Travis Clark moved from Macon, Georgia, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when he was four years old. While growing up in Milwaukee's low-income areas, he attended Milwaukee Public Schools and spent his adolescent years on the city's southside. Travis' father abandoned him when he was a child, so he turned to the streets of Milwaukee for guidance.
Travis had his first run-in with the authorities in 1993, when he was charged with forgery-uttering party to a crime. Travis received a 10 year sentence for cashing $1,552.45 in stolen bank checks.
In 1999, Travis was charged with eluding an officer and two counts of reckless endangerment. Travis Clark's probation was revoked in 2000 as a consequence of the additional accusations. Travis claims he was just a passenger and not the driver, yet he was sentenced to five years in jail.
Travis agreed to have his case evaluated by a prisoner who was studying law while incarcerated. The prisoner discovered a constitutional violation involving double jeopardy and filed a habeas corpus petition,
and in 2002, the Wisconsin Appellate Court ordered Travis to be resentenced and released in 2002.
Travis said that his time in jail helped him to reflect on his upbringing. He was convinced that he would not follow in his father's footsteps and abandon his children. Travis Clark wanted to make sure his children's mother was financially secure once he was released. Between 2002 and 2005, he worked full-time at Smurfit-Stone Container and served as the Pace International Union Steward. Travis joined Briggs & Stratton in 2006.
Travis started his own entertainment marketing agency in 2007 and has worked with a number of celebrities and professional sports since then. Travis sponsored the Takeover concerts in Milwaukee and Chicago in 2008, bringing some of hip-hop's best-known artists to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Travis left concert promotion in 2008 to pursue a new career working with professional athletes in the Milwaukee region. Travis Clark started working with Brandon Jennings, a former Milwaukee Bucks player, in 2010 to help him engage with Wisconsin's business sector. Travis, a die-hard Bucks fan, spoke with Herb Kohl, the former US Senator and Milwaukee Bucks owner, regarding financing for a new Bucks Arena. Travis Clark was elected to the Milwaukee County Republican executive board in 2012, and he immediately utilized his position to push for money for a new Bucks Arena. Travis has been addressing problems with Milwaukee's political leaders who target entertainment businesses centered on the hip-hop culture.
Travis Clark has worked in a variety of political settings and offers a unique viewpoint on the paucity of opportunities for males of color. You'll learn more about Travis Clark's childhood in Milwaukee, WI, as his campaign progresses.
