Summer has arrived. Milwaukee's gathering limit has been removed and Milwaukeeans across the city are getting together and going outside. Adam Carr from the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service joins Lake Effect every month to talk about community events happening in the city. Here are some noteworthy events taking place in June.
1. Art Start: 'See Me Because Vol. 8'
Open until July 31, this outdoor art exhibition in Harbor View Plaza is showcasing Milwaukee youth and exploring the complex narratives around their identities.
“It’s this chance to see Milwaukee, be outside, but then also get a peek into some young people’s lives, into their imagination and the futures they see for themselves,” Carr says.
2. Moods, Melanin, & Magic … A Memoir Book Release and Signing
Milwaukee poet Brit Nicole will be releasing her first book at the Bronzeville Collective MKE on Saturday, June 5. The event will last from noon to 5 p.m. and include live poetry reading, music from the Bronzeville Bops playlist and light refreshments. Attendees must preregister.
“I can think of no better match than seeing Brit Nicole perform, … reading her poetry and as a setting the Bronzeville Collective,” he says.
3. Black Lives Matter March For Pride 2021
Last year in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Milwaukee Pride centered its annual march around uplifting Black and Queer voices in Milwaukee. One year later, Milwaukee Pride is again hosting a march to honor the Black Lives Matter movement. Starting near the Summerfest grounds at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, the march will conclude with a block party at Juneau Park.
“This year’s pride march is continuing to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter, including its organizers are many of the same folks from last year, pushing that movement forward. So I think that pride march is always a highlight of the summer in Milwaukee and now it even has this new, not that it wasn’t there before, but this very prominent strand of racial and social justice,” Carr says.
4. Juneteenth Day Celebrations
Milwaukee has one of the longest running celebrations of Juneteenth — the holiday that celebrates the ending of slavery in the United States. The Juneteenth Day Parade is back and will start at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 19 with festivities going until 4 p.m. The route will travel from 14th and Atkinson to Burleigh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
“[The Juneteenth Parade] is an institution really in the city, it’s something that if you haven’t experienced it, it’s remarkable,” he says.
Alice’s Garden, located at 2136 North 21st Street, will also be hosting a Juneteenth Day celebration from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 19, centered around self-determination and liberation.
To honor the life and legacy of urban activist Jane Jacobs, the Milwaukee Turners hosts free walks to explore different parts of Milwaukee. From self-guided to groups to online virtual walks, the event gives attendees the opportunity to learn something new about a Milwaukee neighborhood.
“These walks, I’ve been on some, it’s just really a chance to look at the world, pay attention to the world around you through great places in Milwaukee,” Carr says.
6. Black Is Beautiful Vol. III Ride
The bike ride starts at Reservoir Park with riders arriving at 1 p.m. and departing at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 27. The event is meant to be an opportunity to take a deep breath and celebrate Black beauty.
“There were two of them that took place last year that were led by incredible artists and musicians in Milwaukee,” he says. “It’s this remarkable bike ride celebrating Blackness in Milwaukee.”
