Time flew by in the blink of an eye. Alas, what a year it’s been.
We witnessed lots of firsts over the year.
Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cavalier Johnson made history as Milwaukee’s first elected Black mayor. Robert A. Reed is hired as the first African American named executive director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. And Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett garnered an election win making him the first Black American elected to the county’s top cop seat.
The community rallied to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Black Business Hub; the unveiling of UW’s Divine Nine Garden Plaza; and One City Schools’ expansion into a state-of-the-art facility. We were enthralled by APT’s production of “A Raisin in the Sun” and shamelessly rapped a bit in an UMOJA interview with Kurtis Blow prior to his performance of the Hip Hop Nutcracker.
Looking forward to seeing what next year will bring.
Before we kick off the new year, the UMOJA staff and Board of Directors wanted to take a moment to thank you for entrusting us with your stories, your advertisement and precious time. As we continue to tell our story and, in our voice, we strengthen a strong legacy of Black excellence.
Lastly, here are three life lessons I clung to this year. Hope they can help someone else: Befriend people who want the best for you. Walk with your head high, children are watching. Be glad for other peoples’ successes. Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.
May each of you find peace and joy this holiday season!
