Commentary

COMMENTARTY: Poverty

MILWAUKEE COURIER — When talking about how we move Milwaukee forward, poverty must be a primary topic of discussion.

Published

8 years ago

January 28, 2019

By Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Common Council President, City of Milwaukee

When talking about how we move Milwaukee forward, poverty must be a primary topic of discussion. As we see downtown continue to develop and grow, it is easy to let that put a mask over the parts of our city that are still reeling from deindustrialization and the 2008 financial crisis. I do not mean to say that we should dwell on this negative aspect of Milwaukee, nor should we preach a message of poverty to the choir of people that live it out each day. However, I do believe we need to take a minute to think about the poverty in our City and look at the ways we can see a solution. As MSN reported this past July, Milwaukee is one of the municipalities most impacted by extreme poverty. This can no longer be accepted as our reality.

The first thing to reflect on is that the challenges that keep people in poverty are interconnected. A quality education can help lift a child from poverty, but is probably not the catch-all solution if that child does not have quality health care, a stable home, and general safety when they leave the school grounds.

An individual getting a job can help with financial stability, but if their housing costs more than one-third of their monthly salary, we know that they will be burdened by those payments. We have to look at poverty not as an issue that can be solved by fixing one challenge, but by elevating people in multiple ways at once. It is a daunting task, but is the only way we can really see change in peoples’ lives.

The second thing to remember is that poverty and unemployment are two different things. We are constantly inundated with the idea that we can solve poverty by bringing in new jobs and getting people employed. Employment provides a level of financial stability that can have a profound impact on one’s life, but not all jobs are created equal. Milwaukee is filled with people that society would label “the working poor”. People that have jobs, work tirelessly to be the best employee they can be and still struggle to make ends meet. Job creation cannot be the solution if people still have to work multiple jobs or work weeks longer than 40 hours to put food on the table. It is imperative that we don’t just focus on connecting our residents to any job, but one that is family sustaining and affords an enjoyable life. Doing so is not impossible.

People are often surprised when I say this, but we actually have a perceived labor shortage in Milwaukee. There are numerous family-sustaining job opportunities in our city, just waiting for applicants. Organizations like Employ Milwaukee, Milwaukee JobsWork, Wisconsin God Squad, WRTP Big-Step and more are doing work to connect people to these jobs, but we still see these opportunities left open. Creating a stronger employment pipeline is important to solving poverty, but, like I said, a job isn’t enough.

Family-sustaining employment can be a part of the solution to poverty, but our history shows that is not enough to maintain a high quality of life. We know that Milwaukee was hit hard by job loss during deindustrialization, but the real tragedy is that black and brown communities were excluded from accumulating wealth that they could use to recover and reposition themselves for future success. A wage only provides stability until that job isn’t there. We need to provide opportunities for low-income residents to move into entrepreneurial spaces and build their own wealth instead of always contributing to the wealth of individuals outside of our community. There is an old adage that money only stays in the black community for six hours. That is not the case when people from the community own the businesses in their neighborhoods.

To do this, we need to look at the other issues that can be hindrances to our residents’ ability to achieve their goals. Resident ability to obtain wealth is directly tied to the myriad of factors that are woven together to form the poverty cycle. Education is key to being successful in the new economy; can we provide access to low-income residents? People need to be healthy to be successful; can we provide health care to people who have historically been unable to afford it?

The third thing to know is that we absolutely can do something about poverty in Milwaukee. For a long time, the narrative has been that our hands are tied because we are not getting enough shared revenue from the State or we are not getting the Federal grants we need to make something happen. We are at a moment in our history where the Governor of Wisconsin is preparing to roll out a plan for a $15 minimum wage. Elevating the wages of employees across the City will lead to some much-needed financial security that can contribute to the transformation of a person and family’s life. As a Council, we are prepared to support this effort by Governor Evers and look forward to seeing the other ways he will help us in our battles against poverty.

As residents of this City, we can be difference makers in ending critical poverty through our day to day actions. We can support our local businesses so that our dollars are being spent on people from the community who have a stake in where we live. We can help spread the word to people who need a new opportunity about the job fairs, training programs and open positions that exist. We can encourage new entrepreneurs both young and old to follow that passion and utilize the resources available to them to be successful. Ending critical poverty is something that requires all of us to come together. That work is happening now, and there will always be more seats at the table.

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Courier.

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Black History

Oakland Observes Black August with Block Parties, Film Showings, Workshops

POST NEWS GROUP — Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

Published

2 days ago

August 15, 2026

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George Jackson wrote two books: “Soledad Brother,” and “Blood in My Eye” before her was killed in an attempt to escape prison on Aug. 21, 1971.

By Jana Lang, Propel Youth Reporter

Study. Train. Fast. Fight.

These are the four tenets of Black August, a month dedicated to commemorating the sacrifices of political prisoners and Black revolutionaries in the struggle for Black liberation.

Observers are urged to study the history of the Black struggle for freedom, train their bodies for health and self-defense, fast to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, and fight ongoing oppression alongside their communities and local political organizations.

Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

While in prison, George befriended fellow prisoner W.L. Nolen, who introduced him to the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Frantz Fanon. This radicalization coupled with his experiences of violence while imprisoned led to him writing and publishing two books, “Soledad Brother” (1970), and “Blood in my Eye” (1972). In January of 1970, George and two other prisoners were charged with murdering a corrections officer at Soledad State Prison in Monterey County.

On Aug. 7, 1970, Jonathan Jackson burst into a Marin County courtroom armed with a shotgun to demand the freedom of the Soledad Brothers. He, along with the inmates he freed, was shot and killed while driving away. This involved one of the Black Panther Party’s most notable associates, Angela Davis, because the shotgun was registered in her name. She was later acquitted of charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder in 1972.

On Aug. 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by a corrections officer after attempting to escape and free other inmates. As a result, there were uprisings and protests within prisons all over the country that year, calling forth resistance against racial oppression and mass incarceration.

Since its outset, Black August has evolved across the country, taking many forms to honor this history and embody the four tenets.

In Oakland, the upcoming Black August Experience, hosted by Youth Alive! and the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the legacy of Black August. Activities include free food and drinks, a kids’ activity zone, interactive workshops, live cooking and boxing demonstrations, and more.

Happening on Aug. 21 from 4-8 p.m. at the EOBA Patio, Carolyn Flynn, director of administration at EOBA, said the event, in its second year, will be an opportunity to engage with people in person through food, shared space, and education.

“We do regular classes in education, and those are ongoing programs that we offer, but we wanted to have [an opportunity] for our neighbors to utilize this space.” Combined with Youth Alive’s work in community violence prevention and youth leadership, this event surely aims to bring the Oakland community together to capture what Black August means today.

Here are additional Black August events happening in Oakland:

Forum and Community Discussion hosted by the Oakland Liberation Center, 1499 Fruitvale Ave., Aug. 14, 7 p.m.

“George Jackson/San Quentin” Screening hosted by Nostalgic for Nothing Cinema at Moments Co-Op, 410 13th St., Aug. 16, doors at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. (Masks required and scent-free)

Commemorating the Struggle, Building the Altar for Liberation: Black August at Bandung Books, 2269 International Blvd., Aug. 23rd, 1-5 p.m.

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Oakland Post: Week of August 12 – 18, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of August 12 – 18, 2026

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2 days ago

August 15, 2026

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Commentary

COMMENTARY: Why Local School Tax Measure G1 Will Not Be on the November Ballot

POST NEWS GROUP — Measure G1 is the local tax measure that supports middle school teacher retention and the expansion of arts, music, and world language programs at both OUSD middle schools and charter middle schools. The current measure expires in 2029.

Published

2 days ago

August 15, 2026

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By Jennifer Brouhard, Oakland School Board President

There has been considerable speculation recently about why Measure G1 will not appear on the November ballot and what that means for the Oakland Unified School District’s current budget.

I want to provide some clarity about what happened and, importantly, what did not happen.

Measure G1 is the local tax measure that supports middle school teacher retention and the expansion of arts, music, and world language programs at both OUSD middle schools and charter middle schools. The current measure expires in 2029.

Because these funds are important to our schools and to the continuity of these programs, the district initially intended to place a renewal initiative on the November ballot to provide greater early certainty about funding beyond the expiration of the current measure.

As part of that process, the Board scheduled a special meeting for the required public hearing on the ballot initiative. There has been some suggestion that this meeting was noticed only one day in advance. That is not accurate.

Public hearings of this nature are subject to specific notice requirements, and the meeting must be noticed at least two weeks before the hearing. In practice, the notice may appear even earlier depending on publication schedules. The notice for the Measure G1 public hearing was published in the Tribune on 7/24/2026 and 7/31/2026.

So, why wasn’t the Measure G1 paperwork ultimately filed?

After the Board approved placing the measure on the ballot, the next step required the Alameda County Superintendent of Schools to sign the necessary paperwork before it could be submitted to the Oakland City Clerk.

During that process, Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro raised concerns about potential litigation stemming from another court case unrelated to OUSD and about whether proceeding with the measure could expose the district or County to legal challenges. Superintendent Castro’s action is unprecedented and concerning.

It is important to distinguish between the Board’s decision to pursue Measure G1 and the subsequent procedural and legal issues that arose. The Board did approve moving forward with the measure. The measure did not fail because the Board chose not to support it, nor was the public hearing improperly noticed.

The decision not to proceed with the November ballot was made in light of the County’s concerns about potential litigation and the County’s required approval process.

We also need to be clear about what this does, and does not, mean for OUSD’s current budget. The existing Measure G1 funds remain available through the expiration of the current measure in 2029. The immediate issue is the longer-term continuity of funding beyond that date, not the elimination of these resources from the current year’s budget.

Our responsibility as a Board is to protect the educational programs and services our students depend on while ensuring that our decisions comply with the law and protect the district from unnecessary legal and financial risk.

We will continue working to understand the County’s concerns, explore our options, and advocate for the resources our students deserve. Our middle school students, teachers, and school communities deserve stability, and continued investment in arts, music, world languages, and teacher retention—and that work remains a priority for Oakland Unified.

Jennifer Brouhard is a retired OUSD educator and is the current OUSD School Board President representing District 2.