Staff, Author at Milwaukee Independent

Local entrepreneurs inspired to start small and dream big

Posted by Staff | May 3, 2017 |

To grow their companies city leaders hope to boost capacity of small businesses during weeklong celebration in May. Milwaukee Small Business Week is a weeklong a celebration that recognizes and honors small business owners and entrepreneurs for their contributions to economic growth in the local community. Hosted by the City of Milwaukee and Mosaic Communications and powered by NewsReleaseNow.com, will take place the week of May 1. A kick off news conference was held May 2 at Potawatomi Hotel and Casino. This year’s theme “Start small. Dream Big.” aims to empower the city’s small business community with a series...

Annual May 1st march draws 30,000 supporters for social justice

Posted by Staff | May 2, 2017 |

Milwaukee joined the nationwide “Day without Immigrants” march on May 1 to send a message of resistance about Trump’s war on immigrants. On Monday, May 1, more than 30,000 Wisconsinites went on strike, closed their businesses, and withdrew their children from school in solidarity with the nationwide May 1st Day without Immigrants to resist Trump’s attacks on immigrant communities, Black communities, Muslims, LGBTQ people, women, and working class people.Community members demanded Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker remove Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, block anti-sanctuary city legislation and support the return of driver’s licenses to immigrants. Protesters oppose Clarke because of...

S/V Denis Sullivan launches new Lake Michigan day sail program

Posted by Staff | May 1, 2017 |

Discovery World and the Sailing Vessel (S/V) Denis Sullivan announced the creation of new “Lazy Day” Sailing program for longer voyages over the summer. The exciting new maritime experience offers guests the chance to travel with the Sullivan crew between Milwaukee and Port Washington, while learning the history and science of the Great Lakes. The nearly 30 nautical mile excursion aboard Discovery World’s tall ship, and the world’s only re-creation of a 19th century three-masted Great Lakes schooner, is an expansion of its educational mission. “These are the perfect sails for anyone looking to spend some time on the...

Doug Johnson: On being a White parent of Black twins

Posted by Staff | Apr 28, 2017 |

With a career that spans three decades in the music industry from a sound engineer to booking top artists for Summerfest, Doug Johnson is most proud of his other full-time job as being the father of adopted African-American twins. His holistic approach to life, persistence for social justice, and insightful parenting in action takes on racial issues with healthy and direct action. Johnson’s philosophy serves as an example beyond his living room and as a model to the segregated Milwaukee community for how to embrace and incorporate racial diversity.

Audio: A journey for truth in the shadow of genocide

Posted by Staff | Apr 25, 2017 |

The Reverend Patrick Desbois gave a powerful lecture about his decade-long work helping to identify mass execution sites of Jews during World War II as part of his exhibit at the Milwaukee Jewish Museum on April 19. Editor’s Note: The research and discoveries made by Father Desbois are very gruesome, and the stories he shares are unpleasant and uncomfortable to hear. They are, however, irrefutable facts and as such have not been sugarcoated in their presentation. This is a live recording from the public lecture given by Father Patrick Desbois on April 19 at the Rubenstein Pavilion of the...

New church and $20M senior living center to replace St. Rita

Posted by Staff | Apr 25, 2017 |

A landmark church will soon be demolished on Milwaukee’s lower East side, and replaced with senior housing and new center for worship modeled after its parent church, the Blessed Virgin of Pompeii. Known as the Little Pink Church, it was the centerpiece of the city’s Italian-American community until it was razed in 1967 to make way for freeway construction in the Third Ward. St. Rita began in 1925 as a mission outpost of the Little Pink Church. Its location at 1601 N. Cass Street was built in 1939. “My parents grew up in the 3rd Ward and attended St....