The Fluent Neighborhood
A Background of Pastor Mary Jean Lewis-Jiles
One of the most notable assets of region 709 of Washington Park is Pastor Mary Jean Lewis-Jiles. Well-known around the Milwaukee area, she is not only a pastor, but a very kind and highly accomplished person.
In March, 2013 Pastor Lewis-Jiles became an honoree of the Black Excellence Award. The Milwaukee Times discussed one of many reasons for her merit, "She served for 15 years as dean of the Wisconsin General Baptist State Congress of Christian Education. Under her leadership the Congress grew from 300 delegates to 2,000." Twelve years after serving on the Congress, Pastor Lewis-Jiles worked as a chaplain for Froedtert Hospital in 2002, tending to those with spinal cord injuries. It was from that experience she founded Victims of Intense Crimes Embracing Others (VOICE), a non-profit organization. Her accomplishments did not stop there. Pastor Lewis-Jiles has procured six degrees: a bachelor's degree in both education and biblical studies; a master's degree in educational psychology, administration, and religion; and a Ph.D. in practical ministry. These degrees were acquired at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee; the American Baptist Theology Seminary in Nashville, TN; the Divinity School of Trinity Evangelical International University in Deerfield, IL; and Master Divinity School of Evansville, IN. With her broad range of knowledge, Pastor Lewis-Jiles taught in the Milwaukee Public Schools system for 29 years and spent a year teaching in Frankfurt, Germany. She also ministered in Liberia, Africa in October, 2013. It is evident that Pastor Mary Jean Lewis-Jiles has had an impact not only on the small church that occupies the corner of N. 39th Street and W. Garfield Street, but across the City of Milwaukee as well as overseas. Her strong and passionate work ethic has made her a role model and an asset to Washington Park. |
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Creating a Fluent Neighborhood
The neighborhood of N. 38th Street and N. 39th Street between W. Lloyd Street and W. Garfield Avenue is primarily residential with one church in its boundaries. The residences on N. 38th Street and N. 39th Street are single-family homes or duplexes, and many of them are now rental properties. The once stable neighborhood is now one plagued with instability, high rent, and low incomes.
Pastor Mary Jean Lewis-Jiles, the pastor at Christian Fellowship Community Church, referred to the neighborhood surrounding her parish as moving towards being a "fluent neighborhood." In order to move towards this idea of a fluent neighborhood, home ownership needs to increase, and the number of rental properties needs to decrease. Home ownership creates a sense of pride for both the homeowners and the neighborhoods, mainly because owners tend to take better care of their belongings. Many of the vacant lots in this area became that way because previous rental properties were neglected, or the rent was too high for potential renters. This often forces homes into foreclosure, which not only causes many homes to be torn down, but the ones that remain are often sold to developers looking to make a profit. Foreclosed homes are much less expensive than the typical homes on the market and would make good starter homes for families looking to move into the neighborhood. Unfortunately, rent on these properties is high, and families come and go frequently. There are also several vacant homes in this area. Around the neighborhood, there are other homes that appear to be vacant but are simply boarded up for protection. An all-too-common occurrence in this neighborhood is the theft of air conditioning units and metal from homes. Thieves rip off these homes and sell the goods to scrap yards. This is mainly done because there is a lack of jobs in the area, and people need money. Creating a fluent neighborhood where home ownership is common would bring employment to the area and reduce crime. Washington Park was once a thriving neighborhood, and with the help of the community and Pastor Lewis-Jiles, it can be once again. |
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Gender, Population, & Relationships
Unlike more common trends, the population of Washington Park between the Zoo Interchange of Highway 41 and N. 35th Street has been declining since the 1940s. While the population did rise between the years of 1980 and 2000, the overall decline has been dramatic, from nearly 4,500 people to less than 2,500 in just 70 years.
This decline is due to many reasons, with one of them being the change in attitude towards marriage and family life. As it became more acceptable to be single and pursuing a career as opposed to getting married at a young age and starting a family, fewer and fewer houses were lived in by large groups of people. Since the housing in this area has been relatively cheaper compared to other parts of Milwaukee, it has been much easier for individuals to afford to live alone. This is just one facet to the population decline in the Washington Park area. With this movement of singles into the area, more and more families moved out into the suburbs where they could focus on being a family and commuting into the city. Another factor of this mass exodus of the Washington Park neighborhood is the gender of the population. The trend has always been predominantly female, though only by a few percent. With the country's attitude change toward single women living alone and pursuing careers, more women postponed having families. This rise and divergence of the genders in the area correlates with the time period during which career women really stepped out into the world. The same goes for the divorce rate in the area -- it rose from zero to ten percent during a time when it became more acceptable for a couple to separate and live alone. Despite the decline in the population, the Washington Park area has remained a vibrant community. |
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