Editor, Author at Milwaukee Independent

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

Posted by Editor | Feb 27, 2018 |

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...

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

Posted by Editor | Feb 26, 2018 |

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,...

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

Posted by Editor | Feb 23, 2018

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...

VA photography program brings healing to Milwaukee veterans with health disorders

Posted by Editor | Feb 22, 2018 |

Veterans who participated in “Exploring the Milwaukee Community through Photography” exhibit attended a meet-and-greet event on February 13, talking with members of the public about their images. The photos have been on display in the Freedom Gallery, a space in the lower level of the Milwaukee County War Memorial. The exhibit was the culmination of a project offered through the VA Medical Center. It was part of a recreation therapy program for veterans receiving treatment in the Housing Urban Development, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, and mental health programs. The photography program was developed last year by Courtney Zeller, a...

Dinosaur Time Trek brings interactive Jurassic era experience to Milwaukee

Posted by Editor | Feb 20, 2018 |

The special attraction welcomed visitors with an opportunity to take a step back in time to an era when prehistoric creatures roamed the earth, on February 17 and 18 at the Wisconsin Center. The traveling exhibition, Dinosaur Time Trek, featured life-sized models of dinosaurs crafted in realistic detail, along with a number of educational programs for the whole family. Visitors were invited to journey inside a Time Lab, which instantly transported them back to a period when the creatures ruled the world. The lifelike and giant animatronic dinosaurs presented an imaginary experience for families with children too young to...

Photo Essay: AMKE celebrates all things Japanese

Posted by Editor | Feb 19, 2018 |

These images are highlights from the 2018 Anime Milwaukee, known by its acronym AMKE, the three-day convention dedicated to the anime and gaming communities. Held from February 16 to 18 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Wisconsin Convention Center in downtown Milwaukee, the 11th annual event was expected to bring $3.8 million to the Downtown economy. With a focus on Japanese culture and art, the festivities featured programs and activities that ran 24 hours a day. Those included costume play – or Cosplay, combat chess, Masquerade Charity Ball, Manga graphic novel library, events for children, Maid Café, the Nocturnal...