Uniquely Milwaukee

This Latine Heritage Month, we remember the lasting legacy of Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. Born in Michoacán, Mexico, in the 1950s, he has touched generations of audiences with his powerful lyricism and magnetic energy.

Known as “El Divo de Juarez,” he composed more than 1,800 songs and sold more than 100 million records. His iconic ballads, like “Amor Eterno” and “Querida," are still very beloved. Most notably, he was the first non-classical act to perform in Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes in 1990. He passed in August 2016.

In this episode, guest host Paula Lovo shares her memories of Gabriel and asked community members to do the same (thank you Alexa, Marielena, Miguel, Maura, Mara and Tiana).

To find all of our recent episodes, visit radiomilwaukee.org/ourstories.

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Episode host: Paula Lovo

Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

"I’m actually changing the oil. Right now, they’re giving us a speech about the PPE."

Terence is one of about a dozen particpants in a virtual-reality class inside Milwaukee County’s Community Reintegration Center. The class is part of a six-week course for men and women residents provided by My Way Out, a program that provides reentry services to justice-impacted individuals.

Ruben Gaona is My Way Out's executive director. The navy veteran launched the program after his own incarceration that followed an honorable discharge due to a back injury. He says he started selling drugs in 2007 to provide for himself and his family. In 2010, he was charged in a federal case. Now, his nonprofit hires staff that was formerly imprisoned while helping hundreds of people stay out of the justice system.

“Obviously, when I came home, I didn’t know where technology was,” Gaona recalled. “So I started spending lots of hours with my laptop — learning, watching YouTube videos, learning how to use Excel, Word documents — because I also wanted to go back to school. I knew technology had advanced so much, so that started the passion of saying, ‘OK, there’s something here.’”

To learn more about My Way Out and find all of our recent episodes, visit radiomilwaukee.org/ourstories.

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Episode host: Kim Shine

Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

When Julianna Jackson and Nate Carpenter moved from St. Louis to Milwaukee, they quickly found a lot to like about their new home.

“What did draw us… is the sense of community that I feel whenever we're in Milwaukee,” Jackson shared. But they also noticed something their new community could use — or reuse.

At the end of July, the pair opened the doors to 414 Art Revival, an art-resale shop where people can find pre-loved art supplies at a reasonable price and donate materials they no longer need. But the location on West National Avenue in West Allis is also a community space that features Milwaukee artists and hosts classes. 

On this episode, guest host Rachel Tarby goes inside the store to talk with its co-owners and the patrons finding value of all kinds within (and even on) its walls.

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Uniquely Milwaukee is made possible by our Radio Milwaukee members.

This Latine Heritage Month, we celebrate the work of Milwaukee County Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez.

Martinez was elected in 2022 as County Supervisor of District 12, representing various southside neighborhoods. In this role, he helped secure a $30 million commitment from the county for the Mitchell Park Domes, a prime example of his advocacy for the parks system and securing resources for the neighborhoods he represents.

Along with his work in civic engagement and labor organizing, he writes for publications like the Milwaukee Record and frequently DJs at the Wiggle Room, using that time to unwind and share music from his eclectic collection. 

But with everything he does, he always keeps his focus on highlighting stories about people of color in Milwaukee. "The reason these stories are important," he explained, "is because we make up the fabric of this city.”

For the full story, go to radiomilwaukee.org/ourstories.

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Episode host: Paula Lovo

Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

Milwaukee is a place of resilience and service. But a shadow of crime and violence hovers over parts of the city. You’ll find evidence of all these things in the people who see the latter and embrace the former by working to make Milwaukee safer. Vaun Mayes is one of them. 

For years, Mayes has been an interrupter, building community trust and understanding while advocating for alternative approaches to policing and public safety. His efforts on the North Side haven’t gone unnoticed and are the subject of a a new documentary from doc|UWM students: Heavy Is the Crown.

The film features conversations with elected officials, law enforcement, educators and young people about the challenges and solutions to building safer neighborhoods. Director Sean Kafer and producer Mackenzie Savin played key roles in the project, and Uniquely Milwaukee host Kim Shine sat down with them — along with Mayes — to talk about the documentary ahead of its premiere at the Oriental Theatre at 4:30 p.m. this Sunday, Sept. 27.

To learn more, visit radiomilwaukee.org/ourstories.

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Episode host: Kim Shine

Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

Survivors of violence in the Milwaukee area have a new place to turn for help. Wisconsin’s first trauma recovery center (TRC) opened in September, offering specialized mental-healthcare services.

The Medical College of Wisconsin launched the clinic at ThriveOn King in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood. It’s one of nearly 60 TRCs across 28 states in the country that use an evidence-based model to reach communities, individuals and families who slip through the cracks of traditional services. Their holistic approach includes outreach, therapy and case management alongside community partner support.

In line with the national model, all services are free and for the most part the Milwaukee TRC will help clients aged 14 and older. The goal is to grow the network and add self-referrals in early 2027. 

“Our goal is to help people go from surviving to thriving, and mental health and mental wellness is a huge part of that," said Dr. Terri deRoon-Cassini, director of the Milwaukee TRC. "This adds to the ecosystem of everything else going on in Milwaukee." 

To learn more, visit radiomilwaukee.org/ourstories.

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Episode host: Kim Shine

Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

The phones we carry in our pockets give us the ability to snap a picture any time we want. But a nearly 200-year-old form of photography is still around today — and still finding new fans.

Milwaukee’s own Amber Ascher has made a business out of her interest in the Victorian-era artform, which is making a return in this fast-paced digital age.  

“I think with the rise of A.I., digital-perfected images, people want this even more because it's so obviously handmade,” she said. “Sometimes, you literally see the fingerprint of the photographer on the plate from them handling it, and it's just special for that reason.”

In this episode, we go along on a tintype shoot to learn how it's done and why people continue to choose an antique form of photography in an age of advanced technology.

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Guest host: Rachel Tarby

Uniquely Milwaukee is made possible by the support of our Radio Milwaukee members.

No matter where you are in the world, technology is changing how we work, live and collaborate. In October, we’ll see once again how the Badger State is part of this evolving landscape as Wisconsin Tech Month returns for its sixth year.

The annual event spotlights the innovators, ideas and curious people shaping or learning about technology, all around one theme. This year’s is “Connected Through Innovation.”

"Technology does not necessarily require in-person (events), said Nadiyah Johnson, Milky Way Tech Hub CEO and co-founder of Wisconsin Tech Month. “However, the advancement of technology in the right direction I think warrants more in-person, in-real-life efforts. That's where we really make true connection.

“We're able to really grow empathy for each other, understand each other's problems and actually then start creating technology that society needs, not just building because we can."

For this episode of Uniquely Milwaukee, Kim Shine sits down with Johnson to get her perspective on where innovation can start and who can shape it.

To learn more, visit radiomilwaukee.org/ourstories.

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Episode host: Kim Shine

Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

Driving past the corner of 6th and Howard, you might breeze by pollinators pollinating, sunflowers bending in the wind and tomatoes soaking up the sun. But, if you stop, you’ll find a window into the natural world and a community coming together.

This is the location of the Garden District Community Garden, a plot of land that has flowered because of the people who power it.

“We have raised beds, and we have in-ground plots,” Dawn Riegel explained. “We don't have an irrigation system, so we have four 250-gallon tanks that we have to fill, which we get a hydrant permit through the city, and that's how we fill it.”

This particular neighborhood garden is a true local hub where anyone can grow food, share gardening tips and much more.

“Our community garden is really a community,” Riegel emphasized. “All the people have befriended each other. You see a lot of people hanging out outside of the garden. They talk gardening a lot, and they hang out in the garden and give tips. We do a lot of events, too.”

They also welcome groups like the Centers for Independence (CFI), a Milwaukee-based nonprofit that supports people with disabilities and behavioral health needs through innovative, person-centered programs. One of those programs, Farm 2 Table, takes an agrarian approach to providing learning opportunities and work skills training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

In this episode, guest host Erin Wolf takes you to the Garden District to find out what brings people to the Community Garden and how they cultivated a real sense of unity in a unique environment.

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Guest host: Erin Wolf

Uniquely Milwaukee is made possible by the support of our Radio Milwaukee members.

Colors do more than just catch our eyes. They can influence our moods and our actions. In Milwaukee's Lincoln Village neighborhood, some hope that colors will make a positive impact on our driving — and our safety.

"People just be reckless driving everywhere,” Malik Hughes observed, echoing how a lot of people in the city feel. “All through the North Side, going through bike lanes, speeding through school zones — they’re just always speeding. That's what our city is really known for: reckless driving."

That unofficial title frustrates the 17-year-old senior at Shalom High School. So he and about a dozen other young people recently headed outside to paint a raised crosswalk and street poles near 8th Street and Lincoln Avenue.

Your Move MKE leads the initiative to paint raised crosswalks like these across the city. With help from a mix of funding sources, the youth-focused nonprofit based on the south side partnered with Milwaukee's Department of Public Works, whose traffic-calming efforts — including 43 projects slated for 2026 — are part of the city's Vision Zero plan to have no traffic deaths or serious injuries by 2037. 

According to data from the Traffic Safety Unit, Milwaukee police have issued more than 1,700 speeding citations this year and more than 9,500 tickets since 2024. Plus, over that time period, drivers have averaged between 20-24 miles per hour above the posted speed limit.

Traffic safety has become a shared priority in the city, including within Your Move MKE, which wants ensure Milwaukee's young people are being heard and are in a position to make change.

“It's so important to keep these kids busy,” co-founder and executive director Raquel Aleman noted. “I always tell the kids: ‘I don't care what you're doing. If it’s painting, breakdancing, rapping, just find something productive to do, master your craft.’

“We're just trying to keep them active, and it’s really important to develop these principles and characteristics within them now — the values of investing in your community.”

To learn more, visit radiomilwaukee.org/ourstories.

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Episode host: Kim Shine

Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.