of those people were doing nothing but undercutting (Continued from pg. 33) what we tried to do. I have no regrets about getting inmake North a specialty volved though,” he said. school, which meant that people living right across One of the high points in from the school wouldn’t life for Michael was when be able to attend North he was awarded the AthDivision. We worked with letic Hall of Fame Legend former MPS superinten- Award in 2015. dent and North Division alumnus Howard Fuller to “I’m really fond of that fight this. The school board award because Coach Bob voted in our favor, but years An NCON Communications Publication
Harris was the first one to go into the Hall of Fame, then Coach Smallins (Lincoln High School), and I was the third. They give out one each year. Just having the respect of the kids and the community or hearing one person tell me that if it wasn’t for me, they don’t know what they would have done makes everything worthwhile. You can’t ask for much more than that,” said Michael.
Chanaye Brown (Continued from pg. 28)
sitting up higher and having a clear view of the road. A lot of people feel safer riding in a county bus than they do in their own car.” After earning her diploma from Harold S. Vincent High School in 2006, Chanaye earned a certified nursing assistant degree. She also took a number of business courses from Kaplan University.
Dionne Grayson (Continued from pg. 32)
“When people engage with me or if they are benefactors of the programs we offer, I want them to be able to feel empowered to do what they know they were designed to do. I’m a firm believer in God. I want our youth to look at themselves, know what God designed them to do and then be brave
Felice Green
(Continued from pg. 34) “I look forward to registering new 18-year-olds during election season. At the site, we ring the cow bell and people clap. I love it. I still remember the first time I voted and want others to wear their 'I voted' sticker with joy,” she said. Felice’s professional background in media and public relations, community engagement and advocacy—primarily working with education reform and higher education—has come in handy when working with some of these organizations, particularly as it relates to environmental issues that affect public health. Among the many organizations that Felice volunteers for are the African American Breastfeeding Network, Capuchin Community Services Advisory Ministry Council (House of Peace and St. Ben’s Meal Program), Susan G. Komen WI Chapter, Friends of the Hank Aaron Trail, and the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum. She is also engaged in public and environmental health initiatives, being named an Environmental Leadership Program
enough to walk in what God has designed them to do. “When I look back over the years, I feel blessed to be able to work with so many young people. Many of them are adults now and have their own children. Lead2Change is about creating opportunities. We help to open doors that youth may not be able to open on their own,” she said.
Fellow in 2018 and serving on the Milwaukee County and City Green Jobs Equity and Economics Task Force. She has been a United Way Campaign cabinet member since 2018 and is a healthy living facilitator with the American Heart Association. “I serve in my church ministry, Spirit of Christ; however not all ministry is done within the church. There are plenty of opportunities outside the walls of the church to serve in our community. I encourage individuals who are considering volunteering to get involved with organizations and groups that bring them joy or represent issues they are passionate about. “Volunteering is a way to give back, get involved and pay it forward. The appreciation and satisfaction that I’m helping mission-driven organizations is rewarding. You can always give money to organizations and that’s important; but time is precious and priceless. I’m a servant leader and try to lead by example. I strive to serve others with dignity and integrity so that the Lord will be pleased with my service,” she said.
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Margaret Todd (Continued from pg 35)
(Continued from pg. 34) secretary, treasurer, president and an outreach director. Dee said the board collectively decides how and whether to assist women who seek help from the organization. Funding comes from individual donations, outreach drives and monthly contributions from New Testament Central City Church, where Dee and her husband attend. She said on average the organization provides individual assistance to three women per month, and multiple assistance to other homeless women. The need typically increases as the temperature begins to drop, she said. On the fourth Sunday of most months, Charles preaches at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission for the men’s worship service. Dee loves to conduct the worship service with him. The couple are also active in the outreach ministry with New Testament Central City Church. “During the warmer months we go out and knock on doors to connect with the neighbors in the surrounding area and clean up the neighborhood,” she said. “One of the biggest outreach events that New Testament Central City Church conducts is the neighborhood outreach.” “Rather than doing everything ourselves at OEW4UL, we collaborate with other organizations and churches,” she said.
37
here or that they are able to go on the college. We want graduates to become contributing, responsible citizens who are lifelong learners.”
“OEW4UL has been a resource for single women who have reached out to New Testament Central City Church for help.” On Eagles Wings 4UL is not Dee’s full-time job. She has worked for more than 40 years in software information services. Currently she is a senior software consultant to large companies. She said she provides high-level analysis for systems and applications and documents the requirements in a way a software developer is able to code for what the client needs developed and testers are able to validate. Dee earned a certificate in total business from the Milwaukee Business Training Institute which merged with Milwaukee Career College. She also attended classes at UWM and MATC. She was born in Jackson, Mississippi. She and her family relocated to Milwaukee when she was five years old and she has lived here ever since. She and her husband have three children: Sean, Ramone and Duntra.
For a number of years, Margaret served on the North Division High School Advisory Council. She enlisted her congregation of St. Matthew Christian Methodist Episcopal Church to adopt North Division for its “One Church One School Initiative”. The council helped to provide funding to create educational programs, including a partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College which enabled high school students to begin earning credit toward a Certified Nursing Assistant certificate; provided funding for the school band; funding for students to go on college tours; scholarship assistance, and assisted in organizing and distributing Christmas baskets. In addition to her community service on behalf of North Division High School, Margaret has been an active member at St. Matthew C.M.E. Church. She has taught Sunday school, served as president and director of the board of Christian education, announcement clerk, and has served on many committees. She is now a member of the board of Christian education, finance committee, building committee, beautification committee, and the steward board. She is the recording steward and responsible for writing checks and preparing quarterly financial reports, finding another use for her recent mastery of accounting software. She is always willing to draw upon nearly six decades of experience teaching about and working with computers.
of the Year Award in 1988, Wisconsin Delta Great Teacher Award in 1990, and the Delta D.E.A.R. Award in 2011 for her sorority service. In many of her community service positions, Margaret has drawn on her computer skills developed as a teacher. She also has participated in other community service organizations including: Lane College Alumni & Associates, Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., National Council of Negro Women—Wisconsin Section, Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators, and African World Festival.
Margaret was born in Corinth, Mississippi, She and her family relocated to Chicago when she was one year old. The In addition to her community service family settled in Milwaukee in 1955. She at North Division High School and St. has two children: John and Michelle; three Matthew C.M.E. Church, Margaret is a grandchildren; and one great-grandson. lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She has served as president, vice president, treasurer, and corresponding secretary for the Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter. She was honored with the Delta
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Remembers Darrin Reasby
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Darrin was a tireless community advocate who worked to help shape the future leaders of tomorrow. The Black Excellence Awards salutes him this year as an Extraordinary Achiever. And though he is no longer with us, his legacy will live on through those whose lives he touched.
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Come Study With Us The Book Of I Peter. This Is A Community Bible Study. You Will Truly Be Blessed The Greater Milwaukee Foundation joins the Milwaukee Times in celebrating the leadership and achievement of this year’s Black Excellence Awards honorees.
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LOCAL VENUES AND VENDORS: The Democratic National Convention is coming to Milwaukee July 13 – 16, 2020! Do you have a space or service that could help put on a convention-related event? The Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee is looking to showcase businesses of all shapes and sizes on our venue and vendor portals!
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FREE Screening Assessments An in-depth individual Behavioral Health Assessment that will provide a recommended level of treatment in which the consumer will be referred. Level of care determination (Outpatient, Day Treatment, or Residential) Consumer choice in Provider selection, including Recovery Support Services (such as Job Training Programs, and Housing) Referral for Opioid maintenance treatment and assistance Walk-ins (First come, first served) Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Crisis number 414-257-7222
ELEVATING ELECTRIC HYPERDIMENSIONAL IMMORTAL GIRLFRIEND M I LWAUKE E B ROTHE R DUO FUL L A RT IC L E AT R A D I OM I LWAUKE E .ORG • 88.9 FM An NCON Communications Publication
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2020 Black Excellence Awards
Thursday, February 27, 2020
49
Wednesday, February 20, 2020
Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper
Walmart Congratulates the Black Excellence Awards Honorees and The Milwaukee Times on 35 Years of Excellence!
www.walmart.com
www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
An NCON Communications Publication
2020 Black Excellence Awards
Thursday, February 27, 2020
50
Wednesday, March 04, 2020
Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper
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The 2020 Black Excellence Awards would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of a great group of positive and motivated staff and volunteers. 2020 Black Excellence Committee: Lynda Jackson Conyers, Chair Shirley Sharp, Co-Chair Vi Hawkins, Co-Chair Jacquelyn Heath, Co-Chair Brenda Sheppard-Nelson Nobie Reed Fred Reed Sabrina Grant Dr. Willie Hart Dr. Shirley Moutry George Matthews Yvonne Kemp Carmen Murguía Dr. Bobbie J. Lathan 2020 Event Coordinator: Sabrina Grant 2020 Black Excellence Event Writer: Kathy Gaillard The Milwaukee Times Staff: Lynda Jackson Conyers, Publisher Morgan A. Conyers, Associate Publisher Jacquelyn Heath, Editorial William Gooden, Production Manager Michelle Anibas, Production Assistant Terry Taylor, Accounting Carmen Murguía, Marketing Manager Frank James IV, Columnist Rev. Judith Lester, Columnist Volunteers: Sabrina Grant, Chair Person Gregory Fanning Nellie Weddle Tamara and Greg Toles Charlene and Mia Golden Felicia Sharp Nobie Reed Stella Miller Melvin Reese Vi Hawkins Monica Payne Gloria Dupar
The Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation (MLKEDC) is seeking proposals for the preparation of its yearly audited financial statements and related filings for a three-year period beginning with the 2019 fiscal year ending on December 31, 2019. Our organization does not require a federal single audit. The audit of MLKEDC’s financial statements must be performed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. MLKEDC is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 1993 to revitalize the Harambee neighborhood in the City of Milwaukee. MLKEDC’s mission is to engage in entrepreneurial initiatives to create wealth and jobs, provide technical assistance to area businesses and develop quality, affordable rental and owner-occupied housing. Since 1998, the main focus of the organization has been on the development of affordable housing and commercial and office facilities that serve the Harambee neighborhood. Since its founding, MLKEDC has been directly responsible for over $50 million of real estate development which in turn has leveraged millions of dollars of additional investment in the surrounding neighborhood. MLKEDC owns and manages 190 affordable housing units, of which 142 are held in four different limited liability companies, some involving partnerships with other entities. These LLC’s are audited separately and are not the subject of this RFP, although the results of those audits may impact the audit of MLKEDC. MLKEDC is also involved in the ownership and management of approximately 75,000 sq. ft. of office and retail space, approximately half is managed directly by MLKEDC and half is managed through another entity. In addition to its management portfolio, MLKEDC is also engaged in new real estate development activity involving the acquisition and rehab of existing, single-family homes for resale to owner-occupants as well as the development of new, multi-family, mixed-use projects. MLKEDC has received government funding from Community Block Grant Administration of the City of Milwaukee, from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and Office of Community Service in the federal Department of Health and Human Services. MLKEDC also multiple financial relationships with WHEDA. MLKEDC’s staff consists of two parttime staff. MLKEDC has total assets of approximately $15 million and our annual revenue has ranged between $970,000 and $1.2 million and over the past 3 years. MLKEDC requires the following services: 1. Annual financial statement audit. 2. Preparation of IRS form 990 3. Preparation of Charitable Organization Annual Report for the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. 4. Management letter All of the above must be completed within 180 days of the end of each fiscal year, in order for our Board to review each document prior to its submission to the appropriate recipients. In addition, MLKEDC requires that a meeting of the auditors and select MLKEDC board and staff members be held to discuss a draft version of the financial statements and that the auditors meet at least yearly with the Board of Directors. All proposals must include: a) Evidence of the firm’s qualifications to provide the above services; b) Background and experience in auditing nonprofit clients involved in real estate development activity; c) The size and organizational structure of the auditor’s firm; d) Statement of the firm’s understanding of work to be performed, including tax and nonaudit services; f) A proposed timeline for fieldwork and final reporting; g) Proposed fee structure for each of the three years of the proposal period, including whatever guarantees can be given regarding increases in future years, and the maximum fee that would be charged; h) Describe your billing rates and procedures for technical questions that may come up during the year, or whether these occasional services are covered in the proposed fee structure; i) Names of the partner, audit manager, and field staff who will be assigned to our audit and provide biographies. j) A copy of your firm’s most recent peer review report, the related letter of comments, and the firm’s response to the letter of comments; and k) References and contact information from at least 3 comparable nonprofit audit clients.
A Special Thank-you to: Our Media partners WISN Channel 12 and the Milwaukee Business Journal, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Reid, and our Volunteers
Your proposal must be received by end of day on March 15, 2020. Send your proposal to me at the MLKEDC office located at:
The entire 2020 Black Excellence Team would also like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the members of our community including the businesses, churches, media, and local leaders who have supported our event over the years.
The finance committee will review all proposals and make a recommendation regarding the choice of auditors to the full board of directors in (insert date).
Thank You! An NCON Communications Publication
Nicole Robbins, Executive Director RFP-Accounting Services 2745 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 200 Milwaukee, WI 53212
If you have any questions or would like further clarification of any aspect of this request for bid, please email nicole@mlkedcmke.org. I look forward to receiving your proposal. Sincerely, Nicole Robbins Executive Director www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
2020 Black Excellence Awards
Thursday, February 27, 2020
51
Wednesday, February 20, 2020
Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper
SEAS THE
SAVINGS! FRESH DEAL
99
¢ /EA
With Card
Large Hass Avocados
Roundy's Navel Oranges
or Organic Honeycrisp Apples, $2.49 lb With Card
2 5
4 lb Bag
Wild-Caught Cod Fillets
or Organic Avocados, 4/$5 with Card
Honeycrisp Apples
or Fresh Catfish Fillets, Farm-Raised
599
$
1
/$
$ 77
With Card
/LB
With Card
/LB
With Card
Fresh Express Coleslaw 14 oz Bag
1
$ 79 PAIRS WELL WITH
Farm-Raised
6
$
FRESH DEAL
2
Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillets
$
99 /LB
With Card
.
With Card
99 /LB
With Card
Fresh Ground Chuck
Mix and Match Assorted Bag Shrimp
80% Lean, Sold in 3 lb Package or More
Select Varieties, Frozen, Sold in a 10-32 oz Bag BUY 1, GET 1
399
$
Oscar Mayer Bacon Select Varieties, 12-16 oz
With Card
Jack's Pizza Select Varieties, 13.8-16.6 oz
50%
of Equal or Lesser Value
5/$11
OFF
PAIRS WELL WITH
With Card
Russet Potatoes 5 lb Bag
With Card
1
$ 99
Knorr Sides Select Varieties, 4-5.7 oz
.
With Card
3SALE
SEE OUR WEBSITE OR APP FOR MORE OFFERS
DAY
FINAL COST When You Buy 4
4 10 /$
Roundy’s Lowfat Milk Select Varieties, Gallon, (Excludes Whole and Chocolate) Limit 4
1
$ 88 Simple Truth Organic Milk Select Varieties, 64 fl oz
Use each digital coupon up to in one transaction with Card.
When you buy 4 or more in the same transaction with Card. Quantities less than 4 will be priced up to $4.99 each.
5
OFF
With Card
Fresh Baked La Brea Bakery Artisan Bread
1
14.5-22 oz, In the Bakery
/EA With Card & Digital Coupon
BUY 5 SAVE $5 items with Card.
1
$ 99
With Card
1
Weekly sale price without digital coupon is $3.49 each with Card. While supplies last.
/EA With Card & Digital Coupon
Fully Cooked
1299
$
With Card
Doritos
Kroger Fresh Brats or Italian Sausage
or Ruffles Potato Chips, 7.75-11.25 oz or Frito Lay Baked Snacks, 6.25-7.63 oz; Select Varieties
6 Mega Rolls or Brawny Paper Towels, 6 Big Rolls; Select Varieties
.
With Card
Jumbo Snow Crab Clusters
/EA*
Quilted Northern Bathroom Tissue
299
$ PAIRS WELL WITH
12.5-13 oz or Tostitos Party Size! Tortilla Chips, 14.5-18 oz; Select Varieties
SALE
$ 99
/EA*
50%
$ 99
SAVE
Look for these tags.
2.99 -1.00
49
Buy 1 Bag, Get the 2nd of Equal or Lesser Value
Lay’s Party Size! Potato Chips
Participating
$
5X
Weekly sale price without digital coupon is $2.99 each with Card. While supplies last.
From hundreds of participating items in multiples of 5 with Card.
6.49 With Card -1.00
Frozen, Sold in a 2-3 lb Bag or More
Select Varieties, 16 oz
6-Pack, 16.9 fl oz Bottles or 6-Pack, 7.5 fl oz Cans or Kroger Seltzer Water, 12-Pack, 12 fl oz Cans; Select Varieties
BUY 5 SAVE $5
.00
With Card
Roundy’s Butter
Coca-Cola, Pepsi or 7UP
2/$6
10/$10
Assorted Bagged Fish
DIGITAL DEALS
With Card
With Card
PAIRS WELL WITH
Lemons 2 lb Bag
Select Varieties, 16-18 oz
1
$ 99
/LB
PAIRS WELL WITH
2/$5
.00
With Card
/EA With Card
Weekly sale price without digital coupon is $2.99 each with Card. While supplies last.
General Mills Large Size Cereal 14.9-18 oz or Silk Plant-Based Milk, 64 fl oz; Select Varieties
2.79 With Card -1.00
1
$ 79 /EA*
Nabisco Ritz Crackers
2.99 With Card -1.00
8.8-13.7 oz or Nabisco Snack Crackers, 3.5-9.1 oz or Nabisco Toasted Chips, /EA* 7.09-8.1 oz or Ritz Sandwich Crackers, 8 ct; Select Varieties
1
$ 99
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars 5-8 ct or Kellogg’s Fruit Snacks, 8-10 ct or Nestlé Splash, 6-Pack, 16.9 fl oz; Select Varieties
1.99 With Card -1.00
99
Full Line Kroger Shrimp Tray Sale
Beginning Thursday, download coupons on our website or app.
Frozen, 20-60 ct Buy 1 Tray, Get the 2nd of Equal or Lesser Value
REDEEM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28– SUNDAY, MARCH 1 ONLY!
50%
¢
OFF
With Card
/EA*
*When You Buy Any 5 Participating Items With Card. Participating item varieties and sizes may vary by store.
1-HOUR DELIVERY SALE DATES:
Thursday, February 27 through Tuesday, March 3, 2020
We reserve the right to limit quantities and correct all printed errors. Not all items and prices available at all locations unless otherwise noted. Prices subject to state and local taxes, if applicable. No sales to dealers. Purchase requirements exclude discounts, coupons, gift cards, lottery tickets, bus passes, alcohol, tobacco and use of Fresh Perks Card®. All prices “with card” are discounted by using your Fresh Perks Card® *Free promotion will be applied to item of least value.
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Golden Dipt Cocktail Sauce
Shop our app or website. Available in select stores.
8 oz
SAVE UP TO per gallon of BP or Amoco fuel!*
*Restrictions apply. See PicknSave.com/fuel for details.
PAIRS WELL WITH
2/$4
.00
With Card
An NCON Communications Publication
2020 Black Excellence Awards
An NCON Communications Publication
Thursday, February 27, 2020
52
Wednesday, March 04, 2020
Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper
www.milwaukeetimesnews.com