Speakers Bureau

The Speakers Bureau at Urban Anthropology Inc. offers exciting topical information that often is available only through the anthropologists at this organization. These anthropologists have conducted in-depth studies of cultural groups, subcultures, and key neighborhoods in the greater Milwaukee area. The studies include information on the history of the groups and their cultural practices. In most cases, the presentations also include original documentaries created by Urban Anthropology Inc., where members of these populations tell their stories in their own words. Most of the presentations listed below are about groups in the greater Milwaukee area, but some also reflect national patterns. The presentations are available to organizations, faith communities, businesses, and centers within the greater Milwaukee area, and sometimes beyond.

The “joined at the hip” communities

Why do some cultural groups tend to live in the same general neighborhoods as other cultural groups? Why do some cultural groups migrate together? This presentation features information, including original documentary footage, on the reasons why this pattern emerges in Milwaukee, as well as in other urban areas.

Time: 2 hours plus Q & A. Honorarium: $250*

The life stories of the homeless

This presentation is based on findings from stories of 100 homeless and formerly homeless in Southeastern Wisconsin that were conducted by area anthropologists and other volunteers. Just who are these homeless? How did these individuals describe their pathways into and out of homelessness? How did they depict life on the streets? What is the key to reducing homelessness?

Time: 1 hour plus Q & A. Honorarium: $100*

Models of neighborhood integration

Milwaukee is sometimes referred to as the most segregated city in the nation. But excellent models of neighborhood integration exist within it boundaries. This presentation focuses on the points of intersection that bring various cultural groups together and the processes by which a shared neighborhood ethos emerges. Neighborhoods discussed include Riverwest, Sherman Park, and Lincoln Village. The presentation includes original documentary footage.

Time: 2 hours plus Q & A. Honorarium: $250

Leaders and founders of the Milwaukee Black community

This presentation discusses those founding fathers/mothers of the African American community who made Milwaukee their home and left a chain of legacies.

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus Q & A. Honorarium: $150

Effects of public policy on Milwaukee neighborhoods

How did some of the government policies and business trends affect Milwaukee’s cultural back streets? How have the ethnic communities been affected by strip malls, freeways, Urban Renewal, the era of the Socialists, outsourcing/downsizing of industry, and the New Urbanism Movement? What has been learned from these experiences? The presentation includes original documentary footage.

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus Q & A. Honorarium: $200

Beauty and prestige: The culture of head wrapping

This presentation discusses the culture of head wrapping from Africa to the Diasporas. It includes head-wrapping techniques through a fun-filled workshop.

Time: 45 minutes plus Q & A. Honorarium: $75*

The contributions of Milwaukee’s cultural groups

Do you ever wonder what types of enterprises different cultural groups were likely to develop in Milwaukee? What jobs did they most frequently fill? What unique practices did they bring here? What legacies have they left on the land? This presentation includes footage from original documentaries.

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus Q & A. Honorarium: $200

*This presentation is also available to organizations nation-wide, with the fees to be negotiated.

Workshops

The workshops available through Urban Anthropology Inc. offer exciting topical information that often is available only through the anthropologists at this organization. These anthropologists have conducted in-depth studies of cultural groups, subcultures, and key neighborhoods in the greater Milwaukee area. The studies include information on the history of the groups and their cultural practices. In most cases, the workshops also include original documentaries created by Urban Anthropology Inc., where members of these populations tell their stories in their own words. Most of the workshops listed below focus on groups in the greater Milwaukee area, but some also reflect national patterns. The workshops are available to organizations, businesses, and other centers within the greater Milwaukee area, and sometimes beyond. Workshops conducted in areas outside the greater Milwaukee area are modified to reflect the national trends.

Cultural competency workshop

This workshop will provide in-depth and comprehensive information on Milwaukee’s major cultural groups. It also includes training in intercultural communication in the workplace. The workshop is multiplex, information-filled, and highly interactive. It is taught by a diverse team of cultural anthropologists.

Time: 8 hours over two days or longer. Can be done over lunch hours. Fee: $1,200

Proposal writing

This is the identical workshop offered for years at Marquette University, by the same professor (now retired) who taught it.  The workshop is designed for groups of 2 to 20 participants and can be taught at your location or the Old South Side Settlement Museum.  The workshop is 10 hours in length, taught in 4 sessions.  The workshop includes these features of proposal writing: Organizational description, goals, objectives, activities, outcomes, budgets, abstracts, and letters of inquiry/intent.

The wonders of cultural diversity

This presentation provides fascinating stories of the interaction of various cultural groups in the City of Milwaukee. Learn, for example, how a peninsula in this lakeside city attracted a group of fisherfolk from the Baltic Sea who founded a fishing village in the middle of the metropolis. Learn how industries in Milwaukee recruited African Americans from the South to man local factories and housed them in barracks right on this same peninsula. Learn how the two groups rivaled each other in the early 1900s in baseball league play on the peninsula. These and other stories are topics of this fascinating workshop.

Time: 8 hours over two days or longer. Can be done over lunch hours. Fee: $1,000*

*This workshop is also available to organizations nation-wide, with the fees to be negotiated.

Program evaluation

This is the identical workshop offered for years at Marquette University, by the same professor (now retired) who taught it.  The workshop is designed for groups of 2 to 20 participants and can be taught at your location or the Old South Side Settlement Museum.  The workshop is 10 hours in length, taught in 4 sessions.  The workshop includes these features of program evaluation: Experimental models, mixed methods evaluation (quantitative pre/posttest surveys, focus groups, life stories, interviews), sampling, data collection and questionnaire writing, simple data analysis, presentation.

Time: 10 hours.  Fee: $1,000

North American ethnic groups/The making of America

This is the same content as an anthropology course offered for years at Marquette University, by the same professor (now retired) who taught it.  The workshop is designed for groups of 2 to 20 participants and can be taught at your location or the Old South Side Settlement Museum.  The workshop is 12 hours in length, taught in 4 sessions.  The workshop focuses on the history of North America and how varied ethnic groups contributed to the development of the continent.  The following ethnic groups are featured: North American Indians, the British (3 groups), French Acadians, African Americans, Scots-Irish, Pennsylvania “Dutch,” Chinese, Scandinavians, German Russians, Irish, Poles, Latinos, Roma, and Melungeons.

 
Time: 10 hours.  Fee: $1,200