Stand Together Milwaukee Fall Newsletter

STAND TOGETHER MILWAUKEE
The Peace Walk Kick Off
The Scooter Foundation Peace Walk launches the STM Network
Stand Together Milwaukee
is a network of diverse groups,
organizations and individuals
standing together to confront gun
violence in Milwaukee as a public
health issue. New Moon
Productions (NMP) initiated this
network as a focus group for their
Guns, Grief & Grace in America
documentary film series.

When
levels of engagement intensified,
the Greater Milwaukee
Foundation offered to continue
hosting the participants.
Eventually, the group decided to
extend their energetic meeting to
an official Network promoting
collaborative action among
groups, many whose populations
are disproportionately affected by
gun violence.
Stand Together Milwaukee
desires to coordinate, highlight
and promote existing efforts
towards a healthier community.
For two years, community
members volunteered to create
the Stand Together Milwaukee
network and an ideal event tointroduce this ground breaking
organization.


Susan Scmidt of the Scooter Foundation
and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barreett
For three years Susan Schmidt
has been organizing a peace walk
in memory of her brother, Scooter
Schmidt, who was killed due to
gun violence. Every year Susan
brings students from Oliver
Wendell Holmes Elementary
School, friends and family
together to discuss alternatives to
violence.


This year The Scooter
Foundation joined with Stand
Together Milwaukee to host a
dynamic peace walk and kick off
event. The peace walk was held at
the Washington Park band shell.
More than 200 youth, family, and
community members attended.
The event started with
introductions from The Scooter
Foundation followed by Mayor
Barrett. Trinia, a student from
Oliver Wendell Holmes, read her
poem on violence while her peers
prepared to lead the march.
Students gathered behind the 40
yard peace banners created by
each organization.


They lead participants around
the lagoon as they chanted for
peace in our communities. Once
back at the band shell speakers
like Muhibb Dyer, spoken word
poet, injected the multi-cultural
crowd with hope and excitement
at the thought of overcoming gun
violence. Project Non-Violence
Dancers performed followed by
Browning School African
Drummers. With food, balloons,
and raffles the day was a great
community engagement event.
International Ribbon Project
In preparation for the Peace
Walk and launch of Stand Together
Milwaukee - STM, Scooter
Foundation, & community
members gathered on June 2 at
the Washington Park UEC to
create banners to join
www.theribboninternational.org.
STM and community artist
volunteers decorated banners
with inspirational images of
"what they most want to
protect." All of the banners
were then tied together with
colorful ribbons, creating a
40-yard long community banner
representing Milwaukee standing
together in peace and unity, to
be carried in the Peace Walk.
The day of the walk, participants
created chalk drawings of the
banner.


Stand Together Milwaukee invites organizations and individuals to serve as CORE MEMBERS of the
STM network by making a one-year commitment to attend monthly meetings and actively participate
throughout 2009. The Steering Committee aims to reduce gun violence in our communities by
combining their energy and multiple talents to carry out the mission of Stand Together Milwaukee.
We encourage original steering committee members to re-commit if present schedules allow. All other
interested community members are heartily welcome. WE NEED YOU! SIGN ON -
E-mail outreach@newmoononline.com.
STAND TOGETHER MILWAUKEE CURRENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Benedict Center, Block Watch Council, Brandwise
Consulting, Campaign Against Violence, Children’s Outing
Association City of Milwaukee Mayor’s Office, City of
Milwaukee Health Department, Citizen Action, Conceptz
Communications/Urban Journal, Esperanza Unida, Greater
Milwaukee Foundations, Health Policy Advocates, Layton
Boulevard West Neighborhood Association, Marquette
University Law School Restorative Justice/Milwaukee Safe
Streets-MPD District 5, Milwaukee County District
Attorney, Milwaukee Public Theatre, Mothers Against Gun
Violence, New Moon Productions, 9 to 5 National
Association of Working Women, Northcott Neighborhood
Center, Project Ujima, Public Allies, Radio Milwaukee,
Scooter Foundation, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center,
Social Development Commission, Summer of Peace, Task
Force on Family Violence, United States Attorney-Eastren
District of Wisconsin, Urban Underground, WAVE,
Wisconsin Community Services, YWCA of Greater
Milwaukee


THANK YOU
Heartfelt appreciation and thanks to the 2008 STM steering committee, The
Greater Milwaukee Foundation and The Scooter Foundation for modeling the
collaborative spirit STM represents.