Research
Evidence first
GLUE's work starts with data and the scholars who produce it. These are the partners and reports behind our decisions.
5 of 6
The finding that drives us
Of the nation's 50 largest metros, five of the six ranked lowest for African American well-being are Great Lakes cities: Milwaukee, Cleveland, Buffalo, Chicago, and Detroit. It was true in 2020 and again in 2024. GLUE named all five as its focus in 2008.
Source: Marc V. Levine, The AALAM/UWMCED Index of African American Well-Being in the Nation's Largest Metropolitan Areas, 2020 and 2024 editions, UW-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development
Research partners
Scholars and centers whose work shapes GLUE's.
Dr. Marc V. Levine
Center for Economic Development, UW-Milwaukee
Racial disparities and the Rust Belt economy.
Dr. Henry Louis Taylor Jr.
Center for Urban Studies, University at Buffalo
Neighborhoods, planning and structural racism.
John Austin
Title and institution to confirm
A vision for transforming the Rust Belt into a Blue Belt driven by water, innovation, and inclusion.
Marquette CURTO
Center for Urban Research, Teaching and Outreach
Research backbone for MBK Milwaukee; co-founder of the BLEST Hub.
CURTO and the BLEST Hub
Marquette University's Center for Urban Research, Teaching and Outreach (CURTO) has been deeply embedded in Milwaukee's boys-and-men-of-color ecosystem. Led by Dr. Robert Smith, CURTO co-founded the BLEST Hub (Black and Latino Ecosystem & Support Transition Hub) with GLUE president Walter Lanier. Funded by the City of Milwaukee's Black Male Achievement Advisory Council, the hub became a catalyst for research and collaboration. It has produced five annual ecosystem reports, created an ecosystem map, delivered analyses of dual-enrollment programs, and helped create new dual-enrollment courses, alongside numerous presentations and convenings.
During Milwaukee's My Brother's Keeper certification process, CURTO's Dr. Gabriel Velez stepped in as the research backbone, and he and CURTO continue to serve in that role today. Their work includes leading research teams, collecting data, and making sure MBK strategies are evidence-based.
Reports library
Download the work.
| REPORT | PARTNER | YEAR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The GLUE Framework: Connect · Curate · Catalyze | GLUE | 2026 | Download PDF |
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