wisconsin’s largest african american newspaper …...kamala harris as president-elect and...

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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSINPERMIT NO. 4668

W I S C O N S I N ’ S L A R G E S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N N E W S P A P E R

VOL. XLIV Number 21 Dec. 9, 2020

The nation’s Electoral Collegeofficially stamped Joe Biden andKamala Harris as President-Electand Vice-President Elect.

A total of 538 electors from every state and Washington, DC, tookpart in the critical portion of the U.S. electoral process Monday, votingto affirm the votes cast during the 2020 election.To win, a candidate needs 270 Electoral College votes.Biden earned 306 while outgoing President Donald Trump tallied 232.

Though largely viewed as a formal-ity, the many challenges and the out-rageous behavior displayed byTrump, his supporters, and a largeswath of Republican officials madethis year’s Electoral College gather-ing more eventful, if not uncertain.In Michigan, where Biden won by

50.6% to 47.8%, state legislative offices closed due to safety concernswhile members of the Electoral College cast their official votes.State authorities there said they closed the offices because of “credible

threats of violence.”

HABARI GANI! IS ON PAGE 2!

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

(continued on page 2)

On January 6, three days after the 117th Congress is sworn in,members of the House and Senate are scheduled to meet inthe House chamber where the President of the Senate – VicePresident Mike Pence – will preside over the reading and

counting of the Electoral College votes.

FINALLY!IT’S OFFICIAL!THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE CERTIFIESTHE ELECTION FOR JOE BIDEN!BIDEN

“Last night (Saturday, Decem-ber 12), demonstrators who werepart of the MAGA gatherings toredown our Black Lives Matter signand literally burned it in thestreet,” wrote the Rev. Dr. IantherM. Mills, the senior pastor of As-bury United Methodist Church, ahistoric Black church in Washing-ton, DC, in a statement the fol-lowing day.“It pained me especially to see

our name, Asbury, in flames. Forme it was reminiscent of crossburnings.”That same night, MAGA fas-

cists tore down a Black LivesMatter sign from the historic Met-ropolitan African Methodist Epis-copal Church, a place of worshipattended by the former slave andrenowned abolitionist FrederickDouglass.Cross burnings were a signature

of the Ku Klux Klan as they en-forced lynch-mob terror againstBlack people throughout theyears of Jim Crow. In a speech in 2003, Bob

Avakian spoke to the impact of

New MentalHealth Emergency Center Plannedfor MKE County ResidentsMilwaukee County, repre-

sented by the Mental HealthBoard and the BehavioralHealth Division, along with thefour Milwaukee Health Systems– Advocate Aurora Health, As-cension Wisconsin, Children’sWisconsin and Froedtert Health– have entered into a Letter ofIntent to develop a joint venture(JV) mental health emergencycenter. This new emergencycenter is the next major mile-

stone in their shared efforts to-ward redesigning the county-wide mental health deliverysystem. Final agreements areslated for approvals in February2021. Community engagement,detailed design and constructionof the new center are expected

to begin in early 2021 with thegoal of being operational by thespring of 2022.“We’re no longer looking at

only public or only private solu-tions to help those sufferingfrom mental illness,” said David

Members of The Players Alliance, in partnership with Interchange Food Pantry, recently provided much-neededresources, including a pop-up pantry and COVID supplies, at St. Mark AME Church, located on Atkinson Ave.It was part of the Alliance’s two month, cross-country ‘Pull Up Neighbor’ Tour. They are working with Pull UpNeighbor, a Black-owned community response team. The Players Alliance is a nonprofit organization com-prised of more than 150 active and former Major League Baseball Players seeking to improve Black repre-sentation at all levels of baseball. Black Milwaukee, like many Black communities, has been disproportionatelyimpacted by the pandemic, especially underserved children who have endured countless losses includingaccess to learning... and playing baseball. A number of Milwaukee Brewers players took part in the event.

—Photo by Pat Robinson

“IT WAS REMINISCENTOF CROSS BURNINGS”Black Churches Vandalized by MAGA Fascists in DC

FIRST PERSON!

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Sunsara Taylor was on the streets of Washington, DC,on December 12 to counter-protest the MAGA fascist rally, together withRefuse Fascism, demanding: “Trump: You Lost. Get the Hell Out!” She isa writer for Revcom.us, where this article first appeared, and a co-initia-tor of RefuseFascism.org where this article is also posted.)

By Sunsara Taylor

State Rep. David Bowen (at left) recently do-nated COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP)at Versiti’s downtown Milwaukee donor cen-ter, 628 N. 18th St. His donation shows howeasy it is for eligible donors to give CCP andhow important it is for them to help others.The state legislator also wanted to show thecommunity the importance of donating giventhe disproportionate impact the virus hashad on the Black community. Bowen was di-agnosed with COVID-19 in March. While re-covering, he led by example and encouragedothers to take the virus seriously. Theplasma is being shipped out to hospitals andas fast as it is coming in. Local hospitalsneed those who have recovered from COVIDto help out, as their donation of CCP couldbe lifesaving for citizens who are currentlyhospitalized. —Photo by Pat Robinson

State Lawmaker Donates COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma

Major League Baseball and Brewersplayers provide help to city’s Black community during pandemic



MKE Cnty Exec. David Crowley

Photo courtesy of NPR

The Milwaukee Community Journal•December 16, 2020•

HABARIHABARIGANIGANI??

Veteran journalist April Ryan hassigned with Byron Allen’s Allen MediaGroup to serve as White House Cor-respondent and Washington, D.C.Bureau Chief for the soon-to-be-launched 24/7 broadcast televisionnetwork, TheGrio.TV. She will beginher new role on Jan. 4, 2021. Ryanwas a White House correspondent for the last 24 years,covering four U.S. presidents throughout the span ofher career. Ryan is a frequent contributor on CNN. The-Grio.TV will feature Black-focused content reachingover 100 million U.S. households via over-the-air broad-cast television stations, cable/telco/satellite platforms,and free digital streaming. The network launches Jan.15, 2021, during the MLK holiday weekend.

Michigan Republican CongressmanPaul Mitchell has quit the GOP,claiming the party was harmingdemocracy. He will be an Independ-ent for his remaining time in office. Ina letter to the Republican NationalCommittee chairwoman Ronna Mc-Daniel and House GOP leader KevinMcCarthy, Mitchell said he no longer believes his val-ues aligned with the party’s. Though he felt Trump’spolicies had been positive, he could no longer supportpresident Donald Trump’s claims the election wasstolen from him without substantial proof. Mitchell be-lieves Republicans have a duty to speak out againstTrump’s allegations of voter fraud as a collective, andis. dismayed he is one of the few voices to condemnedthe attack on the elections.

What could be the main event inGeorgia’s twin U.S. Senaterunoffs—early in-person voting—began recently. More than half ofthe record 5 million votes in the No-vember 3 general election werecast during its two-week early vot-ing period. Early in-person voting could be even moreimportant in these January 5 runoffs because of theshort time voters have to request and send back ballotsby mail, as the two races decide which party will controlthe Senate. “It’s very important,” said DemocratRaphael Warnock, who is challenging GOP Sen. KellyLoeffler in one of the races. “It’s how we won in the gen-eral and it’s how we’re going to win in the runoff.”

(What’s The News?) NationalNews Briefs

In Texas, the Houston Chroniclereported that state and local offi-cials of both major political partieswarned that Trump’s “increasinglydesperate tweets about electionfraud and the coronavirus are fuel-ing the potential for violence aswell as another ominous trend of2020, in which public servants andothers who disagree are targeted attheir offices and homes witharmed protests, harassing phonecalls and stalkers.”The newspaper added that an

“enemies” list of state and federalofficials who rejected Trump’sbaseless election conspiracy theo-ries floated up from the dark cor-ners of the Web, with homeaddresses listed and red targetsover their photos, the latest in astring of threats to public officials.During a violent outbreak in-

volving the Pro-Trump group,“Proud Boys,” conspiracy theoristAlex Jones told Trump supportersin Washington, D.C., that Biden“will be removed one way or an-

other.”On Monday, as the Electoral

College cast its formal vote forBiden, the Daily Beast reportedthat Trump’s small circle of de-voted legal advocates were stilldetermined to carry on its fight tooverturn the 2020 election despitethe string of resounding defeats incourt, including a seemingly ter-minal rebuke from the U.S.Supreme Court.“But the futility of the effort is

apparent in the campaign’s north-ern Virginia headquarters – the of-fice that is supposed to be devotedto supporting and housing thelegal crusade – which, knowledge-able sources said has virtuallyemptied out,” the newspaper re-ported, adding that many of theTrump-Pence signs had beenstripped from the walls of theheadquarters in Arlington, Vir-ginia.“The desks and memorabilia

have been largely packed, thrownout, or removed from the officespace too. Television sets,

mounted to the walls around therented 14th floor of the building,are being sold off for extra cash,”a source told the newspaper.In Maryland, eight of the state’s

electors are from each Congres-sional district and two at-largeseats to represent the state’s twosenators.Because nearly two million

Maryland residents voted forBiden and Harris, the presidentialelectors chosen by the DemocraticParty cast their ballots Monday.It marked the most presidential

votes chosen in the state’s history.The electors, chosen by party of-

ficials in the state, included twofrom Prince George’s County.“On behalf of my daughter, for

a vice president who looks likeher, I, Kent Roberson cast my votefor Kamala D. Harris,” KentRoberson, who serves on thecounty’s Democratic CentralCommittee, said when he an-nounced his vote for Harris as vicepresident.Gloria Lawlah, a former state

secretary of aging and former statesenator from Prince George’sCounty served as this year’s pres-ident of the electors, presidingover the state’s 59th Electoral Col-lege meeting that began in 1789.According to the state’s election

history, Maryland joins only sixstates to participate in every Elec-toral College vote.“Our vote today is an important

step in the process of building ournation back better,” Lawlah said.

“It is a repudiation of hate. A re-pudiation of divisiveness. It’s anaffirmation of unity. We are ensur-ing a better nation for our children,for our grandchildren, and a betternation for generations to come.”Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan

signed a Certificate of Ascertain-ment, which certifies that the statechose Biden and Harris. ElectoralCollege members can depart fromthe will of the people – so-called“Faithless Electors.”However, states have imposed

severe penalties, from large finesto jail time. Thus, there has neverbeen enough faithless electors tooverturn an election.Following Monday’s Electoral

College gatherings, votes must ar-rive in Washington, D.C. by De-cember 23, fulfilling the nine-daydeadline in which certified elec-toral ballots are due on Capitol

Hill.On January 6, three days after

the 117th Congress is sworn in,members of the House and Senateare scheduled to meet in the Housechamber where the President ofthe Senate – Vice President MikePence – will preside over the read-ing and counting of the ElectoralCollege votes.Pence will then announce the

vote and ask for any objections.The House and Senate consider

all objections separately and thendecide how to count those votes.The 538 electoral votes are di-

vided – one for each Congress andsenator member and three forWashington, D.C., accounting for270.The 435 members of the House

decides the election, with eachstate receiving a vote.There are more Democrats in

the House, but Republicans con-trol more state delegations, so it ispossible the House could seek toselect Trump.Biden and Harris are scheduled

for inauguration on January 20.“The peaceful transition of

power…is a hallmark of ourdemocracy that has been handeddown for more than 220 years,”Hogan said. “At times it has beentested, sometimes even ques-tioned. But it is a reminder that despite

our differences, we are united asAmericans who honor the will ofthe people through the greatest andmost enduring Democratic processthat the world has ever known.”

—Washington Informer StaffWriter William J. Ford con-tributed to this story.

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Electoral CollegeCertifies Election for President-Elect Joe Biden(continued from front page)


KENOSHAFALLOUT!Right Wing Watch on How a Teen Accused of Shooting Three BLM Protesters Became a Poster Childfor the RightWASHINGTON, DC-- People for the American

Way's Right Wing Watch project, this week, publishedan article examining the right-wing industry lionizingaccused Kenosha killer Kyle Rittenhouse, ranging fromrhetorical bomb-thrower Ann Coulter to armed neo-Nazis. In August, the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, erupted

in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Blackman, as his children sat in his car. On the third night of

unrest, 17-year-old KyleRittenhouse, who is white,left his home in Antioch tojoin armed right-wing ac-tivists who claimed to beconverging on the town inorder to protect local busi-nesses. But by the time thenight ended, Rittenhousehad shot three protesters,two of whom died. In another time, the story

might have been one of onetroubled and misguided white youth who did a terriblething. But in 2020, in Trump's America, Kyle Ritten-house has become a far-right hero, his image embla-zoned on tee shirts with such slogans as "Kyle DidNothing Wrong" and "Kyle's Life Matters."“Let’s be clear: Kyle Rittenhouse is no hero. He is a

killer who took the lives of Americans participating in aFirst Amendment protest--a killer whose cause has beentaken up by neo-Nazis and other white supremacists. He

coViD-19 Pandemic

safety Protocols mandate

a change in the Way many

in mKe Pay Their Taxes

City Treasurer Installs Drop Boxes as

an Alternative to In Person Payments

The current pandemic has prompted amajor change in the way property taxpay-ers will remit their payments to the Cityof Milwaukee.The office of the City Treasurer has been closed to the public

since March, and will not reopen to accept tax payments in the fore-seeable future. So, rather than in person payments, taxpayers areencouraged to learn about their various contactless payment op-tions.“We know that for thousands of people, coming to City Hall to make

their tax payment is a tradition. But public health concerns about the pan-demic make that impossible now,” City Treasurer Spencer Coggs said.“So my office is taking steps to make sure everyone has a safe and con-venient tax payment alternative.”The biggest change this year is the installation of eight new tax payment

drop boxes.

Seven of those are located insideMilwaukee Police district sta-tions, and one additional box islocated on Market Street, imme-diately east of City Hall. The police district drop boxes

will be available starting Decem-ber 21, 2020, and they will remainavailable through February 5, 2021. The Market Street drop box will be

available all year-round. Taxpayers are askedto submit the coupon from the bottom of the taxbill, along with a check only, in the return enve-lope enclosed with the annual statement when making a drop box pay-ment.

As in previous years, taxpayerscan mail their property tax pay-ments using that same envelope.They also can pay online atcity.milwaukee.gov/treasurer usingthe Munis Citizen Self-Service op-tion.Additionally, taxpayers can en-

roll on that website for the Elec-tronic Funds Transfer, or EFT,Installment Payment Plan wherebyten monthly payments would beautomatically deducted from abank account. A final option is to call the Trea-

surer’s Office Customer Serviceline at 414-286-2240 to make apayment over the phone.Payments by check or electronic

methods are the only options thisyear; so, please, no cash pay-ments. A previously offered alter-native, paying a property tax billat a US Bank branch, is no longeravailable.The Milwaukee Health Depart-

ment and the federal Centers forDisease Control strongly discour-age people from gathering ingroups or engaging in unnecessaryclose contact with people outsidetheir households. With that in mind, this year’s tax

paying precautions will make ourcommunity safer.

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Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive. “Thebeauty of this new center is that it’s creating afirst-of-its kind partnership between BHD and ourcommunity health systems that offers an overar-ching continuum of care. On their worst possibleday, those in need can come to the mental healthemergency center to get help in a humane way. Itwill be a community place of healing where resi-dents will get the care and love that they deserve.”The new mental health emergency center is

coming to fruition after years of assessment ofcommunity needs, research of national models,and input from consumers and clinical providers.It will provide assessment, stabilization, emer-gency treatment and effective connections for fol-low up and ongoing inpatient, residential,community-based outpatient and peer supportservices to children and adults experiencing amental health crisis. Additionally, it will serve asa training center for psychiatric medical residentsand offer other professional education and peersupport services.While the model of care is currently under de-

velopment, it will be based on BHD’s nationallyrecognized Psychiatric Crisis Service (PCS),which functions as a mental health emergency de-partment at the regional medical center inWauwatosa.“For nearly a decade, BHD has been transform-

ing to become a best practice model of care, inpartnership with advocates and consumers, healthsystems, community health centers, and othercommunity-based organizations,” said MichaelLappen, Behavioral Health Division Administra-tor. “This new center will be an integral compo-nent of an improved crisis delivery system,intended to serve all patients regardless of theseverity of their illness or ability to pay. The emer-gency center will be part of the continuum of newand planned crisis services including expandedmobile, residential, peer support and outpatientservices.”The mental health emergency center will be de-

veloped and operated as a joint venture, with Mil-waukee County bearing responsibility for 50percent of the construction, start-up and operatingcosts and the health systems funding the other 50percent; each contributing an equal portion. Con-struction and other startup costs are anticipated tobe $12 million. The health systems and Mental Health Board

are hoping to attract philanthropic support fromother providers, foundations and individuals com-mitted to community health improvement. Addi-tionally, the JV partners are working with theWisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS)to ensure appropriate licensure and explore reim-bursement sources available under Medicaidfunding mechanisms. The center will provide services to all Milwau-

kee County residents, regardless of ability to pay,and may have the capacity to support surroundingcounties in the future.Advocate Aurora Health (AAH) has agreed to

serve as the manager of the mental health emer-gency center and will be responsible for the em-

ployment of the physicians and staff, as well asthe day-to-day operations on behalf of the JV. Asthe largest provider of behavioral and mentalhealth services in the State of Wisconsin, AAHwill bring significant clinical and patient serviceexpertise to the delivery of care.“Milwaukee’s health systems are committed to

improving the availability, accessibility and ac-ceptability of mental health services in our com-munity. Our collective Community Health NeedsAssessment emphasized the importance of ex-panding behavioral health access, especially forthose experiencing a mental health crisis,” saidCarrie Killoran, president of the Greater Milwau-kee patient service area for Advocate AuroraHealth and chairperson of the Milwaukee HealthCare Partnership. “The new mental health emer-gency center will provide patient-centered, and re-covery-oriented care for Milwaukee arearesidents. And, we strongly believe that this inno-vative model, in collaboration with law enforce-ment, the courts, and patients themselves, will notonly ensure timely treatment, but will have ameaningful impact on reducing stigma and de-criminalizing mental illness.”“Unacceptable health disparities in our city and

state, including the disproportionate impact ofCOVID-19 on our Black and Hispanic neighbors,continue to put stress on kids and families. Evenbefore the pandemic increased the level of trauma,rate of mental health illness and substance abuse,there was not enough access to mental health serv-ices. This new mental health center will providecommunity-based emergency care 24/7 and willconnect patients — including children and ado-lescents — to much needed clinical and socialsupports. It is one of many steps we must do toimprove the mental health of our children, co-workers, loved ones and friends,” said PeggyTroy, president and CEO of Children’s Wiscon-sin.The proposed location for the mental health

emergency center is on the near north side of Mil-waukee, on property presently owned by Milwau-kee County. Currently, 93 percent of patient visitsto the Psychiatric Crisis Services Center (PCS) atthe Behavioral Health Division’s Mental HealthComplex originate from the City of Milwaukee,and more than 70 percent of the patients servedby PCS live in close proximity to the proposed lo-cation; making it more convenient and accessiblefor the majority of users. The location is served by public transportation

and is adjacent to the freeway, ensuring ready ac-cess for those in need of care, as well as forcounty-wide law-enforcement personnel assistingwith crisis response. Once open, the center will serve as an “anchor

institution” in the surrounding neighborhood pro-viding economic benefit and employing approxi-mately 70 full-time equivalent staff. Duringconstruction, dozens of jobs through local con-struction firms CG Schmidt and minority-ownedJCP Construction will also be created. Throughout the design phase of the mental

health emergency center, community input will beinvited to assure the center will be an ongoingsource of safety, security and vitality for theneighborhood.The Milwaukee County BHD hospital, includ-

ing the PCS emergency department, will remainopen until the new mental health emergency cen-ter is operational. For more information and tostay up to date, please visitcounty.milwaukee.gov/EN/DHHS/BHD.

New Mental Health Emergency CenterPlanned for MKE County Residents(continued from front page)

Tax

PaymenT

DroP Box

LocaTions1) 749 West state

street

2) 245 West

Lincoln avenue

3) 2333 north

49th street

4) 6929 West silver

spring Dr.

5) 2920 north Vel r.

Phillips av.

6) 3006 south

27th street

7) 3626 West

Fond du Lac ave.

8) north market street

near east Kilbourn

ave. across from

city Hall

City TreasurerSpencer Coggs

Kyle Rittenhouse



RiverBee LLC, a local owner-ship group of more than 40 in-vestors from Milwaukee, todayannounced it is transforming itsbuilding at 500 E. Center Street inMilwaukee’s Riverwest neighbor-hood into Milwaukee’s first coop-erative housing for Milwaukeeresidents with a $450,000 pro-gram-related investment loan(PRI) from Bader Philanthropies,Inc. The cooperative tenant housing

model is particularly well-suitedfor the COVID-19 pandemic re-alities by creating a safe “pod” ofknown residents and offering anintentional living community thathelps support people dealing withlosses and uncertainty such asjobs, instability and landlord chal-lenges.This PRI is part of almost $9.5

million in grants recently

awarded by Bader Philanthropiesto support 134 organizations serv-ing approximately 280,000 indi-viduals across Wisconsin, theU.S., and internationally, in pro-gram areas such as Alzheimer’s &Healthy Aging, the Arts, Commu-nity Matters, Employment,Neighborhood Engagement, So-cial Equality, Urban & Jewish Ed-ucation and Youth Development.The RiverBee redevelopment

project is located between two vi-brant and culturally rich Milwau-kee neighborhoods, Riverwest and Harambee. The

neoclassical brick building wasconstructed in 1927 to house theHolton Street State Bank, butafter the bank’s 1960 closing itbecame a site for groups like theBoys & Girls Clubs, Centro DelNino, and a Head Start-affiliatedcharter school.

The building was deserted in2006. RiverBee convened morethan 40 local investors to pur-chase the building and completedthe build-out that transformed itinto the Cream City Hostel inJune 2019 – Milwaukee’s firsthostel. Since then it has hostedthousands of travelers from morethan 38 different countries withina year. The project also sparked addi-

tional investment in the commer-cial corridor, includingstreetscape upgrades by the Cityof Milwaukee. Cream City Hostelwon a 2020 Commercial Real Es-tate Award for “Best Neighbor-hood Impact.”Unfortunately, Cream City

Hostel was not yet through itsfirst year of operations when theCOVID-19 crisis hit and it wasforced to close its doors.

While no one can anticipatewhat will unfold, RiverBee be-lieves that a hostel business willbe one of the hardest recoveries,which is why it is pivoting to acooperative housing model forarea residents.“The beauty of this pivot is that

the project will stay true to ouroriginal vision of this work,which was to collectively em-power the community, ourselvesand each other to make our livesand neighborhoods better,” saidJuli Kaufmann, social entrepre-neur, managing member of River-Bee LLC, and president of FixDevelopment. “We are proud to continue to

create a safe and diverse place tobring the community together.”Kaufmann led the $1 million

redevelopment Cream City Hos-tel project, partnering with River-west residents Wendy Mesich andCarolyn Weber. Additionally, more than 40

community members, most ofthem from the Riverwest andHarambee neighborhoods, be-came direct investors in the build-ing, using a crowdfundingownership model. Kaufmann’s business model is

to use real estate as a tool for so-cial change and is the only real es-tate model of its kind inMilwaukee. Her work focuses on creating

small businesses and local jobsusing community-based fundingoptions.“We’re glad to partner with

Bader Philanthropies becausethey’re a community partnerthat’s mission-aligned,” saidKaufmann. “We wanted to pivot thought-

fully, in the same vein as the hos-tel was designed for theneighborhood – to be the highestand best use for the community.This model will fill a need forlow-income residents.”“I'm also supportive of the

plans to pivot into a cooperative

housing model,” said Jerad Tonn,RiverBee LLC investor. “Afford-able housing is one of the biggestissues we face as a society, andMilwaukee isn't immune. Cooperative housing is another

way for people to have a more af-fordable style of living and easieraccess to home ownership, whilebeing part of a smaller commu-nity within the great communitiesof Riverwest, Harambee and Mil-waukee. “I think that's really appealing

for some people, and I thinkRiverwest is the perfect place forit.”Since cooperative housing is

not yet common in Milwaukee,RiverBee is seeking to grow itsexpertise through partnershipswith experienced groups that canhelp recruit interested occupantsand guide the formation of the co-operative. They have initially partnered

with Milwaukee Area Cohousingand are now actively seeking in-dividuals interested in exploringbecoming lead members of thecooperative housing model. There are plans to make some

modifications to the currentrooms and redevelop the garden.The transformation is planned tobegin in January 2021, with hopesto introduce it to the neighbor-hood in spring or summer of2021.

RiverBee is anticipating localresidents will be looking for af-fordable housing next year withthe eviction moratorium endingDecember 31, 2020. RiverBeehopes to provide housing for atleast 12 residents, and that thismodel could be replicated in othercommunities.“These developments are suc-

cessful, in part, because they en-gage community investors whoare committed to the success ofthe tenants, support tenants whoare responsive to the neighbor-hood's desires, and reflect thecommunity throughout its own-

ers, tenants, employees and cus-tomer base,” said Kaufmann.The PRI from Bader Philan-

thropies will allow RiverBee toredevelop the building into amixed-use property that will pro-vide affordable, low-incomehousing for area residents. This low-interest loan will re-

place two bank mortgages andallow RiverBee to restructure thedebt payments to account for thecurrent economic situation result-ing from the COVID-19 pan-demic.“Bader Philanthropies supports

RiverBee and this trailblazingconcept which addresses a criticalcommunity issue – access to af-fordable housing,” said Daniel J.Bader, president/CEO for BaderPhilanthropies. “We recognize that this is a

time when we can make a realdifference in the lives of peoplewho need many things, includingour community members who arelooking for an affordable alterna-tive to renting.”Bader Philanthropies has been

awarding PRIs since 1995 and isone of only a few philanthropicentities in the state providingthem. Over the last 20 years, Bader

Philanthropies has awarded morethan 50 loans, loan guarantees,equity investments and othercredit enhancements to Wisconsin

and Israel organizations totaling$19.4 million. PRIs are impact investments

made by foundations to supportcharitable activities that involvethe potential return of capitalwithin an established time frame. Unlike grants, PRIs produce fi-

nancial returns for foundations inthe form of principal plus interest,gains realized on investments,etc., which can then be recycledfor other charitable purposes. Forthe recipient, the primary benefitof this loan is access to capital atlower interest rates than may oth-erwise be available.

RiverBee LLC to Create First Cooperative

Housing for Milwaukee Residents with

$450,000 Loan from Bader PhilanthropiesLoan is part of $9.5 Million in Grants Recently Awarded

QUEENS, NEWYORK — Criticalcare nurse SandraLindsay received thefirst dose of the two-shot vaccine at about9:20 a.m. EST onMonday, December14.Medical officials adminis-

tered the dose on camera asNew York Gov. AndrewCuomo and others watched ona livestream.“The person who is going to

take the first vaccine in thestate of New York, maybe thefirst vaccine shot in theUnited States,” Cuomo saidof Lindsay as she sat in achair ahead of receiving the

historic jab.“This vaccine is exciting

because I believe this is theweapon that will end thewar,” the governor said. “It isthe beginning of the last chap-ter of the book, but now wejust have to do it. “The vaccine doesn’t work

if it’s in the vial. We’re hereto watch you take the firstshot.”Lindsay, who works at Long

Island Jewish Medical Center,proclaimed, “I feel great,”after receiving the injectionfrom Dr. Michelle Chester,the director of employeehealth services at NorthwellHealth.Cuomo remarked to Lind-

say, “You didn’t flinch.”Lindsay said she hopes to

instill public confidence thatthe vaccine is safe.“I feel hopeful today, re-

lieved. I feel like healing iscoming,” Lindsay exclaimed.

Pfizer’s vaccine was ex-pected to arrive via FederalExpress and UPS freight andground transportation at 145locations across all 50 statesin the U.S. Monday morning.The vaccine was authorized

for emergency use in the U.S.by the Food and Drug Admin-istration. It’s estimated that about 2.9

million doses of the coron-avirus vaccine will be distrib-uted this week in the firstvaccine rollout phase.High-risk populations like

healthcare workers and nurs-ing home staff and residentsin the U.S. will be prioritizedto receive the landmark vac-cine.“I hope this marks the be-

ginning of the end of a verypainful time in our history.We’re in a pandemic, so weall need to do our part to putan end to the pandemic,”Lindsay said.

African American Nurse firstto Receive COVID VaccineBy Stacy M. Brown,NNPA Newswire SeniorNational Correspondent

Critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay received the first dose of the two-shot vaccine at about 9:20a.m. EST on Monday, December 14—Photo courtesy of blackpressusa.com

“Bader Philanthropies supports RiverBee and

this trailblazing concept which addresses a

critical community issue – access to afford-

able housing.” — Daniel J. Bader, president/CEO for Bader Philanthropies.

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESQUOTE OF THE WEEK!

GIVEN THE BEHAVIOR OF THE SOON OUTGOING PRESIDENT AND HIS UNPROVENACCUSATIONS OF VOTER FRAUD AND OTHER CONSPIRACY THEORIES, WE

THOUGHT ANOTHER QUOTE FROM FRANTZ FANON TO BE MOST APPROPRIATE...


Others believe that while Jack-son is highly qualified to fillKowalik's shoes, she may havestepped in a hornet's nest becausethe Milwaukee Health Department(MHD) has been the most scruti-nized in city government over thelast five years.There's no doubt Jackson's faces

a series of unique challenges--from the pandemic, a lead abate-ment crisis that has sparked litiga-tion and allegations of institutionalracism (even though the last fourcommissioners have been AfricanAmerican).Moreover, the department has

become a ping in a seesaw ping-pong battle played by city politi-cians. The smoke hasn't cleared yet

from a lawsuit by a former whiteMHD employee who alleged shehad been discriminated against.All but one of the city's AfricanAmerican alderpersons votedagainst a recent settlement, creat-ing a rift within their ranks.They were also at odds with

Mayor Tom Barrett over the selec-tion of the Black Health Coalitionof Wisconsin president Dr. PatriciaMcManus, who served as interimcommissioner until the appoint-ment of Kowalik.But as 'luck' would have it, Jack-

son seems the perfect choice totake on the challenges. She has remained steadfast as

reports of MHD investigatorsbeing threatened by citizens whorebel against pandemic restric-tions, including those aimed atlimiting capacities for bars andrestaurants. There have even been death

threats, which not only reflectswhat some attribute to 'pandemicfatigue,' but more succinctly rep-resents the volatile nature and stu-pidity of citizens refusing to acceptreality.Jackson has stood firm in her

support of the MHD policies aboutin-person restrictions during thepandemic and expressed apprecia-tion of staff who have not waveredin their duties despite the threats."Our responsibility is public

safety," she said, noting the onlyway to arrest the virus leading upto the national vaccination cam-paign is to limit person-to-personcontact, restrict in-door socialgatherings, and following a mask-

ing mandate."I recognize that pandemic fa-

tigue is real, particularly duringthe winter months," she noted, and"our investigators are accustomedto having difficult conversationswith bar and restaurant owners.But the death threats…"Acknowledging the department

has called on police to provide es-cort duties, the interim commis-sioner praised her staff’scommitment to their tasks.Jackson is a Milwaukee native,

and as I learned during our conver-

sation, a classmate of my late son,Malik, both graduates of Messmerhigh school.She is of the generation of

emerging activists and leaderswho were instilled with a sense ofcommunity and commitment toserve a higher purpose.With two decades of health care

leadership under her belt, includ-ing stints at Aurora and Froedtert,her expertise and administrativeresume is impressive. Thus, taking on the MHD chal-

lenges, which has been marred incontroversy since Bevan Bakerwas fired for 'allegedly' ignoringthe lead crisis five years ago. Dr. McManus succeeded Baker.

Her tenure sparked a conflict be-tween supporters on the commoncouncil and the mayor.Kowalik found herself in a sim-

ilar, albeit reverse scenario, but ledthe department to a level of ac-countability and respect when shesuddenly resigned after less thantwo years on the job. While Kowalik said she left to

pursue a high-profile position inWashington, D.C., there were ru-mors of her being frustrated with

funding shortfalls and systemicracism throughout city govern-ment. In steps Deputy Commissioner

Jackson, highly credentialed butnew to the public arena and thepolitics of African American lead-ership in the nation's most segre-gated city.Without taking time to exhale,

she cemented her leadership withseveral new programs and out-reach efforts, quickly earning staffand political leaders' respect. She has taken on the lead abate-

ment challenge, although it's obvi-ous more tax funding is needed toeliminate that costly calamity. Jackson is reviewing new strate-

gies to address Milwaukee's na-tion-leading Black infant mortalityrate. She has created a departmentoutreach/partner model to 'betterconnect with our community andestablish accountabilities withinthe MHD.'The Marquette graduate has also

opened a direct line to aldermenand instituted a faith-based initia-tive.Impressive as her early efforts

have been, she frequently findsherself targeted by special inter-ests' demands, usually to grant ex-emptions to department mandatesor policies.One such 'demand' was submit-

ted by the Milwaukee teacher'sunion (MTEA), which requestedshe invalidate a policy on schooloperations by restricting privateschools to virtual education para-digms.The MHD policy provides that

schools meeting specific safety re-quirements can provide in-personclasses. While the public/government

schools have decided not to open,many private and charter schoolshave.The MTEA's demand is consis-

tent with a similar request by thestate teacher's union to the gover-nor. Neither has anything to do with

student or teacher safety but in-stead are motivated by fears of amass exodus of public-school stu-dents to institutions offering whatparents consider a more viable ac-ademic process.

OP-ED: How Ascension is Preparing for the COVID-19 Vaccination

From the momentCOVID-19 emerged in theUnited States, dedicatedcaregivers across AscensionWisconsin -- and caregiverseverywhere -- have workedtirelessly on the frontlinesto care for people impactedby the pandemic. We are grateful to all of our

nurses, doctors and staff for thecommitment, empathy and selfless-

ness they have shown. While 2020 has been a challeng-

ing year, the dedication of frontlinecaregivers everywhere has been asource of inspiration for us all. The development of a safe and

effective vaccine has been a criticalpart of the world’s effort to stop thespread of COVID-19. As the pan-demic continues to affect peopleworldwide, we have new reasonsfor hope.Vaccines from Pfizer and Mod-

erna have demonstrated safety andeffectiveness, and the U.S. Foodand Drug Administration (FDA)has authorized Pfizer’s vaccine foremergency use (EUA) and is ex-pected to do the same for Mod-erna’s vaccine later this month.Ascension Wisconsin held its firstCOVID-19 vaccine clinic for front-line caregivers on Thursday, De-cember 17, 2020.All approved vaccines require

extensive research, documentationand closely monitored clinical tri-als, some of which were completedby Ascension physicians, to deter-mine effectiveness and safety be-fore being submitted for approvalor emergency use authorization bythe FDA.

Ascension Wisconsin is follow-ing guidance issued by the CDCand recommendations of the Na-tional Academies of Sciences, En-gineering and Medicine. Inaccordance with these guidelines,among the first group eligible to re-ceive the vaccines are frontlinecaregivers – particularly thoseserving in emergency departments,COVID-19 units and intensive careunits. For Ascension, this includesboth associates and affiliatedphysicians and providers. Ascen-sion anticipates that the remainderof its associates will be eligible forthe vaccine as more doses becomeavailable and the distributionprocess progresses.We are confident our plan will

effectively and safely contribute tothe protection of the communitieswe are privileged to serve.We will also be conducting out-

reach to high-risk groups and vul-nerable populations, includingthose who experience barriers inaccessing healthcare services, toensure members of these commu-nities are encouraged to receive aCOVID-19 vaccination.Over the coming months, these

vaccines will become available tothe general public, and we want tostrongly encourage everyone to getthe COVID-19 vaccine when it ismade available. I plan to get the vaccine as soon

as it’s available for me – once ourfrontline caregivers and high-riskindividuals have had the opportu-nity to receive it. I believe it is theright thing to do to protect our-selves, our loved ones and ourcommunity. As we await widespread distribu-

tion of the COVID-19 vaccines, itwill be critical for our entire com-munity to continue wearing masks,watching distance from others andwashing hands frequently to pro-tect ourselves and those around us.We will continue to diligently fol-low these measures across our sitesof care, and you should do thesame in your home and workplace. It has been a trying year, but with

the development of these vaccinesand the remarkable work of ourcaregivers, relief is on the horizon.As we look forward to “communityimmunity”, it’s important that weall work to manage our healthneeds with a focus on prevention –staying current on vaccinations,keeping prescriptions filled, andstaying in contact with our doctorsso we can be the healthiest versionsof ourselves during this time. And remember, if you need

emergency care, do not delay treat-ment or defer any of your careneeds. Our hospitals and emergency

rooms are well prepared to safelycare for you.

Community is lucky to have Marlaina Jackson as interim Milwaukee health commissioner

Interim HealthCommissionerMarlaina Jackson

The philosopher Seneca onceposited that “luck is what happenswhen preparation meets opportu-nity.”Some believe that adage perfectly reflects whathappened to Marlaina Jackson, who was named in-terim city health commissioner in September whenher predecessor, Jeanette Kowalik, unexpectedlyresigned after a relatively short tenure.


"I recognize that pandemic fatigueis real, particularly during the win-ter months," she noted, and "ourinvestigators are accustomed tohaving difficult conversations withbar and restaurant owners. Butthe death threats…"—Interim Health Commissioner Marlaina Jackson commentingon backlash from citizens her department staff have faced in enforcing COVID restriction

By Dr. O’Rell WilliamsVice President of MedicalAffairs, Ascension SEWisconsin Hospital - St. Joseph Campus


KENOSHAFALLOUT!

SUMMONS(PUBLICATION)

STATE OF WISCONSINCIRCUIT COURT

MILWAUKEE COUNTYNOTICE AND ORDER FORNAME CHANGE HEARING

Case No. 2020CV6692

In the matter of the name change of:ERIC ADAM CAVESBy (Petitioner) ERIC ADAMCAVES

NOTICE IS GIVEN:A petition was filed asking tochange the name of the personlisted above:From: ERIC ADAM CAVES To:ROBIN CO´IRBirth Certificate: ERIC ADAMCAVES

IT IS ORDEREDThis petition will be heard in theCircuit Court of Milwaukee County,State of Wisconsin.Judge’s Name: HON. WILLIAM SPOCAN RM 401 PLACE: 901 N.9th Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,53233 DATE: JANUARY 15, 2021TIME 8:45 A.M.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:Notice of this hearing shall be givenby publication as a Class 3 noticefor three (3) weeks in a row prior tothe date of the hearing in the Mil-waukee Community Journal, anewspaper published in MilwaukeeCounty, State of Wisconsin.Dated: 12-2-2020BY THE COURT:HON. WILLIAM S POCANCircuit Court Judge245/12-9-16-23-2020




Case No. 20CV006593

In the matter of the name change of:SEBASTIAN J SALGADO-BUEN-DIABy (Petitioner) KARINA HER-NANDEZ

NOTICE IS GIVEN:A petition was filed asking tochange the name of the personlisted above:From: SEBASTIAN J SALGADO-

BUENDIA To: SEBASTIANAGUSTIN HERNANDEZ-SAL-GADOBirth Certificate: SEBASTIAN JSALGADO-BUENDIA

IT IS ORDEREDThis petition will be heard in theCircuit Court of Milwaukee County,State of Wisconsin.Judge’s Name: HON. KEVIN EMARTENS BR 27 PLACE: 901 N.9th Street (VIA ZOOM) Milwau-kee, Wisconsin, 53233 DATE: JAN-UARY 14, 2021 TIME 10:30 A.M.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:Notice of this hearing shall be givenby publication as a Class 3 noticefor three (3) weeks in a row prior tothe date of the hearing in the Mil-waukee Community Journal, anewspaper published in MilwaukeeCounty, State of Wisconsin.Dated: 12-2-2020BY THE COURT:HON. KEVIN E MARTENSCircuit Court Judge244/12-9-16-23-2020




Case No. 20CV006712

In the matter of the name change of:SHAQUITA SHANEEMATTHEWSBy (Petitioner) SHAQUITA SHA-NEE MATTHEWS

NOTICE IS GIVEN:A petition was filed asking tochange the name of the personlisted above:From: SHAQUITA SHANEEMATTHEWS To: SHAQ SHANEEMATTHEWSBirth Certificate: SHAQUITASHANEE MATTHEWS-SMITH

IT IS ORDEREDThis petition will be heard in theCircuit Court of Milwaukee County,State of Wisconsin.Judge’s Name: HON. PEDROCOLON BR. 18 RM 412/VIAZOOM PLACE: 901 N. 9th Street,Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233DATE: January 12, 2021 TIME1:45 P.M.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:Notice of this hearing shall be given

by publication as a Class 3 noticefor three (3) weeks in a row prior tothe date of the hearing in the Mil-waukee Community Journal, anewspaper published in MilwaukeeCounty, State of Wisconsin.Dated: 12-1-2020BY THE COURT:HON. PEDRO COLONCircuit Court Judge246/12-9-16-23-2020




Case No. 20CV006435

In the matter of the name change of:CLARA JANE RAMIREZBy (Petitioner) LAURA ANNEJOHNSON

NOTICE IS GIVEN:A petition was filed asking tochange the name of the personlisted above:From: CLARA JANE RAMIREZTo: CLARA JANE JOHNSONBirth Certificate: CLARA JANERAMIREZ

IT IS ORDEREDThis petition will be heard in theCircuit Court of Milwaukee County,State of Wisconsin.Judge’s Name: HON. LAURAGRAMLING PEREZ RM 404 VIAZOOM PLACE: 901 N. 9th Street,Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233DATE: JANUARY 14, 2021 TIME11:00 A.M.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:Notice of this hearing shall be givenby publication as a Class 3 noticefor three (3) weeks in a row prior tothe date of the hearing in the Mil-waukee Community Journal, anewspaper published in MilwaukeeCounty, State of Wisconsin.Dated: 10-23-2020BY THE COURT:HON. LAURA GRAMLINGPEREZCircuit Court Judge248/12-16-23-30-2020



MILWAUKEE COUNTYNOTICE AND ORDER FOR

NAME CHANGE HEARINGCase No. 2020CV006754

In the matter of the name change of:LUCY MELLOW BANGSBy (Petitioner) LUCY MELLOWBANGS

NOTICE IS GIVEN:A petition was filed asking tochange the name of the personlisted above:From: LUCY MELLOW BANGSTo: LUCY ANTRIM MELLOWBirth Certificate: LUCY ANTRIMMELLOW

IT IS ORDEREDThis petition will be heard in theCircuit Court of Milwaukee County,State of Wisconsin.Judge’s Name: HON. KEVIN EMARTENS BR 27 PLACE: 901 N.9th Street (VIA ZOOM) Milwau-kee, Wisconsin, 53233 DATE: JAN-UARY 15, 2021 TIME 10:30 A.M.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:

Notice of this hearing shall be givenby publication as a Class 3 noticefor three (3) weeks in a row prior tothe date of the hearing in the Mil-waukee Community Journal, anewspaper published in MilwaukeeCounty, State of Wisconsin.Dated: 12-3-2020BY THE COURT:HON. KEVIN E MARTENSCircuit Court Judge247/12-16-23-30-2020

LEGALS&CLASSIFIEDS PLACE YOURLEGAL CLAS-SIFIED ADSHERE! INSIDEYOUR MIL-WAUKEE COMMUNITY JOURNAL!

Feel thepulse of

your com-munity

online! Goto milwau-keecom-munityjournal.com

In an effort to help feedthose in need this Christmas,Milwaukee Health Services,Inc. (MHSI), MHS HealthWisconsin, the Social Devel-opment Commission, Feed-ing America, MolinaHealthcare, Anthem BlueCross and Blue Shield andAll of Us are providing2,000 grocery dinners toMilwaukee residents.The giveaway will takeplace Friday, December18,from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., atthe Issac Coggs HeritageHealth Center, 8200 W. Sil-ver Spring Drive.Feeding America reportsthat nearly 520,000 Wiscon-sinites don’t know wheretheir next meal is comingfrom. In Wisconsin, 1 in 11people face hunger. MHSI and sponsors areworking together to reducefood insecurity in the Mil-waukee area.This will be a drive thruonly event for the safety ofthe community and registra-tion is not required. Nowalk-up service will beavailable.

MHSI’s fifth annual holidayDinner andCOVID-19 safetykit giveawayDec. 18

Giannis Antetok-ounmpo is stayingwith the Bucks foranother five years!Giannis says he is signing a five-year

super-max extension with the MilwaukeeBucks worth $228.2 million, according tothe Athletic reporter Shams Charania.

Giannis posted the news on Instagram aswell, saying Milwaukee as his city.The news comes after the team made the

playoffs two years in a row but fell shortwhen it comes to a championship. It's always been clear that Giannis loves

Milwaukee thanks to his interactions withfans and social media posts.Back in September, Giannis shared pho-

tos from the 2020 season on Instagram andsaid Milwaukee has "the best fans in theworld." He even said he was looking for-ward to next season.

Prior to signing the contract, Giannis hadalso said in several interviews that he lovedMilwaukee and wasn't planning on leaving.We must say, though, it feels pretty good tohave that in writing.Giannis joined the NBA back in 2013

when he was drafted to the MilwaukeeBucks. Prior to that, though, Giannis playedfor five years in Greece. His family didn'thave a lot of money and felt the struggleuntil NBA scouts began to notice his talent. Giannis joined the NBA and began to

prosper. In his first season with the Bucks,

he mostly came off the bench but still man-aged to get people to start recognizing hisname. He was listed as No. 11 on the NBA’srookie leaders list in his first season. In 2014, Giannis was named NBA’s East-

ern Conference Player of the Week for thefirst time. However, during that season, hewas still mostly coming off the bench. Thatall changed during the 2015-2016 season.Giannis started in 79 of his 80 games dur-

ing that season and averaged career highs inminutes (35.3), points (16.9), rebounds(7.7), assists (4.3), blocks (1.4), steals (1.2)and field-goal percentage (.506), accordingto the Bucks. In 2017, Giannis was given the most im-

proved player of the year award. From then on, Giannis was a starter and a

star. He went on to win two back-to-backMVP awards in 2019 and 2020 and wasnamed to several NBA All-Star teams. Infact, Giannis became the first Bucks playerto start in four consecutive All-Star games. During the 2020 season, he was one of the

All-Star team captains alongside LebronJames and was named the NBA's defensiveplayer of the year. As of the end of the 2020 season, Giannis

has been named Eastern Conference Playerof the Week nine times and has been namedto three NBA all-defensive teams. In addition to NBA awards and honors,

Giannis was also named one of Time's 100Most Influential People. "To watch him play is to see not just what

is, but also what is possible. There is some mystical quality that quick-

ens a fan’s heart when they see that personwalk onto the court. The true sports heromakes our bones vibrate and flesh ripple inanticipation of witnessing greatness," wroteKareen Abdul-Jabbar in TIME magazine.Giannis also has a few ESPY awards

from his time as a Bucks player. While Giannis already has a long list of

accomplishments, we're sure there's more tocome with this super-max extension. Andmaybe, if we're lucky, one of those awardswill be an NBA Championship.

Giannis Antetokounmposigns supermax extensionwith the Milwaukee Bucks

“This is my home, this is my city. I’mblessed to be able to be a part of theMilwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years.Let’s make these years count. Theshow goes on, let’s get it.”

—Antetokounmpo


represents another dark moment of the Donald Trump era and the far-rightextremists who have only fanned the flames of hatred,” said People For theAmerican Way President Ben Jealous. “We cannot be fooled by the bogus claims and misinformation efforts from

those who seek to sow discord and division at any time, let alone one of themost sensitive times in our history.As Americans, we believe in unityand justice for all. These values mustbe at the core of our guiding princi-ples, even through the most challeng-ing times.”Writing for Right Wing Watch, a

project of People For the AmericanWay, Karim Zidan looks at theevents, personalities and dynamicsthat led to the lionization of the whiteboy with the gun by right-wingforces looking to destabilize theUnited States. Among those representing Ritten-

house is Lin Wood, who is also work-ing with those looking to overturn theresults of the 2020 presidential elec-tion."The debate over Kyle Ritten-

house’s case—heroism or homicide,patriotism or plague—has becomethe new battleground for the Ameri-can far-right as well as white su-premacists around the world who arethrilled to have a new face for theircause," says Zidan. "To them, Rittenhouse is not an ac-

cused killer but a victim of the vil-lainization of American values. Assuch, the proliferation of Rittenhouse-related propaganda serves to frame himas a heroic figure that white nationalists should aspire to emulate." In his narrative piece, "Kyle Rittenhouse, Kenosha, and the New Far-Right

Battleground," Zidan shows the intersection of a range of right-wing actorsin looking to appropriate the Rittenhouse story, from Proud Boys to neo-Nazis, and grifters in between. The reach of the far-right's telling of the storycrosses the seas. As an example, Zidan tells of one group, the InternationalConservative Community:Outside the large, gray building, housing the Provincial Court of British

Columbia, is a statue of Lady Justice—blindfolded and holding a scale andsword—towering over arriving mortals. Yet beneath this personification of justice, there was a large sticker bearing

the image of a young man armed with an AR-15 style rifle, a pair of rubbergloves, and a magnifying reflector in his left eye. Beneath it is a caption thatreads: “Kyle was Right.”The sticker was part of an international propaganda campaign by a white

supremacist group known as the International Conservative Community. Thegroup, which includes entities across Europe and North America, fashionsthemselves as a modernized network of neo-Nazis capable of “buildingbridges across countries and even continents.” Founded by American neo-Nazi Robert Rundo (who also founded the white

supremacist fight club Rise Above Movement), the group specializes inspreading white supremacist propaganda through targeted campaigns, a recentexample of which is Kyle Rittenhouse.Such stickers have been found as far afield as Serbia.The judge in Rittenhouse's case set bail at $2 million, seeing the youth as

a flight risk. But through crowdfunding launched by the far right, the accusedtoday is out on bail."Leave it to the right to use a case that left three families mourning as a

propaganda grift," said Adele M. Stan, director of the Right Wing Watch proj-ect. "Even the accused killer has made out."

“Let’s be clear: Kyle Rit-

tenhouse is no hero. He

is a killer who took the

lives of Americans par-

ticipating in a First

Amendment protest--a

killer whose cause has

been taken up by neo-

Nazis and other white

supremacists. He repre-

sents another dark mo-

ment of the Donald

Trump era and the far-

right extremists who

have only fanned the

flames of hatred...”

— Ben Jealous, presi-

dent of People For the

american Way

KENOSHAFALLOUT!(continued from page 3)

this: “Listen to the following statement by the author of a book aboutlynching. He said, ‘It is doubtful that any Black male growing up inthe rural South in the period 1900 to 1940 was not traumatized by afear of being lynched.’ What is he saying with this? Nothing less thanthis: no Black male growing up in the rural South in that period couldbe free of that fear. Every Black male was haunted and scarred deeplyby that fear. Think about what that means and think about how thistouched Black people as a whole.”And think what it means that there are fascist mobs brazenly reviving

this kind of terror today!Note well: The white supremacist acts of destruction on December

12 were not the acts of vandals skulking in secret. These were organ-ized white supremacist mobs operating in the open. They marched bythe hundreds at night. Earlier in the day, they’d been joined by thou-sands. These were the “Proud Boys” Donald Trump told to “stand by”during the same presidential debate when he refused to condemn whitesupremacy or agree to a peaceful transfer of power. Now, these ProudBoys are making good on Trump’s request by bringing their fasciststreet-level terror to the nation’s capital in support of his campaign tooverturn the election.No police intervened to stop these mobs from vandalizing and set-

ting ablaze property of these Black churches. Nor have any arrests inconnection to this been announced as we go to press late the followingday. Contrast this gentle police treatment of white supremacist mobsto the barrage of rubber bullets, poison-clouds of teargas, police bru-tality, mass arrests, and deployment of the U.S. military—at Trump’sorder—that was rained down on protesters for Black lives earlier this

year!It is very good that people voted in their millions against Trump and

defeated him in the election. No doubt, many millions of these voterswere motivated by their deep opposition to Trump’s genocidal whitesupremacy. But, as important as voting against him was, it is far fromenough. Even in defeat, these fascists are advancing their fascist terrorand white supremacy.The reason for this is that white supremacy and its violent resurgence

is deeply rooted in the history and nature of this country, where thebarbaric oppression of Black people and capitalism-imperialism areinextricably woven together and where the workings of this systemhave fueled the rise of an outright fascist regime. Everyone who trulywants to see this ended needs to dig deeply into the scientific workBob Avakian has done to lay bare how and why, “Racial OppressionCan Be Ended, But Not Under This System.” And we need to makefighting this terror part of getting ready for the revolution that can endit once and for all.At the same time, everyone—whether they are convinced of the need

for revolution yet, or ever—must come together in the recognition thatno one in power is going to stop this rising fascist terror. Stopping itfalls to us. RefuseFascism.org is pointing the way to unite millionsfrom diverse political perspectives to stop a fascist America throughmass, nonviolent protest as spoken to in the Pledge to the People ofthe World. Go read it, sign it, and join the network.Let these harrowing acts of terror spur all decent people to wipe the

sleep from their eyes and heed the still wise words of Frederick Dou-glass: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

Black Churches Vandalized by MAGA Fascists in DC(continued from front page)

The loss of students to the pri-vate schools under the schoolchoice program, the unions be-lieve, undermines governmentteachers' job security and ulti-mately will threaten their benefitsas MPS enrollment continue to de-cline.The percentage of Milwaukee

students attending non-govern-ment but 'publicly funded' schoolshas grown to 25%. The number of families leaving

MPS during the pandemic is alsoup significantly in the last year.However, some of that growth canbe attributed to parents' decisionsto home school.Without revealing her response

to the MTEA dictate, Jackson ac-knowledged the 'politics' inherentin the request, adding that therehas been only one school closingunder the MHD policy. The schoolhas since reopened.At the top of the department's

priority list is 'Operation WarpSpeed,' the COVID-19 nationalvaccination project. The first COVID-19 vaccines

arrived in Wisconsin Monday.Front line workers will be priori-tized for vaccinations, and if na-tional schedules are followed, the

general public will be receivingshots by spring 2121.Healthcare experts believe a

75% saturation must be achievedto fully arrest the pandemic. Whether that lofty goal can be

achieved is another matter, onethat will depend in part on the abil-ity of healthcare and civic leadersto convince skeptical AfricanAmericans that the drug is safeand does not come with unin-tended consequences.Jackson is cognizant of African

American fears and historical dis-trust of the healthcare community. Recognizing that dichotomy, she

has put together an advisory panelto implement a strategy to over-come the distrust and maximizeAfrican American participation.

"All indications are that the vac-cination is safe," she said, but,"you can't dismiss the reasonssome of us don't trust the system;cannot forget history."The Milwaukee native said even

with the vaccine, the pandemicwill continue for the foreseeablefuture. Until the vaccination process

reaches the masses, the publicmust continue following MHDmandates."it's not just about your personal

safety, but others," Jackson ex-plained, positing the global familyis intimately related in that regard. If someone feels uncomfortable

with the vaccine, they should alsoconsider how their decision willaffect their neighbor.

That's a significant point shewill hammer home to every ear inour metropolis.It is also a clue to the guiding

principles that Jackson brings toher position as interim city healthcommissioner.Yeah, you can take Seneca's oft-

quoted assessment to the bank.You can also apply the adage ofwriter Hal Ackerman who believes'success begins at the point whereluck meets preparation.'Either way you look at it, it can

be surmised that while citizens arelucky to have Jackson on boardduring these troubling times, we'reunlucky because she has notthrown her hat in the ring to per-manently take on the position.Hotep.

SIGNIFYIN’:Marlaina Jackson

r

r

f

wisconsin’s largest african american newspaper …...kamala harris as president-elect and...

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