Meet the Influencers

aka the Parents, the Aunts, the Uncles, & Cousins

-The Family—

Amani comes from a family of folks who have a generational history of fighting for basic rights and freedom for all.

Amani’s parents—the influencers— are no exception to this.

In fact, her parents, who first met in elementary school, were raised on#BlackWallStreet by the very folks who survived the #1921TulsaRaceMassacre -in the now celebrated #Greenwood. Family, in-kinds and beloveds who were not only -faithful to community- but also the people who:

  • Built Greenwood- an American Dream known as America’s Black Wall Street

  • Survived the 1921 Tulsa Massacre & Internment in which the city they built was torched and burned to the ground by an angry mob

  • Rebuilt Greenwood - finding a way to roll up their sleeves and get the job done in spite of interment, absent of any compensation (still to date) and under gross oppression

They did it while raising their families, mentoring the next generation, demanding excellence and equality; quietly change America.

Amani with her dad and sister

Amani with her dad and sister

Amani’s Dad: Professor James Latimer

  • Latimer is an acclaimed Percussionist and Conductor who played with the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, and dozens of other symphonies including Madison’s own, Madison Symphony;

  • Latimer, who has played with the likes of Duke Ellington and Richard Davis has played for all of the Governors of the State of Wisconsin over the past 50 years; He first played at the White House for President Truman when he was 16.

  • At 90, Latimer recently retired as the Director/Conduct of the VFW and Capitol City Band and leads the Madison Marimba Quartet all which have served the Madison and statewide community for decades including playing over 900 free community concerts over the past five decades;

  • Before Latimer and Anana were recruited to come to Madison, Latimer taught at the historical Florida A&M;

  • Latimer worked alongside of Vice President Kamala Harris’ dad to establish what is now the Black Studies Department at UW Madison.

  • Latimer is a son and descendant to the formidable Latimer Brothers who built (and then rebuilt) Greenwood (aka Black Wall Street) after it was torched and laid to ruin during the 1921 Tulsa Massacre --In Greenwood’s heyday, the Latimer Brothers & Sons would be in business as architects and builders, farmers and lawyers, own a meat distribution company, several restaurants, a grocery store and a school of music; all in and around Greenwood. All in service to community.

The Essence of Milele Painting by Jerry Jordon

The Essence of Milele (Amani’s mom) Painting by Jerry Jordon

Amani’s Mom: Milele Chikasa Anana

  • Anana was the first Black woman, in the State of Wisconsin, elected to any school board —Madison’s own Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School is named after her, in honor of Anana’s life-long work;

  • Anana was a Civil Rights Activist who Marched On Washington, worked on bussing and desegregation (during the tumultuous Roxbury Riots) — Latimer and Anana were confidential hosts to Dr. Martin Luther King’s sister who lived with the Latimers during the desegregation period in Boston;

  • Anana created inclusive change in her community and for women when change was improbable. Her work helped the City of Madison usher in one of the first women fire chiefs in the Nation, and opened opportunities for them to be in construction, policing, and more;

  • Anana founded UMOJA Magazine —Wisconsin's longest running Black Magazine;

  • The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce was founded by Anana —within this, and through Anana’s efforts, Madison also became one of the first cities in the Nation to host and support a Black Restaurant Week;

  • Anana is first cousin to Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth, who is a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work — Anana and Lee’s cousin would not only survive the 1921 Tulsa Massacre (and raise Anana) but would go on to start a credit union, to serve teachers, who could not get home loans.

“Their want, their vision for community and the realization of what was possible -in community- is shaped by their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-kinds and in-laws & mentors, who helped Greenwood rise from the ashes of destruction and quietly change American history.”

Anana Elementary School

Alder Amani looking on her grandfather’s Latimer’s BBQ at the Greenwood Rising Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma