DC’S SUMMER/FALL NEWSLETTER SEPT. 20, 2023 | AMANI
URBAN FARM Updates from DC’s Hydroponics Lab PAGE 7-9
HEALTHY FOOD HERE! 360 families served with Summer food pantries PAGE 4
‘I LOVE MY HOME’ Hear from a resident helped by Block by Block PAGE 12
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ‘People Are Making a Difference’ Residents, DC staff & supporters are moving Amani in a positive direction
Greetings,
“Every single person is unique & brings threads of diversity to the fabric of our community.” – Maricha Harris
I hope you and your families are safe, healthy and well. September 15th marked two years in my role as the Executive Director of Dominican Center. I’m often asked, “what do you love most about your job?” My consistent response is – the people! It’s an incredible joy and privilege to work with so many amazing people who are passionate about making positive changes in our community. Each day, people are raising their hands to make a difference including: the dedicated team of Dominican Center staff; the committed resident leaders who regularly volunteer, our dedicated board of directors and a host of partners, donors and supporters. What’s even more beautiful is that every single person is unique and brings threads of diversity to the fabric of our community. There are people of all ages, races, genders, social economic statuses, etc. working together to make positive strides in the Amani neighborhood. The pages in our newsletter showcase the amaz- ing work that’s happening and the positive mo- mentum that is moving us in the right direction. There’s so much that I’m excited about, but here a few highlights from this year: • We were awarded an Active Street grant from the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works to implement traffic calming strategies on North 26th Street between Locust and Chambers Streets. • We hosted the inaugural Summer Hydroponics STEM Program, which was created by a long-time Amani resident. For this program we recruited 17 middle school students, 12 of which completed the program, which was held every Saturday in June. • We received a grant from the City of Milwaukee to expand our hydroponics lab and increase our capacity to be a high producing urban farm. • Residents led efforts to rename Cawker Park to
Al Jarreau Park, and residents worked with a local artist to install a beautiful mural at the park and redesign the basketball courts. • We’ve helped 8 residents with critical home repairs this year, including Ms. Della Veasy, a long- time resident. As we approach the final quarter of 2023, the needs of our community continue to be great. Over the next couple of months, we will be working with our corporate partners to host holiday food distributions – providing meals for approximately 200 families in November and December. The holidays can be burdensome, so we are working to provide as many supports and resources as we can to our families during this year’s holiday season! Our work continues to be possible because of supporters like you! Thank you to everyone who is helping us in this work – whether you’re a partner organization or a donor who gives your time, tal- ent or treasure – you are greatly appreciated! We look forward to continuing to serve alongside you as we work in tandem with residents to revitalize the neighborhood.
Yours in service,
Maricha Harris, DC Executive Director
Safer Streets in Amani DC works to curb reckless driving, bring safety to drivers & pedestrians with traffic calming project and Active Streets participation
Reckless driving and pedestrian safety are a top topic among Milwaukee residents, and the story is no different in Amani. This summer, residents made strides to make their streets safer. “The Amani residents have witnessed the speed- ing in the Amani neighborhood for years and we’ve expressed our concern to our elected officials, whom we think could be our support to get things done in the neighborhood, to no avail. So here we are again,” said Amani United Housing & Economic Development chair and long-time resident Barbara Smith. After witnessing a pedestrian get hit by a speed- ing car at 25th & Locust, Smith, along with Amani United, DC, AARP Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Bike Federation began gathering community in- put about both temporary and permanent struc- tures that could calm traffic in the area and aid in pedestrian safety. They also did speed studies in the area. AARP Wisconsin will fund a traffic circle. In addition, DC partnered with DPW for the Ac- tive Streets program to fund changes on N. 26th Street. This program provides temporary traffic calming structures and future consideration for permanent solutions. It also provides community engagement through block parties and meetings, and will bring art instillations to the block.
AMANI NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT WHAT : A dangerous and busy intersec- tion has been identified by DC and Amani United for this safety infrastructure. WHERE: 25th & Locust Streets DETAILS: Multiple traffic studies and com- munity input meetings have been held to determine safety upgrades. AARP Wiscon- sin is sponsoring this project. CITY OF MILWAUKEE ACTIVE STREETS PROGRAM WHAT : The City of Milwaukee DPW is funding an Amani Street through the Ac- tive Streets program. WHERE: N. 26th Street from W. Locust Street to W. Burleigh Street. DETAILS: This program will help slow mo- torists and create space for people to bike, walk and be active; it may improve health outcomes and address reckless driving.
SERVING FAMILY WELL-BEING 360 Amani Families Served with Summer Mobile Food Pantries Fresh, healthy food & resources for Amani families offered at three events
This summer, in partnership with Feeding Ameri- ca Eastern Wisconsin, DC distributed about 9,000 pounds of healthy food to more than 360 Amani families at three mobile food pantries. Food was distributed out of Feeding America’s re- frigerated truck and residents could choose their items, which were then boxed up by volunteers. Residents enjoyed different varieties of fresh produce, meat, cheese, milk and pantry staples at each mobile pantry. In addition, Milwaukee Diaper Mission supplied diapers and wipes, and DC and Amani United distributed hygiene kits and backpacks filled with school supplies donated by Northwestern Mutual.
DC also worked with partner organizations to bring services and resources to Amani families. Participating partners include Amani United, the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Health Services, City of Milwaukee Health Department, Milwau- kee County, Familia Dental, Legal Aid Society, SafeLink, Department of Neighborhood Services, Milwaukee Police Department, AARP Wisconsin, TMG, Aurora, Free at Last Ministries, and Milwau- kee Fire Department. None of these efforts would have been possi- ble without resident volunteers from the Amani neighborhood, as well as volunteers from Amani United, JP Morgan Chase, Northwestern Mutual and Feeding America.
AMANI GATHERS FOR SUMMER EVENTS
Amani Day Celebrates the People By proclamation from the Mayor, June 20th is Am- ani Day in Milwaukee, and this year Amani United threw a party in honor of the neighborhood, it’s people, partners and friends. The occasion served as a resource fair and also celebrated residents with a fresh-cooked barbe- cue and snacks, a bounce house and lawn games, visits from MPD and MFD, and free horse and pony rides from Milwaukee Urban Cowboys. POP UP! Resource Fairs Reach Amani Residents Where They Live DC believes that people should not have to leave their neighborhoods to find the things they need. That’s why DC created a summer series of Pop Up Outreach Days. The community resource fairs moved throughout the neighborhood to reach residents in the busiest parts of Amani. The Pop Up Outreach Days were held in June, July, August and September and featured partners of- fering services and vital resources in the communi- ty including Amani United, AARP Wisconsin, COA, Safe & Sound, DHHS, MPD, Fatherhood Fire, DHHS Department on Aging Services, DNS, Groundworks Milwaukee and Wraparound Milwaukee. Amani Youth Council Holds Anti- Violence March & Summer Events The Amani Youth Council was out in force this summer creating opportunities for youth in the neighborhood to participate in events and learn skills in everything from leadership, to entrepre- neurship, to self-care and mental health. AYC held their annual Youth March Against Vio- lence. County Supervisor Priscilla E. Coggs-Jones spoke to kick off the event that not only included dozens marching to promote peace, it included a chance for youth to speak, food, music and games. In addition, the AYC held several recurring events this summer including: • Sound Baths – bi-weekly series focused on
sound therapy as a source of mental health care • Fun Fridays – friends, games and snacks each Friday afternoon at Moody Park. The AYC pre- pared and sold low-cost snacks to support their own activities in the community • Entrepreneur Showcase – AYC invited business owners that serve Amani to share their work with the youth. They also served dinner to attendees. Bloom & Groom Beautifys Amani DC held the most successful Bloom & Groom plant sale in recent memory, according to DC Hydroponics Specialist Wesley Landry. “We’ve never sold this many plants before,” he said. “The plants are out beautifying the neighborhood now.” Popular perennials and annuals, as well as flowers and tomato plants grown in DC’s hydroponics lab, were sold to raise money to support DC’s Mission. DC Holds Clean-Ups in Amani DC held several clean-up events in Amani this sum- mer including the second annual Amani Earth Day Clean-up in partnership with Welcome Home Mil- waukee, AARP Wisconsin and Amani United. More than 60 volunteers participated the Saturday before Earth Day and picked up more than 100 bags of trash. The most recent clean-up was held in conjunction with Operation Summer Guardian Neighborhood, MPD’s program to focus on safety in identified neighborhoods. MPD, DC and AU canvassed the 26th Street, sharing resources with neighbors and collecting trash and debris. DC Rocks the Beta Blocks! The Block by Block initiative works to revitalize Ama- ni, one block at a time. DC leads the resident en- gagement efforts of this initiative and this summer held a Rock the Block event on the Beta Block, 2800 block of N. 22nd Street. The event included minor home repairs, beautification and a clean-up that removed about 30 bags of trash from the block.
To keep up-to-date with DC events, visit https://www.dominican-center.org
AMANI RESIDENTS IN ACTION ‘Getting Involved with Intention.’ Amani resident Mitchelle Lyle grew a passion for plants into a program that encourages youth to live healthy lives, explore agriculture & STEM careers
Entrepreneur and long-time Amani resident Mitchelle Lyle knows a thing or two about roots. She’s lived in her family’s Amani home practical- ly her entire life, leaving to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and going even further to follow her career dreams, but also staying connected to where she grew. In 2018, after earning both her Bachelor and Master degrees in Industrial and Systems Engi- neering, and becoming a successful entrepre- neur, she moved back to Amani and planted her long roots in the soil she remembered. “It’s home,” Mitchelle said. “No matter what I do or where I go, I’ve always been able to come back home. There are so many memories [in Amani]. My family and I still laugh through all the mem- ories and milestones here that happened in our house.” And back when her roots first broke through the Amani earth and spread, she developed a passion for gardening. She was born into a gar- dening family and her love of plants runs in the family. “I have some of the fondest memories of being able to pick my own snack from my grandmother’s garden. My siblings and I used to laugh about how good they were, we thought our grandmother had to add something to the soil to make it taste that way,” she said. “It was so special, and we kept that habit of choosing a healthy snack with us for a long time into adult- hood. When I had a soil garden, I allowed my nieces and nephews to pick what they wanted as well. It’s an informal tradition!” Her life-long passion, combined with her back- ground in STEM (and a little push from DC!) led
“I have some of the fondest mem- ories of being able to pick my own snack from my grandmother’s garden. When I had a soil garden, I allowed my nieces and nephews to pick what they wanted as well. It’s an informal tradition!” – Mitchelle Lyle
her to a natural next step – hydroponics. “I actually wanted to teach soil gardening at first, the idea floated in my mind for a couple of years,” she said. “Soil gardening involves getting dirty. Although that’s amazingly therapeutic, I also thought about it being a deterrent for the youth today. They may not have that connection to soil that I do. But I went in the direction of hydroponics because of
The Hydroponic Program, which was picked up as an extended program of the National Society of Black Engineers - Milwaukee Area Profession- als Chapter, promotes and provides immediate access to fresh produce in food insecure zones, soon found a kismet connection in partner Dominican Center. Mitchelle has been familiar with DC since childhood, she walked past it al-
my background in STEM. At my core, I’m an engineer and will always be. There are a lot of mechanics and science used to build these hydroponics units, it’s great exposure to be an en- gineer in a major way that may not be as evident.” While toiling with the idea of hydroponics, she won a unit in the auction at Dominican Center’s Green & Growing, an annual fundraising luncheon. “It was really cool. I had done hydroponics on a much small- er and simpler scale for herbs and things before that but
most every day. “There was a black owned mini grocery on 25th and Locust so I walked past often. My mom was insistent that we walk there to support black busi- nesses in our community,” she said. As an adult, she was re-introduced to DC at a block party supported by the Block by Block initiative. “This is when I was remind- ed of the Dominican Center and all they did. I met the staff who were so warm and welcoming. That turned into attending the monthly meetings, to volunteer-
“I want kids to get that same rush of excitement I got with hydroponics, when they’ve not only created something they can use, but they can eat too! The goal is to encour- age healthy lifestyles and show agricultural and environmental STEM fields as a career interest.” – Mitchelle Lyle
had been gardening in soil for years. Winning the hydroponics unit gave me an opportunity to try something new. As a nerd, I loved making the cor- relations between what I learned to do in soil and what the unit did for me.” Mitchelle said. Using her new hydroponics unit and seeing the possibilities through her engineer eyes, gave the full-time entrepreneur another idea: A hydroponics program for youth in Amani to teach them about agriculture, STEM career paths and guide them on their way to a healthy lifestyle. The statistics stand out to Mitchelle. She said that in the past five years, there have only been about 1,200 agricultural degrees granted to black students and only slightly more to Latino students – that’s only 14% of all races combined. “I want kids to get that same rush of excitement I got with hydroponics, when they’ve not only created something they can use, but they can eat too!” Mitchelle said. “The goal is to encour- age healthy lifestyles and show agricultural and environmental STEM fields as a career interest.”
ing for neighborhood clean ups, to just being involved as much as possible, whether I was asked or not. Really a snowball effect of getting involved with intention.” The Hydroponics Program kicked off this summer with 16 participants. Students learned agricultural education, black agricultural history, the compo- nents and functionality of hydroponics and basic botany. “Students learned the names and contri- butions of African American agricultural pioneers highlighting the black agricultural communities of Wisconsin,” Mitchelle said. “They were exposed to what hydroponics are, what it does to mimic soil gardening and the technology behind the fea- tures. They also learned about plant growth and health with activities such as healthy seed testing, germination and transferring to a hydroponics unit to grow. This will go levels deeper in 2024.”
DC HYDROPONICS LAB IS GROWING! KEEP READING FOR MORE UPDATES.
FOOD SECURITY & RESIDENT ENTERPRISE DC Grows Hydroponics Lab, Urban Farm
Dominican Center is creating an urban farm. With the success of DC’s hydroponics lab, the orga- nization is building on a vision of bringing more agriculture to Amani, creating a rich, healthy future for its residents. “There is power in building self-sustainable communities,” said DC Execu- tive Director Maricha Harris. “Not only can urban agriculture and agriculture technology (AgTech) be leveraged to create access to fresh produce in our communities, but it can also be leveraged to create jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.” With continued growth in hydroponics and STEM education at DC, the organization is expanding out- side of the basement lab with a garage aquaponics unit and soil gardening on the building’s grounds thanks to donations from Ground Works Milwaukee. DC’s hydroponics lab opened in 2019 to support the Amani Revitalization Plan’s concentration areas of Education and Family Well-Being and Housing and Economic Development by provid- ing Amani residents of all ages access not only to fresh, hyper-local food, but as a means of health- ier lifestyles, lifelong learning and eventual finan- cial enterprise for residents – by residents. In the beginning the lab produced enough produce to share with residents and friends, and enough to sell to a chef who used fresh basil in his local restau-
rants. The lab closed during lockdown, but soon re-opened more glorious than before. The lab, which boasts some of the most advanced equipment in the country, is capable of growing 40,000 organic plants. In the past year, the hydroponics lab has grown to include STEM/STEAM classes for residents of all ages. This summer adults are training with Full Circle 26, Inc. CEO and founder Shelley Mathews in her new program called Growing Food for Food Sustainability and Health & Mental Wellness. The lab is also host to a Summer Hydroponics Program for middle schoolers taught by Mitchelle Lyle. The work on DC’s urban farm is only one part of what is happening around Milwaukee. The City of Milwaukee awarded Fresh Food Access Fund grants to seven Milwaukee organizations, includ- ing DC. The grants will increase the availability of healthy food options in under served areas. DC was awarded $25,000 which will be used to devel- op a micro-farm (small-scale, high-yield, sustain- ability-minded farming) to grow Amani’s AgTech Program to improve food security and economic development.
To learn more about our urban agriculture, visit https://www.dominican-center.org/hydroponics
Amani Park Revitalized The newly named Al Jarreau Park received a fence mural and basket ball court makeover Amani residents led the call for revitalization of a park in the heart of the neighborhood. The former Cawker Park, 2929 N. 30th St. was re-named for Milwaukee native Al Jarreau recent- ly, and now has a mural and basket ball courts as colorful as the legendary musician. The City of Milwaukee Parks project was a collaboration with Milwaukee County Parks, the Domini- can Center, Amani United and Safe & Sound. Local muralist Tia Richardson with Cosmic Butterfly Designs worked with DC and neighborhood partners to create com- munity input days to design the mural, and she worked with residents and youth to bring the designs to life. In addition, Activate Co. and Richardson designed the basket ball courts with a design that represents Jarreau’s music and the Amani community. Residents and volunteers came from all walks of life to help paint the mural and the courts.
Community School Coordinator to Support Washington H.S. Dominican Center’s commitment to supporting resident-led efforts provides strong foundation for Community School Partnership
The Milwaukee Community School Partnership added a new partner to support Washington High School of Information Technology. The Dominican Center works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future. DC’s experience working with resident-led efforts provides a strong foundation for supporting school community-led efforts at Wash- ington High School of Information & Technology. DC Executive Director Maricha Harris, worked for MPS for more than three years, so she understands the new partnership. Community organizers at DC serve on two Community School Leadership Teams. Their strength with community-driven change forges partnerships between residents, youth, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, corporations, and law enforcement. DC collaborates and leverages resources to build on assets and connect residents to resources. Their work with MPS, Community School Leadership Teams and partnership experience provides unique knowledge to support community
engagement and growth at Washington High School.
DC plans to provide support and resources to in- crease the positive impact on the Washington school community. They will open community events to include Washington families. They hope to leverage their Hydroponics Lab to support learning and sus- tainability as well. They will bring their approach to programs and services that are designed to create a community in action, working in collaboration with the community and stakeholders to create an inclu- sive, vibrant community of choice at Washington. DC understands the unique fit and benefits the partnership with the Milwaukee Community School Partnership brings to the entire community. “At the heart of our mission is our belief in the importance of working in tandem with families to build a better future. The Community Schools Partnership model aligns with our beliefs and our approach to support- ing communities.” Harris said.
HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Home is Where Her Heart Is The Block by Block initiative aims to revitalize housing in Amani and engage residents with community building events
D
ella Veasy believes in the three things that have brought her joy in her life: Caring for people – she was a nursing aid for more than 44 years; caring for her home; and the power of God to work things out. “I can’t explain it, you have to ask God and believe he will provide what you need,” she said Ms. Veasy moved to Amani from Tennessee as a young woman in love with a man from Milwaukee. After working and saving for more than a year, Ms. Veasy and her husband bought their Amani home in 1975 and she has loved living there ever since. “The neighborhood was different when we moved here. Everyone knew each other,” she said. “We would all help with snow shoveling and watching out for each other.” She said that though things have changed as more landlords moved in to the area and home owners moved out, she still tries to stay connected with her neighbors. “I have enjoyed my life here. I love my home be- cause I have good memories here. My husband and kids were here. I can still see him leaning on that kitchen counter,” Ms. Veasy said as she mo- tioned through her dining room to her kitchen. “This is my house. I worked for years and years and paid it off after my husband passed,” said Ms. Veasy. “My husband did all the repairs around here, and now at age 74 I can still do some things, but I don’t like to ask my kids for help. Sometimes you think you don’t need anything, but you don’t realize you do until you ask for it.” Ms. Veasy is thankful that DC and housing coordi- nator Amanda Clark took the time to ask her what she needed. “God works things out,” she said. “It’s wonderful what DC is doing the community, and I thank God for helping me find them. Ms. Amanda is wonderful, now she calls me just to see how I am. I call her my daughter.” Ms. Veasy lives on one of the Beta Blocks of the Block by Block initiative, a project designed to be a model for neighborhood revitalization. Through the initiative, Ms. Veasy’s home was brought up to code and her windows were replaced, her roof was fixed and her porch, basement and concrete walkways were repaired. The initiative aims not only to revitalize the hous-
ing on each block, but bring back that sense of community the Ms. Veasy remembers. DC en- gages residents with community clean-ups, Rock the Block events (beautification efforts, fellowship and fun), and canvassing the blocks to provide information and resources. The initiative further supports the community by offering contractor and electrical training to residents, who in turn, do the work on the homes. The Block by Block initiative is supported by part- ners Northwestern Mutual, Dominican Center, Amani United, Ezekiel Community Development Corporation, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Mil- waukee Christian Center, LISC Milwaukee, CDBG Milwaukee, KG Development Corp and JP Morgan Chase.
For information on the Block by Block initia- tive, visit https://www.dominican-center.org/ block-by-block
FUNDRAISING FOR AMANI FAMILIES Green & Growing Raises $46k! Dominican Center supporters, donors and friends came together to raise funds for the Amani neighborhood at annual luncheon
Dominican Center held their annual fundraising luncheon Green & Growing this spring, bring- ing together people from Amani and beyond to surpass their fundraising goal. Thanks to donor generosity and a $5,000 matching grant from the Brewers Community Foundation, DC raised $46,542 to support families in Amani. Guests heard stories from Amani residents, partners and supporters, and audience members were invited to share what they love about DC and Amani. They enjoyed an awards program and a beautiful and touching performance from All Saints Gospel Choir.
DC received support from Presenting Sponsor Northwestern Mutual, as well as Platinum Spon- sor Brewers Community Foundation; Gold Spon- sor the Kordsmeier Family; and Silver Sponsors AARP Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Technical Col- lege Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the We Energies Foundation. In addition, DC received support from underwriters BMO Harris Bank and Dan Herda Photography; and program production support Palate Visuals, Chris Siegel Multimedia and Ex Fabula.
Join us for Green & Growing 2024 on April 21, 2024!
Dominican Center awards one individual community member or organization the “In the Spirit of the Founders” award each year. This award is given to those who uphold the values and tradition of our founding Dominican Sisters. This year, we honor Mitch Anderson for his commitment to adult education at the Dominican Center. Mitch Anderson retired from MATC after 27 years as an instructor in their Workplace Education department. His career consisted of being contracted out to factories and community based organizations where he taught basic math and computer skills. He holds a bachelors in Math Education and a masters in Computer Science Education. He was privileged to work his last five years at the Domin- ican Center helping students to achieve their GEDs. He is happily married to his wife of 40 years and enjoys home life with their two amazing daughters. He is pas- sionate about spirituality and health, sings in his beauti- ful church choir, loves the outdoors, and is dedicated to helping addicts, of which he is one, having recovered over 40 years ago one day at a time. He is grateful. The Dominican Center honors one individual or organi- zation every year for “Continuing the Legacy” and helping us carry our Mission into the future. This year we are honoring the Brewers Community Foundation and their Executive Director Cecelia Gore. The mission of the Brewers Community Foundation har- nesses the pride, passion and commitment of Brewers fans, players and other supporters to positively impact the lives of children and their families in Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin. The Foundation provides financial support to nonprofits that provide quality programming in the areas of health, education, recreation and basic needs, with a par- ticular focus on low-income and disadvantaged youth and their families. The Foundation has supported DC through- out its history, including sponsoring Green & Growing. Cecelia Gore is a senior level executive with extensive ex- perience leading community/external affairs, foundation and sports philanthropy. She has led Brewers Commu- nity Foundation, the charitable arm of Milwaukee Brew- ers Baseball Club as Executive Director since 2009. Gore maintains operational excellence, consistently advises on innovative strategies which support efforts to achieve recognition as a strong corporate citizen and engages in key initiatives that support the community. Green & Growing Awardees Support Amani Community
TOP: “Amani Sankofa,” a piece created by local artist Allison Westbrook and given to awardees. It represents a neighborhood with a rich history and a thriving future. MIDDLE: In the Spirit of the Founders awardee Mitch Anderson with his wife, Jacqueline Skubal BOTTOM: Continuing the Legacy award win- ner with DC Executive Director Maricha Harris.
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