Milwaukee Community Journal 47th Anniversary

August 4, 2023 By MKE Community Journal Leave a Comment

By Patricia O’Flynn Pattillo

READ THE ANNIVERSARY PAPER

We celebrate our 47th year as a small businesses! Ninety percent of small businesses last less than five years. So yes, 47 is a BIG number, thanks to you!

That knowledge has driven me, our staff, and the late Robert Thomas, co-founder, who passed this April, since September 1, 1976. Mr. Thomas was an entrepreneur at heart.

Our passion for economic independence and the intellectual, financial, spiritual and socialization of our families and readers was a shared mission.

His analytical and social justice prowess was respected. Through education, information, statistical data, letter-writing campaigns, even protesting, advertisers who ignored ‘Quid pro Quo.’ were subject to economic inquiry. ’We buy from you; you buy from us.’ We support each other! This strategy was effective in the beginning and it must be revisited again.

Black Milwaukee retained a viable Black Press, through reciprocal respect and reciprocal participation. Imagine Milwaukee without a Black Press? We must SURVIVE and THRIVE.

For 47 years, we’ve witnessed the achievements in the community and the city in general. We have not only covered the changes, we’ve been part of the change! We’ve told the stories; shown the photos! We’ve chronicled our past, interpreted the present, and predicted how our futures can be more productive.

People are the legacy of the MCJ, of this we are MOST proud. Ultimately, the Community Journal—is about recording, sharing and inspiring YOUR STORIES, while building our community.

Celebrate with us these legacy honorees for 2023. They are our leaders, advocates, board members sitting at decision-making tables.

They are guiding thoughts, elections, and every system that makes our lives better, healthier, safer, more desirable.

We applaud their achievements and the role they continue to play in building Milwaukee!

It is incumbent upon us to give them support and encouragement as they continue to give generously of their time, talent and inspiration.

We’ve worked years to help them get to these ladders of success. Each 2023 honoree is a diamond: tested, cut, shaped and now mounted. And like the diamonds they are, they SHINE, GLOW AND GROW IN VALUE as we acknowledge and salute them.

They provide the rungs on which the Dr. Thomas Scholars can ‘step-up.’ On Sunday, August 6, 2023, at the Italian Conference Center, 631 E. Chicago Street, Diamonds and Scholars will meet, greet, and be applauded.

The Scholars are from Milwaukee area schools. Ten have proven themselves college-worthy; and through the generosity of Sponsors like the MKE Fellows; Brewers Community Foundation, Northwest Funeral Chapel and Associated Bank, along with personal and individual donations, a total of $20,000 will be awarded to the students just before their new Fall semester.

Meet them all within this Special Edition so beautifully crafted by MCJ Editor, Thomas Mitchell, with profiles written by Kathy Gaillard. Or, watch the videos produced by Contributor Jamila Benson.

The scholars were determined by the Dr. Thomas Scholarship Coordinator Mike Mullis, with input from the Dr. Thomas Board of Directors: Larry Waters, Speech Thomas, Jahi Thomas, and Rewa Durham of Northwest Funeral Chapel, to be the “best of the best.’

Ninety eight percent of the Dr. Thomas scholars graduate college and 85 percent of them continue on to Post graduate status. The TNT scholarship alumni include such stalwarts as Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and recipients who now work in many departments within the city, county and the state.

The alumni are professionally anchoring television shows and serving at-risk detainees who need legal support.

They are filling prescriptions and/or meeting social and psychological needs in hospitals and other institutions. They are prescribing medications and performing surgeries; and they are pastoring the flock as good shepherds.

We are proud of the Dr. Thomas grads. Every job description has been accomplished by one or more of them: engineers, lawyers, teachers, social workers, international business specialists. Milwaukee can be very proud as we congratulate every past honoree, donor, corporate-giver and those we shall need in the future to keep this ascent up the ladder of success going and growing.

We thank you Milwaukee. Keep reading us in PRINT, TWICE WEEKLY and Online via : www.milwaukeecommunityjournal.com; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Learn more about the Dr. Thomas Fund, VISIT: www.drtntscholarship.org.

We are here to serve you and we promise to do all we can to continue to ‘SEED SUCCESS.” Let us know what you think. You matter! WE ARE BECAUSE YOU ARE!

Thank you MILWAUKEE.

*****

HONOREE PROMENADE……PROMPT 1:00 P.M with Video Profile

THE SILENT AUCTION

Bicycles by The

WHITE BROTHERS

Ladies Caftans

Men’s Golf Shirts

Television

Gift Cards,

Crystal candle sticks

Crystal wine glasses

Black art…including one renowned Charles Bibbs piece; plus local artist RAS’ Legacy original.

Ladies jewelry. And more.

PLUS DOOR PRIZES ………and…… Swag from “All of Us” Research Milwaukee/MCW

THE DIAMOND RING TOSS.

The Highest (consecutive) TOTAL number with five tries…goes away with the prize.