Teran Powell (top left) and Talis Shelbourne (top right) hosted a conversation about vaccine hesitancy with Dr. Patricia McManus (bottom left) and Dr. Kevin Izard (bottom right)
April 20, 2021
MILWAUKEE, WI
HESITANCY TO RESISTANCE. Why?
"If I was treated this way, other Black people on the floor were so treated - even the Whites... if they were poor and had other issues", said Pat McManus, Ph.D. Urban Studies/Health Systems. "It is not just past stuff, it is continuing on", said Dr. Kevin Izard Cream City Medical Society.
This Listen MKE show is hosted by
Teran Powell, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Talis Shelbourne, Journal Sentinel.
It is a special discussion focused on the COVID-19 pandemic in Milwaukee, the largest urban city of Wisconsin gives background to We, the People clarion call to FEMA.
It is a candid conversation about hesitancy in the African American neighborhoods at the census tract level of the city of Milwaukee by two (2) well-known members of the city and the health community.
The guests are Dr. Kevin Izard, President of Cream City Medical Society, and Patricia McManus, Ph.D. in Urban Studies - Health Systems, President/CEO of Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin.
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Core Constituents - African Americans left out
Mary Glass, Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC said, "We, the People in Milwaukee (98.6 square miles) bring the funds, have the needs but are left out by cronyism and Caucasians connecting with the local-county-state government to commandeer for a monopoly-oligopoly agenda not beneficial for African American, other People of Color and Work Challenged Milwaukeeans".
ARP - AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN
The American Rescue Plan (2021) is providing fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, small businesses, and industries.
The American Rescue Plan continues many of the programs started by the CARES Act (2020) and Consolidated Appropriations Act (2021) by adding new phases, new allocations, and new guidance to address issues related to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan also creates a variety of new programs to address continuing pandemic-related crises, and fund recovery efforts as the United States begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The American Rescue Plan was passed by Congress on March 10, 2021, and signed into law on March 11, 2021.
For this BAIT-N-SWITCH money grab, Dr. John Raymond Sr. of Medical College of WI, WI Governor Tony Evers, Tim Sheehy of Milwaukee Metropolitan Association Commerce, County Executive David Crowley and Mayor Tom Barrett have been given carte blanche to federal funding - African Americans are left out of the pre-, ongoing, and post decision making.
The top 3 positions in the Evers health team are devoid of an African American. What's up here?
Therefore, the optics show Caucasians only, Dr. Ben Weston -Medical College of WI, Director Darren Rausch - Greenfield and Milwaukee Health Department - ran by Tom Barrett even though we are paying a new appointee of his named Kirsten Johnson, Commissioner - Milwaukee Health Department.
Milwaukee County Briefing on COVID-19, every Tuesday and Thursday, on Fox6 Live Milwaukee is devoid of African Americans with daily hands-on medical knowledge and interaction with the education, outreach, and cultural behavior and practices of African Americans, People of Color, and Work Challenged Milwaukeeans. The media with questions at the Milwaukee County Briefing are Caucasian-based.
Where is Milwaukee Courier, Milwaukee Times, El Conquistador, Spanish Times, Shepherd Express, Sherwin Hughes and other Talk Shows, Milwaukee Community Journal, Black Nouveau, and others who can get the message out to the 98.6 square miles neighborhoods?
CLICK. This video was filmed the first week of Black History Month 2021 for the Milwaukee County Briefing. Notice who is there. As far as Marlaina Jackson, she has been replaced by Kirsten Johnson.
Outreach is limited and problematic for African Americans, other People of Color, our homeless community, and vulnerable populations when it comes to BROADBAND/Internet of Things outreach news yet they give out websites and telephone numbers to register for appointments that are problematic. Registering period comes with many "barriers".
David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive, and Tom Barrett, Mayor of the city of Milwaukee give the "sunny sunshine skinny" - we are doing everything to outreach when it is "Not" true. It speaks to a lack of understanding by those employed to provide guidelines of what the "frustration and lack of information" is contributing to access by People of Color and the Work Challenged.
The dialog is devoid of the necessary humanity, empathy, and systemic racism. Where are the Cream City physicians, the National Medical Association chapter in WI, African Americans and People of Color for Equity Inclusion from the local hospitals - Aurora, Ascension, St. Joseph, Froedtert, and for sure the Medical College of WI?
The Medical College of WI has failed to represent African American core constituents with members from the health arena.
Dr. John Robinson Sr., President and CEO is being written up as the Wisconsin Dr. Anthony Fauci. When he is using the Cares funding to continue the monopoly-oligopoly interest of Tim Sheehy, Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce and Milwaukee 7 with funding, webinars, strategic planning lacking "Equity Inclusion".
He is also behind the scene creating his private capital group made up of privileged African Americans and Manpower ex-CEO/Chairman scammed MEGA funding from the city of Milwaukee (provided NO employment) for an impoverished city that gave his company millions of dollars to "move from Glendale and Brookfield" to Milwaukee with a "million-dollar garage" deal for his daily employees to drive in-and-out of Milwaukee.
Jeffrey Joerres was given a golden torch to be a member of the Federal Reserve of Chicago using the backdrop of Milwaukee. In 2015 after leaving Manpower he was worth approximately $79 million dollars. It is typical how Caucasians continue to "ride the-backs" of the Enduring Concentrated Poverty city Milwaukee.
KIRSTEN JOHNSON, the NEW Health Commissioner, came in the door "firing" 2 employees and is seen as ill-prepared for the largest urban population of African Americans and People of Color in Wisconsin - no matter how many times Barrett cast her as "having an extensive background". She is ill-prepared to tackle long-standing high-risk issues, i.e, lead in water, homes, and soil, COVID testing-tracking-vaccination, business curfews, and fines.
Johnson's appointment and ditto by the common council are an example of how African Americans are looked over and Caucasians get the nod and trained by African Americans deserving the employment. It is called "discrimination".
The city of Milwaukee Health Department has had its conflicts and coverups. As a matter of fact, ex-Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik was "discouraged and PUSHED from her post". She left hurriedly and shockingly for Washington, DC for safety away from in-house concerns that connected also with Tony Evers' Wisconsin Department of Health Services. WDHS failed to provide appropriate assistance/support to ex-Commissioner Kowalik.
There are too many issues - disrespect and discrimination from connected-to-the-money folks, lack of information about the citizenry that had pre-pandemic issues that are further complicated by the onslaught of COVID-19.
FIRSTLINE responders with concerns that are work-related and COVID-risk jobs (food packing companies, truckers, grocery workers, public service workers, health workers, bus employees, etc.).
VULNERABLE Milwaukeeans that are homeless, insurance-worthy, lack medical doctor, lack transportation, incarcerated men-women-children, seniors without advocacy, African Americans, other People of Color and Work Challenged core constituents lacking empathy and humane treatment to name a few going without regularity of COMMENT and urgencies.
LACK OF TRUSTWORTHINESS
Then there are many who "fear" vaccination due to the wrongful behavior of Caucasians employed in and related to government medicine and private practices - Tuskegee syphilis decades-testing on African American males and Henrietta Lacks cells fraud that was appalling and painful through history.
The causation and honest assessment in the COVID-19 cases in the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County demand members of the African American community.
LISTEN CLOSELY to the video and be warned of your responsibility to correct the issues of COVID mismanagement in Milwaukee. 
We call on Kyle Milhouse,
Director of Emergency Management/Homeland Security & Communications in Milwaukee and members of FEMA - regional and otherwise to honor President Joseph Biden's promise of covering African Americans back.
