Milwaukee Environmental Consortium Inc

TO JOIN OUR NEIGHBORS IN REDRESSING INEQUALITIES, RESTORING COMMUNITY, AND RENEWING THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE LENS OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

THE ART-AT-THE-PARK INITIATIVE INTEGRATED A BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF "URBAN ECOLOGY", A CONCEPT THAT IS NOT SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO ON PRESERVING AND DOCUMENTING THE EXPERIENCES OF THE PEOPLE WHO CURRENTLY LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE THEM. WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ARTISTS AND STUDENTS FROM AREA COLLEGES, WE RECORDED INTERVIEWS WITH RESIDENTS AND PRESENTED THEM THROUGH STUDENTS' ARTWORK TO HONOR AND COMMEMORATE THE KNOWLEDGE OF A COMMUNITY'S PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE HISTORIES AS KEY TO ITS SUSTAINABILITY. OUR IDENTITY AS HUMANS IS VERY MUCH CONNECTED TO THE LAND WE OCCUPY. STRIVING TO UNDERSTAND THE URBAN ECOLOGY ALSO LETS US FOCUS ON THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE SPACES (HISTORICAL, NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL) THAT THEY INHABIT.

MISSION: WISCONSIN GREEN MUSLIMS, A GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GROUP FORMED IN 2005, INTENDS TO EDUCATE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE ISLAMIC ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TEACHINGS, TO APPLY THESE TEACHINGS IN DAILY LIFE AND TO FORM COALITIONS WITH OTHERS WORKING TOWARD A JUST, HEALTHY, PEACEFUL, AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. PROGRAMS: IN 2021, WISCONSIN GREEN MUSLIMS ORGANIZED, HOSTED, AND PRESENTED SEVERAL WEBINARS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER EQUITY, GREEN RAMADAN, FAITH AND SOLAR, WASTE REDUCTION, AND TRANSIT EQUITY. A SUCCESSFUL 9-MONTHS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR YOUNG ADULTS FAITHFUL CLIMATE ACTION FELLOWSHIP TOOK PLACE WITH 19 FELLOWS. A FEW EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ARTICLES WERE PUBLISHED IN LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS. ALSO, HEALING SESSIONS WERE COORDINATED AND OFFERED BY WISCONSIN GREEN MUSLIMS AND PARTNERS

NEARBY NATURE'S 2021 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED: CELEBRATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN MILWAUKEE'S BLACK COMMUNITY, WE HELD A BLACK HISTORY MONTH THE THIRD ANNUAL AWARDS CELEBRATION. HELD NUMEROUS SERVICE AND RECREATIONAL OUTINGS TO INCLUDE: 4 COMMUNITY CLEANUPS. A SAPLING TREE DISTRIBUTION OF 100 TREES, 35 TO SCHOOL CHILDREN. PLANTING AN ADDITIONAL 200 TREES WITH PARTNERS IN LINCOLN PARK AND HAVENWOODS FOREST. MANAGED 150 VOLUNTEER HOURS OVER 4 WEEKENDS TO BUILD A NEW WALKING TRAIL IN A PREVIOUSLY WILD GREEN AREA. HELD 5 PADDLE EVENTS, INTRODUCING DOZENS OF NEW PADDLERS TO KAYAKING. HELD 3 BIKE AND HIKE EVENTS ALONG LINCOLN CREEK. HELD 10 ADDITIONAL HIKES ALONG THE LINCOLN CREEK GREENWAY. INTRODUCED 100 VISITORS TO CAMPING SKILLS AT AN AUTUMN CAMPING EXPO. CONDUCTED 80 HOURS OF YOUTH PROGRAMS IN 8 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, IMPACTING 130 CHILDREN