Safe & Sound Announces Building Neighborhood Bridges Campaign
MILWAUKEE –On Sept. 21, Safe & Sound will kick off its Building Neighborhood Bridges digital campaign. In the last 22 years, Safe & Sound has hosted regular events to recognize community leaders working to improve public safety in Milwaukee neighborhoods. Since 2017, this annual evening event in September attracted more than 400 attendees and raised more than $220,000 each year to support Safe & Sound’s mission to build safe and empowered neighborhoods alongside residents and youth.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Safe & Sound cancelled the in-person event set to take place in September. In lieu of this, Safe & Sound is announcing the Building Neighborhood Bridges campaign to take place Monday, September 21 through Thursday, September 24 ending with a virtual celebration Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 p.m. The Building Neighborhood Bridges campaign, generously supported by Presenting Sponsor Wells Fargo, will celebrate these outstanding community leaders and raise funds for Safe & Sound’s mission to unite residents, youth, law enforcement, and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods. The 2020 honorees will include:
Herb Kohl Champion Award – Lafayette Crump, City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
Safe & Sound Board Member Lafayette Crump is a true “Champion of Change” for the City of Milwaukee. From Chief Operating Officer at Prism Technical, to Deputy Chief of Staff and Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee, to the Commissioner of the City of Milwaukee’s Department of City Development, Mr. Crump has shared his expertise and skills to transform his hometown. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Lafayette is invested in his community by supporting nonprofit organizations like Safe & Sound, The Salvation Army, and others along with local movements for a more equitable and just society. On top of all that, he is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Marquette University to mentor our next generation of leaders.
Milwaukee Municipal Judge Valarie A. Hill was elected in Spring 2004 to Branch 1 of Municipal Court. Prior to her election to the bench, Judge Hill served as Milwaukee County Judicial Court Commissioner and as Deputy First Assistant State Public Defender in the Milwaukee Trial Office. Judge Hill is active in numerous community-based organizations and is a member of the Wisconsin, Milwaukee and National Bar Association as well as the National Association of Women Judges. Additionally, Judge Hill is responsible for “Warrant Withdrawal Wednesdays,” a program to engage people who have outstanding warrants and/or driver’s license suspensions. The events are held at community locations with the hope that individuals will feel more comfortable taking the first steps to deal with a warrant at a neutral location rather than the courthouse.
Kohl’s Resident Leader Award – Mary Fullilove, Old North Milwaukee Resident
Mary Fullilove is a dedicated Milwaukee resident who has worked hard to make her neighborhood safer and stronger. Mary is the block club captain of the Diamond Block Club in the Old North Milwaukee neighborhood. She is a community organizer that leads her block watch meetings, organizes annual block parties to bring together neighborhoods, works with local youth to beautify the neighborhood and works with community partners like Safe & Sound and the Salvation Army. In 2020, Ms. Fullilove also completed MPD’s Citizen Academy to learn more about MPD’s processes and protocol to better serve her community.
Youth Leader Award – Lashonda Good, Midtown Resident
Lashonda Good is a young person living in Midtown and a Senior at Wisconsin Lutheran High School that has grown into a true community leader. In addition to being engaged in Safe & Sound’s Drug Free Coalition in 53208, she is also the President of the Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP’s Youth Council, a proud member of Top Teens of America, and a member of the MKE Urban Stables Youth/Police Design Team. Throughout these experience, Ms. Good hopes to take her skills and knowledge to do bigger and better things for her community. One of the biggest changes Lashonda wants to see in her community is “unity.” She says, “Milwaukee is one of the most segregated cities in the country. If we could have people of all ages, backgrounds, and professions come together to make our city better for everyone, the sky is the limit!”
Safe & Sound is accepting Campaign Sponsorships until Sept. 21. To sponsor the event, please reach out to Development & Events Manager Grace Arend, 414-708-2794 / grace@safesound.org.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.