Action and resolution drives sixth district candidate Pat Bridges

Pat Bridges

Story compiled from material supplied by candidate’s campaign

Two things stand out about Pat Bridges, one of the candidates for the Sixth District aldermanic seat.

One, Bridges is about action and resolution. Two, she is passionate about the welfare of children in the community. Bridges is dedicated to making positive changes in the district, specifically in the areas of education, employment and safety.

Bridges believes her passion and activism will serve her well on the Common Council and will, more importantly, attract voters to vote for her in the April 3 recall election to replace incumbent Alderman Michael McGee, Jr.

A resident of the sixth district for over 30 years, Bridges has been employed by the Department of Corrections since 1979 working in both the Wisconsin State Prisons and juvenile correctional facilities. She is currently employed as a juvenile parole agent.

She is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in community education.

Bridges is the founder of the 11th Street Back to School Block Party. The Block Party provides incentives for youth in the community to go to school. The event is a day of food and entertainment, and provides youth with new school supplies.

The event also allows Bridges a way to connect with Black youth, who consider her to be "real." Thus, they reach out to her daily for input and direction.

Bridges believes it is important the community and city government recognize and work together to ‘bridge the gap" between them and the youth as it relates to the issues confronting both.

Bridges says employers in the district and community in general must participate in bridging that gap. To that end, she is dedicated to helping bring employment to district residents and youth, stressing she will work with local businesses and job fairs to provide assistance to those who have a genuine desire to work.

The aldermanic candidate also stressed her commitment to working with the municipal courts to assist in the strategic planning for the re-issuance of driver’s licenses to allow the residents of the sixth district to become employable.

Bridges has been or is presently involved with numerous community groups such as Children’s Outing Association (COA), Pearls for Teen Girls, the Boys and Girls Club, Shalom High School, Sojourner Truth House/Batterers Anonymous, to name a few, and community clean-ups.

Bridges is the mother of a 15-year-old son and is raising her 12-year-old nephew.