An Epic Milwaukee Week
What a week! This year, instead of just celebrating my love for Milwaukee on one day, I’ve been celebrating all week.
On Tuesday, 4/11, I ate my way through the concession area at Miller Park as they introduced a newly created menu with partner Black Shoe Hospitality Group. Between the craft beer, racing sausages, tailgating and now, gourmet food with a Wisconsin flair – I have a reason to love baseball.
On Wednesday 4/12, I had the opportunity to attend the inauguration of the new mayor, Cavalier Johnson. Contrary to his name, he’s enthusiastic, warm and real.
It was surprisingly a bit of an emotional morning. For the first time, Milwaukee elected a Black mayor, under 4o years old. David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive urged him to use collaboration, compassion and conscious when leading. And US Congresswoman Gwen Moore (who is a riot) reminded everyone to have his back when the time came to disrupt systems and structures that make this the worst place in the country for Black kids to grow up. Finally, 40% of our city has someone representing them that looks just like them. Governor Tony Evers made it a point to say how much that matters for aspiring children.
I started to think about how different the Milwaukee experience is for so many people growing up in different zip codes. I thought of films like Milwaukee: 53206 and the book Evicted that explain how people get stuck in a loop of poverty. Hope, faith, hard work – all of these words came up and they all resonated with everyone in the room, no matter their economic status or what part of the city they are from.
On Thursday, 4/14 (the real, fake holiday) I went to the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation’s literary luncheon at the opulent Wisconsin Club. Not only was the setting inviting, the author, Emily St. John Mandel, was gracious, informative and funny. She might be the only writer who has made the genre of science fiction appealing to me.
I capped off the celebration with a Milwaukee puzzle from Hanmade Milwaukee (which is only 1/4 of the way done because puzzles are so hard!) and a crisp, tasty 414 Lager from Company Brewing.
Please use the comment below to tell me how you celebrated 414 Day this year.
Find me exploring and celebrating our city most of the year, but I love how the fever spreads on 4/14.
