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, so if there's anything my office can do to assist you, please feel free to contact us.
In Service,
Senator Lena Taylor
Wisconsin's 4th Senate District
Study Committee on Child Placement and Support
As the current Vice Chair for the Committee on Child Placement and Support, Senator Lena Taylor attended the meeting held on Monday, February 11th. The committee unanimously passed numerous bills onto the Joint Committee. One of the major bills confirmed for custody of children with parents deployed in the military. The only contentious bill involves the reimbursement of the DCF birth cost for unmarried intact families through state Medicaid funds. Senator Taylor is very proud of the work that was accomplished by the committee.
Black History Month: Mental Health Stigma
This past Thursday Kenneth Ginlack, a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Therapist from Milwaukee, led a talk discussing mental health stigma in the African American Community. Ginlack emphasized the importance of mental health access, as mental illness is often stigmatized and misunderstood within the African American community. He also stressed the significance of promoting cultural competency for physicians and mental health workers so that they are aware of cultural differences and can provide better treatment for communities of color and prevent misdiagnoses. Promoting issues surrounding mental health stigma and discussing methods for solving these problems should help reduce the stigma of mental health within the African American community. Senator Taylor’s office received a lot of useful information from attending this session
Milwaukee Delegation Meeting
Friday afternoon, the Milwaukee Delegation had a meeting with the Milwaukee County Executive to discuss a few key issues affecting the community. The meeting included such topics as juvenile justice reform and the Pre-Apprenticeship Program for Arborists and Organic Vegetable Farm Managers, which was established through Senator Taylor’s LOVE and FAITH initiative. The delegation also established ongoing county partnerships and addressed concerns with county-proposed taxes.
Black Excellence Awards
On Friday, the 34th annual Black Excellence Awards were held in the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. The event’s keynote speaker, Steven Weddle, offered empowering words of encouragement. Weddle, a University of Wisconsin alumni, has done incredible work both internationally and within the United States. Senator Taylor congratulates the award recipients for their contributions to the Milwaukee community, and for their lasting impact on the Milwaukee Community.
Intern Spotlight
Gaby Vinick is Senator Lena Taylor’s solo communications intern and is currently a freshman at UW-Madison. She is pursuing majors in Political Science and Strategic Communication with a minor in Digital Studies. Gaby was born outside of Washington, D.C. and has always had a strong interest in writing and government. She has written articles for UW-Madison newspaper the Daily Cardinal and is an editor for both Avukah, the Undergraduate Journal of Jewish Studies, and Sifting and Winnowing: The Wisconsin Undergraduate Journal of Law, Political Science and Public Policy. After learning more about Wisconsin politics and specifically criminal justice, Gaby decided to apply to intern for Senator Lena Taylor, a strong advocate for criminal justice reform. In the future, she aspires to become a political analyst for a news organization or a communications strategist for a political official. In her free time, Gaby enjoys reading and dancing year-round, but during the cold winter months, loves to ski and drink hot chocolate. As one of Senator Taylor’s interns, Gaby hopes to give back to the community and learn more about the inner workings of a political office.
Community Action Alerts
In honor of Black History Month, there are a couple of opportunities to view the Netflix documentary covering the history of black colleges and universities called Tell Them We Are Rising. The film has been nominated for multiple awards and was presented at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017. Some options for times to view the movie will be on Monday, February 18 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM in the African American Women's Center in Milwaukee. The second time is on Tuesday, February 19 from noon - 2:00 PM. This second viewing is being offered in the State Capitol Room 412 E.
There will be also be a Town Hall Meeting with Representative Lakeshia Myers on Friday, February 22 at 6:00 PM. We will be discussing community issues including the governor's budget, legislative priorities, and other issues affecting the district. It will take place at West Granville Presbyterian Church. For more information, call 608-266-5813.
In other news,
Plant lovers can complete training for Wisconsin’s Rare Plant Monitoring Program and assist in the state’s efforts to collect information on some of Wisconsin’s most rare and beautiful native plants this coming spring and summer. Training sessions are set to begin in March.
Wisconsin residents with interest in protecting Wisconsin’s endangered species can donate to the Endangered Resources Fund using their Wisconsin income tax form. Contributions received from tax filers provide approximately 25 percent of the funding for work done by DNR Natural Heritage Conservation staff, partners and volunteers to protect and restore Wisconsin's rare wildlife, plants and State Natural Areas.
Juvenile Justice Update
As part of Act 185, the closing of Lincoln Hill Juvenile Correctional facility was mandated by the State. This is an opportunity for interested stakeholders to learn more about the proposed plans. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 27th, location TBD, regarding the closing of the facility, this is an opportunity to learn more about Milwaukee County’s plans for a new secure care center for youth with less-severe offences. The Milwaukee County is working towards creating a safer and better community for the youth in the area.
Weekly Events
Meet Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, authors of Watch Us Rise
