Building civic power across the Great Lakes.
Pastor · Civic Leader · Attorney · Author · Institution-Builder
Walter J. Lanier works at the intersection of faith, law, and community power in Milwaukee and across the Great Lakes region.
About
Walter J. Lanier has spent three decades building institutions, publishing ideas, and organizing people at the intersection of faith, law, and civic power in Milwaukee and across the Great Lakes region. He is the Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church, founder of GLUE (Great Lakes Urban Empowerment), and a leader of a federation of civic organizations including Black Men Organizing and the Fight for Our Lives coalition — a movement of 30 organizations conducting a 20-week statewide democracy tour across Wisconsin in 2026.
His core conviction: cities don't change by accident. They change when people with purpose build things that last.
In the news
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
WUWM 89.7 (Milwaukee Public Radio)
"Religious and Labor Leaders Call Out Multicultural Staff Cuts at MATC"
The work
GLUE — Great Lakes Urban Empowerment
A regional think tank and publishing platform connecting leaders across Milwaukee, Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland.
Black Men Organizing (BMO)
A Milwaukee movement organizing 400+ Black men around brotherhood, civic power, and collective action.
Fight for Our Lives
A coalition of 30 organizations and a 20-week, 50-stop statewide democracy tour across Wisconsin — launched Juneteenth 2026, ending Election Day.
Progressive Baptist Church
A Milwaukee congregation where Walter has served as Senior Pastor — a community of faith, civic engagement, and service.
The thinking — published weekly
Walter publishes civic analysis, leadership frameworks, and intelligence on Black urban futures across the Great Lakes. Recent essays include "Segregated Information: Milwaukee's Most Overlooked Crisis" and "Walking the Broken Walls of Milwaukee."
Book Walter to speak
Walter speaks at conferences, civic forums, faith gatherings, university engagements, and organizational convenings. Topics include Black civic leadership, institution-building, Great Lakes regional strategy, Nehemiah and the work of rebuilding, and democracy and voting rights.