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(Photo provided by Milwaukee County Transit System)
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As part of its annual on-board tribute recognizing Rosa Parks and her contribution to the fight for equality and equity for all, the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) invites local students to apply for its Rosa Parks Tribute Scholarship.
The scholarship, now in its second year, is open to high school seniors in Milwaukee County who will attend a trade school, college, or university in Fall 2022. Students must complete an online application and submit a letter of recommendation from a trusted adult, and a short essay inspired by Parks’ quote, “Each person must live their life as a model for others.” Entries must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Three winners, who will each receive $1,000 towards their higher education, will be announced on Parks’ birthday, February 4, 2022. Details about the scholarship can be found here.
For the sixth year of its on-board tribute to Parks, MCTS will keep a seat open on every bus in the fleet from Wednesday, December 1 through Friday, December 3. Each reserved seat will include a red rose and a special placard that features Parks’ photo and a message about her courageous act. MCTS’s effort has gained widespread attention on social media and inspired transit agencies across the country to implement similar initiatives.
Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, after refusing to give up her seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. Her small act of civil disobedience led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling that outlawed segregation on public transportation. In 2019, Milwaukee County became the first jurisdiction in the nation to declare racism a public health crisis. Since then, more than 80 communities have followed suit.
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