Communities making a difference – a town hall meeting

The Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is hosting the “Communities Making a Difference” Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at North Division High School, 1011 W. Center St., from 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. This free and open event will feature a panel discussion with local and state elected officials as well as local service agencies.

There will be a moderator for the panel and include questions from the audience. The meeting’s goal is to inform and increase the awareness and importance of participation in the 2020 Census, voter registration and the Milwaukee elections, as well as focusing on housing help and sustainability for the “53206” community in Milwaukee.

According to the City of Milwaukee Mayor’s office, Wisconsin receives approximately $12.6 billion annually in federal funding based on census data alone. Therefore, it’s important to have dialogue in our communities to make sure that everyone is counted in Milwaukee in the 2020 Census including the under-counted populations of people of color, low-income individuals, homeless individuals, single parent households, and LGBTQ individuals, just to name a few. The census data is also used to determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and helps define voting districts at the national and state levels.

Beginning in March 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau will mail invitations to homes across the country to complete the 2020 Census one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. It’s critical for Milwaukee residents to respond to ensure there is an accurate count of everyone in your household to help shape the future. Responses will inform how billions of dollars will be allocated to our state, county and city for community services, housing assistance, public safety, health clinics, education, public transportation, and much more.

Also, the City of Milwaukee has had ambitious plans to fix its housing woes over the years. Where are we now? Milwaukee is a thriving city with historic architecture and unique neighborhoods. However, the city is still dealing with foreclosure and eviction problems that were revealed in the 2016 book Evicted, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Matthew Desmond, especially in the city’s 53206 area. Recently, Milwaukee has had a surge in development and luxury housing that has mostly impacted the city’s downtown area.

What has this done to alleviate the lack of housing for the lower-income residents of our communities?

What has this done to restore the city’s housing programs and eviction crisis that still exist today?

The Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., will be asking all participants and guests to make a commitment to action regarding these challenges in hopes of greater participation in our communities and improved quality of life.