Economic empowerment, entrepreneurship support and cultural celebration are core to the mission of the Sherman Phoenix Foundation.
Launched in 2021 as the nonprofit operator of the Sherman Phoenix Marketplace in Milwaukee’s central city, the organization offers impact programming for local business owners and residents, in an effort to mobilize entrepreneurs of color, support job creation and promote unity in the community.
The $3.5 million Sherman Phoenix redevelopment project opened in late 2018, breathing new life into a BMO Harris Bank branch building that was burned during civil unrest in the Sherman Park neighborhood two years prior. Today, the Sherman Phoenix is home to 21 small businesses and also serves as a hub for community building.
In addition to providing mentorship to its tenants and other local entrepreneurs, the foundation offers a range of community programming, including sessions on economic and workforce development and financial literacy, skills training, homeowner workshops and mental health sessions for entrepreneurs.
In 2023, the Sherman Phoenix Foundation launched Black Wellness Weekend to combat cycles of poverty, disenfranchisement and marginalization fueled by structural racism and lack of access to health resources.
“We strive to foster a sense of belonging and a place of being,” said Stacia Thompson, executive director of the Sherman Phoenix Foundation. “We are committed to empowering people within our community to maximize their potential to build a more equitable economy. Our success is measured by the impact we have on the broader community.”
“We do this for the cause, not for the applause, but it is music to our ears to hear these claps for the work that we have been doing.”
– Stacia Thompson, executive director, Sherman Phoenix Foundation
