Riley Reed, Author at Milwaukee Independent

B is for Bisexual: The “Other” Struggle for Identity

Posted by Riley Reed | Jun 28, 2019

In a culture that is prone to pick sides on every issue, it is easy to overlook individuals who embrace both. LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, but the “B” is often lost in any conversation about the subject. Individuals who identify as bisexual encounter stereotypes and misunderstanding from both the gay and straight communities. In my college career, I’ve been moving in a direction of exploring my identity and figuring out what it means to me. A lot of people don’t understand this, and misinterpret me as a result. The idea of being interested in the...

Students still vulnerable on campus even during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Posted by Riley Reed | Apr 24, 2019 |

Governor Tony Evers recently instituted April as Sexual Assault Awareness month for the state of Wisconsin. Although this has been a national trend, the action by the governor brings light and addresses a very prevalent issue many face daily. Now it is an institutional problem that cannot be fixed overnight, but starting with smaller institutions is a good start. Recently, Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos proposed new Title IX regulations that would limit a survivor’s safety on a college campus. Although the policy has not passed yet, learning about this possibility makes me fearful for not only my own...

Becoming Milwaukee: A night of hope and inspirational stories from Michelle Obama

Posted by Riley Reed | Mar 18, 2019 |

I had the rare pleasure of seeing Michelle Obama on March 14, when she stopped by the Miller High Life Theatre as part of the nationwide promotional tour for her book, “Becoming.” The former First Lady graced the stage with her eloquence, kindness, and dignity. The theatre was filled with a sense of warmth and comfort, as if just for a moment we had never seen her leave the White House. Thousands attended the event to listen to her personal stories and reflections from her wildly popular memoir. At one point in the discussion she asked the audience, “What...

What Hasn’t Changed? Milwaukee student activist Bria Smith and her fight after Parkland

Posted by Riley Reed | Mar 18, 2019 |

“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.” – George Bernard Shaw One year after the mass shooting at Parkland, the wounds remain fresh for many people as...

Milwaukee joins national protest demanding end to Trump’s zero tolerance policy

Posted by Riley Reed | Jul 3, 2018 |

Hundreds of local activists and citizens of Milwaukee endured the heat and gathered outside the offices of U.S. Senator Ron Johnson at the Federal Building, closing off a block of Wisconsin Avenue due to the massive size of the crowd. Participants joined the nationwide June 30 protest demanding that the Trump administration reunite families, and end the policy of family separation at the border with Mexico. The Families Belong Together rally took aim at the ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy of the Trump Administration, which pulled families apart. Individuals who illegally entered the United States were prosecuted under this directive, and...