our
history
2004
2004
Bob Connolly begins recruiting for Greater MKE Sponsors.
2006
Mark Fraley is hired as first Lead Organizer
2006
2007-2008
2007-2008
4,000 individual and house meetings held to ID leaders and issues.
2008
2,300 people attend Founding Convention, including mayor.
2008
2009
2009
First Issue Campaign: Increase City of Milwaukee summer youth jobs program from 1,700 to 3,000 jobs.
2010
Faces of Foreclosure Report details bank subprime lending abuse.
Common Ground members demand accountability from banks on subprime lending.
2010
2011
2011
Wells Fargo executives fly to MKE to meet with CG leaders.
CG attends Wells Fargo stockholders meeting and demands reparations for predatory lending practices.
Wells Fargo commits $2.4M+ to Common Ground for property maintenance, rehab, and mortgages.
CG travels to Deutsche Bank shareholder meeting to demand predatory lending reparations.
Keisha Krumm becomes Lead Organizer.
Milwaukee Rising, LLC is established to restore 91 Sherman Park homes to owner occupancy, using $33.8M won from banks
2012
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative (CGHC) receives initial loan commitment of $56 million.
CG initiates reform of MPS SES Tutoring Program
First Friends of CG annual fundraising campaign.
First GOTV campaign: Go To Vote = Get To Vote – Fighting Heavy-handed Voter Intimidation
2012
2013
2013
Suburban-Rural Caucus formed.
CGHC founded.
Fair Play Campaign launches: equal funding of playgrounds if public $ used for a new Bucks arena.
CG receives Community Shares award.
First Suburban-Rural Caucus victory: Shared ride taxi service expansion in Ozaukee Co.
Milwaukee Rising, LLC receives crime prevention award from the Exchange Club
2014
CGHG: first year enrollment exceeds 25,000.
First CG issue forum held in Aldermanic District 15.
Fair Play stakeholders meet with architects to imagine ideal play spaces for schools and parks
Fair Play architects release renderings for updates to sports fields
Fair Play gains momentum with neighborhood walks and unanimous support from MPS School Board
Elmbrook Senior Taxi Service in Waukesha County receives increased funding.
Fall Assembly opposes public funding for Bucks arena.
First Parent Cafe in Pewaukee to address family stress.
2014
2015
2015
CG launches Southside organizing.
CG uses neighborhood walks to raise awareness about deteriorating homes controlled by Nationstar
CG presses city leaders to seek funding from mortgage-servicing companies for rehabbing vacant foreclosed houses
Leaders attend Nationstar Shareholder meeting.
Watershed team organizes to improve region’s water quality.
Nationstar commits $30M to CG for mortgage restructuring.
First bilingual assembly.
CG joins first national campaign, Do Not Stand Idly By, to increase gun safety
2016
CG’s United Parents launches with Parent Cafe at Lloyd Barbee Montessori school
Invisible Realities Ministries purchases building on 54th & Center, sparking SPAN’s Center Street revitalization
Young leaders form “40/40” to involve more young adults in Common Ground
2016
2017
2017
Black Caucus forms to strengthen African American presence within CG
Watershed team creates Waterdrop alerts: 4 alerts in July
Four southside Latino organizations join CG, increasing diversity
Mayor recognizes CG for role in getting $30M in compensation from Nationstar Mortgage
United Parent Cafes held in 8 schools with over 400 parents and guests
2018
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative enrollment exceeds 58,000 members
Lloyd Barbee parents lead successful effort to stop V-Live strip club
Lamb of God Missionary Baptist Church joins CG, increasing diversity
Milwaukee Rising completes rehab of 85 homes, adding $200K to tax roles annually
Fundraising for Washington HS athletic field improvements begins, with commitments of $638K towards a goal of $1M
Do Not Stand Idly By campaign efforts enlist 8 local public officials to submit a Request For Info from gun manufacturers.
1,274 attendees (~ 1/3 each; Latino, African American and Caucasian) celebrate Tenacity: 10 years of Common Ground
Keefe Avenue School students win healthier breakfast due to the efforts of CG, St Mark AME and Keefe parents & staff
CG holds press conference calling for Waukesha Sheriff to meet about racial profiling; receiving local news coverage.
2018
2019
2019
100+ law enforcement officers, gun-safety developers, investors, public officials gather for Firearm Safety Expo hosted by CG, as part of the Do Not Stand Idly By campaign
Catholics for CG meet at St Anthony’s on the Lake to strategize about increasing Catholic Involvement
CG pastors sue Waukesha Sheriff for violation of civil rights
CG members visit CARA in Chicago as part of multi-year campaign to research workforce development
CG hosts MPS School board candidate forums
Jennifer O’Hear is promoted to Lead Organizer
Test canvassing for GOTV and neighborhood organizing efforts
2020
Days before a 1,000 person action to launch our Get Out The Vote campaign, COVID lockdown begins
CG pushes the Milwaukee Public Schools to distribute chromebooks & hotspots, begin online learning in the middle of the pandemic
First online assembly is held
CG GOTV initiatives persevere as the pandemic rages on — drive-up voter registration; allying with the Milwaukee Election Commission, the Brewers & the Bucks; and rallying 727 CG leaders to help over 17,800 people vote
Southside Voter Registration Drive Thru
Voter canvassing with Milwaukee Bucks
Election Day 2020 — Go to Vote, Get to Vote
CG’s COVID Patient Support Program leads 51 members and the Milwaukee Health Department to organize healthcare professionals and retirees in assisting 758 patients
2020
2021
2021
CG-wide listening campaign trains 71 leaders and speaks with 982 people over 5 1/2 months
Listening sessions identify need for tutoring — seeds planted for Forward Scholars
CG ‘s non-partisan School Board Get Out The Vote campaign works to get more Milwaukee citizens engaged in decisions affecting our schools; and hosts a candidates forum with over 100 voters and 5 candidates in attendance
MPS Superintendent agrees to submit the Washington High School track and field construction agreement
CG works to rebuild the Association of MPS Principals (The ASC)
CG and MPS School Board President and Superintendent join forces to win 4 major funding initiatives over the summer of 2021
1) MPS receives $15M — $100K for each school to spend on their individual needs and priorities, giving them control over how this once-in-a-generation pot of funding gets spent
2) MSP receives $1.4M for professional development of paraprofessionals–importa3) MSP receives $1.7M to add five full-time positions to the HR department, enabling HR to be more responsive to principals and applicants alike. nt staff who don’t get many opportunities for training and development
3) MSP receives $1.7M to add five full-time positions to the HR department, enabling HR to be more responsive to principals and applicants alike.
4) MSP receives $10M allocated for tutoring, answering the number one request we heard from parents and community members.
During the online delegates assembly, 623 members ratify agenda based on listening campaign: gun violence and safety, education, safe neighborhoods/reckless driving and jobs
Urged by CG’s collaborative Do Not Stand Idly By campaign, City of Milwaukee joins the National Gun Safety Consortium
CG Strategy Team votes to suspend relationship with Metro Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)
2022
CG Asks Mayoral candidates to endorse CG Agenda at Mayoral forum with over 1,000 people in attendance
Kevin Solomon begins to organize in Southlawn, following up with people and issues heard in 2020 Get Out The Vote canvass
Forward Scholars awarded contract for 2022-23
CG & Mayor Johnson send letters to the CEOs of the 3 largest auto insurance companies serving our state to ask for a discussion around their funding of the MPS Drive Program
Forward Scholars tutoring begins
Groundbreaking for Washington High School’s $2.5M outdoor athletic facility is celeberated by CG leaders, MPS officials, Sherman Park residents, community leaders, and donors along with WHS staff, alumni and students
At CG assembly, HACM tenants tell their stories of abuse and neglect in their properties, and ask CG to stand with them in fighting for better conditions
2022
2023
2023
CG and public housing tenants meet with Housing Authority (HACM) Director Willie Hines to see if he will work with CG to address tenant concerns
Over 1,000 tenants & CGers denounce Hines & the Housing Authority for retaliating against tenants
Washington High School field and track ribbon cutting ceremony!
Over 300 CG leaders and public housing residents gather to expose HACM’s negligence around rent collection and utter disregard for the emotional stress and economic hardship being caused to residents, demanding repayment and an investigation
Federal inspectors find Milwaukee’s Housing Authority in disarray, calling it ‘At risk for serious fraud, waste and abuse’
CG and tenants call for new leadership at HACM
CG testifies about Driver Ed at State Legislature
Common Council approves first-ever city (DNS) oversight of HACM properties in huge win.
CG & tenants shine light on crime and safety issues at HACM properties
Driver’s Ed bill is signed with Gov Evers!
2024
CG co-founds The Just Power Alliance
CG & tenants begin meeting with Milwaukee Community Partnership Units (MPD and DA) to address crime and safety issues
Freedom of Information Act award is given to CG
HACM Campaign on front page of the Washington Post
For second year in a row, students in Forward Scholars tutoring grew an average of two grade levels in reading fluency & accuracy
Tenants and CG file class action lawsuit for bed bugs
GOTV kickoff with HACM Resident Leaders
CG and WI Dept of Transportation announce the rollout of $6M in Driver Education grants for low-income students
Election Day 2024!
Willie Hines announces retirement as HACM Executive Director — huge victory for HACM tenants and CG!
Erin Miller hired as Executive Director of Common Ground Works
2024
2025
2025
Jury Diversity Campaign is launched with showing of Judging Juries and discussion
Tenants United incorporated and founded
$6M for free drivers dd now a permanent part of the state budget
Launched South Side public safety campaign in Oct. Over 850 in attendance. Common Council President and DA agreed to work with us.
New group formed: Borchert Field for Power and Change after door to door conversations. 20+ leaders. Won new streetlights, graffiti removal, 23 city-lots mowed, 84 dumpsites cleaned up.