Black Boys, Black Men, In Black Tuxedos

By The Milwaukee Courier Staff

On Saturday, December 12, an estimated 500 boys and men turned heads as they strutted through the streets of downtown Milwaukee.

This was the second event held and coordinated by “We Got This” founder Andre Lee Ellis.

Ellis shared, “The purpose of the walk is to show our young boys that they can dress up their lives before they mess up their lives.”

The young boys and men spent the morning getting dressed at the Northcott Neighborhood House, where they then load up on buses for a photo op at the Milwaukee Art Museum, concluding their tour with a walk from Cathedral Square Park to Chic Café, where a black tie dinner was prepared for them.

Community representatives and stakeholders were present to greet them as they arrived to present the mentors and mentees with accolades and other words of encouragement.

“We Got This” is a program based out of Milwaukee, WI.

Starting on 9th and Ring, this program began with a crew of young boys cleaning up their neighborhood and learning about gardening.

The program grew each Saturday as boys came out to assist in duties and were each subsequently paid 20 dollars for their efforts.

The program has continued to grow and each week during the summer, young boys continue to make their way to 9th and Ring for cleanup and gardening.

Upon arrival, the boys meet positive role models from the community to assist with their efforts.

“We Got This” is making efforts to put the “neighbor” back in the “hood,” recreating neighborhoods.