Photo credit: Tom Jenz
Anita Johnson
Not long ago, I spoke with Anita Johnson, the dedicated voting rights activist, who works with Souls To The Polls, an organization helping citizens on how to vote.
Anita told me, “For over 20 years, I’ve assisted people in how to register to vote and how to get photo I.D.'s.”
I asked, “Why is it important to vote?”
“It’s our right to vote in America,” she emphasized. “If we don’t vote, we might get the wrong people in office who are not there to make our lives better.”
A graduate of North Division High School, Anita grew up in the central city on 12th and Center, which is presently a dangerous area to live.
I said, “I’ve spent a lot of time in the central city. I don’t think those residents are well represented. The streets need repair. The alleys are littered with garbage. There is reckless driving and way too much street crime.”
“I try to be non-partisan,” she said, “but you bring up the reason why it’s so important to vote, to elect representatives who grew up in these neighborhoods and understand the issues. These local leaders can help bring about better living conditions for the voters who live there. Their decisions affect our daily lives.”
She is right that Milwaukee needs dedicated local officials, but maybe Milwaukee also needs more Anita Johnsons.
Central City Stories is a collection of visual narratives from Milwaukee's central city by writer and fine arts photographer Tom Jenz. You can see more of his work at TomJenzAmerica.com.
