Honoring the past, Inspiring the future
Thanks to a one-of-a-kind, resident-driven philanthropic initiative, public spaces and art displays at ThriveOn King will be named after African American leaders who have brought us to this place of transformation.
A Unique Vision
While collaborating with the community as essential partners, we received and acted on many inspired ideas. One clear direction we received was to preserve and honor the history of Bronzeville and the surrounding neighborhoods. This has led us to name public spaces and art displays on our first floor after distinguished African American leaders, past and present. Residents and key ThriveOn Collaboration stakeholders nominated 48 accomplished African American leaders, and we are sharing their stories in collaboration with the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum. Together, these leaders have made, and continue to make, extraordinary contributions to the Black community that directly connect to the Collaboration’s priorities of housing, early childhood care and education, wellness, community engagement and economic opportunity.
OUR 48 HONOREES
BILLYE & HANK AARON
Together, Billye & Hank Aaron blazed new trails and are creating a powerful legacy as civil rights advocates and philanthropists. In her television career, Billye Aaron became the first Black woman in the southeast to co-host a daily, hour-long talk show. The late Henry “Hank” Aaron set many Major League Baseball records, including breaking the home run record previously held by Babe Ruth. He began his career in the Negro Leagues and the minor leagues before joining the Milwaukee (later Atlanta) Braves in the major leagues. His spent his final two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. Upon retiring from the game, he became one of the first African Americans to hold an executive position in Major League Baseball. Together, the couple founded the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation to provide scholarships to help youth achieve their full potential.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SHARON ADAMS
Sharon Adams is the co-founder and former leader of Walnut Way Conservation Corp., a resident-led, community development organization serving the Milwaukee neighborhood bound by North Avenue, 12th Street, Fond du Lac Avenue, Walnut Street and 20th Street. The mission of Walnut Way is to sustain economically diverse and abundant communities through civic engagement, environmental stewardship and venues for prosperity. Adams grew up within the organization’s boundaries and created the nonprofit with her husband after returning home after years of living and working in New York. Her many leadership initiatives include transforming vacant lots into fruitful gardens and orchards, helping ensure access to nutritious foods and bringing neighbors together to care for the land.
MICHAEL WESCHLER PHOTOGRAPHY
JACKIE HERD-BARBER & MICHAEL BARBER
As a couple and as individuals, Jackie Herd-Barber & Michael Barber are successful executives, respected community leaders and dedicated philanthropists. Both are graduates of the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where, as students, they co-founded the college’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Jackie Herd-Barber held engineering and management roles at Motorola until her retirement; today, she volunteers throughout Milwaukee and serves on many boards. Before his retirement, Michael Barber was Chief Diversity Officer of General Electric, where he worked for 40 years, and is a member of the MSOE Board of Regents.
PHOTO BY JIM MOY
PAUL BLACKMAN
Labor organizer and leader Paul Blackman served two decades as president of the Smith Steel Workers Union AFL-CIO, one of Wisconsin’s largest unions representing employees of manufacturer A.O. Smith, which employed many residents of Halyard Park and neighboring communities. Blackman took on a mission to ensure that African American employees entering the manufacturing workforce in the post-World War II years received the training needed to procure well-paying jobs. During his tenure from 1972-93, Blackman worked hard to protect these jobs, which helped African American employees achieve financial stability, become homeowners and start building wealth.
PHOTO BY RICHARD PRODZELLER
BEECHIE BROOKS
For many decades, the despicable and government-sanctioned practice of redlining and discriminatory lending practices blocked untold families of color from securing mortgages and building wealth through homeownership. The late Beechie O. Brooks, a Milwaukee real estate developer, envisioned a neighborhood solution. The African American-led creation of Halyard Park in the 1970s — with Brooks developing and Columbia Savings & Loan financing — created a path to home ownership for many families. The near north side neighborhood, with its single-family ranch homes, has been a staple and source of pride for Milwaukee’s Black community for generations. Brooks’ legacy also includes philanthropy; the fund that he and his daughter, Cassandra Brooks, established at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation continues to serve the community.
PHOTO BY JIM MOY
DR. JAMES CAMERON
Dr. James Cameron was born in La Crosse, Wis., and spent much of his youth in Alabama and Indiana. At age 16, Dr. Cameron survived an attempted lynching by the Ku Klux Klan; two other African American teenagers were brutally murdered in the same violent event. M. Dr. Cameron devoted the rest of his career and life to civil rights, from founding several local chapters of the NAACP throughout the Midwest. He published a memoir, A Time of Terror, about his attempted lynching, and in 1988 founded America’s Black Holocaust Museum. The museum temporarily closed after Dr. Cameron’s death but reopened in Bronzeville in 2022, home to physical and virtual exhibits about American history through the African American experience. Dr. Cameron’s enduring legacy, the museum is an invaluable community gathering place and actively promotes racial repair, reconciliation, and healing.
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICA'S BLACK HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
DR. LESTER CARTER JR.
Dr. Lester Carter Jr. was a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Korean War. Through his work running a sick bay on the U.S.S. Tortuga, he became interested in pharmaceutical science. Following his military service, he attended pharmacy school at Creighton University. Upon his graduation, he became one of the first African American pharmacists in his home state of Nebraska before moving to Milwaukee, where he purchased his own pharmacy in 1968. Carter Drug Store was one of the city’s two Black-owned pharmacies. Until his death in 2022, Dr. Carter could be found at Carter Drug where he was sought out and revered for his holistic approach to illnesses and diseases affecting the Black community.
PHOTO BY BARBARA MINER
FERNE YANGYEITIE CAULKER
As a dancer, scholar, teacher, author and community leader, Ferne Yangyeitie Caulker has shared the power of dance and the rich traditions of African and Afro-Caribbean cultures with countless Milwaukeeans. Born in West Africa, Caulker is an alumna and professor emerita of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she built the university’s African dance and history curriculum. In 1969, she founded Ko-Thi Dance Company to preserve, teach, document, interpret and perform dance and music rooted in the cultures of the African Diaspora. Ko-Thi celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, a fixture of Milwaukee’s dance scene for generations. Her work, and that of her company, extends far beyond Milwaukee, reaching national and international students and audiences.
PHOTO BY JACK ORTON
THE COMMUNITY
For all the brothers and sisters in the struggle who will never be named but have led the movement for justice.
COURTESY OF THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY
JOHN DANIELS JR.
John Daniels Jr. is chairman emeritus of Quarles & Brady LLP, a major U.S. law firm and one of the largest in Wisconsin, leading the firm’s successful growth during a challenging economic downturn. He has received widespread, national recognition for his skill as an attorney and leader, distinguishing himself in his practice of real estate law. He led Quarles to a position of industry prominence as a firm that values diversity and inclusion in the workplace and was the first African American to lead a major law firm in Wisconsin. Daniels has consistently shared his time, talent and ties through service on boards of multiple organizations, including as past chair of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s board of directors and director emeritus of the Medical College of Wisconsin.
PHOTO BY JIM MOY
VALERIE DANIELS-CARTER
From the Milwaukee headquarters of V&J Foods, Valerie Daniels-Carter has received national recognition for her achievements and impact as an entrepreneur. V&J Foods, which Daniels-Carter co-founded in 1982 with her brother John Daniels Jr., started as the owner of one Burger King franchise and later expanded to become one of the largest female-owned franchise organizations in the United States. Daniels-Carter has shared her business expertise with audiences near and far, including service on the boards of such organizations as the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. She is part of a community consortium that purchased a minority stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.
PHOTO BY RONALD M. OVERDAHL
DANAE DAVIS
As the retired leader of Milwaukee Succeeds, Danae Davis has led a coalition of community, education, business, philanthropic and youth leaders dedicated to the success of Milwaukee youth. The coalition has embraced a mission of cradle to career, working to expand access to high-quality early childhood education and partnering with youth to foster high school success. Davis’ leadership helped Milwaukee Succeeds reach more than 300 partner organizations within the city and beyond. Davis has dedicated her career to the cause of racial equity, whether in the corporate, nonprofit, government or community sectors. Her many leadership roles have included serving as director of employee relations for the City of Milwaukee, CEO of PEARLS for Teen Girls and director of diversity management and work/life programs at Kraft Foods.
EDITH & DR. WILLIAM FINLAYSON
Dr. William Finlayson practiced obstetrics and gynecology in Milwaukee for four decades, championing women’s health and delivering babies while breaking barriers in the medical field. Dr. Finlayson was also an adept businessman, founding North Milwaukee State Bank, the city’s first Black-owned bank. He is a World War II veteran, a staunch advocate for civil rights, and a member of the Milwaukee Urban League and NAACP. He was instrumental in visit to Milwaukee by his former Morehouse College classmate, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The late Edith Finlayson was the first African American nurse at Milwaukee Veterans Administration, and some called her a “professional volunteer,” with leadership roles that included serving as the first African American on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, the first board chair of color for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and many other volunteer roles.
DR. HOWARD FULLER
For decades, Dr. Howard Fuller has fought for civil rights and education reform, here and nationally. The long-time proponent of parental choice created a charter school that expanded to a new location in Bronzeville. Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy boasts a 100% college acceptance rate for its students, many of whom are Black. Dr. Fuller has fought to create opportunity for Black youth, affirming their value and sharing an endless supply of love with them in the process. Dr. Fuller’s many, many achievements and service-oriented roles include creating and leading Marquette University’s Institute for the Transformation of Learning and serving as superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools from 1991-95.
DR. CAMILLE GARRISON
A native of Milwaukee, Dr. Camille Garrison is the residency program director for the nationally known Columbia St Mary’s Family Medicine Residency Program, providing health care access to the north side of Milwaukee. Dr. Garrison is a nationally known family medicine educator, a medical staff leader at Columbia St Mary’s Hospital, a vice chair in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and an award-winning narrative writer. Dr. Garrison was instrumental in providing healthcare to her community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work is directly tied to the ThriveOn Collaboration’s strategic priorities, including increasing access to preventive health and wellness services to reduce rates of chronic disease.
PHOTO BY ALIZA BARAN
ARDIE & WILBUR HALYARD
Ardie & Wilbur Halyard witnessed the lack of quality housing for African American families brought on by the prejudice and racism that existed in Milwaukee. Together, they founded the state’s first African American-owned financial institution, Columbia Savings and Loan, to provide home loans to African Americans who may otherwise have faced racist borrowing restrictions that other financial institutions openly practiced. Ardie Halyard was also involved with several Wisconsin chapters of the NAACP, ensuring they were in compliance with the national NAACP. The Halyards’ legacy lives on through the Halyard Park neighborhood, which was named in honor of their leadership, investment and impact.
DONTRE HAMILTON & FAMILY
Dontre Hamilton was a son, brother, uncle and father. He died on April 30, 2014, when he was shot 14 times by a Milwaukee police officer, who was responding to calls that Hamilton was asleep on a bench in a public park downtown. Following his death, Hamilton’s family have sought to honor his memory by sharing his story and fighting for justice. They have advocated for reforms to stop deadly interactions between police and those struggling with mental illness, particularly people of color, and they have offered solidarity and hope to other families who have lost loved ones in police shootings and other acts of violence. Milwaukeeans come together each year around the anniversary of Hamilton’s death to remember him as well as to unite in the work toward greater racial equity and unity.
MILDRED & REUBEN HARPOLE
As a couple and as individuals, Mildred & Reuben Harpole are known for fighting for civil rights, racial equity and education. They also created and supported a variety of community initiatives. Many of their initiatives focused on youth and education, and they mentored and inspired countless community leaders and philanthropists. Mildred Harpole, who passed away in 2019, worked as a reading specialist, teacher and administrator before serving as director of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the Milwaukee office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Often called the “mayor of Milwaukee,” Reuben Harpole spent 30 years at UW-Extension and worked as a program officer at the Helen Bader Foundation. Together they contributed to the founding of more than 25 community centers and programs.
PHOTO BY TIM EVANS
MARGARET & RALPH HOLLMON
Margaret & Ralph Hollmon’s respective careers and personal endeavors share a common theme: community service. Margaret Hollmon began her career as a social worker before becoming a teacher. She continued tutoring and mentoring youth long after her retirement. Ralph Hollmon served as president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Urban League for 14 years, leading the organization’s 2006 purchase of a building on North Avenue out of a desire for the organization to help reinvigorate Milwaukee’s Bronzeville area. He later joined the board of America’s Black Holocaust Museum and helped re-open the treasured cultural institution while also building long-term sustainability. The Hollmons are dedicated philanthropists who support the Milwaukee Urban League and fund scholarships.
PHOTO BY JIM MOY
AL JARREAU
Al Jarreau’s love of music began as a child growing up in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood. He started singing in his church and has said that his experience at Lincoln High School solidified his interest in music. Jarreau graduated from Ripon College and moved to California where he pursued a career as a rehabilitation counselor for people with disabilities. He eventually left his job to pursue nightclub work and his music career took off. Jarreau was signed to Warner Brothers Records and released a successful jazz album. Throughout his career, Jarreau released 20 albums, became a seven-time Grammy award-winning artist and was known worldwide for his jazz vocals. Jarreau frequently returned to Milwaukee to support music education for young people.
BEN JOHNSON
Ben Johnson started his career as a community organizer for the Walnut Way Improvement Council before being elected as a Milwaukee alderman in 1971. Johnson was elected president of the Common Council in 1976 and served in that role until 1980, making him the first African American to lead the City’s legislative body. He is known for establishing an ethics code for Milwaukee officials and for creating the Urban Home Study Program, or $1 House Program, which made home ownership accessible to many Milwaukeeans. Johnson later served a four-year term as Milwaukee City Clerk, has taught government and business classes at MATC and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and shares his time and talent by serving on various nonprofit boards. He also serves as chair of the Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation board of directors.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
GENEVA JOHNSON
Geneva Johnson has dedicated her professional career, leadership and community service to striving “to recognize the dignity in each human being.” She began her career as a YWCA program director in Houston, earning national acclaim for her work. Johnson became United Way of America’s first female senior vice president and later became president and chief executive officer of Family Service America, a network of social service organizations. In 2019, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation honored Johnson’s lifetime of service with the President’s Leadership in Philanthropy Award. She is a past board member of the Foundation, Mount Mary University and many other nonprofits around the United States.
WILLIAM "BILL" JOHNSON
William “Bill” Johnson is the now-retired business manager of Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local No. 113, AFL-CIO. He was the first African American union business manager for one of the 17 construction skilled trades represented by the Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council Union. Johnson’s advocacy and representation of the asphalt pavers made his value and skills known. His leadership and career were honored in 2014 with an achievement award from the Milwaukee chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, named in honor of the man who founded and led the nation’s first predominantly Black trade union.
BILL JORDAN
Bill Jordan was a retired city worker, former big band bass player, and proprietor of Mayfield’s in the Riverwest neighborhood. He attended St. Benedict the Moor Boarding Day School and Nursery with Harold Washington, former Mayor of Chicago. He also learned that he attended school with Malcolm Little (Malcolm X). He was very proud of his nephew, Madison Chief of Police Noble Wray, and he would bring the newspapers to show Chief Wray’s accomplishments. Although Jordan was not a well-known leader, he was so proud to be from Milwaukee and the Bronzeville neighborhood. Many of his bartenders and customers heard these stories and witnessed his pride for his community.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RIVERWEST CURRENTS
DR. DESSIE LEVY
Throughout her career, Dessie Levy, PhD, RN, APNP, has worked for a healthier, more equitable Milwaukee. From being one of two Black nurses in her nursing class to becoming Wisconsin’s first Black dean of nursing, at MATC, Dr. Levy has blazed trails for, and sought to increase representation of, people of color in health care. She has prepared the next generation of nurse leaders as a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she has also led community engagement initiatives. Recently, she has brought attention to how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected communities of color and has worked to ensure people of color are represented in COVID-19 research programs. Dr. Levy is a past president of the Milwaukee chapter of the National Association of Black Nurses and currently serves on the board of directors of Next Door, a nonprofit provider of early childhood education.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
BEZELEE MARTIN
Bezelee Martin attended MATC and went on to become a successful entrepreneur. During the mid-20th century, he became Wisconsin’s first Black licensed car dealer and was an active entrepreneur. Notably, Martin and wife Lena opened Lena’s Food Market in the Harambee neighborhood in 1960, and at its peak, the grocery later grew to six locations. Through his business, Martin sought to serve the African American community, from the customer service and items stocked in the store to advocating for access to healthy food and creating economic opportunity.
ROBERT MAYS
The late Robert Mays is the retired vice president of United Realty Group, an organization of Black realtors who joined forces against racism in the real estate industry. As Mays told the Milwaukee Community Journal in 2018, white Realtors would discourage African American homebuyers from purchasing properties outside of historically African American neighborhoods. United Realty Group went a step further than helping Black homebuyers purchase the homes they wanted, where they wanted — Mays and his partners also sought to create a desirable Black neighborhood by leading the redevelopment of Halyard Park to build middle-class homes for Black families.
ANTHONY MCHENRY
As chief executive officer of Milwaukee Academy of Science (MAS) since 2016, Anthony McHenry oversees grades K4 to 12. MAS helps prepare students, most of whom are Black and Brown, for college and careers grounded in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). McHenry has deep roots in the Milwaukee community, serving as executive director of the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center for nearly two decades and leading city and county efforts to prevent substance abuse and teen pregnancy. He also serves on the boards of such organizations as the Medical College of Wisconsin, ACTS Housing, PEARLS for Teen Girls and Teach for America–Milwaukee.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MILWAUKEE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
DR. JEANETTE MITCHELL
Jeanette Mitchell is a beloved community leader who has championed educational and leadership opportunities for women and people of color. She founded the African American Leadership Alliance Milwaukee, whose mission is to make Milwaukee a global destination where African Americans thrive and prosper. One of the AALAM’s key initiatives is the African American Leadership Program, which utilizes a cohort model, executive coaching and networking to enhance African Americans’ leadership in the community. Dr. Mitchell has turned several decades of working in the corporate sector into her own consultancy.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE
MICHAEL L. MORGAN
As co-principal of Athena Morgan Partners, Michael L. Morgan played a key leadership role in bringing the ThriveOn Collaboration vision to life. Previously, he served as senior vice president of administration and fiscal affairs for the University of Wisconsin System. He is a longtime public servant at the city, county and state levels, holding such roles as commissioner of the Milwaukee Department of City Development where he facilitated the residential and commercial development of the area now called Brewers Hill. He was an assistant Milwaukee County district attorney and served in the cabinet of former Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle. The former college and professional football player is active in the community, serving on the Wisconsin Community Services board of directors and the Big 10 Advisory Commission.
PHOTO BY JOHN BIEVER
LENNIE & ROBERT MOSLEY
Lennie and the late Robert Mosley are long-time residents of the Halyard Park neighborhood. Together, they helped create and maintain a thriving community of African American homeowners. Lennie Mosley serves on the ThriveOn Collaboration Community Advisory Council and has participated in countless visioning sessions, workgroups and convenings. She was active in the creation of an anti-displacement fund (created by MKE United and supported in part by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation) to ensure that community development efforts do not price out existing residents and to maintain and expand Black and Brown home ownership.
MICHELLE & CORY NETTLES
As individuals, Cory and Michelle Nettles are successful executives and devoted community leaders. Together, they are philanthropists who are transforming Milwaukee today and for generations to come. The couple’s philanthropy is driven by a belief that education can do more than help individual students access a brighter future. It can also uplift entire communities, building brighter futures for all. The Nettles have earned law degrees, built family wealth and are dedicated to pouring their resources back into Milwaukee. The many organizations that have benefited from their gifts of time, talent, treasure and ties include, but are not limited to, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Milwaukee Film.
KEVIN NEWELL
As co-chair of the ThriveOn Collaboration, Kevin Newell has helped lead the work to realize the community-centered vision for Halyard Park, Harambee and Brewers Hill. He is the founder and chief executive of Royal Capital, an urban development company that focuses on projects and investments that will build equity and prosperity. In this role, he has achieved such firsts as becoming the first African American to partner with an NBA team – the Milwaukee Bucks – to develop a commercial entertainment district. Newell serves his community by sharing his expertise with nonprofits as a member of the boards of directors for such organizations as the Guest House of Milwaukee and MLK Economic Development Corporation as well as with Marquette University’s Center for Real Estate Advisory Board.
AMBROSE NUTT
Ambrose Nutt founded the Milwaukee Urban League in 1919 and served as its first president. Born in Georgia, he graduated at the top of his class at Morehouse College and was granted admission to Harvard Law School. Two years into his studies, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a decorated World War I veteran. After the war, he moved to Harlem where he and other African American veterans helped create the League for Democracy to advocate for equal rights. He later moved to Wisconsin and completed his law degree at the University of Wisconsin. While leading the Milwaukee Urban League, he launched the Milwaukee Evening School to provide skills development for men and women and encouraged the development of African American businesses in Milwaukee.
VEL R. PHILLIPS
In her 95 years, Vel R. Phillips was often the first – or only – African American woman to serve in various roles, including: University of Wisconsin Law School’s first female African American graduate, Milwaukee Common Council’s first alderwoman and first African American member, Milwaukee County’s first female judge, the first African American to serve in Wisconsin’s judiciary, and Wisconsin’s first elected female secretary of state. Phillips’ deep experience as a community organizer included fighting discriminatory housing practices. She proposed a Fair Housing Law in 1962 that Milwaukee’s Common Council consistently voted down until 1968, following 200 nights of protests that saw Phillips, members of the National Association for the Advancement for Colored People’s youth council, and Father James Groppi lead marches from Milwaukee’s north side to the south side.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MILWAUKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DR. RANDLE POLLARD
The late Dr. Randle Pollard was a Bronze Star veteran who served as a combat medic in Italy during World War II. He was one of the first African American residents at Marquette University School of Medicine (now the Medical College of Wisconsin). In 1958, Dr. Pollard became Wisconsin’s first Black urologist. During his nearly four decades in medicine, he held leadership roles at Good Samaritan Hospital (now Advocate-Aurora Sinai Medical Center) and the Cream City Medical Society, a membership association of Black physicians. Along with Dr. William Finlayson, he founded North Milwaukee State Bank in 1971, the state’s first full-service, Black-owned bank.
MARVIN PRATT
As a public official, Marvin Pratt has served and led Milwaukee at both the city and county levels. He won election to Milwaukee’s Common Council in 1986, rising to president of the city’s legislative body in 2000. In 2004, he was appointed as Milwaukee’s first African American mayor; in 2011, he was elected to the interim office of Milwaukee County Executive. Born in Dallas, Texas, Pratt moved to Milwaukee with his family in 1959. He served in the Air Force and then graduated from Marquette University, beginning his political career with Milwaukee’s then- mayor, Henry Maier. In 2016, Silver Spring Elementary School was renamed Marvin Pratt Elementary School in honor of his community service and leadership.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY
VIOLA REMBERT
As executive director of HeartLove Place, Viola Rembert leads a nonprofit dedicated to serving the Harambee neighborhood. HeartLove Place’s programs and services — including job training and youth programming — seek to empower, develop and motivate families and strengthen the community. Throughout the pandemic, HeartLove Place has been lauded for successfully providing necessities along with the less tangible: hope and love. Through monthly “Love Offerings,” HeartLove Place shares groceries, diapers, clothes and cleaning supplies with neighbors, along with friendly greetings, prayers and encouragement.
PHOTO BY JERAMEY JANNENE
DR. NATHANIEL M. ROBINSON
Dr. Nathaniel M. Robinson was the first African American graduate of the Marquette University School of Medicine (now the Medical College of Wisconsin). Upon graduating from high school in 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in World War II, receiving multiple decorations. He graduated magna cum laude from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was inspired to pursue medicine at Marquette University. Unfortunately, he had to abruptly seek residence at the YMCA in Milwaukee after his intended host family discovered he was African American. Dr. Robinson completed an internship and residency at Philadelphia General Hospital, where he was the first African American chief resident. He ultimately started his own practice in Philadelphia and funded scholarships at his alma maters for future generations.
REDONNA RODGERS
The late ReDonna Rodgers was co-founder and executive director of the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a Milwaukee nonprofit that provides personal and professional growth opportunities for youth, including financial literacy and entrepreneurship coaching. Rodgers studied sociology and government at Monmouth College in Illinois before moving to Milwaukee and working at the Boys and Girls Clubs’ Hillside location. She was passionate about lifting young minds, helping young people manage personal growth, develop business ideas and create positive change in their communities. Since its founding in 1991, the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship has helped thousands of youth develop financial literacy and see themselves as the “CEO of Me.”
PHOTO BY ALLAN Y. SCOTT
DELORIS SIMS
As cofounder and CEO of Legacy Bank, Deloris Sims was one of three African American women who carried out a mission to create access to capital for businesses owned by women and people of color. Sims and cofounders Margaret Henningsen and Shirley Lanier gained national attention for the bank’s success story, demonstrating the financial and social returns that could be realized by serving underbanked communities. She was a staunch advocate for the role of community banking in achieving greater racial equity and economic opportunity, meeting with President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner about the necessity for small business lending following the 2007-08 financial crisis.
VINCENT D. TORAN
Vincent Toran paved the way for African Americans to enter — and succeed — in the trades. After completing his army service during World War II, Toran completed a carpentry course but was barred from Wisconsin’s apprenticeship program. He persisted, becoming the first African American apprentice in the state. As he advanced in his field, he helped open doors for others in the trades. He founded and served as first executive director of BIG STEP, or the Building Industry Group Skilled Trade Employment program, a nonprofit created to increase the numbers of minorities and women in trade apprenticeships and careers. Many in the trades consider him a mentor and inspiration to this day.
ERIC VON BOARDLEY
Known to many simply as Eric Von, the longtime radio and television broadcaster used his platform to build bridges and trust while raising awareness of critical issues within Milwaukee and specifically, the city’s African American community. Many listeners praised the thoughtful approach he took to discussing the issues of the day. A source of pride was serving as the lead producer of Precious Lives: Before the Gunshots, a multi-year project to document the toll of gun violence on Milwaukee’s youth. After his death in 2016, the WUWM Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship was established at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, empowering the next generation of broadcast journalists to begin their careers and add their unique voices and perspectives to the media landscape.
DR. ALONZO WALKER
Dr. Alonzo Walker helped establish and lead the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Breast Care Clinic. He served as its medical director for 10 years and, under his leadership, helped develop the MCW Multidisciplinary Breast Care Program. Dr. Walker was a member of the MCW Cancer Center Community Advisory Board, whose goal is to address cancer disparities in Southeastern Wisconsin through community engagement and research in cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. He also spearheaded MCW’s first formal diversity and inclusion efforts, including the creation of the Spring Festival of Cultures and the President’s Diversity and Inclusion Awards.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MILWAUKEE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
REV. DR. JAMES WHITE
The Rev. Dr. James G. White was an activist, elected official and ordained minister known for advocating for his community. He served on Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 1996 to 2008, including as first vice chairman of the board and chairman of the transportation committee. Dr. White founded WestCare Wisconsin to provide a range of community services to Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood. His memory lives on each year in the Dr. James G. White 6th District Difference Makers Awards, which honors residents of the 6th aldermanic district who work to strengthen the quality of life for themselves, their neighborhood and Milwaukee.
ANNETTE "POLLY" WILLIAMS
Leading the work education reform in Milwaukee schools, Annette “Polly” Williams is known for writing the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program that was approved in 1990, a first in U.S. history. The program was created to uplift the voices of low- income families in Milwaukee and provide them with access to private school education for their children through the use of vouchers. She worked across party lines to make this happen. Williams held many roles including mother, radio show host, mentor, leader, and was elected to the office of State Assembly District 10 Representative in 1980. She became the longest-serving woman in Wisconsin’s legislature.
ROBERT WYNN
Robert Wynn is the founder and president of CLIMB USA, a nonprofit whose mission is “to create and coordinate an economic empowerment ecosystem in which underserved youth, families, and communities can learn, grow, and thrive.” CLIMB USA has offices in Milwaukee and Madison. Wynn has dedicated his long career in finance to sharing financial knowledge to create economic opportunity. He is also the co-founder of Asset Builders, a nonprofit that seeks to build financial and economic knowledge and opportunity for youth and families. And he created many financial education programs while serving as financial education officer in the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLIMB USA
YOUTH: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
We honor all of the youth who fought, fight or will fight for racial justice and for a thriving community. Their contributions may often go unrecognized but are plentiful and vital. They speak truth to power and urge us to make better choices to ensure brighter futures for them and for generations to come.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
Named Opportunities Supported by Philanthropy
In honoring these accomplished community leaders, the ThriveOn Collaboration is also rewriting the common conventions of philanthropy. Donors are now invited to sponsor a community space or art opportunity on the first floor of ThriveOn King by selecting a leader to honor through their gift. All naming sponsorship gifts will directly support the community spaces within ThriveOn King, including construction, upkeep and community programs.
For individuals interested in supporting the ThriveOn Collaboration, contact Fiesha Lynn Bell at fbell@greatermilwaukeefoundation.org or Marla Habert at mhabert@mcw.edu.
