% >>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
% I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTIMEDIA
% JOURNALIST WITH "HERE & NOW" ON
% PBS WISCONSIN.
% TODAY IS DECEMBER 15.
% THE CITY OF KENOSHA HAS BEEN
% HURLED INTO THE NATIONAL
% SPOTLIGHT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR
% AFTER JACOB BLAKE WAS SHOT BY A
% POLICE OFFICER SEVEN TIMES, AND
% A BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST IN
% RESPONSE, KYLE RITTENHOUSE SHOT%
THREE PEOPLE KILLING TWO.
% NOW, NO CHARGES WERE BROUGHT
% AGAINST THE OFFICER WHO SHOT
% BLAKE, AND RITTENHOUSE WAS
% RECENTLY ACQUITTED OF ALL
% CHARGES.
% SO TO HEAR FROM ONE COMMUNITY
% LEADER ABOUT HOW KENOSHA MOVES
% FORWARD, WE TURN TO JAMES HALL,
% INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE
% URBAN LEAGUE OF RACINE AND
% KENOSHA, AND, JAMES, THANK YOU
% SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
% >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
% >> SO AFTER NO CHARGES WERE
% FILED, THE OFFICER WHO SHOT
% JACOB BLAKE AND NOW KYLE
% RITTENHOUSE HAS BEEN ACQUITTED,
% HOW IS THE COMMUNITY FEELING AND
% REACTING, ESPECIALLY BLACK AND
% BROWN PEOPLE IN THE AREA?
% >> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THE
% BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES
% EXPECTED NO CHARGES TO BE FILED,
% AND WE EXPECTED KYLE RITTENHOUSE
% TO BE ACQUITTED BECAUSE THE
% JUDGE TIPPED HIS HAND ALREADY IN
% WHICH DIRECTION THE CASE WAS, SO
% WE EXPECTED THAT.
% >> IS THERE EXHAUSTION FROM
% FIGHTING THIS SAME FIGHT OVER
% AND OVER?
% IS THERE FEELINGS OF KIND OF
% TRAUMA AFTER DEALING WITH THIS
% FOR MORE THAN A YEAR?
% >> WELL, THE BLACK AND BROWN
% POPULATION HAS BEEN DEALING WITH
% THIS FOR 400 YEARS,
% UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS COUNTRY,
% SO IT IS A LOT OF TRAUMA
% INVOLVED, BUT WHAT DO WE DO?
% YEAR AFTER YEAR, MONTH AFTER
% MONTH, THERE'S NEW CASES AROUND
% THE COUNTRY, AND, YOU KNOW,
% KELLI KENOSHA, WISCONSIN WAS PUT
% IN THE SPOTLIGHT WITH THE CASES
% THAT RIPPLED THROUGHOUT THE
% COUNTRY, AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT
% THE BLACK AND BROWN POPULATION
% IS JUST USED TO IT,
% UNFORTUNATELY.
% WE DON'T EXPECT ANY JUSTICE IN
% THE COUNTRY.
% WE HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS OF BEING
% TREATED FAIRLY, BUT WE STILL
% FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW TO FORGE
% FORWARD.%>> AND YOU SAID GIVE
N THE
% OUTCOMES OF THESE TWO MAJOR
% EVENTS, IT SHOWS THAT WHITE
% MALES GET AWAY WITH WHAT BLACK
% AND BROWN MALES CANNOT.
% YOU SAID WE STILL NEED TO MOVE
% FORWARD.
% HOW DO YOU PROPOSE DOING THAT?
% >> WELL, THE BLACK AND BROWN
% POPULATION, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD?
% WE MOVE FORWARD BASED ON HOPE,
% HOPE THAT IT GETS BETTER SOME
% DAY, ONE DAY, BUT REALITY OF IT
% IS IT'S NEVER GOTTEN BETTER.
% WE'RE FIGHTING THE SAME FIGHTS
% WE FOUGHT IN THE' 60s AND
% PRIOR TO THE TIME, AND JIM CROWE
% ERA, FIGHTING THE SAME FIGHTS
% FOR YEARS, AND, HOWEVER, BLACK
% FOLKS AND BROWN PEOPLE AS
% INDIVIDUALS HAVE DONE BETTER IN
% THIS COUNTRY, BUT AS A CULTURE,
% WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE
% SAME ISSUES FOR 400 YEARS.
% >> SO IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT
% PEOPLE WHO ARE WHITE NEED TO BE
% ADDRESSING AND DEALING WITH, OR
% INSTEAD OF THE BURDEN ALWAYS
% FALLING ON THE BLACK AND
% POPULATION?%>> THE ONLY WAY
THIS PROBLEM'S
% GOING TO BE SOLVED HERE IN
% AMERICA IS WHITE PEOPLE MUST BE
% LOOKING IN THE MIRROR, EXAMINE
% THEMSELVES, EXAMINE THEIR
% FAMILIES, HAVE THESE
% CONVERSATIONS AT THE DINNER
% TABLE, AND THEN IN THEIR
% PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS AMONGST
% FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND IN THEIR
% PERSONAL AND PRIVATE
% CONVERSATIONS.
% THIS PROBLEM IS NOT GOING TO BE
% SOLVED WITH JUST A BLACK AND
% BROWN POPULATION BECAUSE IT
% DIDN'T START WITH THE BLACK AND
% BROWN POPULATION.
% THE BLACK AND BROWN POPULATION
% ULTIMATELY IS THE VICTIM IN THIS
% CASE, AND IN ORDER FOR US TO
% ADVANCE AND MOVE FORWARD, WE
% LITERALLY HAVE TO HAVE WHITE MEN
% AND WOMEN TO REALLY EXAMINE
% THEMSELVES AND SAY, WOW, THIS IS
% GOING TOO FAR.%WHAT CAN WE DO
TO STOP THIS?
% WE -- THERE'S BEEN LAWS IN THE
% BOOKS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LAWS IN
% THE BOOKS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL,
% STATE LEVEL, BUT IT STILL
% HAPPENS BECAUSE WHITE MALES TEND
% TO BELIEVE THAT THE LAW DOESN'T
% APPLY TO THEM.
% THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT.
% AND I VIEW THAT AS --
% >> DO YOU THINK CERTAIN LAWS ARE
% WRITTEN IN A WAY TO -- TO BE
% MORE PRIVILEGED TO CERTAIN
% PEOPLE THAN OTHER PEOPLE?
% >> WELL, IF WE LOOK AT IT ON THE
% SURFACE, THE LAW IS THE LAW.
% IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE BLIND.
% YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, PEOPLE OF
% PRIVILEGE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN A
% FACTOR OF THE LAWS BECAUSE THEY
% HAVE THE RESOURCES TO WORK
% AROUND THE LAW, BUT IN THE CASE
% WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHITE
% MALES, WHITE MALES TEND TO
% DISAGREE WITH SOMETHING, THEY DO
% WHAT WE SEE HAPPEN ON
% JANUARY 6th.
% THEY GET TOGETHER.
% THEY RALLY.
% THEY DECIDE TO DO WHAT THEY WANT
% TO DO.
% ANTIMES, THERE'S ABSOLUTE --
% OFTENTIMES, THERE'S NO
% REPERCUSSIONS, NONE AT ALL.
% LOOK AT KYLE RITTENHOUSE.
% A YOUNG MAN THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE
% BEEN IN KENOSHA, BUT AT THE SAME
% TIME, HE FELT THAT HE NEEDED TO
% BE A PART OF THIS ACTION.
% NOW, I BELIEVE KYLE RITTENHOUSE,
% HIS ISSUE STARTED WAY BACK WHEN
% HE GO TO THE IDEAS OF WHAT
% HAPPENED YEARS AGO IN FLORIDA
% WHEN THE YOUNG MAN ONLY HAD SOME
% SKITTLES, AND THE GUY THAT WAS
% ACTING AS SECURITY -- I'M NOT
% GOING TO SAY THEIR NAMES FOR
% OBVIOUS REASON -- WAS ACTING AS
% SECURITY AND KILLED A MAN.
% THAT WAS THE PRELUDE BECAUSE WE
% DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO ADDRESS
% THAT ISSUE THERE.
% THAT EMPOWERED WHITE MALES TO
% SAY, WE GOT -- WE CAN TAKE
% JUSTICE INTO OUR OWN HANDS AND
% DO WHAT WE WANT ANY TIME.
% WE DON'T NEED TO CALL THE
% AUTHORITIES.
% ALL THE OTHER COACHES ARE
% ALREADY COACHED AND TRAINED,
% PLEASE CALL THE POLICE, DO NOT
% GET INVOLVED.
% CALL THE POLICE AND ALLOW THE
% POLICE TO HANDLE IT.
% WELL, WHITE MEN TEND TO GET AWAY
% WITH TAKING THINGS INTO THEIR
% OWN HANDS.
% IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, BEING THE
% VICTIM.
% IN THIS COUNTRY, WHEN IT COMES
% DOWN TO WHITE MALES VERSUS
% EVERYBODY ELSE, EVERYONE ELSE
% HAS BEEN A VICTIM TO A DEGREE
% BECAUSE THE WHITE MALES ARE
% OFTEN THE PREDATORS, AND THE
% PREDATORS ALWAYS, IN THIS
% COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, GET AWAY WITH
% ANYTHING, AND THEN A VICTIM IS
% TAUGHT TO BE SHAMED, EVEN THOUGH
% YOU SUFFERED THE CRISIS AND WENT
% THROUGH THE PAIN AND YOU WENT
% THROUGH THE TRAUMA, YOU ARE
% STILL VICTIMIZING THEM MORE
% AFTER THE INCIDENT.
% LIKE KYLE RITTENHOUSE.
% HE GET TO BE CALLED A HERO FOR
% TAKING SOME LIVES.
% HOW IS THAT EVEN FAIR IN THIS
% COUNTRY?
% HOW IS IT FAIR IN THIS COUNTRY?
% MURDER IS MURDER NO MATTER WHAT.
% HE WAS ALLOWED TO SAY HE WAS
% THERE IN SELF-DEFENSE, BUT HOW
% IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE WHEN HE
% SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE TO
% BEGIN WITH?
% HE WAS NOT DEFENDING HIS
% PROPERTY.%HE WAS NOT DEFENDI
NG HIS FAMILY.
% HE WAS NOT DEFENDING ANYTHING
% THAT HAD TO DO WITH HIM
% PERSONALLY, YET HE HAD THE RIGHT
% TO CLAIM SELF-DEFENSE.%WOW.
% IF THAT WAS ANY BLACK AND BROWN
% PERSON BEING IN THE PLACE WHERE
% THEY WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE,
% AND BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE OFTEN
% ARE GIVEN FIVE, TEN YEAR CASES
% BECAUSE THEY WAS AT THE WRONG
% PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, THEY
% WOULD HAVE HAD NOTHING TO DO
% WITH IT, STROLLING DOWN THE
% PARK, BUT HAPPENED TO BE THERE,
% NO EVIDENCE POINTS TO THEM, BUT
% THEY GET YEARS OF THEIR LIFE
% TAKEN FROM THEM.
% NOW, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE SAY,
% WELL, HE HAD RESOURCES.
% HE WAS ABLE TO HIRE THE BEST
% ATTORNEYS.%WELL, I'M CONFUSED
BY THAT.
% BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS
% MONEY WAS RAISED FOR KYLE
% RITTENHOUSE, THE OUTSIDE WHITE
% AMERICA SAID, WELL, THAT'S ONE
% OF OURS, AND WE HAVE TO PROTECT
% OURS.
% BEEN IN FLORIDA, TAKING PICTURES
% WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
% YOU KNOW, HE'S ONLY LIKE A HERO
% CIRCUIT RIGHT NOW.
% MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE ALL
% THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY THAT
% OFTENTIMES NEVER GET THEIR VOICE
% HEARD SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T
% HAVE THE RESOURCES.
% NO ONE STEPS UP TO HELP THEM.
% >> DO YOU THINK THAT WHITE
% PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF
% YOURSELF WHEN YOU LEAVE THE
% HOUSE?%DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT
% FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE
% FEAR THAT OF JUST BEING OUT IN
% THE WORLD AS A PERSON OF COLOR?
% >> NO, THE WHITE PEOPLE DON'T
% UNDERSTAND THAT.
% EVERY BLACK AND BROWN PERSON,
% WHEN THEY -- ESPECIALLY WHEN
% THEY LEAVE OUTSIDE THEIR
% COMMUNITY AND GO TO OTHER
% COMMUNITIES AND SHOP, WHITE
% PEOPLE CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND
% THAT.
% TO WALK IN A STORE -- MYSELF,
% PERSONALLY, I'M NOT A CRIMINAL.
% I DON'T HAVE ANY BACKGROUND, BUT
% TO THIS DAY, I COULD HAVE A
% SHIRT AND TIE ON AND WALK INTO
% THE LOCAL MALL, AND IT HAS
% HAPPENED TO ME, I'M NOT GOING TO
% SAY IN ANY PARTICULAR STORE, BUT
% PEOPLE FOLLOW IN THE STORE AND
% LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOU DON'T
% BELONG THERE, AND IT'S, LIKE,
% WELL I HAVE MONEY, AND I'M
% SPENDING MONEY JUST LIKE THE
% OTHER PERSON.
% THEY WATCH YOU.
% AND THE EXCUSE IS, WELL, YOUR
% PEOPLE ALWAYS COMMIT THESE
% CRIMES.
% WELL, I'M CONFUSED.
% WE OFTEN ARE PROFILED BASED ON
% WHAT SOME OTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE
% HAVE DONE, OKAY?
% I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A LOT
% OF CRIME THAT'S COMMITTED IN
% THIS COUNTRY THAT BLACK AND
% BROWN PEOPLE STEREOTYPICALLY GET
% THE BILL FOR, BUT SHOULD WE BE
% LOOKED UPON AS INDIVIDUALS?
% IN THIS COUNTRY, BLACK AND BROWN
% PEOPLE NEVER JUDGE LIKE WHITE
% PEOPLE AS INDIVIDUALS.
% THEY ARE ALWAYS JUDGED BASED ON
% CULTURE.
% THAT'S NOT FAIR.
% >> IN OUR FIRST "NOON WEDNESDAY"
% INTERVIEW THIS YEAR, WE HEARD
% FROM TONYA McQUEEN FROM
% LEADERS OF KENOSHA, AND SHE
% EXPRESSED SHE WAS FRUSTRATED
% BECAUSE SHE FELT LIKE CITY AND
% COUNTY OFFICIALS WERE NOT
% LISTENING AND WORKING WITH LOCAL
% COMMUNITY LEADERS SUCH AS HER OR
% YOURSELF.
% HAS THAT BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE,
% AND WHAT REFORMS OR DEMANDS ARE
% YOU CALLING FOR FROM PEOPLE IN
% POWER, ELECTED OFFICIALS, LAW
% ENFORCEMENT, OF THE KENOSHA
% AREA?%>> WELL, WHAT I'VE CAL
LED FOR IN
% THE PAST IS MORE COMMUNICATION
% WITH THE BLACK AND BROWN
% POPULATION FROM THE POLICE
% FORCE, FROM THE MAYOR, AND THE
% ELECTED OFFICIALS IN LEADERSHIP.
% LONG TERM, RIGHT AFTER THE
% INCIDENT OR THE TRAGIC INCIDENT
% THAT TOOK PLACE, COMMUNICATION
% WAS THERE.
% WE WERE TALKING PRETTY MUCH, YOU
% KNOW, EVERY WEEK, BUT THAT'S
% BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS
% A RESPONSIBLE OUTCOME, YOU KNOW,
% A CASE OF THINGS COMING BY, BUT
% ONCE IT WEARS THIN, THEN IT GOES
% BACK TO NORMAL.
% IT GOES TO BUSINESS AS USUAL
% LIKE IT DIDN'T EXIST.
% SO WHITE PEOPLE HAVE THE CHANCE
% IN KENOSHA TO HEAL.
% THEY KNOW WHAT COMFORT FEELS
% LIKE.%THEY GO BACK.
% THEY TAKE THE BOARDS OFF THE
% WINDOWS.%THEIR DOORS.
% THEY GO BACK TO BUSINESS AS
% USUAL.
% WELL, SOMETIMES BLACK FOLKS AND
% BROWN FOLKS DON'T HAVE THAT
% OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE NEVER HAD
% THE CHANCE TO HEAL.
% WE'RE ALWAYS UNDER CONSTANT
% ATTACK.
% ALWAYS UNDER A CONSTANT TERROR.
% YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
% IT IS A FORM OF TERRORISM INSIDE
% THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY,
% AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE GROWN
% USED TO.
% IT IS NO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT'S
% TAKING PLACE IN THIRD WORLD
% COUNTRIES.
% WE EXPERIENCE TRAUMATIC ISSUES
% DAILY, EVERY SINGLE DAY WE
% EXPERIENCE THAT, AND WHETHER
% RACINE, KENOSHA, OR SOMEWHERE IN
% WISCONSIN.
% RECENTLY, WE HAD A MAJOR
% SITUATION IN A HIGH SCHOOL WHERE
% IT WAS SOME RACIAL SLURS THAT
% WAS, YOU KNOW, WRITTEN INSIDE
% THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE SCHOOL
% THAT WAS RECEIVING THE SCHOOL
% KNEW THE PLAYERS WERE DOMINANT
% BLACK, SO THEY DID IT ON
% PURPOSE, AND THE EXCUSE WE
% ALWAYS GET WHEN WE DEAL WITH
% THESE ISSUES IS, WELL, WE HAVE
% TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PARENT
% BETTER, OR WE CAN'T CONTROL HOW
% PARENTS PARENT THE CHILDREN.
% NO ONE WANTS TO PUT A SOLUTION
% IN PLACE AND SAY, OKAY, ENOUGH
% OF THIS.
% STOP IT.
% WE ALWAYS HAVE MORE EXCUSES.
% WELL, WE DIDN'T KNOW JOHNNY WAS
% LIKE THAT.
% WELL W HERE'S THE -- WELL,
% HERE'S THE THING, IF YOU -- THE
% KYLE RITTENHOUSE SITUATION
% ALREADY PRODUCED COPYCAT
% SITUATIONS.%IF YOU LOOK AT O
XFORD, MICHIGAN,
% I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT.
% BECAUSE THE KYLE RITTENHOUSE
% ISSUE WAS NOT FULLY ADDRESSED
% PROPERLY, THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER
% CASE THAT'S GOING TO POP UP AND
% APPEAR.%THE SAME WAY THAT, F
OR YEARS,
% THE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE HAVE
% BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT DRUGS IN
% THEIR COMMUNITY AND VIOLENCE IN
% THEIR COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN
% OVERLOOKED FOR YEAR AFTER YEAR
% AFTER YEAR, WE SAYING THE SAME
% THING WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO
% POLICE BRUTALITY AND WHITE MALES
% GETTING AWAY WITH EVERYTHING AND
% ANYTHING, AND IF WE DON'T STOP
% THIS NOW, WHAT ARE WE TEACHING
% THE YOUNGER WHITE MAILS THAT ARE
% 15 YEARS OLD, 12 YEARS OLD,
% WATCHING THIS STUFF ON SOCIAL
% MEDIA AND TV.
% WE'RE LITERALLY TELLING THEM,
% YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT, AND
% NOTHING WILL EVER HAPPEN TO YOU.
% YOU CAN TAKE SOMEONE'S LIFE.
% YOU CAN HARASS SOMEBODY.
% YOU CAN TRAUMATIZE SOMEBODY.
% YOU CAN RAPE SOMEBODY.
% YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
% NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO
% YOU.%THINK ABOUT THAT.
% WE HAVE A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
% THAT WAS CHALLENGED A FEW YEARS
% AGO, AND THEY -- THE VICTIM THAT
% WAS ON DISPLAY, THEY REALLY
% TRAUMATIZED HER EVEN MORE TO
% PRETTY MUCH CALL HER A LIAR FROM
% HER EXPERIENCE IN HER OWN LIFE.
% WHEN WE APPROVE THE LAST SUPREME
% COURT JUSTICE, IT WAS OKAY.
% THAT'S THE HISTORIC PATTERN THAT
% WE SEE HERE THAT WHITE MEN CAN
% LITERALLY DO WHATEVER THEY WANT
% ALL THE TIME, AND NOBODY DOES
% ANYTHING TO THEM BECAUSE THEY
% CAN APPEAL TO THEMSELVES FOR THE
% MOST PART AND GET OUT OF JAIL
% FREE CARD EACH AND EVERY TIME.
% >> WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR FROM
% THE PEOPLE OF KENOSHA,
% SPECIFICALLY?%>> WHAT THE LE
ADERSHIP IN
% KENOSHA IS, THE LEADERSHIP IN
% KENOSHA NEED TO BEGIN TO INVEST
% IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY,
% SERIOUSLY INVEST.
% WHEN I SAY "INVEST," I'M SAYING
% RE-EXAMINE THE SCHOOLS THAT'S IN
% THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY,
% THE PARKS IN THE BLACK AND BROWN
% COMMUNITY, THE LOCAL POLICE AND
% POLICIES THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE
% BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.%I
MUST SAY, TO SOME DEGREE, THE
% KENOSHA POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS%
SOME FAIRNESS TO IT.
% I CANNOT SAY ALL OF THE POLICE
% OF KENOSHA IS UNFAIR, BUT WHAT I
% AM SAYING IS THE MAYOR AND THE
% CHIEF NEED TO CONSTANTLY
% RE-EXAMINE THE POLICING
% POLICIES, HOW TO POLICE THE
% BLACK COMMUNITY, HOW THEY DEAL
% WITH POLICE STRUCTURES HERE, HOW
% THEY -- THE LACK OF INVESTMENT
% IN THE BLACK AND BROWN
% COMMUNITIES, AND LITERALLY
% DECIDE TO SAY, WE HAVE TO
% REALLY, PHYSICALLY INVEST IN
% THIS COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE
% BECAUSE I BELIEVE A RISING TIDE
% RAISES ALL SHIPS.
% NOW, IF THEY DON'T MAKE THESE
% INVESTMENTS HERE IN THIS REGION
% IN KENOSHA, IT IS TOO SMALL TO
% NOT BE AFFECTED BY POVERTY, BY
% CRIME.
% LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE
% LAST, SOMEONE GOT KILLED IN THE
% DOWNTOWN AREA, OKAY?
% IS THAT CRIME?
% IS IT POVERTY?
% WHAT'S IT LINKED TO?
% WHAT IS -- IN MY OPINION, IT'S
% JUST LINKED TO A POOR INVESTMENT
% ACROSS THE BOARD.
% THE POOR INVESTMENT, LACK OF
% RESOURCES IN THE BLACK AND BROWN
% COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE
% TO GIVE THE PEOPLE IN THE BLACK
% AND BROWN COMMUNITY SOME SENSE
% OF OWNERSHIP AND PRIDE.%WE N
EED TO HAVE MORE HOME
% OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS TO ALLOW
% BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE TO BE%
ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOME INSTEAD
% OF PAYING EXTREMELY HIGH RATES.
% THINGS LIKE THAT CREATES
% PRESSURE.
% IF SOMEONE STRUGGLES DAY-TO-DAY
% BECAUSE THEY WORK AT, SAY, A
% LOCAL RETAIL STORE MAKING
% MINIMUM WAGE OR $15, $16, WHICH
% EVERYONE THINKS IS THE LIVING
% WAGE, WHICH IT'S NOT IF THEY
% HAVE FIVE OR SIX CHILDREN, AND
% THEY ARE NOT THERE TO POLICE
% THEIR CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY HAVE
% TO WORK, THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS
% THE KIDS RAISE THEMSELVES.
% WE DON'T HAVE ANY DAY CARES.
% WE DON'T HAVE ANY -- WE DON'T
% HAVE ANY RESOURCES IN THE PARK
% FOR THE KIDS TO GO.
% WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THESE
% PROGRAMS FOR AFTER SCHOOL FOR
% KIDS TO BE A PART OF.
% THEY ARE IN SELECT
% NEIGHBORHOODS.%THE WHITE COMM
UNITIES IN
% KENOSHA, THEY HAVE ALL OF THE
% OUTSTANDING PROGRAMS.
% THEY HAVE THINGS FOR PEOPLE THAT
% LOOK LIKE THEM TO DO ON A
% REGULAR BASIS.
% OKAY?
% WE DO HAVE A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
% HERE IN THE CITY OF KENOSHA, BUT
% IT IS NOT IN THE HEART OF
% COMMUNITY WHERE THE BLACK AND
% BROWN PEOPLE ARE.
% THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL.
% THEY HAVE TO GET ON THE BUS.
% IT'S NOT WITHIN REASONABLE
% WALKING DISTANCE TO WHERE THE
% COMMUNITIES NEED IT TO BE.
% IT'S ON 52nd STREET.
% I MEAN, IT'S OVER THERE IN THE
% AREA WHERE THEY HAVE THE YOUTH
% AT, BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME,
% IT'S NOT OPEN LONG ENOUGH FOR
% THOSE CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO
% BENEFIT SO KIDS GET OUT OF
% SCHOOL AND SAY, 2:30, 3:15, THE
% BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS CLOSED
% RIGHT AROUND, I THINK, 6:00,
% 7:00.
% WELL, MOST CRIME HAPPENS BETWEEN
% 3:00 AND 10:30 MEANING THE KIDS
% ARE NOT ENGAGED SOMEWHERE SO WE
% DON'T HAVE PLACES FOR THE KIDS
% TO GO, NOT JUST TO HANG OUT, BUT
% TO GET ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP,
% GET ADDITIONAL FOUNDATION FROM
% DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS.
% WE LEAVING IT ALL UP TO THE
% SCHOOLS.%OKAY?
% THE SCHOOLS CAN'T SOLVE ALL THE
% PROBLEMS.
% THE SCHOOLS CAN'T PARENT.
% THE SCHOOLS CAN'T EDUCATE 24
% HOURS.
% WE NEED OTHER THINGS IN
% COMMUNITY WHERE THESE KIDS CAN
% TURN TO SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY
% IMPROVE THEMSELVES, AND AT SOME
% POINT, THESE CHILDREN KNOW RIGHT
% AND WRONG.
% THEY JUST NEED A PLACE TO HELP
% THEM DO DISCOVER THEMSELVES, AND
% SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO
% DO WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE WITH
% SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE PUT IN
% PLACE FOR THE MOST PART.
% >> I WAS GOING TO ASK, WHAT ARE,
% YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST PRIORITIES
% FOR YOU AND THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE
% THROUGH THE URBAN LEAGUE, AND IT
% SOUNDS LIKE YOU, IN PARTICULAR,
% IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU
% AND YOUR ORGANIZATION.
% >> YES.
% YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.%SO RIGHT B
EFORE THE JACOB BLAKE
% SITUATION TOOK PLACE, OUR BOARD%
DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO
% RE-EXAMINE HOW TO HELP THIS
% COMMUNITY, SO WE RE-EXAMINED OUR
% PROGRAMMING.
% OUR FOCUS IS ON YOUTH
% DEVELOPMENT.
% YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FROM MIDDLE
% SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH 24
% YEARS OLD.
% SO WHAT WE ARE GOING -- WHAT
% WE'RE DOING IS WE HAVE A PROGRAM
% CALLED URBAN 3S WHERE TEENAGERS
% COME IN, PRETTY MUCH SOPHOMORE,
% 10th GRADE AND UP, AND EXPRESS
% THEIR EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAVE
% HAD IN THE AREA AROUND KENOSHA.
% THEY TALK ABOUT IT.
% THEY EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
% IT IS TEAM LED.
% ONE ADULT FACILITATOR, BUT THE
% WAY IT IS FORMATTED, THE ADULT
% CAN ONLY TAKE NOTES AND NOT
% INTERJECT.%IT'S LED BY THE TE
AM SO WE
% UNDERSTAND THEY ARE
% EXPERIENCING.
% THAT'S IN PLACE BECAUSE WE KNEW
% CHILDREN WERE SUFFERING IN
% SILENCE.%MOST OF THE KIDS HER
E IN THE
% KENOSHA REGION AND RACINE REGION
% ARE SUFFERING IN SILENCE.
% THEY DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO TURN
% TO.
% THEY ARE NOT COMFORTABLE TALKING
% TO THEIR PARENTS BECAUSE THEY
% BELIEVE THEIR PARENTS ARE TOO
% OLD TO UNDERSTAND.
% THEY SUFFER BASED ON WHATEVER%
THEY EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOL, AND
% BASED ON A LOT OF
% MICROAGGRESSION THAT THESE KIDS
% EXPERIENCE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM,
% AND SO THEN THEY FEEL NOT
% WELCOME.
% THEY FEEL NOT WANTED.
% SO THEY TRY TO FIGURE OUT WAYS
% TO ESCAPE THAT SYSTEM.
% AND THEN THEY FIGURE OUT WAYS
% NOT TO WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN
% SCHOOL, PERIOD.
% THAT'S ONE THING WHERE WE HAVE A
% READING PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE
% TRYING TO BE REALLY PROACTIVE TO
% CATCH THE KID AS EARLY AS
% POSSIBLE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE
% THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO READ
% BECAUSE IT IS A REALLY
% UNCOMFORTABLE STAT THAT -- I'M%
SURE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THE
% STAT.
% IF A STUDENT READS IN THE 3rd
% GRADE, THEY PRETTY MUCH WILL
% SURVIVE OR NOT GO TO PRISON FOR
% THE MOST PART.
% IF YOU CAN'T READ IN 3rd
% GRADE, HE OR SHE IS PRETTY MUCH
% GOING TO GO TO PRISON.
% SO WE TRYING TO INTERRUPT THAT
% SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE
% COMPLETELY.%THAT'S WHY WE HA
VE THE READING
% PROGRAM AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
% TRYING TO CATCH THEM EARLY AS
% POSSIBLE.
% WHERE WE HAVE A TEAM LEADERSHIP
% PROGRAM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
% HELP INDIVIDUALS CRAFT THEIR
% IDEAS AND SHAPE THEMSELVES TO
% BECOME LEADERS SO THEY CAN BE
% MORE OUTSPOKEN AND LEAD
% THEMSELVES IN THESE SCHOOL
% PROGRAMS AND CAN VOICE
% THEMSELVES PROPERLY.
% THEY KNOW WHO THE RIGHT PERSON
% THAT THEY CAN GO TO ADVOCATE FOR
% THEM, AND THEN WE HAVE STEM
% PROGRAMS WHERE THAT, YOU KNOW,
% TEACHES THE ARTS AND BRINGS OUT
% CREATIVITY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO --
% ALLOW THE STUDENTS TO REDISCOVER
% WHO THEY ARE.
% THOSE PROGRAMS WE ARE FOCUSING
% ON, AND THEN WE HAVE THE JOBS,
% THE GENERAL -- WHAT WE CALL SOFT
% SKILLS, JOB INTERVIEWING, JOB
% TRAINING.
% WE HAVE THAT IN THE PROGRAM IN
% GENERAL, BUT WE'RE FINDING OUT
% THAT THE KIDS WANT TO DO THINGS,
% THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF
% THINGS, HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT
% GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT THEN
% WHEN YOU TALK TO THE OTHER SIDE,
% THEY ARE NOT GIVEN OPPORTUNITY
% BECAUSE OF KIDS NOT BEING
% SKILLED ENOUGH.
% SO IT IS LIKE A TWO-EDGED SWORD
% HERE.%WE ARE TRYING TO HELP
THE KIDS
% SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS ON THEIR
% END, BUT ALSO GET THEM PREPARED
% TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN
% THEIR LIVES, AND THAT'S THE
% FOCUS OF THE URBAN LEAGUE IN
% KENOSHA AT THIS POINT.
% >> AS WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED,
% THE EVENTS OF THE LAST YEAR AND
% A HALF ARE A VERY INTENSE, SHORT
% PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THEN YOU
% SAID THERE IS DECADES OF TRAUMA,
% SO HOW DO YOU DEFINE "HEALING,"
% BOTH IN THE SHORT TERM AND THE
% LONG TERM?
% >> HA-HA, HEALING IN THE SHORT
% TERM IS -- WELL, I'LL DO IT THIS
% WAY.
% HEALING TYPICALLY GOES BACK TO
% WHEN YOU HEAL, YOU GO BACK TO
% WHAT IS CONSIDERED NORMAL.
% OKAY?
% BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE DON'T
% KNOW WHAT NORMAL IS BECAUSE WE
% NEVER HAD A CHANCE WHERE WE HAVE
% HAD A CHANCE TO BREATHE.
% I'M TALKING ABOUT AS A
% CULTUREMENT I'M NOT TALKING
% ABOUT INDIVIDUALS.
% INDIVIDUALS IN THE BLACK AND
% BROWN COMMUNITY, I'M REITERATING
% THIS, HAVE HAD SUCCESSES AND
% MOVED UP THE LADDER AND THEY
% HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALIZE THE
% AMERICAN DREAM, BUT WHEN IT
% COMES DOWN TO THE CULTURE AS A
% WHOLE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
% DISCOVER THE AMERICAN DREAM
% BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER HAD A CHANCE
% TO HEAL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF
% WHAT'S NORMAL?
% WHAT'S NORMAL TO THE BLACK AND
% BROWN POPULATION IS TERROR IN
% OUR COMMUNITY.
% SO THAT'S, IN THE SHORT TERM, IS
% ALLOWING MORE WHITE PEOPLE TO
% COME INTO THE BLACK AND BROWN
% COMMUNITIES, FIND OUT AND TALK
% TO PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL GROCERY
% STORE.
% TALK TO SOMEONE YOU NEVER TALKED
% TO BEFOREMENT YOU MY DAIS COVER
% WHY WHILE YOU'RE AT THE GROCERY
% STORE YOU HAVE MORE LIKENESSES
% THAN DIFFERENCES, HOWEVER, THE
% LONG-TERM IS WE GOT TO FIGURE
% OUT A WAY TO BRIDGE THE GAP
% BETWEEN EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN
% WISCONSIN AND KENOSHA, IN
% RACINE.
% WHITE PEOPLE HAVE TO NOT BE
% AFRAID IF A BLACK PERSON ADVANCE
% IN THEIR JOB OR GET A NEW CAREER
% OR OPEN UP A BUSINESS THAT IS
% NOT TAKING ANYTHING FROM THEM.
% THERE'S TONS OF RESOURCES OUT
% HERE.
% I BELIEVE, IN MOST CASES, THAT
% MOST WHITE PEOPLE BELIEVE IF ONE
% GROUP GAINS, THE OTHER ONE
% LOSES.
% THAT'S NOT TRUE.
% IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER AND WORK
% TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY, WE ALL
% CAN WIN.%I BELIEVE WE ALL WAN
T THE SAME
% FOR OUR FAMILIES.
% WE ALL WANT GREAT SCHOOL
% SYSTEMS, GREAT HEALTH CARE, WE
% ALL WANT THAT.
% IT DOESN'T MEAN JUST BECAUSE ONE
% PERSON HAS IT OR ONE GROUP HAS
% IT, THAT THE OTHER GROUP WON'T
% GET IT OR WILL LOSE IT, SO IN
% THE LONG TERM, I WOULD LOVE FOR
% WHITE PEOPLE TO REMOVE THEIR
% FEAR OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE,
% AND THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAYS TO
% US IMPROVING THIS RACISM
% RELATIONSHIP.%>> PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN SEEING AND
% READING ABOUT KENOSHA, EVEN IN
% INTERNATIONAL NEWS, LIKE WE'VE
% SAID FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.
% WHAT DO YOU WANT THOSE WHO HAVE%
BEEN ON THE OUTSIDE GAZING IN TO
% KNOW AND UNDERSTAND ABOUT YOUR
% COMMUNITY?%>> WELL, THE KENOS
HA COMMUNITY
% IS A SMALL MICROCOSM OF WHAT WE
% SEE IN THE WORLD.
% IF THE OUTSIDERS CAN OBSERVE
% KENOSHA -- SO LET'S NOT MAKE ANY
% MISTAKES.
% KENOSHA IS A RESILIENT
% COMMUNITY.
% MOST PEOPLE IN KENOSHA KNOW EACH
% OTHER, WENT TO SCHOOL WITH EACH
% OTHER AT ONE OF THE LOCAL HIGH
% SCHOOLS OR WORKED TOGETHER, AND
% SO MOST PEOPLE IN KENOSHA KNOW
% EACH OTHER.
% IT'S ACTUALLY LIKE A SMALL TOWN,
% A SMALL TOWN FEEL HERE.
% EVERYBODY KNOWS EACH OTHER OR
% RELATED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR
% FORM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT
% EVERYBODY TO KNOW, BUT AT THE
% SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT
% EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT KENOSHA AS
% THIS EXTREMELY DIVIDED CITY
% BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DIVIDED.
% JUST BECAUSE KENOSHA HAS HAD
% SOME DISAGREEMENTS WITH LAW
% ENFORCEMENT OR IN THE JUDICIAL
% SYSTEM, MOST OF THE PEOPLE STILL
% GO OUT TO LUNCH TOGETHER WHEN
% IT'S ALL OVER.
% THEY SIT AT THE DINNER TABLE
% DISCUSSING ISSUES, NOT THE
% ISSUES THAT I THINK THEY SHOULD
% DISCUSS, BUT THEY ARE DISCUSSING
% ISSUES WITH EACH OTHER IN THEIR
% HOUSEHOLDS, SO I DON'T WANT
% EVERYBODY TO THINK KENOSHA IS
% JUST THIS -- THIS CRAZY PLACE
% WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE
% RUNNING AROUND KILLING EACH
% OTHER, AND WE HAVE A JUDGE THAT
% JUST DOES WHAT HE WANT TO DO, SO
% TO SPEAK, AND THAT'S NOT THE
% PEOPLE OF KENOSHA.
% I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF KENOSHA
% IS A VERY FAIR, RESILIENT,
% RESPECTFUL PEOPLE THAT HELP EACH
% OTHER OUT.
% I MEAN, OFTENTIMES WE HAVE A LOT
% OF SNOW THAT FALLS HERE, AND YOU
% SEE NEIGHBORS HELPING EACH
% OTHER, YOU KNOW, HELPING ONE
% ANOTHER DIG OUT OF DITCHES AND
% BE A PART OF EACH OTHER, DOING
% THIS AFTER DINNER, DURING THE
% CORONAVIRUS, WE HAD PEOPLE
% GROCERY SHOPPING FOR ONE
% ANOTHER.%YOU KNOW, IT WAS A S
TRONG
% COMMUNITY HERE.
% THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE, BUT WE
% DO HAVE PROBLEMS, AND THE
% PROBLEMS THAT EXIST IN KENOSHA
% ARE LONG-TERM INSTITUTIONAL
% PROBLEMS.%IT IS NOT PERSONAL
.
% IT IS INSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS
% THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.
% THAT'S ALL.
% WE CAN BEGIN TO FIX THE PROBLEMS
% INSTITUTIONALIZE AT THE STATE
% LEVEL, FEDERAL LEVEL, IT'LL
% TRICKLE DOWN, BUT I BELIEVE
% KENOSHA COULD BE THE EXAMPLE.
% IF WE GET THIS RIGHT, IF WE GET
% THIS RIGHT, KENOSHA HAS THE
% POTENTIAL TO BE THE EXAMPLE FOR
% THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, BECAUSE WE
% ARE A SMALL MICROCOSM OF WHAT
% EXISTS IN AMERICA, HOW AMERICA
% EXISTS TODAY.
% >> ALL RIGHT, WE LEAVE IT THERE,
% JAMES HALL OF THE URBAN LEAGUE
% OF RACINE AND KENOSHA, THANK YOU
% VERY MUCH.
% >> THANK YOU.
% THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
% >> FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW"
% AND PBS WISCONSIN, VISIT
% PBSWISCONSIN.ORG/NEWS, AND THANK%
YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON
% "NOON WEDNESDAY."
% WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.