By Nyesha Stone
On Saturday October 28, 2017 at the Hilton Garden Park Place the League of Martin held their annual Black and White Ball. They honored Retired Police Identification Supervisor Kim A. Robinson, Retired SGT. Pastor Dwight Lovett, Andre Lee Ellis, Homer Blow radio personality, Virgil Cotton, Gregorie McKay celebration of life, and Retired Police Chief Arthur Jones. The program awards ceremony was hosted by TMJ4 News Anchor woman Shannon Sims. The League of Martin is much more than an infinity group. We are a group of Minority officers who are committed to making a difference in the Milwaukee Community we serve. (Photo by Kim A. Robinson)
People tend to care the most about things that affect them personally. Homer Blow, since his childhood, was always in the heart of the community and the central city—he saw Milwaukee’s issues first hand. Blow saw drug abuse, crime and domestic violence, but he also saw hope.
Blow has been committed to helping the communities of Milwaukee most of his life. Seeing Milwaukee issues that close to home showed Blow what his calling in life was, and that’s to be a voice for the community.
June 11, 1991, Blow started his career as a radio personality at WNOV. Before joining radio, Blow already had a fan base from his days and nights spent DJing children, teenagers and club events. When he joined radio and became an even more trusted voice of the community, his passion grew as well.
Often times people in a community say things aren’t being fixed because they didn’t know about it. Blow said people have no excuse to say that when he’s been on air telling the communities truth for years.
If you say you don’t know that means you weren’t looking, said Blow.
Homer Blow is in the center with his award given to him at the League of Martin Ceremony (Photo by Kim A. Robinson)
He’s also online. March 31, 2008, Blow started an online radio show: www.blowradio.com, where he’s able to be more explicit. He says this is the perfect medium to partake in because of his passion.
Blow’s following from his Djing, radio show, and community work has brought his online radio show between 50,000- 70,000 listeners, according to him. He also has four Facebook pages with between 20,000-24,000 friends, his Instagram has around 5,000 followers and 400 something posts.
It’s all about action and not talk when it comes to Blow and fixing the community.
Every year, Blow throws the community children a birthday party. The Homer Blow’s Annual Birthday for the Kids just reached its 23rd year on June 23rd, 2017, which is Blow’s birthday. When Blow first started this event, he and his then-girlfriend (now wife) invested their money into buying bikes, toys, hot dogs, the venue and characters.
“It was really truly from my heart,” said Blow. “Our kids were being locked into a position where they couldn’t be kids.”
Around the 16-17th year of the annual party, Blow started getting people to sponsor the event, but never corporate sponsors. The most he’s received from an individual donor is $1,000, and now he’s up to $5,000 in toys and bikes. He’s also added new additions over the year such as karaoke and lots of free corn.
“I just continue to reinvest in the party,” said Blow.
In the eyes of Blow, the community has turned from being a neighborhood to just a hood. He feels Milwaukee’s issues are a simplistic fix, but it’s the community holding itself back. According to Blow, the community knows its struggling but until everyone comes together in numbers then things won’t get done. The community is full of E & C’s (excuses and complaints), and until residents show up to community meetings and call-of-actions then nothing will ever be changed, said Blow.
While working at Washington High School as their human relations person, he enhanced his speaking skills, he says his reading skills have always been above average.
Despite everything, Blow feels he made such a difference in his community because he was never afraid to say what he felt was true and what needed to be heard.
Blow continues to do this work in the community not for recognition, although, it does feel good when someone notices.
On Oct. 28 of this year, Blow received the 2017 Community Service Award from the League of Martin—an organization started by police officers to educate the community on their rights and to show the community law enforcement is here to help. Blow has worked with the League of Martin several times—you don’t have to be a police officer to be a part of this organization.
Blow is humbled by this honor and he will continue to help the community until he no longer can.