WASHINGTON -- For kids of all ages, summer is the time for new experiences and adventures. The kind of summer trip the Brewers provided on Saturday was once-in-a-lifetime for a lucky group of local kids.
Nineteen Milwaukee teenagers were on hand before the Brewers' 6-4 loss against the Nationals at Nationals Park, where they were greeted by players and coaches as part of their whirlwind day in the nation’s capital. Before arriving at the ballpark, the group enjoyed a private tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where they learned about the enormous contributions made by Black communities throughout U.S. history.
“It’s exciting to see the smiles on the kids' faces, to know that something like this can really make a difference,” executive director of the Brewers Community Foundation Cecelia Gore said. “Visiting the museum provides a very thoughtful experience.”
“For African American kids who don’t necessarily have that kind of education in school, it helps them understand that they have meaning, and that they are valuable and that their ancestors provided something to this country that is meaningful.”
The experience clearly had an immediate impact on many participants.
“I feel like everybody should go and experience it,” 17-year-old Manning Shareef said, sitting on the top bench in the Brewers away dugout.
“It showed you where everything started and how far everything has come,” said 18-year-old Ariana Dunston-Hill.
Said 17-year old Brandon Dike: “I learned a lot about Black power, and a lot of things I didn’t know previously about how Black people changed society as a whole.”
The Brewers Community Foundation teamed up with mentorship programs Mentor Milwaukee and MKE Fellows to make the trip happen, which involved a strict 18-hour itinerary in order to complete the nearly 1,600-mile round trip from Milwaukee to D.C. in a single day.
The group left American Family Field at 5:30 a.m. CT for MKE airport and arrived at Washington’s Dulles Airport at 10:40 a.m. ET. They squeezed in appearances at the museum and then Nationals Park before their 6:15 p.m. ET return flight and were scheduled to land back in Milwaukee by 10:30 p.m. CT.
“It makes me feel like an important person,” said Shareef, who plays high school basketball. “Like a real NBA player."
The Brewers Community Foundation works to positively impact the lives of children and their families in Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin, strategically extending financial support to nonprofits that provide quality health, education, recreation and basic needs programming, with a particular focus on low-income and disadvantaged youth and their families.
They found natural partners in MKE Fellows and Mentor Milwaukee, which work to help disadvantaged kids to complete their education and build better relationships within their communities.
Asked what he’s learned from his mentorship work, Shareef said, “To be a better person to people, and that you don’t always have to be afraid to talk to new people and make new relationships. That it’s perfectly fine to get out of your comfort zone and keep rolling like that.”