BULK RATE www.communityjournal.net 25 Cents U.S. POSTAGE PAID VOL.XL Number 18 December 2, 2015 MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PERMIT NO. 4668 The Milwaukee A PosOMMUNITYOMMUNITYt-ThanksgWISCONSIN’Siving Tr aLARGESTdition AFRICAN Cont AMERICANinues.. .NEWSPAPEROUROURNALNAL Sorority, Christian Business Organization Cotillians CCIntroduce the Best and Brightest to the CommunityJJ PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY Question and Photos Ald. Willie Wade announces retirement by Yvonne Kemp at the end of term, Milwaukee County QUESTION Sup. Khalif Rainey to run for seat Wade at Gee’s Clippers addressing the media after announcing he will OF THE WEEK: step down at the end of his current term.(Photo: On Milwaukee.com) We asked the parents, grand- parents, aunts and uncles at Article courtesy of On Milwaukee.com the 2015 Christian Business At a news conference gathered at Gee's Clippers, and Professional Alliance: 4327 W. Fond du Lac Ave.Tuesday, 7th District Ald. “What are some of the advan- Willie Wade announced that he tages your daughter, grand- Shelby Williams, the Christian Business and Professional Alliance Miss Debutante for 2015 (at the will not seek re-election to alder- dauther, or neice will receive front wearing crown) poses with her escort and other debutantes and escorts after the Alliance’s man and plans to step down from being a debutante?” 35th annual cotillion held in the Grand Ballroom of the Milwaukee Hilton. --Photo by Yvonne Kemp the Milwaukee Common Council RALPH after finishing his current term. WILLIAMS Wade was first elected to the Common (father of Council in April 2003 during a special elec- Debutante tion. He served four terms as 7th District al- Shelby derman, elected to his now final term in 2012. Sup. Rainey Williams): “(It) He described his time served as alderman will have the advan- as, "a seriously wonderful experience," noting his work with the sewer- tage of being a re- age district as some of the things he felt most proud of accomplishing in spectable young lady and to go on into life as a the position. young Christian lady. I love her very much and Wade also said his family, and spending more time with them, was the I am very proud of my daughter.” main reason for stepping down from re-election. PASTOR AARON "My family has taken a huge sacrifice," Wade explained. "When I ROBBINS (uncle (continued on page 5) of Debutante Taylor Alexandria Beamon (seated in the center) was crowned Miss Debutante for 2015 during the Ciera Robbins): 42nd annual Cottillion sponsored by the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Kappa “She will have the expe- Omega Chapter; and the Pauline Redmond Coggs Foundation, Inc. The AKA cotillion was held at rience to grow spiritually the Pfister Hotel. The photo was taken before the event.--Photo by Yvonne Kemp and mature through the No Wisconsin pageant was held various activities. Each this year, Alston said. “I went activity will expose her to new things, building Milwaukeean through a rigorous interview process upon her future goals and current successes.” at the beginning of November and SHAMICKA was selected and offered the title by GOVAN (mother BRITTANI the Miss Black USA recruitment team.” of Debutante Di- Alston said she saw a need to rep- amond Govan): resent her home state in the pageant “The advantages of my ALSTON in order to address what she sees as daughter being a part of an opportunity gap in the community. the cotillion is her having Alston added she is also participat- a chance to meet other crowned ing in the Miss Black USA Scolar- Rep. Mandela Christian young women. She can understand the Miss Black ship Pageant in order to gain more importance of being a Christian Woman and bel personal experience, spread the Barnes: “The able to walk in good character and integrity.” awareness of the pagreant and, hope- fully, implement a state pageant with PATRICIA CHISOM Wisconsin opportunity (grandmother of the help of the national organization 2014 Miss Debu- in the near future. USA Alston’s platform as the pageant’s is not there!” tante Jonese Chi- Rep. Barnes som): “This is my fourth Wisconsin representative is “Em- Milwaukee granddaughter that has She will represent state at brace, Engage, Empower: Creating participated in the Christian Opportunities for Our Children.” She Democrat says "We`re Debutante Cotillion . With 2016 Miss Black ofUSA young Black Pageant women to compete wants to promote to young students Jonesa being the reigning Compiled by MCJ Staff the idea of using art to constructively Milwaukee native Brittani Alston for a $5,000 academic scholarship, a changes to FoodShare experienc- 2014 Miss Debutante, one of the many advantages is express their concerns with societal receiving a scholarship. The young ladies are given life has been selected to represent Wis- trip to Africa courtesy of Arik Inter- issues and promote young entrepre- program aren’t working ing a lot of long opportunities to experience; being a team player, consin in the 2016 Miss Black USA national Airways, and serve as a neurship. Alston will promote her By Bret Lemoine, bonding in a positive sister-hood, enhanced social Scholarship Pageant, which will be celebrity advocate for the Heart Truth platform throughout the state during article courtesy of Fox6Now.com collateral skills. The girls are required to work on writing and held Aug. 3-8 in Washington, D.C. Campaign to raise awareness of heart her reign. State Rep. Mandela Barnes of Milwaukee says needed speaking skills which will be useful in college As Miss Black Wisconsin USA, disease, the leading cause of death of damage -- a 2,700 Milwaukee residents are losing FoodShare and future endeavors.” Alston will be among a select group women in the United States. (continued on page 5) (food stamp) benefits each month. He says that's a lot of result of changes to the program that took effect in April. But supporters say the changes help to crack people who down on fraud. The new rules require able-bodied, childless have done “VendorsBlac k(like F rtheid twoay Night” Vendor Event at WAAWC adults to work at least 80 hours a month or partici- pate in a job-seeking program. nothing young ladies pictured at Rep. Barnes says a state program folks can be re- wrong right selling their wares), ferred to in order to help them find work has a suc- entertainment and oppor- cess rate of just 7%. except live tunities were plentiful at "The opportunity is not there," Rep. Barnes said. Rep. Barnes says new statistics released about the in a place the “Black Friday Night” state's FoodShare program paint a grim picture in event held the day after Milwaukee. where the Thanksgiving at the Wis- "We`re in the holiday season and unfortunately, job consin African American we`ve seen over half of the people who receive their FoodShare benefits get cut off," Rep. Barnes opportuni- Women’s Center said. (WAAWC), 3020 W. Vliet Barnes says the work requirement rule that im- ties are St. pacted the FoodShare program in April hasn't been From 5 p.m. until mid- successful. He says only 7% in Milwaukee have limited..." found employment to keep their benefits, and 2,700 --State Rep. night, shoppers were able per month are being kicked out of the program. Mandela Barnes to pick from a plethora of Barnes says many in Milwaukee simply cannot (pictured above) holiday gift items from find jobs. craftspersons and those "We`re experiencing a lot of collateral damage -- a lot of people who have done nothing wrong except live in a place where the job opportunities are who offer services shop- St. Else” campaign of an eco- merce organized the limited," Barnes said. pers were looking for. Barnes is calling on Governor Scott Walker to waive time limits for the The “Black Friday” nomic boycott of holiday “Black Friday” events with A similar post-Thanks- FoodShare program. Currently, those who don't meet the requirements only events is part of a local spending with non-Black the focus being the em- giving event was held ear- get three months of benefits in a three-year period. and national effort being business now until Janu- powerment of the Black Supporters of the measures argue it not only cuts down on fraud -- but it lier in the day at the championed by the Nation ary 1. The Wisconsin busiiness community. -- also gets people to be less reliant on the government. Wisconsin Black Historical In a statement about the FoodShare program on his website, Rep. Mark of Islam and its “Justice or Black Chamber of Com- Photo by Yvonne Kemp Society, 2620 W. Center (continued on page 5) The Milwaukee Community Journal December 2, 2015 Page 2 The Milwaukee Community Journal December 2, 2015 Page 3 THETHE MILWAUKEEMILWAUKEE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY JOURNALJOURNAL Published twice weekly, Wednesday & Friday 3612 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212 Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: Editorial@communi- tyjournal.net/[email protected] The Milwaukee Community Journal December 2, 2015 Page 2 The Milwaukee Community Journal December 2, 2015 Page 3 QUOTE OF THE WEEK JustPERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES as Rosa Parks was tired of sitting on the back of the bus, it’s time the community get tiredDecember 1, 1955.of Sixty losing years Black businesses ago, Rosa Parks refused to move fur- ther back on a Montgomery, Ala- MCJBy Patricia COMMENTARY O. Pattillo-MCJ Publisher bama bus and her decision is attributed to be the start of the Civil Rights Movement. Only 42 years-of-age, born and raised in the era of Jim Crow or seg- regation, Mrs.