Editor, Author at Milwaukee Independent

Sundeep Morrison: On performing a powerful American story in the one-woman show “Rag Head”

Posted by Editor | Aug 6, 2019 |

As a Punjabi Sikh writer, actor, director, author, and activist Sundeep Morrison’s work focuses on social justice, cultural friction, inter-ethnic family dynamics, and feminism. Morrison is a child of Sikh immigrant parents, who are deeply connected to the Wisconsin Sikh community and were affected by the Oak Creek tragedy. She performed her celebrated one-woman play “Rag Head: An American Story” in Milwaukee at the Broadway Theatre Center on August 3 and 4, as a way to shed light on the often misunderstood and misrepresented Sikh community. Produced by Deanna Singh in partnership with the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee,...

Wisconsin native performs aerobatic maneuvers in F-16 above Milwaukee skyline with Thunderbirds team

Posted by Editor | Aug 2, 2019 |

The skies over Milwaukee were clear of storms but still echoed the sounds of thunder on the July 21 and 22 weekend, with the return of “The Thunderbirds,” the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, as headliner of the Milwaukee Air & Water Show. The Thunderbirds, “America’s Ambassadors in Blue,” headlined past years of Air & Water Show, and have been a popular attraction for the annual event. The team of six demonstration pilots flew their F-16 Fighting Falcons over Milwaukee’s lakefront, performing a series of maneuvers for the tens of thousands of spectators watching along the city’s freshwater...

Harbor View Plaza brings new community space to Milwaukee’s waterfront

Posted by Editor | Aug 1, 2019 |

A new public space in Milwaukee’s Harbor District officially opened for the south side community on July 29, at a ribbon cutting ceremony that was attended by a crowd of more than two hundred local residents. Located on the inner harbor at the eastern end of Greenfield Avenue, the Harbor View Plaza includes a lookout tower, a handicapped-accessible kayak and canoe launch, and seating areas to watch the ships at Port Milwaukee and the unique view of the Milwaukee skyline. A water circulation and filtration system in the plaza captures stormwater, and also provides a unique children’s play area...

Joel Brennan honored at Discovery World’s 2019 Ignite the Spark fundraising gala

Posted by Editor | Jul 31, 2019 |

Discovery World celebrated 13 years along the lakefront with its 2019 Ignite the Spark Gala fundraising benefit on July 27, and gave a special tribute to the late restaurateur and philanthropist Joe Bartolotta. Former CEO of Discover World, Joel Brennan, was honored for his years of service in making the museum into the vibrant and nationally recognized institution it is today. Brennan left his position late last year to accept the position to work with the Governor Tony Evers administration as Secretary of the Department of Administration for State of Wisconsin. It was the first time for the public...

Affordable housing for veterans at Victory Manor brings HACM full circle on 75th Anniversary

Posted by Editor | Jul 30, 2019 |

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” – Robert F. Kennedy The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) welcomed nearly 300 people to its annual meeting on July 17, to celebrate the “ripples of hope” created throughout its 75 years of providing high quality, affordable...

Westown blooms with completion of epic mural by Emma Daisy Gertel

Posted by Editor | Jul 23, 2019 |

Downtown Milwaukee officially welcomed one of its largest and most ambitious mural projects, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 19, along the west wall of Dunkin’ at 622 W. Wisconsin Avenue. Titled “Westown In Bloom,” the 80’ wide by 50’ high mural was painted by local artist Emma Daisy Gertel, and commissioned by the Milwaukee Downtown BID #21 and the Downtown Placemaking Task Force. Gertel was selected from a pool of nearly 60 applications from around the globe. The high-impact canvas on northeast corner of James Lovell Street and Wisconsin Avenue featured an urban garden as its subject,...