MILWAUKEE — A community cookout took place Saturday afternoon at Clarke Square Park in response to recent immigration enforcement activity reported in Milwaukee’s South Side neighborhoods.

Organizers with Comité Sin Fronteras referred to the event as a “Steak Out,” aimed at bringing people together during what they describe as a period of heightened fear among undocumented residents.

“People have told us they’re afraid to go to work or school or drive,” Fernanda Jimenez-Hauch said.

Jimenez-Hauch, a DACA recipient and founder of Comité Sin Fronteras, said a hotline with her organization received about 30 reports of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in the past month.

“There was a case where we saw ICE in this neighborhood,” Jimenez-Hauch recalled. “Just this Thursday, a man was separated from his family and detained by ICE after dropping off his daughter at school.”

The incidents come after multiple high-profile ICE arrests earlier this year, including at the Milwaukee County Courthouse that led to federal charges against a county judge.

“And that’s why we’ve been bringing these events to neighborhoods like Clark Square Park. So that people know that we cannot live in fear and we should not let them let us live in fear,” Jimenez-Hauch said.

Comité Sin Fronteras organized the cookout with support from Milwaukee Diaper Mission, UMOS, Oak Leaf Familia Bicycle Club, Party for Socialism and Liberation, MKE Alliance, and Voces de la Frontera.

Organizers provided free meals and mutual aid resources to offer community support and visibility.

Eva Mucka, an undocumented healthcare worker and organizer, said she has lived in the U.S. for 20 years without a change in status.

“I’ve grown up here 20 years and my status has not changed. I don’t know if it will ever and I can’t wait for politicians to decide what happens to me,” Mucka said. “We have the means to provide solutions for what’s going on.”

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The group said the cookout is part of a broader effort to organize community gatherings and trainings through their rapid defense network.

“A lot of people said they needed this. Things like this have given them relief that there’s people out there fighting and protecting our communities,” Jimenez-Hauch said.

Comité Sin Fronteras plans to hold similar events in Racine and other parts of southeastern Wisconsin.

TMJ4 reached out to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Chicago Field Office to see how many people have been detained in Wisconsin so far this year but didn’t immediately hear back.

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CUDAHY — It took just about five years for a local start-up to go from $0 to a projected $22 million. The company has already begun expanding across the country and is eyeing new locations overseas.

Atomix Logistics is an e-commerce fulfillment company based in Cudahy. It started in Milwaukee, but then needed more warehouse space, so it moved to a location near the airport.

The e-commerce fulfillment company helps brands move products and get them to consumers with a unique approach that combines top-tier technology with strong customer support.

“We wanted to build technology that was at parity with technology leaders, and then we also wanted to provide very customized solutions and very hands-on support,” said Austin Kreinz, CEO of Atomix Logistics.

Kreinz saw a gap in the market and figured his idea could be a disruptor. They noticed businesses typically offered either good technology with poor customer support or strong customer relations with outdated tech. Atomix Logistics fits in the middle.

Since its founding in 2020, Atomix has grown from one employee to approximately 70 and is expanding rapidly. In 2023, it moved from Milwaukee to its current 60,000 square foot Cudahy warehouse. However, Atomix is already beginning to outgrow that space.

“We opened a facility in Salt Lake City last year, and this year we’re going to most likely double our footprint here in Milwaukee, and we’re looking at Atlanta to open our third facility as well,” Kreinz said.

With their eyes on expansion, Kreinz holds onto Atomix’s Milwaukee roots. He’s proud to have built a company where he grew up.

Watch Milwaukee start-up Atomix Logistics’ meteoric rise from $0 to $22 million in just five years…

Milwaukee start-up’s meteoric rise from $0 to $22 million in just five years

“We really want to create a tech ecosystem and thriving business environment here, and we love it. And we wouldn’t build the company anywhere else,” Kreinz said.

It’s fast growth for a young company. So that means come major shipping seasons — a.k.a. the holiday season — it’s all hands on deck. Everyone is helping ship and package orders.

“For Q4, we come out here and we’re picking orders, we’re packing them, and I get to use the app. And I’m the slowest picker because I’m taking notes the whole time,” said Andrew Webber, CTO of Atomix Logistics.

Webber is a student of the game. He gets his hands on the product he created, so he knows exactly what clients experience. Webber and the Atomix team actually invite customers to experience the fulfillment process firsthand.

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“Knowing that they can pop in here with our open-door policy and pick a few orders themselves, or watch the fulfillment process go,” Webber said.

This transparent approach appears to be working well for the company, which has plans to expand to Atlanta, establish operations overseas, and license its software to other shipping facilities.

This story was reported by James Groh and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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By Dakota Barnes-Rush

This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.

If you want to see teens making a difference, you need look no further than the youth programs at the African American Roundtable, or ART, in Milwaukee.

At these hangouts, teens are not just learning about leadership – they are the ones leading, sharing ideas and helping one another grow.

AART is a group that cares about giving young people a voice. Teens like Zoe Chambers, Thomas L. Leonard Sr. and Sierra Lyle all help make these hangouts special. They believe that every teen can be a leader, no matter if they are loud or quiet.

Zoe Chambers: Helping teens find their voice

Chambers is a 17-year-old student at Golda Meir High School. She is also an intern with Teens Grow Greens and a fellow in the Activists in Residence program.

“My passion is to advocate for the youth around me,” Chambers said.

She loves that AART pays teens and teaches them leadership skills. Chambers helps plan youth events and feels proud that AART listens to what teens want in the new youth membership.

Chambers has seen her friend D’adria Veal grow into a leader. At first, Veal just came to events. Soon, she was helping at school board meetings and canvassing. Now, Veal is a fellow at Leaders Igniting Transformation and helps others become leaders, too.

Chambers always makes sure everyone feels welcome at hangouts.

“If they are sitting alone, I am not afraid to go up to them and ask their name and engage them,” Chambers said.

She wants every teen to know their opinions matter and that they can make a difference in Milwaukee.

Community is important to Chambers. She watches how mentors work with their mentees and tries to learn from them. When she meets shy teens, she asks about their talents.

“When you are working through your gift, it is easier to lead,” she said.

Chambers believes leadership does not always mean being the loudest. Even small actions can make a big impact.

Chambers’ friend JaNiyah Jones surprised her by becoming more confident. At a recent hangout, Jones talked to leaders, joined all the activities and even spoke in front of everyone.

“The best part about seeing her growth is her joy around activism and leadership,” Chambers said.

AART students participate during a youth hangout event. “You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room to be a leader,” Thomas Leonard says. “You just need to be bold enough to care out loud.” (Photo provided by AART)

Thomas L. Leonard Sr.: Building safe spaces for Black youths

Leonard is a youth organizer and student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He joined AART because he wanted to help create safe spaces for Black youths. Leonard believes leadership is about having courage and helping others.

“You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room to be a leader,” Leonard said. “You just need to be bold enough to care out loud.”

Leonard remembers a teen who started a conversation about school safety. That teen was not afraid to speak up and soon got others to share their ideas too. Leonard tries to make every hangout feel welcoming. He plays music, checks in with everyone and makes sure no one feels left out.

“If they feel seen, valued and inspired to keep showing up for themselves and others, then we’ve done meaningful work,” he said.

He likes to talk to teens one-on-one to learn about their interests. Then he finds ways for them to lead that feel right for them.

Sierra Lyle: Growing leaders through community

Lyle is a 20-year-old student at Milwaukee Area Technical College. She is a community-based doula, youth leader and civil engineer. Lyle first joined AART when she was 16. She liked that AART wanted to hear what youths think about Milwaukee’s future.

Lyle believes a good leader is honest, respectful and has integrity. At a recent event, she watched teens help shy peers join group discussions.

“I hope that each teen walks away with a seed of change or a spur of growth after leaving an event,” Lyle said.

For Lyle, community is everything. She encourages networking and relationship building. At AART events, there are always lots of youth groups so everyone can meet new people.

To help shy teens, Lyle starts every event with an ice breaker. Teens work in teams and have small group talks. Staff members join in to help everyone feel comfortable and encourage quiet voices to share.

Lyle remembers someone who used to be shy but now leads group discussions.

“It is rewarding to look back on where we came from and see the youth enjoying the program and creating their own vision for the program now,” Lyle said.

What makes AART hangouts different

AART hangouts are different from other programs because teens get to make decisions. They choose the topics, music and activities.

“It is refreshing to see the youth being able to lead and speak freely, not always being led,” Lyle said.

Art and culture are important at AART. Teens use music, murals and even cooking to talk about activism. At one hangout, they used art from the Black Panther Party to show the power of voting.

All three leaders agree that adults can learn a lot from teens. Teens have ideas and energy that can help make Milwaukee better. Adults just need to listen and support them.

At AART, teens are not just the future – they are leading right now.