Dominican Center Board Of Directors: Chad Swalheim, Chair; Mary Howard Johnstone, OP, Secretary-Treasurer; Linda Bedford; Brandon Culpepper; Pastor Willie Davis; Andre Goode; Chuck Klawitter; Arlene Patterson; Reverend Mary Martha Kannass, Emeritus Director; Patricia Rogers, OP, Ex Officio

NonprofitOrganizationUS Postage

PAIDMilwaukee, WI

Dominican Center for Women, Inc.2470 West Locust StreetMilwaukee, WI 53206

Retirement Congratulations

Bucks Basketball

Sr. Dorothy Victor, OP, is pictured with her most special student, Minnie Dyson. Sr. Dorothy has announced that she is retiring and will not be returning to the Dominican Center as a tutor. Thank you, Sr. Dorothy, for your ten years of service to the Dominican Center. Congratulations on your retirement.

PeppNation, Village Ministries, Hephatha Lutheran Church and Bethesda Baptist Church took 100 Amani youth to a Bucks basketball game in March. The Bucks won!

Thank Youto our

GenerousDonorsThe Dominican Center is grateful

for the generous support of our donors. Your donations make a difference in the lives of the residents of the Amani neighborhood.

During the past several months, the Dominican Center received grants from the following organizations:

• African American Women’s Fund• BMO Harris Bank• Catholic Campaign for

Human Development• Catholic Financial Life• Center for the Study of Social Policy• Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin• Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes• Divine Mercy Parish• Dominican Sisters• Gilles Frozen Custard, Inc.• Good Shepherd Parish• Greater Milwaukee Foundation• LISC Milwaukee• Lumen Christi Parish• Mary of Magdala Catholic Church• Nonprofit Management Fund• Northwestern Mutual Foundation• Park Bank Foundation• Patrick and Anna M. Cudahy Fund• PPC Foundation• Premonstratensian Fathers Augustine• Priests of the Sacred Heart• RA Stevens Family Foundation• Sinsinawa Dominicans• Sisters of Charity of the BVM• St. James Congregation• St. John Vianney Parish• St. Jude the Apostle Parish• St. Killian’s Congregation• St. Martin of Tours Parish• St. Mary’s Academy Alumni Assn• St. Matthew Catholic Church• St. Monica Parish• St. Sebastian Congregation• TCS Construction• Three Holy Women Christian Women• Walter R. Gustin Revocable Trust• We Energies Foundation• Windhover Foundation• Zilber Family Foundation

Nearly 200 people gathered on February 3, 2016 for the Dominican Center’s Racial Equity Forum. Angela Russell, from CUNA Mutual Group in Madison, moderated the event. She defined racial equity as the “just and fair inclusion into a society in which all, including all racial and ethnic groups, can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.” Russell demonstrated how various forms of bias inhibit one’s ability to act equitable. She encouraged acknowledgment of this bias and a healthy curiosity for learning about others as a necessary foundation for dismantling systems and structures of inequity in homes, work places, and the community.

Following Russell’s presentation, a diverse group of panelists reflected

on the topic. Members of the panel included Dennis Walton, Amani resident and Outreach Coordinator for the Fatherhood Initiative; Dr. Veronica Gunn, Children’s Hospital; Susan Lloyd, Zilber Family Foundation; Deanna Singh, Burke Foundation; and Sr. Patricia Rogers, Dominican Center. Audience members also brought important perspectives to the conversation. The room bustled with ideas inspiring a Call to Action in the areas of coalition building and advocacy, mentoring future leaders, and rebranding Milwaukee. Please contact Sr. Patricia to join this collective impact effort.

For additional information on the event, related resources, and photos from the day please visit http://www.dominican-center.org/foster-social-change.html.

Taking on Racial Equity

These women were members of the audience for the February 13 Racial Equality Forum. Hosted by the Dominican Center, the successful forum inspired a Call to Action. Contact Sr. Patricia to join this effort.

Sharing the Journey | May 2016

Dominican Center | www.dominican-center.org | May 2016

Dear Friends and Partners,

Notes from the Executive DirectorSr. Patricia Rogers

The Dominican Center 2016-2018 Strategic Plan is available on our website, www.dominican-center.org.

The strategic plan highlights our new mission statement: “The Dominican Center works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future.” Our vision and values have not changed.

However, our new mission statement embraces a broader view of our work in the Amani neighborhood. The Dominican Center will accomplish this mission through social change with the primary strategy being education. Literacy, leadership, advocacy, and service to others remain central components of this strategy.

Tip Your Hat to the Dominican Center Annual Spring Event

Mike Anderson of WISN 12 News emceed this year’s Dominican Center spring fundraiser at the Wisconsin Club on April 10, 2016. More than 120 friends gathered together for brunch and to bid on auction items in support of the Amani neighborhood. Guest were entertained by the talented All Saints Gospel Choir and lively auctioneer Dan McKee.

Thank you to all who made this event successful. A special thank you to our

generous sponsors: Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, BMO Harris Bank, LISC Milwaukee, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and Catholic Financial Life.

We also recognize our event committee who helped to make this a successful event: Barbara Tyler, Sister Lourdette Van Driel, OSF, Connie Poth, Carolyn Boehmer, Elly Pick, Katie Clark, Kathleen Brady, Monica Bastardo, and Sister Patricia Rogers.

2016-2018 Dominican Center Strategic Plan

The Dominican Center works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future.

These are very peculiar times we are experiencing: ongoing racial equity conversations, growing expressions of fear of immigrants, mounting negative accusations of government policies’ impact on the poor, new descriptions for urban communities, generational poverty and deep poverty, debated signs of economic growth and climate change, ongoing political election debates...etc. What impact does this unending list have on our daily lives, our psyche, our relationships?

The peculiarity of these times amplifies the importance of the mission of the Dominican Center. Building partnerships with the residents and supporting their efforts to build relationships with service providers, elected officials, and the police to gain mutual trust and information to create a better future in Amani and Milwaukee is the mission of the Dominican Center. You are apart of this Mission.

Thank you for your faithful support of the Dominican Center mission and our successful 2016 Fundraiser.

Sincerely, Sr. Patricia

Education Program NewsDominican Center students, tutors, and

staff are nearing the end of the school year. We congratulate them on their successes. Students will be showcasing their achievements at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17 at the Moody Park Pavilion. All are welcome to attend this celebration.

Student ambassador Verna Leatherwood is preparing to transfer to the HSED program at SDC. Verna is also thrilled to report her new job as an administrative receptionist for SDC. We congratulate her on these accomplishments.

We would also like to recognize Louis Thomas and Lori Hayward who are nearly ready for their GED exam. Both are highly motivated and have passed several of the required practice exams. We wish them well in their final preparations.

Students, including Gwendolyn Coates, Mia Hughes, Jovernita Prince, Minnie Dyson, and Evelyn Brown (below) will showcase their educational achievements on May 17 at the Moody Park Pavilion. The celebration begins at 4:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

Please consider working with these students and others in Fall of 2017. Volunteer are needed to provide one-on-one tutoring. We ask tutors to commit to at least two hours each week from 9–11:30 a.m. Call 414-444-9930 for more information.

Building Neighborhood Capacity Program News

On February 13, 2016 and again on April 2, 2016, the Dominican Center hosted non-partisan political forums for Milwaukee residents at North Division High School. Candidates for mayoral, county executive, aldermanic, comptroller, and judicial offices were present. Citizens appreciated the opportunity to speak directly with local candidates, and to share their personal concerns and dreams with them for a better Milwaukee.

The annual spring flower sale will be Saturday, May 21, at the Dominican Center. Stop in from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the best prices in town for geraniums, marigolds, petunias, impatiens, daisies, and more!

Civic Engagement Bloom and Groom

Sharing the Journey | May 2016

Louis Thomas and Lori Hayward (not pictured), students at the Dominican Center, are preparing to take the GED exam.