A Vision for Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Alivia

A Vision for Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Alivia - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

The people from my hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, remind me of the game mancala. In this game, you must pick up handfuls of marbles and distribute them to different sections of the game board. When I played with my mom as a child, I would separate all of the marbles by color. Black with black, blue with blue, white with white, and green with green. Because of my learning and cognitive process, I loved sorting the colors. This reminds me of the horrible division and intense segregation in the city of Milwaukee; out of the 19,495 cities in the United States, Milwaukee is the fifth-most segregated (Reid Wilson, The Hill). This issue has impacted the lives of countless People of Color, including myself.
Growing up, I didn’t realize that segregation in Milwaukee was a prominent issue. Most children are taught to “not see color” and just blindly accept their reality, even if it’s grim. For me, that idea was a major part of my upbringing until about 7th grade. I switched from a predominantly white school to a school with much more diversity. I met people from various backgrounds and learned so much about other cultures. As a Black girl, I felt seen. I felt like no one could bring me down in such a diverse space. In the end, this was not true. I soon realized that unity among People of Color is not always a given. Even in an integrated, diverse school, racism was still prominent. I was often made fun of for my hair or the way that I spoke. Each day, I was reminded that belonging wasn’t simply about sharing space; it was about truly being accepted for who I was. Mancala is often referenced as a metaphor for villages in Africa and how each village has its own landscape and agriculture that differentiate it from other groups. This also applies to Milwaukee and the awful segregation that exists here. People of color are gathered in one space but still separated by cultural and economic barriers. By facing these realities, I have begun to understand that diversity is not enough to move society forward. For true unity and equity to exist, much more work needs to be done.
In a city where you’re only surrounded by people who look like you, you fail to learn about different cultures. It essentially keeps you confined to your community without seeing life from different perspectives. As modern society moves forward against the evil of racial inequity, postmodern ideals should move forward as well. Milwaukee is stuck in the ways of the past, making it nearly impossible to integrate the city and bring an end to the present issues of inequality and racism. In the directions of the game Mancala, it explicitly says, “The color of the stones does not matter.” I want this to be true for Milwaukee. I want it to be a place where everyone can exist together without the stresses and negativities of society’s outdated beliefs. This is a major factor in my pursuit of political science in college. I believe such a degree will allow me to change these negative aspects of urban cities into something better. Systemic racism can only be reversed from the inside. To create a lasting change, I need to understand the system and work within it. By attending law school and eventually serving in a legislative position, I will be able to advocate for policies that dismantle the structures of inequality that have existed for far too long. The future I envision for Milwaukee, and for this country, is one where every individual, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive. I am determined to be a part of the generation that finally makes that vision a reality, and it’s unquestionable that my hard work and diligence will make a difference.