In a commitment to community and remembrance, Milwaukee is gearing up for its 8th Annual Big Clean MKE and Harambee Clean-up events—a civic call to unite brushes, brooms, and community bonds in an effort to keep the city’s streets pristine. According to a press release, the initiative honors the late Special Enforcement Inspector Greg “Ziggy” Zyszkiewicz, who was tragically taken from the community during a carjacking in 2017 while serving the city.
The organized clean-ups, which invite participation from residents, neighborhood groups, and local organizations, are part of a broader vision articulated by Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II and supported by partners such as WestCare Wisconsin, Inc., Northcott Neighborhood Center, and Bader Philanthropies, Inc., they aim to make Milwaukee a paragon of urban cleanliness. "Both annual clean-ups were started with one simple goal - to make Milwaukee the cleanest city in the country," Alderman Stamper expressed, noting the importance of collaborative partnerships in pursuing such ambitious municipal aspirations.
With the clean-up’s launch set for today, a press conference and rally are scheduled to begin at noon at Pete’s Fruit Market, located at 2323 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The event promises not only an opportunity for community engagement—with a DJ and food in the mix—but also a concrete step toward neighborhood transformation. This year, the program expands to a new location at 2979 N. Palmer Street, where WestCare Wisconsin will introduce its Resource Hub / C.O.P. House as part of the clean-up day, further embedding itself within the fabric of the Harambee community.
Concurrently, the Harambee neighborhood rolls up its sleeves for its own clean-up drive, a clear signal that civic pride is not a once-in-a-year affair but a perpetual state of mind for residents determined to maintain a litter-free environment. This year, the Harambee Clean-up initiative represents not simply a matter of sprucing up the streets, but also an act of reclaiming space and dignity, imprints left behind each year grow into a larger narrative of a revived and cared-for cityscape.
