The Milwaukee Courier, The Newspaper you can trust has been on the firing line for many years they are still firing for Business Development.
Now that Governor Scott Walker his declared that the State of Wisconsin is open for Business, and I say the African American Communities must enhance their part of doing Business.
The Social Support Models for business development and the affirmative action agenda has not worked for the Milwaukee African American business community for the last 30 years.
The businesses have disappeared; have gone out of business or folded into a diversity support position for large corporations.
Hence, we have not taken hold of the steering wheel which could guide our economic destiny; Blacks have been labeled, and perhaps right so, as the biggest, most loyal consumer in America.
We must now take a full review of ourselves
While visible signs of deterioration like in Milwaukee and Detroit, city jails are over crowed, school drop outs, large foreclosure rates, poverty out of control.
There are Fortune 500 companies in Milwaukee such as Johnson Controls and WE Energies who have large departments for diversity, more dollars going to the Department than to the African American businesses.
WE Energies have a large African American client base.
Johnson Controls have the largest state dollar volume with a worldwide position however African American business dollar values are low there, as well.
I am encouraged and welcome the Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied For Hope (MICAH) group who have presented leadership for the unemployed area workers and business Contracting regarding Federal Funded projects, most recent the WestLawn Housing project, which was a $82,000,000 development. They have challenged the leadership positions. The daily Reporter Edition 9-18-13 (HUD finds City partially noncompliant.) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Edition 9-19-13 ( HUD review critical of low-income hiring) Milwaukee Courier Oct 5, 2013 Edition ( NAACP responds to HUD Section 3 Compliance Review) The Milwaukee Times Oct.9,2013 Edition ( community Leaders seek answers for deceptive at Westlawn Gardens) The Milwaukee Community Journal Oct. 2 2013 Edition ( City Failure To Hire poor for housing project angers civil rights Leaders)
Let us quit pointing the finger at and railing against others.
The solution to setting a bent situation straight lies within us With organizations Like (MICAH) and the Courier for progressive leadership and Business growth.
Dester Martin,
Founding Member AAC of Wisconsin
