Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) has announced the members of the newly formed Speaker’s Task Force on Racial Disparities.
The task force membership provoked controversy on talk radio due to the possible inclusion of Black Lives Matter activist Vaun Mayes, who is facing federal criminal charges. However, Mayes didn’t make the final cut.
The task force is chaired by Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) and Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison).
“The task force will be comprised of four legislators and 28 community members who will focus on ways to address racial disparities, educational opportunities, public safety, and law enforcement policies and standards,” a press release from Vos says. In the press release, he said that more than 100 people applied to be part of the task force.
The Robin Vos task force includes members of the law enforcement community as well as representatives of different ethnic groups, including the chair of the Oneida Nation, local pastors, and Latino activists. Two members are affiliated with the Joseph Project, a faith-based effort to get people jobs. You can read our feature story on that project here.
We also conducted an extensive interview with Tory Lowe, a Milwaukee community activist who was selected as a member. You can read that interview here.
The first task force meeting will occur October 28. “We know that it’s through listening and learning from one another that Wisconsin can move forward together,” said Speaker Vos in the press release.
<h2>Robin Vos Task Force Members</h2>
The members of the task force are:
Rep. Jim Steineke, Task Force Co-Chair
Rep. Shelia Stubbs, Task Force Co-Chair
Rep. Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee)
Rep. Robert Wittke (R-Racine)
Rev. Marcus Allen, Pastor, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Madison and U.S. Army Veteran
Rev. Yao Yang, Pastor, The Cross Church, Wausau Joseph Project Leader and Executive Director of The Gospel TLC
Tehassi Hill, Chair, Oneida Nation
Ricardo Diaz, retired former Executive Director, United Community Center
Milwaukee Rebecca Burrell, Activist, Entrepreneur, Singer/Songwriter
Pastor Jerome Smith, Greater Praise Church of God In Christ, Milwaukee, Joseph Project Leader
Marty Calderon, God Touch Ministry, Milwaukee
Dr. Jeremiah Holiday, Chief Academic Officer, Milwaukee Public Schools
Fred Royal, President, Milwaukee NAACP
Keetra Burnette, Director, Stakeholder Engagement, United Way of Dane County and Urban League of Greater Madison
Dr. Eve Hall, President and CEO, Milwaukee Urban League
Ossie Kendrix, President and CEO, African-American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin
Theresa Jones, VP for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, Children’s Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Damond Boatwright, Regional President, SSM Health
Linda Fair, Academic Advisor, Blackhawk Technical College
Veronica King, Instructor, Gateway Technical College Instructor and Former Department of Corrections Social Worker
Ted Nietzke, CEO, CESA 6 and Former West Bend School District Superintendent
Tory Lowe, Co-founder and CEO, Justice of Wisconsin
Pam Holmes, Retired Milwaukee Police Officer, President of the National Black Police Association- Wisconsin Chapter
Tony Gonzalez, Founder and Co-Chair, Toward One Wausau
Patrick Mitchell, Chief of Police, West Allis Police Department
Danilo Cardenas, Secretary/Treasurer, Milwaukee Police Association
Jim Palmer, Executive Director, Wisconsin Professional Police Association
Nate Dreckman – Grant County Sheriff
Pastor Dannie Evans, House of God Church, Janesville, WI and Former Probation and Parole Agent
Steven Roux, Rice Lake Police Chief
Wayne Strong, Retired Lieutenant, Madison Police Department
Kalvin Barrett, Law Enforcement Instructor, Madison College
