THIS IS A TEST.
>>> 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 GIVEN 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 DEFENDING 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 CALLED 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 OXFORD, 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, FOR 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 LEADERSHIP 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 NEED 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 COMMUNITIES 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 BEFORE 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 TEAM SO WE
UNDERSTAND THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING.
THAT'S IN PLACE BECAUSE WE KNEW
CHILDREN WERE SUFFERING IN
SILENCE.
MOST OF THE KIDS HERE 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 HAVE 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 WANT 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 KENOSHA 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 STRONG
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.