Escuela Verde Students Share a Different View of Milwaukee Neighborhoods

As part of this quarter’s advisory project, some Escuela Verde students have looked at their surrounding neighborhoods through the lens of Social Justice and Fair Distribution to understand the role of media in our perception of safety. With this in mind and after exploring multiple sources, students decided to prepare different forms of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) one of which was a take over of Escuela Verde’s blog to share different views about the South Side and Sherman Park neighborhoods in Milwaukee.

Enjoy and PLEASE share any comments you may have!

Senior Spotlight: Cristian Ojeda

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Slideshow: Student participants in Cristian’s Fall Camping Trip to Advisor Joey’s land near Stevens Point, WI.

YPEAR Project Title: In what ways does offering opportunities to learn about environmental issues and make environmental connections affect a young person’s willingness to make more environmentally healthy decisions?

Problem Statement: Environmental issues are an ever-looming issue of our current and future generations. The fact that there are some people who believe that these issues don’t matter to them – either because they don’t care what happens to nature or think they won’t be affected by the adverse effects of their and others actions – is an unhealthy sign of what’s to come. If a serious and timely change in perspective thinking doesn’t occur, our world will continue to degrade in quality and livability. The issues I plan to address are that not enough people, and especially not enough students/youth, are being exposed to the environment, the problems currently affecting it, and having positive experiences that make them realize they are a part of nature, and that they need nature to live. This kind of perspective thinking goes on to contribute to them making better environmentally conscious decisions.      

Thesis Description: I plan to address this issue by creating a workshop where I will teach and discuss with students about how we should be respecting our commons of nature. Once we have bettered our learning on how to do so, we will be going on an environmentally conscious camping trip where we will try to make memorable connections in nature, which I hope will strengthen our moral obligations to becoming better stewards of the land. After my mindful camping trip, I will hold another workshop where the student participants will learn to better advocate for the issues we want to address in our communities, and then we will create a plan to address an issue and act on it. My last action will be a page on our school website where either myself, or myself and a group of students, will write articles highlighting some environmental issues that the average person can affect on a small scale, as well as information on why the issue is a problem.

Methodology: To measure my community change, I will mainly be using pre and post surveys, student reflections, and maybe photos.

Implications: The goal of my project is to raise more awareness to the issues of the environment that will eventually affect us all, as well as getting my generation to explore environmental advocacy, environmental issues and their own personal sense of place. My personal goals for this project are that I hope this experience I will go through will prepare me for my future in natural resources activism or management, as well as proof to me that I can be helpful and a positive addition to society.

 

How does an organization like play works help the community develop a sense of safety?

by Yamile Salgado, 10th grade

Playworks is an organization that wants all youth to come together as a team. Having said that, Playworks helps kids to feel safe in their community by taking them outside to play with other kids in the same community. Bringing kids out to play in local areas brings a sense of safety to children because they get comfortable playing with the other kids. As children bond the chances of bullying decrease and the chances of a child having a positive experience and have fun will increase. Kids learn to accept and respect each other and settle their disagreements with words through the healthy play that Playworks offers.

If you were to put a “playworks” in a different community rather than the one on Pierce st, you will see many changes in perspective and in sociability. Why? Well because playworks incorporates diversity, equity, teaches respect and problem solving in their recess activities. They hope to have the community interested in them to share strategies about play and youth development.

Learn more at www.playworks.com

 

What role did politics play during the civil rights movement?

By Angel Avina, 11th grade

Source: Article on http://www.prospect.org

The civil rights acts goes back to 1954– 1969 . The civil rights act was a bill that was meant to end segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. With Republicans having trouble with minorities, some like to point out that the party has a long history of standing up for civil rights compared to Democrats.

Democrats, however, were less likely to vote for the civil rights bills of the 1950s. Democrats were more likely to filibuster, and 94% of Republicans in the House and Senate voted for the bill and Less than 73% of Democrats did. Surprising?

After years passed, voting statistics show that Republicans are not viewed as the party of civil rights. Nearly 100% of Union state Democrats supported the 1964 Civil Rights Act compared to 85% of Republicans. None of the southern Republicans voted for the bill, while a small percentage of southern Democrats did. Ultimately ,the Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson was the one who signed the law.

Thinking about all this I wonder, if the Republican Party is known today (with their history of proposing laws that discriminate against people of color) as less favoring of minorities compared to the Democratic Party that are known to be liberals, why did a higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats in both houses of Congress vote for the 1954 Civil Rights Act?

It’s really surprising to know that in 1954 today’s liberals which want freedom for all, did not want freedom for those of color.

Do you have any context on this matter that you would like to share?

What No One Tells You About the Civil Rights Movement

by Carlos Zaragoza, 11th grade

Source: Article on boldand fearless.me

According to a study published with the title “Civil Rights Leaders Who Changed History”, the answer is not women.

Although men and women possess the qualities that enable them to work effectively as leaders, such as embracing confidence, courage, optimism, and bravery, women were not recognized for leading masses and meeting demand obligations due to gender discrimination and sexism. Although black women played a huge role in the civil rights movement by becoming female panthers, activist and participatory members of the black community they received little recognition for such bravery.

The civil rights movement was a movement for racial equality. However, I believe the movement was gendered by the mobilization of resources, organizations and liberty of voice. Black female activist were denied the opportunity to participate directly in the marches, due to the U.S gender construction of that decade. Society expected women to be housewives and domestic secretaries who needed to be dominated by black men for a liberation in the movement to occur.

As if, women did not give up!

Dorothy Height, president of the National Council of Negro Women, leader of enrichment meetings, and feminist who has been titled by Barack Obama as the “Godmother of the civil rights movement” made one of the biggest impacts as a black woman during the civil rights struggle.

Daisy Bates, leader of the Little Rock Nine, a president of the NAACP, and activist who aspired to end segregation in Arkansas, advocated for gender-equality and race-equality throughout her years.

It’s evident that women had pivotal roles during the Civil Rights Movement. Their participation involved activism, leadership and courage. However female activist were accused of emasculating black man. “Manhood” was far more important for a past society that only thrived with men.  

Although barriers such as gender discrimination, sexism, racism prevented women to seek their own form of justice, we have found great hope with our future generation! Because our present society thrives with both women and men!

Police Brutality- When will we move on?

by David Ortiz, 11th grade

My advisory has been looking at the role media plays in affecting how we perceive certain events in history. For this post I want to focus on police brutality in the 1960s and how it compares with the situation today.

I found an article that talks about violence and intimidation in Mississippi since 1961. Reading the notes about violence towards African Americans over 50 years ago made me feel like nothing has really changed.

Let me show you a couple quotes from this article:

“August 29 McComb Pike County- two negro leaders were arrested in Mccomb as in aftermath of the sitting protest march on city hall charged with contributing to the delinquency of minors.”

“Negro citizens attempt to cast ballots in Greenwood August 1963. Policemen photographing each of them as they enter the courthouse. The photographs can later be used to intimidate and perhaps to force them from their jobs or homes because they tried to vote.”

How are theses events compared to what we see today? Have we really evolved collectively as a society? Here is something I found on Fox News just a few days ago:

“You had him restrained and you kept beating him,” said Rev. W.J. Rideout III of All God’s People Church. “You beat him unconsciously so now you’re bringing an excuse and lie as they always do to cover this up and brush this under the rug.”
“He had four officers, five all around him, surrounding him,” Riddle said. “You can’t even see Frankie because of the officers surrounding him.” Taylor ended up in the hospital the next day – had to have surgery on his eye – police say in the report they only restrained him because he was trying to hurt himself.

A Different Perspective on the Sherman Park Uprisisng

by Marlen Alanis, 10th grade

Sherman Park is a diverse and unique neighborhood in many ways , but unfortunately there are conflicts between the races that inhabit it. The problem is that situations arise where there are many misunderstandings and it is believed that some races are not respected.

On August  13 , 2016 there was an event in this place where a white police man killed black man because he only had to fire once to stop and arrest him , but instead he him dead. When this happened, the black community protested in Sherman Park where they burned stores- a beauty salon, a gas station and a bank – to demand the respect to their race. With this situation they wondered if the conflicts between the police and the black community will continue the same or if it will improve. Since it is not the first time this happens they do not feel safe .

What the citizenship proposes is to associate with the Milwaukee police to create and maintain neighborhood capable of sustaining civic life , the police are committed to reducing levels of fear, crime and community disorder.

Sherman Park’s Best Rated Restaurants

By Amenah Crosby, 8th grade

A month ago I went to Sherman Park to take pictures and videos of the area as part of a school project. When I returned back to the school I started to talk about the restaurants in Sherman Park. So I looked up the top rated restaurants in the area and found Sherman Perks, Stella J’s soul food, Checkers, Ritz Fish Market and McBobs as some of the best rated in the area.

Let me tell you more about these-

Source: http://www.shermanperkcoffeeshop.com

Sherman Perk Coffee Shop is a quirky cafe with an old-school diner vibe offering espresso, smoothies, sandwiches and more.  Stella J’s Soul Food I found people said it’s nice to bring your family there and also the employees are friendly and there are reasonable prices. Checkers has double drive-thrus, quick service and is part of a chain of hamburger restaurants operating under the names “Checkers” and “Rallys Hamburgers”. Ritz Fish Market reviews say if your looking for a good burger or fantastic fried fish, the Ritz is your place. Call in your order for faster service and get food for a great price. McBobs is family-owned, no-frills eatery for overstuffed deli; sandwiches, fried fish, pub grub and beers on tap. There are also games.

I want people to know about there food because many people don’t bother to even go over there but there are great things to see and eat.

That sums up my blog about some of the restaurants in Sherman Park.

Do you have any restaurant suggestions you might want to share?

Things your local news channel isn’t telling you about Sherman Park

By Dominik Franco, 10th grade

 

 

Sometimes the media gives us negative information about an event, people, situation or place and when the media transmit negative information to us we create stereotypes. If this was the case with a certain place we may categorize it as dangerous, that’s what happened at Sherman Park, that’s why today I bring this blog to tell you things your local news channel isn’t telling you about Sherman Park:

• Boys & Girls Club; there is a for a children’s and the teens to practice what they really liked and this prevents the teens are in the streets, this place has a basketball court, a place to grow plants and food etc.
• Looks like any other place in Milwaukee; from outside a car this area looks like any other area of Milwaukee, looks like a nice place to live in.
• Is a safe place to live; Despite the circumstances surrounding the Sherman Park this area is seen as a safe place to live, is a nice place.

I think we should reconsider the way we look at Sherman Park as a dangerous place and try to see it as a nice and safe place like any other area of Milwaukee. And try to avoid or not believe in the stereotypes that exist in our country to be able to live in a pleasant and peaceful place.

 

The South Side’s Best Hidden Secret

by Shemari Robertson, 9th grade

In this post I want to talk about the different types of foods you can find in the south side of Milwaukee.

At first I thought the south side had just Mexican food but as I did some research I found out that I was wrong- the south side has all kinds of wonderful food and even more than the north side.

The south side has American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and many more great types of food.The south side is great places to go eat for birthdays or other special occasions.

The foods on the south side to me is what brings the fun and joy to the community.

One restaurant I want to tell you about is Thai B.B.Q- Did you know they serve fried chicken there? It was actually better than the north side chicken places like K.F.C and what not. Thai B.B.Q has great food and they sell them for a great price and you will get a lot.

As I was eating there I looked around and everyone’s food and I thought to myself… I must have got the wrong food! It made me feel like trying new things.The people there were nice and they didn’t keep us waiting a long time either and the service there was much better than McDonald’s.

That is why I say if you’re in the area you should stop by and try the wonderful types of foods here in the South Side of Milwaukee.

Source: http://www.thaibarbq.com