Milwaukee Branch of NAACP Looks to Unite City through “One MKE” Initiative

The Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP is eager to re-introduce itself to Milwaukee’s African-American community in 2012. With the advent of new leadership—current President James Hall was elected in November 2010 and began serving earlier this year— and a newly formed Young Adult Committee, made up of local community members between the ages of 21 -40, Milwaukee’s NAACP has announced a bold new initiative called “ONE MKE.”

The first major project under the new initiative will be a kick-off event, ONE MKE Summit, organized by the Young Adult Committee, on Saturday, January 7, 2012 at MATC (700 West State Street).

“With all that our community is facing, it is time to come together like never before,” said Milwaukee Branch President James Hall. “The purpose of the ONE MKE Summit is to unite City of Milwaukee stakeholders and organizations in an effort to collaborate on one theme, one focus, and one front in order to implement strategies that create positive outcomes as we move towards one voice for 2012 and beyond.”

Whether the topic of discussion is the state of inner city schools or the city’s disparate unemployment rate amongst African-Americans, there is no shortage of significant issues facing Milwaukee’s African American community.

The ONE MKE Summit is a day-long event focused on providing key community figures with the platform to develop action plans that will then be implemented through the year. The agenda includes six breakout sessions, two working luncheons—one for youth and the other for adults and young professionals—and perhaps the most intriguing meeting of the day, the President’s Breakfast.

Beginning at 7:30am, the Presidents’ Breakfast will bring together top executives from area corporations to discuss issues facing the African-American population, chiefly the stark unemployment rate in Milwaukee’s African-American community. Each executive will be asked to engage in discussion, ultimately offering solutions that they themselves can help implement.

“The goal is to leave at the end of the day with a set calendar and specific action items on how to pool resources to make a greater impact and drive outcomes on a grander scale,” says Young Adult Committee Chairperson, Jasmine Johnson.

All of the workshops and breakout sessions are invite only except for the Stakeholders Town Hall Meeting from 9:30am – 11:30am, which is free and open to the public. Doors open at 8:30am to the Town Hall, and complimentary health screenings will be offered.