Special Projects

Dr. Swarnjit Arora is a retired economics professor at UWM who has worked in higher education for over 50 years. Born in colonial-era British Subcontinent, he had to relocate from modern day Pakistan to India (moving between refugee camps for most of his early life until he settled in Punjab), and later went on to […]

Emmanuel Rogers; also known as Manocutz, is a well-known barber, entrepreneur and content creator in the Milwaukee community. The 26- year-old Milwaukee native has always had a passion for cutting hair and is always looking for new ways to grow his clientele. With a busy work schedule, Manny finds ways toincorporate marketing for his clothing […]

Brew-jas Coffee House MKE is a local, family-owned coffeeshop on the south side of Milwaukee. They are relatively new, opening in October of 2024. The short documentary will follow the day-to-day experience of being a Brew-ja’s barista and include an interview with either a manager or one of the owners. What sets Brew-jas apart is […]

Samantha Goldman is a passionate violinist and first chair in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee orchestra. From a young age, Sam has always had a deep love for music, spending countless hours practicing, performing, and immersing herself in the world of classical and contemporary sound. Now a college student, she is chasing her dream of one […]

Karin’s from Myanmar, a country ravaged by civil war. Over the course of his life he has had to flee country after country traveling his way through Thailand, Malaysia and eventually ending up in Milwaukee through the UNCHR. Though he has made a new home in Milwaukee, he keeps the parts of his home country […]

RV is a local Milwaukee comedian and front man in local emo band “human ant farm”. RV is a substitute teacher for MPS full time. RV is an interesting subject because he may just seem like an everyday guy but is one of the most creative and interesting people. RV is 23 years old and […]

Moses Nueville is a talented barber at Hollywood Cuts, a neighborhood barbershop known for its sharp styles and friendly atmosphere. His journey into barbering began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when closed shops and limited access to haircutspushed him to take matters into his own hands. Inspired by YouTube barbers posting crispy cuts and tutorial videos, […]

Melee Queen and Roxy Delarue Toxin are both Milwaukee-based Drag Queens. Both have been performing in drag for years and have a fond love for the art form. With the recent closure of This Is It (Tits), Wisconsin’s oldest gay bar, Milwaukee drag culture has suffered an immense loss. Despite this, queens such as Melee […]

Student Journalists Cael Byrne Ava Carmody Carter Evenson Lili Fannin David Go Erin O’Neill Anna Oleniczak Mackenzie Quinn Peyton Radloff Caleb Rose Ivy Skarda Yamil Tocuyo-Lopez Instructor Jessica McBride Digital Media Specialist Jeff Loomis This story is part of a semester-long investigative reporting project into missing people’s cases in Milwaukee and Wisconsin. It was created […]

This story is part of a semester-long investigative reporting project into missing people’s cases in Milwaukee and Wisconsin. It was created by an advanced reporting class in the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies program at UW-Milwaukee. Other stories from the project are available here.

In the public court system, some who face trial are waiting at home or are allowed bail to be free around Milwaukee. A severe backlog in trials and felony cases in recent years has resulted in rescheduling trial dates that affect the public. For example, during COVID, there was a shift in the courts because […]

Above all, Manuel José Ordóñez was a person with a large family until his disappearance on Nov. 6, 1982. Manuel had his parents in Milwaukee, a wife, and three daughters, but one thing was not right. He also was one of the city’s drug dealers, the police reports allege. “He was to come back home. […]