Ray:  Before you make unwarranted claims about anyone “being asleep at the wheel,” I invite you to learn what the Urban League of Greater Madison is doing to get at the root of these issues that you pinpointed as debilitating in the African American community. We have major programs that are attempting to get to the root of these problems, but, with the economy the way it is and with government scaling back funding, we’ve had to be highly selective in our targets. In other words, we cannot and will not pretend to be able to take on all of these. Perhaps AAM would be interested in tutoring in Madison middle schools to improve the math scores of these students so that they are prepared to successfully take Algebra 1 and Geometry in high school, which are determinants of students staying in school, thus reducing the drop out rate. Or, perhaps you could lend any talents you may have or others in AAM may have to assist us in our technology training centers, moving many people into jobs that pay a living wage and have health care benefits, which assist many to develop economically stable lives that lead to improvements in academic performance, low transiency, improved self esteem and gives hope for the future. Or volunteer to be a mentor for the teen moms we work with, giving them an adult with whom they can confide or seek help or tutoring or other ways that these moms need help in order to make sure that they stay in school, pass all her classes, move on to the next grade, graduate from high school and not repeat a pregnancy.

These are but only a few of the multitude of things the Urban League of Greater Madison does to get at the root problems in our community. We cannot do this alone, nor do we pretend we can. We have many volunteers but need more. We have many contributors, but most certainly need more. We can use AAM’s help. We can use your help. Our clients could use your help.

Steve Braunginn

Stephen L. Higginbotham Braunginn

President/CEO

Urban League of Greater Madison

151 E. Gorham St.

Madison, WI  53703

608-251-8550

608-251-0944-fax

We must come to see that the end we see is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience...We must never give up.

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.,

      March 25, 1965, Address at the conclusion of the March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama