Imagine This Podcast

This week, we welcome Brianna Lynn Hernández Baurichter, a Chicana artist, curator, and educator whose background includes experience working in community organizations, gallery, museum, and higher education settings, and as a consultant with public health researchers. Brianna is also currently the Director of Cultural Transformation at the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network.

In the intro, the NFT exploration continues with the actual minting of the photo of David Najib Kasir’s fidget toy sculpture. You can bid on it on Rarible now, and we have a lot to share about what we’ve learned about Ether. We also share an article about the Netflix documentary “Made You Look,” which talks about the sale of a fake Rothko and how we place value on art. To wrap it up, the crew reflects Lindsay reflects on some arts and culture spaces that have felt most like home to them.

At 19:45, Brianna joins: being influenced by the work of Guillermo Gómez-Peña’s The New World Order; work that has exemplified the spirit of proclaiming mixed identity (22:55); how audiences interact with her large-scale work personally (25:50); creating work that helps enter into conversations around death and end-of-life care (30:20); building new realities through hybridity in identity and art (33:30); Brianna’s experience of telling story of her role as a caregiver and helping other grievers express what is not normally expressed (35:22); Brianna’s work as a consultant with public health researchers and using arts as a tool for healing from emotional trauma (40:00); navigating differences between the arts and health (41:45); how Brianna combines her work as an artist and consultant with her role as Director of Cultural Transformation at MARN (44:53); how different parts of the system affect each other (48:00); what's keeping our arts and culture sector from achieving greater equity for Milwaukee? (50:45); Brianna is the Czar (55:00).

Learn more about Brianna on http://briannalhb.com/ (her website) or https://www.instagram.com/briannalhb/ (Instagram).

Music Transitions: “Caroline’s,” by Amanda Huff

E2 E18 Ephemera

https://rarible.com/token/0x60f80121c31a0d46b5279700f9df786054aa5ee5:513017 (Epstein was Murdered NFT on Rarible)

https://defector.com/made-you-look-fake-art-rich/ (“The Art World Has Bigger Enemies Than Forgers” (Defector))

This week on the pod, we welcome two guests – Jeffrey McAlister of FashionSense and Beth Weirick of the Downtown BID #21 – to celebrate the release of the Winter 2021 Lookbook. The MKE It Local Lookbook is a visual representation of style and fashion from Milwaukee's local designers, shops, and boutiques in gorgeous Downtown locations, and https://www.milwaukeedowntown.com/bid-basics/community-projects/mke-it-local-winter-2021-lookbook (can be viewed here.)

Mac, David, and Lindsay start off reflecting on the start of the pandemic in Milwaukee one year ago, and ask the question “Is it time for Imagine This Podcast to start a NFT?” We also announce Imagine MKE’s Arts and Culture Advancing Public Health cohort, which is starting up now.

At 21:26, Jeffrey and Beth join. Sharing arts and culture memories that left an impact (23:10), how Jeffrey and Beth connected over the years to lead to this current partnership (28:00), COVID-time changes to the plan to highlight fashion Downtown that led to the Lookbook (34:00), turning the project into a photoshoot (38:10), the perception of Milwaukee fashion right now (41:50), relationship between place and fashion in Milwaukee (43:55), the balance of fashion being elite and accessible (48:15), what’s next for Downtown in 2021 (51:50), what they hope for in fashion and place in the coming year (55:50), Jeffrey and Beth’s reign as Czar of Arts and Culture (57:20).

Music Transitions: “Love Song (ft. 311),” https://www.facebook.com/watch/BAlxndr/ (B. ALXNDR)

E217 Ephemera

https://imaginemke-my.sharepoint.com/:i:/g/personal/lsheridan_imaginemke_org/Eaj9eVhxGwVJl2RSWOcAa7gBXO5GH2d6W17kpg2Ub4PzmQ?e=QYOLuF (“Epstein Was Murdered,” David Najib Kasir, 2020) (Sculpture made with fidget toys at last in-person Imagine MKE meeting)

https://slate.com/technology/2021/03/beeple-auction-christies-nft-69-million-explained-why-why-why.html (What is an NFT?) Article

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjo1hlIey9g (How to Make an NFT) Video

https://word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/(https://www.fox6now.com/news/coronavirus-relief-bill-milwaukee-allocation-partisan-divide ($405 Million in aid to Milwaukee)

https://imaginemke.org/our-work-groups/additional-cohorts.php (Arts and Health Leaders Cohort Sign Up)

Social:

Jeffrey McAlister/ FashionSense – https://www.facebook.com/FashionSenseInc (Facebook) and https://www.instagram.com/jmacjr03/ (Instagram)

Milwaukee Downtown – https://www.facebook.com/milwaukeedowntown (Facebook,) https://www.instagram.com/mkedowntown/ (Instagram), https://twitter.com/MilwDowntown (Twitter)

This week on the pod, we welcome Wendell Willis, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation – and, to Mac’s delight, fellow Northwestern alum. The crew talks about Wendell’s own artistic upbringing, his varied career in business and nonprofit work, and his vision for how the arts should be integrated into education and civic infrastructure.

Mac, David, and Lindsay kick it off with a reflection on democratizing art through listening to a 1996 clip of Charlie Rose with Bowie (#rip) and Schnabel talking about the art of Basquiat (1:20), then visiting Jane Fonda’s Golden Globes acceptance speech (15:15).

Wendell’s interview starts at 23:27: moving to Milwaukee, growing up with artistic family members, and graduating from Rufus King (24:15); going to Northwestern and studying arts and business (26:52); exploring careers in the business and nonprofit worlds (34:10); art as a tool to look at business problems differently (36:25); scaling up Ways to Work and building great teams (38:42); the role of arts and culture in public education (44:10); arts integration across subjects (49:40); changing the narrative of why the arts are important to our communities (54:40); civic pride in Milwaukee (59:00); Czar of Arts and Culture turn (1:02).

And finally, we ask Wendell for some dish on Esteban – a Public Ally currently with Imagine MKE and formerly with MPS Foundation!

Follow http://www.mpsfdn.org/ (Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation) on https://www.facebook.com/mpsfdn (Facebook), https://www.linkedin.com/company/mpsfoundation/ (LinkedIn), and https://twitter.com/mpsfdn (Twitter).

Music Transitions: “Tennessee,” Capitol Drive

E216 Ephemera

https://charlierose.com/videos/12092 (David Bowie and Julian Schnabel on Charlie Rose)

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/28/entertainment/jane-fonda-golden-globes-speech-full-text-trnd/index.html (Jane Fonda at the Golden Globes)

https://www.designboom.com/art/what-is-nft-why-non-fungible-art-marketplace-millions-04-06-2021/ (Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and Crypto Art)

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/03/kings-of-leon-to-release-album-as-nft-.html (Kings of Leon NFT Album)

https://defector.com/nba-top-shot-story/ (NBA Top Shot)

This week, the gang welcomes Dan Shafer from the Recombobulation Area to discuss the Milwaukee narrative in the 21st century and the political dynamics in the state, and after the credits a special guest from the wizarding world of Harry Potter joins the pod to deliver a very special message to our very own Lindsay Sheridan.

News rundown! (:50) Calling out our competitors at Pod Save America and controversial food takes (9:17); Dan Shafer joins the pod and shares a story about his love of music (16:55); Milwaukee’s story in the 21st century (23:46); How political and geographic polarization, and being conflict averse limit growth (32:07); Governor Evers’ Executive Budget (41:35); State investments in the Public Museum (45:20); Ranked choice voting legislation (49:05); Arts and culture czar reign (56:45); #DanforDavid solved! (59:39); Harry Potter-heads alert! What - that’s Percy Weasley’s music. What’s he doing running in on the pod? (1:04:29)

Follow Dan Shafer: https://recombobulationarea.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-recombobulation-area (Recombobulation Area) | Twitter: @DanShafer

Music Transitions: “Green Eggs and Ham” Wes Tank

E215 Ephemera

https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/2021-23%20Executive%20Budget.aspx (2021 – 2023 Governor Evers Executive Budget Proposal)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/02/19/culture-creative-industries-leader-covid-recovery-future-column/6793455002/ (USA Today on naming a Secretary for Culture and Creative Industries)

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2021/02/22/op-ed-state-should-invest-in-creative-economy/ (“State Should Invest in Creative Economy,” Urban Milwaukee)

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2021/02/23/imagine-mke-will-focus-on-intersection-between-art.html?ana=RSSands=article_searchandfbclid=IwAR2S_dAZNwQVc1KCmmH32aPWar7RxQhsvnwssZvMTwxra1luTvxnSi2Vcio (“Imagine MKE Wins National Funding to Explore Intersections of Arts and Health,” Milwaukee Business Journal)

https://www.lightthehoan.com/dedicate-a-bulb/ (Light the Hoan – Dedicate a Bulb)

https://fb.watch/3ZnRiP0mW1/ (Samer’s video of the Hoan lit up for Imagine MKE)

https://biztimes.com/notable-minority-executives-david-lee/ (Notable Minority Executives List (BizTimes))

https://www.businessinsider.com/old-fashioned-is-the-wisconsin-state-cocktail-2017-5#:~:text=The%20only%20major%20difference%20is,often%20fruit)%20instead%20of%20whiskey (The Old Fashioned is Wisconsin’s state cocktail)

https://www.theriverguild.com/heres-why-cheese-curds-are-wisconsins-most-prized-delicacy/ (Why Cheese Curds are Special)

https://www.imaginemke.org/art-stories/imagine-journal/post/itp-s2-e5 (Pod with Sara Eskrich, Democracy Found)

This week, the gang takes on all of the news in federal, state, and local arts and culture, including the President visiting Milwaukee at The Pabst, the Governor’s proposed budget, local public health regulations, and David’s favorite thing from last week.

Then, Milwaukee-based artist Kelly Hammann, aka Queen Kel the Creator, joins the gang to talk about her design for Imagine MKE’s poster in the Light the Hoan’s Shine a Light program. The Hoan gets lit up for Imagine on 2/25 from 5 – 2 am!

Find a #DanforDavid (:47); Biden Town Hall at the Pabst Theater (2:27); Governor Evers’ budget proposal (11:00); Museums re-opening (17:30); Dasha Kelly Hamilton on Google Arts and Culture’s Black History Month feature on Gee’s Bend Quilters (20:00); Shine a Light at Light the Hoan (24:07); Kelly Hammann, aka Queen Kel the Creator joins the pod and shares her origin story about Kello Kat (27:11); Kelly talks about her poster design for Imagine MKE (33:10); Being an artist in Milwaukee during the pandemic (35:45); Plugs and artists that Queen Kel loves (42:18); Outro Easter Egg: what happens when Lindsay joins the team (48:40).

Follow Kelly Hammann: Insta https://www.instagram.com/queenkelthecreator/ (@QueenKelTheCreator) | Web http://www.queenkelthecreator.com/ (www.queenkelthecreator.com)

Music Transitions: “https://open.spotify.com/album/1He5JMpEZO9hSdNlSN9ne9 (Winter in Wisconsin),” Joe Quinto, featuring Keegan Calmes (Spotify) IG: https://www.instagram.com/joequintomusic/ (@joequintomusic)

E214 Ephemera

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2819465321665136andset=a.1411842709094078 (Downtown lit up for the President’s Town Hall at the Pabst)

https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/2021-23%20Executive%20Budget.aspx (2021 – 2023 Governor Evers Executive Budget Proposal)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/02/19/culture-creative-industries-leader-covid-recovery-future-column/6793455002/ (USA Today on naming a Secretary for Culture and Creative Industries)

https://artsandculture.google.com/project/milwaukee (Milwaukee’s Google Arts and Culture page) (Google Arts and Culture)

https://www.imaginemke.org/art-stories/imagine-journal/post/itp-e-27-google-arts-and-culture (Pod with Google Arts and Culture)

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/lQWBsAO6oMhwnQ (Dasha Kelly Hamilton on Gee’s Bend Quilters) (Google Arts and Culture)

https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/artist-profile-dasha-kelly-hamilton/xALS7vd1SukIKg (Dasha Kelly Hamilton Profile) (Google Arts and Culture)

https://www.imaginemke.org/art-stories/imagine-journal/post/light-the-hoan-with-ian-abston-and-michael-hostad (Pod with Light the Hoan)

https://www.lightthehoan.com/imagine-mke-shine-a-light/ (Imagine MKE Shine a Light)

https://www.lightthehoan.com/dedicate-a-bulb/ (Dedicate a Bulb on the Hoan and select Kelly’s poster design)

https://imaginemke.org/content/kello%20kat.jpg (Kello Kat)

This week, the gang survives two run-in's before welcoming Bryce Lord, from the Helen Bader Institute for Non-Profit Management, for a conversation on the role of arts and culture organizations in the broader non-profit landscape in Milwaukee and beyond.

Mac and David welcome Lindsay to the gang and a special someone drops by to wish Mac a happy birthday (00:17), Bryce joins and shares his origin story (9:25), Taking stock of arts organizations in the context of the non-profit world and measuring impact (17:51), Technology and the arts coming out of the pandemic (30:25), What makes Milwaukee unique and exciting (44:59), Arts and Culture Czar reign (47:34), Outro Easter Egg and shout out to Dan (55:18)

Listen and subscribe: https://nonprofitsandjava.com/ (Non-Profits and Java)

Audio Transitions: "Green Eggs and Ham," Wes Tank

Ephemera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leaqKfAB12o (The Journey of Natty Gann)

https://www.cameo.com/v/60257f8dd55545001d00a040?fbclid=IwAR3NOT1Jj1xFI9NG9O-2NhYIvBGunlvO3ldwZ69Ue11kVna7He7ILE_RJYs (Barry Horowitz wishes Mac a happy birthday and shouts out Milwaukee and the Bucks)

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/751382-cvc-20-barry-horowitz-is-the-greatest-jobber-in-wwe-history (Barry Horowitz: The Greatest Jobber in WWE History)

In the one year anniversary of Imagine This Podcast, the gang chooses not to do an anniversary show and instead reflects on the challenges of making sense of all of the choices we have before us. Whether it's choosing which shows to watch, choosing the next step in advancing a strategy at work, or choosing how we engage as members of a civic community. Stay tuned after the credits for the bonus Super Bowl commercial/cultural conversation pod.

Winter has come (:20); Mac and David take on the ennui of abundance and defaulting to known quantities (3:50); Making choices and action commitments to make progress on a shared agenda in uncertain environments (12:15); The Civic vs. Consumer frame and the myth of efficiency (23:07); Revisiting the pod's mission statement (35:01); David and Mac's hilariously wrong Super Bowl predictions (38:30); Bonus pod: the Super Bowl's role in our nation's cultural conversation (39:35)

Episode Ephemera

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/02a9d296-137a-450c-9444-9db4668f97ae (Pilot episode) (Feb 11, 2020)

"https://www.forbes.com/sites/johntharvey/2012/10/05/government-vs-business/?sh=77a7fe102a54 (Why Government Should Not be Run Like a Business)" (Forbes)

https://www.vulture.com/article/2021-super-bowl-commercials.html (2021 Super Bowl commercials) (Vulture)

https://shepherdexpress.com/news/happening-now/milwaukee-featured-in-super-bowl-lv-intro/#/questions (Milwaukee in Super Bowl LV Intro) (Shepherd Express)

"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ejbSCjg2qoandfeature=youtu.be (The Chorus of Captains)," Amanda Gorman (Youtube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIAlcFNa8N0 (NFL Films Best Shots from 2020) (YouTube)

This week, the gang welcomes Xela Garcia, Executive Director of Walker's Point Center for the Arts and candidate for Milwaukee Public Schools District 6 School Board Director, for a wide ranging conversation on how arts, culture, and socio-political identity drive her leadership and vision for a more equitable Milwaukee.

David and Mac take on Stonks, GameStop, and the impact on arts and culture (00:21); Overview of 2021 work group launch (6:29), Xela joins the pod and shared an incredible origin story about how she was inspired by and connected with Alma Lopez (13:25); WPCA's role in Milwaukee's arts and culture system (28:07); Xela's role as an arts and culture leader in Milwaukee and nationally (37:38); Why Xela is running for school board (47:40); Arts and Culture Czar (1:00:08)

Follow:

Xela Garcia: @B4Trendz

Xela For School Board: @Xela4MPS

Walkers Point Center for the Arts: @WalkersPointArt

Audio Transitions:

https://soundcloud.com/shonnhinton/milwaukee-strong-featuring-the-milwaukee-all-stars ("Milwaukee Strong," featuring the Milwaukee All Stars)

E211 Ephemera:

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/25/960454567/cant-stop-gamestop (Can't Stop Gamestop (Planet Money))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLySXTIBS3c (The end scene of "Trading Places" (YouTube))

https://www.businessinsider.com/trading-places-frozen-concentrated-orange-juice-trade-explained-2013-7 (The ending of "Trading Places" explained (Business Insider))

https://www.imaginemke.org/our-work-groups/ (Winter Work Group Meetings)

http://www.almalopez.com/ (Alma Lopez)

https://open.spotify.com/album/3i6H2nro4JkOu4jAm7RgvA?highlight=spotify:track:1LX0rE83o0vRjs5GVrHGgr ("Fade Away," by Narysal (Spotify))

This week the gang keeps its run of returning guests going with Gabe Yeager from Downtown BID #21 and Milwaukee-based photographer Samer Ghani to talk about all of the work done to highlight Milwaukee - and our City's arts, culture, and civic pride - as part of the National COVID-19 Memorial and the inauguration events last week.

Mac and David take on Bernie mittens (00:43); Mac's experience hosting Ex Fabula's Re-Imagining Milwaukee online event (3:40); Samer and Gabe join to chat about arts and culture's role in highlighting our City during national moments of reflection (14:37); That time last week when Rachael Maddow's producers slid into Samer's DM (23:50); No longer content with being the underdog (26:36); The role of arts and culture in institutional life (32:59); Don't Hibernate, Celebrate Safely and MKE It Local Winter Activations (45:14); How does Milwaukee unify in 2021? (55:02).

Samer Ghani: https://www.samerghani.com/ (Web) | https://www.instagram.com/samerghani/ (Instagram)

Gabe Yeager: https://www.milwaukeedowntown.com/ (Downtown BID #21) | https://www.milwaukeedowntown.com/experience/blog/out-hibernation-massimals-mke-are-here (Massimals!) | https://www.mkeitlocal.com/ (MKE It Local) | https://www.milwaukeedowntown.com/bid-basics/community-projects/road-democracy (Road of Democracy)

Audio Transitions: https://soundcloud.com/shonnhinton/milwaukee-strong-featuring-the-milwaukee-all-stars ("Milwaukee Strong," featuring the Milwaukee All Stars)

S210 Ephemera

https://www.lightthehoan.com/ (Light the Hoan)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKP_k_qnoce/ (Samer's IG story with video from MSNBC)

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2021/01/20/milwaukee-bucks-mascot-represents-wisconsin-during-biden-inauguration/4237973001/ (Bango in the Parade Across America)

https://youtu.be/C-qYgs_yOXA?t=22634 ("Pursuing the Vision," Tia Richardson, Parade Across America)

After a few weeks off, the gang returns this week with Adam Qutaishat, Milwaukee-area theater artist and teacher, to deep-dive into their lifelong passion for the art of professional wrestling, its impact on society, and on their work and practice.

This will go down in history as the only podcast episode ever to hint at the work of French philosophers Roland Barthes and Guy Debord, commedia dell'arte, and also namecheck Milwaukee legend Bobson Dugnutt.

Review of 2021 Work Group launch (2:00), How does one get from collective impact to pro wrestling? (6:46), Adam joins the show (18:54), Easter Egg (1:22:15)

Follow http://www.adamqutaishat.com/ (Adam): https://www.facebook.com/allinproductionsmke/ (All In Productions) | https://www.sexyhackers.tv/ (Sexy Hackers) | https://www.mtmadison.com/ (Music Theater of Madison)

S209 Ephemera:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfcfPF4mTFQ (2021 Work Group live stream video)

https://www.imaginemke.org/our-work-groups/ (Sign up for a Work Group meeting)

http://web.mit.edu/21l.432/www/readings/Barthes_WorldOfWrestling.pdf ("The World of Wrestling," Mythologies), by Roland Barthes, 1972

https://emke.uwm.edu/entry/professional-wrestling/ (Encyclopedia of Milwaukee: Professional Wrestling), UWM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9py4aMK3aIU ("Hard Times,") Dusty Rhodes

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KOP4mNAX5R0N_dODE6j2gHTK2oTXCIrhAQ0dEniaYFw/edit#gid=0 (Which city did Bobson Dugnutt play for in the 1994 Fighting Baseball game)?