Bridge the City

Host Ben Hoekstra sits down with three guests from Black Arts MKE—Barbara Wanzo, Executive Director of Black Arts MKE; Sheri Williams Panel, Producing Artistic Director of Bronzeville Arts Ensemble and Artistic Associate of Black Arts MKE; and Dimonte Henning, actor and director and Artistic Director of Lights, Camera, Soul—to talk about their work to expand the availability and quality of African American arts and culture. They discuss the importance of narratives that share both struggle and triumph, how they each started doing this work, and the upcoming Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, August 10-14..

To learn more, visit:

Black Arts MKE

Action Steps:

Attend the Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, August 10-14.

Engage in your community and go to events you may not have been to before.

Bring a friend or family member with you to community events.

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue. Shoutout to our supporters!

Music by Casey Masters.

Host Benjamin Rangel sits down with Audra O’Connell, Executive Director of Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center, to talk about their work serving young people experiencing housing insecurity in the city. They discuss the misconceptions around those experiencing homelessness, the different programs offered by the Center, and how you can get involved to support youth in the city.

To learn more, visit:

Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center

Action Steps:

Keep an eye out for young people and provide them with support and resources

Attend a Summer of Healing Event

Advocate for the legislation that helps young people

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue. Shoutout to our supporters (include first names of new Patrons and include in episode if possible) 

Music by Casey Masters.

Host Ben Hoekstra sits down with Chief Municipal Judge Derek Mosely about what it means being a Municipal Court Judge, Judge Mosely’s passion and celebration of Milwaukee’s food scene, and his work advocating for greater racial equity and knowledge of Black history in Milwaukee.

To learn more, visit:

Municipal Court Website

MKE Food Court

MEDAL Program (Coming Soon)

Action Steps:

Have positive interactions with people who are different from you

Attend Milwaukee’s ethnic festivals

Attend Emerald Mill’s Diverse Dining Event (Episode 25)

Stand up for and speak about people who aren’t in the room

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue. Shoutout to our supporters (include first names of new Patrons and include in episode if possible) 

Music by Casey Masters.

Host Ben Hoekstra sits down with Drew Pond, Director of Development at Stone Creek Coffee, and Kelsey Moses, Excise Tax and Compliance Director at Lakefront Brewery. They talk about what is a B Corp, why the companies decided to pursue such a designation, and how B Corps are reshaping the business community here in Milwaukee.

To learn more, visit:

B Corporation

Lakefront Brewery

Stone Creek Coffee

B Local Wisconsin

Action Steps:

Drew and Kelsey’s action step includes:

Support B Corps in your Community!

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue. Shoutout to our supporters (include first names of new Patrons and include in episode if possible)

Music by Casey Masters.

Host Benjamin Rangel sits down with Woodland Pattern Executive Directors Laura Solomon and Jenny Gropp. Woodland Pattern is a Book Center in Riverwest and offers a wide selection of books, including one of the largest collections of poetry in the country, and a variety of regular events. Ben discusses the origin of Woodland Pattern, what makes it such a unique, vibrant space in Riverwest, and how they prioritize marginalized voices in their events and material.

To learn more, visit:

Woodland Pattern

Action Steps:

Read Puerto Rican Obituary by Pedro Pietri

Visit Woodland Pattern

Volunteer at Woodland Pattern

Bring your art, poetry, writing or any other creative work to Woodland Pattern

Collaborate with Woodland Pattern

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue.

For timely content and interviews focused on what’s happening now in our city, tune in to our show on Riverwest Radio (104.1 FM) at 5:30 every other Wednesday, or listen online.

Music by Casey Masters.

Host Ashlie Benson sits down with Dr. Monique Liston who is the Chief Strategist & Joyful Militant of Ubuntu Research and Evaluation. Ashlie and Dr. Liston discuss what it means to practice joyful militancy, who are community celebrates and how we celebrate them, and the culture Dr. Liston has cultivated at Ubuntu Research and Evaluation.

To learn more, visit:

Ubuntu Research and Evaluation

Dr. Liston’s Facebook Live about Revisioning the Way we Celebrate our Community

Action Steps:

Sign up for Ubuntu Research and Evaluation’s Mailing List

Support Love on Black Women

Drink Water

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue.

Music by Casey Masters.

Host Benjamin Rangel sits down with one of the co-owners of Lion’s Tooth, a local Bookstore, cafe, and subscription service with small press books and graphic novels. Ben and Cris talk about the origin of Lion’s Tooth, what makes Lion’s Tooth a unique, accessible bookstore, and how she and co-founder Shelly McClone-Carriere took a subscription service to a brick and mortar cafe. 

Prior to the episode, Ben previews this week’s mayoral primary for the city of Milwaukee. This once-in-a-generation election needs all of Milwaukee to participate! Vote on February 15th. Visit myvote.wi.gov for more information about the election and Bridge the City’s election page for resources about the election. 

To learn more, visit:

Lion’s Tooth

Our Elections Page

Action Steps:

Visit Lion’s Tooth and share your project idea, publish a zine, or read a zine at Lion’s Tooth!

Vote on February 15th, 2022

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue.

Music by Casey Masters.

Hosts Benjamin Rangel and Ashlie Benson sit down with one another to ask you all, the listeners, for help! We are looking for new team members and would love your support. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about Bridge the City and potentially joining our team let us know! Contact us on social media or through our website bridgethecitypodcast.com. We are looking for people who are passionate about the city and about learning how to make a difference. No previous skills or knowledge about podcasting are required to apply.

Please note that Bridge the City is a passion project run and operated by volunteers. Stipends are occasionally available.

Host Benjamin Rangel Sits down with Mark Denning, Eddee Daniel, and Kimberly Gleffe to talk about the Milwaukee River Greenway and Eddee Daniel’s new book on the subject. We learn more about our place in caring for our ecosystems, how Eddee was inspired to write the book, and what Kimberly, her team at the River Revitalization Foundation, and other organizations are doing to care for our parks and natural resources.

To learn more, visit:

Book: Milwaukee River Greenway 

River Revitalization Foundation 

Line 3 in Minnesota 

Milwaukee Water Commons

Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition

Action Steps:

Mark’s action steps include:

Reverse your thinking - water is a steward of us. 

Be present in and aware of nature. 

Eddee’s action steps include: 

 Attend the Milwaukee Riverkeeper’s annual Milwaukee River Clean-up

Kimberly’s action steps include:  

Learn more about the Art Servancy Program

Volunteer with the River Revitalization Foundation

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue.

Music by Casey Masters 

This episode was produced and edited by Benjamin Rangel. 

Host Ashlie Benson sits down with Sheila Plotkin with We, the Irrelevant, Matthew Rothschild with the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, and Chris Ford with the People’s Maps Commission to discuss redistricting and fair maps in Wisconsin. They discuss the importance of redistricting to the democratic process, how the maps were drawn in the past, and efforts to ensure the upcoming redistricting process is fair and transparent.

To learn more, visit:

We, the Irrelevant

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

The People’s Maps Commission

Actions Steps:

Sheila’s Actions Steps are:

Host a Screening of “Can you Hear us Now?”

Contact your legislator

Get Involved with a Fair Maps Group

Support Law Forward

Matthew’s Action Step is:

Demand a Public Hearing on Bills SB 389 and AB 395

Chris’ Action Steps are:

Submit Comments and Sample Maps to the People’s Maps Commission

Follow the PMC on Twitter

Bridge the City

When you’re taking action in your community, share with us! Use #bridgethecity or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

We humbly ask you to consider joining our Patreon so we can continue creating episodes and events that encourage community engagement and open dialogue.

Music by Casey Masters.