Author: Staff

Milwaukee DNC partners donate 75 Apple laptops to MPS to expand tech resources for virtual education

The Democratic National Convention Committee and Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee, alongside Representative Gwen Moore of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, announced a donation on August 16 of over 75 MacBook Air notebook computers to the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) system. The laptops, which were purchased in 2020 to be used by staff leading up to and during the convention, will help MPS bolster the technology resources available to students, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As the local Host Committee, we’ve consistently stated that our greatest responsibility is to our neighbors—and that includes our neighbors of all ages and...

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Inspirational banners feature work by Milwaukee artists to celebrate our nation’s “Road of Democracy”

A new public art project in downtown Milwaukee is spreading messages of hope and encouragement. Nearly 60 street pole banners were installed along Water Street and Kilbourn Avenue to celebrate the virtues of democracy, as well as the public spaces and city streets that have hosted demonstrations of our First Amendment Right over the course of our nation’s history. Curated by Milwaukee Downtown BID #21, “Road of Democracy” is a collaborative project among three Milwaukee artists – Milwaukee’s Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton, previous Artist of the Year Della Wells and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Brad Pruitt. The street pole...

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Video series narrated by community members will give the world a virtual tour of Milwaukee during DNC

VISIT Milwaukee unveiled an immersive virtual experience on August 13 to showcase our unparalleled city and the thoughtful, resilient people who make it come together. From old fashioneds and cheese curds, to Alice’s Garden’s meditative labyrinth and the local music scene, this collective experience includes 30 videos that cover traditions beloved by locals and visitors alike. And they are not just your average tourism videos. The videos feature the voices of 30 passionate Milwaukeeans who share with viewers an inside look at what makes the city such a dynamic place. “There’s nothing like being in Milwaukee in person, of...

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Boys & Girls Clubs extending meal program to serve Milwaukee students taking remote classes

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) recently made the decision to extend its meal distribution program to continue serving local students. The program was originally scheduled to end on July 27, but many students would not have access to adequate nutrition after it was announced that Milwaukee schools would be learning remotely for the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. “Thousands of kids in Milwaukee won’t be able to rely on school and after school programs to supplement their nutritional needs, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the challenge some families face providing quality food to their...

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Milwaukee County seeks to transform criminal justice system through the lens of racial equity

A new study released on August 3 by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) found that probation, parole, and other forms of supervisions, marketed as alternatives to incarceration, actually contribute to sending residents back to jail and prison. The process feeds mass incarceration instead of providing an alternative path to successfully reintegrating into our communities. The study focuses on three states where research indicates that despite reforms the issue remains an underlying problem – including Wisconsin. “Every leader in our state committed to ending mass incarceration and transforming our Criminal Justice System should be alarmed to see the findings...

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Milwaukee Film opens application process for annual grant program to support local filmmakers

As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the region’s film industry, Milwaukee Film encouraged filmmakers on August 4 to apply for the 2020 Brico Forward Fund, an annual granting program that supports local film projects with cash awards and sponsor-donated production resources. Past Brico Forward Fund recipients include widely acclaimed works “The Blood is at the Doorstep,” “Give Me Liberty” and “Pet Names.” Since the program’s inception in 2015, more than $650,000 in combined cash and donated production services have been awarded to 40 jury-selected projects. The program will award at least $50,000 in cash, as well as additional resources, this year. “Independent filmmakers around the world...

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