Milwaukee Mayoral Primary-BLOC Endorsement

For the first time in 18 years the people of Milwaukee will have a chance to hire a new public servant as Mayor. 7 applicants are interviewing for the job of Mayor, with combined experience at local, county, and state office; we expected a wide range of proposed solutions to lead the city of Milwaukee into the future. Certain politicians have taken money from our communities to hand to their police backers and the wealthiest in our state. These same leaders then turn around and blame our communities for the financial, housing and safety crises they helped create. 

We need new visions and ideas to make the lives of Milwaukeeans better, but today, too many candidates for mayor are offering the same ineffective, inequitable, harmful policies. 53206, the zip code encompassing the North side of Milwaukee, is home to predominantly Black communities and neighborhoods. Choices made by our elected leaders have transformed 53206 into the most incarcerated zip code in the United States — the country that locks up more citizens per capita than any other nation on the planet. 

Our calls for truly safe communities have been resounding — we hear them every day in the field, we share them with loved ones when we arrive home. We know what keeps us safe. Redirecting larger chunks of our city funds from our communities, our classrooms, and  our housing to police, has not worked and will continue to fail to deliver safety to our community. Let us be clear: more cops will cost Black Milwaukeeans our lives. As of today, Ieshuh Griffin is the only candidate to have clearly stated opposition to increasing the number of police officers. That is six candidates that are oblivious to the root of the problem —poverty.

It could not be more apparent that a commitment to these ineffective and deadly solutions are lazy and reflect the inadequacies of the current slate of candidates for mayor. 

BLOC is an organization that works to serve and uplift the Black community. In our conversations with those in our community, we have heard the disappointment with the visions offered by the candidates for mayor. As a result, we will not issue an endorsement for the Mayoral race in the primary. The campaigns in this race have failed to offer solutions that would build thriving Black communities. We want to be clear, there remains the opportunity to endorse a candidate before the election in April, but the choice is up to the candidates. What is necessary between now and April 5 are the two remaining candidates in the race re-examining their stance and working for ALL people of Milwaukee, no exceptions. 

Now is the time to reimagine how we reforge the promise of this great city. Milwaukee and all of its residents deserve an opportunity to reap the benefits that our contributions to our community and city fund and support. Our prosperity depends on the focus of this city being shifted off the manifestations of poverty and the bullseye being taken off of the Black community in Milwaukee. We need a Mayor who will be a visionary. A Mayor who will prioritize delivering quality schools, true community safety, local healthcare and mental healthcare, and good-paying jobs to ensure a high quality of life and access to opportunities for members of the Black community throughout Milwaukee. It is what is necessary to ensure all of our families can thrive.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.