Collin Price, Co-founder of Indigenous Business Group, Brings Visibility to Native Businesses
www.shepherdexpress.com/collin-price
In the spring of 2022, a nonprofit organization called the Indigenous Business Group (IBG) was formed by three Native entrepreneurs in an effort to help Indigenous businesses prosper and support economic growth among the tribes in the region.
Gabriel Thomas Brings Light to Vacant Buildings
www.shepherdexpress.com/Gabriel-Thomas
Milwaukee has roughly 2,500 vacant properties across the city, a problem that weighs more heavily on predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods. Research has shown that vacant houses attract crime, are easier to set on fire, and can lower the value of homes nearby.
The difference in number of boarded up buildings between neighborhoods is obvious as one drives from the East Side to the North Side or central parts of the city. Those neglected spaces are blatant visuals of the disparities in our city.
Martha Chambers Speaks Out for Disability Voting Rights
www.shepherdexpress.com/Martha-Chambers
In April, a Waukesha County circuit court judge ruled that voters cannot receive assistance mailing or returning their absentee ballot. “They eliminated my ability to vote,” says Martha Chambers, who is paralyzed from the neck down and relies on her caregiver to return her ballot.
Since this happened in April, Chambers has spoken out about the rights of people with disabilities and worked closely with Disability Rights Wisconsin and Law Forward to restore her freedom to vote and the freedoms of many Wisconsinites with disabilities.
Kai Gardner Mishlove Helps Communities Find their Similarities through Food
www.shepherdexpress.com/Kai-Gardner-Mishlove
Food tells the story of migration, evokes memories, reminds us of where we came from and connects us to the land that produces the food we eat. As Kai Gardner Mishlove so beautifully explains, food unifies us and heals us. “When you prepare a dish, you’re putting your heart and soul into it and you’re evoking the memory of your ancestors in that work,” she says.
In 2018, Gardner Mishlove came up with an idea that would merge her love of food, building bridges between people, and supporting the many refugee communities in Milwaukee. She wanted to find a way for refugee chefs to share the food from their culture with others.
Dr. Samantha Majhor and Danielle Barrett are Working to Restore Ecosystems and Culture with Wild Rice
www.shepherdexpress.com/Majhor-Barrett
The students and faculty working on the Wild Rice Project in Marquette University’s Indigeneity Lab are trying to answer the question: Will wild rice grow in Milwaukee’s rivers? What may seem like a straight-forward science-based approach, requires relationship building with Indigenous communities and a deep understanding of the connection Native people have with the waters and wild rice.
Mariana Rodriguez Built a Space for Latinas to Thrive
www.shepherdexpress.com/Mariana-Rodriguez
“I think about my 20-plus years advocating for the safety and empowerment for women, and healthcare has always been core to everything we do,” says Mariana Rodriguez, director of the Latina Resource Center at United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS). “When women have resources and when they have options, they’re safer.”
The Latina Resource Center serves victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in the Latino community. Rodriguez has been with the center since its inception in 2001 when there were no cultural services available for the Latino community—only general services that were harder to access.
Sheila Badwan Helps Refugees Seeking Freedom
www.shepherdexpress.com/Sheila-Badwan
On July 4, America celebrates its independence—our day of freedom. But many of us may never truly appreciate the freedom we have because we’ve always had it. For centuries, America has offered the promise of safety and a better life for those fleeing war, religious persecution, or other hardships. Unless we are Indigenous, our ancestors came to this country seeking that freedom we celebrate today.
“As an immigrant and refugee, (the promise America offers is) being able to practice any religion you want, being able to work and have that American dream,” says Sheila Badwan, the Executive Director of the Hanan Refugee Group in Milwaukee and Vice President of the Board of the national organization.
Richard Diaz fights for families with lead poisoning
www.shepherdexpress.com/Richard-Diaz
Three thousand, nine-hundred and twelve children up to the age of six were reported being poisoned by lead in Wisconsin in 2018 – and that’s with a testing rate of only 10 percent of children. The fact is simple. There is not enough being done in Wisconsin to prevent lead poisoning and to help families who are being lead poisoned.
“There is no safe exposure level,” says Richard Diaz, founding member of the Coalition on Lead Emergency (COLE), a volunteer-run group advocating for policy and funding to address the lead crisis.
Ericka Sinclair is Redefining Healthcare
www.shepherdexpress.com/Ericka-Sinclair
After working in the healthcare industry for over 15 years, Ericka Sinclair had a vision of redefining patient care by creating a community-based clinic. In traditional clinical care, she saw patterns that were not beneficial to the patients: physicians weren’t trained to have deep conversations with them, and people often didn’t know how to use their insurance. As a response, Sinclair had her sights set on a “systems change,” she says, so in 2015, she started what is now called Health Connections, Inc.
Dontrell Corey Fells Shares the Value of Therapy
www.shepherdexpress.com/Dontrell-Corey-Fells
For Dontrell Corey Fells, co-founder of Black Space, therapy wasn’t always a pleasant experience. When he was a teenager in late high school, his mother passed away. “After that, there was just a young boy that wanted to be able to find somewhere to live and to figure out life for myself,” says Fells.
His family suggested he see a therapist to cope, but the man they found made Fells uncomfortable. As a young Black man, Fells couldn’t relate to his therapist who was an older white man. He felt the need to use coded language and give additional context to explain where he grew up and the challenges he faced. It wasn’t working.
Cetonia Weston-Roy Centers on Black Literature
www.shepherdexpress.com/Cetonia-Weston-Roy
You may have heard, there’s a new book seller in town and she’s been doing things a little differently. Cetonia Weston-Roy started Niche Book Bar in 2020 with the goal of making Black literature more accessible and, due to the pandemic, she has had to be creative from the start.
She has hosted dozens of pop-up book and author events around the city, has created a book bike (a mobile cart full of books she attached to her bike) and sells books through her website. But from the beginning, her dream has always been to have a physical bookshop and she’s almost there. She is in the process of purchasing the building at 1937 North M.L.K Dr. in the heart of Bronzeville and plans to open her bookstore later this year.
Darrell Jack’s Fast Forward Fitness
www.shepherdexpress.com/Darrell-Jack
Twelve years ago, Darrell Jack opened a small fitness facility called Fast Forward Fitness; driven by his love for athletics, he understood how fitness could help people take on the challenges of everyday life. According to him, getting fit requires a deep dive into one’s mindset and the day-to-day concerns that affect one’s psyche. “If we don’t have the mentality, the physicality doesn’t matter,” he says. Years later, that approach to fitness led him to his work with Parkinson’s clients. In addition to personal training and group classes, Jack now offers regular kickboxing classes for those with Parkinson’s disease that teach improved mobility, agility, and other functions.
Jessica Sunier Redefines Fitness to be Inclusive
www.shepherdexpress.com/Jessica-Sunier
The health and fitness industry has been built to serve a certain type of person. “Health looks white. Health looks like straight teeth. Health looks thin … So, health has a look and if you don’t match that look, people judge on outside appearances and they’re going to assume you’re not healthy,” explains Jessica Sunier, Owner and Founder of the gym FitPower LLC. Sunier studied health and worked in various gyms, but she was tired of being in an industry that was focused on appearances and making money. So, in 2011, she started her own gym.
Thresa Stevens is an Advocate for Native Victims of Sexual Violence
www.shepherdexpress.com/thresa-stevens
If you look up the number of victims of sexual assault, sexual violence and sex trafficked victims in Milwaukee, the numbers are striking. Particularly among Native women, the rates of sexual violence and abduction are high and under reported.
Thresa Stevens, who is Menominee, works with Native women and men in Milwaukee who fall victim to this violence and suffer from trauma. As the Native American Advocate for Women and Children at Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute, she helps people find resources, gets them to a safe space, and if they want, she connects them to counselors at HIR Wellness.
Val Lopez is a Healer and Mender of Hope
https://shepherdexpress.com/Val-Lopez
Val Lopez has always been one to take care of others and now as an occupational therapist at the Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute, she truly puts her heart into her work. Lopez helps people who have mental health problems, disabilities, and other impairments participate in their communities by teaching them rehabilitation exercises, job readiness and other everyday life skills. Building a trusted connection with her patients and making them feel safe is her first step in finding a path for healing.
Xavier Smart is Indigenizing Healing
https://shepherdexpress.com/Xavier-Smart
A recent graduate from Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, Xavier Smart is a young counselor and community healer at the Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute, a nonprofit that offers free mental health services to Indigenous groups and communities of color. He describes himself as Afro-Caribbean with roots in the Bahamas and Florida. During his time in school learning psychology, he felt something was off about the lessons he was learning.
Lisa Jones Builds Grassroot Power through Community Connections
https://shepherdexpress.com/Lisa-Jones
When Jay Anderson was killed by a Wauwatosa police officer in 2016, it hit home for Lisa Jones, the Executive Director and Lead Organizer of Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH). At the time, she was living down the street from the park where Anderson was shot to death while sitting in his car. “It just disturbed me that I would be driving past this park,” she said. “One day I actually pulled into a parking spot, and I thought, ‘could this be the spot?’”
Jim Godsil, Integral to Our City
https://shepherdexpress.com/Jim-Godsil
On a quiet overcast morning, I sat next to James Godsil on a bench overlooking Lake Michigan—this was his office, he told me. Full of life and humor, he had plenty to say, often looking off at the lake and speaking about philosophical ideas and future possibilities. Many know Godsil as a community connector, a co-founder of Sweet Water Organics, a civil rights advocate, or a long-time community roofer. One could say he is a part of this city – a man who has put his heart and soul into helping Milwaukee grow and flourish since he moved here in 1969.
Noor Jawad is a Healer, Influencer and Supporter for Many
https://shepherdexpress.com/Noor-Jawad
Noor Jawad has been a healer and an integral part of the alternative medicine community in Milwaukee area for over 35 years. As a founding contributor to CORE El Centro, a current member of the Milwaukee-based Share Collaborative, and the owner of her own private practice offering life coaching, she has helped many people discover new methods of healing.
Jilly Gokalgandhi Works for Equity in Education
www.shepherdexpress.com/Jilly-Gokalgandhi
Born in Mumbai, Gokalgandhi moved to the United States with her family at the age of three and continued to go back and forth between India and America throughout her childhood. “I have this understanding of culture and how the world works from two perspectives: South Asian and American.” she explains. She was inspired by the Indian freedom fighters who helped India win its freedom from the British (only 74 years ago), as well as the many other activists who fought against the establishment. That fascination with the country’s history sparked her interested in government and democracy.
Rafael Smith is Helping Restore his North Side
www.shepherdexpress.com/Rafael-Smith
“My passion comes from being a Black man born in the city of Milwaukee during a period of time where deindustrialization was destroying all our institutions that we held dear,” says Rafael Smith, the Civic Engagement Program Director at Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Smith is deeply committed to moving Milwaukee forward on climate action and equity by helping his North Side, community understand how climate change impacts their lives.
Nelson Soler Makes Business Learning Accessible to the Latino Community
www.shepherdexpress.com/Nelson-Soler
For Latino entrepreneurs in Milwaukee and around the state, barriers exist that simply make it harder for them to start a business than it is for their white counterparts. Until Nelson Soler founded his consulting business called the Multicultural Entrepreneurial Institute (MEI), there were no business trainings available in Spanish in the area and no trainings that took into account the cultural values of Latinos.
Melody McCurtis is Working for Metcalfe Park
www.shepherdexpress.com/Melody-McCurtis
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges (MPCB), a neighborhood organization that services Metcalfe Park residents, truly embodies the meaning of community. Melody McCurtis, the deputy director of priorities and lead organizer of the organization, explains that everything they do is based off of the input and direction of their residents. Whether that be surveys they conduct going door to door or following the advice given by board members that live in the neighborhood, the community speaks for their needs and the organization listens.
Dana World-Patterson Works to Free Victims of Human Trafficking
www.shepherdexpress.com/Dana-World-Patterson
January was Human Trafficking Prevention Month, but this is an issue that needs more attention than 31 days can offer. A study released in 2018 shows that in a four-year period, 340 adults and children under the age of 25 were victims of sex trafficking in Milwaukee. And that only includes the people that reached out to the police.
Making Mental Health Care Accessible for Everyone
www.shepherdexpress.com/Lea-Denny
Our mental health systems were never meant to help Indigenous and marginalized communities because they have been built inside a system of patriarchy and colonialization, according to Lea Denny, founder of the Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute.
MPS’ Linda Langen Connects Native Americans to Their Culture
www.shepherdexpress.com/linda-langen
For many people with Native American heritage, finding a connection to their history and customs is a healing process and an identity that they can carry on from their ancestors. Linda Langen felt this way when she finally discovered her Oneida heritage as an adult.
MCW’s Syed Ahmed Partners with the Community to Address More than Symptoms
www.shepherdexpress.com/syed-ahmed
“What we do in the hospital system is very important and valuable, but it impacts only 20% of the outcome. Eighty percent of the outcome is connected to where the people are coming from,” says Dr. Ahmed. So, by listening to leaders and organizations in those communities, they can better understand the situations that cause health problems. Rather than treating the symptom, Ahmed and other physicians at MCW are trying to address the underlying problem.
The Muslim Women's Coalition Builds Bridges of Understanding
www.shepherdexpress.com/muslim-womens-coalition
“The vast majority of people are not racist by nature, but their racism is manifested as a result of fear of the unknown,” says president and founding member Janan Najeeb. “If we can work to help them understand and to help them address those fears by creating opportunities to engage with them, then I think we will do a tremendous job of dismantling a lot of these hatreds that are out there.”
Mark Denning Lifts Native Voices with a Traditional Fire Ceremony
www.shepherdexpress.com/mark-dennings
“For much of America, Milwaukee included, Native people are invisible. We are here and we exist,” states Mark Denning, who is an educator and community organizer of Native descent. To this day, Native people are still left out of the equation in American society. That becomes obvious when looking at the minimal amount of research studies and newspaper articles written about them. But Denning and his community refuse to let their voices be overshadowed. They are speaking up in the ways they know how—through fire ceremonies and shared offerings.
One Person Can Really Make a Difference
Of the many heroes in our city, Camille Mays stands out because of the tireless work she has committed to violence prevention and speaking out for our city’s underrepresented neighborhoods. She is a hero because dedicates every free moment she has to helping others. Whether she is supporting families of victims of gun violence, organizing a protest or assisting people to register to vote, she puts her community first.
Vaun L. Mayes Demands Change in Milwaukee
www.shepherdexpress.com/vaun-l-mayes
We are in the midst of a movement that is different than any other from the past, according to Vaun L. Mayes, a local activist in Milwaukee. People are organizing communities and marching on the streets to demonstrate the unequal opportunities that people of color have had in this country and to demand that our governmental systems change. “I think people’s involvement and enthusiasm about changing things is different this time. And this is one of the only times in history I think that most people agree that change needs to happen or that what we all saw was wrong,” says Mayes referencing George Floyd.
Keisha Robinson Reaches Out to Voters Year Round
www.shepherdexpress.com/keisha-robinson
Keisha Robinson grew up on the north side of Milwaukee and like many people in her community, she experienced hardships like poverty and discrimination while job searching. She eventually worked her way up to her current role as Program Director at Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC) where she uses her personal experiences to help the people in her neighborhood get involved in the political process. The team at BLOC believes that change needs to happen from within the community because sharing experiences creates a deeper level of trust.
Vivian King Leads Riverwest’s Kneel in Solidarity for George Floyd
www.shepherdexpress.com/vivian-king
On June 2, Vivian King kneeled for nine minutes in honor of George Floyd alongside at least 50 other people in Riverwest’s Gordon Park. A long-time activist, King learned about the national Kneel for Nine event the day before it happened. She planned to participate in the peaceful action taking place around the city but wanted to do so in her own neighborhood.
Devin Anderson Calls for a Liberated Milwaukee
www.shepherdexpress.com/devin-anderson
In March of last year, Devin Anderson joined Wisconsin Voices as the Lead Organizer. In that role, he has motivated underrepresented Milwaukee residents to participate in the political system. Wisconsin Voices is an organization dedicated to harnessing the collective voices of citizens by helping them engage in their democracy. When Anderson joined the team, he fit right into a group of strong outspoken individuals. And now Anderson and the team are demanding reform for George Floyd and black lives through their campaign called Liberate MKE.
Valerie Carter is Helping Patients on the Front Line
www.shepherdexpress.com/valerie-carter
Valerie Carter MD works as a hospitalist in Internal Medicine at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. The job has its challenges on a regular day: determining the right treatments for severely ill patients and keeping them calm during uncertainty. But in the middle of a pandemic, Carter’s job has become drastically harder because she also has to manage her own anxiety.
Groundwork Milwaukee's Deneine Christa Powell
www.shepherdexpress.com/groundwork-milwaukee
Since 2007, Groundwork Milwaukee has been an organization in the city that is fundamental to the development of urban green spaces, urban farming and sustainability-focused programming for youth. During this time of crisis, their Urban Farm Program is the initiative that is changing lives by growing food and donating it to people in need.
Kenyette Edwards' Graduation Day
www.shepherdexpress.com/kenyette-edwards
“In the midst of a pandemic and a father battling stage four lung cancer, a family finds a way to celebrate the high school graduation of Kenyette Edwards. The Menomonee Falls High School virtual graduation is scheduled for the end of June, but Kenyette and her family knew that her father, Kenyatta Edwards may not live to see that day. Having never missed a graduation, the family was determined not to let him miss this one.”
Ryan Povlick, Ice-cream Maker and Mentor for Recovering Addicts
www.shepherdexpress.com/ryan-povlick
Ryan Povlick is becoming well-known around Milwaukee for his success with Scratch Ice Cream, but his road to success has not been an easy one. He struggled with heroin and other substances for about 10 years and had a long road to become sober. Once he was back on his feet, he began putting his energy into helping others with drug addictions. At the same time he started Scratch, he also opened his own sober living house to help men like him get sober. As Povlick continues to build his ice cream business, he is always looking back at his experiences and helping men like him find success.
9 Area Farms Selling Weekly Produce
www.urbanmilwaukee.com/local-farms
The value in buying local goes far beyond the rich flavors – we are making a connection with the men and women that grow our food. Having a direct relationship with our farmer allows us to know exactly how our food is grown and the values of the people growing it. When the farmers drop off fresh produce on our doorstep and invite us to their farm, we build trust with one another.
Dr. Robert Fox Sets Example for Helping in the Face of COVID-19
www.shepherdexpress.com/dr-robert-fox
Shalem Healing, a nonprofit health clinic that provides services to the underinsured, is setting an example of how to treat COVID-19 patients in Milwaukee. Dr. Robert Fox, Shalem Healing’s owner, treats patients with nutritional counseling and natural remedies before resorting to medicine. Using the latest research on the disease, he has been prescribing patients supplements and antivirals that strengthen the body to fight against the disease.
Taking Action on Climate Change, Economic Equity
www.shepherdexpress.com/climate-change
The City-County Task Force on Climate Change and Economic Equity was established in late 2019 by local climate-focused organizations, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, and the Milwaukee Common Council. Their goal is to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 while reducing the racial income inequality gap. These activists and city officials are committed to keeping the agreements made in the Paris Accord on the city and county level, even though the federal government is showing no interest in doing so.
County Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde is Optimistic on Milwaukee
www.shepherdexpress.com/supreme-moore-omokunde
When we talk about local heroes, Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde comes to the forefront of many people’s minds here in Milwaukee. A member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors representing District 10, Moore Omokunde has been a figure to look up to for years. In an interview, he talks about his experiences that eventually led him to run for office and what he believes an elected official is meant to do. He has an optimistic outlook for a better Milwaukee but explains that people must organize and know their neighbor in order to make their voices heard.
How are Healthcare Workers Responding to COVID-19?
www.shepherdexpress.com/covid-19-workers
Everyone is scrambling in this time of crisis, but healthcare workers are the people on the front lines being pushed to the edge. As confirmed coronavirus cases increase in Wisconsin and around the country, hospitals and testing facilities are being overwhelmed and the systems in place are cracking under the pressure.
“It’s becoming clearer that we don’t have the infrastructure to handle what’s coming,” says Jaime Lucas, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP), a statewide union. Unions like WFNHP and healthcare workers around the country are demanding safer working conditions and more support, but so far, their employers have offered little help.
Walnut Way, Antonio Butts Rebuild a Neglected Neighborhood
www.shepherdexpress.com/antonio-butts
“‘In order for the City of Milwaukee to be a place where there’s true economic diversity among all people, the isolation and exclusion [of minorities] has to continue to be addressed,’ says Antonio Butts, executive director of Walnut Way. The nonprofit organization, based in Lindsay Heights, is dedicated to supporting the neighborhood’s residents through community engagement, environmental stewardship and economic development."
Breaking Down the Barriers with a New Kind of Market
Circulate MKE seeks to change Milwaukee’s economy
www.shepherdexpress.com/circulateMKE
“In Milwaukee, most people stay in the areas of town where they are comfortable—with the people that match their economic status and skin color. That’s been the norm in this city, but Shalina S. Ali and Fidel Verdin are working hard to change that culture.
In 2015, these two community organizers started Circulate MKE, a creative entrepreneur market that connects small vendors from different corners of the city to shoppers. Circulate MKE has always been more than the standard pop-up market because Ali and Verdin have made a point to host their events in vacant spaces located in various communities, whether they be black, brown, white or anything else. In doing so, their market brings new business to those spaces and to the surrounding neighborhood.”
Community Organizing Through Food
www.shepherdexpress.com/amaranth
“David Boucher and Stephanie Shipley are celebrating 14 years of connecting people through food with Amaranth Bakery and Café. The pair always shared a love for community organizing and knew that food has a way of bringing cultures together. In 2000, they bought the rundown building at 3329 W. Lisbon Ave. with the intention of building a public meeting space in a neighborhood that needed more access to public places. The bakery was founded on an idea that change can happen in a community if people are given a space that allows them to feel comfortable and interact with one another.”
Nic Mink’s Sitka Salmon Shares Is Changing How We Consume Seafood
www.shepherdexpress.com/nic-mink
“‘Seafood is a system that has really lost the trust of the American consumer,’ says Nicolaas Mink…Large-scale commercial fishermen often use hazardous fishing methods which involve massive boats dragging miles-long nets behind them. These nets pull anything and everything out of the water, destroying coral reefs and whole ecosystems. In contrast, Sitka Salmon works with small-scale fishermen who mostly use a hook and line to catch their fish.”
Inspiring the Community Through Harmony
www.shepherdexpress.com/inspiring-the-community
“Members of the LGBTQ community have fought for decades for equal rights, and amidst that movement, LGBTQ choral groups developed to support the cause. Six years ago, the Milwaukee gay men’s chorus, Our Voice Milwaukee, has joined that movement to bring positive voices and support to the local community.”
Helping 53206 Through Gardening: Andre Lee Ellis Grows the Community Through Gardening
www.shepherdexpress.com/andre-lee-ellis
“We need to take our hands off the trigger and put them in the soil, because if your hands are in the soil, you can’t have them on the trigger of a gun,” says Andre Lee Ellis. With a background in theater, Ellis never expected to be in the business of gardening, but a series of events led him to start the organization called We Got This. The program provides support and guidance for African American boys through gardening. Since its inception in 2011, We Got This has grown tremendously because of community support and has changed the lives of many young men.
Joann Henriques’ Beacon of Hope to Single Mothers
www.shepherdexpress.com/joann-henriques
“I remember swallowing my pride and asking for diapers,” she says. When she met with people working at the larger nonprofits in the city, she recalls their insensitivity, making her feel like just another number on a long list. She never wanted to feel that way again and wanted to prevent other single mothers from going through that same experience.
Shawna Whitehead Works for Workplace Diversity
www.shepherdexpress.com/shawna-whitehead
Shawna Whitehead has always been an entrepreneur, motivated to make her own path. With a bodacious and outgoing personality, she has a way with people and has dedicated her time to improving the lives of others. In the past, she ran a daycare center, beauty salon, nail salon and recruitment center, but it wasn’t until two years ago that she founded the company that brought all of her passions together.
James Arms on a Mission to Improve Milwaukee
www.shepherdexpress.com/james-arms
James Arms is an entrepreneur who focuses his business on causes he cares about. He learned the importance of connecting with his clients and understanding the problems they are working to solve. “You kind of just connect with the pain that they feel for what’s going on in the city,” he says.
Dan Newberry, a Veteran Reaching Out to Other Veterans
www.shepherdexpress.com/dan-newberry
“‘When I got out, I had a really hard time, primarily because I didn’t know how to integrate myself back into the community,’ Newberry says. More than fulfilling daily needs, the former soldier was struggling to make sense of the traumatic events he experienced in the army and unknowingly dealing with PTSD.”
Healthy Food for Everyone - The Victory Garden Initiative
www.shepherdexpress.com/healthy-food-for-everyone
“Many of us take for granted what we have available to us when choosing the food we eat. We often try to make healthy choices at the grocery store, telling ourselves to buy more produce and less packaged foods. But what if those fresh vegetables aren’t available? For many people in Milwaukee, grocery stores are hard to come by.”
Jared Bell’s City Champs Brings Martial Arts to Kids with Less Opportunities
www.shepherdexpress.com/jared-bell
“While training at a local boxing gym in Milwaukee in 2017, Jared Bell watched as a boy from Puerto Rico trained alongside him. The boy came from a difficult family situation but found boxing as an outlet. Bell witnessed that the physical exercise and discipline of the sport changed the boy into a strong young man full of passion and certainty. It was then that Bell realized the influence boxing and other martial arts could have on young lives.”
Monica Lopez Helping Parents of Special Needs Children
www.shepherdexpress.com/monica-lopez
“Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, Monica Lopez never planned to leave her home, but when her first child was born, her and her husband’s lives drastically changed. Her son, Francisco Javier Jr., was born in May 1982 with cerebral palsy and at the time, Lopez could not find any services in Mexico for people with special needs. Like many immigrants, Lopez and her husband decided to move to America in search of a better life for their child.”
Rafael Mercado and TEAM HAVOC Leverage the Power of Community
www.shepherdexpress.com/rafael-mercado
“You gotta engage the community, get them involved,” explains Mercado. “You just keep coming, then they accept you.”
Tony Báez Challenging the Norms in Education
www.shepherdexpress.com/tony-baez
“For Báez, assimilation was never the answer. His experiences in Puerto Rico and Chicago taught him the importance of building a new cultural identity alongside one’s home language and traditions. He has always stressed that suppressing one’s culture hinders an individual’s potential and hurts a community. The bilingual education movement does more than help individual students, it helps create leaders for the future.”
How Milwaukee Barber Shops Open Conversations for African American Men
www.shepherdexpress.com/milwaukee-barber-shops
“These barber shops, like others in the city, hold onto a culture that has been rooted in the African American community for decades. Barber shops have been a gathering place for black men, providing a safe space to talk and build self-esteem.
“A barber is far more than someone that cuts hair; he is a role model, a health advocate and a reliable person to talk to. Especially to a man dealing with difficult life experiences like poverty or family problems, a barber is a steady person in his life who can empower him with a new haircut.”
Venice Williams Cultivates Food and Community in Alice’s Garden
www.shepherdexpress.com/venice-williams
“Williams describes herself as a bridge between communities. She has made it her life’s work to connect different groups of people, helping them ‘bridge their uniqueness,’ she says. Today she runs Alice’s Garden, an intersection of the many neighborhoods in Milwaukee.”
Cendi Trujillo Tena: Honoring the Voices of Youth While ‘Igniting Transformation’
www.shepherdexpress.com/cendi-trujillo-tena
“Cendi Trujillo Tena is soft-spoken and humble, but as soon as she starts talking about the youth she works with at Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT), her eyes light up, and you can hear the passion in her voice. Trujillo Tena has worked with young people at other organizations in the city but explains that their voices aren’t always honored or valued. However, at LIT, the number-one goal is to put power in the hands of the youth and teach them how to advocate for themselves.”
Christie Melby-Gibbons: Serving Community (and Healthy Meals) at Tricklebee
www.shepherdexpress.com/tricklebee
“When walking into Tricklebee Café, light fills the space and there is an energy that is inviting and calming. Patrons are engaging in conversations, children are running around, acoustic music is humming through the speakers and a smell wafts from the kitchen that makes you want to stay forever. This is the atmosphere Christie Melby-Gibbons and her family wanted to create when opening a café in a neighborhood that has been neglected. ‘It’s a safe spot and people can feel that when they come in the door,’ says Melby-Gibbons. Tricklebee has become a cornerstone in the community, providing both healthy food and a support system.”
Stacey Williams-Ng: Finding Opportunities for Local Artists
www.shepherdexpress.com/stacey-williams-ng
“Stacey Williams-Ng is a mural artist who has found her calling as an organizer. When asked why she is inspired to bring street art to the buildings of Milwaukee, her response was simply, ‘the empty walls.’”
Angela Lang: Working for Community Engagement in Politics
www.shepherdexpress.com/angela-lang
“‘Milwaukee inspires me and breaks my heart every day,’ says Angela Lang, the executive director of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC). ‘It is such a beautifully complex city and it’s full of potential.’ Interacting with people in her community almost every day, Lang sees immense hardships but also uplifting resilience. She is the kind of person who witnesses struggles in her neighborhood and feels moved to take action. In her eyes, there is a path for change and a way to achieve a better future.”
Portia Cobb, Mentoring the Next Generation of Storytellers
www.shepherdexpress.com/portia-cobb
“The Community Media Project was started in 1985 as UWM’s effort to provide artistic programming to underserved groups around the city. ‘The CMP existed as a way to empower—to tell the stories of those we weren’t seeing,’ explains Cobb.”
Convergence Resource Center Helps Women Inmates Reintegrate Into Society
www.shepherdexpress.com/convergence-resource-center
“More than 40 years ago, Debbie Lassiter began going into prisons to work with women who were lonely and in need of someone who would listen to their stories. Driven by her faith, her work in prisons began with bible studies, but she soon realized that the women needed more assistance that that; they would tell her: ‘When we get out, there’s nothing to help us keep moving forward with a different kind of life.’”
Pat Wilborn, Fish Farmer from Port Washington
www.shepherdexpress.com/pat-wilborn
“When Pat Wilborn learned about aquaponics 12 years ago, it opened his eyes to a sustainable way of farming and he knew immediately that this was something he wanted to pursue. ‘I bought into the concept and decided it was time to give something back,’ says Wilborn. He and his wife, Amy Otis-Wilborn, first built a small aquaponics model in their home in Port Washington, and after refining the process, they eventually built a 3,500-gallon aquaponics system called Port Fish.”
David Johnson, Cream City Farms and the Power of Food
www.shepherdexpress.com/david-johnson
“David Johnson is a relatively new farmer who found his passion for farming through community work. His experience working with urban food pantries and community gardens sparked his interest in food and the power it has to build relationships. ‘What makes the farm work is other people,’ says Johnson.”
Mario Willis: Poetry as a Tool to Build Empathy from the Roots of Old School Hip-Hop
www.milwaukeeindependent.com/featured/mario-willis
“Mario Willis speaks with a conviction and boldness that is hard to turn away from. He is a poet, writer and slam poetry performer with a stage presence that makes people listen.
Mario the Poet, as he is also known, has been in the Milwaukee poetry scene for over 10 years. His writing touches on issues like police brutality and the country’s political climate that sets up challenges for African Americans…”
Tatiana Maida is an Advocate for Community Health
www.shepherdexpress.com/tatiana-maida
Over the years of doing this work, Maida explains how her eyes have been opened to injustice and inequality. However, through those hardships, she has also witnessed the power of people to change their own homes and environments. And Milwaukee has provided her with that opportunity: a space to make closer connections and for her work to be visible. The main lesson she’s learned is to “have a lot of hope,” she says. “We can’t give up.”
Maria Miramontes
www.shepherdexpress.com/maria-miramontes
“Miramontes finally found the place where she could be herself when Centro Hispanico recommended her to CORE El Centro, a non-profit that offers healing and wellness services at affordable rates. Miramontes first came to CORE as a client. She was drawn to the fact that the people at CORE make a strong effort to understand people’s cultural backgrounds when helping them heal. The organization has taught her that a person’s culture and daily life are significant factors that contribute to his or her health.”
Tammy Rivera Mends South Side Fences
www.shepherdexpress.com/tammy-rivera
“Outspoken, bold and unapologetic, Rivera will not hesitate to invite you into the doors of the SOC and get you involved. But, if you ask her what she thinks South Side residents need, she won’t tell you. Her response will be, ‘Hold on a second! Let me see what the people think. That’s what a community organizer does.’”
Christine Neumann-Ortiz Fighting for Immigrants
www.shepherdexpress.com/christine-neumann-ortiz
“Organizing is like gardening. It’s constant,” she says. In conversation, Neumann-Ortiz is quick to talk about the next issue and how to improve policies because there is always more progress to be made. “We just have to make sure that we continue to be strong and unified and bold and the times require it.”
Arnitta Holliman. Working with Women Against Sex Trafficking in Milwaukee
www.shepherdexpress.com/arnitta-holliman
“People like Arnitta Holliman, who sacrifice so much of their heart to the people they serve, don’t see what they do as a job, but as a lifestyle. As the Director of the Sisters Program at the Benedict Center, she works daily with women in the street-based sex trade. With a career like hers, Holliman doesn’t simply clock out at the end of the day. She thinks about these women constantly, trying to find ways to improve their lives and prevent sex-trafficking from happening in our city. ‘You can’t get a peek into these women’s lives the way that we do and not be touched by it,’ she says.”
Wisconsin Voices' Markasa Tucker Brings Activists Together with the Community
www.shepherdexpress.com/markasa-tucker
“With Wisconsin Voices, I’ve learned that sometimes we show up in spaces as if we’re going to be a savior. We’re not the saviors,” explains Tucker. “The people who are affected and impacted by the situation, those are the people whose voices should be up front.”
Building Community Through Poetry with Kwabena Antoine Nixon
www.shepherdexpress.com/kwabena-antoine-nixon
“Based on his own background, Nixon understands how easy it can be for young men of color to get caught up in crime. That is what led him to start speaking in schools and sharing his story with young people in similar situations. He has been in their shoes and knows that the young students need to tangibly see what is possible for their future. ‘That’s where we can win,” he says, “when young men actually see what they can become.’”
Speaking Loudly and Getting Her Hands Dirty
www.shepherdexpress.com/brenda-coley
“As a child in the late 1960s, Brenda Coley remembers being in the attic of her grandmother’s house, feeling the footsteps of marchers as they walked through the streets of Milwaukee demanding justice. Living in Milwaukee during the civil uprisings shaped Coley’s thinking and influenced her life’s work as an activist and community advocate.”
Bread of Healing Clinic Finds Solutions for Health Care
www.shepherdexpress.com/bread-of-healing
“I hold hope when other people can’t hold it for themselves, and that’s what this place is,” says Michele Cohen, the clinic’s behavioral health director. “I’ve learned how much of a difference we can make in someone’s life by just listening, by just telling them the truth.”
You Gotta Be You: Rue the Poet’s Positive Message and Empowering Music
www.milwaukeeindependent.com/rue-poet
“Full of life with a constant stream of energy, Lamont LaRue Combs is an outgoing musician with an overwhelmingly positive outlook on the world around him… Combs is an advocate for Milwaukee, using his music to talk about the issues the culture is facing and how to work towards resolving them. Through music, he believes people can find a common ground and understand one another.”
Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative's Natasha Dotson
www.shepherdexpress.com/milwaukee-fatherhood-initiative
“‘The Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative was created to say that this is something for and about men,’ Dotson says. There are many programs focused on women, but people don’t realize how little assistance is available for men looking for guidance. Dotson and the team at MFI are making it clear that they are here as a support system, and they are helping fathers understand what being ‘manly’ really means.”
Building Community at Riverwest's Woodland Pattern Book Center
www.shepherdexpress.com/woodland-pattern
“Woodland Pattern Book Center continues to make efforts to inspire the next generation to become leaders. ‘A lot of what I’ve learned from this place is respect and examination of what has come before and for the community that is all around us,’ says Gropp. The center’s history is a large part of the neighborhood’s story. That story is one of a community open to trust, sincerity and acceptance.”
Marcela 'Xela' Garcia and the Power of Art in Walker's Point
www.shepherdexpress.com/marcela-xela-garcia
“‘At an early age, I saw the power the arts had in building confidence, pursuing leadership and finding a voice when you sometimes didn’t feel like you had one; in doing it in your own way, and in your own terms,’ Garcia says. The first step to helping youth and underserved community members succeed is by opening doors that allow them to explore their creativity.”
Jean Bell-Calvin on Health for the Whole Community
www.shepherdexpress.com/jean-bell-calvin
“The team at the Nursing Center treats their patients differently than the average hospital. Rather than simply looking at symptoms, they take the time to speak with their patients about their day-to-day habits and stressors that may have caused the symptoms. ‘You have a right to be treated a certain way, have your questions answered and have somebody take the time to listen,’ says Bell-Calvin, the Nursing Center’s director and driving force behind the clinic for the last 30 years.”
Shawna Nicols: Daring To Be Her Best Self
www.milwaukeeindependent.com/video/shawna-nicols
www.milwaukeeindependent.com/shawna-nicols
“With an energetic, outgoing, and positive personality, Shawna Nicols is the kind of person who gives praise to others before accepting any for herself.”
Photo Essay: Opening Night Performances From Milwaukee’s Inaugural Hip-Hop Week
www.milwaukeeindependent.com/hip-hop-week
“Hip-Hop is not just a music genre, it is a culture that is often underrepresented at Milwaukee’s larger festivals like Summerfest. But this year, the city is showing artists of color in the Hip-Hop scene how important they are and the value of the potential they have.”
Dasha Kelly Hamilton Helps Milwaukee Youth Find their Voice
www.ShepherdExpress.com/DashaKellyHamilton
"Dasha Kelly Hamilton reiterates one point to every one of her students before they perform their poems: 'Every time you speak your truth in front of an audience, there’s someone who needs to hear it.' That statement is why poetry is so important. We all relate to one another and through words, we can come together to a common understanding. Listening can be just as powerful as speaking, and having active listeners shows these young people that their words have power."
Cover photograph for the July 31, 2018 Shepherd Express issue.
Muralist Tia Richardson on Bringing Communities Together
www.ShepherdExpress.com/TiaRichardson
“I underestimated Milwaukee. I underestimated people’s willingness to do something positive in the face of so much pain. It tells me the potential that Milwaukee has, and I want to go after that potential.” - Tia Richardson
Community Advocate Maudwella Kirkendoll
www.ShepherdExpress.com/MaudwellaKirkendoll
Maudwella Kirkendoll grew up in Milwaukee’s 53206 neighborhood, which gave him a perspective of people who work long, hard hours to support their families but still need some help to get by. It’s that perspective that drove Kirkendoll to become the devoted community worker that he is today. “I know there is some point when you can move people from needing help to the people that are helping,” he says.
Hip Hop as a Tool for Resilience in Milwaukee
www.MilwaukeeIndependent.com/HipHop
"Art is a platform to help bridge some the issues of segregation in Milwaukee, because within that art is a sound or a visual that many people from different backgrounds can relate to. One prominent language that Milwaukee artists use to tell their stories is hip-hop. Hip hop is more than well-placed words and a catchy beat, it is a history of people that are yearning to speak out. The words share the reality of a movement that was born in the core of America’s urban hubs."
'CopyWrite' on Inspiration and Community
www.ShepherdExpress.com/CopyWrite
“We have people all over Milwaukee living the lifestyle that they have created for themselves and developing their own cultural hubs in the city. They keep us relevant and tuned in,” explains Taylor. The magazine is about being socially responsible and promoting Milwaukee’s talented community from the ground up. If we are influenced by each other’s stories, we can be inspired to make a change.
Fyxation Bicycle Shop
www.ShepherdExpress.com/Fyxtion
"Fyxation wants to be a place where people of all ethnicities, backgrounds and experience levels feel comfortable getting on a bike and asking questions. 'It’s all about empowering the consumer, empowering the community,' says Jessica Ginster, one of three co-owners of Fyxation, along with Ben and Nick Ginster. 'Knowledge is power, so let’s share the knowledge we’ve gained.'”
CORE El Centro
www.ShepherdExpress.com/CoreElCentro
"When cofounders Jayne Ader and Madeline Gianforte started CORE El Centro 16 years ago, they saw a need for an understanding of healing and access to health services in the community. 'People have this innate wisdom about their path, and each path is different, so, how do we help you find that?' says Ader. Their goal is to inspire individuals and families to achieve optimal health by offering affordable services in both the English and Spanish languages."
Dr. Kyana Young, Marquette University Strategic Innovation Fund
www.ShepherdExpress.com/DrYoung
"The program is meant to 'create a path for students that could be life-changing, so that they can see why they are working in a lab and see what this can become,' says Mukiibi. 'When you provide an opportunity, and you back that up with resources, this is what can happen,' says Young as she describes how the students have excelled far beyond expectations. 'This impacts the global community.'”
True Stories from True Skool
www.ShepherdExpress.com/TrueSkool
“'You might have a little bitty voice in this whole global spectrum, but your little bitty voice better be heard on the right side of history,' says Fidel Verdin. It’s all about the youth, Ali and Verdin explain. If you can open up possibilities for them, you can change their future."
Urban Guesthouses and B&Bs: A New Way to Experience Milwaukee
www.ShepherdExpress.com/UrbanGuesthouses
"Milwaukee has six small, family-run guesthouses or B&Bs that are all notably unique. From Victorian-style bed and breakfasts to a guesthouse in the midst of flourishing gardens and a cozy gallery space, each place adds a unique accent to the urban neighborhoods of this city."