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Bre’Andre Walker (from left), Aniyah McDonald, Angela Harris and Alondra Garcia participated in the “Design Your Future” fellowship. Walker and McDonald were fellows this summer, while Harris and Garcia are MPS teachers who helped them with their proposals. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
How would you improve outcomes for Black male high schoolers in Milwaukee?
Through “Design Your Future,” a fellowship organized by Milwaukee Succeeds, about 60 young people developed six project proposals aimed at doing just that.
The fellows, ranging in age from 13 to 20 years old, met every weekday for six weeks in June and July to flesh out their ideas. Some, but not all, of the participants were Black males.
Most of the proposals focused on using school or recreational settings to improve the mental health of Black males. Clintel Hasan, strategic initiatives manager at Milwaukee Succeeds, a partnership of educational leaders across government, nonprofit and private sectors that launched the program in December, said this did not surprise her.
“Generally the ratio of mental health professionals to students in our schools is not appropriate,” Hasan said. “So social workers end up working on crisis cases only but not everyday issues.”
The goal is to implement the proposals by January.
Logan Funches, who will be attending Washington High School in the fall, said she applied for the fellowship to learn more about how to take control of her own school experience.
“I sometimes feel intimidated around a lot of grown people,” Funches said. “But our world is falling apart. This was the first step for me making a change.”
In the coming days you can find full project proposals and fellowship updates here.
The proposals
The fellows were organized into six groups, and winners will receive two different payments: a $10,000 grant to spend on making the idea a reality, as well as a $2,500 stipend for each individual youth who worked on the proposal.
Cohort 1: Jabali (Strong as a Rock)
Group members: Rasean Bly, Julian Cottrell, Paige Kelly-Smith, Zion Owusu-Yeboa, Kaylee Marsh, Aalijah Herron, Kaysha Gail, Eh Moo Kee, Zara Easter
Jabali, meaning “strong as a rock” in Swahili, focused its proposal on the importance of mentorship programs. The group’s goal is to establish after-school mentorship programs that include a mental health curriculum, life skills curriculum and more Black and brown mentors who students can build positive relationships with.
Jabali identified Milwaukee Succeeds, Mentor Greater Milwaukee, and COA Youth & Family Centers as organizations that could bring this idea to life.
Cohort 2: Voices of MKE
Group members: Amir Williams, Breanna Taylor, Quision Harrell, Delonta Henderson, Fernando Vargas, Jaden Alston, Jace Boswell, Logan Funches, Zion-Elon Green
Voices of MKE proposed safe spaces for Black males at schools with Black facilitators to work through issues related to mental health. This would involve creating and implementing a mental health curriculum centering on Black males.
Voices of MKE identified the MPS Board of School Directors, MPS offices, including the Office of Black and Latino Male Achievement, Milwaukee Succeeds, ArtWorks for Milwaukee and the America’s Black Holocaust Museum.
Cohort 3: Next Generation of Hope
Group members: Cree Ellzey, Jana’ja Gipson, Jamarion Mister, Melissa Harris, Taye Hardy, Jovan Jiron Jr., Aliyah Ayinla, MaHailey Stephens
Next Generation of Hope proposed a student-led administration that would have the power to evaluate teachers and initiate ideas on behalf of the student body. The fellows said this would differ from student government because this body would have more power to unilaterally act without oversight from adults, pointing to the ability to evaluate teachers as an example of this. Members of this body would be over 80% Black, elected by the student body and would receive stipends.
Next Generation of Hope identified MPS’ Office of Black and Latino Male Achievement, Diverse & Resilient, the Jrue & Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund, Ubuntu Research and Evaluation and Milwaukee Succeeds as stakeholder organizations.
Cohort 4: Stellar Scholars
Group members: Jayden Jenkins, Cameron Johnson, Bre’Andre Walker, Aniyah McDonald, Kamille McCray, Karis Haynes-Thomas, Makynzie Russ, Victor Ejiwale, Deh Nee, Saniiya Smith
Stellar Scholars proposed creating a culturally conscious mental health curriculum, assessment opportunities and programming targeting Black male youth. The fellows identified SKY Schools, PEAK Initiative and Peace Learning Center of Milwaukee as potential partners for developing such a curriculum.
Cohort 5: La Familia del Futuro (The Family of the Future)
Group members: Jalen Gordon, Jayde Gathings, Jy’Nai Geter, Ayanna S. Lacking, Layla Johnson, Leticia Rivera, Marvion Spain-Currin, Tailus Rush, Temitope Osisanlu, Trinity Thompson, Zari Ellzey
La Familia del Futuro, meaning “the family of the future” in Spanish, proposed creating peer-to-peer support group networks that advocate for the mental health and emotional wellness of Black boys. The goal of this network would be to “create a sustainable support group model that can be duplicated at other high schools.”
La Familia del Futuro identified Milwaukee Succeeds, United Way’s Community Schools network, MPS school board, MPS entities such as Project AWARE and the Office of Black and Latino Male Achievement, Diverse & Resilient, PATCH, Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin and Heal the Hood.
Cohort 6: Goal Diggers
Group members: Kamauri McCray, Tyler Williams, William Ferguson Jr., Journey Harper, Cierra Coleman-Elzie, Langston Robinson, Kourtney Graves, Kamari White, Kalea Calhoun
Goal Diggers proposed establishing recreation centers where mental, physical and spiritual health of Black males are seen as intertwined, not separate issues. The fellows identified Peace of Mind, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Marquette High School, Pulaski High School and North Division High School as potential partners, among others.
As a Caucasian, I worry a little bit that many of these ideas leave out possible contributions from the wider Wisconsin society, which is still more than 80% Caucasian. At some point Milwaukee’s students of color will either go on to college or enter into the business world, and interacting in this wider world should not come as a shock. Yes, I realize the need for mentors with whom students can identify, and I wonder if pairing Caucasian mentors with mentors of color to form a team might be a possible solution.
What you have to understand first, Steven, is that in order for such a “contribution” to take place in the lives of these young people of color, one must first step into their world as guests with grace and humility. Who’s to say that the world they are trying to enter includes white entities, as evidenced by HBCUs and companies run by black entrepreneurs to name a few examples. This is the opportunity for you to sit with them and LEARN from them. Your curiosity is well invited, and it should resonate into enthusiasm for what they are speaking on.
Isn’t it funny Mr. Hamilton how folks always to bring up inclusivity when we center Black Lives meanwhile white folks benefit from systems that excludes others, nevermind the marginalization and oppression part.
I agree with Steven, include everyone because somewhere in time they will interact with one another; on the job collage or church and just interacting in life situations.
This article made my day. Our students need to take responsibility for their lives to know that they can make a difference, espeically in a city where they so often don’t see that as possible. Kudos to these fine young people!!!