March 2022

Features:

Ray Allen is supposed to be retired. He reminds himself of this every now and then. But the tireless community advocate is cut from a different kente cloth. Every career move is intentional, rooted in his enduring determination to build relationships that benefit the greater community. 
This year’s UMOJA Magazine is headed for new heights with the exciting addition of Tracy Anderson, well-known from her previous role as co-host of Krista & The Morning Rush, 93.1-FM JAMZ.
Amani Latimer Burris is a proud descendant of Greenwood. The infamous community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, became the mecca for Black entrepreneurs known as Black Wall Street.
Pioneering feminist scholar, author, professor, and critic bell hooks died at the age of 69 on Dec. 15 due to renal failure, according to The New York Times.
When Nicole Williams was a little girl in Beloit, she sat at the foot of her grandfather and listened to him talk about his passion for real estate. He owned several properties throughout the area and was determined to share all he learned.
Art has always been a key piece in the rich storytelling of the Black experience. 

Calling all artists!

Put your artwork on a UMOJA cover! Works selected will fit the monthly editorial topic and reflect the county’s unique stories, history, and people.

UMOJA Inside:


Ray Allen Named President & CEO of Milwaukee’s Oldest Black-Owned Bank

Ray Allen is supposed to be retired. He reminds himself of this every now and then. But the tireless community advocate is cut from a different kente cloth. Every career move is intentional, rooted in his enduring determination to build relationships that benefit the greater community. 



UMOJA Magazine — March 2022 Issue



UMOJA Publisher/Editor: A New Gem in UMOJA Magazine’s Crown

This year’s UMOJA Magazine is headed for new heights with the exciting addition of Tracy Anderson, well-known from her previous role as co-host of Krista & The Morning Rush, 93.1-FM JAMZ.



Greenwood Rising: A Personal Journey

Amani Latimer Burris is a proud descendant of Greenwood. The infamous community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, became the mecca for Black entrepreneurs known as Black Wall Street.



On bell hooks, a Black Woman Who Loved Us

Pioneering feminist scholar, author, professor, and critic bell hooks died at the age of 69 on Dec. 15 due to renal failure, according to The New York Times.



Built to be a Blessing:

When Nicole Williams was a little girl in Beloit, she sat at the foot of her grandfather and listened to him talk about his passion for real estate. He owned several properties throughout the area and was determined to share all he learned.



Trailblazing Designer Virgil Abloh Dies At 41

The world lost a fashion icon on Nov. 28 as the infamous designer, Virgil Abloh, died from cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, in Chicago. The trail-blazing creative was 41.



The Center for Black Excellence & Culture

For over 30 years, Rev. Dr. Alex Gee sought meaningful solutions for the Black community for his native city of Madison.



UW-Madison Senior Lydia Nyachieo Named Marshall Scholar

Lydia Nyachieo’s interest in global affairs expanded in bits and pieces growing up. At University of Wisconsin–Madison, it became her academic passion.



Honoring the Black Women

Beloved actress and civil rights activist Ruby Dee once said, “The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within – strength, courage, dignity.”



Schalk Wins UW System Award for Equity and Inclusion

Sami Schalk, an associate professor of Gender and Women’s Studies, has been named one of the 2021 Outstanding Women of Color in Education by UW System, as part of the organization’s annual recognition of educators who advance equity and inclusion for people of color within the UW System, as well as communities across the state.



In Historic First, Flag of Ho-Chunk Nation Raised Atop Bascom Hall

On a brilliantly lit fall morning, with an appropriate breeze in the air, the University of Wisconsin–Madison raised the flag of the Ho-Chunk Nation atop Bascom Hall on Nov. 5, on land the Ho-Chunk call Teejop, or Four Lakes.



UMOJA and The Ashro Community Council Announce Winners of The Onward & Upward Artist’s Showcase

Art has always been a key piece in the rich storytelling of the Black experience. 



UMOJA SHORTS — March 2022

Jeffrey Norman Sworn in as Milwaukee's New Police Chief Wisconsin Public Radio Acting Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman was appointed to a full, four-year term on Nov. 4 wrapping up more than a year of turmoil over the city's top law enforcement position. Norman was appointed acting chief last Dec. His predecessor, Alfonso Morales, was [...]