The African American Roundtable (AART) recently relaunched its LiberateMKE campaign, which advocates for police divestment and community investment. The campaign was relaunched in conjunction with AART’s Leadership Development Cohort (LDC) fellows who will lead the campaign once it sunsets in 2025 and becomes a community-owned campaign.

As the campaign commemorates its five-year anniversary, AART is once again calling for the City of Milwaukee to reduce Milwaukee Police Department’s bloated budget and distribute that funding to other city services to support the people of Milwaukee. AART’s leaders and fellows have renewed their commitment to demanding what Milwaukee residents deserve.

“Reorienting our minds to what safety really looks and feels like doesn't happen overnight. We must stay the course if we are going to build the city that we want to live in,” said Markasa Tucker-Harris, Executive Director of the African American Roundtable.  

 “Money means power, and the power belongs to the people. The police get over $320 million per year, and despite what they say, that ridiculous budget is not paying for safety,” said Devin Anderson, Campaign and Membership Director of the African American Roundtable. 

“It’s time to reimagine our futures without police and with proper funding for our communities. The City of Milwaukee owes its residents that,” said Elle Hill, LDC fellow and LiberateMKE leader.

The African American Roundtable is preparing to lead community participation in upcoming budget public hearings. The organization encourages others to get involved in the budget cycle happening now through November.