Director’s Message: The Truth We Seek

Dear friends,

In 2022, we learned what it means to operate as a truth-seeking organization.

It means partnering authentically with others who are committed to the same outcomes and consistently exercising inclusivity as we engage with and learn from youth and community. As part of this learning journey, we became an organization that proudly shares power, resources and decision-making for the betterment of our community.

This may not seem revolutionary, but for us, keeping our children, youth and families at the center of our work and prioritizing racial equity defines the truth we seek. Yet in this work, we can never be satisfied – even as we celebrate some incredible wins with our community partners.

Thanks to the wonderful work of our ECE Coalition, for instance, we’ve gained invaluable insights into the effects of Child Care Counts funding and helped our partners secure a $5 million Workforce Innovation Grant to help bolster the ECE workforce. On the high school success side, youth remain at the center of our work – from our Youth Ambassadors, who helped us launch our Youth Forward MKE Coalition to the ongoing implementation of last year’s Design Your Future projects.

I am grateful for the steadfast commitment of our partners and the trust of our Coalitions, and I’m confident that together we’ll continue to create the change we hope to see in our community.

The Future

After 7 years of leading Milwaukee Succeeds, Executive Director Danae Davis retired this November. Her formative work within the organization and her children-first mindset have inspired countless people – and will no doubt continue to do so for years to come.

Stay tuned for more information on our search for a new executive director! In the meantime, read our Q&A with Danae, where she discusses her time at Milwaukee Succeeds, her advice for otehrs stepping into the work and her vision of what the future holds.