Brookfield Woman Addresses Racial Division Through Conversation

BROOKFIELD, WI—Incidents of racial division and injustice inspired a Brookfield woman to encourage others to talk openly about race.

Natasha Broxton first heard of "Be the Bridge" while attending a women's conference in 2019. There she met Latasha Morrison, founder and president of the organization.

"Be the Bridge" is a nonprofit organization and a community of people who share a common goal of creating healthy dialogue about race and racialization in the U.S.

It was the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery that were the catalyst for Broxton to create a "Be the Bridge" group in the area.

Broxton heard from friends who were angry after watching footage of Floyd's death. She also heard from friends who supported police. The mother of five and Milwaukee business owner questioned why she was angry and why others felt the way that they did. She wanted to present a different perspective of things.

"Me as an individual, I don't feel like I should have to choose a side. How come we can't just come together?" she told Patch.

As a woman of faith, Broxton was drawn to "Be the Bridge" because it is a faith-based organization. Broxton said the group felt like the appropriate place to work through her feelings.

"It allows me the opportunity to raise awareness and speak to people who are willing to listen about some of the inequities that are going on within the Black community," Broxton said.

The group is a great way to talk to people who come from different ethnicities and walks of life to have a productive conversation. She invited people from her church and from social media. The first group had 12 people over the summer; a fall group had 20 people.

Broxton's group involved people from around Wisconsin. She said they became her best friends. "We aren't going to go with the narrative of them versus us. We are going to be the ones willing to sit down together," Broxton said.

Making a difference in Brookfield

Each group meets virtually once a month for nine months. Broxton said she didn't want the momentum to end there. Broxton and Lisbon resident Bethany Bernhard, who is white, created a nonprofit group called "Unity In Action — Wisconsin." Its mission is to raise awareness about Black history and help bring people together through events such as book clubs, local library events, and dining events. Broxton added it is also about allowing organic relationships to grow.

She called the Brookfield Library and asked for permission to bring in coloring books showing Black people in American history for children to use. The library was very receptive and eventually contacted Broxton for more.

Broxton said most elementary schools only discuss Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. "These kids aren't really getting exposure to those other people in Black history that have done some amazing things that no one really knows about," she said.

"The Black community has more to contribute to than just MLK," she said.

Creating a dialog

Broxton said the racial issues are broader than just police brutality. There are good and bad things that have happened in the Black community, and Broxton said it is important to be aware of it all.

The biggest surprise since joining "Be the Bridge" and launching her nonprofit organization was the trust that was built. During groups, people were asked to discuss painful experiences. One question was, "What are some of the racist comments said to you in your circle of family and friends?"

As members felt more comfortable, they shared their experiences. Broxton said during the meetings people are given ideas on how to deal with those incidents. "You might have a relative with a bias, but that doesn't mean you have to ... fall out with that person," Broxton said.

Group members are encouraged to be open and willing to reconcile with loved ones. Broxton advises people to tell their relatives what they said was not acceptable or to ask why they have that bias. That allows a person to dig a little deeper into the statement.

Becoming the bridge

How do people build a bridge? Broxton said by education and proximity. "Many people don't have that education as to why things are the way they are," she said.

As an example, she said a person who lives in an affluent area might not understand the history and issues within the justice system in Milwaukee, a city with a history of racial injustice.

Broxton has a relative who has been incarcerated, released and incarcerated again. Her relative has some mental health issues and needs to take medicine. But once her relative is released, where are the services to make sure they take their medications? "I'm looking at it as a mental health crisis, and other people are looking at it as a re-offender situation," she said.

Broxton and her husband hire employees who have a history of being incarcerated to give them a second chance. Broxton said she also had to do work on her own biases toward white people. In the past she said she would assume that white people wouldn't want to talk to her because she is Black.

She started hosting dinners at her home with women from church and other friends. They would have conversations together. It allowed her to move past the uncomfortable feelings and have a dialogue with people of different backgrounds.

The next Be the Bridge group is expected to start in May.