Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
THE BLACK EXPERIENCE, WERE TOLD
THROUGH THE VARIOUS WORKS OF
ART, ESPECIALLY THE ISSUE OF
RACE.
■ç
>> HELLO.
WELCOME TO "BLACK NOUVEAU."
THIS IS OUR EDITION FOR
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2013.
I'M JOANNE WILLIAMS.
AS WE BEGIN OUR NEW SEASON,
SUPERINTENDENT GREGORY THORNTON
JOINS US TO DISCUSS THE NEW YEAR
FOR THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
WE'LL TALK WITH TWO CAST MEMBERS
FROM THE AMERICAN MUSE L COOL "
RAGTIME" ON STAGE NOW AT THE
MILWAUKEE REP.
YOU'LL ALSO HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN
TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW AND
WE'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO MARISSA
EVANS, THE STUDENT JOURNALIST OF
THE YEAR, SHE'S FROM MARQUETTE
UNIVERSITY, BUT WE BEGIN WITH
SOME OUTSTANDING ART.
LET'S VISIT 30 AMERICANS, THE
THOUGHT/p$=Y=-%9
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS, WHICH
RECENTLY ENDED ITS ENGAGEMENT AT
THE MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM.
LIDDIE COLLINS HAS THAT STORY.
>> THE REBEL FAMILY COLLECTION
OF ART HAS INCLUDED
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS SINCE
THEIR INCEPTION IN 1964.
UNDER CLOSE INSPECTION, THEY
DISCOVERED THESE WERE EMERGING
ARTISTS, THAT WERE INFLUENCING A
MOVEMENT, AND SO THE EXHIBIT, 30
AMERICANS, CAME TO BE.
ABSTRACT REPRESENTATIONAL ART,
MINIMAL CONCEPTUAL ART, NEW
MEDIA, PERFORMANCE ART, DEACON
STRUCK, AND --■ç DESTRUCTION, TS
EXHIBIT MADE A STOP AT THE
MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM.
IT ENCOMPASSES ART TRENDS OF THE
LAST 40 YEARS AND MANY OF THE
ARTISTS ARE INTERNATIONALLY
KNOWN AND FOREMOST ARE
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
THIS IS A STRONG BODY OF WORK,
MADE UP OF MANY LAYERS AND
COMPONENTS.
>> IT HAS TO DO WITH RACE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
AND THEY DEAL WITH IT TODAY AND
THEY DEAL WITH IT IN HISTORY AND
WHERE IT CONNECTS TODAY WITH THE
PAST.
SO THAT'S THE ADDED COMPONENT
AND SOME ARTISTS DEAL WITH IT IN
VERY SUBTLE WAYS AN OTHERS DEAL
WITH IT IN VERY DIRECT AND
POWERFUL WAYS.
THIS SHOW IS BEAUTIFUL AND
POWERFUL AND A LOT OF IMPORTANT
ARTISTS AND CUTTI
EVERY FLAVOR OF CONTEMPORARY
ARTIST IS REPRESENTED HERE, BUT
IT IS UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT
THIS IS NOT A PASSIVE
PRESENTATION, NOT A TRADITIONAL
PRESENTATION.
THE SHOW HAS SOME EARLY ARTISTS,
LIKE ROBERT COLE SCOTT, WHO ARE
NO LONGER LIVING, WHO SORT OF
WERE SOME OF THE EARLY IMPORTANT
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS WHO
HAVE INFLUENCED THE YOUNGER
GENERATION OF ARTISTS.
SO THE EARLIEST WORK HERE IS
1978.
MOST OF THE WORK IS FROM THE
1980'S OR 1990'S TO THE PRESENT,
WITH THE MAJORITY REALLY BEING
21st CENTURY WORK.■ç
>> CONCEPTUAL ARTIST AND 30
AMERICANS MEMBER HANK WILLIS
THOMAS SAID WHOEVER HOLDS THE
FRAME HAS THE ABILITY TO CONTROL
THE STORY.
>> HISTORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN OFTEN
SEEN AS THIS KIND OF OBJECTIVE
STORY, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT
WHO'S TELLING THIS HISTORY AND
THEY SAY HISTORY IS LEFT TO THE
VICTORS BUT I THINK WHAT'S
REALLY EXCITING NOW IS THAT WE
CAN■ ACTUALLY PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON
THE FRAME AND RECOGNIZE THAT
THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS
GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME
THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE WAY THAT
WE READ OR INTERPRET AN
ENVIRONMENT OR AN IMAGE.
>> IN HIS UNBRANDED AND BRANDED
SERIES, THOMAS USES THE LANGUAGE
OF ADVERTISING TO■ç TALK ABOUT
RACE, CLASS, AND HISTORY,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE BODY.
>> I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN
KIND OF HOW KIND OF ADVERTISING
HAS REALLY KIND OF LAID THE
STORIES AND SOMETIMES WE'RE
DISTRACTED BY -- FROM WHAT'S
REALLY FOR SALE WHEN WE LOOK AT
THE LOGO AND THE TEXT, YOU KNOW,
WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE
INTERESTING IS BY REMOVING ALL
OF THE TEXT, AND LOOKING AT
ADVERTISEMENTS, WHICH ARE
CLEARLY MARKETED TO SPECIFIC
DEMOGRAPHIC, WE BEGIN TO SEE
KIND OF WHAT KIND OF WHAT THINGS
SOCIETY IS IMPLYING ARE THE
VALUES OR THE INTEREST OF A
CERTAIN COMMUNITY AT A SPECIFIC
PERIOD OF TIME IN TIME.
>>■ç WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO
BE A BLACK MALE?
>> CAN I STILL BE BLACK?
>> DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING POSITIVE
TO THE COMMUNITY?
>> HOW DOES A REPRESENTATION
OF --
>> HANK WILLIS THOMAS IS
INVOLVED IN A VIDEO WEB-BASED
PROJECT, ENTITLED, QUESTION
BRIDGE, BLACK MALE.
IT WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN 30
AMERICANS.
>> IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE, AND WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE ARE PUT IN
THE GROUP, HOW THEY RELATE TO
THE IDEA OF THE GROUP,
THEMSELVES AS PARTS OF A GROUP
AND OTHER PEOPLE WITHIN THAT
DESIGNATED GROUP, SO I THINK
WHAT'S REVEALED THROUGH THIS
NARROWING, BLACK MALES, QUOTE
UNQUOTE, IS THE GENERAL HUMANITY
OF ALL OF US, SO PEOPLE WILL
WALK IN AND THINK THIS HAS
NOTHING TO DO WITH ME ACTUALLY
FIND OUT■ç THAT IT HAS EVERYTHIG
TO DO WITH THEM.
>> STORIES, CULTURE, ETHNICITY,
IS CAPTURED IN THIS 30 AMERICANS
EXHIBIT.
THIS EXHIBIT INTRODUCED ARTISTS
TO A NEW AUDIENCE.
IT CAUSED PEOPLE TO SEE THAT
THERE ARE TALENTED BLACK ARTISTS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND THIS
IS JUST A SAMPLING.
IT CAUSED PEOPLE TO ASK
QUESTIONS, TO DIALOGUE.
>> WE ALWAYS HAVE THE JOB OF
PRESENTING THE GREATEST ART,
WHETHER IT'S HISTORIC OR
CONTEMPORARY.
>> WHILE DISCOVERING ARTISTS
FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, A
COMPANION EXHIBIT WAS CREATED
WITH THE HELP OF THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART ALLIANCE.
>> WE HAVE SOME GREAT ARTISTS,
LIKE I SAID, RIGHT IN OUR OWN
BACKYARD.
IT'S WONDERFUL.
WE HAVE■ç EMERGING ARTISTS, WE
HAVE LONGTIME, WELL-ESTABLISHED
ARTISTS.
>> THE WISCONSIN 30 COMMUNICATED
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE BLACK
EXPERIENCE, THROUGH A VARIETY OF
MEDIUMS.
WE WERE DRAWN IN BY THE
SILHOUETTES OF REGINALD BAYLOR
AND ALONG THE WALL WERE WORKS BY
WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS, SUCH AS
DELLA WELLS.
PATRICIA TERRY.
BRAD BERNARD.
AND SOME LESS WELL KNOWN
ARTISTS, FIDEL HILL, AND KEVIN
BOATWRIGHT.
FOR SOME, IT WAS A CULTURAL AND
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
OTHERS WERE■ç PLEASANTLY SURPRID
THAT THERE WERE SO MANY
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS, THEY
HAD NEVER HEARD OF.
A VARIETY OF STORIES ABOUT THE
BLACK EXPERIENCE WERE TOLD
THROUGH THE VARIOUS WORKS OF
ART, ESPECIALLY THE USUAL YOU OF
RACE.
-- ISSUE OF RACE.
TOGETHER, THESE TWO EXHIBITS
SHOW THAT THE BLACK AMERICAN
EXPERIENCE HAS DEPTH, IS NOT ONE
DIMENSIONAL, IS COLORFUL AND
COMPLEX.
ITS RICH HISTORY IS TOLD THROUGH
A VARIETY OF MEDIUMS, TEXTURES,
LINES, AND COLORS.
IT'S BOLD AND MOVING.
"RAGTIME" IS AN EPIC■ç STORY OF
THE AMERICA IN THE TURN OF THE
CENTURY.
THE MOVIE, WHICH FEATURED OSCAR
NOMINEE HOWARD ROLLINS, WAS
RELEASED IN 1981.
AND THE MUSICAL, WHICH IS
CURRENTLY AT THE MILWAUKEE REP,
FIRST OPENED ON BROADWAY IN
1998.
ONE OF THE SHOW STOPPERS IN THE
PRODUCTION IS THE SONG "WHEELS
OF A DREAM."
♪♪
>> WE'RE JOINED NOW BY GAVIN
GREGORY■ç AND JESSE ***.
WELCOME TO "BLACK NOUVEAU."
WELCOME TO MILWAUKEE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IS THIS YOUR FIRST VISIT TO
MILWAUKEE?
>> YES, FIRST TIME.
>> HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHING
BESIDES THE INSIDE OF THE REP.
>> YES.
THE THEATER IS SURROUNDED BY THE
RIVER WALK, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, SO
THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT CAFES
AND RESTAURANTS.
IT'S NICE.
I REALLY LIKE IT HERE A LOT.
>> YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE?
>> NO, THIS IS MY DAY BOW HERE
IN MILWAUKEE -- DEBUT HERE IN
MILWAUKEE AND I'M LOVING IT.
>> I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE
THE AUDIENCES TOO, THEY'RE VERY
RESPONSIVE AND THEY LIKE GOOD
SHOWS AND THIS IS A REALLY GOOD
SHOW.
GAVIN, YOU'VE DONE THIS SHOW
BEFORE.
>> YES, I DID IT AT PORTLAND
CENTER STAGE IN 2009,■ç THEIR
SEASON OPENER AS WELL.
>> SAME ROLE.
>> SAME ROLE.
AND I AM JUST EXCITED TO HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT AGAIN,
BECAUSE IT IS -- IT'S A DREAM
ROLE.
IT'S A DREAM ROLE AND ESPECIALLY
IT'S ONE OF THOSE QUINTESSENTIAL
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ROLES THAT I
THINK THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO DO
IT WANTS TO DO IT.
>> NOW FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T
FAMILIAR WITH IT, WHAT IS YOUR
CHARACTER'S NAME AND WHAT DOES
HE DO IN THE SHOW?
>> MY CHARACTER'S NAME IS COLE
HOUSE WALKER -- COALHOUSE WALKER
JR.
HE WAS A SELF-EDUCATED, VERY MAN
ABOUT TOWN, HE■ç WAS ALMOST REAY
LIKE A SUPERSTAR TO THOSE -- IN
THE EARLY 1900'S.
AND JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT HE
GOES THROUGH IN TERMS OF BEING A
LADY'S MAN, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW,
FIND SOMEONE THAT JUST STEALS
HIS HEART AWAY, SOME BEAUTIFUL
YOUNG THING, AND THEN FROM THEN
ON, IT'S ALL ABOUT HER.
>> SO I'M THINKING THAT YOU'RE
THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG THING.
>> YES.
>> WHO IS YOUR CHARACTER?
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER.
>> HER NAME IS SARAH, SHE IS
ACTUALLY A WASH WOMAN AND IT'S
SET AROUND THE 1900'S, IN NEW
ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, SO YEAH, HER
STORY, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE TOO
MUCH AWAY, WHAT GOES ON, BUT SHç
DOES MEET COAL HOUSE AND THEY
FALL IN LOVE AND IT'S KIND OF
THEIR STORY, TRYING TO LIVE THE
AMERICAN DREAM THROUGHOUT THE
1900'S.
SO IT'S EXCITE, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
>> LOTS OF SINGING GOING ON IN
THIS SHOW TOO, RIGHT?
>> YES, BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.
>> DO YOU ENJOY PARTS WHERE
THERE'S A LOT OF SINGING?
>> YES, I OF LOOZE VISITS IT.
I GREW UP SINGING FIRST, KIND OF
LIKE SITTING IN THE TRUCK WITH
MY DAD LISTENING TO MARIAH CARY
AND WHITNEY HOUSTON, SO THAT WAS
KIND OF MY THING WHEN I WAS
YOUNGER.
>> NOW YOU'RE DATING YOURSELF.
YOU'VE DONE RAGTIME BEFORE.
>> WHY YES.
>> SAME ROLE?
>> YES.
I PLAYED SARAH IN 2009 AS WELL
AT MY SCHOOL, I GRADUATED FROM
SHENANDOAH CONSERVATORY.
>> BUT YOU WERE HOW OLD THEN?
FOUR YEARS YOUNGER.
>> YES.
>> AND NOW FOUR■ç YEARS LATER,
YOU'VE EXPERIENCED SOME THINGS.
HOW DO YOU COME TO THE ROLE
DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU DID WHEN
YOU WERE YOUNGER?
>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF LIFE
EXPERIENCES.
I'VE EXPERIENCED A LOSS IN MY
LIFE, SO GRIEVING AND GOING
THROUGH THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE
PART OF THIS NEW ADVENTURE TOO.
I FEEL LIKE MY SARAH IS A LOT
STRONGER THAN I PLAYED HER IN
COLLEGE FOUR YEARS AGO.
YEAH, IT'S BEEN REALLY COOL
EXPLORING THAT NEW AVENUE WITH
HER.
>> AND GAVIN, YOU SAID SINCE THE
LAST TIME YOU PLAYED THIS ROLE,
WHICH WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO,
YOU FOUND THAT A LIFE-CHANGING
EXPERIENCE.
WHY?
>> I THINK THAT IT CHANGED THE
TRAJECTORY OF MY CAREER.
I THINK BECAUSE I LIVE IN NEW
YORK■ç NOW, AND I GOT TO NEW YOK
BY DOING A MUSICAL CALLED "THE
COLOR PURPLE" AND THERE WAS --
YOU KNOW, I GREW UP LISTENING
TO -- I GREW UP LISTENING TO
STEVIE WONDER, YOU KNOW, DONNY
HATTAWAY, PRINCE, I'M DATING
MYSELF.
>> YOU CAN RELATE TO THOSE.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> AND SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT
INFORMED ME VOCALLY, BUT THEN,
YOU KNOW, AS I STARTED TO GET IN
TO DOING MUSICALS, I REALIZED
THAT THERE WAS A WHOLE OTHER
FORM OF -- AND WAY OF SINGING A
WHOLE OTHER FORM OF
ENTERTAINMENT, AND WHEN I DID■ç
THE ROLE OF COALHOUSE, THE WAY
HE SINGS, I FOUND MY TRUE VOICE,
YOU KNOW, I REALLY DID.
>> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
THAT VOICE AN WE'RE GOING TO
HEAR JESSE'S VOICE AND THE VOICE
OF THE WHOLE CAST OF RAGTIME AT
THE MILWAUKEE REP.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYING DOING THE
SHOW AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU
ENJOYING GOING TO SEE IT.
THANKS FOR COMING AND VISITING
US ON "BLACK NOUVEAU."
RAGTIME RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER 27
AT THE MILWAUKEE REPARATORY
THEATER.
>> RECENT MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE MARISSA EVANS WON THE
STUDENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
AWARD PRESENTED BY THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALIST.
NABJ.
>> I■ç AM STILL REALLY STUNNED D
I'M STILL REALLY STUNNED.
I THINK WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, WHEN YOU
START REALLY GETTING SO
ENGRAINED WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION
OR IN SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE,
YOU DON'T REALLY -- YOU'RE NOT
DOING IT FOR THE AWARD, AND SO
IT'S JUST REALLY WONDERFUL TO
SEE THAT PEOPLE SEE WHAT I'M
TRYING TO DO AS A BUDDING
JOURNALIST.
>> GROWING UP MARISSA WAS THE
KID WHO FLIPPED BETWEEN THE
LOCAL NEWS AND SPONGEBOB
SQUAREPANTS.
SHE BECAME INTERESTED IN
JOURNALISM BY CHANCE.
>> IN HIGH SCHOOL, I NEEDED AN
EXTRA CLASS AND I SAUVE -- SAW
THE JOURNALISM CLASS WAS OPEN SO
I THOUGHT WHY NOT, I LOVE READ,
WRITING, AND ONCE I GOT MY FIRST
STORY FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL
CHRONICLE■ç WAS ON GLOBAL WARMI.
>> SHE WAS THEN BITTEN BY THE
WRITING BUG, WHICH LATER LED
LETTER TO THE FOUNDING OF AN
NABJ STUDENT CHAPTER AT
MARQUETTE.
>> I WAS LOOKING AT THE STUDENT
ORGANIZATION PAGE, LIKE 200 --
AT THE TIME, WITH 250
ORGANIZATIONS HERE AT MARQUETTE
AND I REMEMBER THERE WAS THE
SOCIETY FOR PROFESSIONAL
JOURNALIST, I DIDN'T SEE MUCH IN
THE WAY OF A JOURNALISM
ORGANIZATION.
AND SO I HAD HEARD OF NABJ
BEFORE, SO I REALLY STARTED
LOOKING AT THE WEB SITE AND
LOOKING INTO HOW TO ACTUALLY
BRING A CHAPTER HERE AND I SAID
WELL, SOMEONE NEEDS TO START
THIS, AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE,
MY MOM WAS WAIT, YOU SHOULD
ACTUALLY START THIS, SO I CALLED
UP JAMES AT THE "JOURNAL
SENTINEL," BECAUSE■ç HE'S THE WA
PRESIDENT AND I SAID I WANT TO
DO THIS AND HE SAID OF COURSE
YOU DO SO I STARTED HOUNDED HIM
AND HE SAID OK, YOU REALLY WANT
TO DO THIS.
LET ME GET THAT LETTER FOR YOU.
>> MARISSA FOUND OUT THAT
HERBERT LOWE, A MARQUETTE
UNIVERSITY GRAD AND ALSO A PAST
NABJ PAST PRESIDENT WAS BACK ON
CAMPUS TEACHING.
>> SO I GOT HIS EMAIL, I EMAILED
HIM LIKE THE LONGEST EMAIL
SAYING WHY I WANTED THE CHAPTER
AND EVERYTHING AND I FEEL LIKE
IT WAS LIKE FATE WAS MEANT TO
ACTUALLY HAVE A CHAPTER HERE AT
MARQUETTE AND WE'RE STILL, THREE
YEARS LATER, THE ONLY STUDENT
CHAPTER IN WISCONSIN.
>> YOU HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE
UNDERGRAD RESUME.
TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THAT.
>> I HAD A FEW IN■ç -- INTERNSHS
MY FIRST INTERNSHIP WAS IN
MINNEAPOLIS, THEN I INTERNED AT
THE "THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL
SENTINEL" AND THE "WASHINGTON
POST."
>> SHE WAS A SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN
WITH THE MARKETING AND
COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AT
MARQUETTE.
AND A SUMMER 2013 INTERN WITH
THE SEATTLE TIMES.
>> BUT THEN BESIDES INTERNSHIPS,
I'VE DONE JOURNALISM PROGRAMS,
"NEW YORK TIMES" JOURNALISM
INSTITUTE, ON-LINE NEWS
ASSOCIATION, STUDENT NEWSROOM,
NABJ STUDENT PROJECTS, AND OK, I
THINK I'M OK.
>> EVAN STARTED AN ON-LINE
MAGAZINE ENTITLED "IN HUE," A
MINORITY WOMEN'S HEALTH
MAGAZINE.
>> I■ç REALIZED THAT THERE WAS T
A WHOLE LOT OF CONTENT OUT THERE
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON RACIAL
HEALTH DISPARITIES OR THINGS
RELATED NOT JUST TO BLACK WOMEN
BUT ASIAN WOMEN, THINGS LIKE
THAT, SO THE MORE I WAS LOOKING
AT WOMEN'S HELP AND ALL THOSE
THINGS, I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW,
THEY DON'T EVER -- I MEAN, THEY
SOMETIMES PUT A PERSON'S COLOR
ON THE COVER, BUT NOT REALLY AND
YOU KNOW, THE ONLY ONES REALLY
HAVING A REALLY DEEP
CONVERSATION ABOUT RACIAL HEALTH
DISPARITY IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
AND ALL THESE CANCERS AND HEART
DISEASE AND CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND
I WAS HEARING ALL THESE
STATISTICS, BUT I WASN'T HEARING
SOLUTIONS LIKE FOOD AND
EXERCISE, THAT COULD RELATE BACK
TO OUR CULTURES AND OUR HERITAGE
AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT I
COULD HELP■ç SOMEBODY, SO WE COD
GO BEYOND STATISTICS AND REALLY
EMPOWER A WOMAN TO ACTUALLY BE
HEALTHY, TO REALIZE THEY CAN
LIVE HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES.
>> THE MAGAZINE HAS A
GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE STAFF,
MEANING THEY ARE FROM AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
>> WE WANT STORIES THAT HAVE A
NATIONAL IMPACT, BUT STILL CAN
HAVE A LOCAL EFFECT AS WELL.
>> WHAT IS -- WHAT IS THAT DREAM
JOB YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
WHAT'S YOUR DREAM?
I MEAN, WHAT'S YOUR DREAM DOWN
THE WAY?
>> MY DREAM JOB WOULD HAVE TO BE
RUNNING "IN HUE" FULL TIME.
I WANT TO SPECIALIZE IN HEALTH
CARE POLICY REPORTING, BECAUSE I
FEEL THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR OUT THERE DON'T REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE HEALTH CARE LAW
AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE NEW
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE LAW GETS
PHASED IN, MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO NEED JOURNALISTS WHO CAN
SPEAK ON IT AND I WANT TO BE ON&
OF THEM.
>> MARISSA'S WANTING TO COVER
HEALTH CARE POLICY IS ON TARGET.
SHE HAS STARTED WORKING AS A WEB
REPORTER FELLOW WITH THE KAISER
HEALTH NEWS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR IS
UNDERWAY AND JOINING US IS
MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SUPERINTENDENT GREGORY THORNTON.
WELCOME TO "BLACK NOUVEAU."
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> AND WELCOME TO THE 2013-14
SCHOOL YEAR.
>> IT'S VERY EXCITING.
THE FIRST YEAR -- FIRST DAY OF
SCHOOL IS ALWAYS THE BEST PART
OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, SO WE'RE
EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD FOR
OUR CHILDREN.
>> FIRST THING I WANT TO ASK YOU
ABOUT IS STAYING IN MILWAUKEE,
SIGNING THE NEW CONTRACT THAT
TAKES YOU■ç THROUGH 2016, RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> WHY DID YOU STAY IN
MILWAUKEE?
>> I LOVE MILWAUKEE.
I'VE BECOME A BREWERS FANS, I'M
A BUCKS FAN AND I WILL TELL YOU
THE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IS
EXCELLENT.
I HAVE A GOOD PLEASURE OF LIVING
A -- ALONG PROSPECT AVENUE, THE
LAKES THERE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL
CITY AND PROUD TO BE PART OF IT.
>> AT THE UNITED WAY KICKOFF THE
OTHER DAY, THEY CALLED YOU THE
ROCK STAR OF MILWAUKEE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF THAT
BIG AN IMAGE IN M.P.S.
>> NO, AT BEST, I WOULD SAY I'M
ONE OF THE CO-PRODUCERS, OUR
ROCK STARS ARE OUR CHILDREN AND
THEY DO GREAT THINGS ALL AROUND
THE COUNTRY.
I'M EXCITED THAT MANY ARE ON THE
WAY TO COLLEGE RIGHT NOW AND
GREAT THINGS ARE GOING ON.
I'M VERY SATISFIED BEING A
CO-PRODUCER.
>> WELL, I HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF
THINGS THAT YOU INTEND TO
PRODUCE IN THIS UPCOMING■ç SCHOL
YEAR, WHICH WILL BE PLANS FOR
M.P.S.
ONE OF THEM IS DEALING WITH
PROJECT "LEAD THE WAY,"
EXPANDING THAT TO MANY OTHER
SCHOOLS.
A LOT OF KIDS HAVE BENEFITED
FROM PROJECT LEAD THE WAY AND I
REMEMBER THE YEARS IT WASN'T IN
M.P.S., BUT NOW IT SEEMS TO HAVE
EXPLODED.
>> AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK
FORWARD, MANY OF OUR KIDS HAVE A
LOT OF TALENT.
PROJECT LEAD THE WAY IS ONE WAY
OF UTILIZING SOME OF THOSE
TALENTS, ACTUALLY CREATING THE
ABSTRACT WITH THE CONCRETE AND
REALLY DOING GREAT THINGS.
PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, PROJECTS
THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN, WONDERFUL
RESULTS.
WE AGGREGATE THE KIDS WHO HAVE
GONE THROUGH THE PROJECT VERSUS
THE KIDS WHO HAVEN'T.
THE KIDS ARE CERTAINLY HE CAN
SEEDING EXPECTATIONS --
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS, AND■ç
GREAT -- GRADE POINT AVERAGE,
AND THEY'RE GRADUATING AT HIGHER
LEVELS.
SO I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
THAT KIND OF SUPPORT FOR OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE, SO OUR HOPE IS
THAT WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH
BANDWIDTH THAT WE CAN COVER THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALSO WANT
TO EXPAND THE INTERNATIONAL
BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM.
>> I.B. IS ONE OF OUR HALLMARKS.
ONLY TWO YEARS AGO, NOT TO BE
EXACT, U.S. NEWS AND WORLD
REPORT IDENTIFIED SOME OF THE
TOP SCHOOLS IN THE NATION, AND
IT WASN'T A COINCIDENCE THAT TWO
OF THE TOP SCHOOLS WERE I.B.
SCHOOLS AND RESULT, WHAT WE'VE
TRIED TO DO IS NOW BACKWARD MAP
INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE,
I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE
STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN PLACE,
AND NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY LAUNCHING
PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAM, SO WE ARE
OF THE BELIEF THAT GOOD STRONG
CURRICULUM IS GOOD FOR ALL■ç
CHILDREN.
AND AS A RESULT OF WHAT'S TAKING
PLACE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, I
THINK WE'RE OFF TO A TREMENDOUS
START, SO WE'RE EXPANDING, AND
WE WANT TO CERTAINLY BE DRIVEN
AROUND, GREAT PROGRAMS, AND
CREATING ACCESS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE GREAT
PROGRAMS.
I RUN INTO PARENTS IN THE
SUPERMARKET AND THEY SAY HOW DO
I GET IN TO THAT I.B. PROGRAM,
SOME CALL IT A B.I. PROGRAM OR
I.P. PROGRAM AND THAT'S THE
PROGRAM.
AND WE'LL SAY, YES, WE HAVE ONE
TESTIFY SCHOOL NEAR YOU, SO
WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO
EXPAND A REGIONAL FOOTPRINT SO
THERE ARE ACTUALLY I.B.
OPPORTUNITIES IN ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITIES.
>> YOU'VE ALSO BROUGHT BACK I
THINK IT'S 45 ADDITIONAL ART AND
MUSIC AND PHYSICAL ED TEACHERS.
THAT MAKES YOU SMILE.
ARE YOU HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
>> IT DOES MAKE ME SMILE.
AS I LOOK AT YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY
WANT TO BALANCED DIET IN THEIR
SCHOOL.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE
TRYING TO BALANCE BUDGETS, WE
WERE LAYING OFF TEACHERS, 485,
RINGS CLEARLY IN MY MIND.
THAT IS WHAT WE WALKED INTO IN
2010 AND AS A RESULT, WE
ELIMINATED ART, MUSIC, IN SOME
PLACES ELIMINATED PHYSICAL
EDUCATION AND WHAT I KNOW THERE
ARE KIDS THAT WAKE UP IN THE
MORNING WANTING TO SING, THERE
ARE KIDS WAKING UP IN THE
MORNING WANTING TO DRAW AND I
BELIEVE IF WE CAN CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE DAY,
WITH STRONG PROFESSIONAL
TEACHERS IN THOSE POSITIONS,
WE'RE GOING TO CERTAINLY GIVE
OUR KIDS SOMETIMES A REASON TO
COME TO SCHOOL.
SO I'M PLEASED TO SAY THE
STANDARD OF CARE, WHICH WE
REFERRED TO IN THE SYSTEM IS
CERTAINLY INCREASE, PLEASED TO
SAY EVERY SCHOOL HAS PHYSICAL
EDUCATION, EVERY SCHOOL HAS ART,
AND I WOULD HOPEFULLY BE BACK
SCHOOL HAS MUSIC AND WE WANT TO
CERTAINLY EXPAND THAT.
IT'S MY HOPE THAT EVERY
YOUNGSTER COMES OUT OF SYSTEM
BILINGUAL.
>> TO EXPAND ALL THAT IN THE
PROGRAMS WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD
STRONG FACULTY, A BIG FACULTY.
DO YOU STILL NEED MORE TEACHERS?
>> WE DO.
WE'RE SITTING HERE TODAY, WE'RE
PROBABLY ABOUT 25 OPENINGS, I'M
PLEASED TO SAY EVERY CLASSROOM
IS COVERED.
HOWEVER, TALENT IS THE BIGGEST
FACTOR IN REALLY CREATING
SUCCESSFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
KIDS AND WE'RE SEARCHING WIDE, I
MEAN, WE ACTUALLY HAD A TEAM ON
THE GROUND IN PUERTO RICO THIS
YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HIRED FROM
SPAIN, SO OUR FOOT SPRINT HAS
BECOME BIGGER, IT'S BECOME A
NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THAT WE
ACTUALLY UTILIZED TO B)G
TALENT TO THE SYSTEM.
I WOULD ALSO GO ON TO SAY TO YOU
THE MOST RECENT CHANGE IN
LEGISLATURE HAS CREATED AN
OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THE
RESIDENCY CHALLENGE IS NOW GONE.
WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE
TEACHERS WHO ARE IN NEARBY
COMMUNITIES WANTING TO BE PART
OF M.P.S. AND AS A RESULT OF
THAT, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO
BRING MORE TALENT, BUT I WILL
TELL YOU ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES I FACE, MY HUMAN
RESOURCE OFFICE FACES IS THE
FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, ATTRACTING
TALENT AND THEN KEEPING THE
TALENT ONCE WE GET THEM HERE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY JUST
NOT COME, BUT THEY'VE GOT TO
STAY AND RIGHT NOW, THE TEACHER
DROPOUT RATE IS HIGHER THAN THE
STUDENT DROPOUT RATE, SO I HAVE
TO FIX THAT.
THAT'S A FIX THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
>> WELL, SHOULD TEACHERS BE
JUDGED BY THE GRADUATION RATES
OF THEIR CLASSES, SHOULD THAT■çE
THE HALLMARK OF THEIR
PERFORMANCE OR SHOULD THERE BE
OTHER STANDARDS?
>> I THINK THERE MUST BE
MULTIPLE MEASURES.
THERE IS NOT ONE THING THAT
WOULD SUGGEST THE TEACHERS
AFFECTED, THE INTERACTION THEY
HAVE WITH CHILDREN EVERY DAY IS
VERY, VERY SHALL POLY DREW, THE
INTERACTION THEY HAVE WITH
PARENTS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
AND I THINK STUDENT RESULTS ARE
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, I HAVE TO
PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE
COMPETITIVE, NOT ONLY HERE IN
MILWAUKEE, BUT AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE
EVERYWHERE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE SITTING
BESIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE
HIGHLY TRAINED IN SOME OF THE
MOST SOPHISTICATED SCHOOLS IN
AMERICA.
I HAVE TO BE CERTAIN THAT OUR
KIDS HAVE THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT
SO THEY CAN BE COMPETITIVE,
WHETHER THEY GO IN TO THE WORLD
OF WORK OR ACTUALLY GOING TO THE
ONE LAST SPOT AT STANFORD,
TRYING TO GET IN.
SO IT'S VERY■ç IMPORTANT.
IT'S MULTIPLE MEASURES, NOT ONE
THING AND TEACHERS REALIZE THAT.
WE HAVE A NEW TEACHER EVALUATION
SYSTEM, MADE UP OF MULTIPLE
MEASURES.
ONE MEASURE IS AROUND STUDENT
PERFORMANCE.
>> THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE YOUR TALKING WITH US.
>> GREAT.
>> BEFORE WE CLOSE TONIGHT, WE
HAVE FOUR PAIRS OF TICKETS TO
"RAG TIME" TO GIVE TO VIEWERS
WHO CAN ANSWER THE FOLLOWING
QUESTION.
HOWARD ROLLINS EARNED AN ACADEMY
AWARD NOMINATION FOR HIS ROLE IN
THE MOVIE.
NAME THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ACTOR
IN THIS PICTURE WHO PLAYED ONE
OF HIS GANG MEMBERS AND WAS ALSO
AN ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE FOR A
DIFFERENT MOVIE?
NOT FOR "RAGTIME."
WE NEED THE NAME OF THE ACTOR,
YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND
YOUR PHONE NUMBER IN ORDER TO
QUALIFY.
ALL FOUR THINGS.■ç
CALL US AT 414-297-7556, OR
EMAIL US AT TV VIEWER.MATC.EDU.
WITHOUT THE CORRECT ANSWER, YOUR
NAME, ADDRESS AN PHONE NUMBER,
YOU WILL NOT QUALIFY TO WIN A
PAIR OF TICKETS.
THE DEADLINE TO ENTER IS
MIDNIGHT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22.
GOOD LUCK. AND THAT'S OUR
PROGRAM FOR THIS WEEK.
FOR "BLACK NOUVEAU," I'M JOANNE
WILLIAMS.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.