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ABRAHAM MCKINNEY (Army/KoreanWar):”My memorable moment was constantnight patrols to keep the enemy from attack-ing us in the bunker and trenches.”

AZEEZA ISLAM (Daughter of a Korean War/Marineveteran): “My father shared many stories about his time inthe service. One of my favorites is his time in Japan, wherehe learned who he was and his personal growth.”

ANNA MAE ROBERTSON (U.S. Army-WAC{Women’s Army Corp, Unit 6888}/WWII. Also participatedin the “Honor Flight” that took place November 1 to Wash-ington, D.C.): “Leaving home to join the military was one ofthe proudest sacrifices that I made. Whenever I think aboutthe experiences I had, I refelct on the voyage by boat toSpain and France. That (voyage) was so amazing because Ifelt free and empowered as a 20-year-old knowing that Ihad the opportunity to travel to countries that I knew I would(otherwise) not be able to afford. Although I did not serveon the frontlines, I was proud to be an American because Iprovided medical attention to soldiers who had terror anddespair in their eyes. All I could do was show them the com-passion and care they deserved. The color of my skin didn’tseem to matter, only the gratitude that was shown to me forcaring for them. My commitment to the Army showed myloyalty, sacrfice, strength, and my love for my country. I’mproud to be an American.”

VERNON C. TOWNSEND (Army/WWII), whorecently participated in a September 13 “HonorFlight” to D.C. to visit the World War II Memorial): “Mymemorable moment involves (legendary actress Bet-tie Davis). She and I grew up childhood friends. Bettiecame to Columbia, South Carolina for her birthdayparty the USO was giving her. When she found out Iwas there, she asked me to come and (help her) blowout the candles on her birthday cake. That didn’t hap-pen because at that time, Black soldiers were not al-lowed in the USO (facilities). So she asked me to comearound to the back door and blow the candles out. Myspecial memory was bing a member of the ‘HonorFlight’ last September.”

Veterans enjoy their day during annual parade saluting their service and sacrifice!

QUESTION OFTHE WEEK:

During therecently held Veterans’ DayParade, weasked four

veterans whofought in

different warsand branchesof the military,

“recall a memorable moment you

had while in theservice?”

PULSE OF THECOMMUNITYPhotos and Questionby Yvonne Kemp

Annette Polly Williams, the “Motherof Parental School Choice,” passes

ormer Wisconsin State Representative An-nette Polly Williams, nationally and interna-tionally known as the “Mother of ParentalSchool Choice,” a revolutionary, ground-breaking program that allowed parents ofany income level—particularly low-in-come—to send their children to privateschools in the Milwaukee and other parts ofthe state, died Sunday at age 77.

Williams represented the predominately Black and Democratic 10th As-sembly District in the Legislature from 1980 when she was first elected,until January 3, 2011.When she retired, Williams left as the longest serving woman in the his-

tory of the Wisconsin state Legislature, serving in that body for 30 years.The official cause of death has not been publically released. Funeral serv-

ices will be held Thursday, Nov. 18, at 12 Noon at Parklawn Assembly ofGod, 3725 N. Sherman Blvd. Visitation will be Tuesday from 9 a.m. at thechurch until the start of the services.In a statement, Cong. Gwen Moore, who served with Williams in the state

Assembly before moving on to the state Senate and eventually the U.S.Congress, called Williams “a political powerhouse in Wisconsin andthroughout the nation, leaving behind a proud, historic legacy of publicservice.“She was fiercely independent,” Moore continued, “a free thinker whose

determination was only matched by her compassion and concern for herconstituents.“I knew Polly not only as a colleague and mentor, but as a cherished

friend,” Moore recalled. “Polly, however powerful, perfected the ‘servantleader’ model. She inspired me and other legislators across Wisconsin,demonstrating honest leadership through service.”As an example, Moore recalled how Williams prepared meals for be-

reaved families stricken by tragedy and provided her entire community forthe annual free holiday feast.“She was an example not only to those who wished to serve, but also to

all who shared her eagerness to make a difference in their community.”Former state Senator, now City Treasurer, Spencer Coggs remembered

Williams as not only a colleague, but as a maternal figure who counseledand mentored him and other Black members of the Legislature.“She had gone gray early and she used that to her advantage,” Coggs re-

called during a Sunday television interview with WITI-FOX 6 News.“She’d talk to people and say, ‘baby, you gotta do this a certain way,’”Coggs recalled during the interview.Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who served with Williams in the Legis-

lature in the 1980s before he too became a U.S. congressman, calledWilliams, “a fierce fighter for what she believed was right for African Amer-ican children living in poverty.“She was relentless on the education front and would go up against ab-

solutely anybody and fight for what she believed in. She was the mother of‘School Choice.’”Another former fellow legislator, state Rep. Leon Young, called Williams

a “mentor and a trusted colleague, who was always willing to impart somesage advice for the asking.Noting that Williams will always be remembered for her myriad accom-

plishments and as the mother of School Choice, Young believed Williams’greatest attributes was “her unbridled compassion and commitment to theissues she believed in.“Our community and state has lost a spirited statesperson and advocate.”Former Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent and education reform

advocate, Dr. Howard Fuller, who carried on the Choice revolution in edu-cation after he stepped down from that position, reacted to Williams deathin a Twitter post: “Our hearts are broken by the death of Polly Williams.Her life meant something to all of us who care about the plight of poor chil-dren.“There would be no parent choice movement had it not been for the

courage of Polly Williams. She was the definition of a warrior. May sheRIP.”Kenneth Campbell, president of the Black Alliance for Educational Op-

tions (BAEO), which honored Williams for her courage and leadership inthe Parental School Choice movement in 2013, said his organization fightseveryday to ensure communities have access to high-quality educationaloptions.“Polly believed that too and she showed us by never giving up. We are

who we are because of her bravery, her compassion and her strength. Wewill miss her.”Educator Taki S. Raton, who founded and was principal of Blyden-De-

laney Academy, a private Choice School located in the community, calledWilliams a true icon not just for Milwaukee, but the nation in the field ofeducation, with a focus on African American children in particular."What the public school sector needed most was strong, uncompromising

and straight forward open competition for area students and Williams' his-toric School Choice bill provided that thrust,” Raton said in a statement.

(continued on page 3)

Veterans representing several of the nation’s wars joined together downtownSaturday to bask in the salutes of parade watchers who cheered them on duringthe annual Veterans Day Parade. Veterans marched through downtown and toVeterans Park on the lakefront to continue the celebration. Veterans Day wasofficially Tuesday around the nation and locally, but various entities in businessand sports honored the veterans with special observances and services duringthe course of last weekend. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she canlaugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom,and faithful instruction is on her tongue.... Charm isdeceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman whofears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all thather hands have done, and let her works bring herpraise at the city gate." --Proverbs31, in Honor of former StateRep. Polly Williams, courtesy of Urban Cusp.

Compiled by MCJ Staff

F

Annette Polly Williams--1937-2014

S c e n e s f r o m t h e l i f e a n d w o r k o f A n n e t t e P o l l y W i l l i a m s

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 2

PhotoOp: Focusing the Lens on Polly

Photos on this page and page three courtesy of Pat Robinson, Robert Bell, Harry Kemp (deceased), Al Stergar (deceased), Mikel Holt, Isaac Ghimena)

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 3

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: Editorial@communi-tyjournal.net/Advertising@communityjournal.net

Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not nec-essarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Let-ters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for contentand length.

MCJ STAFF:Patricia O’Flynn -PattilloPublisher, CEORobert J. ThomasAssoc. PublisherTodd Thomas, Vice Pres.Mikel Holt, Assoc. PublisherThomas E. Mitchell, Jr., EditorKia Marie Green, Mang. EditorTeretha Martin, Technical Consultant/WebmasterJosephine Joki, Billing Dept./Publisher’s Admin. Assist.

Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.Joan Hollingsworth, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Taki S. Raton,Rev. Roxanne Cardenas,Troy A. Sparks,Sports EditorPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

Remembering...Remembering...

ANNETTE POLLY WILLIAMSANNETTE POLLY WILLIAMS“I am highly grateful and deeply honored that I had the opportunity to

both participate and support the Milwaukee Parental Choice School initia-tive. (Williams’) work, dedication and vision will most certainly be remem-bered as a major contribution in the option to allow parents a choice in theeducation of their children."A native of Belzoni, Miss. Williams graduated from North Division High

School (where, according to noted community activist and historian ReubenHarpole, she got her nickname “Polly” from a classmate), which producedmany Black leaders in government, law enforcement, business and sports. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Mil-

waukee and worked various jobs including, according to an article in theMilwaukee Journal Sentinel typist, cashier, mental health assistant andcounselor before her election to the state Assembly in 1980.It was the same year the push for educational options began, according

to a book by MCJ Associate Publisher Mikel Holt on the battle for schoolchoice titled, “Not Yet Free At Last: The Unfinished Business of the CivilRights Movement.”In an excerpt from his book, Holt notes that out of the disappointment a

majority of Black parents had for the 1976 Milwaukee Public School’s de-segregation plan emerged, in 1980, newly elected state RepresentativeWilliams, a North Division, graduate who he described as: A “former Wel-fare mother and Urban Day (School) parent…(and) fiery social activist whocut her teeth fighting for predominately Black electorial districts under reap-portionment.”In another excerpt, Holt described Williams’ ambitious vision of educa-

tion for Black children that became the foundation for the revolutionary re-form initiative: “Polly Williams’ vision was the most ambitious of all. Shewanted to expose and force the public school system into accountability,but she was also guided by a belief that the public school system as it wasstructured would never serve the interests of Black and poor people. “As a result, Williams saw as her mission the creation of a separate Black

public school district that would complement a private consortium of non-sectarian and parochial schools. An unwavering advocate of Black inde-pendent schools, Williams saw community control of institutions—publicor private—as the ultimate goal.”This ambitious vision would eventually be fashioned—with the help of

her legislative aide and friend Larry Harwell, a brilliant strategist andthinker who brought Williams vision to life on paper as legislation—earningher the wrath of her political party, the Democratic Party, and even some ofher Black colleagues in the Legislature, MPS and the community.But it was embraced across the aisle by her Republican colleagues and

championed by then Gov. Tommy Thompson. This alliance further strainedto the near breaking point Williams’ relationship with her party.But Williams wouldn’t let partisan politics, nor criticism from segments

of her own community and people, deter her from her mission and ultimategoal. “My fight is for our, for my black children — to be able to access thissystem and get the best that this system offers,” Williams reportedly saidabout her fight for School Choice.The vision (albeit altered and somewhat reduced in size) became reality

when it was passed by the legislature in 1990—with the backing of Repub-lican lawmakers and Thompson and, ironically, with the opposition of herown Democratic colleagues.The program spurred other education and community activists around the

nation to push for a similar program, which was seen as revolutionary andon a level of importance with the historic U.S. Supreme Court Brown vs.Board of Education decision.The Parental Choice revolution trail blazed a path that allowed for the

creation of other unique education models such as charter schools andschools run by the private sector. Choice is seen by many who were involved in the movement or who ob-

served it from the periphery as igniting debates on race, class and qualitywithin American education.In the years following the landmark legislation and enactment of Choice,

Williams focused on improving the educational outcomes for childrenwithin the Milwaukee Public School district, the very same district shebutted heads with before and during her Choice crusade.She formed an organization of retired educators, parents and concerned

citizens called the African American Education Council, which gave thecommunity a voice in the recent and ongoing efforts to reform MPS.More recently, Williams took to the airwaves with her own radio talk

show on Monday Mornings still addressing the issues of importance to thecommunity from education, to politics, to the accurate representation ofBlack history and culture. Also contributing to this story: May 2010 MCJ article, WITI-FOX 6

News website, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Twitter, the office of Cong.Gwen Moore, the Book: "Not Yet Free At Last: The Unfinished Businessof the Civil Rights Movement," by Mikel Holt.

Communityremembers Polly...Courtesy of FacebookStephanie Deena Findley:R.I.Paradise Annette PollyWilliams. She was the formerstate representative for the10th district for 30 years andshe served her constituentswell. When it came to servingthe Black community she wasthe truth. She stood alone ona number of issues. I lovedher independence and herability to stand toe to toe withothers to fight for what wasright. Our politics today hassuch a groupie mentality Ilong for the day when weelect more independentthinkers to office. Thank youfor your dedication and serv-ice to our community.

Shirley Butler: I too had nu-merous several golden mo-ments with AssemblywomanAnnette Polly Williams. Shewas an forceful angel de-manding equal educationalopportunities for Black chil-dren. Thus, I concur with mycousin Thomas Mitchell Jr. ,Her spirit will be missed !

Robert Earl McCoy: I neverknew her but I heard abouther over years ago. She be-came a local Hero and LivingLegend. She was an out-standing Leader and herleadership will be missed inthe Milwaukee community.R.I.P.

Victoria Edwards: Not onlywas she a force for educa-tion, she was a warrior forbringing great things into ourcommunity. She gave somuch to our sewing seniorsat COA GOLDIN Center, helpcreate a bridge for minoritywomen at WAAW, encour-aged unity between the policeand troubled neighborhoods,fostered the dreams of chil-dren desiring a career in poli-tics.

Thomas E. Mitchell,Jr., Edi-tor, Community Journal: I'dbe remiss if I didn't includeany thoughts on the passingof former State Assembly-woman Annette PollyWilliams, the Mother of themodern Education Revolutionknown as Parental SchoolChoice! I had the pleasureand honor of knowing Polly inmy capacity as a reporter,Managing Editor and Editorwith the Milwaukee Commu-nityJournal for 30 years. Isaw first hand the revolutionshe created grow unto an un-stoppable force for the futureof our Black children in Mil-waukee and nationwide. Shehad an impact, as evidencedby the fact she was one ofthe honorees in Time Maga-zine's edition recognizing theimportant change agents ofthe 20th century. She BE-LONGED in that pantheon ofinfluential individuals of thelast century. Yet she was adown to earth person whotruly cared about people andwho was looked upon as anurturer, confidant, advisor,mentor and friend...even amother figure, which she wasto all of us, as well as a fiercewarrior for justice and equal-ity. She will be missed! GodBless Polly! Rest In Peace!

Former legislator Williams,the mother of ParentalSchool Choice, passes at 77(continued from page 1)

“My fight is“My fight isfor our, forfor our, formy blackmy blackchildren —children —to be able toto be able toaccess thisaccess thissystem andsystem andget the bestget the bestthat thisthat thissystem system offers...”offers...”

--Polly Williams --Polly Williams

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 4

RELIGIONRELIGION

In Loving Memory

Quality Service...a tenured tradition

sincere concern at your time of need.

Offering pre-need, at need andafter-care services to families inMilwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and

other communities throughout our state.

Services scheduled from November12 to November 19, 2014

Milwaukee6630 W. Hampton Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53218

Telephone: (414) 462-6020Fax: (414) 462-9937

Racine800 Barker St.

Racine, WI 53402Telephone: (262) 637-6400

Fax: (262) 637-6416

Families served by:Northwest Funeral Chapel O’Bee, Ford & Frazier

Williams, Annette PollyAge 77yrs. November 9, 2014. Belovedmother of Winston III(Lynette)Williams,Mildred Williams, Kimberly Burns andKrystal Williams(Joe)Oby. Loving sisterof James Wade. Also survived by 7grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild and ahost of other loving relatives andfriends. Funeral services will be held on

Tuesday, November 18, at 12 Noon at Parklawn Assembly of God 3725N. Sherman Blvd. Visitation Tuesday 9AM at the CHURCH until time ofservices. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

May, CharleneAge 90 yrs. November 9, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Mon-day, November 17, at 1PM at Metropolitan Baptist Church 1345 W.Burleigh St. Visitation Monday 11AM at the CHURCH until time of serv-ices. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Allen, PaulAge 73 yrs. November 3, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Satur-day, November 8, at11AM. Visitation Saturday 10AM until time of serv-ices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Phifer, William D.Age 53 yrs. October 28, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Wednes-day, November 5 at 11AM. Visitation Wednesday 10AM until time ofservices at:Northwest Funeral Chapel

O'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Bolden, Terry C.Age 75 yrs. October 26, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Thurs-day, November 6 at 11AM. Visitation Thursday 10AM until time of serv-ices. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Thomas, Shirley A.Age 61 yrs. October 26, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Satur-day, November 1, at 11AM. Visitation Saturday 11AM until time of serv-ices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Johnson, Alyson R.Age 54 yrs. October 22, 2014. Funeralservices will be held on Wednesday, Octo-ber 29, at 11AM at Mt. Zion Healing Tem-ple 4300 N. Green bay Ave. InstateWednesday 10AM at the CHURCH untiltime of services. Visitation Tuesday 3-7PM(Family will receive guest from 6-7PM) at: Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

The scripture readings for November 16 are:Proverbs 31: 1-13, 19-20, 30-31, Thessaloni-ans 5: 1-6, and Matthew 25: 14-30. The reading from Proverbs calls to mind a

painting I saw showing a woman seated at aspinning wheel surrounded by wonderful col-orful threads and fully made garments resem-bling the amazing colored dream coat ofJoseph the dreamer. She works hard at her craft with loving hands and

she shares the wealth by reaching out her hands to thepoor and extending her arms to the needy. She is anexample of a person who has it all -- charm, a goodwife, industrious and caring and sharing.Paul reminds us that we don't have an infinite

amount of time to get things right. We need to be pre-pared because the "day of the Lord will come like athief at night." We need "to stay alert and sober." The take away could be that we need to be attentive

to the works of justice and charity. We can't amasswealth for ourselves and not be attentive to the needsof others. We can't sleep knowing that others are inpain and dying from things that just a little moneycould prevent.And this leads me to the parable of the talents. So

often we have heard preachers water down this para-ble by substituting human abilities, brains, for the"talent" Jesus is speaking about.

The talent or the "talanton" inGreek doesn't mean human abili-ties or brains. It means money anda lot of it. Two talents would be as much as

15-20 years of wages and 5 wouldbe equivalent to 75 years ofwages! The crowd must have snickered

when Jesus used these unbeliev-able numbers. He was speaking toa crowd that probably didn't havetwo pennies to rub together. So, you can imagine that the

crowd was not on the side of thetwo who were given such hugeamounts and then doubled whatthey were given. Insane.

Their hero was the guy who took the one talent,maybe just 10 years wages, and would not participatein what looks like a Ponzi scheme or Wall Street shortsales. Yes, the folks who today gain 100% increase on

their investment are pulling a fast one. So were thetwo in the parable.The one who buried the talents would not partici-

pate in the scheme. The rich get richer and the pooreven have what little they have taken from them.Sound familiar?And much like the hero, today folks on the bottom

end up "wailing and grinding their teeth." Unbeliev-able suffering for no good reason except the greed ofothers.This parable should shake us up. For later in the

Gospel Jesus will make a judgment on the nationsand the wealthy may end up with the goats, becausethey had it all and horded it while Jesus suffered inthe poor and powerless, the great masses of humanitydying for lack of the mere necessities of life; food,water, health care, a living wage, or a decent house.What will we hear Jesus say to us: "come you who

are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom pre-pared for you from the foundation of the world," or"Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fireprepared for the devil and his angels?""What ever you did for the least, you did for me."

BREADIN THE WILDERNESSBy Fr. Carl Diederichs,All Saints Catholic Church

“The rich getricher and thepoor get poorer”

Ernestine O’Bee, Founder J.C. Frazier, Funeral Director

On Friday, November 21, 2014, the Com-munity Brainstorming Conference (CBC) willhold its 25th Annual James Howard BakerAward dinner. The Keynote speaker will be the Honorable

Marcia L. Fudge; Chair of the CongressionalBlack Caucus. CBC is honored to have suchan esteemed speaker. In addition to being Chairof the Congressional Black Caucus; she repre-sents the Eleventh Congressional District ofOhio. Congresswoman Fudge is an attorneyand has served the people of Ohio for over 20years. She was the first African American andthe first female mayor of Warrensville Heights,Ohio.Congresswoman Fudge is a Past National

President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.,and is a member of the Greater ClevelandAlumnae Chapter. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business

from the Ohio State University and law degree

from the Cleveland State University-MarshallSchool of law.The Community Brainstorming Conference

is proud to announce that the recipients of thisyear’s award are Joel and Kit McNally. Both

have been longtime advocates for the commu-nity in many capacities. Joel was a reporter forthe Milwaukee Journal for 27 years. He cur-rently writes a weekly column for the ShepardExpress, and teaches a course at UW- Milwau-kee. Kit is the retired CEO of the Benedict Cen-ter. Her work with the Benedict and the DayReporting Centers has benefited thousands inthe African American community.The price of tickets for the event is $30.00

(checks or money orders). They can be pur-chased at the Milwaukee Workforce Invest-ment Board at 2342 N 27th Street, Milwaukee,WI, 53210 Monday through Friday duringbusiness hours. For more information, call (414) 507-2123

after 4:30pm or on weekends. Since Congress-woman Fudge is the speaker; and Joel and Kithave contributed so much to the MilwaukeeCommunity; it is ad that you purchase yourtickets as soon as possible.

Word of Hope Ministries,Inc. Awarded $2 MillionGrant for Training 2 WorkAdult Reentry Program Word of Hope Ministries, Inc. (WOHM) hosted a

Training 2 Work Generation 2 Kick-off Event on Thurs-day, October 23, 2014 at the Italian Community Center.The event informed the City of Milwaukee employersand key stakeholders of its awarded $2 million nationalgrant from the U.S. Department of Labor for a CareerPathways Collaborative, Milwaukee’s Home 2 Stay proj-ect. As the keynote speaker, Congresswoman Gwen Moore

spoke highly of the benefits of the program and its rele-vance to intensify work productivity for the Greater Mil-waukee area, along with being presented with theRe-entry and Second Chance Champion honorary award. The Career Pathways Collaborative aims to provide the

resources for incarcerated citizens returning to Milwau-kee to gain the skills, services and support needed to suc-ceed personally and professionally. This collaborativeyields successful results by following the EducationReentry model. This model features education and training opportuni-

ties to support career advancement for offenders whohave the potential to benefit from career pathways, edu-cation and job training. “We are privileged to receive this national grant from

the U.S. Department of Labor and it is our hope that weare able to boost a strong infrastructure for this projectensuring successful results of an emerging diverse work-force geared to industry-related occupations,” said Dr.C.H. McClelland, Pastor of Holy Cathedral COGIC andPresident of WOHM. WOHM has established a Career Pathways Collabora-

tive Leadership Team including key agencies such as: theWI Department of Corrections, Milwaukee CountyHouse of Correction, WI Community Services, Milwau-kee Area Workforce Investment Board, MATC, Milwau-kee County Departments of Health & Human Servicesand Child Support Services, UMOS, M & S ClinicalServices, Legal Action of WI and Center for Veterans Is-sues. Along with over 40 participating employers willing to

share their workforce needs and identify company’s de-ficiencies in filling the skill gap in Milwaukee. WOHM’s goal is to provide training opportunities that

will result in competencies leading to industry certifica-tion to diminish the skills gap in the area of manufactur-ing in Southeastern Wisconsin. This project will identifyand map out career pathways in demand sectors and sup-portive services providers. The ultimate end goal of this cross-systems collabora-

tion is for every Milwaukeean returning from incarcera-tion will be home to stay and avoid recidivism. This Training to Work Adult Reentry program is an op-

portunity for industry employers and community partnersto join together and become a part of the solution throughrecruitment and offering support services.

Mount Mary University’s Theol-ogy Department, in conjunction withthe Black Catholic Ministry Com-mission of the Archdiocese of Mil-waukee, will host a lecture presentedby Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, S.T.D.on Wednesday, November 19 from 7to 8:30 p.m. Rev. Massingale, arenowned theologian specializing insocial ethics, will present “Uncon-scious Racial Bias and the Challengeof Solidarity: Catholic Social JusticePost Trayvon Martin, MichaelBrown, and . . ." to examine whatracism means today in the wake ofrecent deaths of young AfricanAmerican men, and how religiousbeliefs can serve as catalysts for so-cial change.Rev. Massingale regularly presents

at colleges and universities, religiouseducation symposiums, and theologyand ethics conferences across theU.S. and the world on theologicalsubjects including racial justice andthe Catholic Church, gun violence,and health care ethics. His lecture at Mount Mary is made

possible with funding support fromthe Black and Indian Mission Grant.The event on campus concludes

several weeks of student activitiesdeveloped to explore the impact ofgun violence. Mount Mary’s ShalomClub, a student organization, willhost “Let’s Talk: Conversations onGun Violence,” for students whohave been personally impacted bygun violence in their communities. A candlelight memorial ceremony

hosted by Campus Ministry willhonor victims of gun violence andoffer prayers for healing, peace andracial justice.Rev. Massingale’s lecture is free

and open to the public. It will takeplace in the Alumnae Dining Room,located on the second floor ofBergstrom Hall, on Mount Mary’scampus. Pre-event registration is re-quired. To register, visit mtmary.eduor contact Meghan Rozema at roze-mam@mtmary.edu.For more information on the event

contact Sr. Shawnee Daniels-Sykes,SSND, Ph.D., at (414) 258-4810, ext.473 or sykess@mtmary.edu, or San-dra Melcher from the Black CatholicMinistry Commission at (414) 687-8310.

WHAT’S HAPPENING!WHAT’S HAPPENING!I n YOUR Fa i t h -Based Commun i t y. . .

The organization, “Women of Destiny,” will hold a “Chat and Chew: A Pre-Thanksgiving Gathering,” Saturday, Nov. 22, startingat 10 a.m.The theme of the event is: “O, but I thank You.” The “Chat and Chew” will be held at God’s People Temple of Praise, 2201 N.

35th St., on the corner of Garfield and 35th Street (lower level). Individuals attending are encouraged to bring their favorite dish andshare their testimonies of praise. For more information, call Margaret Adams at 414-554-3888. Everyone is welcome.

Women of Destiny to hold“Chat and Chew” Nov. 22

Mount Mary to Host Lecture on CatholicSocial Teaching and Racial Justice

Cong. Gwen Moore holds the award she received, the Re-entry and Second Chance Champion hon-orary award presented to her after her keynote address to members of Word of Hope Ministries,(WHOM) Inc. at the Italian Community Center recently. Moore spoke at the WHOM’s “Training 2Work Generation 2 Kick-off event. Standing with Moore (third from right) are (from left to right):Milwaukee County Executive Chris Able, Ella Mahaley, First Lady Prentiss McClelland, Bishop C.H.McClelland, and Rev. Leondis Fuller. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

CBC Chair, Cong. Marcia L. Fudge to keynote25th Annual James Howard Baker Award dinner

Cong. Marcia L. Fudge

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 5

What Will YouFind DuringMedicareOpen Enrollment?October 15 - December 7Your health needs

change from year to year.And, your health planmay change the benefitsand costs each year too.That's why it’s importantto review your Medicarechoices each fall. Compare your current plan to

new options and see if you canlower some costs or to find a planthat better suit your needs. Open Enrollment is the one time

of year when ALL people withMedicare can see what new bene-fits Medicare has to offer andmake changes to their coverage.Whether you have Original

Medicare or a Medicare Advan-tage plan, you’ll still have thesame benefits and security youhave now:• Certain preventive benefits –

including cancer screenings – areavailable at no cost to you whenprovided by qualified and partici-pating health professionals. The annual wellness visit lets

you sit down with your doctor anddiscuss your health care needs and

the best ways to stay healthy.• Medicare will notify you

about plan performance and use itsonline Plan Finder to encourageenrollment in quality plans.• In 2015, if you reach the

“donut hole” in Medicare’s pre-scription drug benefit, you’ll get a55% discount on covered brandname drugs and see increased sav-ings on generic drugs.It’s worth it to take the time to

review and compare, but you don’thave to do it alone. Medicare isavailable to help.• Visit Medicare.gov/find-a-plan

to compare your current coveragewith all of the options that areavailable in your area, and enrollin a new plan if you decide tomake a change.• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-

800-633-4227) 24-hours a day/7days a week to find out more aboutyour coverage options. TTY usersshould call 1-877-486-2048.• Review the Medicare & You

2015 handbook. It’s mailed topeople with Medicare in Septem-ber.• If you have limited income and

resources, you may be able to getExtra Help paying your prescrip-tion drug coverage costs. For more information, visit so-

cialsecurity.gov/i1020 or call So-cial Security at 1-800-772-1213.TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.• Get one-on-one help from your

State Health Insurance AssistanceProgram (SHIP). VisitMedicare.gov/contacts or call 1-

800-MEDICARE to get the phonenumber. This message is broughtto you by the U.S. Department ofHealth & Human Services.

Remember when…

Milwaukee talk showhistory was made in amusical extravaganza“I remember the night, when first we met, our heartswere young and gay…” The Spaniels “Doncha’ Go”(Vee-Jay Records-1955) By Richard G. Carter Twenty years ago this month, Al Jarreau, James

“Pookie” Hudson, Mel Rhyne, John Taylor and WillieHiggins crowded into the studios of WNOV radio toexchange stories and perform on the most popular,highest-rated Black talk show in Milwaukee’s history. The date was Friday, Nov. 11, 1994 -- observed by

millions nationally as Veterans Day -- commemorat-ing the sacrifices made by the men and women ofAmerica’s military. But the veterans we honored thatbright morning in Milwaukee were a different brand-- an eclectic group of accomplished musicians withlocal roots. And what a morning it was. The program was the thought-provoking “Carter-

McGee Report” -- which I co-hosted in 1994-95 withex-alderman Michael McGee Sr. It had been going strong for seven monthsand was the city’s best call-in talk show ever. It was better than Charlie Sykeson WTMJ, Mark Belling on WISN and garnered much higher listener ratingsthan WMCS.But on that memorable 8-10 a.m. 20 years ago -- which came to be known

as our “Music, Music, Music” show -- we outdid ourselves with a landmarkbroadcast. Before it was over, camera crews from three TV stations had ar-rived to film what was happening. I originally got the idea for the show a week or so earlier after learning that

Jarreau -- my old boyhood pal -- would be in town Nov. 11 for a concert theRiverside theatre. Seeking to uplift the spirits of our listeners after airing somany heavy programs, I called one of his out-of-town phone numbers andextended the invitation. His response: “Richard Carter? For you? Absolutely.” That was it for Alwyn

-- his actual first name -- until he called me at home from his hotel the nightbefore the show. We recalled our days in the neighborhood, at Lincoln HighSchool and New York City in 1983, when he yelled “Dickie Carter” as we

met crossing 7th Avenue near Carnegie Hall. During the next few days, I called Gary, Ind. and

invited Pookie -- with whom I had worked closely onmy authorized biography: “Goodnight Sweetheart,Goodnight: The Story of the Spaniels” (August Press-1995) -- and Taylor, my old Milwaukee friend. AtMcGee’s suggestion, I also invited Rhyne and Hig-gins.When Jarreau and I spoke the night before the show,

I told him we’d be joined by Pookie, along with notedlocals Taylor, Rhyne and Higgins. And he was de-lighted.“You mean they all gonna’ be there?” he asked.

“Uh-huh,” I replied. “I can’t wait,” he said. Aftertelling him where the studio was located, he said.“See you in the morning.”As many readers remember, the four opined on mu-

sical and human interest topics and recalled the halcyon 1950s and ‘60s.Backed by Rhyne’s organ stylings, they joined on “Goodnight Sweetheart,Goodnight” and improvised words on a blues tune he wrote that very morningcalled “I Want to Slash and Burn and Slish-Shosh all Night Long.”

Al Jarreau

(continued on page 7)

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 6

BUSINESS CORNERBUSINESS CORNERF o r m e r l y S m a l l B u s i n e s s

By Antoine Miller"If you're cold calling and you hear the

prospect say something along these lines -"thank you but we don't really need...”you've got approximately 5 seconds beforeyou get hung up on." Take this seriously. Once you've spoken

with the decision maker and she hangs up onyou, it really hurts your ability to follow upwith her again anytime soon. That is, unless you don't mind annoying

the hell out of the prospect which isn't thebest way to get on anyone's good side. As I mention on the 99 SALES iDEAS

Facebook page, you can buy yourself moretime before being hung up on. In many cases, you can convert the call

into a sale by using the Fall Back and SpringForward technique. The Fall Back and Spring Forward tech-

nique is when you bend back a little to allowthe prospect to do what she wants which isend the call. You actually agree with her.However, just as the prospect is gearing tohang up, you pop back with another ques-

tion. The prospect for that brief moment intime has her defensive guard down and youcan address her potential need one last time. For example: Prospect: Thanks for calling. We're fine

with what we have.Salesperson: No problem and thank you

for your hearing me out. But I'm curious.How do you handle...? What would happenif...?You literally force the conversation to go

on with another quick question. If you sitthere like a deer in the headlights, the call hasended. If you think quickly and execute by ask-

ing the right questions at the right time, youwill keep the dialogue flowing. And that's all you want is more time to

convince the prospect that you have the so-lution she needs to buy. Cold calling isn'teasy. You have to bring your best stuff onevery call. Sometimes you are going to getroughed up and knocked back. No retreat,no surrender isn't always going to work. As Chinese military strategist Tzu teaches

in the book the Art of War, learn to retreatand survive to fight another day. Learn to FallBack and Spring Forward.Antoine Miller is Founder of 99 SALES

iDEAS for Business Development. Milleris excited to help business owners sell moreof their products and services. ContactMiller at 414-219-1989 oramiller@99salesideas.com with your salesand marketing or business startup ques-tions.

Fall Back & Spring Forward

NOW WHAT?Is social media killing our sales skills? Recently, I spoke to an organization that spent an ungodly

amount of time, energy and money on Social Media to createLead Generation. So my question was, "Now what?” they said,"What do you mean?" I said “Okay, so you got a whole bunchof people calling you or contacting you through a web form,email etc. How's your closing ratio?”They looked at me like I had three heads.The issue is a simple one, just because

we believe that we have found a new wayto generate business, it is not generatingbusiness…alone. Lead generation is In-terest, lead generation is getting people tothe door. Are they coming over thethreshold and are you closing the doorbehind them? That's a very Importantstep. One without the other results in norevenue.Between Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook,

Google and Bing ads on any of the SocialMedia sites, Blogs amongst other thingswe do today to build leads is it reallyworking? That's one question. If we’redoing all of the things that we need to do in Social Media andall the ‘white noise’ is going out, what is it bringing us? Well, itshould be bringing us Leads. It should be bringing us Emails,filling out contact Information or a website, web forms andphone call, and if that's happening, Great you have reached stepone. This is a very important step but it is ONLY step one. The million dollar question is "Now What?" It's important to make sure that we know once people contact

us or when we contact them back, we are using the right processto follow up from any kind of lead generation that we get. Arewe setting some ground rules at the beginning of the conversa-tion? Are we asking good. Thought provoking open-ended ques-tions to engage them and truly understand their needs beyondwhat the told you? DO we have a true picture of all of this before we have the

cost conversation and do you clearly understand the next stepand what that means as opposed to just “checking back” or fol-lowing up with them?It's important to understand that when someone contacts you,

they are often contacting several people within your industry.You don't have a relationship built, there were just some lowlevels of interest that got them to contact you. Is it better than

you calling out cold? Well certainly it is but you still needs thesame attention to process as you always did. Getting somebodyto call you is only the beginning. So, what are the other steps:What are we doing when we contact them or they call us. Arewe using the process properly? Here is what we typically see;

When we get them on the phone, they will typically ask youa simple question that I call a "Wall Question" which is they putup a wall and the question sounds something like this "Hey, Isee you guys sell widgets. Can you tell me if I bought a hundredwidgets what that would cost?" and we say, "Sure, let me look.What can of widgets you are looking for?” "We're looking for

widget A or widget B." "Okay well,widget A would be $75,000 for a hundredwidgets and widget B would be $82,000."Oh, that's a lot of money. "Well, maybeI can do a little better." You negotiate aprice and they say "Okay sounds good,ah we'll call you back” Or “Sounds good,can you send me a proposal / price sheet/some more information?"We get their email, we send that infor-

mation in writing and cricket, we neverhear from them again. We try to contactthem back, they don't contact us. We tryto call them, they don't take our call, andwe leave messages. Sound familiar? Of course, it does. The

same situation that happened before when you did yourprospecting more proactively occurred. Prospecting hasn'tchanged. Sales and the sales process hasn't changed just becausethey're contacting you. In fact, I would say that it is more dif-ficult now because we are not as on top of our game since theycontacted us we feel it is a ‘hot’ lead.Not only do you need to do a good job on working on the

sales process in closing the sale, you need to do a better job thanyou ever have before because remember, they have control.They're the ones that are calling you but they're also calling yourcompetitor. So they've done a little homework, they knowwho's out there and they know what the pricing is out there.That's where the sale process comes in. If you don't have aprocess, you're going to fail. Whether they're lead generatingthrough Social Media or not.Greta Schulz is President of SchulzBusiness, a sales Con-

sulting and Training firm. She is a best selling author of “ToSell IS Not To Sell” and works with fortune 1000 companiesand entrepreneurs. For more information or free sales tips goto www.schulzbusiness.com and sign up for ‘GretaNomics’, aweekly video tip series or email sales questions togreta@schulzbusiness.com

By Greta Schulz

Signature danceministry to present annual performanceBy Taki S. RatonThe highly acclaimed Signature

Dance Company (SDC) will hold itsAnnual Free Fall Thank You Showon Saturday, November 22 at theFitzsimonds Boys & Girls Club,3400 West North Avenue beginningat 2 p.m.Established in 2004, SDC is a Mil-

waukee-based dance ministry forwomen and girls ages 4 and up. Thecompany is comprised of memberfrom local churches addressing theneed, as noted on their web site, “tocreate a new expression of dancewhere creative expression of God’sspirit explode in an exciting and up-lifting signature of dance.“My daughters have been dancing

with Signature Dance Company forover 5 years,” says parent MalinaYoung. She adds that, “I have to admit, the

mentorship, accountability, and tech-nique training from the instructorshave been phenomenal. I’ve said itonce, but I must say it again – ‘EveryGirl Should Be A Signature Girl.’”Company artistic director Tecia

Sellers says that, “Outside of caringfor my own family, I have not foundanything to be more rewarding thanworking with the girls and staff ofSignature Dance Company. Being born and raised in Milwau-

kee, it has also brought myself andother directors great pleasure to giveback to own city in such a significantway.”

For more information on the No-vember 22 “Thank You” dancerecital, please call SDC at (414) 213-9640.

Greta Schulz

Antoine Miller

Artistic DirectorTecia Sellers

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 7

Q&Awith LaShawndra Vernon: Third generation Milwaukeean making a difference for the most vulnerable in our community

LaShawndra Vernon is a third generation Milwaukeean who is devoted to strengthening thecity’s African American community. Vernon is currently the director of the Milwaukee LifecourseInitiative for Healthy Families Collaborative and a staff member at United Way of Greater Mil-waukee, which serves as the backbone agency for the effort.Where does your passion for

Milwaukee come from? I was born and raised in Mil-

waukee. My grandfather workedfor American Motors, and was aproud member of UAW. Mygrandmother worked for the Su-perintendent of Milwaukee Pub-lic Schools. My mother worked in the

Safety Department of MilwaukeePublic Schools and retired as aboard member for the NationalEducation Association and an ac-tivist with Wisconsin EducationAssociation Council in 2010. Aslong as I can remember we havebeen advocates for the commu-nity. Working on improving commu-

nity conditions in Milwaukee isvery personal for me. These aremy friends and family members in this city. My roots here run deep. I consider many ofthe people who struggle with these poor conditions to be a personal responsibility. I can’tchange the world if I cannot influence the city I am from. What drew you to United Way and the infant mortality prevention work? An indicator of a civil society can be measured by the success of its most vulnerable

members, the babies. In the social service community we have always used the analogy ofthe babies being thrown into the river. Babies in Milwaukee are being thrown into the river by our lack of systemic change that

sets people of color up to fail. I want to make a difference in this system design. I want tospeak directly to the root causes of poor health in communities of color. United Way givesme that opportunity.What do you see as the greatest challenge that the Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative

for Healthy Families will have to overcome in order to be successful? Milwaukee has to believe in itself. If we can overcome the notion that we are unable to

solve the problems we face, we will change this environment. We are waiting for someoneto come save us. No one is coming. We are going to have to roll up our sleeves and saveourselves and our babies. This can only happen if we stop making the work we do about ourselves. It is on each of

us to change this environment. Every business leader, every family member, all the com-mon folk, we have to come together and make a difference. If we can do this, we willchange the narrative, change the scope of the problem and reduce the poor health in thiscommunity. This will only happen if we get out of our own way.Vernon attended Rufus King High School and earned her undergraduate degree in Crim-

inal Justice and Human Services from Springfield College. She holds a Master’s in PublicService and Dispute Resolution from Marquette University.

The second hour of the program was given over to aflood of listener calls -- each of which was effusive intheir appreciation for what they were hearing. Severalcallers expressed amazement that we were able to bringsuch talented artists live to our show.Following is the editorial I wrote, and read on air,

that historic morning:“In the last few years, I’ve devoted much of my writ-

ing to original Black rhythm and blues -- a truly Amer-ican musical form. But like many music lovers, I alsolove jazz and pure-dee blues -- some of which you’veheard this morning on this program. This makes today’sshow so very special to me and Mike and, I hope, toour countless listeners.“The awesome talents of Milwaukee’s own Al Jar-

reau, the incomparable one. Along with the greatJohn Taylor, Mel Rhyne, Willie Higgins and the leg-endary James “Pookie” Hudson” makes this anotherunique day on our program. All of these men are non-pareils in the music business. I’ve known Alwynsince we were kids. In fact, our families once livednext door to one another on Fifth St., between Walnutand Vine.”“I met John Taylor as a teenager, marveled at his

lilting voice, the times his group opened for theSpaniels at the Colonial theater and his success whenhe joined the original Ink Spots. Mel Rhyne, ofcourse, is a familiar name to jazz buffs. His fine workwith a number of jazz greats place him in very selectcompany. And Willie Higgins? What can you sayabout the man? This is his encore performance onthis program.“In 1954, the Spaniels, led by Pookie, released

“Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight” and changed thelandscape of popular music in America. More thanany other song, this one helped R&B evolve into rock’n’ roll and the nation has never been the same.” “What a great pleasure it is for me, and I know for

Mike, to be able to talk to such artists -- each andevery one with strong links to Milwaukee…”It developed that our “Music, Music, Music” show

was so popular that, owing to a huge demand, we of-fered, and sold, individual tapes for the bargain priceof $5. With our time winding down, I asked Jarreau, on-

air, his thoughts about the morning‘s festivities. “Thiswas like church,” he said. Indeed it was. And I’llnever forget it.As we signed off -- amid taking photos, pats on the

back and hugs -- McGee put the proceedings in per-spective when he shouted: “We’re on the map!” Andindeed we were.Milwaukee native Richard G. Carter is a free-

lance columnist

Milwaukee talk showhistory was made in amusical extravaganza(continued from page 5)

LaShawndra Vernon, director of the Milwaukee Life-course Initiative for Healthy Families Collaborative,speaking at the kick-off of the “Strong Babies” effort.

“Both tears and sweat aresalty, but they render adifferent result. Tears willget you sympathy; Sweatwill get you change.”

--Rev. Jesse Jackson

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 8

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 9

The Newspaper ofInformation, Educationand Inspiration is alsoONLINE! Go to www.communityjournal.netand feel the pulse ofYOUR Community!

The Milwaukee Community Journal November 12, 2014 Page 10