(chiming music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - Hello, everyone, and welcome to "Black Nouveau."

I'm Earl Arms, and this is our October edition.

We're beginning 33 years now providing news, information, and entertainment, by, for, and about African American communities here in Southeast Wisconsin, the United States, and throughout the world.

This month, you'll meet a Baltimore-based artist with an extraordinary talent for carving.

We'll preview some upcoming PBS programs about the African American experience.

We'll revisit Zaida Smith's award-winning MLK speech, and talk with the leaders of two of Milwaukee's oldest civil rights organizations.

James Causey will talk with Dr. Eve Hall, president of the Greater Milwaukee Urban League.

But first- (upbeat music) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group, including W.E.B.

Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Ida B.

Wells, and Henry Moskowitz.

The Milwaukee branch was established in 1924 and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

It's been on the front lines of the struggle for integrated schools and open housing.

We're joined now by Clarence P. Nicholas, the president of the Milwaukee branch of the NAACP.

Mr. Nicholas, thank you so much for being here.

- Thank you for having me.

- Absolutely.

So from your perspective, talk about what the NAACP has meant and done for the struggle and advancement of Black people, both locally and nationally.

- Well, for instance, if we go to nationally, we go to the 1954, Brown versus Board of Education, and how the NAACP worked to integrate or desegregate the schools.

Nonetheless, here in Milwaukee, Brown has not been overturned, and we have what is called a defacto segregated school system.

- So talk about what Milwaukee has done though, the Milwaukee branch.

How has the Milwaukee branch contributed to the national struggle?

- So the Milwaukee branch mission is the same as the National Mission.

In order to have what is called a healthy society, you must have equity in education, employment, housing, healthcare, and social justice.

So the NAACP Milwaukee fights for those areas likewise, because we like to see a healthy Milwaukee.

- All right.

So talk about now 100 years of the NAACP.

Why is the NAACP still relevant today?

- Well, you know that discrimination, prejudice, as well as biasness in employment, education, housing, healthcare, and social justice is prevalent, and it's still being fought for.

So we're looking to assist individuals who come into our office with complaints in those areas.

- So talk about that then.

What are some of the major priorities of the organization nationally and locally, like you were mentioning?

- Of course, you know, voting is one of the priorities.

At this time, the priority.

Then of course we're looking at equality in terms of trying to make healthcare, education, housing, and social justice more prevalent for African Americans and people of color.

- You talked about voting, and something that is really important, especially this time of year.

So what are some of those efforts that the NAACP, particularly here in Milwaukee, is taking on to make sure that everyone has that access, and that, you know, that support is being felt in the Black community here.

- Now, the national sends us funding so that we can get out, canvass.

We use what is called a VAN.

A VAN has people addresses, emails, phone numbers, and also have information whether or not they're registered voters.

So we can look at the VAN and call people, email people, and ask them to register.

And many of us are registrars.

- Nice, so talk about how this organization plans to sustain perhaps another 100 years in serving Black people in the struggle and the advancement.

- It's interesting.

It requires volunteerism.

For instance, at our branch, Milwaukee branch, we have one paid staff person.

That's our office manager.

Everyone else volunteers.

And there are over 24 standing committees, like the education committee, housing committee, Freedom Fun Dinner committee, for that matter.

And everyone volunteers because they want to give something back to the community, or to our people that's in need.

- So talk about the Freedom Fund Dinner.

You were talking about it earlier, you've mentioned it a few times.

But what are some of the details around that, and how does it help specifically in what the NAACP is doing?

- Well, this year we're blessed.

For instance, we were told about this German word zeitgeist.

It's the spirit of the times.

And the spirit of the times, we're looking at voting as we talked about, and we're looking at Kamala Harris perhaps as our next president, first female president.

Now, we were visited by her brother-in-law.

Tony West.

He's an attorney for her campaign.

And he came in to talk to us about what were some of the things we could do as far as canvassing, reaching those that are marginal voters.

But on the other hand, when we look at the Freedom Fund Dinner, we're being blessed this year because we have Hakeem Jeffries who is the House Speaker, Minority Speaker for Congress of the United States.

Knowing that it's marginal in terms of what we have to put out, funds to get him here, we'll have something to sustain us for another year because we're the only branch in the state of Wisconsin with an office.

- All right, and just really quickly, if people wanna learn more, volunteer, where can they find more information?

- They can find information on our website, which is naacpmke.org.

That's our website.

Then they can also email the office, naacpmkeorg@gmail.com.

Or call us, 414-562-1000.

- Mr. Nicholas, thank you so much for being here on "Black Nouveau."

(upbeat music) (bright music) - This was the opening of Currents 39 LaToya M. Hobbs "Carving Out Time" exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum, a collection of five carved woodens and their prints.

(upbeat music) The Baltimore-based artist says she carves into wooden canvases to capture the small, everyday moments that all humans can relate to, but often take for granted.

- I really like how you included your husband, showing how he's involved with the children, showing how she's involved at dinner time.

- With "Carving Out Time" in particular, the piece that's on display right now at the Milwaukee Art Museum, I describe that work as a portrait of my day.

So giving you a look into my everyday life as a mother, wife, artist, educator.

And it really is to kind of give people a connection to this like everyday lived experiences that sometimes I feel like we take for granted.

This piece is a part of a larger series titled "Salt of the Earth."

And so I'm kind of personifying women as salt, primarily thinking about salt as a preserver.

So thinking about the role that we play and how we preserve our family, our culture, and community.

So really an opportunity to talk about my identity as a mother and what that looks like, like on a day-to-day basis.

So next we have the fourth phase or the fourth scene of the day.

This is titled "Bedtime for the Boys."

And yeah, it's like, like go time, let's get these kids to bed.

(people laughing) So this kind of also kind of represents our ritual as a family.

So the boys are bigger, so we don't actually like do this as much, but I would always do a bedtime story.

My husband would always do some type of like roughhousing or playing with the kids.

So we kind of combine those things into like one, like one scene together.

I just feel like I just do what I'm called to do.

Like some people do work that represents the struggle, which we need that, that's important.

But that's really not like, I don't know, I just feel like that's not my assignment, so to speak.

And I feel like you need a balance.

You can't always engage in like the treacherous things that are happening in the world.

You need some type of balance or some type of break and reprieve from that.

And I also like really think about that in terms of like people who are activists and who are doing work in the community.

Like sometimes they just need a break from that to tap into joy, and this idea of kind of like Black joy and Black resilience is also something that I'm really interested in right now.

(mellow music) - [Uzezi] It took some time to carve out time, with each wood canvas requiring about three months of work.

- This is a combination of what I like to call painting and print making.

So from a more traditional aspect, you think about these pieces as like a woodblock matrix that's gonna be used to create a set of prints or works on paper.

So the materials that I use, obviously you need your matrix or in this case it's a piece of cherry wood.

And so each of these scenes is made up of three individual pieces of 8-by-4 foot cherry panels that are being put together to create the whole image.

I normally start by painting those wood surfaces black, just like a flat black paint.

Then I do a really detailed drawing with a white water soluble pencil.

And then once the drawing is complete, I use my wood carving tools or my wood carving gouges to literally carve away from the surface of the wood.

So you see here there's kind of two different textures.

There's like the lighter marks.

Those represent like the wood that you would see underneath the paint.

So that's literally carved away into the surface.

And then the black represents like the top of the wood where you can see the initial layer of paint and also the initial layer of ink once they're rolled out to be printed.

(mellow music) - [Uzezi] The pieces were acquired by the Milwaukee Art Museum in December of 2023, and the museum is hopeful they will remain a part of the museum's permanent collection.

- I really wanted to acquire the works because they were the most incredible example of prints that I had ever seen.

So I first saw them in an exhibition in Minneapolis at the Highpoint Center for Printmaking that Tanekeya Word curated.

And I saw the last scene of the series, and I had never seen anything that large or that technically skilled, where LaToya makes all these marks that really convey texture and tell the story so effectively.

I think that images like this will really expand who sees themselves represented in museums.

I really admire the fact that LaToya is presenting her everyday life.

So I hope that it resonates with people who come to the museum and they can see their own lives reflected back to them in this space.

- I often describe my work as universal and specific.

So the specificity comes from the fact that I'm showing you aspects of my life and the people that are around me, but it's universal in that a lot of the themes, like anybody can relate to, whether you're a parent, mother, white, Black, I feel like the work, like my blackness is not a barrier for you to be able to relate to my work.

(upbeat music) - [Uzezi] The exhibit runs through January 5th, 2025.

(upbeat music) - This year for Milwaukee's 40th annual MLK speech writing contest, students were given the topic of what affects one, affects all.

It is the central theme from Dr. King's letter from Birmingham Jail.

This is what Zaida Smith, a fifth grader as Samuel Clemens School, wrote.

- A show of hands, has anyone ever created something using dominoes?

I see your hand, I see your hand, and I see yours too.

So my grandmother and I did a thing.

We decided to make a huge heart using dominoes.

First we drew a heart on a large poster board.

Then we started to place the dominoes very carefully around the borders of the heart.

Now, placing those dominoes was most frustrating, because one nervous move and one will fall down.

Now they're all falling down prematurely.

So I was careful placing the dominoes until it was time for me to push the first one down.

I couldn't wait.

As I pushed the domino and watched domino after domino topple over, I was overjoyed at watching what they call the domino effect.

If you're wondering, Zaida, where are you going with this?

Well, here is.

When I think of what affects one, affects all, I remember that domino project I made with my grandmother.

I vision this world as a huge heart, and we the people are the dominoes.

Dr. King stated that life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?

Well, Dr. King, here's my answer.

I want to start a domino effect of compassion, peaceful conversations and acceptance to change this world because what affects one, affects all.

I want to be the domino effect of acceptance to fight against racism.

Our world is made up of a diverse group of people, and we all walk around here acting like we are afraid of one another.

Yes, I'm an African American female.

And yes, I feel great about the skin that I am in.

But that does not mean that I am more privileged than anybody else.

I want to learn about people who live differently than I do by going to visit museums, or maybe just having a simple conversation.

Dr. King stated that, yes, we are on the move, and no wave of racism can stop us.

Accepting the fact that we are all different is okay, because at the end of the day, what affects one, affects all, no matter who we are.

Next, I want to be the domino effect of peaceful conversations to fight against gun violence.

It's a shame that I have to think twice about whether I'm going to be safe enough to go outside to play or not.

What right does anyone have to be so angry, pick up a gun, and take someone else's life?

What happened to peaceful conversations?

At my school, we partake in restorative practice circles every week.

In these circles, I am learning how to have meaningful conversations with my peers that promotes positivity and respect amongst each other.

Hopefully my generation will have the power to solve problems peacefully with effective communication instead of a gun.

Dr. King stated that returning violence for violence, multiplies violence.

One thing I know, a bullet has no name on it.

Anyone could be a victim because what affects one, affects all.

Lastly, I want to be the domino effect of compassion to help climate change.

Listen here, if we don't get the earth that we share together healthy, we will not have a planet to live on.

Climate change affects the food that we eat, the air that we breathe, and the water that we drink.

My school is becoming a green school, and I am delighted.

I look forward to learning more about what I can do and how I can spread the news about having a healthier and cleaner world.

In conclusion, Dr. King stated that we must all learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools.

The key word in this quote to me is together.

So as I spread the domino effect of compassion to fight against climate change, acceptance to fight against racism, and peaceful conversations to fight against gun violence, I will keep the faith with the purpose of making this world a better place to live, because what affects one, affects all.

Thank you.

- Wow, Zaida.

That was an amazing speech.

Have you written anything before, or was this your first time?

- [Zaida] This was my first time.

- [Alexandria] So what made you wanna enter this contest?

- Dr. Martin Luther King's word, and I just really like wanted to speak up.

- How long did it take you to write this impressive essay?

- Like, maybe like a few weeks, or I would say like a month.

- And your delivery was so powerful.

How long did it take you to memorize and just be able to enunciate the way you did?

- The same time that it took me to write it.

- So what were you, when you were writing this speech and you were kind of meditating on these themes, what was something that kept coming up for you that you thought was so important for you to share with others?

- Gun violence.

- And why is that?

- Because a lot of lives are getting taken from it.

- Mm-hmm.

And a lot of children's lives, kids your age.

Thinking of how this issue impacts the city, what are some of your hopes looking ahead?

- I hope that they like chill down with the gun violence.

I hope they stop being rude to people because of the color of their skin.

And I just like really hope that they stop littering because it's affecting the animals and a lot more.

- And you are our future, so your opinion really matters.

So what can we expect?

What is the future of Zaida?

What do you wanna do when you grow up?

- When I grow up, I wanna be a pediatrician or a real estate agent.

- And why?

- Because I wanna be a pediatrician, because I wanna help kids out when they're sick and just like in general.

And I wanna, I don't even, I really don't know why I wanna be a real estate agent.

It's just something that I wanna be.

- Well, those are both very profitable professions, and it takes passion to, you know, follow through with them.

Is there anyone that you wanna thank that kind of helped you along this process?

- My teacher.

Can I do more than one people, person?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

My teacher, my dad, my mom, and my grandma.

- Beautiful.

Okay, well, thank you so much, Zaida.

That was an amazing speech, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead for you.

- Thank you for having me.

(upbeat music) - For over a century, the Greater Milwaukee Urban League has been making a positive impact in the community by offering education, employment, advocacy, and civic engagement programs and services.

On November 2nd, they're hosting the organization's 39th annual Black and White Ball featuring Chante Moore.

Joining us to talk about the beautiful things going on at the Urban League is the CEO, Dr. Eve Hall.

Dr. Hall, thanks for joining us on "Black Nouveau."

- Thank you.

Glad to be here.

- Great, so the Urban League has a rich 105-year history.

Can you talk about some of the changes you've been doing over the past couple years?

- Well, we really have been sticking to our core of our 105 years, which has been, as you mentioned earlier, education, employment, housing, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and civic engagement.

And how does that look?

It's basically really providing more access and opportunities for our people to get a better quality of life.

And what does that look like?

We provide computer literacy now, so individuals can get certified in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which as you know, those are basic skills that you need in careers.

We provide laptops and scholarship awards.

We now provide driver's permit classes for adults and youth, which, as you know, transportation is critical to having options when you're looking for jobs and moving around in this city.

You know, and education, mentoring, giving students community service opportunities.

We're working directly with students in middle school and in high school, which also includes students experiencing our National Youth Summit, which is in major cities across the country.

- How do you go about connecting the job seeker to the employer?

- So we have employment coaches who actually sit down with individuals who are looking for different opportunities, assess really their skills and their talents and their interests.

And then we have employers that we work with.

So it's really a match game that we play for those individuals that are coming to seek jobs.

Very basic.

And so that's why our partnerships with different employers is so important.

- We often hear about Milwaukee being one of the worst places to raise a Black child and a lot of negative statistics.

How does our Urban League address those issues through its work?

- Well, we're always focused on the gap.

So just really going back to a couple of things that I named, driver's permit.

We know that we have a lot of individuals who do not have permits or driver's licenses.

And because driver's education is now limited, so many individuals who are looking for driver's permit classes, the cost, if you're not in the public school system, or you're not doing it through our organization as an example, private lessons can be $500.

That is so costly.

And so that can be a barrier for many of our students.

When we think about the digital divide, that is one of the reasons that we provide laptops to students.

You would be surprised at the number of students who just having a laptop at their side when they're going on to a two or four-year institution, not having to rely on a computer lab, can make a difference in the success of their education.

So, you know, those are a couple of ways that we're trying to address those barriers.

I believe, while yes, the statistics say that we're one of the worst, we're still experiencing similar issues as other urban communities.

But I believe that even as bad as it may seem oftentimes, there's still opportunities for us to be even more collective in our efforts to address the gaps.

- Are there any out-of-pocket costs for the person seeking services from you?

- Depends.

So when it comes to driver's permit, $35 is really the maximum.

And there are some requirements in terms of those that would qualify for it.

Most of our services have no charge.

So when we're working with our students in the schools and providing experiences for them, there's no charge.

We raise our money, you know, through private grants, through corporate grants, through our major events so that we can in fact provide the programs and services with no charge.

- And you also have the Black and White Ball.

Talk a little bit about that.

- Exactly, so Black and White Ball coming up November 2nd, 39 years.

And it was actually started, James, as a way to bring the community together.

At that time, the Black and the white community were not always conversing or really collaborating.

And so the Urban Leagues saw this as an opportunity to galvanize the community one evening a year, to have fun, to be in a relaxed atmosphere where we get to know each other a little bit differently, but to still take some moments during that event to speak to the issues of this city and the importance of everyone working together to improve the lives of everyone, because we're interdependent.

So we can't have one group winning and another group losing and think that our city can really grow and sustain itself.

- This year you have Chante Moore.

- We do.

- How did you go about bringing her in?

- Well, we have a committee that really looks at different talent.

We try to be very mindful though of cost, because as you may know, entertainment is very, very expensive.

But we do have an organization that we work with that has worked with Urban Leagues across this country for years and helps to provide reasonable costs for entertainment.

So, you know, Chante Moore, she's somewhat of, you know, a cross for many individuals.

There are a lot of individuals of course that don't know of her.

But once they hear her music, I think that they will enjoy her.

- Well, fantastic.

Thanks a lot.

- A couple of notes before we close tonight.

On October 15th, James Causey will be hosting a Main Street Agenda town hall meeting from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 North MLK Drive, focusing on inflation and the cost of living.

Refreshments will be served.

We also wanna make you aware of some upcoming PBS programs you might wanna check out.

On October 18th at 9:00 p.m., "Next at the Kennedy Center," Alonzo King's "Deep River" will be broadcast.

- I think understanding was always a big preoccupation.

What does this mean?

How you think is how you behave.

Whatever you believe in, you're going to move that way.

- You have to be in the moment, and you have to just let it happen.

And that was so scary to me.

- [Alonzo] The love has to be greater than the fear.

(gentle music) - On November 12th at 8:00 p.m., "The American Experience" presents "American Coup: Wilmington 1898," the mostly unknown story of a deadly race massacre in North Carolina.

- [Announcer] On "American Experience."

- [Narrator] We have taken a city as thoroughly, as completely as if captured in battle.

- [Speaker] It was the only armed overthrow of an elected government.

- [Speaker] This was a coup based on the devaluation of African American citizenship.

What Wilmington tells us is how fragile American democracy is.

- [Announcer] "American Coup: Wilmington 1898," on "American Experience."

(percussive music) - And early next year, PBS will be presenting a series on the Great Migration.

It starts at the end of January.

Now, if you or your family were there or a part of that movement, we'd like to get your migration story if you're willing to share it with us.

Give us a call at 414-297-7556.

Once again, 414-297-7556.

Leave your name, address, phone number, and the best time to call.

There is more information about all of these things on our social media platforms.

If you'll be 18 years old by November 5th, please make sure that you're registered to vote.

Your vote is your voice as to how we move forward as a nation.

So please make your voice heard.

For "Black Nouveau," I'm Earl Arms.

Have a great evening.