A person can't accidentally bump into a guy at a club now without being scolded or scowled at, says Jordan, who wishes young black people would listen to their music the way he and his friends used to. I love rap music. In that sense, he adds, Milwaukee may be a bit behind the curve. Milwaukee's usually a couple of years behind the times when it comes to accepting new trends. Williams and Cargile say they can't help but think that the lack of establishments catering to minorities is a sign of the city's hard-line approach to black clubs that smacks of discrimination.
People now are racist, and they're slick with it.
Five years ago, a group known as The Leaders Forum was formed, at least in part to help address this problem. Founding members recognized a need for more clubs catering to African-Americans, places to network and have fun. In its first year, the group consisted of 80 members. Today nearly 400 African-Americans in Milwaukee have joined, according to Karen Nelson, the forum's executive director. To get things going in the right direction, The Leaders Forum organizes its own social gatherings.