Remember when...Lincoln High and the Brown decisionBULK RATE VOL. XL Number 43 May 17, 2017 www.milwaukeecommunityjournal.com 25 Cents U.S. POSTAGE PAID MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PERMIT NO. 4668 WISCONSIN’S LARGEST AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER SSppeeeecchh aanndd AArrrreesstteedd DDeevveellooppmmeenntt County Sheriff David rroocckk tthhee PPaabbsstt BBrreewweerryy ggrraanndd ooppeenniinngg Clarke stepping down Milwaukee native and to accept Homeland rapper Speech re- turned home with his Security position Grammy Award-win- Compiled by MCJ Editorial Staff Milwaukee County Sheriff David ning hip-hop group, Ar- Clarke announced Wednesday he will step down from his current posi- rested Development tion to become an assistant secretary recently to perform at in the Department of Homeland Se- curity (DHS). Pabst Milwaukee Interviewed on a morning radio talk show, Clarke said he’ll be the as- Brewery’s grand open- sistant DHS secretary in charge of ing street festival at the the Office of Partnership and En- gagement. Pabst development Speech and Arrested Development members Tasha LaRae (far left) and Fareedah Clarke said in his new position, he near downtown Mil- (far right) performing on-stage at the Pabst grand opening festival. will focus on being a liaison between the DHS and state, local and tribal Sheriff David Clarke waukee, on Juneau Av- law enforcement agencies. On the radio show, Clarke admitted the position presents him with a huge enue between 10th learning curve. “I’m going to get in there and figure out the landscape; learn the people. and 11th street. “I’ll be developing who I have interplay with. And then, after I talk with Arrested Development Secretary (John) Kelly, figure out a strategy to create this better liaison be- tween the Department of Homeland Security and our state and local part- was one of several mu- ners.” Rumors had been rampant about Clarke joining President Donald Trump’s sical acts, the majority administration since he was elected in November. local, that performed at More recently, Clarke was among several names mentioned for the FBI di- rector job to replace fired bureau director James Comey. the free outdoor event. Though he has run for election and reelection as a Democrat, Clarke iden- The festival included (continued on page 4) games, activities, food Speech belting out a song. and (of course) beer. Speech (second from right) with band members backstage before Photos by Lawmakers call on they performed (left to right): 1 Love, LaRae, and Fareedah. Yvonne Kemp state to focus on “front end” investments to reduce need for incarceration Compiled by MCJ Editorial Staff Members of the Common Council are asking state lawmakers to con- TALKING POINTS... sider several alternative approaches • The number of adults incarcerated in Wis- to public safety they’ve developed consin State correctional facilities increased focusing on “front end” investments from 6,967 in 1990 to 22,729 in 2016, a so more Wisconsin citizens can avoid 226% increase, while the overall population A diverse crowd enjoys the Grammy Award-winning group. Speech and 1 Love rap one of Arrested Development’s hits. incarceration and contact with the corrections system. of Wisconsin increased during the same pe- “I believe that individuals who riod by only 17% Bader Philanthropies breaks ground commit crimes need to be sanc- • Wisconsin has the highest incarceration tioned, but I also believe we need to rate in the United States for new headquarters in city’s do a much better job preventing the • African Americans comprise 6.6% of Wis- conditions and/or paths that lead peo- consin’s population but 42% of the men and ple to consider poor choices in the 24% of the women incarcerated in Wisconsin Harambee Neighborhood first place,” said Ald. Chantia Lewis. Lewis is one of seven aldermen State correctional facilities Bader Philanthropies, Inc. who sponsored a resolution that • As of the 2010 U.S. Census, 12.6%, or one recently hosted a ground- counters the state’s proposed Repub- in 8, African-American working-age men in breaking event at the site of lican “Prevention Last” legislation, Wisconsin were incarcerated, nearly double its new global headquarters which contains a package of bills that the 6.7% average rate in the United States, located at 3318 North MLK would incarcerate more youth for while at the same time the rate of incarcera- Drive. longer periods of time and takes the tion of working-age Caucasian men in Wis- focus off of prevention and evi- Mayor Tom Barrett, Alder- consin was virtually identical to the average woman Milele Coggs, and denced-based solutions. The Common Council resolution rate across the United States, at 1.2% Bader Philanthropies’ Presi- • Sixty-nine percent of the African-American dent and CEO Daniel J. calls for the introduction and passage of legislation at the county, state and residents of Wisconsin reside in Milwaukee Bader, among others, spoke federal levels to both reduce incar- County; to commemorate the occa- ceration of Milwaukee residents and • According to a report by the University of sion. to reduce violence in the city. Wisconsin-Milwaukee, between 1990 and A large 6’x10’ rendering of Said Democratic state Rep. David 2012, 26,222 African-American men from the completed facility was Bowen following a recent public Milwaukee County were incarcerated in Wis- unveiled prior to the ceremo- hearing in Milwaukee on the legisla- nious shoveling. Bader Phi- tion: “The bills we heard today consin State correctional facilities lanthropies announced last August its plan to relocate from the would move the state in a terrible di- --Statistical information taken from the reso- Third Ward to Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood to build rection for both youth and adult pop- lution by seven city aldermen on its existing commitment in the neighborhood. ulations. The new space will include more than 22,000 square feet of “Regardless of the offense committed, the Republican Prevention Last leg- meeting rooms and offices. islation takes a one-size-fits-all approach, revoking supervision and re-incar- cerating anyone who commits any crime, regardless of severity, while on The new meeting facility will accommodate up to 120 peo- supervision.” ple, which doubles the Foundation’s current capacity for con- Bowen added the legislation doesn’t take into account evidence-based prac- vening. tices that show education and treatment in or near one’s home community is In addition to the building itself, there are plans for nearly 50 the best approach to restoring troubled youth and ensuring a positive transition guest parking spaces and green space. A Black-owned con- back into their communities. struction firm, JCP Construction has been selected as the “Instead, this legislation would increase the likelihood of Wisconsinites general contractor for the project. getting stuck in the expensive revolving door of the corrections system, --Photos courtesy of Bader Philanthropies. (continued on page 5) The Milwaukee Community Journal May 17, 2017 Page 2 Local sorority celebrates 20th anniversary The ladies of the Milwaukee chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Dia- mond Jubilee Pearls Foundation, recently celebrated the organization’s 20th an- niversary at the Wisconsin Club, 6200 W. Good Hope Road. The women were joined by Milwaukee native Dr. Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson, the international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. --Photo by Yvonne Kemp The Milwaukee Community Journal May 17, 2017 Page 3 PERSPECTIVES PULSEPULSEPERSPECTIVES OFOF THETHE GUESTGUEST COMMENTARYCOMMENTARY URBANURBAN My My COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY Cornell William Brooks, NAACP president and CEO Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp The mythology DIALOGUE...DIALOGUE... QUESTIONQUESTION OFOF THETHE WEEK:WEEK: By Torre “ToeJoe” Johnson “How do you think Dr. Martin Luther Theof recent executivevoter order establishing fraud the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity represents yet another Self-discovery King, Jr.--if he were still alive--re- veiled attempt to disenfranchise people of color. Citing false and unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud, President spond to Donald Trump’s America?” Trump has perpetuated this mythology of "voter fraud," as jus- LeadsHave you ever heard the to saying Happiness‘It’s lonely at the top?’ I experience the tification for support of laws and policies that promote voter “I would think “I think Dr. lonely daily by being at the top of my life. I work on shaking the feeling suppression. that the Rev. Dr. as it is felt. This Commission poses a very real and direct threat to our Martin Luther Martin Luther I do that because I know that I am not lonely. I am not saying that I am electoral system and democracy. Clearly designed to bar mil- King, Jr. would at my highest point in my life either, but I’ve discovered that when you’re King, Jr. lions from exercising their democratic birthright, through a doing what’s needed to be done for personal growth, you seem to find want all tools gumbo of alt-facts, stereotypes and dog whistle politics, the yourself alone. available to ad- would say: NAACP as this nation's first-responder on civil rights will fight It’s like everyone moves away and you begin feeling like the kid on the vance the cause back with every resource at our disposal against any assault playground that's not invited to play because of your differences. Since I ‘Evil flour- on the vote. Without a doubt, the enemy of the vote will seek of African Ameri- Michael Ezzard no longer participate in many activities, I’ve had to fill the voids with pos- Holmes White to utilize whatever findings the committee produces as ammu- itive situations. On many occasions, that means that I have to do things cans. If Donald ishes when nition for the continuing assault on voting rights.