On April 29, 2018, at the Italian Community Center, Common Ground celebrated the 10th anniversary of its founding, with dancing, music, cheering, inspiring speeches, and a new campaign.  Oh, how we celebrated, with more than 1200 members mirroring the makeup of the larger southeastern Wisconsin communities in which we live and sharing the same passion for making our home a better place for all.  

We gathered together to recognize our successes, renew our dedication to complete the work we have undertaken, and vote on beginning a new campaign on jobs and work.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and District Attorney John Chisholm recognized Common Ground’s tenacity and positive contributions to Milwaukee. Milwaukee Rising, Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative, Fair Play, Milwaukee Neighborhoods Now, United Parents Café, Southside Caucus, Watershed, and Do Not Stand Idly By have either become a part of the Milwaukee area lexicon (at least among the powerful) or are well on their way, a seeming impossibility a decade ago.

TENacity, Common Ground’s name for the celebration, provided impetus for its next campaign:  efforts to expand access to living wage jobs in the Milwaukee area.  Common Ground will partner with local businesses and job training programs to expand access to living wage work in Milwaukee, especially for formerly incarcerated and chronically unemployed people.  Additionally, Common Ground pledged to identify and hold accountable temp agencies that mistreat their workers.