Community
General King Rick Ensures 2019 the Year of the Panther
MILWAUKEE COURIER — The Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee have been pretty busy the first two months of 2019.
By Dylan Deprey
The Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee have been pretty busy the first two months of 2019. From the calls to their hotline and direct messages on social media, racism and oppression never sleeps.
Though their tactics may not fall in line with some, anytime they are notified of an incident, they investigate and intervene.
“People hate when we go to the source, but if they weren’t a detriment, we wouldn’t be there,” King Rick said. “We don’t mess with people that don’t deserve to be messed with.”
Though the Black Panthers are seen as a radical group, they are rather a militant unit that provides humanitarian effort and protection, along with amplifying the voice of the voiceless.
“The complete village is our family because it doesn’t matter what race you are. If you need help, we will help you,” King Rick said. “The only time we’re going to a business is if we’re supporting them or they messed up.”
Over the course of two months, the Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee have had to check several local and corporate businesses in and around Milwaukee for their ignorance. King Rick sat down with the Courier to give his take on each one.
Denco Manufacturing, New Berlin, WI
Marlon Anderson, a Milwaukee resident, worked at Denco Manufacturing for three years. He reached out to the Black Panthers about an incident with a coworker in December.
As Anderson was walking by, a white coworker asked him to stick his head into a noose fashioned from a nylon strap. He later came over and said he was asking to “test the weight limit of the straps.” Anderson said he was anxious and physically shaken up the next day coming into work. He added that he kept a screwdriver in his pocket for protection.
The employee said the incident was a joke and normal shop floor banter. The police were called, but surveillance video and testimony were not enough evidence for disorderly conduct.
“There is no misunderstanding or joke about lynching anybody, especially African Americans,” King Rick said. “We wanted the employee fired and the company to take responsibility.”
Denco Manufacturing had business with Harley Davidson and several other companies in neighboring suburbs. After hammering amounts of calls, emails and direct messages, they stopped answering their phones and still have an “Under Construction” notice on their website.
A representative with Harley Davidson later reached out to the Black Panthers to announce that they had ended business with Denco after taking concern from the community.
“Right is right and wrong is wrong, and if you’re not going to stand up and allow racism and oppression in your company, then you have no business in business,” he said.
The Panthers have made the trip to Denco twice, and will continue until the employee is fired.
FedEx, Glendale, WI
A 19-year-old female from Milwaukee was working at FedEx with a stand-in manager from a different location. The young adult asked her a question, which she responded by calling her a “f*****g monkey” in front of customers.
Individuals who had heard the outburst had spoken with her. The manager, Emily Trout, admitted what she had said and they contacted the Panthers.
After speaking with the young female’s father, who had corroborated the story, they went to FedEx and demanded Trout be fired. FedEx had the Panthers and the local alderman removed from the store.
The company was hit with a barrage of phone calls. FedEx eventually flew in their corporate lawyer to speak with the female about the alleged incident, and no resolution was made.
The Panthers had also visited the store she allegedly managed. Employees said they had never heard of her, and there is still no word if Trout is an employee.
“I don’t know if they moved her further out to the suburbs or got rid of her, but their policy is to not comment on employees,” said Rick. “But, if there wasn’t an issue, why did they fly their corporate lawyer out?”
He added that with the multiple instances of racism and oppression in Milwaukee and the suburbs, people out there didn’t seem to care.
“If you go in there all tame and docile, nothing is going to get done, but if you go in there with a bunch of strong Black men and women, someone will take accountability,” said Rick.
Stop & Shop, 29th/Fond du Lac, Milwaukee
When videos pop up online, the Panthers are instantly notified. The phone rings, the messages come in and they assemble.
On Feb. 10, a video of a large mouse squirming throughout bags of chips on a rack at a Northside gas station set social media ablaze.
“We are the ones keeping them rich, I don’t see white folks coming down to 29th and Fond du Lac for a juice and chips, so you better respect us and take care of a rodent infestation,” King Rick said.
There were many calls placed to the health department, and when the Panthers visited the business, the owner showed them that pest control had come through. They also noticed there had been mouse traps and other pest control units in place.
Though it will take time for a rodent-free establishment, he acknowledged them for taking the steps to better the situation, although it might not have been addressed if the video hadn’t surfaced in the first place.
In a perfect Milwaukee, King Rick said all businesses would put funds back into the communities that have spent millions at their establishments.
Mobil, 95th/Brown Deer, Milwaukee
On Feb. 9, a Milwaukee man who was normally charged $2 for cigars was now being charged $2.10. He didn’t have the extra dime. When he questioned the clerk, an argument ensued. The worker called him and his five-year-old nephew the “N-Word.” He then threatened them with a gun.
He called Black Panthers right after it happened. They went to the gas station and literally shut it down.
“We didn’t let anybody into the gas station, we turned people away because that’s what needs to be done,” King Rick said. “Forget talking, we need action.”
They stayed until the police came. The clerk was cited and ordered to the D.A.
“If you’re going to be in our community, making money from our community, you will respect our community, and need to put back in our communities,” he said.
The Year of the Panther
Along with dealing with racial incidents in and around Milwaukee, the Original Black Panthers give back through community events and donations. They also perform community patrols and provide security for those in unsafe conditions. They also have meetings every Wednesday for people to air their grievances.
“Milwaukee is home to all the unfavorable statistics for African Americans, the hyper segregation, the worst place to raise a Black child and the highest incarceration rates. Where are the churches, politicians?”
For 2019, the Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee are planning to add voter awareness to their list to-do list.
“You know what would happen if we got 1,000 people to show up to a Common Council meeting?” King Rick asked. “We need to take the responsibility for our community and for 2020 we want people to ‘Get Woke to Vote.’”
This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Courier.
Art
Misty Copeland Shapes Ballet’s Tomorrow
THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY — Misty Copeland will curate the 2026 Joyce Ballet Festival, a two-week event in New York City from August 4-16. This role allows her to influence the future of ballet by showcasing a wide range of dancers, choreographers, and companies. The festival will present both established and contemporary works, blending classical traditions with new artistic expressions.
This summer, Misty Copeland will step into a different kind of spotlight. Instead of taking center stage as a dancer, she will help determine what audiences see onstage as curator of the 2026 Joyce Ballet Festival. Taking place August 4 through August 16 at The Joyce Theater in New York City, the two-week celebration will bring together dancers, choreographers and companies representing a broad spectrum of ballet. The festival gives Copeland an opportunity to share not only her appreciation for ballet’s traditions, but also her vision for its future.
Copeland understands better than most how powerful a ballet stage can be. Her historic career with American Ballet Theatre changed the conversation about representation in one of the world’s most traditional performing arts. When she became the company’s first Black woman to reach the rank of principal dancer, her achievement carried significance far beyond a personal milestone. It gave young dancers of color a new image of what was possible and challenged the industry to reconsider who belonged at the center of ballet.
That history informs the perspective she brings to the festival. Copeland has spent much of her career moving between performance, mentorship, advocacy and storytelling. Her curatorial role allows her to bring those interests together by creating a program that does not treat ballet as a museum piece. Instead, the festival presents dance as an evolving language capable of carrying classical traditions into new cultural and artistic territory.
Audiences will encounter a mixture of established works and contemporary creations during the festival. Classical ballet vocabulary will share space with choreography that pushes dancers toward different physical, emotional and theatrical possibilities. The result is intended to give audiences a broader understanding of the art form while demonstrating that tradition and innovation do not have to be competing forces.
The lineup also provides an opportunity to see dancers from different artistic environments. Performers connected to organizations including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Houston Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem and Complexions Contemporary Ballet are among those represented in the festival. Each company carries its own history and artistic identity, making their participation part of a larger conversation about the many ways ballet can be performed and interpreted.
The presence of Dance Theatre of Harlem is particularly meaningful within the larger story of Copeland’s career and the evolution of Black representation in ballet. Founded during a period when opportunities for Black dancers were severely limited, the company helped demonstrate that excellence and classical training could flourish in a Black cultural environment. Its legacy continues to influence dancers and audiences, making its connection to a festival curated by Copeland especially resonant.
The program also reaches beyond a single definition of contemporary ballet. Choreographers with different backgrounds and artistic philosophies contribute to an evening that can move from recognizable classical structures to works shaped by modern dance, theater, popular culture and new approaches to movement. That diversity reflects a generation of artists who increasingly see ballet not as a rigid vocabulary but as a foundation from which they can explore.
For New York audiences, the festival offers something that is increasingly valuable: the opportunity to experience outstanding dancers in an intimate setting. The Joyce is known for presenting dance in a theater where audiences can see movement and artistry up close. That environment can make a familiar ballet work feel newly personal while allowing experimental pieces to communicate with unusual immediacy.
Copeland’s role as curator also sends a message about the importance of artistic leadership. The people who select performers and choreography help determine which stories receive attention and which artists receive opportunities. By bringing a range of voices into the festival, Copeland is using that responsibility to broaden the conversation around ballet. Her choices can introduce audiences to artists they may not otherwise encounter while encouraging longtime ballet followers to look at the form from a different perspective.
The 2026 Joyce Ballet Festival ultimately arrives at an important moment for the art form. Ballet is carrying centuries of tradition into an era defined by changing audiences, broader representation and increasingly adventurous choreography. Copeland’s festival reflects that transition. For two weeks in August, The Joyce will become a meeting place for the familiar and the unexpected—a celebration of where ballet came from and a preview of where it may be going. And with Misty Copeland helping shape the conversation, the future of ballet promises to be as expansive as the dancers who are defining it.
Based on reporting by The Positive Community.
Community
As Part of Your Back-to- School Checklist, Vaccinate
POST NEWS GROUP — Vaccines protect your household and also limit the spread of diseases such as measles and polio. The higher the vaccination rate in a community, the greater the protection for everyone – especially the most vulnerable.
Berkeley Public Health recommends families catch up on immunizations before the new school year begins
Parents, check that your children return to school up to date on vaccinations. If necessary, schedule a visit with your family’s doctor or with the City of Berkeley’s Immunization Clinic to catch up.
Vaccines protect your household and also limit the spread of diseases such as measles and polio. The higher the vaccination rate in a community, the greater the protection for everyone – especially the most vulnerable.
Families are encouraged to:
- Check their child’s vaccination records. Ask their health care provider or check California’s Digital Vaccine Record portal.
- Schedule a check-up with your child’s doctor.
If your child doesn’t have a health care provider, you may be able to access free vaccinations through the City of Berkeley’s Immunization Clinic. Make an appointment by calling (510) 981-5350, emailing phmailbox@berkeleyca.gov, or booking online.
See what shots are required for pre-kindergarten or TK-12th grade, and check that your kids have all their recommended vaccines.
FREE VACCINE CLINICS AUG. 4-13
Children without health insurance or whose insurance doesn’t cover vaccines can get them for free:
City of Berkeley Immunization Clinic
West Berkeley Family Wellness Center
1900 Sixth St.
Hours: Tuesdays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Closed 12 p.m.–1 p.m.
Make an appointment between Aug. 4–6 or Aug. 11–13 for back-to-school vaccine clinics:
- Call: (510) 981-5350
- Email: phmailbox@berkeleyca.gov
- Book online
Children 18 years and under are eligible for free City vaccines if they are:
- Medicaid-eligible
- Uninsured
- Underinsured (insurance does not cover vaccines)
- American Indian or Alaska Native
If you are unsure whether you or your child is up to date, the City of Berkeley Vaccination Clinic can help review records and provide recommended vaccines.
FAMILY WELLNESS RESOURCES
Vaccines are just one of the many public health services you can access at the West Berkeley Family Wellness Center. The center is home to the Women, Infants, and Children program, nutrition support, case management services, and a variety of family support services, plus free classes throughout the year.
Vaccinations aren’t just for kids. Throughout adult life, everyone should keep up with their vaccination needs. See recommended vaccines for adults.
Get a healthy start to the school year. Check your child’s vaccinations. Make an appointment with your doctor or get free vaccines at the City clinic.
VACCINE INFORMATION AND FAMILY RESOURCES
- City of Berkeley Immunization Clinic
- TK–12 school vaccine requirements:
- Family support services:
Get trusted information about the City of Berkeley by bookmarking berkeleyca.gov, subscribing to our newsletter, and following us on Bluesky and Instagram.
Community
As Part of Your Back-to- School Checklist, Vaccinate
POST NEWS GROUP — Vaccines protect your household and also limit the spread of diseases such as measles and polio. The higher the vaccination rate in a community, the greater the protection for everyone – especially the most vulnerable.
Berkeley Public Health recommends families catch up on immunizations before the new school year begins
Parents, check that your children return to school up to date on vaccinations. If necessary, schedule a visit with your family’s doctor or with the City of Berkeley’s Immunization Clinic to catch up.
Vaccines protect your household and also limit the spread of diseases such as measles and polio. The higher the vaccination rate in a community, the greater the protection for everyone – especially the most vulnerable.
Families are encouraged to:
- Check their child’s vaccination records. Ask their health care provider or check California’s Digital Vaccine Record portal.
- Schedule a check-up with your child’s doctor.
If your child doesn’t have a health care provider, you may be able to access free vaccinations through the City of Berkeley’s Immunization Clinic. Make an appointment by calling (510) 981-5350, emailing phmailbox@berkeleyca.gov, or booking online.
See what shots are required for pre-kindergarten or TK-12th grade, and check that your kids have all their recommended vaccines.
FREE VACCINE CLINICS AUG. 4-13
Children without health insurance or whose insurance doesn’t cover vaccines can get them for free:
City of Berkeley Immunization Clinic
West Berkeley Family Wellness Center
1900 Sixth St.
Hours: Tuesdays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Closed 12 p.m.–1 p.m.
Make an appointment between Aug. 4–6 or Aug. 11–13 for back-to-school vaccine clinics:
- Call: (510) 981-5350
- Email: phmailbox@berkeleyca.gov
- Book online
Children 18 years and under are eligible for free City vaccines if they are:
- Medicaid-eligible
- Uninsured
- Underinsured (insurance does not cover vaccines)
- American Indian or Alaska Native
If you are unsure whether you or your child is up to date, the City of Berkeley Vaccination Clinic can help review records and provide recommended vaccines.
FAMILY WELLNESS RESOURCES
Vaccines are just one of the many public health services you can access at the West Berkeley Family Wellness Center. The center is home to the Women, Infants, and Children program, nutrition support, case management services, and a variety of family support services, plus free classes throughout the year.
Vaccinations aren’t just for kids. Throughout adult life, everyone should keep up with their vaccination needs. See recommended vaccines for adults.
Get a healthy start to the school year. Check your child’s vaccinations. Make an appointment with your doctor or get free vaccines at the City clinic.
VACCINE INFORMATION AND FAMILY RESOURCES
- City of Berkeley Immunization Clinic
- TK–12 school vaccine requirements:
- Family support services:
Get trusted information about the City of Berkeley by bookmarking berkeleyca.gov, subscribing to our newsletter, and following us on Bluesky and Instagram.
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Misty Copeland Shapes Ballet’s Tomorrow
As Part of Your Back-to- School Checklist, Vaccinate
As Part of Your Back-to- School Checklist, Vaccinate
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