REMEMBER WHEN…Al Jarreau helpedmake Mlwaukeetalk show history in a musical extravaganzaBy Richard G. Carter“I remember the night, when first wemet, our hearts were young and gay…”The Spaniels, “Doncha’ Go” (Vee-Jay Records-1955)

On Nov. 11, 1994, my lifetime Mil-waukee pal, Al Jarreau -- who passedaway at 76 on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles-- helped me make local radio talkshow history on WNOV's ground-breaking "Carter-McGee Report."

Alwin -- his actual first name -- along with James“Pookie” Hudson, Mel Rhyne, John Taylor and WillieHiggins, crowded into our studios to exchange storiesand perform on the most popular, highest-rated Blacktalk show in Milwaukee’s history.

Observed by millions nationally as Veterans Day,Nov. 11 commemorates the sacrifices made by the menand women of America’s military. But the veterans wehonored that bright morning in Milwaukee -- leb byJarreau --were a different brand. They were an eclecticgroup of accomplished musicians with local roots. Andwhat a morning it was.

Our thought-provoking program -- which I co-hosted in 1994-95 with ex-alderman Michael McGeeSr. -- had been going strong for seven months and wasthe city’s best call-in talk show ever. It was better thanCharlie Sykes on WTMJ, Mark Belling on WISN andgarnered much higher listener ratings than WMCS.

But on that memorable 8-10 a.m. time period 22-plus-years ago -- which came to be known as our“Music, Music, Music” show -- we outdid ourselveswith a landmark broadcast. Before it was over, cameracrews from three TV stations had arrived to film whatwas happening.

I originally got the idea for the show a week or soearlier after learning that Jarreau -- my old boyhoodpal -- would be in town Nov. 11 for a concert at theRiverside theatre.

Seeking to uplift the spirits of our listeners after air-ing so many heavy programs, I called one of his out-of-town phone numbers and extended the invitation.

SalutesSalutes Black History Black History MonthMonth

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Al JarreauMarch 12, 1940-

February 12, 2017

PULSEPULSE OF THE OF THE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:QUESTION OF THE WEEK:Now that Milwaukee Bucks’ player JabariNow that Milwaukee Bucks’ player Jabari

Parker is out for the rest of the seasonParker is out for the rest of the seasonwith a knee injury, do you think the teamwith a knee injury, do you think the teamcan make the playoffs? Why or why not?can make the playoffs? Why or why not?

“No. Why wouldyou just rely onJabari Parker?He’s not a fran-chise playerUntil Jabari be-comes a fran-chise player, wecan not count onhim.”

EricAnderson

“No. Jabari is in-jured. I think thecoach is missingsome importantmoves. With theright strategy,maybe nextyear. they needto play as ateam and not asindividuals.”

FrederickMartin

“Yes. They canstill make it.Why? Because ittakes a team towin, not oneplayer. Also, (if)the coach spenttime looking atother players onthis team, hewould see he has a great team.”

Bishop ClaytonDuckworth,Sr.

“It’s going to bevery difficult tomake the play-offs withoutJavari. he is akey player thatthe Bucks needto transformfrom an averageteam to a play-off contender.”

LeVarnClay

Local youth share powerful stories atTeen Gun ViolencePrevention Summit

Nelicia Miranda, 15, remembers hanging out with her cousin, Anita Bur-gos-Brooks, at girls’ nights. Nelicia and her sister would visit Burgos-Brooksand they’d paint each other’s nails and eat their cousin’s fried shrimp.

“We were there almost every other day; she would work late and we wouldwatch her daughter,” Nelicia said. “It was like our second home. She was justa good person to be around.”

Burgos-Brooks, known as Anita Bee, was a Milwaukee poet and a memberof Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. In December 2012, Nelicia and her family re-ceived a phone call at 3 a.m. informing them that Burgos-Brooks was shotand killed in her home by her hus-band, Keith Brooks.

“I woke up shocked. I thought itwas a dream,” she said. “It didn’t feelreal to lose someone like that, whowas so good, pure hearted and beau-tiful.”

Nelicia told her story at Neighbor-hood House of Milwaukee during therecent Teen Gun Violence PreventionSummit.

The four-hour summit includedpresentations by Safe & Sound, fo-cused on explaining the conse-quences of drug use, and personalstories or spoken-word performancesby teens about gun violence and drugabuse.

After the performances, a Milwau-kee Police Department officer spokeabout gun violence in the city.

Nelicia, who was 13 when she losther cousin, turned to harming herselfas a way to deal with the grief.

“I felt like the world was going toend and there was no escaping thiseveryday problem of gun violence,”she said. “It was really difficult tocope with the fact that she wasn’t here with us anymore.”

Nelicia turned to counseling and religion to find solace after her cousin’sdeath. Now, she works for Neighborhood House as an outdoor environmentaleducator in the summer and attends the after-school teen program. She writespoetry and hopes to attend college to major in business and open her own hairsalon.

“I’m still growing and they are helping me,” she said. “It’s like a familyhere.”

The Neighborhood House teen program serves about 50 teens a week. Thefree program offers a computer lab, roller skating rink and basketball courtsfor students.

Robert Jones, 24, is now a mentor at Neighborhood House where he startedgoing when he was 15.

“I was lost as a kid. People use to call me a savage. I would do anything toanyone no matter who they were,” said Jones. “I would fight people, shoot atthem, or rob them depending on how I felt that day.”

The culture and style ofAfrica were showcased atSt. Ann Center’s BucyrusCampus as part of amonth-long celebrationof Black history. Africandrums summoned adultclients, day care children, vol-unteers and staff to the inter-generational park recently.

Keeping the beat were two youngdrummers from the Ko-Thi DrumEnsemble—Christian, 17, and hiscousin Judah, age 4.

Starting off a fun-filled fashionshow were the 2-year-old Meerkatclass. Evan stepped out in a loose,colorful dashiki from West Africa.Next came Kingston sporting a greenkofia—a brimless cylindrical capwith a flat crown, worn by men inEast Africa.

Harper was beautiful in herwrapped dress and gele—a head tieworn in many parts of southern andwestern Africa.

Tariyah turned heads with hercheetah-print lappa, a garment wornby women in West Africa. Kamilahwas stunning in a black head tie, andEdwin rocked a kanzu—a robe wornby men in the African Great Lakesregion.

St. Ann Center staff came next.Nurse Annie Smith modeled a gold-trimmed midi dress in deep purple—the color of royalty, nobility, kingshipand creativity.

Steven Anderson from the Ubuntuunit sported a bright blue tunic fromNigeria, a formal garment he wore asbest man in a friend’s wedding.

Lucille Armstrong from the socialwork department wore an orangekitenge from Nigeria—a garmentsimilar to a sarong.

Joyce Davis, vice president ofadult services, was striking in a flar-ing mermaid-style dress in canary,blue and burgundy, handmade for herin Tanzania.

Receptionist Marie Britt demon-strated some dance moves whilemodeling a Jamaican-style greendress with colorful red and yellowaccents and matching head wrap.

Sr. Brigid Mueni from the SimbaUnit wore a patterned maroon dressmade in Kenya and a broad-brimmed

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St. Anne’sCentershowcasesAfricanculturewith style!

Strutting in style to thebeat of two members ofthe Ko-Thi Drum Ensem-ble, St. Anne’s Lucille Arm-strong (shown above) andDiane Beckley (inset pic-ture) show off some of thefashions of Africa on dis-play during St. Anne’s cel-ebration of Black history.Below: Kingston (left)sports a green kofia, abrimless cylindrical capwith a flat crown worn bymen in East Africa. Kami-lah (at right) waves to theaudience as she wears ablack head tie.--Photos courtesy of St.Anne’s Center for Intergenerational Care.

By Camille Paul--Neighborhood News Service

Robert “Redd” Jones, a mentor who attended NeighborhoodHouse as a teen, shares his experiences with gun violence.--Photo by Camille Paul

“Someoneshowed methat I have akind heart and Ihave a lot ofpatience...Iwant to make adifference andas long as Ihelp someoneelse, thatmakes mehappy.”--Robert “Redd” Jones

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Kim Robinson Photo

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 2 The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 3

His response: “Richard Carter? Foryou? Absolutely.” That was it forAlwyn, until he called me at homefrom his hotel the night before theshow. We recalled our days in the neighbor-hood, at Lincoln High School andNew York City in 1983, when heyelled “Dickie Carter” as we metcrossing Seventh Avenue nearCarnegie Hall.

During the next few days, I calledGary, Ind. and invited Pookie -- withwhom I had worked closely on myauthorized biography: “GoodnightSweetheart, Goodnight: The Story ofthe Spaniels” (August Press-1995) --and Taylor, my old Milwaukeefriend. At McGee’s suggestion, I alsoinvited Rhyne and Higgins.

When Alwyn and I spoke again thenight before the show, I told himwe’d be joined by Pookie, along withnoted locals Taylor, Rhyne and Hig-gins. And he was delighted.

“You mean they all gonna’ bethere?” he asked. “Uh-huh,” Ireplied. “I can’t wait,” he said. Aftertelling him where the studio was lo-cated, he said. “See you in the morn-ing.”

As many readers remember, thefour opined on musical and humaninterest topics and recalled the hal-cyon 1950s and ‘60s. Backed byRhyne’s organ stylings, they joinedon “Goodnight Sweetheart, Good-night” and improvised words on ablues tune he wrote that very morn-ing called “I Want to Slash and Burnand Slish-Shosh all Night Long.”

The second hour of the programwas given over to a flood of listenercalls -- each of which was effusive intheir appreciation for what they werehearing. Several callers expressedamazement that we were able tobring such talented artists live to ourshow, and several of Jarreau's friendswere able to speak to him.

Following is the editorial I wrote,and read on air, that historic morning:

“In the last few years, I’ve devotedmuch of my writing to original Blackrhythm and blues -- a truly Americanmusical form.

But like many music lovers, I alsolove jazz and pure-dee blues -- someof which you’ve heard this morningon this program. This makes today’sshow so very special to me and Mikeand, I hope, to our countless listen-ers.

“The awesome talents of Milwau-kee’s own Al Jarreau, the incompara-ble one. Along with the great JohnTaylor, Mel Rhyne, Willie Higginsand the legendary James “Pookie”Hudson” makes this another uniqueday on our program. All of these men are nonpareils in themusic business. I’ve known Alwynsince we were kids. In fact, our fam-ilies once lived next door to one an-other on Fifth St., between Walnutand Vine.”

“I met John Taylor as a teenager,marveled at his lilting voice, thetimes his group opened for theSpaniels at the Colonial theater andhis success when he joined the origi-nal Ink Spots. Mel Rhyne, of course,is a familiar name to jazz buffs. His fine work with a number of jazzgreats place him in very select com-pany. And Willie Higgins? What canyou say about the man? This is hisencore performance on this program.

“In 1954, the Spaniels, led byPookie, released “Goodnight Sweet-heart, Goodnight” and changed thelandscape of popular music in Amer-ica. More than any other song, thisone helped R&B evolve into rock ’n’roll and the nation has never been thesame.”

“What a great pleasure it is for me,and I know for Mike, to be able totalk to such artists -- each and everyone with strong links to Milwau-kee…”

It developed that the our “Music,Music, Music” show was so popularthat, owing to a huge demand, we of-fered, and sold, individual tapes forthe bargain price of $5.

With our time winding down, Iasked Jarreau, on-air, his thoughtsabout the morning‘s festivities. “Thiswas like church,” he said. Indeed itwas. And I’ll never forget it.

As we signed off -- amid takingphotos, pats on the back and hugs --McGee put the proceedings in per-spective when he shouted: “We’re onthe map!” And indeed we were.

And now, my pal, Al Jarreau, is

gone. There may never be anotherlike him, and I will really miss him.He belongs to the ages.--Milwaukeenative Richard G. Carter is a free-lance columnist

RememberingAl Jarreau (continued from page 1)

Milwaukeenative andGrammy winner Speech remembers Al Jarreau

Alwin Lopez Jarreau better known asAl Jarreau died at age 76.

In 1968, I was coming fresh out of my momma'swomb when fellow Milwaukee native & multipleGrammy winner Al Jarreau first made the decisionthat music would be his primary passion.

He had already been refining his gift for manyyears. Living on Reservoir Avenue, the fifth of sixchildren, Jarreau's father a minister / singer and hismother a church pianist, they all sang together atlocal church concerts and benefits.

Al became student council president and BadgerBoys State delegate for Lincoln High School,thouroughly set on success.

He graduated Wisconsin's Ripon College in1962 with a bachelor of science degree in psychol-ogy and went on to earn a master's degree in voca-tional rehabilitation from the University of Iowa.Al, also worked as a rehabilitation counselor inSan Francisco, while moonlighting with a jazz trioheaded by the legendary George Duke.

But being the star attraction at a small Sausalitonight club called Gatsby’s with an acoustic gui-tarist named Julio Martinez confirmed his decisionto make singing his full-time career.

I remember my first Al Jarreau record in 1981,“We’re in this love together” a smooth melodic

smash filled with warm lyrics about lasting loveand dedication.

Ya see, Mr. Jarreau was always highly accessibleeven to a 13 year old kid like me, you just felt thathe was sent to earth to pull all types of people to-gether, he slightly morphed to compliment what-ever vibe he felt in the moment.

He was always in the moment, therefore hisstyle defied easy classification and millions of al-bums later, his commercial success left a few jazzpurists skeptical.

But most loved his larger than life spirit and em-braced his daring and gutsy interpretations, hisfans ranged all ages, races and classes.

Everyone was wooed by his improvisationalmastery, his unique ability to vocalize growls, skatlike trumpets and have so much fun that even if heuttered pure nonsense it was absolutely delicious.

I was always inspired by his Milwaukee rootsand it gave me hope that I too could have an im-pact.

My group Arrested Development was inspiredby similar goals, to pull people together and defy

classification. We would join him in the annals ofGrammy nominees and winners as we won bestnew artist and best rap single in 1993.

Al Jarreau won 7 Grammys over all and in 1986once said: “I try to be receptive and to be listening,and to not be afraid to try something new.”

He did just that from country to country, state tostate, studio to studio and venue to venue, untilJuly 23, 2010, when it was reported that Jarreauwas critically ill at a hospital in France, while inthe area to perform a concert at nearby Barcelon-nette, and was being treated for respiratory prob-lems and cardiac arrhythmias.

Then again in June 2012, Jarreau was diagnosedwith pneumonia, which caused him to cancel sev-eral concerts in France.

Jarreau made a full recovery and continued totour extensively for the next 5 years until Februaryof this year. (Wikipedia)

His manager, Joe Gordon, on February 12th2017 announced his death to a stunned public. Heexplained that Mr. Jarreau had been hospitalizedfor exhaustion two weeks prior to his death. On theadvice of his doctors, he had canceled his tourdates and retired from touring. (NYtimes) Mr. Jar-reau’s first marriage ended in divorce.

However he is now survived by his wife, SusanPlayer; a son, Ryan; two brothers, Marshall andAppie; and a sister, Rose Marie Freeman.

Whether being awarded a spot on the Holly-wood walk of fame, to an honorary doctorate offine arts from UWM (University of WisconsinMilwaukee in 2004) Or whether doing collabora-tions with the likes of Michael Jackson with "WeAre the World, to George Benson and Jill Scott.

This son of a preacher man from Milwaukee,Wisconsin made more than singing his full-timecareer.

He made everyone he touched (including me)want to better live my life to the full. As wepresently walk these Milwaukee streets, we knowthat a giant among men once walked among us.RIP Mr. Al Jarreau.

Speech

The family of Al Jarreau asks that no flowers or gifts be sent. A donation page has beenset up to the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music. Donations can be sent to: founda-tion4schoolmusic.org/lifetime-achievementaward/al-jarreau/

About photo of Al Jarreau onthe front page: Al Jarreau,who died February 12, holds aproclamation presented tohim by Mayor Tom Barrett Oc-tober 8, 2016 when he washonored with a life-timeachievement award by theWisconsin Foundation forSchool Music at the PfisterHotel last October.

Black History is still somewhat a mystery. All we have to believe is whatwe’ve been taught. Even today I have learned things so differently from yes-terday. It surprises me to know that when I was a child I was not taught aboutour people.

With the thought of knowing that I would only have to rely on what I wastaught, I say this, we have to hold on to our history. We must cherish and pro-tect it. We must do this so that it will not be replaced or erased. History initself is very important, as well as being knowledgeable. These characteristicshelp build mental wealth today. I applaud all those that came before us.

FOR ALLFor all that were so, that now could beTo those who died tricked by a promise of prosperityChained by neck, tongues split and forced into darknessFor all that fought back with bare hand, spear or rockYour courage embraced, vessels and ships lined against first continentOriginal people took fear, anger, shock, and emotional expressions with thedeepest of thoughtsMany nations invaded, naked paraded, slaughtered and rapedFor all those who knew not why, who searched for help and understandingOn the ground and towards the skiesTheir cries are now the winds and floodsTheir graves, of rich foreign soil and ocean waves Their souls combined the sun, representing growth, hope and droughtFor the darker skinned persons who were blood mixedBut never turned their back on their culture or true heritageFor all the woman, men, children here and abroad that was stole and sold

I APPLAUDFor all those who knew not whyThose that were lost so that it could be a you and I,both knees I mount with head bowedA moment of silence and as I stand I am proud to be a part of the strong, the proud, and the free. Peace.--Torre M. Johnson Sr./ President of XMENUNITED LLC

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 3

Is it true? Is Beyoncé changing the way millennials listen tomusic? When is the last time you picked up your IPod, orturned on your favorite tunes and really listened to a completebody of work?

When is the last time you listened to a full album, withoutskipping or shuffling through songs? Not so sure? Beyoncé’sLemonade album, released April of 2016, is an album that willalways influence millennials and the way we listen to music.

At the 2017 Grammy awards show, hosted this past weekendat the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Beyoncé wasnominated for multiple awards. As she graced the stage in hergoddess like wardrobe and jewelry, she performed songs offher latest album. Giving off a very spiritual but subtle vibe anddelivery, she captured the appreciation of all who laid eyes onher.

While she may not have won all awards that she was nomi-nated for, Beyoncé still seemed to enchant the acknowledge-ment and praise from every artist and audience member for herphenomenal visual album Lemonade.

“People don’t make albums anymore. They don’t make al-bums. They just try to sell a bunch of little quick singles andthey burn out…”

-Beyoncé, Life is but A Dream autobiography. 2013.In this digital era, it is so easy to download single after sin-

gle, but what about truly appreciating a full body of work?Artists like Beyoncé articulate on full visuals.

Lemonade is a body of work that includes emotions, vulnera-bility, and transparency that can be identified by any one ofany age.

Figuratively including a distinct beginning, middle and end,Beyoncé (and artist like Queen Bey) maneuver in the industrymaking way for our digital generation. With more work and vi-sionary projects like this, millennials will always have a morestable way of appreciating the arts.

--Paishance Welch, Millennial Magic!

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESURBAN MyURBAN MyDIALOGUE...DIALOGUE...By Torre “ToeJoe” Johnson

We must hold on to our history!

MILLENNIALMILLENNIALMAGICMAGICBy Paishance Welch

All HailQueen Bey!

Barack Obama was a great president, but...One of the few times I violated my policy of never going off on another brother

before a White audience was an occasion when James T. Harris referred to PresidentBarack Obama as the “Black Jesus.”

Harris made his comment several years ago during a heated segment of SundayInsight with Charlie Sykes. As best as I can remember, we were talking about somepolitical scenario when Harris blurted out his sarcastic reference.

Before I could restrain myself I was in his face and at least one of the conservativepundits was smiling. (They like to see us fighting, you know).

James T., as some of you might remember, was of the darker “conservative com-plexion” and had made a name for himself using his weekly radio show to appeaseand promote the GOP agenda.

That didn’t bother me, and I even enjoyed listening to his weekend radio showknowing full well that he would often punk the Democratic Party and question thenaiveté of Black voters.

That didn’t make him Uncle Tom in my book; everybody has a right to their opin-ions, and to suggest we are a monolithic community is both asinine and myopic.

If Martin Luther King were alive today, he would be conservative by today’s po-litical standard mantra.

But to equate Barack Obama to the Messiah was sacrilegious. Or at the very leastinsulting because it suggested a blind veneration that transcended common sense.And that, I felt, crossed the line.

In fact how dare he say anything against the first Black president of the UnitedStates of America, particularly given the obstacles he had to overcome! Did notJames T. know that a large segment of America not only disqualified the presidentbecause he was Black—or at least half Black—but many wanted him dead, Michelleto get a permanent case of laryngitis and his daughters forced to attend D.C. publicschools.

The disrespect was so blatant, Republicans even advocated for his failure, evenif that meant their constituents suffered. They insulted his wife (called her an ape)and even questioned the pedigree of his dog.

Thus, it should not have been surprising that Black America was overly protec-tive. And that paradigm extended to all criticisms, even if it came from Black peo-ple.

So in retrospect, I can’t remember if I was incensed by James T.’s comment be-cause of our general defensiveness because he was Black, or because of the religiousconnotation.

If it was the former, I may have been mad because I didn’t want him to escape

the criticism that had befallen the dozen or so Black leaders who have suffered be-cause they had the audacity to want more from the president.

And if it were the latter, his reference was an insult to Christianity. Unless, in factJames T.’s comment had a ring of truth to it.

Remember, the handful of Black people who questioned him risked being ostra-cized, as was the case of Tavis Smiley and Dr. Cornell West. Black RepublicanJames T. Harris should not have been able to escape the ostracism endured by Smi-ley and others simply because he was a Black conservative, I felt at the time.

I was thinking of that scenario following two arguments I had in the last 72 hourswith chief apologists and congregants of the Church of Obama. Indeed, it dawnedon me after those two heated exchanges that James T. was right to a degree, manyof us did—and continue to now—put Obama on a sacred pedestal so high he is be-yond reproach.

In both incidents, the arguments followed my comments about a discussion Iheard Saturday morning on the Urban View radio network. Host Lou Hutt ques-tioned why the indignation of Black college presidents and several Black leadersabout Obama’s decision to shift $85 million pledged to Black colleges and univer-sities to a general education fund, did not become a defining issue early in the pres-ident’s first term.

Instead of showing concern for the thousands of Black students who lost out,UNCF officials and Black leaders who questioned Obama found themselves underattack.

Almost as if reading from a script the chief antagonists in both “debates” quicklynoted that Barack was not the “Black” president, but the “president of all people.”Thus he couldn’t isolate funds for Black colleges and students, but must instead putthe money in a pool for all students.

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., EditorTeretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Webmaster

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SIGNIFYIN’SIGNIFYIN’By Mikel Kwaku Oshi Holt

Briefly, Milwaukee MunicipalCourt is the largest municipal courtin the State of Wisconsin. In 2015,72,000 cases were filed with thecourt.

The court has three brancheswhich are presided over by JudgeDerek Mosley, Judge Phillip Chavez,and myself, Judge Valarie Hill.Judges Mosley and I are African-American and Judge Chavez is Mex-ican-American.

The court is also only one of twocourts in the state that operates on afull-time basis.

Milwaukee Municipal Court is theonly court in the state with “walk-inhours” which is where a citizen canwalk in without a scheduled court ap-

pearance and see a judge about theircase the same day.

The majority of cases handled byMilwaukee Municipal Court are tick-ets issued by the Milwaukee PoliceDepartment for traffic and local ordi-

The importanceof the Milwaukee Municipal Court

(continued from page 5)

Judge Valerie Hill

By Judge Valarie HillMilwaukee Municipal Court, Branch 1

“I love Americamore than anyother country inthis world and,exactly for thisreason, I insiston the right tocriticize her perpetually.”--noted author James Baldwin

Frances E. Jefferson, a native Mil-waukeean, provided loving service toothers over many years and until herfinal days. She cared for her mother’sclose friends, church members, hermany friends, family members andchildren.

Without being called on, Francesresponded to the needs of those whowere older and or sick, giving themthe care they needed. She believedthat caring for and serving others washer mission.

Frances E. Jefferson passed awayon February 8, 2017 at Colombia St.Mary’s Hospital after a brief illness.She was 79.

During a previous hospitalization,she had so many visitors, cards andremembrances that the doctors com-mented that they didn’t even knowthat many people!

Many were giving back to herwhat she had given to them. “In fact,when I first came to Milwaukee, shecared for me by introducing me toCalvary Church, the sorority andcommunity leaders,” said a closefriend, Jenelle Elder-Green.

“But she also took time for playingbridge which she loved, travelling,shopping and attending plays andconcerts.”

Professionally, Jefferson was an el-ementary school teacher with theMilwaukee Public Schools for over30 years. She knew the importance ofeducation.

Her mother, Millie French, wasamong the first African Americanteachers in the system. Frances re-ceived the Bachelor of Science in Ed-ucation from the University ofWisconsin-Madison and the MastersDegree in Administration from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

In civic life, she served on thefundraising committees of HighPoint, NAACP, United Negro Col-lege Fund and other organizations.

Jefferson’s commitment to reachingout and helping others is shown byher love of service as a member ofAlpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,Epsilon Kappa Omega chapter.

Beginning is 1959 and duringmore than 50 years, she was an activesoror and served as 11th president ofthe chapter. Under her dedicated andcapable leadership, the chapter re-ceived for the first time the covetedRegional Leadership Award.

One of her most notable achieve-ments was to lead the successfulsponsorship of Edith Finlayson to be-come an honorary member of AlphaKappa Alpha Sorority, the highestlevel of membership in the organiza-tion.

She also co-chaired the CentralRegion Conference in 1987 and laterbecame an honorary member of thelocal chapter’s Endowment Fund forthe Pauline Redmond Coggs Founda-tion.

Over the years, Jefferson held allmajor offices and committee chair-manships. She was a Golden and LifeMember and the recipient of the pres-tigious Golden Member of the Cen-tral Region award.

As an active member of Calvarychurch for over 70 years, Jefferson

was active in numerous missions.She was the first female to serve onthe Board of Trustees and used herleadership skills and gifts in thechoir, Sunday and vacation BibleSchool, American Baptist Churches,USA and in Wisconsin. She attendednumerous conferences and work-shops and served as a presenter.

Jefferson first worked as an ele-mentary school teacher at VictorBerger School, presently named inhonor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Her career included other positionsprior to her last teaching assignmentat 21st Street Elementary School,now named Gwen T. Jackson EarlyChildhood and Elementary School.She was an extraordinary leader in allschools, teaching other teachers anddeveloping programs for special andregular students.

Jefferson made a difference in thelives of our children and in all thoseshe touched as she reached out in acaring and loving way.

Visitation will be held on Thurs-day, February 16, from 3:00 p.m.until 7:00 p.m. at Paradise MemorialFuneral Home, 7625 W. AppletonAvenue with Family Hour from 6:00p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Funeral service will be held on Fri-day, February 17, with Viewing from10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. followedby the service at 11:00 a.m. at Cal-vary Baptist Church, 2959 N. Teuto-nia Avenue.

Jefferson is survived by her hus-band of 54 years, Donald Marvin Jef-ferson; son, Donald M. Jefferson;brother, Joseph R. Jefferson, Jr.(Shirley), California; sister, Jacque-line Jefferson, Alaska; brother-in-law, Henry Jefferson; sisters-in-law,Joyce Bryant, Freida Jefferson; threegrandchildren, Gregory, Ebony,Arielle; one great grandchild, Catta-leya and many nieces, nephews,other relatives and friends.

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 4

RELIGIONRELIGION

St. Francis of Assisi GospelMusic Workshop, March 11

St. Francis of Assisi Parish willonce again sponsor its annual GospelMusic Workshop with nationallyknown clinician and guest composer,Thomas W. Jefferson, facilitating.

Thomas W. Jefferson holds a doc-torate of music from NorthwesternUniversity and is the author of Spiri-tuals for Piano, Volumes 1 and II.

Jefferson currently serves on thepiano faculty of North Park Univer-sity and Sherwood CommunityMusic School.

He is the music director of theBasilica of Our Lady of Sorrows inChicago.

Fr. Mike Bertram, the pastor of St.Francis comments, “The GospelMusic Workshop is a wonderful op-portunity to learn great Gospel musicand to promote a valuable contribu-tion of faith and prayer from theBlack community.

St. Francis Parish is proud to hostthis event and to make it available topeople of all walks of life who loveGospel music.”

The event will take place Saturday,March 11, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at St.Francis of Assisi Church, 1927 N.Fourth Street.

The $10-per-person fee includesall music materials, a continentalbreakfast, and lunch. Registration

and payment deadline is March 3rd.It is open to anyone who appreciatesGospel music, especially choir mem-bers, directors, cantors and pastors.

To reserve your spot, call414.374.5750, ext. 10 or emailstfrancismil@gmail.com.

Serving OthersWas Her MissionPASSAGESPASSAGES

Frances E. JeffersonAugust 30, 1937-February 8, 2017

“The name of the Lord is a fortifiedtower. The righteous run to it and are safe.” --Proverbs 18:10

Frances Jefferson

Gov. Scott Waker (third from left) came to St. Ann Intergenerational Care Centerrecently to announce he is proposing a $5 million grant to the center to help it con-tinue itsmission of care for the elderly, young and disabled. The grant proposal ispart of Walker’s budget bill. St. Ann’s Center was established by a Catholic orderof Franciscan sisters. With walker are (left to right): Tony Phillips, vice presidentof H.R. pastoral services and Indaba band shell, Bucyrus campus; Sister Edna Lon-ergan, OSF; Diane Beckley, COO Bucyrus campus; Warden Ronald K. Malone, stateof Wisconsin Dept. of Corrections-Division of adult institutions, Milwaukee securedetention facility; Ald. Russell Stamper, II; Sister Lucy Marindany, vice presidentof education and children, Bucyrus campus.--Photo by Yvonne Kemp

Gov. Walker announces grant for St. Ann’s

Why religion mattersin relationships

According to a study done by LifeWay Research,about 59 percent of the adult respondents said theywere much more comfortable discussing politicalviews compared to talking about their spirituality. Only41 percent said they preferred to discuss religious mat-ters.

This trend overflows into relationship matters aswell. When asked which factors are important to a suc-cessful marriage, the majority of relationship seekers,about 66 percent, say shared interests are extremelyimportant.

This was followed by 63 percent of people who fa-vored a good sexual relationship and 62 percent whobelieved sharing household chores are a good determi-nator of marriage.

In contrast, only 44 percent of the polled Americanssaid shared religious beliefs are important. Accordingto recent research, couples who avoid discussions onprayer's innate value or arguments concerning the lat-est proclamations of the pope can suffer.

These may not be a factor in the short term, but canplay a major role in romance for longer periods. Thereligious beliefs both partners import to any relation-ship will affect how the conflicts come out.

It is also observed that faith plays an important rolein the lives of children. It is seen that couples whomatch in a religious sense can depend on support pil-lars which will not come into existence if that spiritualspine did not exist in the first place. This will play abig role during times of stress or even conflict.

To give an example, the parents may stop an argu-ment between themselves to pray together. This actionof praying may assuage feelings of hurt. Similar opin-ions are echoed by evangelists, who say a couple whoprays together are much more happier in any relation-ship.

Faith in domestic lives brings benefits particularlyfor Latino and black families, according a study by W.Bradford Wilcox.

A number of studies support this conclusion. It is

Spiritual compatibility canresult in a better quality ofmarriageArticle courtesy of World Religion News

(continued on page 9)

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 5

white hat, perfect for summer strolling. Volunteer storyteller Lois Reddickshowed off a black vest decorated with Bantu silhouettes.

Diane Beckley, Bucyrus Campus chief operating officer, wore a traditionalCameroonian dress made for her when she visited that country on a missiontrip last fall. The blue and beige fabric has a rain-resistant waxed coveringsuitable for Cameroon’s climate. She carried a matching dress on a hanger,made for her granddaughter, Lai’ Elle.

Volunteer Michelle Woodard emphasized the importance of spirituality tothe African American culture, singing “How I Got Over.” This beloved spir-itual was performed by Mahalia Jackson at the historic March on Washingtonfor Jobs and Freedom in 1963 before 250,000 people.

The program wrapped up with children and adult clients coming forwardand joining in the fashion show finale. Some wore African-inspired garb, oth-ers their Sunday best or more comfortable attire. Summing up the spirit ofthe event, activity coordinator Wanda Gray said, “Culture does not makeyou…you make culture.” And St. Ann Center is creating a beautifully uniqueintergenerational culture on a daily basis.

(continued from page 1)

Jones grew up on 19th and Hamp-ton with his mother and two sisters.Jones’ father was absent from his lifeand his mother turned to cocaine todeal with her struggle with illness.

“I was a lonely boy and I had nostructure,” he said. “I had a lot ofanger and sadness.”

Jones turned to violence and spenttime in jail for pushing drugs and gunpossession. He said he has lost morethan 20 people to gun violence, in-cluding his best friend and brother.

“There needs to be more restric-tions, I could go out and get a gunright now,” he said.

When Jones was 15, his motherdecided to move him closer to down-town and to Neighborhood House.

“All of the killing that was goingon with my brother being killed, mycousin trying to find his killer, and

me in the middle of it, my mom knewI was going to end up either in jail ordead.”

There, Jones met James Austin, anArmy cadet and former Neighbor-hood House employee. Austin men-tored Jones and became a fatherfigure to him, showing him the lovehe didn’t receive as a child.

“No matter what I did he was al-ways there to help,” Jones said. “Hebrought me over to the house for din-ner and would cook for me and showme true love and care.”

Jones followed Austin’s footstepsand became a mentor. He attempts tofoster change in teens who attend theprogram and keep them from makingthe same mistakes that he made.

“Some of them just don’t knowwhat love feels like and never hadanyone care for them. So it takessome time for them to get use to it.”

Jones hopes to play basketball incollege and study criminal justice tobecome a cop.

“Someone showed me that I havea kind heart and I have a lot of pa-tience,” he said. “I want to make adifference and as long as I helpsomeone else, that makes me happy.”

St. Ann Center showcasesAfrican culture with style

Violencepreventionsummit(continued from page 1)

Next Door will partner with Unit-edHealthcare Community Plan tooffer free life-saving trainings,demonstrations and screenings atthe “Baby Building Blocks & Com-munity Health Fair” on Saturday,

February 18, at Next Door, 5310West Capitol Drive, starting at 10a.m.

This event is open to the publicand will offer: SIDS Training,Shaken Baby Syndrome Training,Information on Prenatal & Postpar-tum Care,

Car Seat Safety Demonstrations,Hearing & Vision Screenings forchildren, Breast Cancer Screeningsand Enrollment information onNext Door early childhood pro-grams.

Parents will receive a tote bagwith basic baby items on a first-come, first-serve basis courtesy ofUnitedHealthcare. Attendees canalso enjoy children’s activities, re-freshments and a Pack ‘n Play raf-fle.

Next Door and UnitedHealthcareCommunity Plan want to help buildstrong Milwaukee families and en-sure residents have access to criticaleducational and health care re-sources.

Just last year, a report by the Eco-nomic Innovation Group rankedMilwaukee as one of the most eco-nomically distressed cities in thecountry (#7 in a category of largerU.S. cities).

nance violations. The court also handles juvenile

tickets, parking cases, health, andbuilding code violations.

As a result of the nature of thecourt, when a citizen does not showup for court or pay their fines, war-rants are issued for the citizen tocome resolve their business with thecourt.

The one thing we know about war-rants is that there are too many peo-ple with outstanding warrants in theCity of Milwaukee.

Warrants are generally issued be-cause of a failure to do somethingsuch as appear in court or a pay afine.

Warrants are issued by circuit/statecourt for serious offenses such asmisdemeanors and felonies.

Warrants are also issued by munic-ipal/city courts for minor civil of-fenses (tickets) such as retail theft ordisorderly conduct.

Warrants can be barriers to em-ployment and housing and citizens

with warrants sometimes make baddecisions like fleeing when a policeofficer attempts to stop them. Failureto resolve warrants often snowballsinto bigger problems.

Lifting or resolving warrants thatare issued by Milwaukee MunicipalCourt is a relatively easy process butmost people don’t seem to know orunderstand that.

To the average citizen, a warrant isa warrant and it means you are goingto jail.

At Milwaukee Municipal Court,you can walk in the door without fearof being arrested on the warrant forwhich you are appearing.

Myself and both of my colleaguesroutinely allow citizens to leave thecourt without being arrested even ifthey don’t get their warrant lifted.People also believe that you have topay the fine in full to get the warrantlifted.

At Milwaukee Municipal Court forcases other than building and zoningcode cases, if you have the ability topay, the court will work out a pay-ment plan with you that can be as lowas $20 (twenty dollars) every 3 (threemonths).

If you don’t have the ability topay, the court will provide some

other option for you to resolve yourcase such as community service. Theonly way the court can offer citizensany of these options is if they showup to court.

The court does not have a crystalball and we do not know an individ-ual’s situation until they show up incourt and tell us. The judges wouldrather work with people to resolvetheir issues than have people get ar-rested.

A citizen does not have to wait forthe court to hold a special event likethe one conducted in November towithdraw warrants.

The event, known as WarrantWithdrawal Wednesday or W3 wasimportant because it allowed thou-sands of warrants, driver’s licensesuspensions, and car registration de-nials to be withdrawn and also be-cause it gave the judges a chance toeducate those who attended abouthow they could have avoided thewarrants and suspensions in the firstplace and how they can avoid war-rants and suspensions in the future.

Hopefully the most valued lessonlearned from Warrant WithdrawalWednesday was that if you get aticket COME TO COURT!

Judge Valerie Hill(continued from page 3)

Next Door and UnitedHealthcare Communityto host free health fair for central city families Feb. 18

Nextdoor

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 6

YY&&EEY O U T H & E D U C A T I O N

Former Milwaukee Bucks great Sidney Moncrief (seated center) read to fifth grade students at BrowningElementary School, 5440 N. 64th St. recently. Moncrief’s appearance in the classroom is part of a part-nership with the Bucks, Ald. Cavalier Johnson (standing behind Moncrief) and his “Books in the Bar-bershop” program, and Milwaukee Public Schools. Standing next to Johnson is Browning principalRaymond C. Unanka. The event was one of several sponsored by the Bucks to help celebrate Black His-tory Month. --Photo by Yvonne Kemp

Bucks great reads to Browning fifth graders

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 7

Say what? Was that a problem forGeorge Bush who established the $85million allocation, I asked? Was Bushnot the president of all people?

To be honest, I rarely—and only incertain circles—spoke my mind aboutmy expectations for the “Black” presi-dent—or should I say president whohappens to be Black—because I didn’twant to be distracted by the apologistsand congregants who didn’t support myBlack Nationalist philosophy.

I didn’t want to constantly apologizefor wanting more for the Black commu-nity, for expecting the president, whowas a member of a church that espouseda philosophy of “liberation theology”and who said he was a student of Blackhistory to do something for us that allother presidents have done for theirmost loyal supporters.

Within my Africentric paradigm Ivoted for Barack Obama not only be-cause he was Black—a brother—butalso because I assumed (ASSUMED) hewould use his presidency to empowerhis people, to equal the playing field, toaddress past wrongs.

To accept anything else is to put toomuch emphasis on symbolism and notenough on substance.

I never gave in to the disingenuoustheory that Obama was powerless to doanything “special” for Black people.

That was about as ridiculous as theassumption that by following the Rea-gan mantra—“when the tide comes in,all ships rise”—philosophy would ade-quately benefit Black Americans.

To that latter theory, note that Blackstudents lost out with the shift of the $85million to the general aid pool. Many—some say thousands—lost their dreamof going to a college. And for what?

And despite what “Reverend” AlSharpton keeps telling people, Black un-employment in America wasn’t cut inhalf as a result of Obama policies. Infact, in Milwaukee, unemployment re-mained the same. The Black povertyrate increased around the country.

Obamacare did benefit Black Amer-ica, but was it the exception. As somebrave souls now note, several of thenegative social indicators for BlackAmerica have worsened after eightyears. Should we ignore that fact? And

should those who ask why be brandedUncle Toms?

Before going forward, let me affirmthat I believe Barack Obama was thiscountry’s greatest American president(and the best Black one we’ve elected todate. I’m not being facetious; read AusetBakhufu’s book, the Six Black Presi-dents).

I loved Obama, loved his family, andloved what he stood for. As someonewho is often debating with opponents, Itook particular pride in how he ad-dressed and maintained himself while inoffice.

But I also assumed that Obama, beingone generation removed from Africa,would have been raised with an under-standing and appreciation of Africanculture, particularly the tenets of com-munalism.

It was from that perspective that tearsrolled down my cheeks while standingwith brothers and sisters of like mind atthe Wisconsin African AmericanWomen’s Center as we watched his in-auguration eight years ago.

I doubt if anyone in attendance—andwe represented a cross section of fam-ily—voted for Obama simply becausewe wanted to say we had a Black presi-dent. Excuse me, a president who wasAfrican American.

Like all special interests we wantedsomething from him.

But even then we understood the ob-stacles he would face: The walls ofapartheid he would encounter (mannedalso by Democrats), the enemy whowould do anything in their power to de-rail his agenda.

Thus those who argued during mytwo most recent “discussions” how hefaced seemingly insurmountable oppo-sition had a point. But as someone (ac-tually television Judge Lynne Toler)almost said (I’m amending), “excusesare the mantra for low expectations.”

(Write that down, it’s pretty good.)Obama had more power than anyone

in the world to bring about change. Anexecutive order created affirmative ac-tion you know. So to excuse away hismissed opportunities is nonsensical.

There was a lot he could have done.Hell, he could have continued theHBCU grant for a start.

There have been numerous articles

and theories that Obama didn’t want tobe saddled by the perception that he wasdoing something “special” for Blackpeople.

That to me was disingenuous at best.From my position in the universe, Icould care less. True progressives wouldhave understood, and those who didn’twouldn’t under any circumstance any-way.

So why not?My expectations for Barack Obama

were higher than a lot of Black folks. Iwanted him to do for Black people whathe did for Latinos, gays, women, WallStreet and Israel. Was it a sin to ask forreciprocity for our vote, defense andsupport?

In fact, I wanted Obama to asserthimself more, to stand up against thebigotry and disrespect he encounteredon a daily basis.

Too often he followed the philosophyof Martin Luther King instead of that offormer Alderman Mike McGee or evenSheriff David Clarke.

I would have stood up and applaudedhad Obama left the podium and pimpslapped Rep. Joe Wilson when he calledhim a liar during his state of the unionaddress, or walked over to the office ofRep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) when hemade that racist comment about nottouching a “tar baby,” and “had a streetlevel talk” with him.

I know millions of Black people whowould have pumped our chest had thepresident taken Benjamin Netanyahu tothe south lawn and kicked his butt forverbalizing punking out the president.

For that matter, and being fully sup-

portive of Michelle Obama’s now fa-mous statement about going high whenthey go low, I can’t imagine my wife,sister, or nieces standing idle when Gov-ernor Jan Brewer put her finger all up inthe president’s face on national televi-sion.

But of course that was all wishfulthinking. Barack Obama was great, butin my mind, could have been histori-

cally defining; he could have finallypushed the freedom train further downthe track.

Truth is, there was some truth toJames T.’s comment—however sarcas-tic. Some of us have put a halo on him,saying he was beyond criticism, or jus-tified his unwillingness to do anythingspecifically for us, as asserting he facedinsurmountable mountains or to identify

with his own ethnicity.Barack Obama was a great president.

But from a Black perspective—at leasta Black Nationalistic one—he left a loton the table. But we should be okay withthat because we can tell our children wehad a Black president, or a presidentwho happened to be Black.

Hotep.

Black historyprogram atTrinity Village

The Independent Living Residentsof BRIA of Trinity Village, will hosta Black History Month Program ti-tled, “Keeping Seniors Safe in theCommunity: Is There a Plan for OurSafety?”

The program will be held Tuesday,February 21, 2017, in the Chapel at7300 W. Dean Rd.,

2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The speaker will be Chantia Lewis,

District 9 Alderwoman, MilwaukeeCommon Council.

The public is invited to join us aswe explore ways of making Milwau-kee a safer community for all. VOICES@communityjournal.net

Signifyin’Signifyin’(continued from page 3)

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 9

This tax season, it would be nice to see low income families be able to purchase a home from the city of Milwaukee. Unfortunately, this is almost an impossible task dueto the rules put in place by Karen Taylor.

I have lived in Milwaukee all my life and I've seen many houses boarded up as a result of code violations, and extreme taxes. It is a sad situation and it doesn't have to bethis way; let me explain:

1. The city sells houses under 10,000 dollars, but the problem is the scope of work for repairs might be 60,000 dollars so a potential buyer has to show 70,000 dollars intheir account. The city goes a step further and has a title company call that buyerʼs bank for verification (in traditional real estate if you have money for the purchase pricethe property is yours). This is ridiculous, especially when the house complete value is assessed under 25,000. How can repair cost be more than the total value of the house? The cityʼs scopeof work is grossly inflated we have 43 city licensed contractors that agree. The National Association of REALTORS knows that if a person has money to buy a home, theirobligation ends there, it is the buyerʼs responsibility to bring property up to code. Some city houses that have tenants still have a scope of work, so how can the city holdthe public at a standard and they aren't making repairs to blighted homes that they own? Solution: If the city wanted to make sure that homes sold are brought up tocode, they could implement a deed restriction. This deed restriction should give the owner a year to ensure the house meets all code violations and requirements.

2. The City doesn't pay proration for taxes. Many people who purchase city homes inherit debt, and some properties are not free and clear at closing. Upon closing on aproperty title should be free and clear.

3. How do code violations on a property, which is a civil matter, get you charged and treated like a criminal, arrested and placed in jail? No other counties are arrestingtheir citizens for code violations. I have a friend who has never been in legal trouble, but he was arrested for the first time for code violations on a property he owned andoccupied.He also spent the night in jail. Why is it that people are losing their homes due to code violations that are being added to their taxes? I can understand the city wanting tokeep properties in good condition, but the cost of adding code violations to taxes and foreclosing on houses makes an even bigger problem. Solution: All the city shoulddo is file an affidavit of interest and attach it to the title. If a property owner sells the property, the bills due to the city will be paid. Code violations are not taxes andshould not be treated as such. They should never be added to a personʼs tax bill, this has caused many people to lose their homes.

4. Why is there a vacant building tax every six months for $250.00, even though a person pays their property taxes? This means that even if I pay my taxes I can't keep mybuilding empty? This method is ridiculous.

5. I have a friend that purchased a property that was going into tax foreclosure with a quit claim deed. The city did not want to go through the process of serving him withthe new deed, so city deeded the property back to the other person stating it was illegally purchased and foreclosed on the property. How can you deed a personʼs prop-erty without court orders? That is highly illegal and it is happening to many people all over the city.

6. I know another case where the person was one day late paying taxes, the city foreclosed on him, and then sent him a letter demanding him to pay rent. In this case, thecity should have worked a payment plan out with him, or even given the person an extension.

7. Why is it that city workers in the real estate department have purchased several city houses in different LLCs when it clearly states on the application you can't be acity employee and receive these properties?

8. If a person writes an offer to the city with under a Limited Liability Company; the city will do a criminal background check on the person, opposed to just checking thestanding of the LLC the person provides? This prevents thousands of people from buying homes.

9. Why are blighted properties in the city being appraised as if they are in excellent shape? Is it to ensure the city gets more tax money?

10. The city just made it possible for select developers to purchase properties with no scope of work, and offered the developers a $10,000 incentive to purchase theproperty. This was not offered to the individuals who want to purchase properties.

11. Taxes sky rocket because the city real estate department has been unable to get properties back on the tax roll, due to pure incompetence. They have not realized thatif these houses are not purchased the city gets no property taxes on those houses and houses are sitting vacant.

12. Why has the city made people make repairs that weren't needed, then increase taxes the next year? We have 100's of documented cases where this has occurred.

13. City properties are sitting, being vandalized, neighborhoods are in ruin and there are a staggering number of renters compared to home owners.

If this has happened to you we would like to hear from you. Email us at LGBTComMil@gmail.com and we will get back to you shortly.

seen that couples engaged in prayerconcentrate on shared needs- andnot on their individual concerns.

People who have difficulty shar-ing religious experiences withspouses will have problems re-maining connected with their ownspirituality.

According to studies conductedby the Pew Research Center, adultsengaged in religiously matched

unions are more probable to have abelief in God.

Their frequency of prayer ismuch more compared to religiouslymixed marriages. PRRI publisheda study recently saying 56% ofEvangelical Christians believe hav-ing different religions is a majorproblem in a relationship, whileonly 17% of religiously unaffiliatedAmericans agree with the state-ment.

(continued from page 4)

Religion andrelationships

The newspaper that, for 40YEARS, has kept its finger on

the PULSE of OURcommunity! YOUR Milwaukee

Community Journal!

The Milwaukee Community Journal February 15, 2017 Page 12