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In Milwaukee, words from our leaders carry weight, but sometimes they land like a blow.
When I read Alderman Lamont Westmoreland’s recent statement, my first reaction was confusion. I honestly thought it had to be fake—a spoof account or someone using AI to draft a ridiculous rant on official letterhead. It read like someone sat down and asked themselves: “What’s the most discouraging thing I could say to my constituents?”
For those who haven’t seen the statement, Alderman Westmoreland released a public letter criticizing the condition of certain neighborhoods in Milwaukee. He referenced trash in the streets, including “tumbleweaves,” and painted a picture of dysfunction and neglect that was quickly recognized by many as racially coded and deeply harmful.
Rather than offering solutions or accountability, the statement seemed designed to shame, not support, the very residents he is supposed to represent.
As someone with deep Milwaukee pride, both personally and professionally, I was stunned. I travel often, and people are frequently surprised to learn that Milwaukee is not only home to a significant Black population, but that we’re a deeply Black city with Black leadership across every level of government.
Our mayor is Black. Much of our Common Council is Black. Many of our elected officials in Milwaukee are Black. Milwaukee’s county executive is a Black man I’ve known for years. My state representative Darrin Madison is a young Black man I’ve had the privilege of mentoring.
When I talk about Milwaukee, I mention our people, our brilliance, and our potential. So when I saw that statement, I knew I had to understand who Alderman Westmoreland is and what he believes leadership means.
To be clear: I care deeply about the conditions of Milwaukee’s neighborhoods. Our residents deserve clean, safe neighborhoods with green spaces, access to safe and affordable housing, healthy food options, reliable public services, and a strong infrastructure.
I grew up near 20th and Center, in the 53206 ZIP code, and I talk about this all the time. That neighborhood shaped me in some beautiful ways. It gave me the ability to move in and out of many different spaces and understand people deeply. I also attended a small Catholic school and went on to graduate from Marquette University.
That journey gave me the ability to hear dog whistles. To understand what’s being said between the lines.
And what I heard in Alderman Westmoreland’s statement was loud and clear: anti-Blackness, And, in particular, anti-Black womanhood.
This wasn’t just a critique of littering. This was a racialized statement, dressed up as civic concern. His language, especially references to “tumbleweaves” and “certain neighborhoods” was harmful, coded, and deeply irresponsible.
What was missing entirely from his statement was context. He failed to acknowledge that much of the trash in our streets is the result of illegal dumping, not neglect. Predatory landlords evict tenants and dump belongings on sidewalks. Cleanouts are mishandled and items are tossed into vacant lots. People from surrounding suburbs drive into Milwaukee to leave their large items behind, knowing they’d be fined in their own neighborhoods but assuming it’s OK to dump on ours. I’ve seen the Facebook posts myself: “I live in Shorewood, but I bring my junk to Milwaukee. They’ll pick it up.”
This isn’t just about pride. It’s about infrastructure. I’m a Black woman, a mother of three, and someone who cannot stand litter. My children and I have cleaned up parks and neighborhoods because we care about the spaces we live in. But pride alone doesn’t solve structural problems.
Alderman Westmoreland’s statement completely sidestepped the structural role of leadership. Instead of asking how the city could expand resources, streamline dumping services, or support community-based cleanup efforts, he pointed fingers.
It’s worth noting that his statement arrived in the wake of a community letter, sent twice to the Common Council, offering solution-based ideas from residents who live in the very neighborhoods he criticized.
These weren’t empty complaints. They were practical suggestions: Improve access to city dumps; waive dumping fees; offer pop-up drop-off sites; and extend hours for bulk pickup.
These are the kinds of ideas that leadership should champion. Instead, Alderman Westmoreland ignored them.
What Milwaukee needs is not scolding, but solution-centered leadership. We need leaders who understand that systemic divestment not individual behavior is the root of neighborhood conditions. We need leaders who see Black neighborhoods not as blight zones, but as places worthy of investment, imagination, and care.
The people of Milwaukee deserve better. And judging by the community’s response to Alderman Westmoreland’s statement, we won’t stop demanding it.
Shavonda Sisson is the senior evaluation portfolio manager and rest researcher at UBUNTU Research & Evaluation, a strategic learning organization.
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