In an effort to break down barriers and encourage cross-network connection, multiple Milwaukee young professional groups will collaborate on two new events.

Blueprints for Milwaukee: Building a YP Agenda and All Boats Rise: Milwaukee’s Largest YP Happy Hour both aim to connect young professional groups and their networks to one another, while engaging them civically and socially in the community.

Following the civil unrest in Sherman Park this past summer, Milwaukee’s millennial leadership realized how important it is for their organizations to work together to shift the current power structures that are at the root of the socioeconomic disparities in our city.

Finding new ways to ensure everyone’s voice is heard became a point of unification for Milwaukee’s millennial organizations. Through a new series of jointly organized programs, the groups plan to discover a common set of priorities reflective of the city’s entire millennial generation.

Blueprints for Milwaukee is an inclusive platform that connects Milwaukee’s millennials to leaders in city government and furthers the ideas that make Milwaukee a more attractive place for young talent.

On April 26th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., the public is invited to participate in an evening of workshopping and idea sharing at City Hall to define next steps to address city challenges under the umbrella of talent attraction and retention.

YP group leaders and the City of Milwaukee administration will meet regularly to discuss how to bring the ideas that come out of the workshop to life and develop a direct line of communication with the City’s established leaders and decision-makers.

The focus of this coalition’s work is to ensure that a diverse set of voices are included in community-wide issues in the future and that the next generation of leadership communicates and collaborates in a transparent, supportive, and inclusive way moving forward.

The hope is also to spark civic engagement and increase knowledge of local government among millennials. Blueprints for Milwaukee is led by NEWaukee, ONE Milwaukee, National Association of Asian Professionals (NAAAP), FUEL Milwaukee, Rotaract Club of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals, and Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (HPGM).

All Boats Rise: Milwaukee’s Largest YP Happy Hour will be the culminating event of NEWaukee’s YPWeek in Milwaukee on Friday, April 28th from 6-10PM. 14 of Milwaukee’s young professional groups will have the chance to showcase their mission to new networks while hosting simultaneous happy hours in 13 different bars on Old World Third St. from 6-8PM. All groups will meet together for a joint social from 8-10PM at Red, White, and Blue.

All Boats Rise is led by Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals, FUEL Milwaukee, ONE Milwaukee, Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, NEWaukee, NAIOP Wisconsin Developing Leaders, Rotaract Club of Milwaukee, United Way LINC (Lead Impact Network Change), Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, National Association of Asian American Professionals, Social X Milwaukee, WGIRLS Milwaukee, Swarmm Events, and Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee Young Professionals Committee.