Sharkey and Milwaukee

 Considering he started by declaring his work pessimistic, I suspect Professor Sharkey had a hard time saying he was optimistic about Milwaukee's urban revitalization.  If, as he contends, generations upon generations of socialization create current patterns of behavior, it would seem hard to look at the current reform initiatives and honestly hold out much hope for near-term positive change.  I've rarely met an optimistic sociologist and that’s what makes them so damn interesting.

2.    When I talked with educators about the concept of neighborhood effects during my dissertation days, most were simply not able to appreciate its influence.  They did not want to use the surrounding neighborhood as an excuse for poor performance in schools, a worthy attitude, albeit a bit frustrating to those of us in the Sharkey camp.  The point isn’t to use the neighborhood as an excuse, the point is to recognize the need to address neighborhood revitalization as part of the plan for improving schools.  What makes those of us who really believe in the plausibility of Professor Sharkey's argument is the fact it has been so ignored as part of the explanation for why urban schools fail.

3.    This is not to say there are not a plethora of organization working on behalf of neighborhood change.  There simply may be too many.  A few years back at one of these On the Issues the Executive Director of COA mentioned the existence of silos as a fundamental obstacle to positive change in neighborhoods. As one new to the world of urban reform, I thought this a rather interesting term and sought to learn more about this phenomenon.  As I did more and more field work at Walnut Way (Maple Heights in my actual dissertation), I began to see silo-like attitudes and corresponding duplication of program.  The result was competition for dollars across the spectrum of well-intentioned community-based organizations and youth serving agencies doing the same thing. For instance, how many literacy organizations can one city have?! Then, the leviathan Milwaukee Succeeds decides to start its own literacy program, but because it has NML money, is assured of staying in business.  Considering no one is sure it is actually doing any good, it might be better to change the name to Milwaukee Might Succeed....

4.    Walnut Way was an interesting organization to study because it was/is positioned to act as a connecting organization in an area with a lot of CBO’s and youth serving agencies. When I was doing my field work there, I noted it did not have a lot of programs under its belt and. therefore, did not pose a threat for resources. Milwaukee is really missing organizations that can facilitate cooperation. The absence of organizations that can provide safe places for collaboration,  get organizations to think about sharing, recognize when a different CBO did the same program better, is a major problem for Milwaukee. If someone would have been around to tell the YMCA it was moving away from its core mission, it might still be thriving.  Its desire to expand its programs into areas for which there were already successful programs, and then needing money to sustain these programs, is a plausible example of the outcome of silos and duplication.  Don’t be surprised if the Boys and Girls Clubs don’t usurp Milwaukee YMCAs one of these days.

5.    The Walnut Way people have what I referred to in my dissertation as "local knowledge," authentic knowledge that only comes from living and working in the very neighborhoods they want to help. These are the people who show up every day, the real stakeholders and residents who have invested in this neighborhood. What I used to learn during my neighborhood walks around Lindsay Heights with Sharon Adams and a number of local residents. It was extraordinary. Milwaukee needs to seek out and support these leaders and organizations who through their actions have demonstrated a deep seated commitment and corresponding understanding of the real issues facing their neighborhoods.  It may seem like common sense, but it is not happening. Perhaps this attitude is not surprising; it is reflective of a racially segregated Milwaukee.

6.    Zilber is an extraordinarily unique partner because it identifies and respects local knowledge. Perhaps due to Joe Zilber's personal style, the foundation seeks out proven organizations, provides significant investment, and then acts as an authentic partner in seeing that organization succeed. Walnut Way is a perfect example. Zilber provided resources, but what they then did was trust Walnut Way to responsibly and smartly put those resources to work for the neighborhood. This is so not the norm in this city.  

7.    I would argue one of the real problems going forward is the inability of the white community, especially the downtown business community, to respect and support local knowledge? My God, look at your audience yesterday. Well intentioned people who pray their car never conks out in Lindsay Heights! Yet, they think they know how to solve the problems in that neighborhood? It is actually a manifestation of racist-like attitudes, but is subtle because it hides behind good intentions.  

Professor Sharkey knows there are deep-seated problems facing this city. If he had stuck to his initial pessimism, I may not have been compelled to go on this harangue. If you intend to write about his appearance in your weekly column, please do not end with some comment about his prediction of a bright future. Until the existing patterns of behavior by the power elite in Milwaukee changes, until CBO’s and youth serving agencies either collaborate or go out of business, until we put our faith in those most worthy of said faith, substantive change in urban neighborhoods will be fleeting at best.