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Quote of the Week: "Whoever thought that 50 years later, we'd still be talking about the same thing? That's kinda sad." -Fred Harris on the increase in the racial inequality gap since when he was on the Kerner Commission 50 years ago. This is an official government communication from Sen. Lena C. Taylor. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, click here to send me an email to unsubscribe. |
Stay in touch: Email: Sen.Taylor@legis.wi.gov
Milwaukee: 414-342-7176
Madison: 608-266-5810
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On Tuesday this week, the Senate
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety held an Informational Hearing on
Senate Bill 807, the juvenile corrections bill that includes some of the
reforms I have been working to make a reality for much of my legislative
career. The bill has been passed by the Assembly, and I expect to see it
on the Senate floor in March so we can send it to the Governor. I’m
hoping the action we’ve taken to shut down Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake
will set an example for legislators across the country and motivate them
to take a closer look at the way troubled youth are treated. In
particular, I am happy with county-based juvenile corrections centers the
bill provides for—they will allow for more rehabilitative programming and
keep youth offenders closer to home and family. As happy as I am that my
colleagues and I were able to reach across the aisle and work with
Republicans to accomplish a portion of our juvenile justice agenda, it is
very disappointing that years went by before meaningful action has been
taken to respond to the crisis at Lincoln Hills. Senate Bill 807 is a
good first step, but my work on corrections reform is far from over, and
I promise to continue the fight for a better system. 
This week, I helped coordinate the
Black History Month Lobby Day at the Capitol. Community, business and
Greek Letter organizations were among the attendees who came to learn
more about the issues and causes they champion. I am an alumna member
of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority and it was a pleasure to greet so
many AKA members. It was an honor to bring these young women
together with the Black and Latino Caucus and help connect them to state
legislators. 
Today, I had the pleasure of
visiting Capital West Academy to celebrate Read Across America Day, in
honor of the beloved author Dr. Seuss’ birthday. During my visit I read a
couple of books to students, including Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham. I
also spoke with students about the importance of reading, not just when
you are young or in school, but as a life-long habit. According to the
U.S. Department of Education, avid reading promotes better skills
acquisition, superior grades, and a desirable life. Sadly, literacy is a
real problem in Wisconsin. The Department of Education has found that
over seven percent of people over 16 are classified as illiterate in our
state, with Milwaukee County coming in at 9.5 percent, which ranks third
worst in the state. Those numbers are why it’s so important to promote
reading at any young age. I also really like “Green Eggs and Ham”!
I visited the Milwaukee Women’s
Correctional Center, this week, as a continued commitment to work
alongside the Department of Corrections to improve our justice
system. These visits are often inspiring and challenging. As
you talk with the center’s incarcerated women and facility
administrators, you realize the inherent challenges within the system and
how easy it is to hamper rehabilitation and indirectly impact recidivism.
We have to do our part to ensure that residents who have made mistakes
are given the resources--that may include education, training, soft
skills, mental health treatment and medical care--needed to return them
to the community ready to contribute. 
On Thursday, I met with the
Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers to discuss the issue of
diversity within our state’s legislature, and the work that needs to be
done to ensure that our statehouse mirrors the diversity of our
population. Of the 132 seats in the legislature, only six are occupied by
African- Americans, with three by Latinos. Additionally, very few
minorities comprise the staff of legislative offices and some state
agencies. If we want to create an effective, representative
government, our legislature must include Senators, Representatives,
staff, and interns from minority and underrepresented groups. We
need to ensure that those groups understand the opportunities that exist
for them in state government and encourage their participation, as well
as the recruitment, hiring and retention of candidates of color. 
On Thursday, I appeared on a
community talk show with host Mike 
This week, I stopped by the 30th
Street Industrial Corridor Reception. The event was an opportunity for
community members, legislators, and stakeholders to learn about the
Corridor’s Strategic Plan for 2018. Often just called the “The
Corridor,” the organization is a Business Improvement District (BID)
based on Milwaukee’s north side that focuses on economically developing
the area. The organization aims to attract and retain industrial and
commercial businesses, thereby creating meaningful work and economic
security for residents. Specifically they seek to connect business
owners with the community, improve the safety and security of the area,
improve the image and environment of the district and to provide
technical assistance and support to businesses that comprise the
district.
This Friday, I am happy to be
bringing back our weekly Intern Spotlight! Each week going forward, an
intern from our team will interview and write a short bio for another
intern. This week’s bio has been written by Isaac Alter, who is working
in my capitol office. Isaac is a sophomore at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison majoring in Journalism and Political Science. Take it
away Isaac! .png)
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