New Project Turns to City’s Youth For Answers on Milwaukee Crime

The city is looking for solutions to the Milwaukee crime problem from a new source: The young.

Alderman Michael Murphy developed the newly announced MKE Peace Project, in conjunction with other Common Council members, and he showed up at a May Milwaukee Arts Board Meeting to highlight the effort. Murphy, the Common Council president, stressed that the project is still looking for entries.

According to the project’s website, “The MKE Peace Project is looking to challenge youth in the central city to come up with what they feel are the factors contributing to violence in their neighborhoods, and to brainstorm and present their solutions to these problems.”

The contest is open for students under 18 who live or go to school in the city of Milwaukee in certain zip codes or schools or who participate at certain Milwaukee community centers. Students with top entries will receive prizes like tickets to some of Milwaukee’s museums and tickets to Bucks and Brewers games with special recognition during the games.

The project comes as Milwaukee experiences a spike in homicides compared to last year at this time. Milwaukee violent crimes have been making headlines recently. From the shooting of a man who accidentally hit and killed a child with his van, and the shooting of the teen brother on the same scene, to a 17-year-old girl and a 4-year-old girl both killed by gunfire in separate incidents, these are only some of the recent tragedies.

Murphy stressed in the meeting that this is not an essay contest. Students will win based on their raw ideas, not their articulation of them. He says that he believes that in order to imagine and promote peace in Milwaukee, the youth must be actively involved.

“We don’t have all the answers,” Murphy said.

Qualifying young people can submit their entries online via the city website page for the project.