Milwaukee is facing a lot of systemic problems. Evictions, unemployment, and segregation, to name just a few. Most of these issues are well-known and despite seemingly well-intentioned efforts, they persist.

The Marcus Performing Arts Center has been a staple not just for downtown Milwaukee, but for the greater community. Outside of being a venue to see live performances, its outreach and community engagement efforts reach people of all ages.

This mission is in part what drew Kendra Whitlock Ingram to the position of president and CEO of the Marcus Center. She replaces Paul Matthews, who served just over two decades as its leader.

How do you use the word protest? Often, we think of a protest as a call for change. But there are actually many different forms of protest.

As protests over racial justice and police brutality continue around the country and in Milwaukee, we explore the different types of protest and how, despite their differences, they all are described using the same word.

Pamela Oliver is a professor emerita of sociology at UW-Madison. She has spent decades studying the different kinds of protest and their efficacy. She starts by describing the basic approach to protesting.

On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Common Council narrowly confirmed the appointment of Claire Woodall-Vogg as the executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission.

After an hour-long discussion, Woodall-Vogg was approved in a vote of 8 to 7. Woodall-Vogg’s appointment comes with a bit of urgency as the Aug. 11 partisan primary draws near.

The job was open because former Executive Director Neil Albrecht announced plans to retire. Mayor Tom Barrett appointed Woodall-Vogg to take Albrecht’s place.

The faith community played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. And that legacy continues today. In Milwaukee, a number of faith groups have led and joined in the ongoing protests over racial justice. One of those leaders is Pastor Kenneth Lock.

He's with Evolve Church, a non-denominational church that's active in supporting the community. Lock is also a barber and the head chaplain for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Updated Wednesday at 11:10 a.m. CT

There were various Black Lives Matter marches throughout Milwaukee on Sunday. One march, focused on Black LGBTQ women, made its way downtown and headed west on State Street toward the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

LaTasha Lux, a professional photographer, was there documenting and taking pictures as she has for the past five weeks. So was Sean Kafer, a filmmaker and associate lecturer at UW-Milwaukee.

Every month, Adam Carr from the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service joins Lake Effect to talk about some of the exciting events happening in the area. In normal times, these events spanned the city, encouraging people to get out and engage with the community. But of course, the times we’re living in are anything but normal. 

"What’s happening in our community with the pandemic and the protests is kind of constantly evolving. We almost don’t know what’s going to happen from day to day," says Carr.