Milwaukee Teen Creates Car Calendars For New Berlin Business

NEW BERLIN,WI—A mutual interest drew together a Milwaukee teen and a New Berlin business owner, which resulted in the teen's first entrepreneurial venture.

Jalen Green, 14, has been drawing pictures of cars since he was little. Green told Patch he had a Lightning McQueen-themed 4th birthday party. McQueen is a character in the animated movie "Cars." His grandma gave him a Lightning McQueen toy, and he has loved cars ever since.

The teen has his eyes on what he wants to drive when he gets his driver's license.

"He wants a Camaro," said his mother, Cadence Jackson.

Green, a ninth grader at Pathways High School in Milwaukee, has overcome some hurdles such as language processing issues. His mom said Green didn't learn to speak in full sentences until he was 5.

Jackson told Patch her son attended a predominantly white school, where he experienced bullying. He also was challenged by language processing issues.

Jackson heard about City Champs, a Milwaukee-based program that lifts kids up through the discipline of martial arts training. Jalen took to Brazilian jiujitsu, often perceived as one of the most difficult martial arts to learn.

She didn't want him to go to school and beat people up but wanted him to be more confident.

Jackson said that before City Champs, she would take her son to soccer, hockey and other sports. She recalled when he quit soccer in the middle of a game. Jackson said she was shocked when Jalen stuck with martial arts.

"I saw the positives in it (the program)," Green said.

Jalen’s Car Calendar

Movin’ & Lubin’, a New Berlin fleet and automotive service and repair shop, is a founding sponsor of City Champs. Its owner, Jared Bell, is an avid martial arts enthusiast. Bell and Green met at City Champs and got to know each other.

When Green told Bell of his idea to create a car calendar featuring his artwork — and of his long-held dream of being an entrepreneur — Bell saw an opportunity to help Green get his first venture off the ground.

“Jalen is a fantastic young artist who loves cars and aspires to be an entrepreneur,” Bell said. “I thought, ‘Why can’t a 14-year-old make a car calendar?’ We decided to pay for the first 300 copies of ‘Jalen’s Car Calendar’ with an agreement that Jalen would sell them, and split the proceeds between City Champs and a fund for his education.”

On the back of the calendar, Green writes about wanting to showcase his drawing talents and love for cars. He said he wants to raise money to go to college and be an entrepreneur like Bell. Some of the money raised by the calendars will go toward City Champs to help others like Green.

Each month of the calendar features an original freehand drawing by Green. “I love everything about cars and really enjoy drawing them,” he said. “I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.”

Going places

Jalen Green is also working on a comic book featuring a family of unique characters. A boxer dad who is weak, a gorgeous Latina wife, an average son who can be moody at times, a loving uncle, and a grandpa who doesn't have all his faculties.

Jackson said her son has turned into a hardworking young man who saves his money and now is creating his own business.

“He became much more open and confident after training with City Champs,” Jackson said. “He is still a kind, caring person, but he stands up for himself and what he believes in.”

The talented young man has written his life goals on index cards.

Similar to entrepreneur, actor and director Tyler Perry, who owns Tyler Perry Studios, Green aspires to do the same. Jalen wants to own a television channel and to design, upgrade and work on cars. He plans to have a castle, among other properties, for all the cars he will make. Inside the castle will be a movie theater and bar for people who are waiting in their cars. He also aspires to make his own car-themed video game.

"I also want to help children with autism," he told Patch.

Jalen’s Car Calendar sells for $20. Volume discounts begin at 10 units. Half of all sales will benefit City Champs; the other half is Green’s.

More information about Green’s new car artwork business is available on his Facebook page.