AART Releases Second Statement on Closing of Lincoln Hills

The African American Roundtable (AART) calls for processes that proactively center residents, including young people. At a recent public meeting about the juvenile detention facility that the state is proposing to be built on Milwaukee's Northwest Side, residents likely to be most impacted were concerned about safety, impacts for homeowners, proximity to their residences, transparency from elected officials, continuous divestment from the Northwest Side, and overall peace of mind. They felt undermined by the vague fact checks offered by elected officials as well as the Department of Corrections.

The state continues to illustrate its systemic issues around community engagement, issues that will likely persist once the zoning, public hearing, and council vote processes begin in Milwaukee. AART maintains that prisons are centers of violence and harm, especially for Black people, and that young, Black people need investments in their futures and communities to thrive—not carceral systems. AART continues to encourage Northwest Side residents to make their voices heard and attend all public hearings and meetings surrounding this issue.