Author: Editor

William Bott honored for Milwaukee Rowing Club’s diversity outreach program

The Milwaukee Riverwalk District held its annual meeting recently and one of the three individuals honored, received special recognition for his efforts to remove barriers to participation in youth rowing. Each year since 1994 the Milwaukee Riverwalk District has bestowed its Gertie Award, named for the famed duck who survived on the Milwaukee River beneath Wisconsin Avenue against all odds, to recipients who have worked to improve conditions along the waterway or helped the public better utilize the resource. This year William Bott, a Rowing Coach with the ‎Milwaukee Rowing Club, was awarded for his work with underprivileged children....

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Rohingya girl in Milwaukee shares her story of resilience

Turner Hall hosted an evening of storytelling on February 26 that featured an assortment of personal experiences reflecting resilience and inspiration from diverse members of the Milwaukee community. “Stories of Resilience and Inspiration” was organized by the Shorewood Solidarity Network to showcase individuals who persevered and thrived during a political year of challenges and change. The invited speakers covered a range of topics on advocacy for civil liberties, healthcare, immigration, and racial justice. The event was emceed by Emilio De Torre of the ACLU, and storytellers in the program included Pardeep Kaleka, author of “The Gift of Our Wounds;”...

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SEVEN04 PLACE breaks ground on affordable housing in Walker’s Point

Community leaders, local residents and development partners came together on February 22 to celebrate the start of construction for SEVEN04 PLACE, a new 60-unit affordable-housing development in the Walker’s Point neighborhood of Milwaukee. Developed by Impact Seven and Rule Enterprises, SEVEN04 PLACE will feature one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including 46 units of affordable housing for individuals and working families. Fourteen units will be dedicated to permanent supportive housing for military veterans and other adults who have struggled with barriers to housing stability. “This marks another important step in the revitalization of Walker’s Point and our community’s efforts to...

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Associated Bank’s $1.5M home loan pledge connected to $200M redlining settlement

The City of Milwaukee announce a corporate partnership with Associated Bank on February 26 for home loans, which also fit the settlement agreement that the financial institution was obligated to pay for its discriminatory housing policies. Associated Bank agreed to purchase a significant portion of the STRONG HOMES Loan portfolio, and add approximately $1.5 million to the funds available for helping Milwaukee residents stay in their homes. The commitment comes just under three years after the bank agreed to settle with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to resolve a disparate treatment redlining case, one of...

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Vel Phillps honored with Living Legacy Award at 2nd Annual Black History Program

City residents were invited to bring family and friends to attend the 2nd Annual Black History Program on February 23 in the Milwaukee City Hall Rotunda. The theme for this year was “the Souls of Black Folk” was a festive celebration of African-American culture. Organized by Aldermen Khalif J. Rainey and Russell W. Stamper, the event began with an African drumming performance by ONFYAH (Our Nation For Youth Arts and Healing), who also entertained the public in January at the 34th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday. “We wanted to have a community-wide celebration of African-American culture again,...

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Margaret Rozga: Marches, Marriage, MCTS, and Memories of Father Groppi

At the center of Milwaukee’s Open Housing Marches fifty years ago was a Catholic Priest that history books remember as Father James Groppi. But for his friend, companion in activism, and the wife of his three children, Margaret Rozga remembers a different side of the Civil Rights leader from their private life together. Peggy has remained a force in the movement for social justice, continuing her late husband’s legacy that at times overshadowed her own decades of work. But her witness to the past stands as a reminder to what the Milwaukee community has forgotten, and the journey that...

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