From Boys to Men: Growing up in Milwaukee

Two Black men both raised in Milwaukee, both shaped by hardship, grew up on different sides of the city, yet their paths eventually converged around a shared mission. Their childhoods echoed similar realities: sirens at night, boarded windows, and the constant tension of living where many children learn the sound of gunfire before they learn […]

The Remembrance: Notes of a Teacher

We met Jennifer Koss on a quiet afternoon at the UWM Golda Meir Library. A former Milwaukee Public Schools teacher of 17 years, she greeted us with the warmth of someone used to listening, observing, and carrying more stories than most people ever will. We sat around a table in a small study room, and […]

Stages of Grief When Losing a Child

Timothy Shum lost his son, Dave, to suicide many years ago. Shum is now the chapter leader of the Milwaukee branch of The Compassionate Friends, a worldwide organization for peer support groups to deal with the loss of a child. However, it took Shum time to end up in this leader position due to the […]

Milwaukee Public Schools: The Fight to Save Our Students

Public education in Milwaukee has long served as a critical support system for children growing up in low-income, under-resourced neighborhoods. But in recent years, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has faced a troubling decline in student attendance and rising concerns about student safety. The lack of resources, staffing shortages, and the daily realities many children face […]

Bryant Triplett: The Cook

One of the first things Bryant Triplett ever cooked for his mother was a T-bone steak which he delivered to her when she was sick in bed so that she would eat something. Bryant Triplett was 14 when he was killed by an act of gun violence on Dec. 28, 2024, just three days after […]

Creating Relationships: Protecting the Youth Early

As I looked at him from across a computer screen, I saw the calm of someone who has lived several different lives. When we asked about his background, he shrugged gently, almost apologetically. “I’ve only been the director for less than three months,” he said, but his path to that office was anything but simple. […]

Brew City: Milwaukee’s Beer Legacy

In Milwaukee, beer is more than a beverage; it’s history, tradition, and identity all in one glass. From immigrant roots to modern craft breweries, the city’s brewing legacy still runs deep. Leslie Nicolas-Miletty explores how Brew City earned its name.

Deer District Holiday Market: Big Enough?

Since the Fiserv Forum opened in 2018, the Deer District has become one of the main hubs of downtown Milwaukee. Events such as Bucks games and concerts have been the focal point, but things like a Holiday Market also add life to downtown. But is it enough, especially if the Bucks contention window closes? Jack […]

Creating Winter at Crystal Ridge

waiting for Mother Nature. At Crystal Ridge, crews are working around the clock to build winter from the ground up; one snow gun at a time. Natalie Chudzik tells us more.