[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 100 (Thursday, June 13, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE CENTER FOR BLACK EXCELLENCE AND CULTURE OF MADISON

  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam President, I rise to recognize the Center for 
Black Excellence and Culture, which will break ground in Madison this 
year on Juneteenth National Independence Day. I wish also to 
acknowledge the many community leaders who have worked tirelessly to 
make the Center a reality.
  The Center for Black Excellence and Culture was founded by Reverend 
Doctor Alex Gee who has been a fierce advocate for Madison's African-
American community for more than 30 years. The Center will unite and 
uplift Madison's African-American community by providing a space for 
entrepreneurial exploration, cultural engagement, and celebration.
  Rev. Dr. Gee and his board of directors have joined with other 
community leaders to raise over $28 million for the project. Now that 
they have reached their goal, they will begin construction on June 19, 
2024. The decision to break ground on Juneteenth was an intentional and 
powerful one.
  The new Black inspired and designed building will sit on 3.5 acres of 
land and will include many commercial spaces, including an art gallery 
and theatre space. Rev. Dr. Gee has convened a powerhouse team of Black 
leaders and hundreds of diverse Black voices to shape the Center. These 
leaders will support thousands of students through mentorship and 
professional development and teach students about African-American 
history and culture to inspire and advance the Black community in 
Madison and beyond.
  The Center will also include a space dedicated to Rev. Dr. Gee's 
mother, Ms. Verline Gee, who served the Madison community for decades 
as a mentor, poet, social worker, and faith leader. Ms. Gee's story is 
one of strength and perseverance. She was born in Mississippi and 
worked alongside her parents as a migrant farmer in her youth. As a 
child she moved to the Midwest eventually making her way to Madison. 
Throughout her life, Ms. Gee was always passionate about education. She 
was one of the inaugural students to attend the University of 
Wisconsin-Madison's Black Studies Program. The Center for Black 
Excellence and Culture will honor the memory of Ms. Gee and all other 
African-American community members who have contributed so much to 
Madison.
  Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, but it 
also serves as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to 
dismantle deep-rooted systems of racial injustice. While strides have 
been made, the African-American community continues to face significant 
systemic injustices. Across Wisconsin, African-American families are 
five times more likely than White families to experience poverty and 61 
percent of all African-American households in Dane County live near or 
below the poverty line. The presence of these injustices makes the 
Center for Black Excellence all the more critical.
  True freedom requires liberty and equity for all. The Center for 
Black Excellence and Culture will contribute to this mission and serve 
as a model for other cities to follow.
  As the Center for Black Excellence breaks ground this Juneteenth, I 
honor the accomplishments of Rev. Dr. Gee, the Center's board of 
directors, the memory of Ms. Verline Gee and all the community leaders, 
past and present, who made the Center a reality.

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