It?s clear that a crucial path to healing historic racial injustices and overcoming current ones is to create more educational opportunities so people of color can compete in employment markets. At a time when radical forces are pushing for less funding for public schools, creative solutions are especially needed now.
So for me, last Friday was a red-letter day. Few events have so clearly showcased creative, responsive government at its best as the luncheon I attended for UW-Madison?s PEOPLE program, which stands for Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence. The program was launched in 1999 with 66 high school students from Milwaukee and has grown to engage over 1,300 students statewide, from second-graders to undergrads.