Angela Parker, mother of Purvis Virginia Parker, helps Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker unveil the marker that denotes the Quadrevion Henning and Purvis Virginia Parker Lagoon at McGovern Park. Quinton Henning, Dre's father, looks on. It was in the lagoon that the bodies of the boys, missing for several weeks, were found. For the complete story read more in I-Witness column. (photo by Barbara White)

by B. White
Holla!

One hundred ninety-nine thousand, five hundred down, 50,400 to go, I-Witness showing the beauty of a Black People, our passions, compassion, intellect and Black life in love one event at a time.

"Until the Lion writes his own story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter."--African proverb

Reward

A $2,000 cash reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a mugger who brazenly mugged a senior citizen in broad daylight near the U-Bank on North Teutonia Avenue and West Hadley Street last Wednesday.

Anyone with possible information on the suspect should call 414-286-2994.

Holla-Outs

To: Jeff McAlister Jr. of Wisconsin Housing Economic Development Authority,

To: The Rev. T. Emory Smith Sr. of Monumental Baptist Church,

To: Brenda Sheers-Causey of Christ the King Baptist Church,

To: Pastor Darey Tucker of Showers of Blessings CGOC, and Sylvester Roberts

Business Holla-Outs

To: OF&H Restaurant Josephine Chanetta Hicks

To: Michelle Redd, funeral directors Morton Thomas and Nate Luckett at The New Pitts Mortuary, I-Witness wants to give Michelle a salute for many of the good things she has undertaken in our community during many of its recent traumas. She always goes that extra mile to bring closure and peace to families in our community. Michelle keep doing the good things I love it!

To: Attorney Glenn O. Givens Jr. of Law Offices of Glenn O. Givens Jr.,

To: Cedric Pollard, Praise the Lord Production Sound Company,

To: Robert Roberson, R.D. Roberson Trucking,

To: Mary Tate-Smith, Mari Gras Restaurant Hollin’-Out at you gurl.

To: Vincent Awosika, African Cafe on Hampton

To: Troy and Stacy (Flack) Coleman who were recently married. May the light of love be your lifetime star.

To: Charles Green Jr., a graduate of Messmer High School who will be attending Columbia University in New York. I-Witness is truly proud of this young man. I have known him since before he was born.

Hey, Charles I know you will do well in all your endeavors, you have your own personal star in the sky shining down on you. Keep advancing that next generation. I love it!

To: George R. Salter who has just written a new book called "Abandon."

It is a fictional novel about a politician gone bad in South Milwaukee. Should prove to be interesting George.

Congratulations on your new endeavor.

Condolences

Get Well-Holla-Out

"Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel" Editor Leonard Sykes, hey Leonard our prayers are with you.

The General Baptist State Convention Wisconsin will host an appreciation banquet for the president, the Rev. Dr. Donnie Sims of Jerusalem Baptist Church who is stepping down and moving to greater pastures.

The Appreciation Banquet will be held August 4, at the Four Point Sheraton Hotel.

Congresswoman Gwen Moore and NBA star and Racine native Caron Butler with some of the youths who attended a youth town hall meeting at the Hillside Family Resource Center. (photo by Barbara White)

Birthday Holla-Outs; Sharing

Maybe we do not hear the good words enough or appreciate them when we hear them on the special person that the Creator has made well sometimes others see it and they say it to you sometimes in the form of words.

Our Girl

The only route, walking as she does over looking the unnecessary talk, here is a lady, so real, she comes to one as she is, Barbara is about treating all right. She came into the world, first taught to be right, having first the insight, she keeps in mind it was God that said "Let there be light."

God will never be through; it is his witness that is coming to you, Barbara White is not saying she’s all. Her point to you is our God knows what it is she does, on so many shoulders she stands, we can see by her faith Barbara White in some way is of God, this lady is a part of us all. --Poet Leno Ballenting

Leno, you are right, I am not perfect by any means, and I may not always be right but I do try to do right, Thank you, for thinking of me and sharing your kind words with me.

Youth Town Hall Meeting

Congresswoman Gwen Moore hosted a youth town hall Meeting billed as "Real Talk about Real Issues" with our youth in Milwaukee at the Hillside Boys and Girls Club.

The objectives were to engage in a constructive dialogue about the status of our youth and to build awareness of the resources and organizations that assist young people.

The topic of discussions were the high teen pregnancy rate, Milwaukee has the second out of 50 states; crime, there were 122 murders in Milwaukee in 2005; prison incarceration, one out of every nine Black males are in jail and one of nine is on probation.

The high school drop out rate is 10% for the city of Milwaukee (which is majority Black and Latino) and 2% for the entire state of Wisconsin.

Jammin’ 98.3 radio personality Andrea Williams was Mistress of Ceremonies. The panelist were Jayne Montgomery, a nursing student; Antonio Perkins from Campaign Against Violence, June Perry CEO of New Concepts, Angellica Atterbury, Ramon Candelaria, Quincy Tharps, UWM professor and family therapist; teen mom Latonya Green and David Crowley of Urban Underground. There was poetry by nationally renowned poet Muhibb Dyer, who is also a member of Campaign Against Violence.

Many organizations that work with youth partook in the meeting with their youth. One of I-Witness’ favorites Michelle Allison brought a group from Daniels Mardak Boys’ and Girls Club, James Bartos one of I-Witness’ favorites came from the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center. Others also attended, like Reggie Moore, executive director of Urban Underground; Michelle Redd of Redd Snapper and the New Pitts Mortuary, Nate Luckett, Larry Moore, Alderman Joe Davis, County Supervisor Willie Johnson, Brenda Bell-White, poet Mummba and Jameel Ghuari, executive director of the Bray Center in Racine.

The panelists were good as they talked of issues, resources and personal experiences. There was also a question and answer session with the audience.

The keynote speaker was a very striking young man Washington Wizards shooting guard Caron Butler, who is originally from Racine.

Butler spoke very candidly about triumph and his life. He talked of second chances being important. Had he not been given a second chance he would not be where he is now, he cried in sharing the story about how recently his best friend was killed in Racine.

I was on my way to who knows what. I was charged with battery and I did it, I was incarcerated, locked up. However, I was able to overcome those adversarial ties. He shared with I-Witness, "I just want kids to know that if I can do it they can do it and don’t ever give up."

The Congresswoman from Wisconsin, stated she is never going to give up on young people and that she has been bringing the dollars home to help.

She has introduced legislation to assist youth and families.

Some of the legislation is has introduced include: HR1704-the Second Chance Act, which is a bill that would establish a task force on federal programs and activities relating to reentry of offenders into the community; HR-662 Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act--permitting expungement of crime records of certain nonviolent criminal offenses; HR1709 Prevention First Act-Title X Family Planning, and HR2178 Student Bill of Rights.

Emit Whitley, who has adopted six children, attended the youth town hall meeting with his children.

He said he brought his children because he wanted them to hear what was being said. He thought the meeting was informative and gave good information to the children.

Leho McDonald, a teenager, stated the town hall meeting helped him a lot "I’m in a situation now with the wrong kind of crowd.

"It showed me how to follow my own mind and be a leader not a follower.

"And if they are really, my friends they will understand. I realized I have more to lose now than most of ’em. I’ve been accepted in the Bradley Tech High School.

"I’m a songwriter and someday I want to write books (to) be an author." He looked at me as if talking to himself, yet talking aloud and said, "Yes, this did a lot for me."

Well Congresswoman Moore, it is a beginning. The dialogue has begun with young people and I found a victory in the McDonald teen.

Next time we need to reach them in the real core areas getting one victory at a time. Good Job!

Milwaukee Sends-Off Pastors for Peace

Milwaukeeans held a "Send-off Celebration for Pastors for Peace" (PFP) at Club Timbuktu.

The locals have also collected humanitarian supplies for Cuban’s children with special needs for the PFP Caravan. The Pastors for Peace are a group of Ministers lead by the Rev. Tom E. Smith who is president of the board of "Pastor for Peace." IFCO (Inter-religious Foundation for Community Organization), and pastor of Monumental Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pastors for Peace do what is called a bus caravan filled with humanitarian supplies for countries in need in assistance.

The caravan is a direct challenge to the tightened US restrictions on travel to Cuba, and the 46-year old economic blockade. The caravan will travel to Cuba and deliver humanitarian aid without an U.S. Treasury department license as an example of grassroots solidarity between the people of both countries.

The Pastors for Peace were very instrumental in assisting those in New Orleans and Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina with supplies like wheelchairs, crutches, vitamins, school supplies, sports/art equipment, Bibles, infant formula, new children’s clothing, medical supplies, and current medicines and advocacy.

Upon I-Witness and Deloris Blue’s arrival, the buses were lined outside Club Timbuktu waiting for departure.

I-Witness loves going to Club Timbuktu for its African Beer called Tusker from Kenya, and because it is the place where I can be "Ms. International" because folks in here are from everywhere in the world and co-owner Omar Gagle speaks fluently at least 20 different languages.

Many of the students who will be going to Cuba to study to be doctors were also there as well as Attorney Art Heitzer who is one of the organizers and the Rev. Smith. I chatted with the Rev. Smith about the caravan and it significance to the U.S. He stated, "we do this to assist the Cuban people with humanitarian aid as well as to break the blockage the United States has against Cuba. America has had a Blockage against Cuba for 45 years. Certain interest in the U.S. want a regime change; they want to get rid of President Fidel Castor. That small group is circumventing the rights of all Americans and damaging innocent people in Cuba."

I asked what would be the benefit to the U.S. and to Cuba in lifting the Blockage. He states, "Historically Cuba has shown to be a friend to the U.S. The assistance they have offered to those in this country who want to become doctors but cannot afford the $200,000 it takes to go to medical school. Five hundred Medical Scholarships, Cuba was one of the first countries to offer assistance to America after Hurricane Katrina hit with offers to send in their medical experts and Cuba has assisted in the fight against drugs in South America.

"America can benefit from the wealth of expertise Cuba has in the areas of social human development. Cuba in turn benefits by doing business in America particularly with Black people and purchase some of the U.S. market. In addition, do cultural exchange."

He continues, "in spite of the blockage Cuba has made great strides in human development and investing in human capitol as opposed to exploiting human beings. Human beings in any country are the greatest resource."

I asked, "What makes you do this Rev. Smith?" He replies, "it is the right thing to do. I am a pastor; I always wanted to know what it was like. (Cuba) Right now, this is (Cuba) the front line for the fight for Human Rights. Black people in America need to understand that the measures of foreign policy have a direct effect on domestic policies in our country. In Cuba, the peasants have been able to prevail against the greatest empire in the world for 45 years investing in its greatest resource, human beings." We concluded our conversation. As different speakers shared their views on Cuba and the good things.

This was a real international event folks from all over the world were there like, Benny Roalo, a restaurant owner from Rome; Elaine Kosmitis, who has a dual citizenship and is from Pieus, Greece and who kept saying "upa" to me, which means Salute or cheers.

Club Timbuktu has a variety of South African Wines, Ethiopian tea and coffees. Omar laid out a nice spread for the Pastors for Peace like Sambusa a pastry with spinach and things in it. Entertainment was provided by Caribbean music played by DJ Paul Finger.

A Salute to Dre’ and Purvis

The park was filled with those who answered a call of love, it was a partly cloudy day but McGovern Park looked beautiful and well maintained. Memorial tributes could still be seen in area surrounding the lagoon and folks who were once strangers greeted each other with hugs and smiles.

In memory of two young men named Quadrevion Henning and Purvis Virginia Parker, who we fondly remember as Dre’ and Purvis, the Lagoon at McGovern Park was renamed after them.

Dre’ and Purvis brought this community, as well as the nation, together in one of the most aggressive searches for missing African American children, ever. The two boys were eventually found in the lagoon at McGovern Park; the cause of death was an apparent drowning.

What made these boys so special was how in the search for them they brought a polarized community together. All differences were set aside and it did not matter if you were Black or White, firefighter or police officer, rich or poor--everybody worked to bring the boys home.

It is also believed that the timing of their bodies being discovered was a divine intervention. As the city searched to find the boys, several Milwaukee Police Officers were on trial for one of the most salvage and inhumane beatings of another human being and for no reason.

Then, a verdict of not guilty in the beating of Frank Jude was rendered by an all-White jury (Milwaukee is a majority-minority city) at the same time the bodies of Dre’ and Purvis were discovered. It is believed that the discovery of the boys’ bodies saved what could have been a nightmare for the City of Milwaukee.

The tribute was suggested to Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway and Supervisor Beth Coggs-Jones by a caller during their appearance on the radio show "Word Warriors" hosted by Michael McGee Sr. Dre’s dad, Quinton Henning, who is in the service, flew in from Texas. Angela Parker, mother of Purvis, as well as the two boys’ grandparents Gary and Bettie Henning and Cynthia Fox and other family members attended also.

Sheriff David Clark, County Supervisors Beth Coggs-Jones and Toni Clark and Sue Black, Parks Director, attended the unveiling as Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker signed the proclamation and unveiled the memorial plaque, which is placed near the mouth of the lagoon where the boys were found.

Others who joined the dedication were Michelle Redd of the New Pitts Mortuary Funeral Home who donated her service to the families during their bereavement, Dashal Young, Community Liaison to County Executive, the Rev. L. A. Redmond of Christian Faith Church.

Angela stated she would see her son again, and until then she will not be turned around as she thanked all who has supported their families.

Quinton stated that he appreciated and thanked everyone. "No one closed an eye, or turned their back on us when we needed them most and we will never forget that.

"We consider all of you family now." In a touching moment he called his dad, Gary Henning up and thanked him stating, "they would not have known where to begin had it not been for my father and I appreciate him so much."

Susan Whitehorse of the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice with Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited children was also on hand.

It was a sweet bitter moment filled with memories of love and a community that showed they could unite in love of two boys name Dre’ and Purvis that they just wanted to bring home.

Let Freedom Ring!

Central city and Southeast Wisconsin McDonald’s owners introduced the 2006 McDonald’s scholarship recipients during the 11th annual Freedom Ball and Silent Auction at the Renaissance Place on Prospect Avenue. (photo by Barbara White)

An evening of Jubilee, Northcott Neighborhood House, the Social Development Commission, McDonald’s Central City Network, Milwaukee County Transit System, State Senator G. Spencer Coggs and the Inner City Girl Scouts hosted the fun filled 11th Annual Freedom Ball and Silent Auction at the Renaissance.

The Freedom Ball is a color ball that represents the pride of an African People, dressed in African Attire celebrating freedom in Black, Asian, White, Latino, freedom in its modern day form.

The Freedom Ball closes out the largest street festival in the nation to recognize the freedom of Black people from slavery after more than 200 years of inhumane suffrage and we call it Juneteenth Day--June 19 the last Black person known to be told that they were free.

Therefore, the Freedom Ball closes the celebration of one of the most important days in our history.

I-Witness was seated at a table with a rock star, none other than Michael Jackson, oh sorry; I mean Alderman Michael McGee Jr. and his lovely wife LaSonia, Holla! Also seated with us were Timothy and Minnie Luckett and Attorney Glenn and Tiffany Givens.

One of I-Witness’ favorites, WISN 12 Weekend Anchor DeMarco Morgan was the Master of Ceremonies; he is very talented and always does an excellent job.

There was the reception and silent auction, entertainment was by the jazz group Larry Moore and Friends and the Wisconsin Youth Choir. Cecilia Smith-Robertson, of All Saints Catholic Church welcomed everyone and she did the Libation, some of the guests were a bit confused in direction so DeMarco helped them out by telling them the story of always knowing where you’re going.

He states Gee (Gaulien Smith) at Gee’s Clippers told him if you know what direction you are standing in just say the words "Never Eat Sour Watermelon" and you will never be lost. (Never=North, Eat=East, Sour=South and Watermelon=West).

It was hilarious, but it works. Holla! Debra Weaver of St. Mathews Christian Methodist Church did the Invocation and boy, did they serve a spread.

Diane Hettinga, chair of the ball recognized all the sponsors, elected officials, committees and special guest.

Courier Communication Publisher Faith Colas introduced Miss Juneteenth Melanie Fuller and her court.

The highlight of the evening was Bernard Saffold representing the McDonald’s Central City Network, which presented more than $60,000 to 30 Milwaukee-area high school students with scholarship awards. Ronald McDonald House Charities scholarships went to 11 African Americans, 11 Hispanic Americans, three Asian Americans and five general scholarship winners.

The McDonald’s Scholarships consist of McDonald’s Central City Restaurants and McDonald’s Restaurants of Southeastern Wisconsin in Partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities, which has given in total more than $400,000 in scholarships.

The evening concluded with us dancing to the sounds WJMR 98.3 Personality Earl Stokes. Hey, Mac and Adrian great job, I had a good time.

Keep doing the good things, I love it! Others in the house; McDonald’s owner Sherman Claypool, Welford Sanders, Denise Crumble, Brenda Bell-White, Revibi Allen, Martha Love, Jerry and Calena Roberts, Gloria Miller, Community Liaison for State Senator Spencer Coggs, Ben Watson, Greg Lewis, Charlotte Smith, Sadie Hillman of Midtowne Auto Body, Lisa Hillman-Green, Diane Hamiel of Sophisticated Man’s Boutique and Walter Ballard.