MADISON, Wis. — A Madison activist is being awarded an honorary doctorate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
It’s for his work advocating for the Black community and addressing racial disparities in Wisconsin.
Alexander Gee is normally a busy man. That’s because he said he’s working hard to raise funds needed to build the Center for Black Excellence and Culture.
“Even though the center is going to be focused in Madison, it will tell the story of Black influencers and the first among Black influencers from around the entire state,” Gee said.
The center will have a performance, a maker space, a library, a gallery and gathering spaces. It’s an effort to celebrate the cultural contributions Black people have made to Wisconsin.
“It has a positive physical impact on the lives of individuals and actually contributes to wellbeing,” Gee said. “We need Black people in our state to live longer.”
An important focus of Gee’s work is improving outcomes for Black people. He said it started during his days as a pastor when he formed the Nehemiah Community Development Corporation.
“What we realized is that there are people who are not African American, who want to help African Americans feel at home,” he said.
He also launched “Justified Anger” as an initiative to educate others about Black history.
Now, his work on the Center for Black Excellence and Culture is a way to celebrate the achievements of African Americans across Wisconsin.
“We don’t want people to think that Black culture is just one dimensional, or it’s about incarceration or illness or high school dropout,” Gee said. “It’s rich; it’s beautiful. And we have shaped this state.”
It’s this body of work that got him noticed by his alma mater, UW-Madison.
Christy Clark-Pujara is the chair of the university’s African American studies department.
Clark-Pujara has worked with Gee on “Justified Anger” and played a role in his nomination for the honorary degree.
“It has been a sustained career of commitment to the city, to the state and the nation,” she said. “That’s exactly the kind of person UW-Madison needs to be elevating and celebrating.”
Gee said he’s honored to have been chosen for this award. He said it affirms that his work is making a difference in helping Black people feel at home in Wisconsin, a state he said he loves so much.
“My dream is that we live fuller, more centered, and more celebratory and celebrated lives in the state of Wisconsin,” Gee said.