MCJ December 17, 2014 Edition

JJOUROURNALNALW 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

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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSINPERMIT NO. 4668

Photo by Robert Bell

Article by Andrea Waxman courtesy of Milwaukee NeighborhoodNews Service

One hundred men and boys, rang-ing from 6- to 79-years-old, milledaround a large upstairs room at Re-demption Fellowship Church on theNorth Side. In one corner, a barberwas cutting a teen’s hair.

Along a wall, racks of tuxedoshung in brown garment bags. A lineof boys waited for a volunteer to pinblue boutonnieres onto their lapels.Boys and men sat at tables writingletters and sealing them in envelopesto present to each other at the end ofthe day.

This scene marked the final prepa-rations for the latest event in AndreLee Ellis’s “We Got This” grassrootsprogram to support and mentoryoung Black men in his neighbor-hood, around 9th and Ring streets.

On Saturday afternoon, Ellis gath-ered the 50 young men and 50 men-tors together, encouraged them tocontinue supporting each other andtheir community and led them ontotwo buses that took them downtown.

At Juneau Avenue east of the river,they disembarked and paraded acrossthe bridge, amid cheers and chants of“Black lives matter” to Carson’sPrime Steak & Famous Barbecue,301 W. Juneau. There the tuxedo-clad “boys from the hood” became

“gentlemen on the town.” Eachyoung man was to sit with his mentorand enjoy a formal dinner, conversa-tion and a bit of an etiquette lesson.An unnamed sponsor paid for thedinners, and each mentor covered thecost of his own and his mentee’stuxedo rental.

Roshaun Collins, 13, a sixth-grader at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Elementary School and a member of

Ellis’ “We Got This” group since lastsummer, summed up Ellis’ program.

“People where we come fromdon’t make it far and Mr. Andre isshowing us that we can,” Collinssaid.

Isaiah Lavender, 13, a seventh-grader at LaFollette School, 3239 N.9th St., met Ellis while walking to acorner store last spring. Ellis askedhim to join the group. Lavender said

he enjoyedhelping out inthe neighbor-hood. “All thetrash that’s onthe ground, itdidn’t lookright.”

Dwight Willis, 14, another Lafol-lette student, met Ellis at school.Willis called Ellis “a good man,”

adding, “[He] meets with us and talksabout stuff like being respectful.”Willis said he “joined up early” withWe Got This, working in the garden.

The dinner at Carson’s was the lat-est in a series of activities designedand carried out by Ellis since he

Youths go from “Boys in the Hood” to “Gentlemen on the Town”

PULSE OF THE COMMUNITYPhotos and question by Yvonne Kemp

Though President Obama is still in office, Milwaukee PublicSchools has already named a school after him. The question is:Was it a good idea to name a school after a still sit-ting (current) U.S. president? Why or why not?

MONTE MABRA: Yes. So much as my daughter at-tends Barack Obama STE (the school in question). He’s agreat president and Barack Obama is a great school; and ofcourse, my daughter is at the top of her class and is receivinggreat grades. I hope to see her graduate from BarackObama STE as well.”

DALE JONES:“I am impressed with MPS naming aschool after our first Black president while he’s still in office.This school starts at K4 and continues to 12th grade. I’m sureMilwaukee is one of the first cities to name a school afterPresident Barack Obama.”

SHERRY HILL:“Yes, they should. Naming the schoolafter the president may give the students (of the school) anextra incentive to excell and rise to the level of achievementsas President Obama.

LA VEALEA BALL JOHNSON:“Yes, because he isthe first Black president. Young people can think more posi-tively about their education. they can become what ever theywant.”

(continued on page 2)

Photos byYvonne Kemp

Fist raised in triumph as well-wishers and supporters cheered, “We Got This” founderAndre Lee Ellis leads young boys and adult male mentors into Carson’s Prime Steak &Famous Barbecue, located on West Juneau Avenue where the young men enjoyed a for-mal dinner, conversation...and a bit of an etiquette lesson. An unnamed sponsor paid forthe dinners and each mentor covered the cost of his own and his mentee’s tuxedo rental.

Milwaukee joins nation in “BlackLives Matter Sunday” protests

Compiled by MCJ StaffDemonstrators calling for justice

for Dontre Hamilton again de-scended on Red Arrow Park Sunday;but this time they were part of amuch bigger movement, a nationalmovement calling attention to thedeaths of Black men and boys at thehands of law enforcement across thenation.

The Milwaukee protest/rally washeaded up by Black communityfaith-based leaders and was part ofthe national day dubbed "Black LivesMatter Sunday." Protestors whopacked Red Arrow Park, the site ofHamilton’s death at the hands of Mil-waukee Police Officer ChristopherManney, who shot Hamilton 14 timeslast April.

Manney was reportedly respond-

ing to a call to the park, locatedacross the street from City Hall, of aman (Hamilton) sleeping on a parkbench. Prior to Manney arriving onthe scene, Hamilton was questioned

twice by Milwaukee Police officersresponding to a similar call to thepark about Hamilton.

Hamilton’s sleeping on the parkbench is not against any city or

county ordinances.A scuffle ensued as Manney tried

to pat down Hamilton. During thescuffle, Manney shot Hamilton mul-tiple times.

Since the incident, there have beena number of marches and vigilsprotesting the shooting and callingfor murder charges against Manney,who was fired two months ago byMilwaukee Police Chief EdwardFlynn for not following protocolwhen it comes to dealing with thementally disabled individuals.

As they had done countless timesbefore, protestors Sunday againcalled for justice in the Hamiltoncase, but this time they were joininga national chorus of demonstratorscalling for justice for all Black menand boys such as Michael Brown andEric Garner, who have died at thehands of law enforcement.

"We are summoned here becauseof America's unfinished businesswith respect to its citizens of Africandescent," said Rev. Don Darius But-ler, one of the ministers who was partof the interfaith coalition of variousreligions and Christian denomina-tions.

There were also White individualswho attended the demonstration.Most notable among them wasMayor Tom Barrett and Chief Flynn.Also in attendance were several localpolitical figures.

“We need to take the time to get toknow each other and to respect eachother,” the mayor reportedly said tothe gathering. “That’s why I’m heretoday because Black lives matter.”

However, Milwaukee Nation ofIslam Student Minister WilliamMuhammad, a member of the faith-

(continued on page 2

Rev. Don Darius Butler, a member of a group of faith-based ministers, addresses the rally at RedArrow Park downtown Sunday calling for justice in the Dontre Hamilton case and other casesaround the nation in which Black men have died at the hands of law enforcement agencies. Therally was held in conjunction with national protests. (Photo courtesy of CBS 58.com)

"We are summoned herebecause of America's unfinished business with respect to its citizens ofAfrican descent!”

--Rev. Don Darius Butler, one of the ministerswho was part of an interfaith coalition

The Milwaukee Community Journal December 17, 2014

Senator Harris Dodd Appointed to MilwaukeeMetropolitan Sewerage District Commission

MADISON- Today, the Milwaukee Common Councilappointed State Senator Nikiya Harris Dodd (D-Milwau-kee) as a commissioner on the Milwaukee MetropolitanSewerage District (MMSD) Commission.

"I am thrilled to be appointed to a Commission that hassuch a direct effect on my constituents and on Milwaukeeas a whole. I plan to work to protect Lake Michigan and

our vital resources from dangerous pollutants and flood-ing," stated Senator Nikiya Harris Dodd. Senator HarrisDodd will attend her first MMSD meeting on Monday,December 22nd.

"Over one million individuals depend on MMSD toprotect the health of their families and loved ones throughquality water treatment," explained Senator Harris Dodd."It is an honor to be appointed by Mayor Tom Barrett,and I look forward to working with my colleagues on theCommission to create a safer, cleaner environment forour families."

For more information about the Milwaukee Metropol-itan Sewerage District Commission, visit their website athttp://www.mmsd.com/.

started employing young men to maintain a neighborhoodgarden and clean up the community last summer

Like the Pied Piper of Hamlin, the charismatic Ellisdrew more and more young followers throughout thesummer. He created a structured program, paying theyoung men $20 if they showed up before 8 a.m. andworked the whole morning. As his numbers grew, peoplebegan to notice.

Ellis dubbed the program “We Got This” on his Face-book page, and emphasized the need for the black com-munity to support its own children. Ellis began to drawadult supporters who contributed money to pay the youngmen and to talk with them about their own experiencesgrowing up in similar communities.

Momentum grew throughout the summer and by theend of August more than 100 young men had joined in.The program is less active with school in session but theyoung men keep in touch with Ellis and each other. Sincesummer ended, Ellis has taken them to a Brewers baseballgame, to UWM to accept an award, and to see PresidentObama when he visited North Division High School inOctober.

The Rev. Anthony Caples, one of the mentors, found“We Got This” through Ellis’ Facebook page and startedvisiting the garden on Saturday mornings when therewere just eight or nine participants.

Caples noted that one-on-one mentoring relationshipsare necessary for young people to grow and flourish.

“Boys in the Hood” to “Gentlemen on the Town”(continued from page 1)

based group, wasn’t convinced by the mayor’s words.“We have to speak straight truth to the mayor, straight

truth to the police chief,” Muhammad reportedly said inresponse to the mayor’s statement.

“Those were nice and flowering words, but you’re ac-tions have not backed what you’re saying,” Muhammadsaid.

Saying he knows people are frustrated, with waiting fora decision for Milwaukee County D.A. John Chisholm inwhether or not Manney will be indicted in the shootingdeath of Hamilton, Flynn said the criminal process takesa long time.

After the rally at the park, dozens of demonstratorsmarched to the Safety Building on State Street where theDistrict Attorney’s office is. Christmas cards were left onthe doors of the building, not with holiday well wishes,

but with messages to Chisholm asking for a decision inthe Hamilton case and to charge Manney in his death.

Chisholm is reportedly waiting for the results of an ex-ternal review of the case before he makes his decision.No timetable has been established for that decision.

The rally in Milwaukee coincided with other protestsacross the country. There were large demonstrations inWashington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Oakland,and Boston to name a few. In Washington, 5,000 peoplewere expected, but according to reports, the crowd wasbelieved to be more than 25,000 people.

Nationally, marchers chanted, “I can’t breathe!”“Hands up, don’t shoot!” and waved signs reading BlackLives Matter!” Demonstrators also staged “die-ins” asthey lay down across intersections. —Contributors to thisstory: James Cuco, CBS58 News, WISN 12, and Associ-ated Press.

(continued from page 1)

Milwaukee joins nation in“Black Lives Matter” protests

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Racism is souniversal in this country, sowidespread, and deep-seated,that it is invisible because it is sonormal.”--Shirley Chisholm

MCJ MCJ EDITORIALEDITORIAL


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: [email protected]/[email protected]

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 BillingDept./Publisher’s Admin. Assist.

Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Taki S. Raton, Richard G. Carter,Fr. Carl Diederichs, Rev. JoeMcLinPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

We’re sure the trip a group of youngmen from our community and theirmentors made to a popular downtownrestaurant was a life-changing event intheir young lives; a “teachable moment”that gave them envaluable exposure toone of numerous activities beyond thelimited boundries of their neighbor-hoods.

The photos on our front page of theyoung men are inspiring and a truedemonstration of the positive thingsthat happen (on a daily basis) in ourcommunity.

Interestingly, the city’s mainstreamnewspaper didn’t think so, and onlyone television news station, that weknow of, covered the momentousevent.

Aside from a noted free lance photog-rapher, Robert Bell--whose photo of thetuxedo clad young men and mentorswith their fists raised in triumph on theJuneau Street bridge--and the Commu-nity Journal having a photographer onthe scene to record in photos the his-

toric--yes historic--event, the only othermedia outlets--besides the one afore-mentioned TV station--was public radio(WUWM did a report on the young menas they were being fitted for their tuxe-dos at Torrence’s House of Threads)and Milwaukee Neighborhood NewsService which, like the MCJ, coverspositive moments in Black Milwaukee.

The absence of the city’s mainstreamnewspaper (we know they were absentbecause the volumous Sunday dailyhad nothing about the event at Car-son’s on its pages, not even its LocalSection where everything about ourcommunity is usually relegated) boldlyillustrates just how myopic a view it(and the mainstream television sta-tions) has of Milwaukee’s Black com-munity, believing that only negativethings take root in our soil.

(An aside: The daily’s coverage of thenational “Black Lives Matter” marcheswas relegated to the inside of its “A”Section.)

Andre Lee Ellis (who put together the

dinner) has shown, through his “WeGot This” grassroots gardening andneighborhood beautification initiative(of which the boys are members), thatbeautiful flowers do take root and growin our soil; beautifying our communitywith hope and inspiration.

We salute Mr. Ellis and the mentorswho made this event possible for theyoung men who ranged from gradeschool to high school age.

The aforementioned lack of main-stream media interest again points tothe importance and need of Blackmedia--especially Black press--to“plead our own cause” as a communityand a people; and alternative mediaoutlets like WUWM and the Neighbor-hood News Service that “get it.”

We will continue to report on thebeauty within our community, whilebeing mindful of the social and politicalissues impacting us locally and nation-ally. We’re committed to informing, edu-cating and inspiring you, our readers,and Black Milwaukee.

Mainstream media blows opportunity toreport a positive event involving youngBlack men and a unique experience

Remember when…The Spaniels’“Pookie” Hudsonepitomized originalBlack rhythm and bluesBy Richard G. Carter“I fell down on my knees and Iprayed, that the Lord would end ourevil ways”... The Spaniels, “YouGave Me Peace of Mind” (Vee-JayRecords-1956)

Every Christmas-New Year holidayseason, I find myself recalling James“Pookie” Hudson, who left us, at 72,on Jan. 16, 2007. Original BlackR&B’s all-time best lead singer, Pookie and the Spaniels appeared many timesat Milwaukee’s Colonial Theater.

Over the last 16 years of his life, I became close personal friends with thistalented singer-songwriter. As a result, he inspired my 1995 authorized biog-raphy “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight: The Story of the Spaniels” (AugustPress-1995).

Known far and wide simply as “Pookie,” he was diagnosed with lung cancerin 2004, and music organizations provided financial help for treatment. TheClifton, N.J.-based United in Group Harmony Association run by the lateRonnie “I” Italiano led the way.

Pookie had resumed performing with the legendary vocal group after un-dergoing chemotherapy and radiation. He made a special New York appear-ance on Oct. 21, 2005 at Queensborough Community College, in a doo-wopand oldies variety show sponsored by Chief Osceola Townsend and his Na-tional Alliance of Native Americans.

Billed as “A tribute to Pookie Hudson of the Spaniels,” the show was hosted

by DJ Bobby Jay, of New York’s WCBS-FM, who was a dynamite bass manof the Laddins and later with the Teenagers. Jay warmly and lovingly intro-duced Pookie from the stage.

Two weeks earlier -- on Oct. 8, 2005 -- in my Milwaukee hometown withmy wife, Susan, looking on from the wings of the venerable Pabst Theater, Iwas privileged to introduce Pookie with the original Spaniels in “The UltimateDoo-Wop Show.

On Jan. 21, 2007, I took part in a two-hour radio tribute to Pookie and thelate Gerald Gregory, the Spaniels matchless bass singer, on Ken Held’s “Doo-Wop Shop” live on the Internet via WLVJ-AM in South Florida. In 1989,Held and I talked by phone on his show, prompting a call from Pookie whichled to my authorized biography of the group.

In recent years, Pookie’s most notable national gig was on December 1999’sPBS telecast of “Doo-Wop 50” -- marking 50 years of original Black rhythmand blues. Jerry Butler’s introduction bespeaks how he was revered in theR&B community. To wit:

“This man who is going to head this group is the prototype of Aaron Neville.He is the original ice man. He is unbelievable. So join me for one of the real

The Legacy of a RonW. Pounds - Family,Community, History,and ScholarshipBy Taki S. Raton

Oshi Adelabu, a retired firefighter and communityleader on Monday, December 8 on Motherlandme-dia.com Internet radio, referred to Ron WilliamPounds as a “Renaissance Man,” that model of excel-lence, scholarship, class and confidence.

Nirvana Ministries executive director Dr. William Rogers in his Thursdayevening December 11 remarks on Harambee Radio & TV’s “MenThink”broadcast dedicated to the life and work of Pounds says that his love for self,family, our youth and for his people extended beyond the verbal.

“I considered Ron to be a master teacher,” said Rogers. “He shared in histeachings and in his books the spirit of the scholars and the experience of histravels in a presentation style of self-assuredness, love for his people and asuperb command of his instructional material. Not only did he discuss andpresent the ideas and knowledge of the Ancient World, he searched for thephysical evidence to support the ideas and information he presented,” he adds.

Rogers notes that Pounds understood the necessity of primary sources inorder for students to understand the depth and complex world of ancientAfrica.

“Ron toured Kemet and stood in the African sunlight as he viewed theSphinx, stood in the doorway of the Great Pyramid of Giza and watched therising of the African sun on African soil. And as a master teacher, he followedin the footsteps of such historians as Joel Schomburg, John G. Jackson, Chan-

cellor Williams and the great Carter G. Woodson.” Ron made his transition on Saturday, December 6, 2014. Moderated by

Reserve Judge Russell Stamper Sr., the Milwaukee Celebration of his life, ofhis devoted family membership and of his work was held Wednesday, De-cember 10 at Krause Funeral Home, 7001 West Brown Deer Road.

With a host of friends and relatives from far and wide in his Windy Citynative home, Ron’s final Celebration was held Friday, December 12, 2014 atCage Memorial Chapel in Chicago. Internment services followed thereafterat the nearby Oak Wood Cemetery, 1035 East 67th Street.

Indeed, that entire week following his passing scheduled nearly every daywith a celebration of the life and work of Ron W. Pounds. Monday, December8 was the Adelabu Motherland broadcast out of Atlanta. On Wednesday, De-cember 10, Oshi’s Motherland broadcast was again repeated live from Mil-waukee at Dr. Rev. Nate Stampley’s Heritage International Ministries COGICon 1036 West Atkinson Ave. with the Krause memorial gathering thatevening.

On Thursday, December 11 as hosted by this writer, Dr. Rogers and Bro.Oshi were guests on Harambee’s “MenThink” with the one-hour show dedi-cated to the legacy of Ron Pounds. And finally, his Chicago celebration Fri-day at Cage Memorial Chapel. The Milwaukee Community Journal alsofeatured a front page notice on Pounds in its December 10 publication edi-tion.

Adelabu was additionally honored to pour the opening libation at both theMilwaukee’s Krause and the Chicago’s Cage Memorial Chapel ceremonies.

Judge Stamper says of Ron that, “He was a soft-spoken, gentle, intellectualAfrikan Centered giant of a man; one who loved his family, his people andhis/our Afrikan customs, culture, and traditions.

“He and his beloved wife, Lillian, navigated through life in a most ad-mirable fashion. On the one hand, living, loving and tasting the honey andall the sweetness that the good life brings while giving due regard, thoughtand dedication to our glorious Afrikan history and our struggle for dignity,liberation and justice. He is in numerous ways, a model for us to look at, ad-mire, and emulate.”

Shared his cousin Reginald Johnson from Schererville, Indiana, “As a com-munity activist, resident historian of African American history and cultureand ultimately the family patriarch, Ron was not only a source of knowledgeand inspiration, but he also exhibited an esteemed level of class and integrityrarely seen and from which we all learned.”

Bill (Butch) Holmes from Chicago said of Ron that over the 27 years ofknowing him and his wife Lillian that Ron never said anything bad or deroga-tory about another person and that he always when you saw him mirroredthose traits of, “gentleness, warmth, politeness and charm.”

Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum founder and directorClayborn Benson in Milwaukee says that Ron was a scholarly man whoopenly and willingly shared his African Centered knowledge with young peo-ple and adults as well. “Although we have lost a great person in his passing,he will continue on in the spirit and memory of those that he has taughtthroughout the city. He will surely be missed!”

Born January 13, 1943 in Chicago, as a child, Ron played the piano andmarched in Chicago’s Bud Biliken Parades. Upon graduating from HarlanHigh School in 1963, he attended Wilson Junior College and Chicago Teach-ers College (now Northeastern Illinois University) before he was drafted intothe army. Ron served from 1966 to 1968 during which time he was stationedin San Francisco and in Viet Nam.

After his honorable discharge, Ron returned to Chicago and began workingin the computer industry of which his programming skills led him to employ-ment with Standard Oil, Montgomery Ward, and Washington National Insur-ance. Ron additionally wrote weekly articles on insurance matters for theChicago Defender Newspaper.


Deaths of Unarmed Black Men After Encounters with Police

On Saturday, December 13,2014, I attended a peaceful rallyin Red Arrow Park to support acall for justice in the death ofDontre Hamilton and to showsupport for the Hamilton family.

I also joined with others tourge (Milwaukee County) Dis-trict Attorney John Chisholm tomake his decision regarding po-lice officer Christopher Manneyas soon as possible.

It was stressed that we allwant a thorough review of thefacts in this case, but it has been seven months since Mr. Hamilton’sdeath and the longer the decision is delayed—it leads to speculation andmore distrust of our criminal justice system.

Saturday’s rally in Red Arrow Park also coincided with a NationalDay of rallies in Washington, D.C. and other cities across the U.S. toshow support for the families of other unarmed Black males who havebeen killed in 2014 after encounters with police: Tamir Rice, ClevelandOH; Akai Gurley, Brooklyn, NY; Michael Brown, Ferguson, MO; andEric Garner, Staten Island, NY.

The tragic unacceptable deaths of unarmed Black males by police of-ficers must stop and we need to do everything possible to make thathappen.

Currently, there are parts of our community that do not trust the po-lice because they feel there is, and has been, a pattern of excessive forceagainst Black males. It is crucial that we work to restore trust becausewe need each other. The community needs the police to protect andserve and the police need the community to help prevent and solvecrimes.

However, trust cannot be restored if we continue to have Black maleskilled under questionable circumstances by police officers. Trust cannotbe achieved without a change in the way Black males are perceived andtreated.

Change starts with training and a number of things can and should bedone in regards to training, especially as it relates to handling citizenswith mental health issues.

But, we need to begin by having all police officers show restraint andgood judgment when dealing with our community. If we can get policeofficers to show restraint and good judgment in conjunction with theirtraining, this will be a tremendous step towards stopping unnecessarydeaths, rebuilding trust and improving police community relations.

F I R S TF I R S T P E R S O NP E R S O NBy Ralph Hollmon, President and CEO of the Milwaukee Urban League


Ron Pounds

James “Pookie” Hudson

TheFourthSundayofAdventbringsuscloser to theChristmasStory. OurGospelreading is Luke 1: 26-38. The angelGabriel comes to a young woman andasks her if she would consider becomingthe mother of the Savior.

Mary was already engaged to Joseph,but they had not started living together.

She was still a virgin. She was the mostunlikely person to be asked this question.

She wasn't even of the line of David andthe Messiah was to born of David's line.This was so much for such a young personto comprehend.

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you havefound favor with God," the angel said.Gabriel had already said that she was "fullof grace" and that the Lord was alreadywith her.

One can only wonder what was goingon in Mary's heart and mind. Her lifewould be forever changed if she agreed tothis request from God.

She asked one question, " How can thisbe," since she was not with a man?

The angel answered and said that thischild would be from God. And somehow,with the grace of God, she consented.

She let go of her concerns and insecu-

rities and was prepared to shoulder theshame that would probably come to herbecause of her marital situation. Peoplewould start whispering.

She said yes! "Be it done unto me ac-cording to your word!" This one declara-tive sentence changed her whole life--andours. She let go of her securities, her plans,and her way of life.

All of us who have been baptized intoJesus receive a call from God as Mary did.

We are called to make Christ present inour world, in our sphere of influence. Andwe too don't know the future and what ourcommitment to Jesus will mean.

We do know it will mean changing ourplans, as Mary had to do. The more weknow Christ and His mission, the closer

we come to being like Mary. Mary, immediately after accepting

God's plan for her, shows us how to act.She was told about Elizabeth, her cousin'spregnancy in her old age, and she went toher.

We have many opportunities to go toothers in their need. In fact, as a followerof Christ the needs of others come beforeour own. At least that is the way it shouldbe.

As we count down to Christmas, hope-fully we will look beyond the tinsel andsnowflakes to see others and their need forus in their lives. No gift can take the placeof us being the "gift" for others.

May God bless you and all God's chil-dren. May you have a blessed Christmas.


Lubavitch of Wisconsin will lighta huge public menorah at BayshoreTown Center, followed by a commu-nity-wide celebration on the sixthnight of Chanukah, Sunday, Decem-ber 21st at 5:00pm, right after the 100Car Menorah Parade arrives.

The event will feature emcee,Jonah Kaplan, from Today's TMJ4.Following the menorah lighting cer-emony, hundreds will enjoy a com-bined children's choir from JewishBeginnings and Hillel Academy, theHillel Academy drum line, and muchmore fun for the whole family.Kosher sufganiyot (traditional jellydoughnuts), latkes (potato pancakes),hot dogs, and hot cocoa will be pro-vided.

This year's celebration bringsadded significance as Milwaukeejoins thousands of communitiesworldwide in marking forty yearssince the first public menorah was litat the Liberty Bell in 1974.

Today, that unprecedented public

display of Chanukah has become astaple of Jewish cultural and reli-gious life, forever altering the Amer-ican practice and perception of thefestival.

It all began a year earlier in 1973,when the Rebbe, Rabbi MenachemM. Schneerson, of blessed memory,considered the most influential rabbiin modern history, launched a world-wide Chanukah campaign, an effortto create awareness and promote ob-servance of Chanukah.

This year, the global campaign theRebbe launched will reach an esti-mated 8,000,000 Jews (more thanhalf of the world's Jewish popula-tion).

The menorah at Bayshore TownCenter is just one of Lubavitch ofWisconsin's many public menorahsthroughout the state and is one ofthousands of large public menorahsthroughout the world, including infront of the White House, which at-tracts some 4,000 people, and near

the Eiffel Tower in central Paris,which has attracted as many as20,000 French Jews.

Throughout the WisconsinChabad-Lubavitch will be presentingscores of Chanukah events and cele-brations, including public menorahlightings, Menorah Parades, Latkesparties, menorah and dreidel work-shops at The Home Depot®,"Chan-ukah Wonderlands," and more. Tofind a local Chanukah event in Wis-consin, visit www.Chaba-dWI.org/LocalEvents.

In Loving Memory

Quality Service...a tenured tradition

sincere concern at your time of need.

Offering pre-need, at need andafter-care services to families in

Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha andother communities

throughout our state.

Johnson, Genevieve M.Age 89 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Fri-day, December 26 at 11AM. Visitation Friday 10AM until time of serv-ices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Hudson-Ellis, Alicia B.Age 59 yrs. December 10, 2014. A Memo-rial Service will be held on Friday, De-cember 19, at 10AM at Our SaviorsLutheran Church 3022 W. Wisconsin Ave.The Family will gather from 9AM untilthe time of the Memorial Service. Thefamily is served by:Northwest Funeral Chapel

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

Rice, James A.Age 65 yrs. December 8, 2014. A privateMemorial Service will be held. The familyis served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020Martin, Clay Jr.Age 80 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral

services will be held on Friday, December19 at 1PM. Visitation Friday 12 Noon untiltime of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Johnson, Genevieve M.Age 89 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Fri-day, December 26 at 11AM at Wisconsin Memorial Park "Chapel ofChimes" 13235 W. Capitol Dr. Visitation Friday 10AM at the "Chapel ofChimes" until time of services. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier

6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Surveyor, Tracolli M.Age 17 yrs. December 10, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Thurs-day 11AM. Visitation Thursday 10AM until time of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Jeske, Gerald D.Age 75 yrs. December 13, 2014. A Memorial Service will be held onWednesday, December 17 at 11AM. The family will gather Wednesday10AM until time of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Prewitt, BeverlyAge 65 yrs. December 13, 2014. A Memorial Services will be held onFriday, December 19 at 11AM at the Milwaukee Citadell CommunityCenter 4129 W. Villard Ave. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Henning, Christopher C.Age 44 yrs. December 12, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Mon-day, December 22 at 11AM at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church2315 N. 38th St. Visitation Monday 9AM at the CHURCH until time ofservices. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Thomas, Alonna G.Age 23 yrs. December 9, 2014. A Memorial Services will be held on Sat-urday, December 20 at 1PM at Abiding Faith Fellowship Church 4600W. Burleigh St. The family will gather Saturday at 11AM at the CHURCHuntil time of services. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

J.C. Frazier, Funeral Director

Milwaukee6630 W. Hampton Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53218Telephone: (414) 462-6020

Fax: (414) 462-9937

Racine800 Barker St.

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

Fax: (262) 637-6416

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

Ernestine O’Bee, Founder

WHAT’S HAPPENINGIn your faith-based community

St. Mark AME Church is holdingits first ever “Blue Christmas Wor-ship service” Saturday, Dec. 20,2014, from 4 to 6 p.m. St. Mark islocated at 1616 W. Atkinson Ave.

The aim of the service is to helpindividuals who are spending theirfirst Christmas without a belovedfamily member who recently diedor it may just be a time that has al-ways been difficult to cope withgiven the constant refrain in themedia, malls and churches aboutthe happiness of the season gettingtogether with family and friends.

For more information, call St.Mark at 414-562-8030.

St. Mark to hostfirst ever “BlueChristmas” worship service

Milwaukee's Biggest Community-WideChanukah Celebration Marks 40 Years of World-wide Public CelebrationsLubavitch of Wisconsin to Light Up One of 15,000 Public Menorahs Worldwide

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

Looking beyond the tinseland snowflakes for the truemeaning of Christmas

RELIGIONRELIGIONMinisterial student asks: Will futureministers be as bold as Jesus intimes of conflict and controversy?

During the assemblies on Monday, Dec. 7th, there wasa question that was raised by Rev. Dr. Reginald Blunt…”what Jesus will you preach?” This was a question thatwas posed in both the noon and 6 p.m. assemblies thatwere sponsored by Garrett Evangelical Black Seminari-ans (G-EBS) and featured comments from the GarrettBlack Faculty.

Earlier that morning, there was a march in downtownEvanston that was organized by some Garrett students.Students and some faculty participated in the march and

while I didn’t participate, I was on campus when thegroup of about 30 returned and I joined them as they de-briefed in the campus chapel; The Chapel of the Un-named Faithful. It was a somber time and many of thestudents…mostly white shared their feelings about whatthey felt and how they felt participating in this activityand taking a stand against blatant injustice in this country.

There were many pats on the back for taking a standand I totally understand that. I would dare say that formany of these students who participated in this activity;this may have been the first type of social justice act forthem in their lives.

By Carla M. Mitchell, Third YearSeminary Student Garrett EvangelicalTheological Seminary, Evanston, IL


!For there is born toyou this day in the cityof David a Savior, whois Christ the Lord. Andthis will be the sign toyou: You will find aBabe wrapped in swad-dling cloths, laying in amanger." And suddenlythere was with theangel a multitude ofthe heavenly host prais-ing God and saying:!Glory to God in thehighest, and on earthpeace, good will towardmen!"--Luke 2:11-14


WHAT’S HAPPENINGIn your faith-based community


Toys are supposed to be fun. Trips to the ER are neverfun. According to a new study by the Center for InjuryResearch and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital,every three minutes a toy sends a child to the ER. As par-ents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, please consider thesafety of your family when you are shopping for holidaytoys.

The study, released Dec. 1, found that an estimated3,278,073 kids in the United States were treated in emer-gency rooms after suffering toy-related injuries from1990-2011. The frequency of the injuries escalated in re-cent years in part because of the increased popularity offoot-powered scooters.

Sure, scooters can be dangerous, especially when wornwithout a helmet. That is obvious. What is less obviousare those toys which seem benign, but whose dangers lurkwithin. According to consumer interest group, US PIRG,such dangers are in the form of toxics which exceed fed-eral standards and choking hazards.

Specifically, US PIRG found the following dangers inwidely available toys on store shelves in 2014.

• Lead. Childhood exposure to even low levels of leadcan undermine development, damaging academicachievement and attentiveness.

• Chromium. Skin contact with chromium can causesevere allergic reactions including skin redness, swellingand ulcers. Chromium compounds are also known tocause cancer.

• Phthalates. Exposure to phthalates at crucial stages ofdevelopment may harm development of the male repro-ductive system and is linked to early puberty.

• Small parts and small balls are pieces that might blocka child’s airway.

• Balloons are easily inhaled in attempts to inflate themand can become stuck in children’s throats

• Magnets. When two or more powerful magnets areswallowed, they can have fatal health consequences astheir attractive forces draw them together inside the body,perforating intestinal walls.

• Batteries. When batteries are ingested, chemical re-actions can burn through the esophagus and blood ves-sels, causing fatal internal bleeding.

Topping the dangerous toy list in 2014, according toUS PIRG:

• Badge Playset — This toy is listed for kids three andup and contains unsafe levels of lead.

• Jake and the Neverland Pirates Tambourine — Thistoy is listed for kids two and up and contains unsafe levelsof chromium.

• Hello Kitty Bracelet and Hair Clips Accessory Set —This accessory set is for kids three and up and has unsafelevels of phthalate.

• Disney Junior Doc McStuffins Figurine Playset —The figures in the set can be broken and the small partscan be choked on.

• Mega Value Pack 16 Latex Punch Balloons — TheU.S. PIRG lists balloons as unsafe for children undereight, but this set is listed as safe for children three andup.

Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, you are re-sponsible for protecting our children. Please take the fol-lowing precautions this holiday season:

• Examine toys carefully for hazards before your buythem. Don’t trust that toys are safe, just because they arein stores.

• If you give the gift of a bike or scooter, include a hel-met that fits.

• Remove small batteries if there is any question abouttheir inaccessibility and the toy is intended for small chil-dren.

• Look for small parts or toys broken into small parts.Keep out of reach of children.

• Report any unsafe toys or toy-related injuries to theUS Consumer Products Safety Commission at :www.saferproducts.org

• Before you shop, visit the US PIRG Education Fund’sToy Safety Tips web page at: www.toysafetytips.org

Please enjoy a safe and happy holiday. About the Author: For nearly 25 years, Attorney John

P. Casey has been practicing personal injury law, success-fully representing the wrongly injured. Attorney Caseyapplies a combination of efficiency, understanding, andtenacity to each of his cases. Visit www.casey-injury-law.com to schedule a free consultation. Or call414.272.5564 or 800.779.5280 Toll-free.

Don’t Let Toy-Related Injuries Harm Your HolidaysWhile state leaders do little to improve mobility and

increase access to jobs for African Americans and Lati-nos, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is pro-posing to spend over a billion dollars on the expansion ofI-94’s East-West Corridor between Cesar Chavez driveand 76Th ST.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has put for-ward only two options for the corridor; both call for ex-pansion of the highway, at a cost of around $1 billion toWisconsin taxpayers. The DOT has removed the consid-erably cheaper rebuilding option from consideration, andhas altogether rejected including public transit options,which would strengthen local communities and connectworkers to jobs.

Even worse, this massive highway expansion will neg-atively impact communities of color, by worsening airand water pollution and public health in our communitiesand neglecting to improve transit for the thousands ofMilwaukeeans who either use transit to get to work orneed transit to get to jobs in Ozaukee, Washington andWaukesha Counties.

“The proposed options presented by WISDOT Secre-tary Gottlieb and Gov. Walker’s administration are waste-ful, unnecessary and discriminatory,” said Juan CarlosRuiz from the Cleaner Milwaukee Coalition.

“What’s worse, they want to raise taxes and fees to payfor this boondoggle project. WISDOT should go back tothe drawing board and give the community options thatwill enhance mobility in Milwaukee, not waste taxpayermoney on an unnecessary expansion.”

The Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied forHope (MICAH) and the Black Health Coalition of Wis-consin filed a lawsuit in 2012 against the DOT around theZoo Interchange project on similar grounds.

They argued that the environmental impact statementfor the Zoo Interchange construction violated federal lawby failing to consider the effects of this massive andcostly highway project on communities of color. In 2013,the court in its decision agreed that parts of the plan ap-peared to violate federal environmental law.

Following the court's decision, the parties went intomediation, which resulted in payments to support severalbus routes from the central city to suburban job centersover four years.

Despite this important victory, the Wisconsin Depart-ment of Transportation has returned to their same oldways with the I-94 East-West Corridor project, rejectingtransportation options that better serve communities ofcolor in Milwaukee and focusing solely on freeway ex-pansion while doing nothing to fix local roads or improvetransit.

On December 3 and 4, the DOT held public hearingson their two highway expansion proposals for the I-94East-West Corridor. Opponents of the DOT’s highway

expansion plans were joined by MICAH, NAACP Presi-dent-Elect Fred Royal, State Representatives MandelaBarnes and Evan Goyke, Jackie Ivy of the MilwaukeeTransit Riders Union, and many others to urge the peopleof Milwaukee to oppose both highway expansion optionspresented by the DOT and to tell them to go back to thedrawing board and develop a better plan for the corridor.

On Tuesday, the day before the DOT hearings, theCoalition for More Responsible Transportation, a coali-tion of 20 local and statewide organizations working toensure taxpayer-funded transportation is responsible andnot wasteful, proposed a transit alternative for the corri-dor.

Their proposal was to return the highway to a state ofgood repair and safe and reliable operation without ex-pansion, and, instead of highway expansion, include ahigh quality rapid-transit system. The system would linkthe Burleigh and 101st St. Park-and-Rides to the down-town Milwaukee Streetcar, the Intermodal Station, andother locations, with several cross-town connections viathe Miller Park. The proposal would enhance economicdevelopment, better connect people to jobs in the region,and support local communities.

“Governor Walker and WISDOT Secretary Gottlieb areproposing to build more boondoggles, and the DOT isasking us to pay for it with more taxes and fees,” con-cluded Ruiz.

“Rather than squander billions of tax dollars on over-building highways, WISDOT should be offering a visionfor transportation that will help strengthen communities,connect people to jobs, and better accommodate changinglocal needs.

To finance these proposals, WISDOT Secretary Got-tlieb has recommended raising taxes, including the gastax, a diesel tax, a fee on hybrid owners and a fee on thepurchase of new vehicles. He also wants to borrow morethan $800 million in the next two-year budget.

The Coalition for More Responsible Transportationalong with partners and allies are working to get the DOTto consider alternatives that better serve communities ofcolor and improve transportation options in Milwaukeewithout wasting taxpayer money. For more informationcall 414-758-0600

WISDOT’s I-94 East-WestCorridor Proposal Discriminatory,Bad for our communities

“Rather than squander billions of taxdollars on overbuilding highways, WIS-DOT should be offering a vision fortransportation that will help strengthencommunities, connect people to jobs,and better accommodate changinglocal needs.”--Juan Carlos Ruiz

LEGAL INSIGHTSBy Attorney John P. Casey

“According to a new study by the Center forInjury Research and Policy at NationwideChildren’s Hospital, found that an estimated3,278,073 kids in the United States weretreated in emergency rooms after sufferingtoy-related injuries from 1990-2011. Thefrequency of the injuries escalated in recentyears in part because of the increased popu-larity of foot-powered scooters.”

By Juan Carlos Ruiz

“Mister Speaker, I am proud that theMilwaukee Community Journal hails fromthe 4th Congressional District. It has consistently informed, analysed and entertained readers for nearly 38 years. Iam pleased to give praise to PatriciaO’Flynn Pattillo and her staff for providinga voice to the community and providingeducational opportunities to students. Iwish them many more years of success.”--A segment from Cong. Gwen Moore’s remarks she made on the CongressionalRecord paying tribute to the Milwaukee Community Journal’s Dr. Terence N.Thomas Scholarship Annual Brunch


INFORMATION, EDUCATION INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND INSPIRATION!AND INSPIRATION!YOUR Milwaukee YOUR Milwaukee

Community Journal!Community Journal!

38years of feeling the PULSEPULSE of Your Community! our Community!

Sounding the call for Salvation Army donations!Andrea Williams of radio station WMJR (Jammin’) 98.3 and Eric Von,founder of the Brain, Brawn, and Body website, were two of the 29media celebrities and community leaders to ring bells for the Salva-tion Army Red Kettle campaign at The Public Market, 400 N. Water St.in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)


As a young man, he was always in-volved in community organizationssuch as the Systems ProgrammersSociety and the South End Jaycees inChicago.

Ron met Lillian Carter on thedance floor of the Guys & GalsLounge in May of 1968. The couplethen married on August 7, 1971.

Ron and Lillian moved to Milwau-kee in 1975 after he was recruited bythe Schlitz Brewing Company. Theywelcomed Jamila Lynette, their onlychild, into the world in 1978. Fol-lowing Schlitz, Ron then worked atWisconsin Gas and retired from theCity of Milwaukee in 2008.

For well over 30 years, Ron im-mersed himself in Milwaukee’sAfrican American community, firstas a founding member of MICRO(Minorities In Computer Related Oc-cupations), a non-profit organizationsthat raised scholarship funds for areacollege-bound students. This groupwas known for their fundraising par-ties held at the clubhouse in ServiteWoods.

Ron also volunteered with OTA(Office Technology Academy) whichassisted women in the developmentof clerical skills to increase and up-grade their employability. He joinedand eventually became President ofthe Milwaukee Chapter of 100 BlackMen where he started within the or-ganization a mentoring program foryoung African American males.

In this 100 Black Men mentoringeffort, he saw early on the need formore role models in the Milwaukeearea. He expanded his teachingsfirst to Homestead High School inMequon, then to Madison HighSchool and eventually offering men-toring workshops to young men andwomen in the juvenile system.

Ron truly believed that by devot-ing time in the lives and developmentof young people; by teaching themtheir history and by giving them apositive role model, that they couldbecome productive members in theuplift of their own community andpositive contributory citizens in thebroader society.

In 1987, Ron and Lil took a life-changing voyage to Egypt (Kemet)with ASCAC (the Association for theStudy of Classical African Civiliza-tions) where he embraced to true his-tory and meaning of ClassicalAncient African culture. Upon hisreturn, he co-founded and headed thelocal Milwaukee Chapter of ASCAC.

Called Ka-Tawi, this organizationheld regular study group meetingsand invited local, regional and na-tional scholarly African Americans toeducate the local membership about

their true cultural and ancestral roots.He also joined the Milwaukee

Chapter of NBUF (the NationalBlack United Front) and wrote andpublished several books – “FromBoys to Men,” a guide for mentorscelebrating the history of Africanpeople; “Powernomics,” a review ofthe economic challenges and solu-tions in the Black community as in-spired by Dr. Claude Anderson;“Black Male and Female Relation-ships” focusing on the myriad of is-sues facing Black men and women intoday’s society, and “Black Con-sciousness Means Black Power,” adiscussion exploring how the Blackcommunity has become crippled andnotable insights as to the reversal ofsuch damaging trends.

Ron and Lil enjoyed invitingfriends and family together for aparty, regardless of the occasion. Inthe 1980’s, they held all-night BidWhist tournaments and during the1990’s, their Super Bowl parties be-came legendary with coverage onmore than one occasion in the Mil-waukee Journal Sentinel. In 2008,the couple became snowbirds, spend-ing the winter months in Ajijic, Mex-ico near Guadalajara.

Ron was diagnosed with coloncancer in May of 2014. His passingleaves behind Lillian his wife of 43years; daughter, Jamila McCallum;son-in-law Brian McCallum; mother,Johnnie Mas Winston; brother, Alpounds; sister-in-law, Linda; sister,Cheryl Pounds; nephews, CharonCarter and Eddie Oglesby, and niece,Aisha Ruther.

“I am deeply saddened by the pass-ing of Ron Pounds,” says Milwaukeeattorney Roy Evans. “Ron was a cul-tural warrior who understood the sig-nificance of African world historyand its meaningful impact on our cul-ture as an African people,” he adds.

He further shares that Ron, “broad-ened my thinking with his unwaver-ing enthusiasm for promoting thegreatness of our African history andculture” and that Ron and Lillian re-minded him of a “royal couple whoalways respected and embraced thehistorical status bestowed upon themby the legacy of kings and queens ofour proud African antiquity. And yes,we all had much fun at the partiesand shared good times like kings andqueens are supposed to do.”

Evans laments that, “Ron plantedseeds of cultural knowledge wher-ever he went, whenever he could, andwith whom he ever has met. Andnow that he has joined the ancestors,his legacy will continue through allthose with whom he touched.”

Thomas Mitchell, editor of the

Milwaukee Community Journal, re-members Ron as, “one of those indi-viduals who helped raise my level ofBlack consciousness and awareness.I will forever be in his debt and grate-ful for his insight and knowledge onthe challenges facing our people.”

Milwaukee community activistand leader Anthony (Tony) Courtneysays that, “One of the true test ofBlack manhood is to do what needsto be done in the midst of adversity.Ron pursued his agenda to educatenot only young Black boys, butadults as well.

He was an active participant in anumber of organizations that soughtto enlighten and empower the Blackcommunity.”

MonitorArt.Com president TonyPhillips out of Derry, New Hamp-shire recalls that, “Ron Pounds was adear friend and a man who possesseda gracious spirit. He had a keen, cu-rious mind and was a considerateperson who always spoke kindly ofand to others.

He never used or needed to usefoul language to make a point. Ronloved his family, was one hell of achess player and he understood theimportance of standing tall. Hewould not let outside pressuresagainst our culture stop him fromachievement. That made him an ex-ample for others.”

Milwaukee Public School educatorDiamond Suggs echoes that Ron,“was a true Renaissance man” withmany talents and skills. And whenhe returned from Egypt in 1987, hefound his purpose which was to helpand serve young African Americanmales.

“He loved to see young Blackmales do well and it truly gave him asense of purpose to help themthrough the various organizations ofwhich he was a part.

“He always found a way to helpyoung Black men become productivecitizens and potential scholars. Ronwas one of the finest examples ofBlack manhood that I have ever seen.He was a true gentleman, a scholarand the epitome of style and class.”

Throughout this writing and in thiswriter’s own words and thoughts,when I think Ron, I recall his uncon-ditional support of the then emergingAfrican Centered model of curricu-lum instruction, and in particular hissupport and involvement of BlydenDelany Academy, an African Cen-tered school here in Milwaukee serv-ing our children in grades K4 through8 from 1998 to 2008.

But I am more hasten to note thatour good Bro. Ron W. Pounds hasnow joined the highest and most hon-ored realm of eternal life.

“And we are therefore confidentthat the ancestors will be pleasedwith his work and with his legacy ofthe rescue, reclamation, restorationand resurrection in the hearts, mind,soul and spirit of many of theAfrican’s rightful place on the worldstage of time and achievement.

And his daughter Jamila writes ofher father that, “However humbleyour efforts were, you wanted tomake an impact on those around you.You wanted to help us better our-selves. You wanted your legacy to bethat we follow your example – sup-port the family and contribute to thecommunity. Rest assure, this will beyour legacy.

“You wanted us to take pride in ourheritage. You wanted us to be true to

ourselves, true to our principles, ourvalues, our consciousness. Youwanted us to handle our business.We will. We will do this in honor ofyou and in honor of all our ancestorswho have come before us.

“And, now, you are gone from us– husband, father, son, brother,cousin, friend, leader, role model. Itis painful to know we no longer getto hear your voice, see your smile orfeel the warmth of your embrace.

But we will carry you in our heartsalways. We will carry with us thelessons you shared, the stories youtold, the example you set, the joy youbrought and the memories you cre-ated.

“By your example we follow,through your guidance we learn, onyour shoulder we stand, from yourlove we grow. We honor you, cherishyou and we will miss you dearly. Welove you.”

The Legacy of aRon W. Pounds(continued from page 3)


legends of doo-wop and any other music you can thinkof. Welcome Pookie Hudson and the Spaniels.”

Pookie burst forth at 19 in 1953 with the Spaniels’haunting “Baby, It’s You” -- still R&B’s finest record. Hissilky smooth voice set the standard for male group leadsingers.

I first met Pookie on Feb. 21, 1991 -- proclaimed byMayor David Dinkins as “Rhythm and Blues Day in NewYork” -- when the Spaniels received a Pioneer Awardfrom the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. We got togetheragain June 8, and finalized plans for the book prior to the“25th Royal Doo-Wop Show” at Radio City Music Hall,where my wife, Janice and I, watched the Spaniels wowan almost all-white audience.

That summer, I spent a week researching in Gary, Ind.with the original group and learned Pookie wrote some200 songs -- 120 of which they recorded. I’ll never forgetthem singing a cappella for me in Willie C. Jackson’sbasement rec room, and the hospitality of Pookie andOpal Courtney Jr., with whom I stayed. And we talkedabout everything.

Pookie loved to mimic novelties such as Amos Mil-burn’s “Bad, Bad Whiskey”; “Bacon Fat” (AndreWilliams); “Flat Foot Floogie with the Floy Floy” (SlamStewart and Slim Gaillard); “Open the Door, Richard”(Louis Jordan and his Tympanny Five); “Rag Mop” (Li-onel Hampton); “Mack The Knife” (Louis Armstrong);“Long Tall Sally” (Little Richard); “Moody’s Mood”(King Pleasure), and “I Don’t Know” (Willie Mabon).

Over the years, Pookie and I shared many special mo-ments. On August 9, 1991, he invited Janice and I back-stage at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater as the Spaniels

stole the show in a “Rhythm & Blues Reunion.” On April25, 1992, at Symphony Space in the city, I visited withPookie and the group prior to their entry into the UGHAHall of Fame.

On June 20, 1992, my pal, George Sanders and I put ona Spaniels “Father’s Eve Concert” here, on the MarquetteUniversity campus, which I emceed. That afternoon, Itook Pookie and the group to my father, Sanford Carter’s,church for lunch. During the show, my friend JohnGivens gave him a proclamation from the MilwaukeeCounty Executive. Afterwards, Givens and his wife,Rosa, hosted a reception at their home.

Then there was Nov. 11, 1994, when Pookie stayed atmy home in Milwaukee before jamming with Al Jarreauin the studio for “The Carter-McGee Report” on WNOV-AM radio; March 1, 1997, when Susan and I mingledwith Pookie and the group, along with some of theirwives and friends at a UGHA Spaniels’ concert in NewJersey, and June 11, 1997, when Pookie, Gregory andBilly Shelton joined me and Susan for a book-signing atmy cousin Carla Allison’s Reader’s Choice book store inMilwaukee.

Incredibly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame still has notinducted the hit-making Spaniels, despite their influences.This includes 1954’s smash “Goodnight Sweetheart,Goodnight,” which introduced white America to BlackR&B. What a shame.

One of Pookie’s last records was a stunning version of“At Last” in 2005 -- in tribute to Etta James -- one of hisformer flames. So goodnight again, Pookie, I guess it wastime for you to go. You were a great artist and a true gen-tleman.--Milwaukee native Richard G. Carter is a free-lance columnist

(continued from page 3)

The Spaniels’ “Pookie”Hudson epitomized originalBlack rhythm and blues

As they were talking, a thought kept going through my mind and wouldnot let me stay quiet! The thought was “with all of the injustice we have seenin America over these past few years – from Travon Martin in Florida, TamirRice in Cleveland, Ohio, Michael Brown in Missouri, Eric Garner in NewYork and the death of Corey Stingley in my hometown of Milwaukee, couldyou…would you be able to preach about this injustice from your pulpit to acongregation that looked like you…white and privileged? Not financiallyprivileged, but privileged because of the color of your skin? Privileged be-cause you will never know what it’s like to be stopped by police simply be-cause you are “driving while black” in a car people think you stole or in aneighborhood people think you should not be in, or with a group of peoplethat don’t look like you?

Each of these men (young boys) was unarmed. Each with the exception ofTravon Martin was killed by either white men or white police officers (Martinwas killed by George Zimmerman who is identified as a white Hispanic…interesting). The killers of each of these men were either found not guilty orit was determined by a grand jury (made up mostly of white Americans) thatthere was insufficient evidence to bring charges against these men…really?!When I heard the grand jury’s decision regarding Eric Garner, I was appalledand honestly in shock. I must note that Tamir’s death has just been ruled ahomicide, but so was Eric Garner, and the officer who killed him will faceno criminal charges, per a grand jury who determined there was not insuffi-cient evidence, so I’m not holding out hope that Tamir’s murderer will seehis day in court.

Black lives matter. They matter to me and I know they matter to God!Blacks in America have the misfortunate of “living while black…and mostlyliving while a black male” in a society (a country) that unfortunately has toomany people in power who want to keep us oppressed and on the outer mar-gins of society! They see nothing wrong with this mindset because many ofthem have falsely convinced themselves that Blacks and people of color de-serve to be on the margins and that we are not worth the effort to engage andallow equal opportunities to live, work and make decent lives for ourselvesand our children and help advance this nation that is the only home we haveever known and was made great on the backs of our ancestors…slaves!

I know that people of all races make deliberate choices and some unfortu-nately choose to behave badly towards others. Some people feel that anyonewho doesn’t look like them, believe like them, worship like them is less thanthey are, can be treated negatively and their lives discounted or devalued, be-cause, after all, they are different. This behavior is clearly not of God.

In America, suffering is experienced more by people of color, but I don’tbelieve we can say it’s exclusive. The response to suffering, injustice againstpeople of color is highly different…often times less urgent than suffering orinjustice against whites. All one has to do is look at how the media respondsto missing persons of color versus white missing persons. The media coverageis often times exhaustive.

Now, let me say, that the exhaustive coverage is NOT a bad thing…it sim-ply should be at parity regardless of the race, gender, sexual preference of theperson. The outrage displayed when a white person is killed, abducted, etc.by the national media, needs to be the same level of outrage when a personof color is killed, adducted, etc.

So while I believe Dr. Blount’s question “what Jesus will you preach” isappropriate, I believe we must take that question one step further and ask allGarrett seminarians, faculty and staff; “what Jesus will you model your min-istry (your life) after?” Will you model your ministry (and your life) after theJesus who deliberately reached out to the last, the lost and the least? The peo-ple discarded by society because of their race, gender, economic status, med-ical illness, religion or something else? Will you model your ministry afterJesus so that you boldly speak about and speak for people whom your white,black, Asian or mixed congregation and your community feel are not worthmentioning or acknowledging simply because they do not attend your churchor because they don’t live in your community or because their skin color isdifferent from yours? Will you model your ministry after the Jesus who tookthe time to be present with people who were on the margins of society andhelp restore them to wholeness of faith and community by your includingthem, inviting them to become a part of your flock and circle of associatesand then deliberately challenge your members to “go and do likewise”?

Jesus had no problem with challenging the elite, the privileged and the pol-icy makers of his day when he thought their actions (behaviors), comments(words) and beliefs were wrong, sinful and harmful to God’s children.Throughout his ministry, Jesus demonstrated that all were worthy of his timeand of the blessings he could bestow upon them, blessings of healing, restora-tion into relationship with God and community, the blessing of conversa-tion…whatever! Jesus never required anyone he healed, restored or saved tochange anything about themselves before he acted? Jesus simply acted, be-cause they were God’s children in need or being unfairly treated by the priv-ileged and Jesus had the ability because he was God’s son to act and he did.

If we are indeed to be the bold leaders for the church of tomorrow, will webe willing to act boldly? Preach boldly? Lead boldly even if it means we haveto stand alone, or that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with people whoare outside of our congregations and community? Can we challenge the local(or national) media when it is slow to provide the same level of intense andmassive coverage when it is a black person who has gone missing like it doeswhen it is a white person? Will we challenge the “dominate narrative” (asone of my fellow white Chaplain-Interns calls himself) when it chooses toonly publish stories that continue toreflect Blacks and other people ofcolor in a negative light and never ac-knowledge and highlight the positiveaccomplishments and achievementsdone.

If seminarians are to be the boldleaders of the of tomorrow, regard-less of our color or race…and espe-cially because of your whiteprivilege…then Black and Whiteclergy must be willing to be uncom-fortable, unpopular and not alwaysliked. Black and White clergy mustbe willing to seek God’s guidanceand direction and discern when Godneeds us to be the persons out frontor be the white clergy who stands be-side Black, Hispanic and Asianclergy to call for politicians, law en-forcement and the courts to find abetter way to be more equal in howwe apprehend, prosecute and sen-tence all people and especially peo-ple of color.

Black lives matter and they can’tjust matter to Black folk! Black livesmust matter to all people so that wecan get to a place in this country…and then the world where all lives notonly matter, but matter equally andare treated that way.

Will future ministers be asbold as Jesus in times ofconflict and controversy?(continued from page 4)

Common Council approves Milwaukee Promise fundingto help city neighborhoods

The Common Council today ap-proved a recommendation of theCommunity and Economic

Development Committee to allo-cate $300,000 in Community Devel-opment Block Grant funding for the

Milwaukee Promise initiative – themultifaceted city effort to addresssystemic poverty, joblessness,

poor health, crime and low educa-tional achievement in city neighbor-hoods.

Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, au-thor of the legislation that created theMilwaukee Promise, said the fundingwill provide “a bright flame that canignite revitalization of neighbor-hoods and lives” across Milwaukee.

“The Milwaukee Promise will befostering effective and productivecollaboration among agencies of citygovernment and the development ofplace-based and data-driven ap-proaches to community revitalizationthat I believe can transform neigh-borhoods struggling with issues suchas poverty, low employment, poorhealth and other issues,” he said.

The initiative will address condi-tions in four city “Promise Zones”(see attached maps) where combined,more than 45% of households makeless than $25,000 annually (com-pared to 36% citywide and 22%statewide), the median household in-come is less than $26,000 (comparedto nearly $36,000 citywide and over$52,000 statewide), and where insome areas more than 56% of thetotal population and more than 71%of children live in poverty.

Alderman Hamilton, chair of theCommon Council’s Judiciary andLegislation Committee and co-chairof the Black Male Achievement Ad-visory Council (BMAAC), said theBMAAC has recommended specificMilwaukee Promise funding targets,and those recommendations werealso approved today by the Council.

Those funding targets are:• $50,000 to Milwaukee Area

Workforce Investment Board for theEmployment Readiness initiative.


Milwaukee Urban League President and CEO Ralph Hollmon (top of photo in the center) and Clarice Young, business intelligencemanager/corporate banking-CRE for Associated Bank (to Hollmon’s right) stand with local students in grades three to 12 who wererecognized for their stellar achievements during the MUL’s annual “Doing The Right Thing” awards ceremony at Destiny High School,7210 N. 76th St. The event recognizes students who are making positive strides in one of four categories: Academics, Athletics, Ex-tracurricular Activities, or Volunteer Service. Young was the keynote speaker for the awards program. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

Students awarded for“Doing The Right Thing”


• $100,000 to Milwaukee AreaWorkforce Investment Board for theYouth Employment and Engagementinitiative.

• $75,000 to Black Health Coali-tion for the Trauma-Informed CareAssistance and Referral initiative.

• $30,000 to the Housing Authorityof the City of Milwaukee for the Mil-waukee Fatherhood Initiative MicroSummits initiative.

• $2,500 to Urban Strategies, Inc.for the Youth Police Listening Cir-cles Initiative.

• $10,000 to Lead2Change for theLearn, Earn and Achieve with Policeprogram.

• $32,500 to Word of Hope Min-istries for the Milwaukee Job Train-ing and Placement program.

Alderman Hamilton said the CDBG funding approved today is leveragedby more than $500,000 in resources allocated in the 2015 budget through theamendment process (and the zones were also approved) with the support ofthe Mayor and Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Willie C. Wade, Al-derman Nik Kovac, Alderman José G. Pérez, Alderman Russell W. Stamper,II, Common Council President Michael J. Murphy, Alderman Terry L.Witkowski, Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. and Alderman Robert J. Bauman.

In a related move, the Council today also approved an ordinance revisingthe composition of the Black Male Achievement Advisory Council(BMAAC).

The membership of the advisory council will increase from 12 to 16 mem-bers. The new members will be the city treasurer, a representative of the Mil-waukee County Board of Supervisors, a representative of the MilwaukeeBoard of School Directors, and two members representing the philanthropiccommunity.

The ordinance also expands the purpose of the BMAAC to include makingrecommendations relating to the My Brother’s Keeper presidential initiative.

The My Brother’s Keeper initiative is an interagency effort to measurablyimprove the expected educational and life outcomes for and address the per-sistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color.

The My Brother’s Keeper initiative encourages communities to implementa coherent cradle-to-college-and-career strategy for improving the life out-comes of all young people to ensure that they can reach their full potential,regardless of who they are, where they come from, or the circumstances intowhich they are born.

Common Council approvesMilwaukee Promise fundingto help city neighborhoods(continued from page 9) “The Milwaukee Prom-

ise will be fostering ef-fective and productivecollaboration amongagencies of city gov-ernment and the devel-opment of place-basedand data-driven ap-proaches to commu-nity revitalization that Ibelieve can transformneighborhoods strug-gling with issues suchas poverty, low em-ployment, poorhealth...”

--Ald. Hamilton

MCJ SPORTSMARQUETTE BEATSARIZONA STATE AT THE BC

MATT CARLINO

LUKE FISHER IN HIS FIRST MU GAME

DUANE WILSON FROM MILW.DOMINICAN HIGH SCHOOL

MU COACH STEVE WOJCIECHOWSKIUSING A LITTLE “BODY ENGLISH.”

JAJUAN JOHNSON LAYINGUP TWO POINTS


MCJ SPORTSMARQUETTE BEATSARIZONA STATE AT THE BC

MCJ December 17, 2014 Edition

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Transcript of MCJ December 17, 2014 Edition