MILWAUKEE (AP) â When Laura Manriquez was 9 years old, her dad asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her answer? A teacher, a nurse or a nun.
âIn some way Iâve done a little bit of all of that,â Manriquez said, laughing.
Sheâs been a nurse for almost 25 years. Sheâs helped persuade politicians to offer treatment alternatives instead of incarceration for people suffering from substance abuse. Sheâs ran unsuccessfully for state Assembly five times. Sheâs survived COVID-19. And she continues to keep her neighbors â and Texans â fed during the pandemic.
For these efforts, many know her as âMilwaukeeâs Food Fairy,â âThe Urban Angel of Mercyâ or simply âthe helpful neighbor that surprises me.â But Manriquez, 55, said she does not do all of this for personal recognition, but rather because someone needs to do it.
Laura Manriquez volunteers at food banks, delivers food to needy people. //end headline wrapper ?>Get a daily rundown of the top stories on Urban Milwaukee
Laura Manriquez, known to her neighbors as “Milwaukee’s Food Fairy,” frequently delivers food from food pantries and stores to those with transportation issues. Here, she fist bumps DelMonte, her Lincoln Village neighbor and mentee. Photo by Sue Vliet/NNS.
When
Laura Manriquez was 9 years old, her dad asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her answer? A teacher, a nurse or a nun.
“In some way I’ve done a little bit of all of that,” Manriquez said, laughing.
COVID-19 vaccine ad campaign aimed at hard-hit communities
COVID-19 vaccine ad campaign aimed at hard-hit communities
Hitting the airwaves, billboards and social media Monday, a series of ads featuring Milwaukee residents sharing their reasons for getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
MILWAUKEE - We frequently hear from health leaders, state and local officials even the president about getting the vaccine, but a nearly million-dollar campaign will share community member s vaccine experience in their own words.
Hitting the airwaves, billboards and social media Monday, a series of ads featuring Milwaukee residents sharing their reasons for getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
The campaign created by a coalition of local government, nonprofit and health organizations, targets Black and Latinx residents who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and are often more skeptical about the vaccine than others.
She got the call in mid-March.
The receptionist at her doctor s office was on the line, asking the 45-year-old office manager whether she wanted to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. They just called and asked if I was interested in getting a COVID shot, she said. I said, No, I am not. They said, You aren t? I said Nope.
The vaccine question can spark strong emotions. The woman, a resident of a southwest Milwaukee suburb, spoke to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on the condition that she remain anonymous
. The woman said she had really good standing in her community and feared her views could be held against her if her name were used.