>>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
I'M MARY ANNA MARISA WOJCIK, AND TODAY IS
JUNE 16th.
THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 19th, ALSO
KNOWN AS JUNETEENTH COMMEMORATES
THE EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES IN
THE UNITED STATES MORE THAN 150
YEARS LATER.
WHAT DOES PROSPERITY LOOK LIKE
FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN,
AND WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN?
WE ARE JOINED BY THE FOUNDER AND
CEO OF THE WISCONSIN BLACK
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, RUBEN
HOPKINS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> I WANT TO START BY ASKING YOU
JUST WHAT DOES JUNETEENTH MEAN
TO YOU?
>> SO YOU'D THINK IT WOULD BE A
VERY DEEP QUESTION, BUT IT'S, AT
THIS POINT, IT'S NOT A VERY DEEP
QUESTION.
I JUST THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE
POINT WHERE JUNETEENTH SHOULD BE
CELEBRATED DIFFERENTLY.
RIGHT NOW, WE DO A PARADE, AND
WE DO BASICALLY A DAY OF
FESTIVITYIES IN MILWAUKEE AND
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I THINK THAT JUNETEENTH HAS
GOTTEN TO THE POINT NOW THAT
CONGRESS HAS VOTED TO MAKE IT A
FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
I JUST THINK IT SHOULD BE MORE
OF A BLACK ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE
BUILT AROUND WHAT ARE THE REAL
PROGRESSES THAT WE ARE MAKING IN
THIS COUNTRY?
YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE
ARE MAKING AMAZING PROGRESS IN
THIS COUNTRY, BUT YOU DON'T
ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IT.
WE DON'T ALWAYS SEE IT.
PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO
FRAME IT, AND IN SOME CASES,
PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO FRAME IT
BECAUSE, AGAIN, SOMEHOW IT SEEMS
LIKE WHEN YOU SHOW THAT BLACK
PEOPLE ARE DOING WELL, THERE'S A
GROUP OF WHITE PEOPLE THAT FEEL,
LIKE, THEY ONLY DO WELL BECAUSE
THEY ARE TAKING IT FROM US.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM
THE TRUTH.
YOU KNOW, THIS COUNTRY RIGHT
NOW, ABOUT 97%, 98% OF THE
WEALTH AND RESOURCES ARE IN THE
HANDS OF THE MAJORITY COMMUNITY,
AND SO IT IS IN THE HANDS OF
WHITE PEOPLE, AND SO FOR THEM TO
FEEL LIKE ANY PROGRESS WE MAKE
IN THAT IT COMES FROM THEM, I
THINK, THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE
HAVE TO GET PAST, SO FOR
JUNETEENTH, WE, AND WHEN I SAY
"WE," I MEAN THE BLACK BUSINESS
LEADERSHIP IN THE BLACK
COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO REDEFINE
IT.
WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT A
LITTLE MORE SERIOUS AND BEGIN TO
PUSH FOR MORE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, MORE BUSINESS
STARTUPS, AND WE NEED TO BE
STARTING 3,000 BUSINESSES A
YEAR, JUST IN THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN.
WE NEED TO BE STARTING, YOU KNOW
KNOW, APPLYING, ABOUT 3,000
BUSINESSES A YEAR BECAUSE WE
KNOW SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES
ARE NOT GOING TO GROW, BUT IF WE
CAN START THIS PROCESS WHERE WE
HAVE BUSINESS STARTUP, BUSINESS
STARTUP, CREATING AN ECONOMY,
THEN EVERY JUNETEENTH, WE'LL BE
ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT AS A
MEASURE OF PROGRESS.
>> SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT THINK
THAT THERE'S A NATURAL
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES AND
BUSINESS, ECONOMICS, AND IN YOUR
OPINION, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS
A CONNECTION.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT
CONNECTION COMES TO BE?
>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES IS,
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S -- IT'S
ALMOST AS IF -- THE DIFFICULTY
IS WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, RIGHT?
NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO ACT LIKE IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE
PROBLEM, SO I CAN REMEMBER
STANDING ON LAKE MICHIGAN ON THE
EDGE OF LAKE MICHIGAN, AND I WAS
FACEING WEST, AND I ASKED A GROUP
OF FRIENDS, AND I SAID, DO YOU
REALLY BELIEVE THAT BLACK PEOPLE
JUST DECIDED NOT TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE AMERICAN, YOU KNOW, THIS
AMERICAN THING CALLED AMERICA,
YOU KNOW, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OWNING
HOMES, BUILDING BUSINESSES, YOU
KNOW, HAVING GOOD SCHOOLS, WE
JUST DECIDED WE'RE NOT GOING TO
PARTICIPATE?
WE'RE JUST GOING TO ALLOW WHITE
PEOPLE TO DO EVERYTHING, AND
WE'LL JUST ASK THEM FOR
EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.
THAT'S THE WAY IT SEEMS.
RIGHT?
BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS.
THAT'S NOT THE TRUTH OF HOW
THINGS HAPPEN.
RIGHT?
SO WE DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS THE
WHITE SUPREMACY, WE DON'T WANT
TO DISCUSS JIM CROW OR
REDLINING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS
THAT ARE AND WERE DONE TO BLACK
PEOPLE TO MAKE OUR EXISTENCE IN
SUCH JEOPARDY, YET WE STILL HAVE
FOUND WAYS TO SURVIVE, AND TO
CONTINUE TO EXIST, AND SO THAT
CONNECTION IS AMERICA.
YOU KNOW, IT IS ALMOST --
SOMEONE SAYS WHEN YOU TALK TO --
TALK ABOUT RACISM, PEOPLE THINK
YOU ARE ANTI-AMERICAN.
WELL, HOW IS RACE TIED SO TO
JUST BEING AN AMERICAN?
RIGHT?
IT'S BECAUSE WE JUST REALLY
DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED.
WE WOULD RATHER ACT LIKE IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN RATHER THAN
UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL HAVE A
ROLE TO PLAY IN MAKING AMERICA
TRUE TO WHAT AMERICA HAS ON
PAPER.
>> SO PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AND
NOW MORE THAN A YEAR OUT, HOW
ARE BLACK BUSINESSES,
BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES FAIRING?
>> WELL, WE ARE STRUGGLING.
I MEAN, BECAUSE MOST OF THE
MONEY THAT WAS FOR PPP AND ALL
OF THESE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS THAT
WAS CREATED WITH THE RECOVERY
ACT, MOST OF THAT MONEY NEVER
MADE IT TO THE PLAQUE -- BLACK
COMMUNITY SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE A
STRONG BANKING RELATIONSHIP,
WHICH MANY OF US DON'T, IF YOU
DON'T HAVE STRONG COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS THAT
CAN DO MICROLENDING IN YOUR
COMMUNITY, WHICH, AGAIN, MANY
COMMUNITIES DON'T, THEN A LOT OF
TIMES YOU WERE JUST TOLD YOU
DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR THE FUNDING,
AND SO -- AND SO THAT'S BEEN --
IT'S BEEN A HEADACHE.
EVERYONE KNOWS IT IS A HEADACHE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A REPORT THAT
THE ACTUAL GOVERNMENT PUT OUT
THAT SAYS THAT, HEY, THIS MONEY
IS NOT MAKING IT.
WE SET ASIDE, RIGHT, $60 BILLION
FOR LOW INCOME COMMUNITYIES IN
UNDERUTILIZED COMMUNITIES, AND
THE MONEY STILL DIDN'T MAKE IT
THERE EVEN THOUGH WE SET IT
ASIDE.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS IN THE
FUTURE IF YOU ENDOW IT, THAT
CAN'T HAPPEN.
THEY DIDN'T ENDOW IT.
THEY JUST SET IT ASIDE TO LEAVE
TO POLITICIANS TO DECIDE WHO WAS
GOING TO GET THE MONEY, AND
BUREAUCRATS.
>> SO HAVE ANY OF THE FEDERAL
COVID RELIEF DOLLARS GONE TO
BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES?
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU HOPE WILL
BE PASSED IN WISCONSIN'S BUDGET
THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING
NEGOTIATED?
>> SO ABOUT LESS THAN 2% OF THE
FUNDS I THINK MADE IT INTO THE
HANDS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
BUSINESSES, AND SO WHICH IS NOT
VERY MUCH.
AND I GET CALLS I WILL TELL FROM
ALMOST EVERY DAY FROM BUSINESS
OWNERS SAY, WHO DO YOU KNOW THAT
GOT PPP?
SO, AND SO THE OTHER PART OF
THIS IS SOME BUSINESSES DON'T
WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THEY GO
IT, AND, AGAIN, IT'S, LIKE, WHY,
WHY YOU DON'T KNOW PEOPLE TO
KNOW THAT YOU HAVE IT?
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN
PSYCHOLOGY OF HOW GETTING
THROUGH THIS THING, AND SO WHAT
I -- WHAT I PROPOSE IS THAT,
AGAIN, THAT ENDOWMENTS BE
CREATED BECAUSE WHEN YOU CREATE
AN ENDOWMENT, YOU -- THAT LOCKS
THE MONEY IN TO THE PURPOSE OF
THE ENDOWMENT, RIGHT?
IT'S LIKE THE ENDOWMENT OF THE
ARTS.
IT GOES TO ARTS PROJECTS, RIGHT?
SO IF YOU CREATE AN ENDOWMENT IN
WHICH IT IS FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN -- FOR EXAMPLE,
IF YOU SAY, THIS IS FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN HUB ZONES OR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN
OPPORTUNITY ZONES, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE AREAS WHERE
YOU KNOW THAT UNDERUTILIZED
BUSINESSES OF COLOR ARE, THEN IT
MAKES IT HARDER FOR OTHER PEOPLE
TO GRAB IT FOR WHATEVER IT IS
THEY WANT TO GRAB IT FOR.
>> SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MORE OF
A LONG-TERM COMMITTED SOLUTION
WITH AN ENDOWMENT?
>> OH, YES.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO THINK LONG
TERM.
IF WE THINK OF THIS MONEY AS,
YOU KNOW, THE PART OF A COVID
LOTTERY, AND, OH, LET'S GET THIS
MONEY AND LET'S, YOU KNOW, JUST
RUN OUT AND SPEND IT, YOU KNOW,
TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WE'LL ALL BE
LINED UP, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR
HANDS OUT SAYING, HEY, WE NEED
HELP RATHER THAN CREATING A
LONG-TERM PROCESS THAT NOT ONLY
HELPS THE COMMUNITIES THAT I'M
TALKING ABOUT, BUT IT ALSO HELPS
THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES,
AND IT ALSO HELPS ALL OF THESE
DIFFERENT -- YOU KNOW, THE
MINORITY BUSINESS, WOMEN OWNED
MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
THAT EVERYBODY SAYS THEY WANT TO
SEE HAPPENING.
AND SO, IT'S JUST -- I JUST
THINK IT IS A BETTER IDEA.
>> NOW, ALONG THOSE LINES, THERE
IS A WISCONSIN CONSERVATIVE
LEGAL GROUP THAT HAS BEEN
GAINING TRACTION, AND THEY HAVE
BROUGHT A LAWSUIT AGAINST A
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM,
AND THE PROGRAM WAS AIMED AT
GIVING CERTAIN MINORITY AND
WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES
SPECIFICALLY RESTAURANTS AND
BARS THE FIRST SHOT AT SOME
COVID RELIEF FUNDING, AND THEY
ARGUED THAT IT PUSHED WHITE MEN,
QUOTE, TO THE BACK OF THE LINE.
SHOULD BUSINESSES OWNED BY
MARGINALIZED GROUPS GET PRIORITY
FUNDING IN YOUR MIND?
>> THAT'S -- HA-HA -- THAT'S --
YOU KNOW, I TELL MY -- IT'S KIND
OF FUNNY BECAUSE, AGAIN, THIS IS
THE M. O., RIGHT?
ANY TIME YOU ARE GOING TO DO
ANYTHING TO -- AS PART OF
CORRECTING WRONGS, HISTORIC
WRONGING RIGHT, THERE'S, AGAIN,
A GROUP SAYING, OH, THEY ARE
DISCRIMINATING AGAINST WHITE
PEOPLE, RIGHT?
IT'S, LIKE, HOW -- YOU GET TO
THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T WIN NO
MATTER WHAT IT IS THAT YOU DO,
RIGHT?
AND SO IT'S, LIKE, SO, APARCHTLY
THEY -- APPARENTLY THEY
HAVE THE RIGHT TO FILE THE
LAWSUIT, RIGHT, BUT, AGAIN, I
THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM IS WE
ARE ALL TRYING TO POSITION
OURSELVES AND FIND OUR PLACE IN
THIS WORLD, RIGHT?
AND IF IT YOU LOOK AT THE
NUMBERS AND WHERE MOST OF THE
MONEY WENT, RIGHT, YOU WOULD
THINK THEY WOULD HAVE SUED THAT
SO MUCH MONEY WENT TO PEOPLE WHO
ALREADY HAD MONEY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WE ARE SUING
BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ALREADY HAD
MONEY, AND THEY GOT HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY
HAD CONNECTIONS IN THE BANKS,
AND THE BANKS ALREADY HAD THEIR
CREDIT AND INFORMATION, AND IT
WAS EASY FOR THE BANK TO GIVE
THEM THE MONEY, AND SO WE SHOULD
BE SUING THEM.
TO SUE BECAUSE PEOPLE OF COLOR
OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AT A
DISADVANTAGE WERE ALLOWED TO BE
ABLE TO POSITION THEMSELVES TO
GET MONEY, TO CREATE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, I JUST FIND THAT AS -- IT'S TYPICAL BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
HOW THINGS WORK.
EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH
VOTING.
LIKE, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT
THERE'S ENOUGH PEOPLE IN CHARGE
AND IN POSITION THAT THEY CAN
SAY, WELL, WE WANT TO DO THIS.
AND SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT
I THINK ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT'S -- IT'S PROBABLY
WRONG, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE LAW
ALLOWS PEOPLE TO DO STUFF, AND
PRETTY SURE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
DO IT.
>> NOW, WISCONSIN REPUBLICANS
ARE SAYING THAT AN ADDITIONAL
$300 IN UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
FROM COVID-19 RELIEF DOLLARS ARE
DISINCENTIVIZING PEOPLE FROM
WORK WITHING AND HURTING LOCAL
BUSINESSES.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN
HEARING FROM YOUR MEMBERS OF THE
CHAMBER?
>> NO, I DON'T AGREE WITH IT.
I THINK THAT -- AND, AGAIN, I'M
AMONG ZOOM CALLS AND, YOU KNOW,
PROBABLY ANOTHER ONE AFTER
THIS -- I DON'T REALLY WANT TO
LOOK TO SEE -- BUT YOU GOT TO
PAY PEOPLE.
YOU GOT TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE,
RIGHT?
I RUN A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT BUSINESSES
WANT TO MAKE MONEY, AND THEY
WANT -- PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE
MONEY, AND SOMETIMES THEY WANT
TO PAY OFF THE LEAST AMOUNT OF
MONEY THEY HAVE TO PAY OUT, YOU
KNOW, BUT I THINK THAT YOU HAVE
TO PAY PEOPLE.
I THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT YOU
GOT TO PAY PEOPLE.
RIGHT?
I THINK THAT -- SO THE PANDEMIC
WOKE UP PEOPLE IN A LOT OF
DIFFERENT WAYS, AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO SACRIFICED BY GOING
TO WORK DURING THE PANDEMIC,
NONE OF THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER OR
COMING, YOU KNOW, WE SEE A LIGHT
AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
THERE ARE PEOPLE SAYING, YOU
KNOW WHAT, I'M WORTH MORE THAN
WHAT THIS JOB IS WILLING TO PAY
ME, YOU KNOW, AND, TRUST ME,
I -- $300 PER WEEK, I'M NOT NOT
GOING BACK TO WORK BECAUSE
SOMEBODY'S GIVING ME $300 PER
WEEK, BUT I AM LOOKING FOR A JOB
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN, AND,
SO, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK PEOPLE
ARE MORE ALONG THE LINES OF JUST
LOOKING FOR WORK THEY ARE REALLY
INTERESTED IN, AND EVEN IF THEY
DO NOT GET PAID WHAT THEY WANTED
TO GET PAID, THEY ARE AT LEAST
AT A JOB THEY CAN STOMACH GOING
TO EVERY DAY, AND DEALING WITH
WITH EVERY DAY, VERSUS A JOB
THEY HATE.
>> NOW, YESTERDAY, THE U.S.
SENATE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO MAKE
JUNETEENTH A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
WISCONSIN U.S. SENATOR RON
JOHNSON ENDED HIS OBJECTION TO
THE MEASURE SAYING HE SUPPORTS
EMANCIPATION, BUT HE ORIGINALLY
OBJECTED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT
TO PAY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES FOR A
DAY OFF TO COMMEMORATE IT.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT, AND IS
MAKING THIS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY
LONG OVERDUE?
>> I HAVE NO COMMENT ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD THINK GROWN
MEN WOULD BE ABLE TO BETTER
RATIONALIZE SOME OF THE THINGS
THEY SAY.
YOU KNOW?
AND -- IT'S IRRATIONAL.
IT IS LONG OVERDUE.
THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE OTHER
HOLIDAYS THAT ARE PROBABLY
OVERDUE.
AND, YOU KNOW, LET PEOPLE --
SEE, WHEN YOU DO STUFF LIKE
THIS, RIGHT, LIKE, MAKE
JUNETEENTH A HOLIDAY, NOW YOU
HAVE TO, PLAIN HAVE TO EXPLAIN
TO PEOPLE WHAT JUNETEENTH IS
ABOUT AND WHAT HAPPENED AND YOU
HAVE TO EXPLAIN SLAVERY, RIGHT,
WHY IT TOO TWO YEARS FOR THE
SLAVES IN GALVESTON TO FIND OUT
ABOUT THE END OF SLAVERY, AND
THEN YOU GOT TO EXPLAIN JIM
CROW, RIGHT?
AND THEN YOU GOT TO EXPLAIN, YOU
KNOW, SO NOW YOU GOT TO BEGIN TO
EXPLAIN THE BEHAVIOR OF THE
COUNTRY.
RIGHT?
AND NOT WHAT THE EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMATION SAID.
NOT WHAT THE BILL OF RIGHTS
SAYS.
RIGHT?
NOT WHAT ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS
SAY.
BUT NOW YOU GOT TO GO BACK
ENEXPLAIN THE BEHAVIOR OF PEOPLE
IN THE COUNTRY TOWARDS FREED
SLAVES, FOR GENERATIONS, RIGHT?
THEN SO ONCE YOU BEGIN TO HAVE
TO EXPLAIN THAT, THEN THAT'S
WHEN YOU GET INTO THAT
CONVERSATION ABOUT CRITICAL RACE
THEORY THAT NOBODY -- YOU KNOW,
YOU GOT A GROUP OF PEOPLE
SAYING, OH, NO, YOU CAN'T TELL
THEM WHAT WE GOT AWAY WITH WITH,
RIGHT?
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT
SEEMS TO COME DOWN TO.
YOU HAVE TO TELL -- YOU ARE
TELLING -- YOU ARE TELLING A
GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN ON
THIRD BASE HOW THEY GOT TO THIRD
BASE WHILE THEY ARE LOOKING AT
PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER TRYING TO
JUST TRYING TO GET UP TO BAT,
RIGHT?
THOSE PEOPLE, WE ARE TRYING TO
GET UP TO BAT.
YOU WERE BORN ON THIRD BASE.
YOU THINK IT IS NATURAL FOR TO
NOT WANT US TO GET UP TO BAT
BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN ON THIRD
BASE.
WELL, CRITICAL RACE THEORY MEANS
THAT YOU GOT TO EXPLAIN HOW WE
GOT TO THIRD BASE, AND HOW THOSE
PEOPLE OVER THERE NEVER EVEN HAD
A BAT TO SWING.
BECAUSE WE HID THE BATS, RIGHT?
RIGHT?
AND SO IT'S, LIKE -- SO YOU
DON'T WANT TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS, AND SO, YEAH, IT
IS LONG OVERDUE, AND, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT
RON JOHNSON.
HE'S BEEN A DISAPPOINTMENT.
I REMEMBER WHEN HE FIRST GOT
ELECTED.
I THINK HE WAS RUNNING AGAINST
FINEGOLD OR SOMETHING, BUT I
THINK HE'S A DISAPPOINTMENT.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BEFORE.
IT'S NOT LIKE I'M A STAUNCH
DEMOCRAT.
RIGHT NOW, I'M AN INDEPENDENT,
BUT I KNOW WHAT SIDE OF THE
BREAD MY BUTTER IS ON, AND --
AND I KNOW WHETHER IT'S A
REPUBLICAN BRINGING IT OR
DEMOCRAT BRINGING OR INDEPENDENT
BRINGING IT, I KNOW HOW TO THINK
RATIONALLY ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE.
>> AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP
THE CRITICAL RACE THEORY POINT
BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
IS GOING THROUGH THE WISCONSIN
LEGISLATURE, TRYING TO NOT ALLOW
THAT TO BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS.
SWITCHING GEARS A LITTLE BIT,
YOU ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS
QUITE A BIT, BUT CAN YOU
DESCRIBE TO YOU WHAT DOES BLACK
PROSPERITY LOOK LIKE, PROSPERITY
LOOK LIKE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY
IN WISCONSIN.
>> OKAY.
SO RIGHT NOW, TODAY, IN
MILWAUKEE COUNTY, OKAY.
OR MORE SPECIFICALLY IN THE CITY
OF MILWAUKEE BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE THE MAJORITY OF US LIVE.
WE LIVE IN THE CITY OF
MILWAUKEE, RIGHT?
SO RIGHT NOW, OUR HOME OWNERSHIP
RATE IS 30%, RIGHT?
YOU GOT A 30% HOME OWNERSHIP
RATE MEANING SEVEN OUT OF TEN
PEOPLE ON THE BLOCK DON'T OWN A
HOME, RIGHT?
YOU GOT SOME AREAS WHERE NOBODY
OWNS A HOME.
SO WE LIKE TO SEE THAT REVERSED.
WE'D RATHER THAT BE 70% HOME
OWNERSHIP AND 30% RENTING,
RIGHT?
RIGHT NOW, IF I WANT TO GO
BOWLING, I HAVE TO LEAVE MY
COMMUNITY TO GO BOWLING.
IF I WANT TO GO ROLLERSKATING, I
HAVE TO LEAVE MY COMMUNITY TO GO
ROLLERSKATE.
IF I WANT TO GO TO THE MOVIES, I
HAVE TO LEAVE MY COMMUNITY TO GO
TO THE MOVIES.
RIGHT?
SO ALL OF THE -- EVERY WEEKEND,
ME AND
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND
ENTERTAINMENT DOLLARS LEAVE THE
BLACK COMMUNITY GOING TO
BROOKFIELD AND WAUKESHA OUTSIDE
THE ENTERTAINMENT AS THE
ENTERTAINMENT HAS BEEN MOVED
OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY AS IF
WE DON'T NEED THOSE TYPE OF
VENUES IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
WHEN ENTERTAINMENT RETURNS, WHEN
WITH HOME OWNERSHIP SHOWS UP,
WHEN BUSINESS OWNERSHIP SHOWS
UP, AND WE BEGIN TO MANAGE OUR
OWN ECONOMY IN THE BLACK
COMMUNITY, WHEN WHITE PEOPLE GET
UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY, HEY,
WE'RE GOING INTO MILWAUKEE
BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GET
SOME -- WE WANT TO GET COFFEE
AND NETWORK WITH BLACK BUSINESS
OWNERS, RIGHT, THAT MEASURES TO
KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE
MAKING PROGRESS, BUT THERE'S
ALSO MEASURES THAT SHOW WHERE WE
ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO ALL OF THAT MONEY LEAVES
THE COMMUNITY EVERY WEEKEND,
BUT, YOU KNOW, SO DOES MUCH OF
THE ENTITLEMENT MONEY THAT COMES
INTO THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU ARE GETTING FOOD SHARE,
RIGHT, FOOD SHARE, MOST OF THE
COMPANIES BENEFITED FROM FOOD
SHARES PICK AND SAVE SO THAT
MONEY DOESN'T STAY IN THE
COMMUNITY SO YOU HAVE ALL OF
THIS, YOU KNOW, CHILD CHILDCARE
ASSISTANCE, ENERGY ASSISTANCE,
THAT GOES TO ELSEWHERE, NOT
STAYING IN THE COMMUNITY SO ALL
OF THAT MONEY LEAVES THE
COMMUNITY, ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT
DOLLARS LEAVE THE COMMUNITY, AND
SO WE ARE SITTING AROUND,
WONDERING, HOW WE GOT STUCK AT
THE LOWEST LEVEL OF A REAL LIFE
MOO NOTARY
MONOPOLY GAME.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE.
WE ARE STUCK.
THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS STUCK IN
THE REAL LIFE MONOPOLY GAME, AND
YOU CAN'T PLAY WITHOUT THEIR
MONEY SO IF ALL THE MONEY IS
LEAVING, IT IS HARD TO CREATE AN
ECONOMY THAT PEOPLE CAN CREATE
QUALITY OF LIFE AND SURVIVE OFF
OF.
AND SO IN ORDER TO SEE
PROSPERITY IN THE BLACK
COMMUNITY, THAT HAS TO CHANGE.
>> HOW ARE YOU CELEBRATING
JUNETEENTH, AND WHAT DO YOU WANT
PEOPLE TO REFLECT UPON ON THIS
DAY?
>> SO I AM GOING TO GO TO THE
PARADE.
PARADE AND WAVE TO PEOPLE I HAVE
NOT SEEN IN TWO YEARS NOW
BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THEM LAST
YEAR.
NORMALLY EVERY YEAR YOU GO DOWN
THERE AND SEE PEOPLE YOU HAVE
NOT SEEN FOR A YEAR.
SO -- AND I'LL, YOU KNOW, HAVE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WITH WHAT
WE'RE WORKING ON AT THE
WISCONSIN BLACK CHAMBER.
I HAVE FLIERS, HANDING OUT
FLIERS FOR THE UPCOMING EVENTS,
AND THEN I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK
TO SO THAT NEXT JUNETEENTH WE
HAVE A BLACK BUSINESS EXPO, YOU
KNOW, ON JUNETEENTH SO PEOPLE GO
TO THE PARADE, PEOPLE WALK
AROUND A LITTLE BIT DOWNTOWN
THAT MAYBE THAT EVENING WE HAVE
A BLACK BUSINESS EXPO OR
SOMETHING PLANNED TO WHERE WE
CAN TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT
WE ARE MAKING WITH BLACK
BUSINESS IN THIS STATE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
RUBEN HOPKINS OF THE WISCONSIN
BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I HOPE SOME OF IT MADE SENSE.
I HOPE ALL OF IT MADE SENSE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY.
FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW" AND
PBS WISCONSIN, VISIT
PBSWISCONSIN.ORG/NEWS, AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON