What's Inside
Our Mission
To increase the availability and quality of African American arts and culture.
We execute our mission by:
Inspiring creativity in at-risk youth through culturally relevant arts programming
Providing MKE-based artists of color with employment, access, visibility, and development opportunities through high quality public performances
Strengthening community through engagement and quality arts partnerships
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is comprised of diverse community leaders who provide deep strategic value and strong fiduciary oversight. They all share a passion for the arts, youth development and culturally relevant programming for the entire community.
Cory L. Nettles
Board Chair
Managing Director Generation Growth Capital, Inc
Jacqueline Herd-Barber
Chair, Program Committee
Community Volunteer
Danielle Bly
Vice President Supplier Diversity
WEC Energy Group
Eric L. Conley
Executive Vice President
Froedtert Health and President Froedtert Hospital at Froedtert Health
Grady L. Crosby
Chair, Finance Committee
Vice President Enterprise ESG Northwestern Mutual
Dr. Joan M. Prince
CEO
Executive Strategies Elite
Gregory M. Wesley
Chair, Governance Committee
Senior Vice President Strategic Alliances and Business Development Medical College of Wisconsin
Steven D. Zimmerman
Principal
Spectrum Nonprofit Services, LLC
Emeritus Board
Anthony E. Woods
(2020-2021)
Anthem Inc., President & Chief Executive Officer, AmeriGroup
Paul Mathews
(2014-2020)
Retired, President and CEO Marcus Performing Arts Center
Tonit M. Calaway
(2014 - 2019)
Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Secretary, BorgWarner Inc.
Mike Jones
(2014-2018)
Partner, Ret. Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
John Kordsmeier
(2017-2018)
Community Volunteer
Charles Matthews
(2014-2015)
President People's Energy
Tom Ellis
(2014-2015)
Community Volunteer
Affiliations
BAMKE By The Numbers
15,000
Youth and their families served
5,000
Hours of arts education and outreach programming impacting 11 MKE aldermanic districts and representing 14 zip codes
$404.7K
Average Operating Budget (three-year operating budget average; including pandemic year)
1,500
Elementary students attend free performances of Black Nativity each year.
100+
Local artists of color hired by BAMKE (1099s = $240K in 2019) for public performances, arts education and outreach
Funding:
16% Government, 42% Foundations, 29% Corporations, 13% Individuals (Average Donor Impact 2014-2020)
Our Team
Ashley S. Jordan, Director Arts & Cultural Programming
Ashley values the work and ongoing tradition Black Arts MKE is building and continuing to set the tone for creative greatness, educational growth in our schools through the arts and more. She is currently pursuing her MBA at Alverno College. She served as a Lead In-House Program Coordinator at PEARLS for Teen Girls. She had the joy of being a Lead Teaching Artist, Recruitment Coordinate, and Community Engagement Associate for Milwaukee Repertory Theater for the August Wilson Monologue Competition now known as Next Narrative Monologue Competition. She considers herself an advocate for equality and justice working with Leaders Igniting Transformation and African American Roundtable. She was Co-founder of Lights! Camera! Soul! While bridging the gap with the theater community at Alverno College and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Ashley holds an Associate Degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College in Marketing Management and a B.A. in Leadership from Alverno College. She is a proud alum and owes all of her gratitude to the fine women and aunts in her life. She continues to create and promote theater to bring a powerful change and impactful conversations to the MKE community.
Barbara J. Wanzo, Executive Director
Barbara Wanzo has invested over 25 years in the corporate sector employing her leadership expertise in new business start-ups, technology, sales and marketing. Barbara seized the opportunity to launch a new nonprofit arts organization when hired as Executive Director for Black Arts MKE. The organization's mission is to increase the availability and quality African American arts and culture. Embracing the core values of integrity, innovation, and growth, Barbara is an exceptional business leader, public speaker and change agent. She serves on Black Arts Fest MKE and Next Door Foundation boards. Barbara holds an Executive MBA from Marquette University.
Kyndal Johnson, Outreach - Arts Education, Artistic Associate
Kyndal is a multi-faceted creative. She ventures in the art of singing, songwriting , fashion, and creative directing. She combines her many talents with confidence and style, curating a complete experience. Kyndal J. works heavily curating fashion experiences with theater
companies such as Black Arts MKE, Milwaukee Chamber Theater and magazines such as CopyWrite Magazine. Through her diverse creative avenues, she has also helped develop projects with artists and companies such as WoLf Studio’s, R&B singer B~free, and Milwaukee’s Bronzeville Week. Kyndal continues to use her creativity to help develop Milwaukee’s growing creative scene.
Breanna Taylor, Executive Assistant
Breanna Taylor is an interdisciplinary artist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Previously, she has served as the curriculum & impact coordinator for Langston League; a curriculum firm that specializes in Black history and pop culture for a large range of audiences, including education, film, & television. Breanna's passion for dance, film, content creation, and writing, has allowed her to venture into numerous spaces to showcase her talent. In 2021, she co-designed Langston League's HBO's Lovecraft Country Unofficial Syllabus, the Candyman 2021 Companion Guide in collaboration with Jordan Peele's MonkeyPaw Productions and NBCUniversal. She also co-wrote the curriculum for the Emmy Award-Winning Documentary, When Claude Got Shot. Breanna's recent work includes co-writing for Colorfarm's reparations documentary, The Big Payback, and the discussion guide for Netflix's African Queens: Njinga. Most recently, Breanna served as the associate producer and curriculum coordinator for the short film documentary, 'Black Strings' directed by Milwaukee, filmmaker, Marquise Mays. Currently, she's a film co-facilitator for the Black Lens' youth program, 'Souls of Young Folks' and part of Milwaukee Film's Focus Finder Accelerated Film Program.
Rebecca L. Owen - Chief Development Officer
Rebecca is the Chief Development Officer for Black Arts MKE responsible for strategic fundraising and development. She brings a wealth of experience in all aspects of philanthropy. Rebecca will advance Black Arts MKE's mission to mentor youth of color in underrepresented nonprofit management career fields including the dynamic and rewarding fundraising/development sector.
Rebecca has served as the Development Director for Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Deputy Director, Development at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and Vice President of Development for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. She served as a member of the Board of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra and Bookwork Gardens and belongs to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, FUEL Milwaukee and REV Collective. Rebecca has a Masters of Art in Museum Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in History.
In her spare time, Rebecca loves to spend time with family and friends (especially her dog!), traveling, reading, writing, playing music, photography and volunteering.