Shepherd Express - May 2022 by Shepherd Express

MAY 2022

MAY 2022 | 3

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NEWS 08 What Role do Public Defenters Play in the Justice System 13 This Modern World 14 Banning Books on Race and Sexuality Are Crippling State Education — Taking Liberties 16 Is Democracy Making a Comeback — Issue of the Month 18 Ericka Sinclair is Redefining Healthcare — Hero of the Month 20 Milwaukee's Derek Mosley is a Judge for All Seasons — MKE SPEAKS: Conversations with Milwaukeeans

FOOD & DRINK 24 An Ox Cafe Brings Asian Comfort Food to the Northwest Side 26 All About That Borscht — Flash in the Pan 28 Mezcal and Tequila — Beverages

SPECIAL SECTION 30 Home & Garden

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70 Much Ado About Mommy Dearest — Dear Ruthie 72 Milwaukee's LGBTQ Chorus, Our Voice, Returns with a Spring Concert — My LGBTQ POV

ART FOR ART'S SAKE 74 From the City that Always Sweeps

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Cover: Kayaks photo by raularosa/Getty Images. Beach photo by eyfoto/Getty Images. Bonfire photo by nortonrsx/Getty Images. Fireworks photo by Panorama Images/ Getty Images. Berries photo by kittimages/Getty Images. Hoan bridge photo by Kelly Richardson/Getty Images. Composition and background by Sophie Yufa.

MAY 2022 | 7

NEWS

What Role do Public Defenders Play in the Justice System? BY TOM JENZ

f you ever find yourself arrested for a misdemeanor or even a felony and you don’t have the resources to hire a private sector attorney, you can be represented by a public defender. Generally, over 80% of all Milwaukee County defendants are represented by public defenders. In other words, almost anyone charged with an offense is entitled to legal representation for no charge. The state pays the legal fee. Enter attorney Jeff Schwarz and the platoon of public defenders. How did this all come about? The Wisconsin State Public Defenders Office (SPD) was created by statute in 1965. Until 1972, the office consisted of one attorney, an employee of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, who represented persons who could not afford a lawyer. At that time, several Wisconsin counties paid private sector lawyers to represent poor people charged with crimes. Then, in 1979, the legislature provided funding to add a number of state-employed public defender attorneys. That funding program was supposed to end in late 1985. Instead, the State Public Defenders responsibilities were expanded to the entire state. Tom Reed, the Regional Attorney Manager for State Public Defenders Milwaukee district, manages the SPD’s largest office. A graduate of Northwestern University and the Cornell Law School, he has been a Wisconsin public defender since 1982. “I oversee all the adult appointments in the Milwaukee system,” he said. “In our Milwaukee office, we have roughly 60 attorneys and an additional 200 private practice attorneys who are certified to take public defender appointments, but the number actually taking cases is much smaller. In addition, we have an appellate division of 20 lawyers who handle post-conviction matters like appeals.” The SPD Milwaukee district also includes a full staff of investigators, paralegals and social workers who assess mental health records and other issues. Reed added, “The majority of our clients are people of color. Some of them have addiction problems or mental health issues or traumatic personal backgrounds. They want a lawyer who cares about them personally, regardless of skin color.”

WHAT HAPPENS WITH A FELONY CHARGE? Public defenders generally represent several types of cases: misdemeanors, felonies, juvenile and mental health crimes. Misdemeanor crimes include simple assault, shoplifting, trespassing, disorderly conduct, petty theft and even domestic violence. The penalty can be a maximum of one year, but not prison time. Felonies include theft, fraud, sexual assault and serious crimes of violence including homicide. A felon’s punishment can be a year or more in prison. Jeff Schwarz has devoted most of his adult life to defending the indigent. He grew up in Chicago area, did his undergrad degree at UW Madison, took a year off, then graduated law school at Madison. Right out of school, he went to work for the Milwaukee public defender office, and he has been there ever since. Trauma stalks his job. “Most of my clients have been through a lot of background trauma, perhaps physical or sexual abuse, emotional abuse, in other words, significant drama,” he said.

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Photo by simpson33/Getty Images.

Some Black inner-city residents have spoken of mental illness as a presence in their neighborhoods. Should criminals with mental health problems be placed in a state institution? “In Wisconsin, there are two state mental institutions, Mendota in Madison and Winnebago in Oshkosh,” he answered. “If a client is found mentally incompetent or not guilty by reason of mental disease, they have to wait in the local jail until there is an opening in a state institution. The jails are filled with people who are mentally ill, but the state institutions are full. That is unfortunate.”

Richards supervises 10 staff investigators with law enforcement backgrounds and five with criminal justice degrees. “A public defender attorney will submit a request, and I give the assignment to the investigative staff,” he explained. “We look at the police investigation reports and share our findings with the attorney. Sometimes, the attorney will go with us to examine the crime scene. Essentially, we are taking a second look at the police investigation in order to assist the attorney in preparing the client’s defense. I handle some of the cases myself.”

Many cases get settled before they go to trial by plea negotiations. “But they might be settled pre-trial or on the day of trial,” Schwarz said. “I still have to do all the preparation for those trials in order to get a fair resolution for my client.”

Locating and interviewing witnesses requires considerable skill and patience. Richards and his staff investigate all types of cases including felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies include homicides, shooting incidents, and robberies. “Mainly, our attorneys want to know if the police investigations are accurate,” he said. “We investigate crime scenes, study police photographs, do victim and witness interviews. We might diagram a scene to determine accuracy of the police investigation. We partner with our attorneys to make sure the clients we represent get the best possible defense and are treated fairly.”

Peter Goldberg is retired but handled many felony cases for the public defender office over his 32 years of service. How many of his cases actually ended up going to trial? “Sometimes, six in a year but other times as many as 12 in a year,” he answered. “But cases are not just resolved by pleas or trials. A good part of my practice was motion practice, dealing with 4th Amendment issues like illegal stops, searches and seizures. In other words, a citizen’s rights against the state violating his constitutional rights. This involves evidentiary court work in hearings.”

LOW ODDS OF WINNING I also talked with Angel Johnson and Arial Rosenberg, veteran public defenders. Johnson said, “I very much enjoy working with my clients and getting to know them, but public defenders rarely win cases because everything is stacked against the clients. Once a client is charged, it’s hard to win legal motions and convince the prosecutor to give the client a chance to reform. With many judges it is also difficult. As a result, the outcome of the case may not be just or fair for a client who is ready to reform his life.” Rosenberg added, “I think that a win for us might be getting a client’s plea to be reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor. But it’s the clients that keep most of us going. I love learning my clients’ stories and helping them. There is a lot of trauma in Milwaukee, but there are many people invested in working toward change.” The prosecution appears to have the upper hand because they work with the police who issue the arrest reports. But does this really put the prosecutors at an advantage? Yes, most people involved in the criminal justice system would agree, but there are some that will argue, not necessarily. I contacted Raynard Richards who supervises investigators in the Milwaukee Trial Office. A native of Milwaukee’s central city, Richards spent 33 years with the Milwaukee Police Department, most of that time as a detective investigating all types of crime. Later, as a lieutenant, he oversaw the detectives who handled felonies and serious crimes. “As a public defender investigator, I can look at a police report and judge if all bases had been covered in the investigation of a crime,” Richards said. “Our team checks out a crime scene including victims and witnesses, and we look for what the police might have missed. For instance, our client may have committed the crime, but there were mitigating circumstances to justify what had occurred.”

OUT ON BAIL Wisconsin does not allow bail bonds. If you are charged with a crime and the judge sets your bond at, say, $50,000, you must put up the full $50,000. I asked Public Defender Schwarz to give me an average bail figure. “For homicide, it’s usually at least $100,000,” he said. “The court commissioner decides the bond figure for most felonies. If the prosecutor and I are not happy with the court commissioner’s bail number, we can argue in front of a judge. But generally, we accept the court commissioner’s decision.” Currently, there is strong public interest in why many criminals with records are released on bond at pre-trial. Several have resulted in tragedies: assaults, robberies, car thefts, even homicides. In the worst case, Darrell Brooks Jr. was charged with killing six participants in the Waukesha Christmas parade. Despite a long criminal record, Brooks had been released on a $1,000 bond. How can the bail bond system can let this happen? “You need to understand that the mainstream media generally covers only the sensational crimes,” Schwarz explains. “For every story about someone committing a crime while out on bail, there are 99 people who follow the rules, coming to court, complying with the conditions of bail. A lot of my clients have led successful lives after they finished probation or completed their prison sentences.” Regional Attorney Manager Reed added, “Bail is determined on whether a client is more or less likely to appear at trial but can also be based on criminal history. To determine eligibility for getting a bond, the court relies on an actuarial risk assessment tool similar to how insurance companies set their rates. Those findings are made available to lawyers on both sides of the aisle as well as the court commissioner.”

BACKGROUNDS OF TRAUMA “Probably every criminal statute you can think of has been charged and represented by somebody in our office,” Rosenberg said. “But I’d say we are a combination of therapists and defenders.

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NEWS

Photo by gorodenkoff/Getty Images.

Most of our clients are people of color who have backgrounds of trauma and are referred to us by the city police.” Rosenberg and Johnson manage misdemeanor attorneys with two years or less experience, teaching them to navigate the Milwaukee justice system and the dynamics of public defense including motion practice and trials. One of those newer attorneys is 30-year-old Jason Findling, a public defender for two years. He comes from a somewhat privileged background, his dad a doctor, his mom an RN. Findling grew up in Mequon, earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado and his law degree from Marquette. Why did he choose to become a public defender? “My clients are mostly African Americans raised in the central city,” he answered, “and they have interesting stories that usually include past trauma and dysfunctional upbringing. When my client was a kid, he might have seen his father get shot or even die. I try to tell their stories from their point of view. If my clients happen to plead guilty, I can mitigate their sentences because of their past trauma. I feel like it’s an honor to represent them.” Findling added, “Some laws I consider racist. For instance, concealed weapons, which disproportionately affects people of color. If a Black person is seen openly carrying a gun in a car or on the street, a policeman might ask if he has a permit for the gun. But if you are over the age of 18, you can openly carry a gun. I represent clients who were carrying a gun without a permit. Police sometimes shake down people of color without good cause. I want them treated fairly.” Because domestic violence cases are frequent in Milwaukee, I wanted to know more about the defense process. Rosenberg explained that a special court “hears domestic violence misdemeanor cases. A misdemeanor domestic violence case is brought when there is no severe violence. For example, disorderly conduct with domestic abuse assessment, a battery that doesn’t result in a serious injury. Like an argument where people shoved each other. Slashing the tires of a partner’s car. Pointing a firearm but not shooting. But the prosecutor decides whether a domestic abuse case ends up as a felony or misdemeanor.” I’ve spoken with women whose husbands or mates have come back from incarceration or on bond and once again abused them. These women claim restraining orders are often not enforced.

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“I’ve represented clients who have a restraining order but still violate the order,” Johnson said. “Keep in mind that some women will privately agree to make contact with her abuser despite the restraining order. There are three factors to consider: you have a child in common; you were married or divorced from a partner; or you currently or formerly lived in a romantic relationship with the abused.” Rosenberg added, “Part of the problem with clients who do not obey the restraining orders is that the DA’s office makes blanket orders on no-contact interaction regardless of circumstances. If a guy is arrested for disorderly conduct for yelling at his wife outside the house, the no-contact order would be the same as for the guy who stabbed his wife. Despite the differences in violence, the DA’s and judges think this approach is good for safety. But I think this blanket approach overburdens the system of enforcement.” Another frequent case handled by misdemeanor public defenders is drug and alcohol abuse. “Often, I try to convince my drug abuse clients to get rehab treatment instead of going to jail,” Findling said. The Early Intervention Program is a process to avoid jail in favor of rehabilitation. There are four types of cases that go through the program. Johnson explained, “The first type is diversion, someone arrested on a nonviolent crime like simple theft or drug use. We might work with the DA to set up a treatment program, for instance, drug or alcohol treatment so that the case is never charged. The second type are deferred prosecution agreements where the client pleads guilty, for example, drug possession. Instead of prosecuting, we push back the conviction 6 to 12 months and work with the nonprofit Justice Point to set up a treatment program with follow up measures. Justice Point does the assessment, and then we work with experienced service providers to do the treatments. The purpose is to get the treatment clients to stop committing criminal offenses. The third type is Veterans Treatment Courts which deal with veterans who have committed crimes. We try to help them secure housing, alcohol counseling, and mental health needs. The VA Hospital may get involved. It’s an intense program. The fourth type is Drug Treatment Courts where treatment is more intensive, like weekly check-ins. Our office and the DA try to make sure the clients’ needs are met.”

BUSY SCHEDULES “I pick up almost 40 new cases a month,” Findling said. “Some months I close 20, some months I close two. Cases can drag on

“MOST OF MY CLIENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF BACKGROUND TRAUMA, PERHAPS PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ABUSE, EMOTIONAL ABUSE, IN OTHER WORDS, SIGNIFICANT DRAMA.”

and on because clients do not want to plead guilty. In fact, I rarely advise anyone to plead guilty. I want the state prosecutors to prove their cases. The waiting game might make the prosecutors more reasonable. Even with a guilty plea, the judge might give the client six months in rehab, and then if the client reforms, the judge could vacate the plea.” During these waiting games, what happens to the clients? Do they get out on bail? “A lot of them are out on bail,” Findling said. “Ones with more serious charges remain in custody, in jail. Some are out on personal recognizance bonds where they promise to make court appearances. As far as bail goes, $500 for many of my clients is a lot of money. If a client has to post $5,000, there is no way they make bail. They stay in jail until their trial date or they plead guilty.” Findling brought up another avenue. “I can also negotiate for Deferred Prosecution Agreements,” he said. “In other words, if my clients don’t have a criminal history, they can possibly get their cases dismissed. Even in ‘carrying a gun without a permit’ cases, the accused can take gun safety classes and do 25 hours of community service, and then their cases might get dismissed and their criminal record erased. You know, everyone makes mistakes, does things you regret, and the Deferred Prosecution Agreement allows an offender to prove to the state, the judge, community and their family that they learned their lessons and can be law abiding. When I am done representing a client, I want him to be better, become educated, law-abiding, and have the same opportunities I did in my life.”

WHAT ABOUT JUVENILES CHARGED WITH CRIMES? Attorney Robin Dorman is the Regional Attorney Manager for the Milwaukee Juvenile and Mental Health Office of the Wisconsin State Public Defenders. The Racine native is a 1979 graduate of UW-Madison law school. That year, the public defender office expanded to a statewide service, and she was hired right out of college. Dorman represents children and adults in Milwaukee County and oversees a staff of public defenders and outside private lawyers on contract. She also works with stakeholders in the juvenile court system including judges, district attorneys, Youth & Family Services and the Guardian Ad Litem office. Her office oversees CHIPS (Children in Need of Protective Services) and works with Wraparound Milwaukee, a county program dealing with emotionally disturbed juveniles along with their families.

“We have 18 attorneys on staff, but we do appoint out some of our cases to private bar attorneys,” Dorman said. “For example, if two children are involved in an incident, we are allowed to only represent one. The second child is represented by a private lawyer who is certified to represent children. We have an extensive training program in our office to help people work with both children and adults in the juvenile mental health system. We also represent parents who are facing the loss of their children. The stakes are so high in these cases that it is often referred to as the civil death penalty. Should abusive parents lose their children because of mistreatment? “Keep in mind that children love their parents no matter what,” she countered. “The disruption of removing children from their parents or homes can cause them extreme trauma.” Juveniles are defined as children under 18, and the delinquency age is 10 to 18. All children over 12 in the CHIPS system and over 10 in the delinquency system have the right to an attorney. Treatment courts handling alcohol and drug issues are another legal avenue. For instance, if children have been taken from their parents and placed in Child Protective Services, and if drugs or alcohol are related to why the children are removed, the parents can participate in family drug treatment court. “Some of our lawyers may represent those parents,” Dorman said. “Our goal is to help the parent agree to drug treatment. It’s an intensive program and voluntary, but it’s been a success. It involves a team approach to help addiction recovery and includes parents and their children. The goal is to reunite the family. In Family Drug Treatment Court, we only represent parents with Termination of Parental Rights proceedings. Our work in treatment courts is a very important part of our practice.” What kind of juvenile cases does she represent when the parents have been negligent with their children? “We get involved after the children have been removed from parents’ care for 15 months or longer and the state has filed a Termination of Parental Rights Petition,” she replied. “The children will have been living in foster care or group homes or with relatives. It may be that the parent has started in a treatment program and worked their way back to reunification with their children. Keep in mind that when we represent children, we must involve parents in their cases. That is part of children’s rights.

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NEWS

“For example, in an adult case, there is the client, his lawyer and the prosecutor. In juvenile court, it is different. Besides the legal parties, there are also workers from the child protective services, Human Service workers, parents’ lawyers, and Wraparound personnel. I just came out of a court appearance where there were 17 people in the court hearing. This was a case about a child in the Milwaukee Court Accountability Program as part of our detention facility. He was allowed to return home.” I asked her to expand on the type of felonies juveniles are charged with. “A common juvenile felony is operating a vehicle without owner’s consent,” she said. “Either the offender was involved with the theft of a car or drove a stolen car. We also represent children who are accused of robbery, armed robbery and burglary.” A large number of cases represented by Juvenile and Mental Health Public Defenders includes children arrested for sexual assault charges. Dorman explained, “A boy might have tried to rape a teenage girl. Another charge could be interfamilial sexual assault. A 13-year-old boy might have tried to have sex with an 8-year-old cousin. In such cases, often the parents will call the cops.” I asked if her lawyers represent juveniles charged with homicide. “Yes, we do,” she said. “From the age of 10 on, a child who is charged with committing a homicide can be charged in adult court. Right now, in adult court, we represent a 13-yearold who has been charged with homicide. That’s called ‘original jurisdiction.’ Our lawyer will try to get the case reversed back to juvenile court.”

Photo by LSOphoto/Getty Images.

How does the public defender system work for juvenile and adult clients who have mental health issues? “Those are civil Chapter 51 cases, emergency detention under Chapter 51,” she said, referring to a Wisconsin law mandating that the state and counties provide services enabling individuals to receive treatment in the least restrictive setting. “An example would be when the police are called to a home where a family member is off medication or acting dangerously to self or others. The mental health patient is brought into a hospital that specializes in mental health issues. The patient’s illness and behavior can result in a six-month commitment. Our attorneys try to get these clients help from outside of the commitment system.”

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES Milwaukee native Joseph Smith, Jr. has been a public defender for nearly 28 years. He grew up in the Sherman Park area, and he still lives there. Smith works with children charged with crimes or delinquencies. He also works with children who have been removed from their homes and in need of protection and services because the parents have been alleged to have neglected or abused their children. Upon a court order, Child Protective Services can remove children and place them in foster homes, group homes or even with relatives. 12 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

“My role is to find out what the child wants, not what his parents want,” he said. “Right away, I let my client know what my role is, that my allegiance is to only the child. This helps getting the child to open up and trust me and build a relationship. Keep in mind a lot of my client’s conversation includes sharing pretty personal things.” Smith helped defend Anissa Weier in the highly publicized “Slender Man case.” In 2014, two 12-year-old girls, Weier and Morgan Geyser, lured a friend into a forest and stabbed her 19 times in an attempt to become proxies of the fictional character Slender Man. The victim crawled to a road and later recovered after six days in the hospital. Smith fought to establish that Weier was not criminally responsible for the attempted murder by virtue of delusional psychosis. The jury agreed and found her not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. He explained that often mental health issues play a significant role in delinquency and criminal offenses committed by children. “Slender Man was a case where mental health impacted the bad decisions that the children made. Anissa suffered from significant mental health issues. She was placed in a restrictive setting under the care of a team of psychologists, therapists and social workers at a mental health facility. The treatment she received has made her healthier. The court order is for her to be monitored for 25 years by the Department of Corrections and the Health and Human Services with some of that time under conditional release in the community.” For more information on defending clients with mental health issues, I contacted juvenile and mental health public defender Angela Cunningham. She has an impressive background, including a master’s degree in social work and a law degree from Northwestern University. She represents juveniles in delinquency matters and children in need of protection services. She also defends adults in Chapter 51 cases, guardianship matters, and termination of parental right matters. How does she determine when a juvenile or parent client has a problem with mental health? “A human services worker gets involved and works with my client and his or her family,” she said. “The social worker might get Wraparound and other outside mental health organizations involved. The public defender office has a whole community of services to help clients and their families.” She added, “When I meet clients at intake court, I ask certain background questions to gather information about their mental health, or they might have a history of mental health problems. If I am concerned about competency issues, then I will raise that issue with the court who will pause proceedings for my client to be evaluated by a doctor who writes a report for the court.”

he public defender process begins when someone is arrested and charged with a crime and that person doesn’t have enough income or assets to hire a lawyer. Enter the public defender office who takes on that case. This is called an appointment. Tom Reed explained, “The State Public Defender makes a large number of appointments in Milwaukee each year. For example, in 2021, we appointed a total of 11,273 cases to our staff attorneys and to private bar attorneys who agree to take cases we can’t handle. There were an additional 6,479 juvenile/mental health commitment cases appointed. The Milwaukee Circuit Courts run an Intake Court seven days a week, and it’s almost never closed. Beside the cases our staff attorneys are already handling, each public defender is assigned approximately 25 days in intake court to meet new clients and be with them at their Initial Appearance.” Being a public defender means high pressure. What are the salaries of these dedicated public servants? The state compensation employs an hourly salary figure. The lowest figure is $27/hour and the highest is $64.26. But annual salaries are determined

THE PROCESS by a set formula: the hourly rate times 2080 hours. The salary spread, depending on experience, ranges from $56,160 to $133,660. Private attorneys are paid $70 per hour to represent clients. Reed expanded, “Our attorneys are required to work the hours necessary to complete their casework. This involves long hours in almost all cases. We also have the lawyers making appearances in intake court which runs seven days a week. Every attorney has weekend duty and is also on a schedule for ‘on-call’ evening issues requiring a lawyer. On a daily basis our lawyers are confronted with the extraordinary challenges facing their clients while making one court appearance after another. One client is hospitalized because of a drug overdose or suicide attempt, a second was the victim of a crime, and a third client isn’t in court because an employer will not permit the client to miss work without forfeiting his job. Another can't obtain necessary transportation. After court, attorneys are seeing clients in custody and watching hours of video evidence from police cameras and many other sources. There is a non-stop feel to the job.”

What motivated Reed to spend his entire career in public defender work? “What makes the work so compelling is a combination of three things,” he replied. “One, it is an intensely human type of work. We deal with people at the lowest point of their lives. They are facing serious crises. Two, mastering the technical skills. We have a complex legal system. Our lawyers must have the technical skills to work through these complications. Three, as public defenders, we have a mission to ensure that we have a fair and just society that looks after the obligation to any citizen who is accused of a crime.” I asked retired public defender Peter Goldberg the same question. He said, “Of all areas of law, defense work is the most human because it deals with the emotions, values, ethics and behaviors. I also think it’s about the most intellectual area of the law. In my career, I was arguing with concepts of freedom and equal justice.

Tom Jenz writes the Central City Stories column for shepherdexpress.com.

MAY 2022 | 13

NEWS TAKING LIBERTIES

Banning Books on Race and Sexuality Are Crippling State Education BY JOEL MCNALLY

n unprecedented tidal wave of book banning has removed more books from school libraries than in any previous year in recent American history in just the last nine months. Republicans are trying to stop educational institutions from providing factual information to students about either America’s racial history or human sexuality.

today’s world. Republicans are futilely attempting to halt America’s rapidly increasing racial diversity to restore fading white supremacy. Their only sexual concern is to inflame more bigotry toward gay, lesbian and transgender Americans. They’re losing on all counts despite all the books they’ve thrown on their roaring bonfires in recent months.

PEN America, the nonprofit organization of American writers advocating for free expression, documented removal of 1,586 books by more than 800 authors. In 98% of the cases, the group said, cowardly school administrators wary of public controversy covertly removed books without following established procedures to determine educational or literary value.

One of the most challenged books of the past year was the children’s book Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges telling her experiences in 1960 as a 6-year-old Black child integrating an all-white school in New Orleans. It’s promoted as an inspirational story “celebrating the courage of a young girl who stayed strong in the face of racism.”

In this election year, rightwing Republicans are doing their best to keep their white supporters as riled up as they were under President Trump. Republican donors funded screaming parent groups disrupting school board meetings throughout the nation. They combined their party’s latest attacks on schools for accurately teaching U.S. history with their decades-old opposition to sex education.

Bridges, now 67, testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on the historic wave of book banning. “My books are written to bring people together,” Bridges said. “Why would they be banned? When I share my experiences and my story in these books, I share our shared history, good, bad and ugly.”

RACISM? SEXISM? Many parents may wish to prevent their children from learning about the existence of either racism or sex for as long as possible, but their kids are already learning about both all the time in 14 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

The Bluest Eye, the first novel by Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison, was the fifth most banned book. The novel is about an 11-year-old Black girl who prays for her eyes to turn blue so she’ll be considered beautiful in America. It belongs in any school teaching children not to feel inferior for being different.

Illustration by Michael Burmesch.

BANNING MLK AND DUKE ELLINGTON? Forty-two children’s books on PEN America’s list of banned books were simply biographies of prominent people of color including civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, bandleader Duke Ellington, NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, labor leader Cesar Chavez, South African President Nelson Mandela and Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, at 17 the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for activism on behalf of female education. Why wouldn’t white Republicans want their children to read those books in their schools? Possibly even more damaging to children who are afraid of being different is the frantic attempt to remove any books from school libraries dealing with LGBTQ issues. The top three books banned from school libraries were Gender Queer, a graphic novel about feeling nonbinary, neither neatly male nor female, All Boys Aren’t Blue, a memoir about growing up Black and gay and Lawn Boy, a young-adult novel that includes a description of a sexual encounter between two elementary school students. Helping children understand their natural feelings as they develop is one of education’s most important roles. Understanding their own feelings and respecting those of others benefits all children at a time when emotions are supercharged. Gay and bisexual teens report being bullied twice as often as their peers and are three times more likely to contemplate suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention Control. Republicans despicably attack teachers dealing with questions about gender and sexuality as child predators “grooming” children for sexual abuse. Teachers are far more likely to be the trusted adults children can tell about sexual abuse by relatives in the home, which is where most child sexual abuse takes place. The vicious Republican attacks on Wisconsin schools aren’t working nearly as well as Republicans pretend. Republican school board victories last month were in deep red places like Waukesha while Democrats won school board races in more competitive cities including La Crosse, Eau Claire, Appleton, Beloit, Fond du Lac and Oshkosh. Even in Waukesha, Mayor Shawn Reilly, who quit the Republican party after its violent attack on the Capitol trying to overthrow President Biden’s election, was re-elected with 64% of the vote. Democrats will need every vote they can muster in November’s midterms to re-elect Gov. Tony Evers to veto the continuing attempts by Wisconsin’s gerrymandered Republican legislature to destroy education and democracy.

Joel McNally was a critic and columnist for the Milwaukee Journal for 27 years. He has written the weekly Taking Liberties column for the Shepherd Express since 1996.

MAY 2022 | 15

NEWS ISSUE OF THE MONTH

Is Democracy Making a Comeback? BY E. G. NADEAU

mmanuel Macron was just reelected as President of France. He fended off a challenge from Marine La Pen, a far-right, pro-Russian challenger, who would have sent shockwaves through the entire European Union. Does Macron’s reelection represent a pro-democracy trend, or was it just an isolated victory? A review of analyses of political trends over the last couple of decades would give a pessimist answer to this question. For example, the Democracy Report 2022 concludes: “The level of democracy enjoyed by the average global citizen in 2021 is down to 1989 levels. The last 30 years of democratic advances are now eradicated. Dictatorships are on the rise and harbor 70% of the . . . world population . . . .”

WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE RAPID RISE, THEN GRADUAL DECLINE OF DEMOCRACY SINCE WORLD WAR II? This is a complicated question. Following are some possible answers. Much of the proliferation of new democracies after World War II resulted from the end of colonialism in Asia, Africa, and on islands in Oceania and the Caribbean from the late 1940s through the 1970s, and from the break-up of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia around 1990. As we have found out, however, one cannot just wave a magic wand and create a democracy. In 1945, there were 74 sovereign in the world. Today, there are 193 member states in the United Nations, representing just about every country in the world. That is approaching an almost threefold increase in less than 80 years. Many of the newly minted (or liberated) countries have struggled to become democratically run—even if they were formed as nominal democracies.

Not exactly uplifting news for those of us who value “government of the people, by the people and for the people.” Other recent analyses have drawn similar conclusions about the erosion of democracy over the last decade or more.

A different set of factors have undercut long-established democracies in the early 21st century, especially self-serving politicians and political parties, often financed by wealthy individuals and corporations.

But then along came Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. In addition to the deaths, destruction, suffering and dislocation inflicted on Ukrainians by Russia's ”special military operation,” there have been three major consequences not intended by Putin: strong, effective resistance by the Ukrainian government and its people to the invasion; an outpouring of support for Ukraine by democratic countries around the world; and a level of political, economic, and military cooperation among them that has not been seen since the end of World War II.

Taken together, these diverse factors have reduced the level of democracy around the world.

Thus, despite the gradual decline in democratic institutions in recent decades and the continuing tragedy of the war in Ukraine, the tone of this article is optimistic about the future of democracy in the world.

CHANGES IN DEMOCRACY SINCE WORLD WAR II Each year the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Freedom House and other organizations publish reports on the current state of democracy in the world. For the past 16 years the EIU’s Democracy Index has been on a downward trend. The Freedom House Index has shown a similar negative pattern for 17 years. That is, the countries of the world have become less democratic and more authoritarian during most of the 21st century to date. There was a very different pattern that began during World War II, according to the Center for Systemic Peace. The world experienced an unprecedented flowering of democracy that continued through the remainder of the 20th century. According to the center, the approximate number of democratic countries increased from 10 during World War II in the early 1940s to 80 in 2000, and autocratic rule declined from a peak of about 90 countries in the late 1970s to 30 in 2000. 16 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

THE REACTION OF DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES TO PUTIN’S WAR The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, and other democratic countries and institutions have denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They also quickly supported a range of economic sanctions on Russia and the provision of arms and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including support for refugees. The current actions of democratic countries around the world echo their response to the German, Italian, and Japanese invasions of their neighbors in World War II. Democracy in the world was up against the wall in the early 1940s, but the allies prevailed in Europe, Asia, and Africa. At the time, Russia was a key, but uneasy, part of this anti-fascist coalition. As was borne out in the following decades, Russia had a very different, long-term goal from its democratic allies—creation of an authoritarian Soviet empire rather than preservation and expansion of democracy. Now, Russia is the autocratic aggressor against its democratic neighbor, Ukraine. And a world democratic alliance has rapidly formed to counter this aggression.

A RESURGENCE OF DEMOCRACY, AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF PUTIN’S WAR As Jennifer Rubin put it in a recent Washington Post opinion piece: “A renaissance of bipartisan, pro-democracy sentiment may be one of the many startling consequences of Russia’s invasion.”

Right now, there is no way of knowing yet what the short- or longterm effects of Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine will be. Nor is it clear whether or not the heightened level of cooperation among democratic countries of the world will continue after the war is over. Another uncertainty is whether the current democratic upsurge will translate into transitions within countries that make them more democratic. For example, will the current bipartisan support of Ukraine in the United States create a broader conciliatory relationship between the two political parties? Will support of Ukraine reduce the proliferation of some of the crazy conspiracy theories about the outcome of the last presidential election and set the stage for free and fair elections in 2022 and 2024? Will the upsurge of pro-Ukrainian sentiment around the world and Macron’s recent victory in France help set the stage for other pro-democracy wins in other countries? We don’t know the answers to these questions yet. But I'm betting that future reports from the Economist Intelligence Unit, Freedom House and other analyses will show increases in democracy around the world rather than the gradual declines we have seen in recent years.

E. G. Nadeau, Ph.D. is co-director of the Cooperative Society Project, dedicated to the proposition that humanity may be on the threshold of a new historical stage characterized by cooperation, democracy, the equitable distribution of resources and a sustainable relationship with nature. MAY 2022 | 17

NEWS HERO OF THE MONTH

Ericka Sinclair is Redef ining Healthcare BY ERIN BLOODGOOD

fter working in the healthcare industry for over 15 years, Ericka Sinclair had a vision of redefining patient care by creating a community-based clinic. In traditional clinical care, she saw patterns that were not beneficial to the patients: physicians weren’t trained to have deep conversations with them, and people often didn’t know how to use their insurance. As a response, Sinclair had her sights set on a “systems change,” she says, so in 2015, she started what is now called Health Connections, Inc. Health Connections started as a medical center meant to provide primary care for vulnerable populations with a special focus in HIV treatment and prevention and is now known for its specialty in transgender care. Sinclair built a model that prioritized training staff to have deeper conversations with clients and teach patients how to use their insurance. “So, you have insurance, but you don’t know how to use it,” Sinclair says. “There needs to be a bridge there. I wanted Health Connections to be that—be the bridge, fill the gap, make sure people understand how systems work.” Their patients may have hour-long primary care appointments, rather than the standard 15-minutes at most major institutions—it depends on the needs of the patient.

IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS The care providers at Health Connections make a point to build a relationship with their clients and learn about the outside stress18 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ors in their lives that may impact their health. The point, Sinclair explains, is to leave people feeling whole at the end of their visit. “What could [the healthcare system] look like if we were really invested in getting people care,” she wonders. The success of this model is exemplified in some of their earliest patients who were both transgender and HIV positive. With the help of her main nurse practitioner Linda Wesp, Sinclair realized these patients’ HIV medication wasn’t working properly because of the hormones they were taking—often under the table from friends. Once realizing this, Sinclair and Wesp were able to get those patients’ hormones covered by their insurance and find a combination of medicine that worked. Little did they know, Health Connections was filling a gap in the Milwaukee area for transgender care.

BUILDING A WORKFORCE Since the beginning, Sinclair has prioritized mentoring and supporting her staff, but now she has big plans for expanding that model. She has long believed that changing the healthcare system requires investing in the workforce by giving care providers both the support they need and experience across disciplines. Health Connections is beginning to partner with medical universities including UW Milwaukee College of Nursing, Trinity School, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and Bryant & Stratton College.

Photo by Erin Bloodgood.

The plan is to build a rotation for students to fill clinical hours, which allows them to gain experience across disciplines and institutions. These community clinics would be based in different neighborhoods around the city so they can serve different patient populations. Sinclair wants to disrupt the traditional siloed model of training and create spaces that build community, trust, and safe space for learning. Most importantly, the caregivers would have access to counseling and support that keeps them healthy. Sinclair says they’ll graduate from the program with the skills they need to be professionals, “but they will also walk away with an understanding of how to be healthy themselves as caregivers, so that when they are taking care of other people, they are literally operating at the highest level they can.” Sinclair envisions a future where our health care system looks different—one that invests in people. “We want to change systems in real tangible ways,” she says.

Learn more about Health Connections, Inc. at www.healthconnectmke.org. Erin Bloodgood is a Milwaukee photographer and storyteller. See more of her work on her website at www.bloodgoodfoto.com

MAY 2022 | 19

NEWS MKE SPEAKS: CONVERSATIONS WITH MILWAUKEEANS

MILWAUKEE’S DEREK MOSLEY IS A JUDGE FOR ALL SEASONS BY TOM JENZ

20 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Photo by Tom Jenz.

ou ran a red light or got pulled over for speeding by a city cop. Next thing you know you’re standing in front of Municipal Judge Derek Mosley in his municipal court. After determining your fine, he might help you get a job. Do you want to get married? He will officiate at your wedding. How about a new restaurant for your dining pleasure? Judge Mosley will tell you where to go to enjoy great food in Milwaukee, even show you pictures of the meals. Or maybe you’d like a lesson in American history. The judge will deliver a lecture on Understanding Unconscious Bias for your civic group or church. Brimming with charisma, he exudes an attitude built on optimism, and he laughs a lot. Throughout our discussion, it became clear that Mosley loves Milwaukee Now 51, Mosley grew up on Chicago’s South Side. His dad was an engineer for Illinois Bell. His mom was a secretary at Governors State University. He graduated from Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, did his undergraduate college degree in Iowa and received a full ride scholarship to Marquette Law School. He graduated in 1995.

What was your first job out of college? My goal was to be a public defender in Milwaukee, but there were no openings. District Attorney E. Michael McCann wanted to hire me as a prosecutor, but I said I’d rather be a public defender, that I wanted to help people. He told me, “When you are a public defender, you have to ask the prosecutor, ‘Hey, would you do this for my client?’ When you’re a prosecutor, you just do it.” That sold me. I worked as a prosecutor for eight years doing misdemeanors, felonies, and general crimes. But I fell in love with children’s court because I was dealing with juveniles who looked like me, Black and brown kids. Everybody else in the courtroom was white. For a Black kid to see a Black adult in the system gives him hope to be treated fairly.

How did you end up becoming a judge? My mentor was the Black [Municipal Court] Judge Louis Butler. He later served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In 2002, Judge Butler told me he was running for Circuit Court Judge. He encouraged me to seek his Municipal Court Judge position. When I was coming up through the ranks, if you were a Black attorney, you found out about openings after they were posted. White attorneys got wind of openings six months before they were posted. After Judge Butler left, the Common Council appointed me to be the Chief Judge of the City of Milwaukee Municipal Court in the middle of the term. I won the next election. Every four years, I have to run again to keep my seat.

As a municipal judge, you don’t deal with felons, but what about the minor crimes that do not dominate the news? What kind of cases do you handle? I handle minor infractions like parking tickets all the way up to vandalism, assault and batteries, disorderly conduct, building and health codes and also OWI’s. But currently, most cases are about traffic violations, reckless driving, running red lights.

As a municipal judge, how do you decide on what the fines should be? Every time a police officer writes a ticket, there is a forfeiture amount on that ticket. For instance, if you get a disorderly conduct ticket, the citation amount is $187. But I have the discretion to go as high as $500. I base the fine on the defendant’s prior record and whether they show contrition.

What is considered disorderly conduct? That particular statute reads—"Being loud, abusive, profane, boisterous, or otherwise disorderly that tends to cause or provoke a disturbance.” Examples are bar fights, arguments between neighbors, fights in schools.

How do traffic tickets get settled? When you are stopped, a police officer hands you a ticket with a court date. You can call the court and set up an appointment. You can appear in court in person or log onto Zoom. Let’s say the charge is speeding 20mph over the limit. I ask you for your plea, guilty or not guilty. If not guilty, I set a date for you to meet with the prosecutor to work out a deal. If guilty, I pose a fine. The big issue can be the matter of points assessed to your driver record.

I suspect you need to have a lot of experience to make these judgement calls. Of course, but much of my experience comes from living in the city. As a municipal judge, I am required to live in the municipality of where I work. When I was in the District Attorney’s office, we started the Community Prosecution Unit. DAs were assigned to a neighborhood association and to a police district. I was assigned to the Black Harambee neighborhood and the Williamsburg Heights neighborhood. That’s how I learned about Milwaukee. This program still goes on. DA’s meet the people in their own neighborhoods.

Are traffic tickets rampant? In my experience, the most dangerous streets for driving are 35th and 27th from the 94 freeway up to Capital Drive in the north. You are right. Also, Fond du Lac, Sherman Boulevard and Layton. I see a lot of violations happening on those streets. Right now, traffic tickets are very concerning. Running red lights, passing on the right, speeding,

What do you do with repeat offenders? Here is how traffic tickets work. Every moving violation has points. Once you exceed 12 points, you lose your license. For repeat offenders, I tend to increase the fines and the points. You can lose your license for six months, a year, even five years.

Does being a judge ever get discouraging? You are dealing with people who are sometimes living on the edge. Almost every driver clearly knows they can get a ticket for speeding. So I ask them, “Why are you doing this, especially when it affects your job?” That part is discouraging. Young people generally get to be old enough where obeying the law makes sense to them. For example, you could get a good paying job with Amazon, but your driving record is awful, and then you don’t get that job because you do not qualify. MAY 2022 | 21

NEWS MKE SPEAKS: CONVERSATIONS WITH MILWAUKEEANS

What kind of juvenile cases do you deal with? Many of those cases happen in schools. Truancy, disorderly conduct, curfew violations, or traffic offenses by kids who have never had a driver’s license. Once, I had a young man about 16 who had two speeding tickets. He did not have a license. I asked him why. He said, “I don’t need a driver’s license to drive. I just need a car.” That stuck with me.

What kind of punishment do you give for kids fighting in schools? If they can’t pay the fine, they do community service. The Social Development Commission puts them through a program of community service, maybe doing work in their schools or picking up trash.

There is an impression among many white residents that the central city harbors lawbreakers. I’ve spent a lot of time on the inner city streets, and I can say that 99% of Black residents want safe neighborhoods. Is Milwaukee doing enough to control and prevent crime? Your statement is 100% correct. When I worked as a prosecutor in the Harambee neighborhood, for instance, a lot of Black residents would ask if we could put a cop on every corner and have the cop just sit there all day. As for the crime issue, consider this: We put so many barriers on certain residents for them to change their ways. For instance, if you’ve been convicted of a felony, it’s difficult to get a job because that is always on your record. Also, there are not many good jobs located in the central city. The good jobs are located in the suburbs.

I’d like to talk about your other interests. Starting with food, which is your favorite subject, right? How did you become a food influencer? It started out on Facebook where I was posting work things like new law changes, and I signed them “Your friendly neighborhood judge.” My followers liked those updates. Then, I started posting information about Job Fairs like at Amazon or IKEA. This all gave me a lot of followers. Meanwhile, I was eating at all kinds of restaurants and taking pictures of the food and posting them on Facebook, suggesting my followers give each restaurant a try. I got Black people going to parts of town they wouldn’t normally 22 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

frequent—and white people doing the same. Also, every February, I do daily posts on Black history, everyday a different fact. That has gotten me a national following. All those demographics have turned into me being a food influencer because everybody loves food. In Milwaukee, there are a lot of chefs opening up their own places—Spanish, Portuguese, African, Korean, Jamaican, Ethiopian. I eat out two or three times a week for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you want to meet me for a business lunch, we will meet at a restaurant you haven’t been to. Might be Peruvian or Puerto Rican.

On another platform, you are the wedding king, and you have officiated more than 1,000 weddings over 20 years. How did that come about? That is one of my judge responsibilities—marrying people doing civil weddings in the civil court. Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease. The doctors told me if I didn’t get a kidney transplant, I was gonna die. For two years, I had to do dialysis for 10 hours each night of the week and it was dejecting. I looked forward to weekends when I could do weddings where everyone was happy. I started at 10 weddings, then I did 20, then 40, and so on. After I got the kidney transplant, I was able to do more weddings. I might do from 50 to 100 weddings per year.

I asked Judge Mosley if I could take his portrait, and he gladly agreed but made a caveat that he needed to wear his trademark black robe. I wear my robe every opportunity I get because there are too many pictures of Black and brown men in orange jumpsuits. I wear the robe for what it represents. On my bench, I have blind Lady Justice holding the scales of justice. Right at her feet, I have an actual pair of shackles. Why do this? Because it reminds me that for me to be sitting on this bench—my ancestors, my own blood survived slavery, emancipation, reconstruction, the Black codes, lynchings, loss of culture, the Civil Rights Movement, and all of that just so I had the opportunity to be a judge and wear the black robe.

Tom Jenz writes Central City Stories for shepherdexpress.com.

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

MAY 2022 | 23

FOOD & DRINK

AN OX CAFE BRINGS ASIAN COMFORT FOOD TO THE NORTHWEST SIDE BY SUSAN HARPT GRIMES

n Ox Cafe is a new gem of a restaurant on the Northwest side, with the look and feel of a place you’d expect to see in the hip Third Ward or Walker’s Point area. A contemporary, rustic-industrial design aesthetic is well used throughout two dining areas, separated by a full bar, and as well as outside on what promises to be an excellent outdoor patio dining space in the warmer months. The Laotian couple who own the restaurant were planning to open in 2020, but pressed pause when the pandemic began. They took the extra time to refine their plan and created a lovely space to serve their own delicious take on Asian comfort food. On a recent visit, service was fast and very friendly. Starters include the familiar, like perfectly prepared Crab Rangoons ($6.99) served with plum sauce. For folks who are a bit more adventurous go for the Crispy Squid ($11.99) served with An 24 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Photos by Susan Harpt Grimes.

Ox special sauce. Another item that could serve as a shareable appetizer is the Nam Kow ($11.99), a fantastic dish made of deep-fried rice, flavored with curry, peanut, coconut, fresh lime juice and tasty nam sausage.

An Ox Cafe also offers a pleasing selection of curries, noodle dishes, and entrees. Beautifully plated and freshly prepared, classic dishes like the Pad See Euw ($14.99), wide rice noodles, broccoli, egg, and your choice of meat, or the spicy, yet creamy, Panang Curry ($15.99) definitely meet the goal of “comfort food.” Standout entrees include a delightful Roast Pork ($24.99) featuring marinated, crispy-edged pork and the authentic house made Lao pork sausage (12.99), both of which are served with rice and a special house hot sauce. Other popular and familiar dishes like Volcano Chicken ($16.99), Fried Rice ($13.99), a special house Pho (($15.99), and even a Friday only Cod Fish Fry ($19.99) are also available. In addition to its wonderful food, An Ox Cafe is establishing itself as a great neighborhood place for a drink. A full bar means

there are, of course, adult beverages available including 15 varieties of bottled beer ($4), draft beer ($5), and mixed drinks ($6). But for folks who’d prefer to go with non-alcoholic drinks, try the creamy and delicious Thai Iced Tea ($4). Every Thursday from 8-11p.m. is karaoke night, and $5 happy hour specials run every Wednesday through Friday from 2-5 p.m. An Ox Cafe is a welcome addition to the Northwest side of town and will hopefully be around for many years to come.

AN OX CAFE 7411 W. Hampton Avenue (414) 336-0064 facebook.com/anoxcafe $$-$$$ Handicap Accessible? Yes

Susan Harpt Grimes is a longtime restaurant and features writer for the Shepherd Express. MAY 2022 | 25

FOOD & DRINK FLASH IN THE PAN

ALL ABOUT THAT BORSCHT BY ARI LEVAUX

ith the invasion happening in real time as I write this, I have no idea how the chips will have fallen by the time you read it. But one thing is clear. President Zelensky, and the nation he leads, are like a hearty bowl of borscht.

On my desk is a self-published book of memoirs written by my cousin Paul Zavod, who was born in Ukraine, in 1914. My mother’s parents also came from Ukraine, as did my father’s grandparents. Ukraine was a rough place for Jews at that time. Paul’s father was arrested for sneaking to the outhouse after curfew one night. They couldn’t even leave their village without special permission. But the scariest moment, according to Paul’s father, came when a pig escaped from a nearby farm and wandered into the neighborhood. A resident was running a secret, unregistered and highly illegal vodka making operation, and the smell of the alcoholic grain mash had caught the attention of the pig. The mash was hidden in an underground pit that was covered by some old boards. The massive animal broke through the boards and fell into the pit.

26 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

“Now, drunk as a hoot owl, trying to get out, the pig was bellowing at the top of its lungs,” Paul wrote. “If anyone had reported it, all of us would have been in serious trouble. Luckily, we lived in a part of town that was 100% Jewish, and everyone knew what would happen if this became known, so no one even dreamed of reporting it. However, the animal had to be gotten rid of before he woke the rest of the people.” Since they couldn’t get it out, they killed the pig in the pit and covered it with dirt. Luckily, it didn’t occur to anyone to search the Jewish neighborhood for the missing pig, and the mystery was never solved. Ukraine has come a long way since then. It’s now led by a Jewish president, which would have been unthinkable, and is a testament to how far this young democracy has come. Yet in other ways little has changed. Here we are, a century after my family left, but the neighborhood is still being bothered by a drunk, lost pig. Borscht is often celebrated as a Russian dish, but that only holds true if Ukraine is part of Russia, because borscht—and specifically the kind made primarily with beets—comes from Ukraine. If you don’t believe me, ask my mom.

Years ago, seven time zones away from Ukraine, in the dining car of a train in Siberia, I ordered a bowl of borscht. It was purple water with slices of hot dogs in it. They billed us not only for the pathetic bowl of soup, but also for the use of the silverware. When we protested the host explained “mafia” and made a karate chop motion across his femur. You can’t get much more salt-of-theland than borscht, and that is the kind of wholesome, earthy image that Putin wants for all of Mother Russia. But he’s acting more like the guy on the train. Zelensky, meanwhile, is walking the talk. He is from Ukraine and was chosen by the Ukrainians to lead them. He is a deep bowl of borscht with extra-sour cream, with a dill pickle on the side. I was at the farmers market last Saturday, shopping for borscht materials. A cool thing about borscht is that you can get all of the ingredients you need at the winter market. Beets, onions, carrots, garlic, celery, and even some meat on the bone – if you are feeling rich.

MEATY OVEN BORSCHT

I make this recipe when I want more of a rich stew than a humble soup. Cooking the stew in the oven heats the house, a nod to the old village, where the cook stove was the center of the action. • 1-plus pounds of meat on the bone (e.g., spare rib or shank) • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 large onion, chopped • 2 lbs. beets, trimmed and cut into quarters or 1/8ths • 3 stalks celery, minced • 3 large carrots, sliced • 1 large or several small potatoes, cubed • 1 15-oz can of canned tomatoes • 4 cloves garlic, chopped or mashed • 1 lemon or lime • 2 tbsp cider vinegar • 2 quarts stock • 2 teaspoons salt • 2 bay leaves • Green herbs like dill for garnish • Sour cream and mayo for garnish Photo by Ari LeVaux.

Turn on the broiler. Put the meat in a lidded baking pan, but without the lid for now, in middle or lower third of the oven, and carefully brown the meat until crispy brown but not burned. Remove the baking pan from the broiler. Put the meat on a plate to cool and add the oil and onions to the hot pan, allowing the onions to start cooking. When the meat is cool enough to work with, cut it off the bone and cube it, and put it back in the baking pan, along with the beets, celery, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, lime, vinegar, stock, salt and bay leaves. Braise at 350 with the lid on for an hour, then remove it from the oven to inspect. Sip the broth, and season with salt and pepper. Add more water if the level has dropped near or below half. Chew the meat and see if it’s soft enough. When the meat is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit for an hour or so before serving. Garnish with herbs, and enough of that white creamy stuff to turn the borscht a bit pink.

Ari LeVaux has written about food for The Atlantic Online, Outside Online and Alternet. MAY 2022 | 27

FOOD & DRINK BEVERAGES

MEZCAL AND TEQUILA BY GAETANO MARANGELLI

ou’ve been drinking mezcal for as long as you’ve been drinking tequila. You just don’t know it yet.

Tequila is to mezcal what Scotch is to whisky — or whiskey. Tequila is simply a kind of mezcal. Just as whiskies and whiskeys are defined by the fruits and customs of their native earth, mezcals are defined by theirs. A mezcal is any spirit made from agave, a genus of succulent plant with species native to the arid and semi-arid regions of the Americas, particularly Mexico. The majority of mezcal is made in the Oaxaca region of Mexico from the species of agave called Espadin. Tequila—a variety of mezcal—is made in the Tequila region of the Mexican state of Jalisco from the Weber Blue agave species. If you want to make mezcal, the agave plant asks a lot of you. First, the agave asks you to cultivate it for ten years before harvesting it. Then agave asks you to liberate its heart—the piña—by removing its rosettes of long, leathery leaves with bear

spines along its edges and its tips. If you’re making mezcal as an artisan, you’re roasting piñas in pits of earth with lava rocks for several days. (If you’re making tequila in Jalisco with Blue Weber agave, you’re roasting or steaming its piñas in ovens.) Then you’re crushing and mashing the piñas and fermenting, distilling, and aging its liquor. Many mezcal producers have adopted more expeditious—which is to say, mechanical—means of making their spirit. But those dishonest means deprive their spirits of mezcal’s signature smoky quality. Do you like your spirits straight up? Then drink your mezcal like a Oaxacan, with a slice of orange and a pinch of chili salt. Do you like your spirits in a cocktail? Then any honest mezcal, like any honest tequila, can play a starring role in many kinds of drinks. If you find your cupboard without mezcal and tequila, refer to the terminology guides to shop for a bottle or two. And if you’ve got a bottle or two in the house, Brandon Reyes, General Manager of Bittercube, offers you two cocktails to try tonight. Photo by mofles/Getty Images.

MEZCAL TERMINOLOGY

TEQUILA TERMINOLOGY

Joven: Aged up to two months.

Blanco, Silver, or Plata: Unaged tequila.

Reposado: Aged between two months and one year. Añejo: Aged one to three years.

Joven or Gold: Unaged tequila blended with Añejo tequila or gold coloring.

Extra Añejo: Aged more than three years.

Reposado: Aged in wood barrels for up to one year.

Mixto: Mezcal made with at least 80% agave but mixed with sugars or other spirits.

Añejo: Aged in wood barrels for one to three years. Extra Añejo: Aged in wood barrels for at least three years. Mixto: Tequila made with at least 52% agave, but mixed with sugars or other spirits.

28 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

MEZCAL AND TEQUILA COCKTAILS Courtesy of Brandon Reyes, General Manager of Bittercube

MEZCAL PALOMA Ingredients:

FLORECITA Ingredients:

• 3⁄4 oz Fresh lime juice

• 3⁄4 oz Fresh lemon juice

• 11 ⁄2 oz Fresh grapefruit juice

• 11 ⁄2 oz Demerara syrup

• 3⁄4 oz Simple syrup • 11 ⁄2 Mezcal Joven

• 1 ⁄2 oz Heirloom Creme de Flora

• 20 Drops Disco Inferno Liquid Heat

• 2 Dashes Bittercube Chipotle Cacao Bitters

• 11 ⁄2 oz Seltzer • Glass: Collins

• Glass: Coupe or other stemmed glass

• Garnish: Slice of fresh grapefruit

• Garnish: Expressed orange peel

Instructions: Add all of the ingredients except seltzer to the cocktail shaker and then fill with ice. Shake briefly with a fluid, strong motion. Add seltzer to the shaker and strain into Collins glass over fresh ice.

• 11 ⁄2 oz Tequila Reposado

Instructions: Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and then fill with ice. Shake with a fluid, strong motion and strain into cocktail glass. Photos by Marisa Krivitz, Social Media & Retail Coordinator, Bittercube.

Gaetano Marangelli is a sommelier and playwright. He was the managing director of a wine import and distribution company in New York and beverage director for restaurants and retailers in New York and Chicago before moving to Wauwatosa. Background illustration by Lidia Lykova/Getty Images.

MAY 2022 | 29

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN OPEN HOUSE | SPONSORED BY MINOR'S GARDEN CENTER, INC.

Spring-Cleaning Hacks You’ve Got to Try to Believe SAVE TIME AND MONEY BY WORKING EVERYDAY ITEMS INTO SMART CLEANING STRATEGIES. BY MARK HAGEN

hen it comes to housework, everyone is looking for effective ideas that do the job fast … and if you can save a few pennies while doing it, all the better! Consider these easy ideas that promise to make spring cleaning an absolute breeze. Dab out carpet stains with vodka. Think outside the martini glass and grab a bottle of vodka to cast out that damn spot! Simply blot the carpet stain with a damp towel, and then apply a little vodka to the stain, blotting it out with a second towel. Roll a lint roller over lampshades. Freshen lampshades with help from a lint roller. You can dust all of the shades in your home quickly and easily with this handy hack. Remove stains with shaving cream. Because it’s made with soap, moisturizers and other protective ingredients, shaving cream is an effective (and cheap) tool when it comes to removing water stains, dirt and grime from sinks, showers, bathtubs and even toilets. Apply shaving cream to the area and let it set for about 10 minutes. Wipe it away with a damp towel. Freshen up with citrus. Run a few lemon or lime wedges through the garbage disposal to eliminate odors and clean the blades. Dust with coffee filters. Computer monitors and TV screens attract dust … as well as microfibers from towels and cloths. Use coffee filters when wiping down screens instead.

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Photo by Natalia Kopyltsova/Getty Images.

Wash refrigerator shelves in the dish washer. If the removable shelves in your refrigerator are small enough to fit in your dish washer, you’re in luck! Plop those shelves in there and let the dish washer do the work. Depending on your shelves, you may want to towel-dry them yourself. Sprinkle the mattress with baking soda. When’s the last time you cleaned your mattress? While washing the bedding is common, dusting off the mattress is not. Keep things clean and fresh by spraying the mattress with a light coat of vinegar. Next, sprinkle on baking soda and cover it all up with towels. Leave it be for 2 hours, then remove the towels and use the attachment on your vacuum to remove the baking soda. Run a pillowcase over ceiling-fan blades. Avoid a tsunami of dust bunnies the next time you clean your ceiling fan by using an old pillowcase. Slip the pillowcase over a fan blade, wrap the opening around the blade and pull the pillowcase toward you, capturing the dust inside. Repeat with each blade. Erase water rings with a hair dryer. If a water ring is wrecking your wood table, grab your hair dryer. Set the dryer to low heat and blow air over the water ring in a circular motion being sure not to leave it blowing on one spot for too long. The ring should vanish. If the wood’s color is still a bit light, rub a drop of olive oil into the affected area. Brush your keyboard with an old toothbrush. If you flip your computer keyboard over and a sandwich falls out, it might be time to clean it up a bit. An old, dry toothbrush does a great job of getting crumbs and things from in between the keys. Swipe dryer sheets over baseboards. Don’t toss out those used dryer sheets just yet. Use them to clean the baseboards in your home. Not only are that great dust cloths, but their anti-static nature help prevent dust and pet hair from settling on the boards. Clean blinds with a sock. Wooden blinds can be a hassle to clean. Slip a sock on your hand to make easy work of getting inbetween the blinds to remove dust. Spray the sock with polish or dust remover as needed.

Mark Hagen is an award-winning gardener whose home has been featured in numerous national publications. His work has appeared in Birds & Blooms, Fresh Home and Your Family magazines.

Toothbrush photo by Yulia Vasilyeva/Getty Images. Sock photo by Arnanzung/Getty Images.

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SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN | SPONSORED BY MINOR'S GARDEN CENTER, INC.

Making the Most of

Small Gardening Spaces BY SHEILA JULSON

Photo by Kristin Mitchell/Getty Images.

rom the Victory Gardens of World Wars I and II to today’s myriad urban gardens throughout the city, Milwaukeeans have proven there are no limits on what we can grow. Whether it’s a small city lot, a balcony or a windowsill, you can fill your space with greenery that provides beauty and sustenance.

EVALUATE THE YARD When choosing a space to plant your garden, evaluate sun exposure and daylight hours. Six or more hours of direct sunlight is generally considered to be full sun, but lots of herbs will grow in partial sun/shade (three or four hours of direct sunlight). Those include bee balm, chives, chervil (also known as French parsley), cilantro, lemon balm, lovage, which has a taste similar to celery, mint, oregano, parsley and tarragon.

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Photo by Michel VIARD/Getty Images.

Calendula, a hearty annual that’s a genus of the marigold family, also grows in partial shade. It has bright orange and yellow blossoms that attract pollinators. Calendula has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat wounds, rashes and inflammation. UW-Madison’s Arboretum has several suggestions for Wisconsin native flowers that do well in shady gardens: arboretum.wisc.edu/news/arboretum-news/ gardening-with-native-plants-woodland-plants. Most vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, peas, beans and corn need full sun. Also, consider the time of day that sunlight falls on planting space. The hours between sunrise to noon are generally shaded from scorching afternoon sun. Cool season crops like lettuce and spinach may bolt faster when exposed to afternoon July heat.

Background photo by carpaumar/Getty Images.

It might be tempting to fill garden spaces with as many plants as possible. The University of Minnesota Extension advises to choose plants wisely to avoid overcrowding. Plants that are too close together compete for soil nutrients and sunlight. Vines from winter squash and pumpkins spread and take up a lot of space, so those are not recommended for small yards. Vertical growing is a space-saving option for cucumbers and even tomatoes, which will grow upward if trellised and guided properly. Mother Earth News notes the first rule of vertical growing is to know how tall your plants will get and place the tallest ones in the northern part of the garden, so they don’t block shade from the smaller ones.

CONTAINER GARDENING Container gardening has become a popular way to maximize space in urban yards and apartment balconies. Plants can be easily moved in or out of the sun as needed. The UW-Madison Horticultural Division advises it’s important to choose lightweight soil that’s high in organic matter. Look for a combination of compost, peat moss, perlite or bark. The Farmer’s Almanac recommends plastic pots over clay ones, because plastic pots retain more moisture and won’t dry out as fast as terra-cotta. Choose pots with good drainage and add about one inch of coarse gravel at the bottom to improve drainage. Modern horticulture has produced lots of varieties of classic vegetables to remain compact. Tomatoes such as Patio or Celebrity varieties have been hybridized (not GMO) to remain smaller and more suitable to small spaces. Lettuce, eggplant, peppers and radishes can also grow in containers. Hanging baskets aren’t just for flowers; herbs, cherry tomatoes and strawberries also work well in hanging baskets.

BRINGING THE GARDEN INDOORS Bright, sunny windowsills are ideal places to start the seeds for a small garden. There’s a variety of seed-starting kits available at area garden centers that makes it easy, convenient and cost-effective to grow basic lettuce, sprouts, herbs and microgreens. Window greenhouses can also be made from recycled Photo by Grumpy Cow Studios/Getty Images. plastic trays and clam shells with drainage holes punched through. While windowsill gardens won’t produce enough of a yield to entirely sustain an individual or family, microgreens and herbs grown right on the windowsill adds nutrition and a pop of flavor to salads, smoothies and other dishes.

Sheila Julson writes the Eat/Drink column for shepherdexpress.com.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

SUMMER FESTIVAL GUIDE July-September 2022

MAY-SEPTEMBER 2022 CHECK AHEAD BEFORE GOING. PLEASE SEND ANY UPDATES AND INFORMATION ON OTHER FESTIVALS OPEN THIS SUMMER TO EDITOR@SHEPEX.COM. WE WILL UPDATE OUR SUMMER FESTIVAL GUIDE ONLINE AS NEEDED.

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Kayaks photo by raularosa/Getty Images. Beach photo by eyfoto/Getty Images. Bonfire photo by nortonrsx/Getty Images. Fireworks photo by Panorama Images/ Getty Images. Berries photo by kittimages/Getty Images. Hoan bridge photo by Kelly Richardson/Getty Images. Composition and background by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

RACINE ZOO Photo courtesy of Racine Zoo.

MAY THURSDAY BIKE NIGHT CONCERT SERIES

JUNE BUDWEISER WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE

ART 64

Thursdays through Sept. 16 Harley-Davidson Museum harley-davidson.com All bikes are welcome on the campus of the Harley-Davidson Museum for free live music, food and drinks.

May 25–Aug. 31 Wisconsin State Fair Park budpavilion.com Wednesday Night Live is a free weekly summer concert series held at the Budweiser Pavilion on the Wisconsin State Fair.

June 3-4 The Village of Wauwatosa Art64tosa.com A live performance bracket-style painting tournament.

FROMM PETFEST

OLD FALLS VILLAGE DAYS

May 14 The Annex at Foxtown in Mequon Sept. 24 at Henry Maier Festival Park petfestmke.com

May 29-Oct. 8 Old Falls Village Museum, Pilgrim Road and Hwy. Q, Menomonee Falls oldfallsvillage.com The historical museum’s grounds feature antique farming equipment and steam engines, hands-on pioneer activities, old-fashioned children’s games, country market food vendors and live music. A beer garden is open Saturdays.

MILWAUKEE MAKERS MARKET May 15–Dec. 18 milwaukeemakersmarket.com Event hours are 10 a.m-4 p.m. at The Ivy House and Discovery World. See website for location details.

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FINE ART FAIR, BALLYHOO AT THE ZOO June 4-5 Racine Zoo Formerly the Monument Square Art Festival, the event is one of Wisconsin’s oldest juried art fairs. Shop the artists’ booths and visit the animals at the zoo. CHILL ON THE HILL Tuesdays, June 7-Aug.30 Humboldt Park Chalet Live music by local musicians in an idyllic South Side setting.

Background by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

SISTER WATER BEER GARDEN Photo courtesy of School Sisters of St. Francis.

POLISH FEST

SUMMER SOUNDS ON FRIDAYS

June 10-12 Henry Maier Festival Park polishfest.org

June 17–Aug. 18 Cedar Creek Park, Cedarburg summersounds.net

BAYSHORE ART AND MUSIC FESTIVALS

SUMMER SOULSTICE

Fridays, June 10 through Aug. 26 The Yard at Bayshore thebayshorelife.com

June 18 Location TBA

WILD ONES: VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE RALLY June 25 Harley-Davidson Museum 877-436-8738 harley-davidson.com

JULY

SISTER WATER BEER GARDEN GREEN LAKE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC June 10-Aug. 7 Live music at various locations. greenlakefestival.org BROOKFIELD ARTS, CRAFTS, AND DRAFTS June 11-12 Corners of Brookfield, 20111 W. Bluemound Road

June 18, 4-8 p.m. St. Joseph Center, 29th St. at Orchard St. sssf.org The School Sisters of St. Francis support earth-friendly ministries with a beer garden offering craft beer, root beer and more. Also, Oktoberfest, Sunday Sept. 11 with a pig roast, live polka music, and much more!

RAINBOW SUMMER Marcus Performing Arts Center Lineup TBA WASHINGTON PARK WEDNESDAYS TBA washingtonparkneighbors.com Early evening event with live music in the bandshell and local food trucks.

SUMMERFEST METRO JAM June 17-18 Washington Park, S. 12th and Washington streets, Manitowoc 414-852-5718 metrojam.org Bands at this free music festival include Jennie DeVoe, Fordney Bros., Funky Chemist, Suzie and The Detonators, B.J. Fisher and more. 38 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

June 23-25, June 30-July 2 and July 7-9 Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive https://www.summerfest.com/ The Big Gig returns to its usual slot in late June-early July, but in three-day increments. Headliners include Rod Stewart, Jason Alden and Justin Bieber.

IOLA CAR SHOW Iola, WI July 7-9 iolaoldcarshow.com BRADY STREET ART WALK bradystreet.org TBA

Background by Sophie Yufa.

SUMMERFEST

Photo courtesy of Summerfest.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

BRISTOL RENAISSANCE FAIRE

GATHERING ON THE GREEN

SISTER WATER BEER GARDEM

July 9 through Sept. 5, Saturdays, Sundays & Labor Day renfair.com/Bristol

July 7-10 Rotary Park, Mequon, gatheringonthegreen.org

MUSICAL MONDAYS IN LAKE PARK

WHITEFISH BAY ART FEST

Lake Park Summer Stage lakeparkfriends.org Touring and local music acts at the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks.

July 9-10 Downtown Whitefish Bay along Silver Spring Drive amdurproductions.com

July 10 St. Joseph Center, 29th St. at Orchard St. sssf.org The School Sisters of St. Francis support earth-friendly ministries with this beer garden offering craft beer, root beer, and more.

SKYLINE MUSIC SERIES

RIVERWEST SECRET GARDEN TOUR

TBD Selig-Joseph-Folz Amphitheater in Kadish Park coa-yfc.org/skyline

July 10 riverwestsecretgardentour.com Stroll through Riverwest visiting gardens that offer the joy of seeing, touching, and smelling the beauty of nature.

BASTILLE DAYS July 14 - July 17 Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St. easttown.com Along with music and food, check out this year’s Storm the Bastille 5K Run/Walk on July 14.

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PORT FISH DAY July 15-16 Port Washington Lakefront portfishday.com GRANVILLE BLUES FEST July 23, 24, 30 and 31 8633 W. Brown Deer Road granvillebusiness.org Granville’s annual event is evolving into a local mecca for the original American artform that is the blues with a lineup of top acts along with food, drink and a vendor market.

Background by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

ARMENIAN FEST

JAZZ IN THE PARK

July 17-18 John Michael Kohler Arts Center jmkac.org This family friendly event is the largest multi-arts festival in east-central Wisconsin. Visit artists’ booths and enjoy live music, good food, art-making workshops and free admission to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

July 17 St. John the Baptist Armenian Orthodox Church, 7825 W. Layton Ave. 414-282-1670 armenianfest.com What began in the 1930s as a summer picnic for Milwaukee’s Armenian community has grown into a popular attraction for Milwaukee festival goers seeking alternatives to hamburgers and bratwurst. Food includes kabobs, bureks, and unique Armenian dishes and flavors.

July 21-Sept. 29, Thursdays Cathedral Square Park easttown.com The popular evening music series returns to Cathedral Square. SCENIC SHORE RIDE FOR A CURE

July 20-24 County Fairgrounds, 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha waukeshacountyfair.com

July 23-24 Lake Michigan Shoreline from Mequon to Sturgeon Bay pages.lls.org The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society sponsor a two-day, 150-mile, fully supported cycling event open to riders of all ages and abilities along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. The goal is a cure for blood cancer; please visit the website to register.

SUMMER SOUNDS FESTIVAL

MILWAUKEE AIR AND WATER SHOW

July 22-23 Cedar Creek Park, Cedarburg summersounds.net

July 23-24 Milwaukee Lakefront from Bradford Beach to Veteran’s Park mkeairwatershow.com

WAUKESHA COUNTY FAIR

SOUTH MILWAUKEE HERITAGE DAYS July 25-31 smheritagedays.org EAA AIRVENTURE July 25-31 Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh airventure.org Travel to Oshkosh for an international gathering of some 800,000+ aviation enthusiasts. Attend a workshop or catch a lecture from a notable flight pro, then take in the daily afternoon air show with top-flight pilots dazzling onlookers with aerial acrobatics.

WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR July 20-25 Washington County Fair Park, 3000 Pleasant Valley Road, West Bend wcfairpark.com

MIDWEST FIRE FEST July 23-24 Westside Park, 300 W. Water St., Cambridge midwestfirefest.com PRAIRIE DOG BLUES FEST July 28-30 St. Feriole Island, Prairie du Chien prairiedogblues.com GERMAN FEST July 29-31 Henry Maier Festival Park germanfest.com BRADY STREET FESTIVAL July 30 Brady Street bradystreet.org MILWAUKEE BREWFEST July 31 McKinley Park milwaukeebrewfest.com

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Background by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

WISCONSIN STATE FAIR Photo courtesy of Wisconsin State Fair.

AUGUST PENINSULA MUSIC FESTIVAL Aug. 2-20 Door Community Auditorium, Fish Creek musicfestival.com The 70th Peninsula Music Festival features nine symphonic concerts of major classical pieces. OZAUKEE COUNTY FAIR Aug. 3-7 W67 N866 Washington Ave., Cedarburg ozaukeecountyfair.com Began in1859 and billed as one of the last free fairs in the Midwest, it has all you’d hope for in a county fair, including a full midway, fair food, multiple stages of live entertainment, magic and kids’ shows, animal judging, truck and tractor pulls, lumberjack show, demolition derby and fireworks.

WISCONSIN STATE FAIR

WAUKESHA ROTARY BLUESFEST

Aug. 4-14 Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis wistatefair.com Our great Wisconsin State Fair boasts 30 entertainment stages featuring local and national acts, a host of exhibits and enough food and shopping to keep you busy for days. Did we mention the cream puffs? Almost anything on a stick!?

Aug. 12-13 Naga-Waukee Park, 651 Highway 83, Delafield waukeshabluesfest.com Headliners include the Duke Robillard Band and Sue Foley. Milwaukee favorites Altered Five Blues Band perform on Saturday. CENTER STREET DAZE FESTIVAL

RACINE STARVING ARTIST FAIR Aug. 7 DeKoven Center, Racine (Wisconsin Avenue and 21st St. (Caron Butler Drive). racineartguild.com/safracine BLACK ARTS FEST MKE Aug. 6 Henry Maier Festival Park blackartsfestmke.com

HANK AARON STATE TRAIL 5K RUN/WALK Aug. 13 hankaaronstatetrail.org MILWAUKEE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

LUXEMBOURG FEST Aug. 13 548 Park St., Belgium, WI

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Aug. 13 East Center Street between Holton Street and Humboldt Boulevard centerstreetdazefestival.com

Aug. 13 Lakeshore State Park, 500 N. Harbor Drive milwaukeedragonboatfest.org

Background by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

MOWA ART AND CHALK FEST Aug. 20-21 205 Veterans Ave., West Bend artchalkfest.com

MORNING GLORY ART FAIR

INDIA FEST MILWAUKEE TBD indiafestmilwaukee.org COUNTRY IN THE BURG August 26-27 Cedar Creek Park countryintheburg.com IRISH FEST

Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Craft.

WALK FOR WISHES Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Irish Fest.

MINERAL POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY BLUES FEST TBA Orchard Lawn, 234 Madison St., Mineral Point mineralpointhistory.org MORNING GLORY ART FAIR Aug. 13-14 Fiserv Forum Plaza, 1111 Vel R. Phillips Ave. morningloryartfair.com IRISH FEST Aug. 18-21 Henry Maier Festival Park irishfest.com

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MEXICAN FIESTA Aug. 26–28 Henry Maier Festival Park mexicanfiesta.org Mexican Fiesta is much more than three days of tamales, Mariachi music and dancing. It’s an education in Mexico’s rich culture and history encouraging people of all backgrounds to share in the beauty of Mexico’s culture. KEGEL’S INN OKTOBERFEST Aug. 26-28 War Memorial Beer Garden 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive Milwaukee’s first Oktoberfest of the season.

Aug. 27 Location TBA site.wish.org Proceeds from the 5K or one-mile run/walk will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin and grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses. WINE AND VINE, ETC. Aug. 27 3221 S. Lake Drive, St. Francis winenvineosf.com MILWAUKEE FRINGE FESTIVAL Aug. 27 Marcus Center for the Performing Arts mkefringe.com Indoor shows to be held in Vogel Hall and outdoor shows in the Peck Pavilion.

Background by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

SEPTEMBER THIRD WARD ART FESTIVAL

LABORFEST

OKTOBERFEST

Sept. 3-4 N. Broadway in the Third Ward Showcasing work 130 juried artists in a variety of mediums, including ceramics, fiber, glass jewelry, sculpture, mixed media, paintings, drawings, photography, printmaking, wood and furniture.

milwaukeelabor.org TBA

Ookcreeklions.com TBA

Sept. 11 St. Joseph Center, 29th St. at Orchard St., Milwaukee sssf.org The School Sisters of St. Francis support earth-friendly ministries with a beer garden, pig roast and live polka music.

GRANVILLE CAR, TRUCK & BIKE SPECTACULAR

TOSAFEST

SILVER CITY INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

Sept. 9-10 Hart Park, Wauwatosa tosafest.org Tosafest is a community festival with live music, art, food and children’s activities including pony rides, a petting zoo and face painting. All proceeds go to area charities.

Sept. 11 West National Avenue between 33rd and 35th streets viadc.org This family friendly festival celebrates the cultural diversity of the Silver City neighborhood. Stroll the street and enjoy the cuisine, music and art of countries spanning the globe, along with activities for kids.

Sept. 18 8301 N. 76th St Join us in our 8th year celebrating antique cars, hotrods, classic sports cars, Corvettes, food vendors and a battle of the bands.

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OAK CREEK LIONSFEST

Background by Sophie Yufa.

BAY VIEW To advertise on this page, contact BRIDGETTE at 414.292.3811 or bridgette@shepex.com

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SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FESTIVALS

BRIGGS AND AL’S RUN AND WALK FOR CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF WISCONSIN Sept. 17 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue to Henry Maier Festival Park chwevents.org CEDARBURG WINE AND HARVEST FESTIVAL Sept. 17-18 Downtown Cedarburg cedarburgfestival.org This festival fills the historic town. Sample food and wine, much of it locally made, as you enjoy many family activities and live musical performances. DOORS OPEN MILWAUKEE Sept. 24-25 doorsopenmilwaukee.org More than 150 buildings open their doors in this annual citywide celebration of history, architecture and neighborhoods organized by Historic Milwaukee. Expect performing arts events and children’s activities. Background by Sophie Yufa.

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MAY 2022 | 51

SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FARMERS MARKETS

Brewery District Launches Milwaukee’s Newest Farmers Market

Photo by kasto80/Getty Images.

armers markets are a staple of Milwaukee’s summer, and the increased return to normalcy means more communities are once again embracing their local farmers and vendors for fresh food. This year a new market joins the array of opportunities to mingle in the open air and purchase fresh produce and other goods. The Brewery District is launching a market focused on farmers and vendors who share a passion for growing and supporting local agriculture.

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The Brewery District is home to over 50 businesses, two parks and UW-Milwaukee’s Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health. It is a walkable and sustainable Platinum Certified LEED Neighborhood Development, integrating the principles of smart growth, new urbanism and green building, according to the first national standard for neighborhood design. Since the beginning of the Brewery District, more than $300 million in public and private investment has been made in the neighborhood. The Brewery District Farmers Market is another facet of its mission of bringing together people across the city to celebrate the history and culture of Milwaukee. Background by Sophie Yufa.

MAY 2022 | 53

SPECIAL SUMMER GUIDE FARMERS MARKETS

FARMERS MARKET GUIDE 2022

Photo by Baloncici/Getty Images.

CHECK AHEAD BEFORE GOING. PLEASE SEND ANY UPDATES AND INFORMATION ON OTHER FARMERS MARKETS OPEN THIS SUMMER TO EDITOR@SHEPEX.COM. WE WILL UPDATE OUR FARMERS MARKET GUIDE AS NEEDED. BRADY STREET SUNDAY FUNDAY ART & FARMERS MARKET Every second and fourth Sunday of the month, June 12 through September, noon-4 p.m. N. Arlington Place and Brady Street bradystreet.org/sunday-fundays BREWERY DISTRICT FARMERS MARKET Fridays, June through October, 3-6 p.m. Preservation Park, 925 W. Juneau Ave. BROOKFIELD FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, May 7 through Oct. 29, 7:30 a.m.-noon Brookfield Central H.S. North Parking Lot brookfieldfarmersmarket.com

BURLINGTON FARMERS MARKET

FONDY FARMERS MARKET

Thursdays, May 5 through Oct. 27, 3-7 p.m. Wehmhoff Square, Corner of Washington and Pine Streets burlingtonwifarmersmarket.com 262-210-6360

2022 Dates and hours TBA 2200 W. Fond du Lac Ave. fondymke.org/fondy-farmers-market 414-933-8121 FOX POINT FARMERS MARKET

CATHEDRAL SQUARE MARKET Saturdays, June 18 through Oct. 15, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cathedral Square Park easttown.com/cathedral-square-market 414-271-1416

Saturdays, mid-June through mid-October, 8 a.m.-noon North Shore Congregational Church 7330 N. Santa Monica Blvd. fpfarmersmarket.com | 414-352-0555 GREENDALE DOWNTOWN MARKET

DELAFIELD FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, May 7 through Oct. 29, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Main Street & Dopkins Street One Block West of Hwy C in Downtown Delafield delafieldfarmersmarket.com

Saturdays, June through October, 8 a.m.-noon Village Center, 5602 Broad St. gpr.greendale.k12.wi.us/ greendale-downtown-market.html 414-423-2790

GERMANTOWN FARMERS MARKET

GREENFIELD FARMERS MARKET

Saturdays, May 7 through Oct. 22, 8 a.m.-noon Germantown Village Hall, N112 W17001, Mequon Road village.germantown.wi.us/373/ Farmers-Market | 262-250-4710

Sundays, May through October, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Konkel Park, 5151 W. Layton Ave. greenfieldwifarmersmarket.com/faq 414-329-5275 HARTUNG PARK FARMERS MARKET

BROWN DEER FARMERS MARKET Wednesdays, June 15 through Oct. 26, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 9078 N. Green Bay Road browndeerwi.org/482/ Brown-Deer-Farmers-Market 54 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ENDERIS PARK FARMERS MARKET Sundays, mid-June through mid-September, 9 a.m.- noon Enderis Park enderispark.org/ enderis-park-farmer-s-market

Wednesdays, June through September, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Hartung Park, Wauwatosa hartungpark.com

Background by Sophie Yufa.

JACKSON PARK FARMERS MARKET

RIVERWEST GARDENERS MARKET

Thursdays, June through September 3 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. Jackson Park jacksonpark.us/farmers-market 414-687-0938

Sundays, June 5 through Oct. 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 2700 N. Pierce St. riverwestmarket.com SHOREWOOD FARMERS MARKET

KENOSHA FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, year-round, outdoors from May 14 through Oct. 29, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Municipal Parking Lot & Veterans Park kenoshapublicmarket.com MENOMONEE FALLS FARMERS MARKET Wednesdays, June 1 through Oct. 12, 2-6 p.m. Sundays, July 10 through Sept. 11, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Menomonee Falls Village Tennis parking lot fallsfarmersmarket.org | 262-251-8797

Sundays, June 19 through Oct. 30, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Estabrook Park shorewoodfarmersmarket.com/about SOUTH MILWAUKEE DOWNTOWN MARKET Thursdays, June 2 through Oct. 13, 3-7 p.m. 1101 Milwaukee Ave. smmarket.org | 414-499-1568 SOUTH SHORE FARMERS MARKET

MILAEGER’S GREAT LAKES FARMERS MARKET Sundays, April 3 through June 26, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 4838 Douglas Ave., Racine milaegers.com/info/farmers-market 262-639-2040 NEW BERLIN FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, May through October, 8 a.m.-noon New Berlin City Center, 15055 W. National Ave. newberlinchamber.org/farmers-market 262-786-5280 OAK CREEK FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, May 14 through Oct. 22, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Drexel Town Square, Oak Creek oakcreekwi.gov/visitor/events/ farmers-market OCONOMOWOC FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, May through October, 8 a.m.-noon 155 W. Wisconsin Ave, Oconomowoc oconomowoc.org/events/ summer-farmers-market

Saturdays, June through October, 8 a.m.-noon South Shore Park southshorefarmersmarket.com TOSA FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, June 4 through Oct. 16, 8 a.m.-noon 7720 W. Harwood Avenue tosafarmersmarket.com WAUKESHA FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, May 7 through October, 8 a.m.-noon St. Paul & Madison Ave., Waukesha waukeshadba.com/programs/ farmers-market WEST ALLIS FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, May 7 through Nov. 26. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Noon-6 p.m. Saturdays, 1-6 p.m. 6501 W. National Ave thatswhywestallis.com/farmers-market WHITEFISH BAY FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, June through October, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 325 E. Silver Spring Drive merchantsofwhitefishbay.com/ events-calendar

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SPECIAL PETS

Local Businesses Offer Great Care for Your Pets BY CATHERINE JOZWIK BAY VIEW BARK Photo courtesy of Bay View Bark.

ay View Bark (1820 S. First St.) offers dogs quality day care, grooming services and obedience training, bringing peace of mind to canine owners, many of whom are busy professionals.

“In an urban setting, it’s difficult when you have a young, active dog,” says Bay View Bark owner Julia Kaminecki. Kaminecki, a longtime veteran of the animal care industry whose previous jobs include kennel technician, dog walker and dog trainer, opened Bay View Bark in 2011 as an indoor dog park. “By spring, the people coming to the park were asking for doggy day care,” she says. Bay View Bark expanded to include canine day care and Kaminski’s client base increased considerably. “Pretty soon, I needed to hire staff,” she adds. In 2016, Bay View Bark’s lease expired, and Kaminecki was forced to relocate the business. Luckily, she and her husband were able to purchase a building about a half mile away and renovate it. Bay View Bark now includes five indoor and outdoor play areas, a boarding space with 17 folding kennels, and a recently remodeled training room. Although the COVID-19 pandemic did negatively affect business for a while, as people were concerned about their canines being exposed to the virus, Kaminecki’s services are in great demand these days. “A typical day care during the week is 80 to 90 dogs,” she notes. “We have a waitlist.”

BAY VIEW BARK Photo courtesy of Bay View Bark.

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She attributes her success to a lack of professional dog walkers and younger generations opting to have dogs instead of children—but treating them as such. “When people think of their pets as kids, this leads to businesses that are more anthropomorphic,” Kaminecki says.

BARK N' SCRATCH OUTPOST Photo courtesy of Bark n' Scratch Outpost. Photo courtesy of Bark n' Scratch Outpost.

BARK N’ SCRATCH OUTPOST Health-minded pet owners can find a variety of organic and raw foods and treats, plus an assortment of toys, food bowls, leashes, vitamin supplements and other supplies and accessories at Bark n’ Scratch Outpost (5835 W. Bluemound Road).

BARK N' SCRATCH OUTPOST

Both Milwaukee natives with 16 years of experience in the natural pet food industry, owners Michael and Carrie Marble, inspired by their dog Snowbelle, opened the store in 2006. With a knowledgeable staff, Bark n’ Scratch carries a number of natural pet food brands, including local company Fromm’s, Stella & Chewy’s and Ark Naturals. “The team members have a passion for what they do,” Carrie Marble said. “The staff at Bark n’ Scratch Outpost wants to help you and your family members thrive.” Bark n’ Scratch’s 19 freezers contain canine raw diet materials and supplements such as bone broth, goat’s milk and duck eggs, and the Bark n’ Scratch Dog Bakery features Aunt Jennie’s Barkery Treats, locally-made oven-baked canine biscuits and cookies. The store also offers free delivery within 11 miles of the store and paid delivery for additional mileage. Curbside pickup is available.

Catherine Jozwik is a Milwaukee writer. Additionally, Bark n’ Scratch supports local animal rescue organizations. Visit its website for details.

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CULTURE

MICHAEL UNGER Photo and illustration courtesy of Skylight Music Theatre.

QUASIMODO SINGS AS SKYLIGHT PERFORMS VICTOR HUGO’S ‘HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME’ BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

or classic film devotees, The Hunchback of Notre Dame means Charles Laughton, under disfiguring makeup, swooping down from the belltower to rescue his beloved Esmeralda from the gallows. Disney fans will remember Quasimodo, voiced by Tom Hulce, performing a similar feat in full color. This month, Skylight Music Theatre will put a different spin on the story with its production of Dennis DeYoung’s musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

radio-friendly side of progressive rock with hits such as “Lady” and “Come Sail Away.” And like his contemporaries Rick Wakeman and Alan Parsons, DeYoung harbored ambitions to turn classic literature into classic rock.

DENNIS DEYOUNG

DeYoung’s Hunchback debuted in 2008 at Chicago’s Bailiwick Repertory Theatre and will be presented by Skylight in a newly revised version. “Dennis and I have been working together on this revision for the past year or so,” Unger says. “We

Yes, that Dennis DeYoung, singer-songwriter for the platinum-selling ‘70s band Styx. The Chicago-based Styx was on the Photo courtesy of Skylight Music Theatre.

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Skylight’s Artistic Director Michael Unger grew up in Chicago as a Styx fan and became friends with DeYoung. He was among the first to hear the score for Hunchback in its early form, 28 years ago. “It was love at first hear,” Unger says. “As I was just starting on my directing career, I knew I would never get the opportunity to direct it myself.” Time has proven him wrong.

have moved a few songs around, we have adjusted many scenes, and worked very hard to update the script according to some of the sensibilities and sensitivities that have rightfully come to the fore since it was written.” DeYoung wasn’t updating the Hollywood versions but went directly to Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel. Set in late medieval Paris, the protagonist is the deaf hunchback Quasimodo, an outcast struggling against the cruelty and hypocrisy of his society. He forms a bond with another outcast, a beautiful Romani (gypsy) woman, Esmeralda. The story’s villain, Frollo, is initially sympathetic. The Roman Catholic cleric is Quasimodo’s guardian but his thwarted lust for Esmeralda leads to her arrest after he falsely charges her with witchcraft. “While it does not end happily for our lead characters, there is a hopeful quality in the power of their love set against a gorgeous DeYoung melody,” Unger says. “Dennis has wisely excised some characters, invented a couple of others, conflated a few and comes up with a wonderfully streamlined version that feels perfectly Hugo-ian.”

MEMORABLE MELODIES When performed well, The Hunchback is emotionally riveting melodrama, perhaps ideal for DeYoung’s power balladry which, according to Unger, will sound “1,000 percent familiar” to Styx fans. “It is interesting because it feels very much in what could be a 15th century Hugo world, while at the same time feels very contemporary,” Unger continues. “I promise you if you come to the show, you will go out humming many of the songs.” The Hunchback of Notre Dame, along with Hugo’s Les Misérables and a handful of stories by Charles Dickens, are among the only 19th century novels that have been continuously reimagined in new media and represented to new audiences over the past century. Some two dozen screen adaptations of Hunchback have been made since the dawn of motion pictures. “The fascinating characters who populate these stories elicit strong reactions, from sympathy to revulsion, and many emotions in between,” Unger explains. “The love interests tug at the heartstrings while the villains warn us of what can happen when the internal and external checks and balances fail.

“But what I truly love about Dennis’ portrayal of the fallen priest, Claude Frollo, is that Dennis sheds some light on why Frollo is the way he is. He is not simply the personification of evil. His internal conflict and turmoil have a basis in some universal truths of which he loses all control. The best Scrooges in the best adaptations of A Christmas Carol have our sympathy because we understand the miser’s pathological fear of poverty. Scrooge has his epiphany. Frollo doesn’t. Dennis’ Frollo is destined for the end he receives, but somewhere, long ago buried deep down inside, there was once hope for him.” Skylight Music Theatre’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame will be performed May 20June 12 at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. For more information, visit skylightmusictheatre.org.

David Luhrssen is the author of several books on film and cultural history and is managing editor of the Shepherd Express.

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CULTURE

JAZZ, HIP-HOP OR ELECTRONIC, JAMIE BREIWICK LEADS THE WAY

Photo by Leo Moscaro. (Jamie, trumpet; John Tate, bassist; Matt Wilson, drummer.)

BY KEVIN LYNCH

azz artist Jamie Breiwick's voice and vision have steadily grown, like rippling concentric circles, since he first caught the attention of fellow musicians, critics and the public. The wind of his trumpet blowing plays a factor, but the wavelike depths arose from his extraordinary knowledge and honoring of the modern jazz tradition, while finding places in contemporary pop vernaculars for his voice and realizing the wellsprings of his own creative identity. That analogy seems apt as his seminal inspiration was Miles Davis, who shaped the tides of jazz time for decades, with an uncanny, lyrical and impressionistic sensibility, even as funky as he could get. “I had a Miles t-shirt in high school that I wore constantly,” Breiwick recalls. “The breadth of music he made is really staggering, whether bebop, free, rock, fusion, electronic, experimental, pop, hip-hop. He really blazed a lot of trails and left us with a lifetime of inspiration.” Right now, Breiwick ranks among the four or five most important jazz musicians in Wisconsin and, among them, the youngest one on a still-rising arc of creative possibility. His prolific recorded output includes work with De La Buena and the influential 25year band Clamnation. The pandemic threw many artists askew, but Breiwick pressed full-speed ahead, with voluminous recording and releasing on his own B-Side Recordings label.

Album cover by Jamie Breiwick.

CLEAN COMPOSITIONS Breiwick’s graphic design talents sped this output. He does all his own album covers (and those of others) with an imaginative but clean, post-1960s Blue Note Records compositional style. He just published a book of his jazz cover designs concurrently with an emblematic album, KASE + Klassik Live at the Opera House. His jazz-hip-hop-electronics trio, with bassist John Christensen and turntablist knowsthetime, joined Klassik, perhaps the region’s most musically gifted improv hip-hop singer-song maker, who also plays keyboards and saxophone. KASE logically expands Breiwick’s creative ripples into exploring “sonic landscapes”— Miles ahead, atmospheric, wonder-inducing. Breiwick’s recorded and group projects have probed groundbreaking jazzers, including Davis, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and world-music traveler Don Cherry. He’s also played and recorded transcribed Davis solos for two Hal Leonard playalong books, among six he’s recorded. He values innovative contemporaries like Jason Moran, Ambrose Akinmusire and Nicholas Payton, “an incredible trumpet player and musical conceptualist,” and “a thought leader and outspoken BAM (Black American Music) advocate.” Breiwick also teaches music at Prairie School, near Racine.

Photo by Leo Moscaro. (Jamie, trumpet; John Tate, bassist; Matt Wilson, drummer.)

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Photos courtesy of Jamie Breiwick.

His visual-designer talents suggest deeper creative destinations. “It is a similar path of discovery. Visual art and music relate in so many ways - texture, structure, organization, color, tone. Five or six of my favorite designers are also musicians. There’s some sort of elemental connection between the two disciplines … Miles Davis was an incredible painter. Jean-Michel Basquiat deeply loved music and often used musical imagery or references such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in his works.” KASE Photo by Bryan Mir. (Jamie, trumpet, electronics; John Christensen, bass; knowsthetime, turnablist)

Shortly before the pandemic, Breiwick recorded The Jewel: Live at the Dead Poet, a New York trio recording on the leading independent label Ropeadope, with internationally acclaimed drummer-bandleader Matt Wilson, thus extending his national modern-jazz bona fides.

ARTISTIC AUTHENTICITY Breiwick leaves popular success largely to his evolution and artistic authenticity. “I think it is all in the delivery—people can tell if you are sincere or not,” he says. “I try to create music and art that I would like myself and try not to be too corny or contrived, while at the same time recognizing my influences. What did Coltrane say? ‘You can play a shoestring if you are sincere,’ I think that is perfect.” But he knows jazz musicians always need help in America’s capitalist society. Today they can increasingly help each other with online resources. In 2010, Breiwick co-founded Milwaukee Jazz Vision, an online organization that promotes jazz and its community in the Milwaukee area.

Perhaps his most daring recent recording is Solve for X, duets with a longtime collaborator. Guitarist-synthesist Jay Mollerskov took samples of Breiwick’s own trumpet solos, to create sonic counterpoints and textural backdrops for Breiwick to play against. It works like a musical mosaic—outward refracting, rather than narcissistic. That’s because Breiwick knows of whence he came, as a trumpeter and creator. “I'm inspired by a lot of things, all sorts of music, visual art, architecture, history, stories, traveling,” he says. “I am just trying to better find out who I am, and ultimately just trying to keep moving forward.” “Like (trumpeter) Clark Terry said, ‘Emulate, assimilate, innovate.’” So, Breiwick’s self-discovery proceeds. As to forward progress, only time, his seemingly ever-expanding wave, will tell.

Milwaukee writer Kevin Lynch has written for The Capital Times. Down Beat and The Village Voice

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This Month in Milwaukee 9 THINGS TO DO IN MAY BY ALLEN HALAS AND DAVID LUHRSSEN

Photo by TatianaMironenko/Getty Images.

THROUGH MAY 5

THROUGH JUNE 16

Milwaukee Film Festival The Milwaukee Film Festival has returned to cinemas for the first time since the pandemic began. However, it will retain its hybrid status with many options for viewing from home. The festival, which began in April, continues into early May with screenings at three historic Milwaukee cinemas: the Oriental, the Times and the Avalon Atmospheric Theater. For information, visit mkefilm.org.

Big Beat MKE Beat Battle Jackalope Lounj Milwaukee’s hip hop scene will be on display in the Third Ward on Thursday nights throughout May and June, with the Big Beat MKE beat battle taking place at the Jackalope Lounj, the event space at The Wicked Hop. Sixteen producers will go head-to-head in a tournament to become this year’s champion, with two battles and two local artists performing every night. The May portion of the lineup includes sets from Nile, Yogie B & Keez, Kia Rap Princess, Cam Will and many more. MAY 7 Body Futures, Stomatopod, Vacancy Chain Cactus Club Local indie rockers Body Futures are playing their first Milwaukee show since 2018 as well as introducing a new bass player, Evan Gritzon into the fold. The band will get the chance to give a local debut of material from their Maybe It’s Just The Weather album, and they’ll be joined by Chicago outfit Stomatopod, fresh off the release of their third LP, Competing With Hindsight. The trio of acts will be rounded out by punks Vacancy Chain, making for a high-energy night of rock and roll. Photo by Cavan Images/Getty Images.

Evacuees of Japanese ancestry from agriculturally rich Yolo County boarded onto a train. May 20, 1942, Woodland, California. Photo by Dorothea Lange. National Archives. Photo courtesy of Jewish Museum Milwaukee.

THROUGH MAY 29 “Then They Came for Me”  Jewish Museum Milwaukee “Then They Came for Me” contextualizes the racism that made the wartime internment of Japanese Americans possible and reviews the anti-Asian legislation that culminated with a ban of Japanese immigration altogether. The bulk of the exhibit consists of enlarged photographs on display panels accompanied by text. Many were taken by Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange and Clem Albers, acclaimed photographers employed by the federal government to document the internment. Eventually one of the captives, Toyo Miyatake, was able to take some of the pictures included in the exhibit. 62 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

MAY 7, 2022 Spring Ephemerals Walk with Justine Miller  Lynden Sculpture Garden Join horticulturist Justine Miller on a plant walk through Lynden's grounds with an eye toward Wisconsin native spring ephemerals. These plants are the earliest flowers to bloom and keep their growing season brief to take advantage of full sunlight in the bare woods. Participants will learn about their ecology, cultivation and how they can promote these beautiful species in their own yards. Register for the event at lyndensculpturegarden.org

MAY 2022 | 63

Photo by Eshma/Getty Images.

CULTURE

MAY 9 Michael Benson, Gangsters vs. Nazis: How Jewish Mobsters Battled Nazis in Wartime America Boswell Books virtual event The Italian Mob didn’t care much for Mussolini, who crossed them in Sicily, but the Jewish Mob had a special sense of vengeance against Hitler. At a time when the U.S. remained neutral—and a pro-Nazi group could book a rally at Madison Square Garden (and the Milwaukee Auditorium)—Jewish gangsters were ready for war. Acclaimed nonfiction crime author Michael Benson divulges the role of Jewish mobsters like Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel in fighting Nazi sympathizers in the years leading to World War II.

Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto  Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Bradley Symphony Center Johannes Brahms’ life was a whirlwind of creativity with masterpieces in every form of music he knew, except opera. Almost alone among 19th century German composers, he is credited with infusing the discipline of a Haydn or Schubert with the ardor of the Romantic movement. The MSO is pairing his piano concerto (featuring pianist Alessio Ba) with a work by Brahms’ contemporary, Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 5, along with Flounce by contemporary Finnish composer Lotta Wennäkoski. Rising young conductor Ruth Reinhardt will lead the orchestra.

REINHARDT

MAY 19 Kyle John Kenowski, Caley Conway, Scam Likely Linneman’s Experimental folk musician and animator Kyle John Kenowski has made a name for himself within circles of arts appreciators. His unique sound and style garnered attention all the way up to working with Cartoon Network. Kenowski is heading out of the city, though, releasing music on what he calls an “infinite album,” Ourugorus Garden, along the way. An EP within the infinite album and a new animation will be premiered at the going away party, along with sets from Caley Conway and Scam likely. MAY 28 Lest We Forget Turner Hall Ballroom Part reunion, part memorial, but all celebratory, the Lest We Forget anniversary concert revisits the early punk and new wave scene in Milwaukee. With appearances from Dan Kubinski of Die Kreuzen (now The Crosses,) Johnny & The Losers, Wanda Chrome & the Leather Pharaohs, as well as Starship Jukebox, the music of bands like Those X-Cleavers, The Prosecutors, Lubricants and many more will be fondly looked back upon. The night will also feature sets from Xposed 4heads, 3 On Fire, Rock-A-Dials, Liv Mueller and more. 64 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

MAY 13-14

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LIFESTYLE CANNABIS

| SPONSORED BY RA!

Photos taken by Shepherd Express staff.

WISCONSIN CANNABIS EXPO RETURNS BY SHEILA JULSON

fter a pandemic hiatus, the Wisconsin Cannabis Expo returns Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to the Wisconsin Center, Expo Hall A. (Another Wisconsin Cannabis Expo is also planned for Madison on Nov. 19, 2022.) General admission is $20. The event is sponsored by the Shepherd Express, Badger Labs, Kind Oasis and FoodVac Bags.

the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, along with advocacy organizations, will also be in attendance. Guests will have opportunities to sample and purchase cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp products. Speakers and panel discussions will cover topics such as legalization, the health benefits of cannabis and navigating the hemp industry.

The Expo will feature more than 50 exhibitors such as dispensaries, apothecaries, makers of edibles, farmers and growers, labs, processors and entrepreneurs specializing in hemp marketing and specialty products. Representatives from

The inaugural Wisconsin Cannabis Expo took place February 2020 and was wildly successful; a testament that Wisconsinites are curious and embracing the plant. “Many people thanked us after the last event. They are believers in cannabidiol (CBD)

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and we legitimized them,” says Shepherd Express publisher/ editor-in-chief Louis Fortis. “We hope to reproduce that same level of enthusiasm.” Six workshops will feature speakers to educate attendees about a variety of topics. Dr. Cecilia Hillard, a professor of pharmacology and director of the neuroscience research center at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will lead a talk, “The Health and Medical Benefits of Cannabis.” Legalization, a popular topic at the last expo, will be covered again through discussion of medical and full recreational legalization, which includes the social justice component. Wisconsin state senator Melissa Agard, who has worked earnestly for full cannabis legalization in our state, will be one of the speakers.

FROM SEEDS TO SALES Other topics include “Complex Challenges of Hemp, Including Delta-8.” Aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs can get advice from discussions such as “How Can I Make Money in This Cannabis Game?”, “How to Succeed from Seeds to Sales” and “How to Make Money Once Marijuana is Legalized.” Fortis notes there is something for everyone at the Wisconsin Cannabis Expo, whether one is interested in the medicinal aspects of cannabis, public policy or entrepreneurship in the cannabis industry. “Whatever aspect of the cannabis game you want to get involved with; you’ll find experts to guide you.” Even before full legalization went into effect in other states, and the CBD boom took root in Wisconsin, the Shepherd Express has been a steadfast supporter of advancing cannabis legalization. As more research on the health and medical benefits of cannabis becomes available, as well as to word-of-mouth accounts of how it’s helped ailments from chronic pain to anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, Fortis says nobody can deny the benefits of the plant. “More than half the states in our country have some kind of marijuana legalization,” he says. “We try to be a champion on the issue and provide intelligent, accurate and fact-based information. We want to try to organize as many people as possible to advance some kind of legalization, whether it’s medical or full legalization. I think to will come in two steps, but any legislation has to benefit Wisconsin businesses. We have to help our hemp entrepreneurs by keeping it as local as possible, which provides accountability and a high-quality product.” For more information and to purchase tickets, visit wicannabisexpo.com.

Sheila Julson enjoys capturing the stories behind Milwaukee's happening food, beverage and urban farming scenes. She pens articles about holistic health, green living, sustainability and human-interest features and writes the Eat-Drink column for shepherdexpress.com. MAY 2022 | 67

LIFESTYLE OUT OF MY MIND

Struggling? Use Childlike Creativity

BY PHILIP CHARD

hen mental health experts list the attributes necessary for coping with life’s many challenges, they usually reference resilience, realistic optimism, self-compassion and emotional intelligence. Indeed, these qualities clearly help us adapt when fate hits us hard with loss, suffering and trauma. However, there is another little-discussed attribute that proves equally important, particularly when grappling with disruptive emotional and interpersonal issues. Creativity. The good news is that even those who don’t consider themselves creative can become so, largely by inhabiting a mindset they possessed as a young child. Unfortunately, when wrestling with psychological conundrums, both clients and their therapists can display a dearth of creative thinking. When trapped in a mental or behavioral rut, we often fall prey to Einstein’s oft-quoted assertion that insanity means doing something repeatedly despite getting the same unwelcome outcome. Or as John Grinder of Neuro-Linguistic Programming fame put it, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” So, effectively addressing a personal quandary often necessitates thinking and acting outside one’s pre-existing adult boundaries. Frequently, folks coming to therapy have already experimented unsuccessfully with a myriad of “fix me” approaches, so it’s not

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for lack of effort that they remain mired in mental muck. Rather, it is due to the absence of an imaginative approach. Now, prescriptions for amplifying one’s creativity are legion, populating books, podcasts and workshops. Can we draw from these methods and apply them in a therapeutic or self-help context to address personal challenges? Not as much as one might suppose. Instead, there is another, often-overlooked resource in this regard.

BEGINNER’S EYES Studies show the best role models for creativity are children. They benefit from what we call “beginner’s eyes,” meaning they haven’t logged enough life experience to be set in their ways of thinking and acting. Usually, the modus operandi of their creativity involves storytelling. They create fantasies that stretch the boundaries of what is possible. As a kid, I spent hours writing stories, illustrating them and, at times, acting them out through play. That is, until the drumbeat of rote learning in school slowly indoctrinated me, and most others, into painting inside the lines, so to speak. Studies show creativity in children diminishes rapidly in many traditional educational settings. Recent research suggests this childlike narrative approach helps adults reframe how they view and approach their personal problems. Ashley provided a case in point. Beset by social anxiety that

Illustration by Michael Burmesch.

impeded her at work and in her personal relationships, she’d run the gamut of orthodox treatments but to no avail. She enjoyed reading fiction and regularly journaled about her experiences, so my suggestion that she begin composing fantasy narratives about herself and her conundrum didn’t sound off-the-charts. The format went as follows: • Shifting Context: Ashley wrote fantasies in which she explored different and wild social settings, those she would never actually experience. The office became a playroom, or a dinner party took place atop the clouds, and so on. • Altering Perspective: In her writings, she created and inhabited different characters, some quite fanciful and even outrageous. Again, these alter egos were well outside what was possible for her in real life. Still, this helped her adopt different mindsets and emotions. • Modifying Actions: In her fantasies, she behaved in ways that were well outside her existing behavioral boundaries. In doing so, she felt the freedom to imagine scenarios she would never consider in real life. The result? Ashley reframed a rigid mental script that made her anxious when entering social environments. Gradually, her anxiety about social situations morphed into curiosity, a tendency joined at the hip with creativity. How is that possible? Well, as Buddha said, “We are what we think, having become what we thought.” And when that thinking is too self-defeating or constraining, it needs to be diluted or replaced with the childlike mindset of storytelling and fantasy. How we think becomes how we feel, and how we feel generates how we act. When emotionally stuck, our same-old thought patterns function like a cage, constantly reminding us of what we can’t feel or do. Creative storytelling pushes against these mental bars, making liberation possible.

Philip Chard is a psychotherapist and author with a focus on lasting behavior change, emotional healing and adaptation to health challenges. For more, visit philipchard.com.

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HEAR ME OUT DEAR RUTHIE | SPONSORED BY UW CREDIT UNION

(NOT SO) HOPELESSLY MUCH ADO DEVOTED TO YOU

ABOUT MOMMY DEAREST

DEAR RUTHIE,

I’ve been dating a woman for five weeks. I’ve been an out-and-proud lesbian for 11 years, but she only came out a few months ago, and I’m the first woman she’s dated. DEAR While I likeRUTHIE, her, and I pursued her pretty aggressively, I’m finding our relationship boring. I married a momma’s boy. I knew what I was getting into, but I thought I could handle the crazy-tight bond my husband

I really don’t have a good time with her anymore, but behas with his mom. I also thought that bond would weaken cause I’m her first, she’s totally in love and completely devotas he settled into married life. I was wrong! How can I get my ed toman me. Ito don’t want to break herme heart, things are just to spend more time with andbut give less attention too boring with her. Any advice? mommy dearest? understand?

THANKS, WITH LOVE,

Not-So-Hopelessly Devoted Att ent ion Whore

DEAR HOPELESS,

I hate to say it, honey, but this is one of the issuesATTENTION many people face when they’re someone’s DEAR WHORE, first love. Granted, many fall in love for the first time, and that person becomes their soulmate hate to doll-face, butI’m youafraid. knew what you were for the rest of their lives; that just doesn’tI seem tosay be it, the case here, getting into when you said, “I do.” Remember, you can’t

The way this big-boned redhead sees it, you’ve three options: 1) Give it another shot by changegot a man. You can hope he shifts priorities to improve relationship, but you can’t change him on your own. talking to her about how you’d like to seeyour the relationship change; 2) Let her know that things aren’t working for you, and suggest the two of you take a break; or 3) Let her know that this isn’t what you hoped it would be and suggestIfyou part your waysfeelings permanently. sharing with him isn’t working, consider couples therapy. There, you’ll both learn communication

Regardless of the path you choose, ya little heartbreaker, with her a thoughtstrategies and toolscommunicate to help you address thein awkward ful, caring manner. Don’t end things withumbilical-chord a text or ghostattachment her. After all, a little you’re bothcommunication dealing with. goes a long way. XXOO

Ruthie

XXOO

Ruthie

Have a question for Ruthie? Want to share an event with her? Contact Ruthie at dearruthie@shepex.com. Have a question for Ruthie? Want to share an event with her? Contact Ruthie at dearruthie@shepex.com. Follow her on social media, too! Follow her on social media, too! Facebook: Dear Ruthie | Instagram: RuthieKeester | Twitter: @DearRuthie Facebook: Dear Ruthie | Instagram: RuthieKeester | Twitter: @DearRuthie

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DEAR RUTHIE BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Ruthie'ss Social SocialCalendar Calendar Ruthie' MAY 8 FEBRUARY 5

M&M CLUB REUNION AT TIED HOUSE (124 N. WATER ST.): Once upon a time, ‘RUPAUL’S DRAG VIEWING PARTY AThaven MARY’S CORNER BAR a cabaret bar in theRACE’ Third Ward provided a safe for thousands of folks (734 S. FIFTH ST.): and helped make the Milwaukee LGBTQ+ community what it is today. I’m talking Take Ru’s new episode alongside your hostess The aboutinthe fabulous M&M Club (currently Tied House).Becky ThoseEssence were theHall. days, my show starts at 7 p.m. thethe bar opens 5 p.m.,reunion. so comeMeet earlyup towith order friends, and it’s time tobut relive fun with aat15-year old some Hamburger appetizers, burgers or 6dessert andSee getyou comfy! friendsofand rememberMary’s yesteryear during the noon to p.m. party. there!

Enjoy $5 Smirnoff cocktails and $6 Smirnoff Bombs during the show. FEBRUARY 5 MAY 15

JUKEBOX AT WALKER’S PINT (818 S. HOP SECOND ST.): LOCATIONS WALKER’SBINGO POINT MAKERS MARKET AND BAR (VARIOUS Looking for something newPOINT): to do onShop a Friday? Check this popular night THROUGHOUT WALKER’S more than 65out local vendors, crafters where bingowhile meets “Name Tune.” Five rounds of fun offer prizes, and makers enjoying anthat assortment of beers, wines and spirits. The drink noon to specials, and more. freeBrewing, games start atBat 7 p.m. Can’t Mob makeCraft it 5 p.m. barpub hop trivia includes stops atThe Indeed Broken Brewing, on the fifth? NoLakes worry!Distillery, This ladies’ bar bingo every Friday February. Beer and Great so put onhosts your walking shoes, grab in your credit card and support local artists and brewers. FEBRUARY 9

ALL-DAY HAPPY HOUR AT THIS IS IT! (418 E. WELLS ST): MAY 18 Take advantage of this 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. happy hour at one of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ landmarks. downSUPPORT two-for-one specials on all rails and taps FAB (OLDER ADULT)Toss VIRTUAL GROUP VIA MILWAUKEE LGBT while you get to know the friendly bar meet new people andshare take a COMMUNITY CENTER: If you’re over 50staff, and looking to meet people, break from the workissues week’s craziness.mature members of the LGBTQ+ stories and address surrounding community, you may want to consider this weekly peer group. Facilitated FEBRUARY 12 LGBT Community Center, the 6-7:30 p.m. online meeting by the Milwaukee is easy to access. Simply DAY go toFUNDRAISER www.meet.google.com/emg-vgwe-nrp to join VIRTUAL VALENTINE’S AND DANCE PARTY: the discussion. COVID isn’t going to stop the LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin from having

some fun and raising donations! The 7 p.m. extravaganza includes music, raffles and other online plans sure to get you moving and grooving in your MAY 21 own home. Visit lgbtsewi.org to get your pass to the Zoom event.

NINE LIVES CAT BOWLING TOURNAMENT AT CLASSIC LANES (7501 S. HOWELL AVE.): FEBRUARY 12 Whether you’re a certified cat lady or simply love a little pussy, this nine-pin bowling tournament, benefitting Almost Home Cat Rescue, VALENTINE’S RED WINES, CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE ONLINE CLASS: is for you! Save our furry friends when you register a six-person team at 11:30 Surprise your Valentine with a wine and chocolate pairing from Milwaua.m. before hitting the lanes at noon. Learn more and register online kee’s Indulgence Chocolatiers (211 S. Second St.). For $75, you’ll receive at www.almosthomemke.com/9-pin-tap. three bottles of wine and enough chocolate and cheese to host a group of

four. Pick up the kit the day before class, then log on for a fantastic night. The classes are popular, so call 414-223-0123 to reserve your tastMAYvirtual 27 ing kit before they run out.

“FREAKY” DRAG SHOW AT FIVE NIGHTCLUB (5 APPLEGATE COURT, MADISON): Drag queen extraordinaire Loretta Love Lee hosts this 10 p.m. show FEBRUARY 17 & 18 in Mad City. Join me and Loretta’s other guests when you reserve a table for $15. LOVE IS LOVE VIRTUAL LGBT AND ALLIES WEDDING SHOWCASE: Simply email fivetickets@yahoo.com, and I’ll see you in Madison!

The team at the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce helps you plan your special day with this online offering. Check out the vendors, suppliers and others who MAY 28promise to make your wedding shine when you register via the event’s page at wislgbtchamber.com. The cyber showcase runs 4-6 p.m. both days.

M.O.B. BEER BUST AT KRUZ (354 E. NATIONAL AVE.): Beer and soda busts are back at Kruz…and FEBRUARY 24 so are the raffle prizes, contests and hot men! The social club Milwaukee Organized Bears hosts this 3-7 p.m. afternoon of day-drinking, friendNETWORKING ONLINE HAPPY HOUR: making and fun. From the poplar patio to the jammin’ jukebox, Kruz is always a Grab a beverage at home and settle in for some virtual elbow rubbing good time. Come on down and see for yourself. when you attend this monthly happy hour of business owners from the

LGBTQ community. The 4:30-5:30 p.m. social is free and open to all, but MAY 29 to register first via wislgbtchamber.com. you need

BRUNCH WITH THE BRUNCHETTES AT HAMBURGER MARY’S (730 S. FIFTH FEBRUARY 25 ST.): I host this fast-paced drag brunch that’s sure to put a smile on your face QUEER BOOK CLUB: and a spring in your step. Take in the craziness while enjoying Mary’s infamous Miss your menu, book club? Youand don’t have to! This onlineTwo group offers a great breakfast bloodies bottomless mimosas. shows (noon and 2 p.m.) way literature and into make new friends. The club meets virtually maketo it discuss a snap to work brunch your weekend.

the last Thursday of each month at 6 p.m., discussing books about social justice, advocacy, personal growth and more. This month’s book is UnMR. AND MISS TRANS USA AT THE PITMAN THEATER, ALVERN GOLLEGE tamedS.by Glennon an email at queerbookclubwi@gmail.com (3400 43RD ST.): Doyle. A little Shoot bit of Vegas comes to the city with this glamor-fest of to learn how to participate. a pageant. Don't miss the excitement of the 6 p.m. event (the red carpet rolls out at 5 p.m.) When you nab a $27 ticket at www.mrandmisstransusa.ticketleap.com.

MAY 2022 | 71

HEAR ME OUT | SPONSORED BY UW CREDIT UNION

Milwaukee’s LGBTQ Chorus, Our Voice, Returns with a Spring Concert BY PAUL MASTERSON

ur Voice, Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ chorus, presents its spring concert on May 21 at Plymouth Church. It will be the group’s first live performance since February 2020. In keeping with concert’s theme of renewal after the pandemic, the program will present songs of love and resilience. It will be the first concert under the baton of Our Voice’s new artistic director David Heim. Veteran Joshua Parman will provide piano accompaniment.

was founded and held auditions. “At the time were 19 singers for the first concert. I helped sell 110 tickets for a full house at the Milwaukee Library’s Centennial Hall. Our MC was a voice over personality on PBS and that helped publicity. We also held a fund raising silent auction at the concert that raised $8000. We then moved to the Zelazo Center at UWM. We had 40 members and that grew rapidly to 50,” Roeker said.

The group’s return to the concert stage represents not only resilience in the face of COIVD-19 but a continuation of a near half century of LGBTQ choral history. Over the decades, choral groups provided both entertainment for the broader community as well as an artistic and social outlet for their members. Over the years the LGBTQ choral scene has gone through stages of growth and decline, of name and leadership changes, and most recently, a pandemic. But, throughout all those years, the motivation of the need to sing has persisted.

Later, an internal issue forced a restructuring. That led to another name change to City of Festivals Men’s Chorus. The reconstituted chorus now consisted of 20 very dedicated singers. According to Roeker,” the name was an issue. It didn’t identify us as a gay chorus” Roeker joked. Still, under that name, the chorus performed in concerts with a Madison group, Perfect Harmony. Combined they totaled 60 singers. “We had summer retreats with Madison and that increased the social connections as well as the musical challenges. Together we sang in 1992 at the international GALA (Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses) Festival in Denver, CO,” Roeker said.

It all began in 1985 with the founding of Festival City Gay Chorus, an all-inclusive group of singers who embraced the cabaret as its medium. Changing its name a year later to Fest City Singers, and now 40 voices strong, it became known for its AIDS benefits and other concerts. Its mission statement declared its purpose to promote unity and understanding in the gay and lesbian community as well as to give that community a voice.

THEY KEPT SINGING In 1987 artistic differences would lead to a schism resulting in the formation of another choral group, Cream City Chorus. It, too, would dedicate its mission to diversity and tolerance, extending its outreach beyond the LGBT community. Fest City Singers would disband a decade later. However, Cream City Chorus continued performing until 2012 when, in its 25th silver anniversary year, the organization announced its final concert, entitled “Schlemiel, Schlimazel! Celebrating the Cream City,” in June of that year. Meanwhile, in 2001 a new choral group, Men’s Voices Milwaukee appeared on the concert scene. It would foster the formation in 2006 of Women’s Voices Milwaukee. Each would perform separately. Women’s Voices last concert was in December 2019. It has been on hiatus since due to the pandemic. Mark Roeker’s personal story as a long-term member reflects the greater tale of Milwaukee’s choruses. “We have to go way back. I was new to Milwaukee and needed another outlet to meet people outside of the bars. I sang in high school and was missing it and my boyfriend said I needed a hobby. Instead of the bars, I had the chorus. In a way it saved my life,” Roeker said.

THE NAMES CHANGE He joined Fest City Singers in the mid-to late 90s and was its last president. Then, a search for a new director was unsuccessful and the group faded away. In 2001, Men’s Voices Milwaukee

72 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

The next name change also reflected a change in the chorus membership. Now called Our Voice, and like its earliest predecessor, it was all-inclusive open to all genders and identities. “It’s stronger when you cross pollinate,” Roeker said and went on to describe the group’s last concert. “It was a Broadway cabaret themed concert, a sold-out powerful night, with Karen Valentine as MC. It was on Feb. 21, 2020. By March the country was shutting down. The concert created momentum. Ten audience members asked to join the group, but then COVID killed us.” Today, having weathered the storm, Our Voice is active again, continuing the LGBTQ community’s tradition of presenting the vocal arts. Current president, Carl Wagner, like many members over the years, sought out the chorus as a social outlet as well as a musical one. “I joined in 2018 after my boyfriend passed away. The group is great to sing with and we have social outings together. During the pandemic we had weekly social meeting on ZOOM and I’ve made many friendships within the group,” Wagner said. Now, with the pandemic subsiding, Our Voice is hoping to return to its annual schedule of concerts. That involves a renewed effort to recruit new members. According to Wagner, they are currently looking for a diverse range of singers. Concert and other information may be found at the Our Voice social media page and on its website Ourvoicemke.org

Paul Masterson is an LGBTQ activist and writer and has served on the boards of the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, Milwaukee Pride, GAMMA and other organizations.

Music symbols by Warmworld/Getty Images. Background by Sophie Yufa.

MAY 2022 | 73

ART FOR ART'S SAKE

From The City That Always Sweeps BY ART KUMBALEK

’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a? So listen, for crying out loud it’s now the month of May belonging to the year 2022, the so-called “merry” month—the month with plenty to honor/celebrate, what with your International Workers’ Day, Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, Miles Davis’ birthday, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s B-day, and Mother’s Day. As some of you’s may be aware, this month and year marks an anniversary year for me in that I’ve been snookered into being part of this Shepherd Express empire for 36 years now. Yeah, do the math, take 2022, subtract 36, and you ought to get 1986, I’m guessing. And let me remind you’s about the 1986, the year that Microsoft had its first public offering of stock on March 13. I wonder what I had to do that was so goddamn important that day—besides attending a crappy day job with the intent to enjoy a nice cocktail or three in the evening— that I couldn’t pick up a couple, three shares at a buck two-eighty so’s to be a millionaire on Easy Street in today’s world, lo, these my waning days. Maybe it’s ’cause 1986 was the year the great songwriter Harold Arlen died. You betcha, he’s the guy, with Yip Harburg on lyrics, who wrote what really ought to be my theme song if I needed a theme song: “If I Only Had a Brain,” what the fock. Yeah yeah, May 2022. What the fock? Way back when I was a kid during the threechannel black & white TV Eisenhower 1950s years (when you needed a goddamn telescope to be able to sort out the action on your family’s bullshit-inch Philco screen), I dreamed, and assumed, that by a year like 1986, what with the ballyhooed 75-76 year return of Halley’s Comet, the people of planet Earth would individually possess the convenient flying car and any existential threat from the inhabitants of Mars would have finally been kiboshed but good. Fock those green goons, ain’a? Anyways, now it’s 2022 for lord’s sake and we still got cancer, stupid-ass wars, stupid–ass politicians, but no flying cars. 74 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

I’m starting to think the future is not all that it’s cracked up to be, what the fock. But it is indeed the merry month of May, which reminds me that I would be remiss if I didn’t send out a Big Fat Happy Birthday to Plato, perhaps the Numero Uno of the old-time-ancient Greek philosophers (right next to Anonymous, ’natch), who, per my research, would be celebrating his 2,450th on Thursday, May 21. Hey that’s a lot of candles, I don’t care who you are. I wonder what Plato would say if I could badger him with a question like a regular Socrates, the question being, “Plato, if a man says something in the woods and no woman hears him, is he still wrong?” You know what I think Plato would say? I think he’d say something like this:

What do I know from the woods? Cripes, I wrote ‘Allegory of the Cave,’ not some bullshit about prancing through a forest. Don’t they teach you modern nitwits anything in school anymore? “Listen, got to run pally, but here’s something you’s people in your day and age all around the world ought to be asking not only yourselves but each other, and allow me to quote myself here ’cause what the fock: ‘Is that which is holy loved by the gods because it is holy, or is it holy because it is loved by the gods?’ OK. See you ’round the corner.” There you go. Remember, keep your eyes to the sky ’cause that’s where heaven’s supposed to be, what the fock, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.

“Oy, 2,450 years, and still with the questions? You got to be jerking my beefaroni. Haven’t you people come up with any answers yet? I tell you, I was born about 2,000-years-and-change too soon, I shit you not. I’d go into stand-up comedy today. Have my own show on the TV. There’s money in comedy. There’s no money in philosophy. No chicks, either. Just guys, and plenty of them. They say the chicks really go for a guy with a good sense of humor. Sure they do—as long as he also looks like Brad focking Pitt with $100 million bucks parked in the bank; otherwise, it’s hit the road, funnyman, and don’t forget to take the sense of humor with you. “What a world. They also say laughter’s the best medicine and back in my day it practically was ’cause what did we know from medicine? Jack focking squat, that’s what. But the laughter can be good social medicine, you bet. Speaking of which, I heard a good one the other day: A thief sticks a pistol in a swell-dressed guy’s ribs and says, ‘Give me your money.’ The swell guy, shocked by the attack, says, ‘You cannot do this. I am a congressman.’ And the thief says, ‘In that case, give me my money. Ba-ding! “But in answer to your question about the man in the woods being wrong. Beats me. Old-timey child photo by George Marks/Getty Images. Background by _Aine_/Getty Images.

Shepherd Express - May 2022

Articles inside

From the City that Always Sweeps

Milwaukee's LGBTQ Chorus, Our Voice, Returns with a Spring Concert — My LGBTQ POV

Much Ado About Mommy Dearest

Struggling? Use Childlike Creativity

This Month in Milwaukee

Jazz, Hip-Hop or Electronic, Jamie Breiwick Leads the Way

Wisconsin Cannabis Expo Returns — Cannabis

Making the Most of Small Gardening Spaces

Brewery District Launches Milwaukee's Newest Farmers Market

Quasimodo Sings as Skylight Performs Victor Hugo’s ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’

Mezcal and Tequila — Beverages

Milwaukee's Derek Mosley is a Judge for All

Ericka Sinclair is Redefining Healthcare

An Ox Cafe Brings Asian Comfort Food to the Northwest Side

What Role do Public Defenters Play in the Justice System

Banning Books on Race and Sexuality Are Crippling State Education — Taking Liberties

All About That Borscht — Flash in the Pan

Is Democracy Making a Comeback