About LiberateMKE…

Through our LiberateMKE campaign, we started having authentic conversations with residents to find out what a liberated Milwaukee would look like to them. We want to build meaningful relationships to bring about community change.

Over the last five years, the police budget has grown while every other city department has seen little to no growth. We know that instead of police, we could invest in programs that address the root causes of poverty and violence, like jobs, public health, and housing.

We surveyed residents, including students and elders, at meetings and community events throughout the city asking where they would like to see monies allocated. Residents' answers included youth employment and transportation, economic opportunity through job training and financial literacy, and non-police violence prevention projects such as violence interrupter programs.

In 2024, we built on the success in 2023 to train and develop LiberateMKE leaders who are active in the campaign's development, strategy, and implementation by providing at least 25 hours of training on basic organizing, conducting 1-1, facilitation, and lobbying.

LiberateMKE 2024 Recap

Our LiberateMKE campaign engaged over 250 people through canvassing at Juneteenth, community education events, and testifying at the budget hearing.

LiberateMKE was led by nine campaign fellows who were trained on budget advocacy and organizing over a nine-month fellowship.