As the weather cools and the holidays begin, there's so much to do in the city of Milwaukee. Sorting through the lists of community events can be overwhelming, which is why we turn to Adam Carr.
Carr is the deputy editor for community engagement at the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. The news organization covers the central city, which includes a diverse group of neighborhoods on the near north, west, and south sides of Milwaukee. Here are Carr's highlights of a few events taking place in the central city this November:
1. Lunch and Learn
Nov. 8
Dia de los Muertos celebrations are nearing their end, but they'll get one last hurrah at Latino Arts. The organization is hosting a "Lunch and Learn," to discuss the holiday's pre-colonial, cultural origins.
"This is going to be a pretty heavy, hardcore set of panelist talking about the legacy of Day of the Dead, where it comes from, and how it's adapted and evolved," Says Carr.
2. My Sherman Park Documentary Premiere
Nov. 12
"It's a documentary that was commissioned, actually, by the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino's Heart of Canal Street program. They made a film where they went and interviewed residents and youth living in Sherman Park on their neighborhood. It looks fascinating to me," says Carr.
The film is premiering at the Oriental Theatre, in partnership with Black Lens MKE and Milwaukee Film.
3. Social Justice Summit Week of Events
Nov. 8 - 16
No Studio's is presenting a week of community events that's dubbed "Art Activated." The week will culminate in a social justice summit, featuring a wide array of community activists and artists in panel discussions about social concerns like poverty and racial inequity. It's also an opportunity to see two local documentaries about Milwaukee: Blood is at the Doorstep, about the killing of Dontre Hamilton, and 30 Seconds Away, about homelessness in the city.
Carr says, "I know some [listeners] may have heard about these films, but ... they screen only occasionally. These are opportunities to see two great, important Milwaukee documentaries connected to this larger program that No Studios is putting on."
4. Word of Mouth
Nov. 6, 13, 20, and 27
Dasha Kelly, Milwaukee's Poet Laureate, brings Milwaukee youth an opportunity to express themselves in a creative space at The Retreat on Martin Luther King Drive.
"It's a new space kind of as a proving ground, trying ground and a welcoming place to try out that creative expression," says Carr.
5. Black Friday Market
Nov. 29
Black Friday shopping can be daunting and exhausting. But holiday shopping must be done, so what can you do? If you're hoping to get out and shop, Circulate MKE is holding its 5th annual Black Friday Market where folks can buy one-of-a-kind items from local sellers.
"This is getting together creatives and entrepreneurs of all kinds in the city to sell things that are locally made," says Carr. "It's a neighbor, it's a community member, it's someone from Milwaukee."
