Anthony Ward is a musician and performer, a former police officer and a community change agent. He directs the BROTHER program and Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development, bridging the gap between elementary and high school with mentoring for African-American boys. He owns and runs Just Breathe Records, and performs with the popular band Kinfolk and as a hip-hop artist under the name A.N.T Da Hope Boy.
Rank your Top 5 MCs.
- Rakim
- Tupac
- Nas
- Lauryn Hill
- Kendrick Lamar/J Cole
Which motivates you more: doubters or supporters? The supporters motivate me more. Growing up as a young black man in America, doubters are plentiful. I didn’t really have a support system growing up, and when I was young the doubters broke my spirit. I’ve realized in my life that one real supporter is a thousand times more motivating than thousands of doubters. For this reason I choose to focus on the supporters and glean from their encouragement to keep me moving forward.
What does it mean to be black in Madison? Being black in Madison brings a few things to mind for me. It means that I am less likely to have a wage-earning job, and feel as though I have to work a hundred times harder than whites doing the same job. Or were I, too, become a part of that small population of blacks doing very well, I would feel disconnected from that group of blacks who aren’t doing as well. It means that I feel the pressure to be representative of my race at all times, and that I have limited outlets socially as there are no real music venues that cater to my community.
As a black man in Madison, I feel the pressure to constantly consider how my presence makes others feel, and that I always have to be smiling and jovial to make others comfortable. I have to combat assumptions that I am either a UW athlete or one of the many jobless black men living in low-income neighborhoods in the city. I am more likely to be pulled over by the police, and my sons have a greater chance of not graduating from high school when compared to their white peers.
There are a lot of challenges facing blacks in Madison, but I still believe in the potential for change. My belief is what motivates me to do the work that I do with middle school boys through the BROTHER program, and to invest in my city until it becomes a positive space for everyone regardless of race.
What three leaders in Madison under 50 have impressed you the most?
Anthony Cooper, Sabrina Madison, Will Green
What’s the biggest stumbling block in Madison to turning the corner on our racial disparities?
I’ve observed that there are plenty of people in Madison who have read the reports and have seen the think pieces highlighting the disparities facing the black community in Madison. There is a lot of buzz when a new report is released, and exclamations as to what can be done. The buzz is followed by meeting upon meeting, until the report loses its newness and attentions are shifted to other topics. I like to refer to this as glamorization of the problem. When it is trendy to bandwagon jump on a specific social issue, because that issue is getting a lot of attention for the moment, but that doesn’t lend to the sustained action to promote real change. And honestly, why should it? Why should someone who is comfortably living in Madison and who can relate to the other positive reports about Madison remain in the trenches and put in the work to make Madison a great place to live for someone who doesn’t look like them? Sadly it is those individuals who are the subjects of the negative reports who don’t have the luxury of moving on to the next popular news piece, as they have to live with the reality highlighted in the reports every day.
I think true change in the area of racial disparities requires that white Madison not remain in that place of comfort that is afforded to them, and commits to supporting actions that lend to change. Further, I think that black people in Madison need to understand that we didn’t create the problems that are currently and historically experienced. These disparities didn’t just appear overnight; they’ve been around for decades.
Truthfully things won’t change until a lot of people who don’t look like us commit to doing some courageous and transformative work. That includes helping to bolster the infrastructure of organizations and programs that are already doing impactful work within the black community.
What are your top three priorities at this point in your life? Faith, Family, and Legacy. I know that in order to fully contribute all that I am destined to in this world, I have to stay plugged into my source, which is God and my faith in him. When I was younger, I used to argue for the existence of God and try to compel others to believe as I do. Now I just live my life in a way that makes people inquire into why I do what I do.
Family is next because this is where I learned the true meaning of receiving unconditional love demonstrated in everyday form. My children and my fiancé remind me that I am responsible for so much more than just my own self-satisfaction. My family also reminds me that I need to ask for help, and be a help, and also to receive love and not just give love.
Legacy is last and is simply how I’ll be remembered and what I want to leave behind in this world. I am a leader who has always tried to lead those who were following me to a better place. Leaders aren’t perfect, but they are necessary. I hope that all of the young men and women I have intentionally and unintentionally inspired would see all the beauty that resides inside of them, and let that fuel their transformations such that they can be a support to others.
Name your top 5 local MCs.
- Keon Andre
- DLO
- Rob Dz
- Laduma
- P Swagger aka Mr 747
As a former police officer, what advice would you give to police officers when dealing with communities of color? In order for any advice I have to offer to be received, I would recommend officers take a self-assessment to determine whether they are coming into the job truly caring for all people and their well being. Some join because the benefits are great, or they want to catch the bad guys, or they like the power it gives them over others. The motivation behind why any individual has made the decision to serve and protect will greatly impact their interactions with communities of color.
The things that officers experience can cause them to become hard and ultimately burn out, and the community suffers as a result. Put any person who truly cares for people in a uniform and watch how they positively impact the people they serve.
So my advice to cops would be to remember that you will encounter people at their lowest moments, but this does not define them. Your interaction could and should be to uplift, and reinforce negative treatment.
I was called a Nigger frequently while I was in uniform and I realized, a badge would never make a person who couldn’t see my humanness respect my office. As officers, citizens know when you don’t see their humanness, especially in communities of color who have historically suffered at the hands of law enforcement. The intentional decision to demonstrate humanity is a start to more positive interactions with communities of color. This question has multiple layers, but this is a small way I can articulate a first step in the direction of promoting more positive interactions between law enforcement and communities of color.
You are part of the well-known local band Kinfolk, which is beloved by communities of color. What is the secret to the band’s success? Quite simply, our success has derived from giving communities of color an environment to be themselves and hear the music that is familiar to them and reminds them of positive times in their past. We do practice to ensure that we deliver quality performances, and we love what we do and the music. It also doesn’t hurt that we’re cute, which lends to a supportive female fan base. The music reminds us of the creativity of our culture and the fun that we have when we’re reminded of all that we share when we come together. Our music transcends race, and is appreciated by all subsets of the Madison community. But ultimately we’re providing a service that is otherwise not frequently visible in our city. We appreciate our fans continued support, and we’re committed to delivering quality music in communal spaces, every opportunity that we get.
Why is Urban Community Arts Network important for the community and for hip hop in Madison? The Urban Community Arts Network is important because it takes the focus away from mainstream hip-hop, which at times can be filled with negativity, and turns the lens to local artists who embody different forms and expressions of hip hop. It’s important for the community because it reminds them of the resiliency of young people of color, because hip hop is a form of music that was birthed out of their struggle. It reminds them that they have something that can help get them out of their struggle.
Can you write a few bars about Madison365 letting the public know what we stand for?
let madison 365
be your first choice
they keep you listening
because they share a diverse voice
i mean voices
the choice is pretty clear
cause they trying to make sure diverse
is the city here
no pity here for those who are close minded
if you’re looking for a change
they’re where you go to find it
