Feature Stories

UWM Student Isaac Levin is the lead ceramics technician at the UWM Student Union Arts and Craft Center, and he teaches ceramics classes.

Derek Byrne is a local musician in the band Paddygrass, and he wrote the song “Eye to Eye” for his son. The song serves as an allegory for a father-and-son relationship that will prepare his son for the rest of his life.

A building sat empty with its interior walls and flooring torn out down to the concrete foundation. A strange faded brown line about 20 feet high ran along the exterior of the building’s walls. The line marked how high the waters had risen around the Veterans Restoration Quarters (VRQ) in Asheville, North Carolina. Entire living […]

The line wrapped around the block outside Unfinished Legacy’s shop with a feeling of anticipation on 414 Day. A mix of families, curious individuals and fashion lovers stood ready to celebrate Milwaukee through its local style. I was handed a raffle ticket for a free printed shirt, and when I finally stepped in, was hit […]

Loki and Penelope sauntered down a glittery pink carpet, side by side, before stopping in front of a purple backdrop covered in glossy purple flowers and letters spelling out “Pup Prom.” Loki, a Siberian husky-Pomeranian-mix, was dressed in a striped, black tuxedo with a red rose boutonniere. Penelope, a Tibetan spaniel, wore a black dress […]

The third-floor hall of the Baird Center is lined with posters and booths full of color and art. A booth for Honey Wraith Parlor is lined with flash tattoos and stencils available for walk-up customers. Books on the table contain years of work these artists have done to showcase their talent. “That means a lot […]

The sound of children laughing and frogs croaking echoed through the trees and around the edges of the Wehr Nature Center’s vernal pond, as children and parents knelt around the water’s edge. They were using recycled Cool Whip containers and yogurt cups to scoop pond water, and with the aid of microscopes, were able to […]

The sounds of bar stools scraping and friends laughing are backdropped by Bill’s Withers “Lovely Day” as caterers set up a buffet table in the back of tonight’s venue and bartenders sling out cocktails and mocktails at an incredible efficiency. In the midst of this social commotion, Devin Anderson, membership director for the African American […]

Arcade games, laughs and a variety of bright colored running shoes were highlights of the F.E.A.R. MKE 414 Day run event. The event kicked off its 11th anniversary, and people of all ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds gathered for an evening of running, socializing and celebrating the city of Milwaukee. F.E.A.R, which stands for Forget […]

Demonta Reed, 21, is a Black male who is also a member of the LGBTQ community. He is unfamiliar with the vast number of resources in Milwaukee that address the HIV epidemic in the gay Black community. Reed’s understanding largely comes from his cisgender older brother, who learned about HIV from other family members. Reed’s […]

Peter Mathu has been into video games for most of his life. Now, as a student at UW-Milwaukee, he serves as the esports program manager, where it is his job to help other students experience their favorite games. Mathu uses his passion for games to organize events and tournaments for the Esports Lounge in UWM’s […]

Brad Schlaikowski has worked and fought for his community’s survival for over a decade. “Leave us alone,” said Schlaikowski. “Just leave the kids alone.” Schlaikowski owns Wisconsin’s first and only LGBTQ+ group home for at-risk youth. Just over a decade ago, he worked in a corporate office, but after fostering and adopting his daughter, one […]