MILWAUKEE — In 1957, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called others into action with a simple inquiry: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” In a celebration of his life and legacy, the Milwaukee Bucks answered the call by amplifying voices and encouraging their fans to think deeper than the status quo.
Six Milwaukee-based groups comprised a nonprofit fair that overtook a section of Fiserv Forum for Monday afternoon’s high-octane matchup with the Indiana Pacers. Among the organizations involved were 100 Black Men of Milwaukee, African American Breastfeeding Network, Groundwork Milwaukee, Public Allies Wisconsin, Safe & Sound and WestCare Wisconsin.
For Matthew Lewis, Senior Program Director of Public Allies Wisconsin, the fair offered a chance to connect with community members who otherwise wouldn’t have known about their leadership programs.
“It’s huge. We love to be here, people are in the spirit, so we’re really just appreciative to be a part of this opportunity,” Lewis said.
Public Allies Wisconsin is the local chapter of an AmeriCorps program that helps to uplift underserved communities and allies in the Milwaukee region. They spoke with dozens of people — many of whom never heard of the program before — and planted their roots deeper in the Milwaukee ecosystem.
Bobby Portis represents Milwaukee Bucks during in-game recognition of MLK Day
For as meaningful as this event was for the region’s nonprofits, it was equally moving for the Milwaukee Bucks players who took the opportunity to play on MLK Day to heart. Few rose to the occasion like forward Bobby Portis, the fan-favorite power forward who scored 21 points and 11 rebounds after greeting the hometown crowd pre-game to discuss the meaning of the holiday.
Portis is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas — the city where nine Black students became the first to enroll in an all-white school when Brown v. Board of Education desegregated schools in the mid-50s. The 27-year-old fan favorite discussed the significance of using his platform to keep the teachings of Dr. King alive 55 years after his assassination.
“To inspire is one of the highest human acts and I think he did that for us,” Portis said of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “I think he died for us and it’s great just to spread the love, spread his name and keep his name going.”
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Though it was a celebration of Dr. King’s Day, the Milwaukee Bucks followed the convictions of this notoriously unselfish historical figure by bringing notice to someone else who helped along the way.
Now 98 years old, Dr. William Finlayson was influential in bringing Dr. King to Milwaukee during the height of the civil rights movement. Back when they were young men, Dr. Finlayson and Dr. King were classmates at Morehouse University — one of the nation’s most prestigious HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) in Dr. King’s hometown of Atlanta, GA.
Dr. Finlayson was honored at halftime with a video segment shown on the Jumbotron followed by a resounding applause from the sellout Fiserv Forum crowd.
They also showcased 18 students (K-12) from Milwaukee Public Schools who won We Energies’ annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speech Contest. The children took center-court, had parts of their speeches shown on the big screen and were individually celebrated for their accomplishment.
Portis has been a spectacular member of the larger Milwaukee community since he signed on in 2020. His infectious energy has become a staple of the team with an intense on-court disposition countered by an earnest, caring personality off the court. The Milwaukee Bucks fans and Portis strengthened their bond over the years by collaborating to uplift community members and inspiring positivity through his and the Bucks’ brands.
“It’s great, man; just to be an African American that’s able to use my platform to help others, to inspire others, to give back to spread my blessing with others,” Portis said. “We all have platforms now that’s been built over the years and Dr. Martin Luther King is one of the guys that helped us get that. To his credit, it’s his day.”
The sentiment was shared by veteran point guard and storied philanthropist George Hill, who also credited Dr. King with helping to give modern athletes a voice to speak up on issues impacting their communities.
“It’s good being an African American and trying to stand for something,” Hill said. “We have one of the biggest platforms in the world to be who we are and to say the things that we wholeheartedly mean, and that’s what we have to do.”
That message doesn’t end with the players. The Milwaukee Bucks organization showed its commitment to underserved communities in honor of Dr. King by giving nonprofits a direct link to begin conversations with their fans. That didn’t come lightly for Bridget Whitaker, Executive Director for Safe & Sound — a nonprofit that improved neighborhood relations by nurturing communication and positivity between community leaders, youth and law enforcement.
“What a perfect way to honor the legacy of Dr. King by allowed folks who serve to be able to talk about their work and to give folks that are here enjoying the game thinking about how they can get involved in the community.”
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