Category Archives: Milwaukee Community Leaders
Causes of Convenience The M.I. A. Leader
Causes of Convenience & The M.I. A. Leader
Brandon Johnson, Darrius Simmons and other cases “Leaders” seem to forget.
Funny when we needed support for the Derek Williams family it was not hard to find. Press releases, marches, weekly protests, tweets and FaceBook pages were found everywhere. Now the Brandon Johnson family is awaiting justice but little community activism has been done on their behalf.
So I ask you family where are those same “leaders” and groups that claimed to fight every injustice in this city and march and protest until this city complied with the people’s rights? Well that didn’t last long did it?
Brandon Johnson was the young man at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex who died in their care. Supposedly he died of complications of a broken neck he sustained in an injury. However he complained for some time and gave ample warnings. A simple blood thinner and he would be here today. His trial has been ongoing with no public outcry, no leader standing by with the family to give updates, no nothing. Why is this? Is he not worthy of the same love and support? Certainly this case has the same stink of foul injustice as in the Derek Williams case. Where are our leaders and was all that just talk? One must wonder!
http://fox6now.com/2012/10/09/mans-family-blames-his-death-on-nurses-at-mental-health-complex/
Asking around the community many reasons about “why” were shared with me. “There ain’t no money to be made!” “They can’t get no fame, they don’t care!” and “It’s over they heads!” Whatever the reasons may be, the community activists and groups that we have come to depend on were next to silent on this case and have been missing in action on a few other cases. Again Why? Does Brandon Johnson not deserve the same amount of fury that this community poured out for Derek Williams? Do we not owe it to ourselves to see that the Milwaukee County Health Complex is a safe place for all of us? After all it is widely used by this community for a variety of reasons and one never knows in what crisis we will find ourselves in the care of this facility.
Our Milwaukee County Board who usually has something to say about these matters was brief in this case, a county case. Supervisor Bowen did release one statement that I know of regarding this matter and it was quite brief. I know of no follow up and I am sure he will correct me if I missed something.
County Supervisor’s Press Release:
“First and foremost, my heart goes out to the family of Brandon Johnson. Mere words cannot express the magnitude of the pain the family is assuredly feeling right now.
“I want Brandon’s family and all of Milwaukee County to know that I pledge to do my part to ask the right questions and to seek information in this case.
“Additionally, I will do everything I can as an official elected by the people of Milwaukee County to ensure that all residents of all Milwaukee County facilities are treated with dignity and respect and are granted the medical care and attention they deserve.”
So family I guess I still have hope that one day we will find leadership that will be consistent and will understand you cannot pick up the sword and carry it sometimes. High profile or low, they all matter. We all matter. If you take the name of leader, king, organizer, etc. You have put yourself in the seat of that which is called to a different journey and that means you are called to take on injustices, not just the easy to organize ones, but the ones that require work and sacrifice. This family needed you and you dropped the ball. Our elected, if you pick one case, then you must remain consistent as well; otherwise you too look like you are rolling with the tides. Let us unite behind every injustice that affects our community or do not sign yourself up for that position if you are not ready for the responsibilities that come with it.
Peace Family,
WW
SUPERVISOR MAYO CHALLENGES COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Milwaukee County
SUPERVISOR MAYO CHALLENGES COUNTY EXECUTIVE CLAIMS IN STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESSMilwaukee – Milwaukee County Supervisor Michael Mayo, Sr. challenged several items in the State of the County speech delivered by the county executive on Monday, February 11, 2013 at the Oak Creek Police Department.
“I’m not interested in throwing the County Executive under the bus, despite the fact that he continuously throws the Board under the bus,” explained Supervisor Mayo. “Instead, I’m interested in transparency and honesty when it comes to doing the work of the people.”
Supervisor Mayo went on to identify and to correct the following pieces of misinformation:
MYTH 1: “The voters asked for a change in 2012.”
FACT: More than 80 percent of Milwaukee County residents did NOT vote on pay or size of the Board. The question about the board appeared in only 12 of Milwaukee County’s 19 municipalities.
MYTH 2: “For decades, experts and advocates have called for moving away from outdated, institutional care and into a more community-based mental health system.”
FACT: The Milwaukee County Board has been the guardian of Milwaukee County’s most vulnerable when private hospitals have turned them away. Additionally, to help transition patients into integrated, community settings, the Board has created hundreds of supportive housing units via public-private partnerships throughout Milwaukee County. In fact, the Board and county executive have agreed on a $3 million investment in community-based services.
MYTH 3: “Another big effort we are moving forward on this year is taking a close look at how Milwaukee County uses the buildings and resources we have.”
FACT: Neither the Committee on Transportation, Public Works & Transit nor the Board has been given the Facilities plan by the County Executive. Last year, the plan was delayed in the Department of Administrative Services until it was too late for budget implementation in 2013.
MYTH 4: “The [City/County Parks Patrol] plan … had the backing of all the mayors, village administrators and police chiefs in Milwaukee County.”
FACT: Not all the mayors, village administrators and police chiefs weighed-in on this matter. Their silence should not be interpreted as support.
MYTH 5: “Unfortunately, this system is facing a fiscal cliff of its own as a result of the transit cuts from the state.”
FACT: The best way to remove transit from property taxes is with a dedicated sales tax. In two, recent media interviews about 24 hours apart, the County Executive both expressed support for a sales tax that would fund a new arena for the Bucks and condemned a sales tax that would fund transit as “regressive.”
“Again, what’s most important is doing the people’s work with transparency and honesty,” said Supervisor Mayo. “This county executive has demonstrated time and time again – from the Parks Patrol plan to the Facilities plan – that he disregards the necessary checks and balances role of the legislative branch of government in Milwaukee County.”
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Michael Mayo, Sr. Chairman, Transportation, Public Works & Transit Committee 7th District Supervisor Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors 901 North 9th Street, Room 201 Milwaukee, WI 53233-1425 Phone: (414) 278-4241 Fax: (414) 223-1380 E-mail: michael.mayo@milwcnty.comCalling All Civil Rights Leaders Past & Present in Milwaukee
Between 1958 and 1970, a distinctive movement for racial justice emerged from unique circumstances in Milwaukee. A series of local leaders inspired growing numbers of people to participate in campaigns….
Calling All Civil Rights Leaders in Milwaukee
“We Are The Drum – A Rhythm In Wisconsin” – 2012
Since 1990, CAPITA Productions (City At Peace In The Arts) founded by Brother Booker Ashe and others has been presenting a Black History Program yearly for thousands in the Greater Milwaukee Area.
This year we are adding a very special and overdue segment which will celebrate those brave marchers and demonstrators, from all backgrounds, who risked their lives for the cause of civil rights, especially in Milwaukee. It will be a dramatic reenactment of the Underground Railroad, prominent in the Waukesha area; the escaped slave Joshua Grover, and Fr. Jim Groppi’s “March on Milwaukee”.
For 200 consecutive nights hundreds marched for open housing through rain, snow and fear of physical attacks. These heroes have not been properly honored until now. Their stories should be known by our youth as well as everyone in Milwaukee and across the nation.
We are calling on those who lived this experience to share their stories with us in special listening sessions on Tuesday, November 15th and Wednesday November 16th from 5 pm to 8 pm and again November 19th from 10 am to 1 pm. We will meet at North Division Room #102, 1011 West Center Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
We are looking for all those who participated in the demonstrations, served on the NAACP Youth Council, Commandos, and all organizations that led or joined in some way, the historic Milwaukee’s Civil Rights Movement.
If you are interested in attending and would like more information please call 414-397-8661 or email arsmusic00@aol.com. (zero, zero). Otherwise we would love to see you at the meetings. Please share this announcement with everyone. We want to make sure we honor and thank you for your courage and brave acts that moved Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the nation so powerfully.
Thank you,
CAPITA Productions
An excerpt taken from
The Selma of the North:
Civil Rights Insurgency in Milwaukee
Patrick D Jones
Between 1958 and 1970, a distinctive movement for racial justice emerged from unique circumstances in Milwaukee. A series of local leaders inspired growing numbers of people to participate in campaigns against employment and housing discrimination, segregated public schools, the membership of public officials in discriminatory organizations, welfare cuts, and police brutality.
The Milwaukee movement culminated in the dramatic—and sometimes violent—1967 open housing campaign. A white Catholic priest, James Groppi, led the NAACP Youth Council and Commandos in a militant struggle that lasted for 200 consecutive nights and provoked the ire of thousands of white residents. After working-class mobs attacked demonstrators, some called Milwaukee “the Selma of the North.” Others believed the housing campaign represented the last stand for a nonviolent, interracial, church-based movement.
“We Are The Drum – A Rhythm In Wisconsin” – 2012 Show Dates:
Public Shows:
Fri, Feb. 24th, Sat., Feb. 25th, Fri. Mar. 3rd & Sat., Mar. 4th at 7:30 pm-
Tickets will go on sale on Dec. 1st
Student Shows:
The dates are: Tues. Feb.21st, Wed, Feb. 22nd, Mon., Feb.27th
& Wed. Feb. 29th at 10am & 12 pm. tickets are $4 per child.
For more info on the student shows, call Liz Coleman- 414-807-7322
You can find more about CAPITA by visiting us on our Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/pages/Capita-Productions
or Twitter @CAPITAProd
Eyon Biddle, Earl Ingram, Pastor Sudie Jones, and Brenda Coleman Honored
