About MKE Agenda

MKE Agenda's Mission

We plan to give REAL meaning to every Summer by crafting a calendar of unique events that are fun, diverse, and completely FREE. We promote city-wide accessibility, diversity, and inclusion by highlighting events which take place across all MKE neighborhoods and nearby communities.

Want to know the "Why" behind MKE Agenda?

Hear from the creator, Ms. Ranjit Singh

First of all, understand this: MKE Agenda is way more than just a calendar of events. It's a movement to support community, diversify the most segregated city in the nation, and a way to promote safety and growth in our young people. The calendar is just the heart of it!

Milwaukee is such a complex place. Like any major city we have many sides, some prettier than others. Unfortunately, Milwaukee is known for being one of the most segregated cities in the nation, a title we've accepted for entirely too long. The ramifications of this can be seen in many ways and depending on who you ask, Milwaukee can be described as the greatest place to live, or the most depressing! I want to shift this reality by shedding light on all the community-driven and fun activities that Milwaukee has to offer, that unfortunately not everyone knows about!

I focus on what I can change - Bringing people awareness and access to Events that elevate them, and subsequently the community at large. I am on a mission to get everyone to harness the "Good," that the "Good Land" has to offer.

While this calendar is not the sole solution to many of the systemic problems which exist in Milwaukee, this is my attempt at making a difference in a city I hold so close to my heart.

The Journey…

Ranjit Singh created MKE Agenda, a passion project that began shortly after beginning her teaching career with Milwaukee Public Schools. During her time teaching for 8 years at Bradley Tech High School, and then serving as a Special Education Administrator for 4 years throughout the city, she had epiphany after epiphany regarding the unfairness dealt to Milwaukee's inner-city population.

She realized the unequal access to education in the classroom translated to unequal access to resources in the community.

As she attended many of the events which can be on the calendar, she realized that her students were not tapping into these experiences, and that is what set her off!

MKE Agenda Was Created With Love.

She recalls, "My first years of teaching and entire career for that matter, has been a whirlwind of emotions. I have had the privilege of working with so many wonderful young people which has been such a joyful experience, I mean- I really really love my students."

However, she always felt frustrated with the lack of access, exposure, and enrichment they received. That frustration often boiled into anger when the larger ramifications of a segregated city with minimal access to resources came to the surface.

"I remember school letting out for the summer and being so excited to go on break. I was checking in with my students, to measure their excitement as well, and was shocked to learn that the majority of my students were actually dreading the summer."

Not all children are afforded the luxury of summer camps and enrichment programs. Between the lack of resources, difficulty getting kids around when other adult responsibilities beckon, and not even knowing what is available- too many young children resort to staying home or confined in their neighborhoods all summer.

"As I continued to grow deeper in love with my students, I also began to dread the summers for them."

This Had to Stop…

"Opening work emails during the summer was dreadful - one summer I must've gotten 4 emails about students affiliated with our school dying to senseless violence. I had anxiety about opening emails because too many times I read the words, 'We regret to inform you that...' and then all the teachers and students would be scrambling to find a picture to put a face with the name of young life…taken too soon."

The next summer, Ms. Singh began to distribute paper calendars to her students with every free event she could find, in every corner of Milwaukee.

In Ms. Singh's advocacy for kids, she often refers to Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. This is the notion that in order for any human being to reach their full potential they must have all their needs met- starting with the most basic ones. Realizing that many of these components are missing in the lives of kids, educators are tasked to find creative ways of filling in those needs.

Having events to look forward to which incorporate music, health, art, reading, science, mindfulness, hot air balloons, culture, spirituality, and other endless activities- meets all of the needs when you step back and think about it. These events open the mind to endless opportunities, force us to grow, inspire new ideas, create lasting memories, and ultimately impact our lives and community for the better! How can kids, or anybody, know what is possible or what they like if they don't explore the possibilities and opportunities?

Main Idea: Growth

Ultimately... this calendar might not change your life, but being immersed in the community, learning about others and yourself, and being open to new experiences: just might!

That is the overall goal- and if nothing else, hopefully at least one new experience on this calendar is new to you and peaks your interest and you go- especially if it is out of your comfort zone. After all, that is where the real growth happens!

MKE Agenda is one of many ways we can become a part of each other's life and build a vibrant community and culture we can lean on for growth.