December STM minutes

Stand Together Milwaukee- Meeting Minutes, December 10,
2008
Present: Ella Dunbar - SDC; Wendy Mesich - Public Allies TSP; Aria Duax - Public Allies;
Katie Shay- Americore/Vista; Andrea Kurth - RIverwest Health Initiative; Stephanie Paul -
Public Allies PST; Ann Weninger - Concerned Citizen/Business Owner; William Morales -
Milwaukee Mayor's office; Jason Wedesky & Susan Schmidt - Scooter Foundation; Antonia
Nelson - Concerned Citizen/Business Owner; Theresa Kopac - Radio Milwaukee 88.9; Gregory
Williams - WI Correctional Services; Seema Sigh - Nine to Five; Joey Zocher - Urban Ecology
Center; Janet Fitch & Ife Olatunji - New Moon Productions
2009 Citywide Community
Engagement Campaign - Kick OFF
(GOAL - To highlight and promote existing efforts toward a healthier community)
PLEASE JOIN OUR PUBLIC ALLIES TEAM as they KICK-OFF
STAND TOGETHER MILWAUKEE’S
2009 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN
Part 1: "DEAR RITA"
UEC Riverside Park - Wednesday, January 7th @ 6p.m.
Part 2: "THE PROMISE OF AMERICA"
UEC Washington Park –Wednesday, January 14th @ 7p.m.
URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER will host these first screenings -
Both are free and open to the public- www.urbanecologycenter.org
• Public Allies Team Service Project (TSP) representatives attended the meeting to
discuss their commitment to assisting the kick-off and direction of the STM community
engagement campaign. Currently they are planning four film screenings and discussions.
They will begin by hosting 2 screenings - to introduce STM partner organizations to
New Moon Productions film series, Guns, Grief, and Grace in America. TSP will then
work with STM members in teams to host citywide events - HIGHLIGHTING AND
PROMOTING STM MEMBER SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR
REASONS FOR STANDING TOGETHER TO CONFRONT GUN VIOLENCE, The
PA Team will use themes as a way to attract and organize particular groups and further
engage individuals. Current Themes: Art, Youth, and Physical Environment. Screenings
will be1 hour followed by roughly1 hour discussion. (Public Allies TSP meets at the
Medical College of WI Violence Prevention Office on MLK Drive.)
• PA will develop a list of needs for STM partners, in order to see which partners can
provide which needed resources. Allies are currently scheduling the first screenings and
will create PR material to invite all members. SDC offered to host/partner with youth
screening, as well as in-kind donation for printing materials. Ms. Kopac, suggested
creating radio ad for Jan 7th and 14th screening. Allies will create email fliers to be sent
to STM database and partner list serves. And place event of e-calenders, and websites
• Allies will develop resource list specific to each screening, and develop guide for
replication of screenings and discussions.
• Members suggested allies be careful to not overwhelm attendees with information.
Members suggested screening include the voice of ex-offenders, possibly by working
with Running Rebels.
• PA members will be present at the January 7th screening to sign up organization who
would like to partner or attend spring screenings. The Public Allies Team will not be at
the Jan. 14 screening, due to a prior commitment - so STM core members and partners
are encouraged to sign up on the 7th!
Core Membership
The group discussed the importance of having a core member group to focus on the first two
initiatives for 2009. Core members must make a commitment to attend once a month for STM
meetings and take on necessary roles to maintain and build the network. Core members will meet
separately - several times during the year - as a steering committee to direct the group.
Organizations not able to act as core members are encouraged to become "Partner Organizations"
sending representatives as attendees to STM meetings (inc. volunteers from their orgs). Groups
and individuals can join the core membership at any time.
STM Core Members 2009 - to date:
• Americorp VISTA - Katy Shay
• Citizen Action WI - Teresa Thomas Boyd
• Mothers Against Gun Violence - Debra Fifer
• New Moon Productions - Janet Fitch, Ife Olatunji
• Public Allies - Wendy Mesich
• Riverwest Health Initiative - Andrea Kurth
• Radio Milwaukee 88.9 - Theresa Kopac
• Scooter Foundation - Susan Schmidt. Jason Wedesky
• Social Development Commission (SDC) - Ella Dunbar
• Urban Ecology Center - Joey Zocher, UEC Washington Park
• WAVE - Aria Daux, Kristina Paris
• Ann Wenninger - Concerned Citizen/ Business Owner
• WI Correctional Services - Gregrory Williams
The group discussed at length the importance of having core membership and open membership
policy. A one year commitment to be a Core Member is a major piece of time and energy
devoted to continuing the momentum developed in the previous year, with another Steering
Committee.
PARTNERS: all original 2008 Steering Committee Founding Members who have not yet signed
on as 2009 Core Members will continue to be included as "Partners." This level of
participation receives all benefits of STM. Partners are greatly needed (but not required) to
attend and promote meetings - action groups - events whenever possible - and promote STM to
the Greater Milwaukee Community. AND - to keep STM blog posted on your activities!
GENERAL DISCUSSION
Discussion of the importance of building community support in order to put pressure on
companies like Badger Guns, and for background checks. And, the importance of the group
being able to address the underlying causes of violence such as poverty.
Elevator Speeches
• Members were asked to create brief elevator speeches that explain why they stand with
Milwaukee to end gun violence. This is an effort to highlight individual efforts as well as
the collective work of STM, which is to address gun violence as a Public Health issue
effecting every community. This brief description will help each organization and
individual speak about the importance of standing against gun violence, and re framing
the discussion as a public health issue. This description will also help Public Allies
better asses which organization will benefit from particular screenings. Allies will need
this information by January 5, 2009.
• In one to two sentences please answer the following questions: 1. What is your
organizations mission/website? 2. Who do you serve? 3. What services do you
provide? 4. Why do you work with Stand Together Milwaukee? (I changed the 3rd
question because I thought people may write too much) return statement to
outreach@newmoononline.com Remember elevator rides are usually 30 seconds, so be
brief!
Thank you to all who attended.
NOTE CHANGE OF MEETING FOR JANUARY Our next
meeting will be:
January 14, 2009 at 5:00pm at Washington Park Urban Ecology
Center -
Prior to the film screening at 7p.m.