MILWAUKEE — The Deer District featured some new employees Wednesday night. Thanks to a partnership with the Bucks and the Office of Violence Prevention, dozens of Milwaukee youth ambassadors were hired to help make sure the fans were having a fun and safe time.
For the first time ever during playoffs season over 60 ambassadors from 17 years old to 24 are being paid by the Bucks to help Fiserv Forum security make sure the Deer District is safe for everyone.
23-year-old Deja Branch is one of those ambassadors helping keep Wednesday night's playoff game running smoothly.
“We're ambassadors, that's what we're here for! Go, team! Go bucks!” cheered Branch. “It’s very inspiring. This is my first time doing something like this, so I am honored and I'm very thankful and grateful for this opportunity."
Their role is to help any Bucks fans with questions and give a heads-up to Fiserv security if anything suspicious takes place in their area using a special phone assigned to each section. Deja and her group were stationed in Zone 2.
Branch showed TMJ4’s Mariam Mackar what they are trained to do on those special phones if something happens in their area.
“We go to the group chats and we [send a message] about the zone that we're in, saying if it’s clear, or something is happening, and that will let [security] know that we need help over here,” she explained.
That phone contacts security and their group's supervisor. For Deja, one of those supervisors is Milwaukee County Supervisor for District 5, Sequanna Taylor.
“It’s just great that the Office of Violence Prevention and the Milwaukee Bucks can come together on something like this for the youth, and show the city that you do have youth that care,” said Taylor.
Quinn Taylor with the Office of Violence Prevention, who oversees the ambassadorship program, agrees.
“It’s been extremely fun it's a joy to be able to work with the youth to offer these types of opportunities,” he said.
And according to Deja, it's been just as fun for the youth involved
“It’s very amazing. There's amazing people that I'm working with. We laugh, we do things together, we're there for each other, we're a team!”
She's encouraging others to get involved in the future, too.
“If I can do it, you can do it. It's a great experience, don't give up on your dreams, don't be scared to try new things. Take that big leap of faith and just believe in yourself.”
The Office of Violence Prevention is aiming to create even more youth ambassador roles during other busy citywide events. They're hoping to get as many youths involved as possible.
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