By Every Measure
(5 min read)
88Nine Radio Milwaukee is a community-oriented organization that drives positive change through their wide variety of programming and content. From their Community Stories and on-air programming to their podcasts and events, this independent radio station strives to create a better, more engaged community.
Recently, we talked about our partnership with 88Nine by featuring their documentary, Invisible Lines, that tells the stories of 10 people of color who have experienced segregation, racism, and prejudice in Milwaukee. We were proud to provide the score for that incredible project, and now we’d like to highlight their podcast, By Every Measure.
By Every Measure features award-winning data expert and research journalist Reggie Jackson and 88Nine’s Director of Digital Strategy & Innovation Tarik Moody as they examine six different aspects of systemic racism through the lens of Milwaukee as the most segregated city in America. New episodes of the six-part series are released every week, consisting of conversations between Moody and Jackson as well as featuring interviews with guests along the way.
Each topic is discussed by presenting historical and current data, asking thoughtful and pointed questions, and sharing personal experiences to emphasize the realities of the data. Our hosts strive to answer two questions: “How did we get here?” and “How can we fix it?”
Reggie Jackson (Photo by Lee Matz, Milwaukee Independent)
“We have a lot of conversations about race,” Jackson said, “but they are very rarely productive because people don’t know enough. And until you know things, you’re never going to have a productive conversation.”
The podcast launched on August 24, 2020, the day after Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times by the Kenosha Police Department. Kenosha sits less than an hour south of Milwaukee, and while daily protests continue in Milwaukee in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, the news of what is happening in our backyard is only amplifying the desire for meaningful change. Our very own Milwaukee Bucks were willing to forfeit a playoff game to stand in solidarity and protest yet another shooting of an unarmed Black man at the hands of the police, setting off a multi-sport player strike.
Tarik Moody (Photo by Erin Bagatta, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee)
As if on cue, the second episode called “Criminal Justice System & Police” was released just over a week after Kenosha reached the national spotlight. It starts with heartfelt words from Moody, addressing Blake’s situation as the latest in a long line of examples of police brutality. He explains, “I don’t think you can truly understand the trauma of seeing someone who looks like you being killed in a video. That same experience happened with me… George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery. It was traumatic.” Despite these experiences, he hasn’t lost hope and pours his energy back into the podcast. They go on to explore the disturbing history of police in the United States, discuss responses to common pushback when speaking out against police brutality, and have an honest talk with a former captain and 25-year veteran of the Milwaukee Police Department.
The episode ends with powerful words from Blake’s sister, Letetra Widman, as she took part in the March On Washington with her own call to action to unify and fight without violence and chaos. She spoke from the same spot that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did back in 1963, exactly 57 years after the I Have A Dream speech. Let it serve as a reminder that we’ve got a long way to go.
“America, your reality is not real. Catering to your delusions is no longer an option. We will not pretend. We will not be your docile slaves. We will not be a footstool to oppression.”
- Letreta Widman, March On Washington
At the end of each episode, the show’s credits include the phrase “Handcrafted Sonic Inspiration by The License Lab.” Our hearts swell with pride when we hear those words as Tarik Moody, Reggie Jackson, and the entire 88Nine team bring the issue of systemic racism to audiences new and old, and we hope all of us continue the search for answers, next steps, and justice.
You can find By Every Measure on all major podcast streaming services and at radiomilwaukee.org/measure.
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