Fight Back! News is circulating the following statement from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression after their victory on June 24 in their campaign to rename Lindbergh Park.

On the afternoon of June 24th, the Milwaukee County Board voted unanimously in favor of changing Lindbergh Park to Lucille Berrien Park.

Renaming the park to Lucille Berrien Park was a grassroots demand that residents of the surrounding area communicated with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR). From the beginning of the campaign, we received significant support from County Board Supervisors Priscilla Coggs-Jones and Ryan Clancy. Additionally, AFSCME Wisconsin Council 32 and Teamsters 200 Black Caucus endorsed the demand to rename the park.

MAARPR canvassed the neighborhood surrounding Lucille Berrien Park for several months and collected over 200 signatures in support of changing the park’s name. While canvassing, we frequently spoke with residents about Lucille Berrien’s legacy, and various residents offered personal anecdotes about Berrien. Furthermore, we asked residents what they would like to see from the Milwaukee County Board, and many expressed further demands for the county to open the door for good paying union jobs, provide better park maintenance, reduce police presence and harassment, and much more.

Now that the park has been renamed after Berrien, who better represents the neighborhood, the Milwaukee Alliance plans on participating in Milwaukee County budget discussions to ensure the county budget reflects the interests of the people of Milwaukee. A demand frequently expressed by the residents was that the community needs opportunities, not more policing. Fund Community, Not Cops!

#MilwaukeeWI #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #LindberghPark #LucilleBerrienPark