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I-Witness
Milwaukee’s Number One Community Column
"Droppin' It Like It's Hot!"
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by B. White
Holla!
One hundred eighty-two thousand, five hundred (182,500), down 96,500 to go I-Witness touching Black people all over the city of Milwaukee, and the world one event at a time.
“Black People are the First
Wonder of the World!”
“Until the Lion writes his own story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”
--African proverb
Ponte De Aria
Be Ever Wonderful – (Brazilian Rhyme)
Thought of the Week
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD shall be praised.”--Proverbs 31:30
Word of the Week
“Martinet”
\mar-t'n-ET\, noun:
Definition:
1. A strict disciplinarian.
2. One who lays stress on a rigid adherence to the details of forms and methods.
Sentence:
1. His insistence on strict discipline began to earn him a reputation among his men as an unfeeling martinet.
2. At first, the recruits hate and fear the sergeant, but gradually they come to realize that he’s been turning them into soldiers. It is the example of this unlovable martinet, not the “Good Joe” who replaces him, that will help them survive in combat.
Source: Doctor Dictionary.com
Birthday-Holla-Outs
Hey DeMarco Morgan, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday!
Hey All my Facebook friends, Cornelius Dwayne Watkins, Shantell Wilson, Autumn Blaze, Tasha McThomas who are celebrating their Birthday. It’s Yo’ Birthday, It’s Yo’ Birthday, Happy Birthday!
Holla-Out
Hey Kamond Thomas, Alicia Steward, and Sandy Sayavoing over at Milwaukee Health Services, Oral Health Department, Holla!
Hey Tracey Dent and the PCA, sorry I missed your turkey give away, I tried to get there. Just want to thank you, the PCA and all the other caring folks in our community who thought outside themselves and brightened the holiday for many others. Again, thank you.
Hey Jackie Barnett receptionist over at Mt. Sinai Hospital. They have the right greeter at the front desk. You are so full of energy, have a wonderful smile and you are very personable and caring. We need more people in the world like you. Holla!
Prayer Request
Please keep little Jori Lauren Leflore in your prayers, I-Witness knows first hand how powerful this community’s prayers are. Jori has cancer. Her treatment and hospital stay will be lengthy. Let’s keep her and her family strong through our prayers.
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The Story that caught my I...
Judge Louis Butler
The Visiting Nurses Association
I-Witness had to use the services of the Visiting Nurses Association. I want to thank them for their service, especially Jill and Juanita, who were nurses assigned to my care by the association.
They gave me excellent care. They showed true concern for my well being, acting as advocates for my health services.
The Visiting Nurses Association is part of the Aurora Healthcare Family.
Their daily visits to my house not only set me on the path to healing, but saved me a lot of money and time traveling to the hospital/clinics daily or becoming an inpatient.
They are patient and skilled healers who did their job well. (And y’all know I’m not a good patient. Holla!)
Again, I-Witness thanks the Visiting Nurses Association and Juanita and Jill for their excellent care.
The White House Butler
It is unfortunate that no matter how educated a Black man is, no matter how much money he has or how accomplished and successful he becomes in life, there’s always some “non-Black” person(s) that’s going to come out and call him (in so many words) a “N---a” and tell him to stay in his place.
Recently, “The Wall Street Journal” ran an article titled, “The White House Butler.”
It was about Judge Louis Butler who has been nominated to fill a lifetime federal judgeship in the Western District. President Barack Obama has recommended Butler to serve on the federal bench.
However, “The Wall Street Journal” article implied Butler should be rejected by the U.S. Senate Judicial Committee because he lost his bid to become the first African American elected to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court.
Butler had been appointed to fill a vacancy on the state’s highest court by Governor Jim Doyle. The WSJ article implied the judge was a loser and too liberal.
The accusations that Butler was a “loser” and “too liberal” didn’t concern me, they were nothing more than political sniping by a conservative media outlet. What DID bother me, however, was the article’s title, inferring that Judge Butler was some kind of servant (the article made an obvious play on words with the judge’s last name).
As I do all things, I flipped it, turn it around, stepped on it because I truly do want to be objective in my views and opinions. But every which way I turned it, “The White House Butler” seemed to be an outright racist attack upon Judge Butler.
What a sad day. The newspaper’s explanation for the title? “It was simply a play on words.” How sad that they won’t even recognize that it was a racist, White supremacist intended put-down of the judge.
Simply put, the article’s title was meant to embarrass Butler, President Obama and all Black people--especially Black men--who aspire to greater things.
The play-on-words by the WSJ revealed something else in my opinion: “(Some) White people are cowards who fear the success of Black people in the world.
They’re afraid successful Black people--for that matter a successful Black race--will treat them the same way we Black people have been treated (make that mistreated) by a White controlled society.
So at every turn, they (SOME White folks) regulate us (all Black folks) as often as they can to being nothing, or, in the case of Judge Butler, nothing more than servants (again) in the White House.
“The Wall Street Journal” needs to apologize not only to Judge Louis Butler but to the thousands of Black People who have found a way to be successful in this country in spite of those who still want to treat us like three-fifths of a human being.
Well, “Wall Street Journal,” surprise, surprise, surprise, we are slaves no more. Never, never, never again! |
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Bayshore boutique helps the Human Development Center
Sales reps for Luci’s Boutique and representatives from Human Development Center collaborated recently for a fundraiser that benefitted the center, which provides wholistic and wrap around services to youth in Milwaukee. (Photo by B. White)
Luci’s Boutique held a private fundraiser for the Human Development Center at it’s store in Bayshore.
The Human Development Center is a social service center that provides wholistic and wrap around services to the youth in Milwaukee including education.
According to Lelah Huntley, Public Relations Director at HDC; Laresha Harris who is the personal shopper for Luci’s Boutique got together with the newly formed marketing team, Milwaukee Premier, which consists of Kwabena Nixon, Tony Reese, Lelah Huntley, Kyesha Washington, Mike Whittley, and Isaiah Merry.
Luci’s decided this holiday season they were going to get involved in the community to try to make a difference. Young professionals came from all over the city to join Milwaukee Premier and to support HDC. Poet Logic was in the house.
Y’all have to get out and hear this young lady “spit” (recite her poetry). She is good.
Luci’s is the place where most of the young folks purchased their outfits for the 40/40 Birthday party for Nixon. They were all dressed presidential that night and most of the women’s attire came from Luci’s.
Luci’s is a fashionable boutique that carries one of a kind items; so you won’t see many folks with the same outfit on states Harris.
“We will only carry two or three of one item at any time and we get new shipments every week.”
The boutique has all kinds of attitudes. The store reminds me of the ’60s and the “Flower-Power” hippie movement of that era, but with a touch of class.
The store also has “It’s yo’ thang” kind of outfits. I love the boutique. It’s personable, fun and Harris makes sure she knows every one by first name.
Chatting with Harris is like chatting with your best friend.
I watched as many came to get their outfits for the upcoming Black-Out Party. Star Batton and Ebony Newsom of Poetry Unplugged were in the house looking for that prefect dress.
Make-up artist Daniel Rincon was on hand showing women how to apply their make-up. He even did a couple much-needed makeovers. He knows how to create miracles. Holla!
The prices are real reasonable. Prices start from $20 and go up to $130 (which is often the price of a coat).
I will say, I didn’t see any double-X or triple-X sizes, unless they were sold out. But I’m sure they can accommodate whatever your size.
Being in the store reminded me when I was the young girl dressing cute.
What was truly good about this evening was a portion of the sale proceeds went to HDC programs and its scholarship fund.
The owners of Luci’s Boutique are Motiya Lopez and Jeff Paape, (Paape means “Big-Daddy” in Spanish. Holla!) Their store motto is: “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Fashion.” I loved it!
Hey Lelah and Laresha, I wish I was going to be in town for the Black-Out Party to see how cute all the women looked who shopped at Luci’s. I had a great time and loved the Sushi. |
’Tis the Season to Give Back!
It is that time of year, y’all. ’Tis The Season to be giving and be thankful for what you have. Some folks can even be thankful for their good blessings and spread them all around.
The Masons of Blazing Star Lodge #4 did just that by giving away over 500 turkey dinners to families in need at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge.
Al Smith, Worshipful Mason of Blazing Star Lodge #4, called it a wonderful day of giving.
Mike Butler was the chair of the annual Turkey Basket give away. He detailed to me all that they had put in the boxes that were delivered to families. The baskets included a turkey, mac and cheese, veggies, stuffing, cranberry sauce. You name it, it was in the basket.
“We want people to have a full dinner,” Butler said. “We are blessed, so we want to always bless others. We had those who could pick-up their gift box come to get them and those individuals like the elderly and shut-in who we delivered to.
Corey Ford, a seventh grader at Kennedy Middle School, was working nonstop filling the boxes with a little bit of everything. I-Witness asked how did he get involved?
“Well, first I’m came to hang-out with my Dad, (Terrell Williams),” Ford said. “Secondly, I’m here to help out those in need because I would like someone to reach their hand out to me if I were in a situation. So that’s why, I’m here. Besides, it’s a great way to spend time with my dad.” Y’all know I-Witness loved this young man.
What I-Witness found so special about token of love act by the Blazing Star Lodge was that each person receiving a basket was also given a huge card that read: “On behalf of the Craftsmen of Blazing Star Lodge #4, we hope this Thanksgivings Day Basket brings you and your family as much joy as it did for the family who sponsored it. May your holiday be full of hope and thanksgiving!”
They were also asked to sign a thank you post card that will be mailed directly to the family that sponsored their Thanksgiving basket. It said, in a simple and gracious way: “Thanks for your kind consideration. May many blessings come to you and your family.” The folks who signed the cards were excited and wanted to know who sponsored them and their family for such a wonderful dinner.
Y’all know I-Witness loves those nice touches of appreciation.
As mothers and women came to pick up the love tokens, I-Witness was most appreciative in how the men treated the women--like ladies. Being very helpful, offering to carry boxes to the car.
Of course, some of the women didn’t know how to handle being treated like a lady. But the men insisted in assisting them and they finally accepted the men treating them like the queens they are. I loved it!
Hey Worshipful Al, Mike and Blazing Star Lodge #4. It takes really decent human beings to care about the needs of another human being. I-Witness loves the way you do the things you do. Keep doing the good things.
’Tis the Season Part II
Radio Station, V100.7 and it’s host, “Smooth as Butta” Reggie Brown, hosted a live remote in partnership with the Salvation Army Food Drive at the new Pick and Save on 76th and Good Hope.
Many of the shoppers at the store would go in, do their shopping, come out and put food items at the Salvation Army station outside the store. The Salvation Army will then distribute the food from their sites to families in need.
National recording artist and talk show host Brain McKnight made a brief appearance to support the efforts of V100.7 to help fill bellies and bring smiles to the faces of many families this holiday season. McKnight drove all the way from Chicago to come and support the food drive.
While McKnight was a hit, it was Reggie Smooth as Butta, who the crowd was there to see. Folks hugged him, joked with him and told him they came because they heard his call.
The humble, the radio personality would just smile. DJ and producer Dr. B was also in the house.
Hey Reggie “Smooth as Butta” and the team at V100. Thank you for loving and caring about our community. It takes big hearts to care about another human being. I would also like to thank Brian McKnight for making a special trip to Mil-Town to support those in need. Keep doing the good things, I love it! |
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