Official Government Communication Week of May 21st -May 26th Dear Friend, There is a lot happening at the State Capitol and it is my hope that this email will help you stay in touch with your government. As your Senator, I truly believe in public service. If there is anything my office can do to assist you, please feel free to contact us. Here to serve, Sen. Lena Taylor 4th District UW College of Agricultural and Life Sciences On Tuesday, representatives from the University of Wisconsin’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and UW-Extension, met with my office to discuss Urban Ag, provide updates on USDA grants, work involving UW-Milwaukee and Vincent High school.  It was great to discuss food policies, developments in school curriculum, certification programs, and the work being done in urban gardens like the Veteran’s Healing Garden. The Healing Garden is an effort to help those with PTSD learn to live with their condition, and heal through working with other veterans in order to grow and harvest fresh food that benefits their health, as well as the health of the community as a whole. We also learned about some of the ways urban agriculture is currently taught, such as the workshops hosted around Milwaukee by programs like SNAP, or the incorporation of more classes focused on urban agriculture at schools like St. Vincent.   Also discussed was how to make it easier for working people to earn their degrees, support for programs like 4H and Community, Natural Resources and Economic Development (CNRED).   There was a lot to learn, but I am excited that we have so many committed education professionals to help legislators figure out best practices and offer needed insight on policy decisions. To learn more about the Veteran’s Healing Garden and Cooperative Extension homepage are attached below. UW-Madison Dietetic Tour On Tuesday, I went to UW-Madison for a tour and met with representatives of University Health's Dietetics Program. Dietetics is the science concerned with nutrition and the effects it has on both physical and mental health. Many of the specific programs the UW's Dietetics division offers in the community align with those of my LOVE&FAITH Imitative. Like one component of LOVE&FAITH, Dietetics Education seeks to help people understand the importance of nutrition and the life-changing benefits a healthy diet can provide. One of the programs I learned about was Medical Nutrition Therapy, an approach to treating patients that uses a specifically designed diet, instead of or in addition to drugs, to help individuals recover or live with their condition. The transformative power behind nutrition is something I hope to unlock for everyone by promoting urban agriculture in our communities. I look forward to bringing what I learned back to the Milwaukee community. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about Medical Nutrition Therapy, click below. For More Info Summer Interns As they finish up their spring semester, students from across Wisconsin will begin the annual search for a fulfilling way to spend the next three months, and my office has been lucky enough to take on a number of them as interns. An internship in any legislative office is a great opportunity to learn about the inner workings of our government while fine tuning skills that can be used in any workplace. We are fortunate to have a year round intern program and we offer positions in communications, policy, and constituent relations. Not only will our new team of interns provide some welcome assistance to my full-time staff, they'll also have the chance to explore a new field of study while working on both short and long-term projects. If you or anyone you know is interested in an internship in my office, please call (608) 266-5810. To learn more about internship opportunities in the state capitol or other legislative offices, you can check out the links below. Senate Assembly MKE Delegation Meets the New Chief On Thursday, members of the Milwaukee Delegation, a group of legislators who represent various districts that make up the city, met with the Milwaukee Policy Departments (MPD) Chief of Police Alfonso Morales. The meeting provided us an opportunity to meet the new chief and ask questions about the recent Sterling Brown video. Scheduled prior to the video's release, I came to the table interested in learning Chief Morales' views on a number of issues including the recently released Department of Justice report, training policies, de-escalation training, community policing, body cam accountability, and public engagement. I appreciated the opportunity to meet with him and look forward to working to best serve the needs of the community. African American Chamber of Commerce Wednesday night I attended the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin's annual meeting to discuss all of the work they accomplished over the past year and their goals for the future. It was great to see how President Ossie Kendrix in his new relatively new role. I'm excited to see what he will accomplish in the future. The work of the Chamber of Commerce is instrumental to ensuring businesses have the opportunity to achieve their goals and entrepreneurs are empowered to accomplish their dreams. Quasimondo Physical Theatre Yesterday, I met with a representative from the Quasimondo Phyiscal Theatre. The Quaismondo Physical Theatre is a non-profit theater company in Milwaukee that seeks to take an inter-arts approach to creating new, exciting theatrical performances. Beginning in January of this year, it became their mission to restore the old North Milwaukee Village Hall and Fire Station building and turn it into a place for the community to make and present art. I love the idea and met with them to see how I could support the project. I truly believe in the cultural importance of the arts, both as a powerful means of self-expression and a way to understand our neighbor's stories. The project will also assist in the economic development of the area. I can't wait to see the building become an artistic hub in the community for years to come! Praise in the Park Tomorrow, I will be at Sherman Park for "Praise in the Park", a free event hosted by the 68th Women's International Convention. The organizers have said that the event is a chance to serve the community and are planning to provide entertainment, food, resources, and presentations. There will be information on banking and employment, medical workshops, haircuts for the homeless, and more! It is another way to inspire, educate, and empower one another. I am looking forward to the event! For more information, you can click on the link below. For More Info Community Action Alertsstsn Alerts CFES Brilliant Pathways Accepting New School Applications from K-12 Schools That Need Support CFES Brilliant Pathways is now accepting new school applications from K-12 schools who need support in building and strengthening college and career readiness program. We will select two schools to receive a fully funded program grant for three years. Additional schools will be selected to receive a partially funded program grant covering half of the program costs. This funding will cover 50% of program costs, with partnering schools contributing the remaining $15,000 annually. Since 1991, CFES has helped 100,000 students, and over the last five years, 99% of CFES students graduated from high school and 95% enrolled in college. The CFES program gives students an opportunity to forge their own route to a bright future through a framework that allows schools to customize the implementation of three core practices – mentoring, essential skills, and pathways to college & career. For 26 years, we’ve worked closely with schools, colleges and businesses in urban and rural areas to help students become college and career ready through mentoring and by equipping them with the Essential Skills that include perseverance, agility, goal setting, networking, teamwork and leadership. Please visit our website: www.brilliantpathways.org for more information. We are asking schools to apply by June 15, 2018. Work Continues Along Milwaukee's Valley Bridge Please see the briefing below from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation on continuing work on Milwaukee's Valley Bridge On the evening of Wednesday, May 30, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will begin the next phase of the Valley Bridge overlay project in the city of Milwaukee. This phase will shift southbound I-43 traffic allowing for the 11th Street / Wisconsin Avenue on-ramp to I-43 south to reopen.  As the project advances, access to certain system ramps will continue to become available. Please note that these closures are weather dependent and subject to change. Current long-term ramp closures: I-794 West to I-43 South                                                                                               (Until Late June) I-43 North to I-94 West                                                                                                  (Until Late June) I-43 North to 10th Street and Michigan Avenue Off-Ramp                            (Until Late June) I-94 East to I-43 South                                                                                                    (Until Late July) Mineral Street/National Avenue On-Ramp to I-43 North                                               (Until Late August)  The primary detour route for navigating interchange access continues to be the I-794 Hoan Bridge. For more information on closures and detour routes, visit 511 Wisconsin at https://projects.511wi.gov/i43bridges/.	The Community Brainstorming Conference Breakfast Forum Saturday, May 26th Breakfast 8:00am - 9:00am Program 9:00am - 11:00am St. Matthews C.M.E Church 2944 North 9th St. Milwaukee, WI 53206 For More Info *** Spring (Art) Splash    Saturday, May 26th   11:00 am San Remy Gallery 207 Buffalo St. Suite 16 Milwaukee, WI 53202 For More Info *** Cheese Making Saturday, May 26th11:00 am Northern Brewer  1306 S 108th St. Milwaukee, WI 53214 For More Info *** Family Kite Festival Saturday, May 26th and Sunday, May 27th 10:00 am - 5:00 pm (6:00pm on Saturday) Veterans Park 1010 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr.  Milwaukee, WI 53202 For More Info *** Lawn Bowling Open House Sunday, May 27th  11:00 am - 3:00 pm Bowling Greens at Lake Park 3131 E. Newberry Blvd. Milwaukee, WI 53211 For More Info *** South Milwaukee Outdoor Market 10th Year Kick-Off Thursday, May 31st 3:00 - 7:00 pm Downtown Market Square 11th Avenue between Milwaukee and Madison, South Milwaukee, WI 53172 For More Info *** Annual Fishing Day Saturday, June 2nd 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Urban Ecology Center Washington Park 1859 N. 40th St. Milwaukee, WI 53208 For More Info *** Sports Card Show Saturday, June 2nd 9:00 am Four Points Sheraton 5311 S. Howell Milwaukee, WI 53207 For More Info ***
	Quote of the Week: "Situations like mine and worse happen every day in the black community. Being a voice and a face for people who won't be heard and don't have the same platform as I have is a responsibility I take seriously." - Sterling Brown, Milwaukee Bucks guard 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