10 Years of #SupportTheLocal [Happy Anniversary to CopyWrite Magazine]

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“This was never the plan, but clearly it was the purpose.” - Lexi

This July [15th] we celebrate 10 years in the game [& 8 years in business] at CopyWrite Magazine. This year we reflect upon our communal impact, our advocacy in the creative industries and our dedication to changing the narrative in the most unapologetic way. We hope that this 10 years inspires other voices to rise up and create their own legacies of service. We all have a super power, ours just happens to be #AllThingsUrban. As always, thank you for helping us #SupportTheLocal. Without our community, there is no us.

A Poetic Note From The Editor

Imagine not having vision.

Imagine not knowing how to feed inspiration.

For me it's unimaginable.

Because every time there was hesitation I imagined the regret of not attempting to do what was called to me. An unavoidable life of lifestyles.

And the snags were rich.

Rich of lessons that needed to be learned and pain that fueled every great fire.

My inspiration was dedicated to survival and stability in the most tumultuous terrain and paths least traveled

And here we are. 10 years later a vision in my own little hell like heaven. It's warm and chilly all at the same time. An uncomfortable comfort I have mastered. This space was meant for me.

A Reminder of resilience, joy, and so much life lived. I made myself a home to share with the unhoused souls. How fuckin ironic.

And for all those who walked the path even if they strayed away or were left to take a different road or could only travel parallel, you are here as inspiration, clarity in the blur of time, grounding every decision in fact filled with emotion. You are the nuance of a narrative indeed changed.

Let us all celebrate the win.

"A dirty river rat for two two in a Dynasty w/ a doll & a muse"[IFKYK]

Love & All Things Urban,

Lexi S. Brunson, Owner / Active Editor-in-Chief /CW

Music on the Beerline” Lineup Release Party | Why You Should Come Out For This Summer Series

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Although the last week of June in Milwaukee was covered with hazy fog, and slight smell of smoke that caused eye burning and breathing problems [like “be so for real”}, the 30th seemed like the sky shined through just in time for the “Music on the Beerline”- Lineup Release Party.

Riverwork Development Corp has kicked off a lively, diverse, and family-oriented release party at Amorphic Beer for their 5th annual “Music on the Beerline,'' summer series. A welcoming music and community oriented festival in Milwaukee which RDC also has added a V.I.P experience and a very tempting 50/50 raffle too. The drinks, food, music, and individuals interacting created an enjoyable time in this urban environment.

Walking into the event the smell of food lingered outside bringing joy to my heart seeing others were pleased as well. Fox Den MKE [Food Truck] was the provided business to feed anyone who came to the event. That day's menu had the options of burgers, and loaded fries with vegan options included. Some food options you either loved or hated, but based off of the vibe most who ordered, loved the food and good service. RDC knew that good food provided would lure people in and put smiles on peoples faces!

To get us all excited about these events, the release party announced the performance line up, which includes some exciting acts that are gaining heavy traction locally, nationally, and in some cases internationally. RDC has Twan Mack, Love, Peace and Soul [WHO DON’T COME TO PLAY] on July 21st. DJ Bizzon on August 18th , with the phenomenal stage presence of Browns Crew, and Salsa Brosita on September 15th. How could you not come out, support your community and listen to wonderful music while eating some yummy food [because you know the food trucks will be in the mix]! Plus, you get this unbelievable feeling just across the street or around the corner from your homes. It’s right on the “block” at the Beerline Plaza [Holton & Townsend], so pull up!

“It's not easy to have longevity with a festival included with funds,especially with other great festivals in the city,” Kennita Hickman, Event Producer said.

The “ Music on the Beerline” festival is and has been an incredibly safe music festival where those from across the street, cars on road, and those on the beerline trail stop by creating a wonderful audience for the local musicians. It is essential to take note that the artist will be paid what they believe they should be paid [& that is rare].

“Music on the Beerline” celebrates 5 years as of 2023, with a new edition. The V.I.P experience with diversified local music to HEAR and FEEL in your soul. “You could have fun on a date, literally experiencing something other people want. It is a legit V.I.P experience in your neighborhood,” Sara Czamecki-Reynolds, Neighborhood Development Manager was excited to announce.

Get out the house, enjoy something new and enjoy what your city provides this summer! This Festival will continue to create a temporary youthfulness, recognition, and safety across the city and you can be a part of that!

Come Out And Vibe & remember /CW invited you!

Jazale Hill /CW Summer Intern




In The Latest With #TheIntersection

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This last week, we had the privilege to sit and chat with Emmy Nominated Rapper, Genesis Renji. We touched on a variety of topics including hidden MKE resources for artists, Mt. Rushmore of Rap and so much more. We don’t want to give away too much sauce but if you ready to tap in, we got you covered!

We know you’re going to love our next guest as well! Another MKE Legend.

Be sure to follow us on our socials to stay in the loop of all things Intersection Related: @TheIntersectionPod / Ortizus on YT!

/Ortizus for CW

AyooLii - Shmackin Town

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What’s really goood? Ortizus is back in action this month delivering you the gems in the city. This week’s highlighted artist has a viral Tiktok to thank for more eyes on him this week. Who is taking over TikTok? MILWAUKEE. Who do we have our eyes on this week? AyooLii!

With over 430,000+ TikTok views on this video alone, AyooLii is no stranger to viral moments considering the content of his page. Along with music, you can find this local native making hilarious skits in his free time and they’re often in relation to Milwaukee. But he didn’t land in this week’s article solely because of his comedy, he landed here because he found the perfect Milwaukee recipe between fun music and satirical comedy. 

He opens with a sample from the famous “Funky Town” by Lipps Inc. slowed down but then as any great Milwaukee songs goes, the BPM speeds up and now it’s time to dance! So whether you are hittin’ the Stolie, Barkin’ or The Lowend, Ayoo Lii welcomes you to

‘SCHMACKIN TOWN.’

/Ortizus for CW



SnapShot Press Release | To Be Seen [Milwaukee Film Festival 2023]

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We love the Milwaukee Film Festival, not just because it's the one time of year we can do our job while sitting around eating popcorn [yes, we will mention popcorn every year because we trying to get a popcorn stipend too lol]. But because every year it gets better. More films we love, more screenings of things we are interested in, and more programming that makes us feel seen. Being seen is something that is undervalued. But we know that representation changes how the world engages with differences. It is how we find understanding in the unknown and clarity in a vision that is not our own. CopyWrite explored the Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 through the joy of being SEEN, and here is what we found. 

BAD PRESS [Directors: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker & Joe Peeler]

We take our profession seriously!

Where it is in CopyWrite’s nature to bend the rules, redefine tradition, and grapple with the culture of “Media” we do so with care [& strategy], that is thoroughly directed by research, transparency, grappling with the woes of disenfranchisement, and engrained with the responsibility of Free Press. So when these ideologies were at risk of being dismantled in  Directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, “Bad Press”, my soul jumped out of my chest and I felt that my own livelihood was on the line. 

If you look up the saying, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything”, a picture of Angel Ellis should be attached. Her controversial approach to defending Muscogee Nation against press censorship is GAWDS WORK, okay! To not only go against a political institution, but also the corruption that is unnerved by the historical rhetoric of Native American need for sovereignty, had everyone I saw in the film screening break into mass hysteria [or was it just me?]. 

With this feverish concept that the press is a unneeded, sh*t show of falsity in today’s society, running at an all time high, to note that my freedoms as a “media maker” are seldom called into question, had me in tears for Angel and her other “native” press counterparts. How dare anyone try to put their hyperbolic feet on the necks of truth [just because it's not always pretty]. How dare you use the tactics of your oppressors on your own people [my Choctaw, Blackfoot, and Cherrokee blood was boiling]. How can you not see that the historical lack of information to these people has left them all traumatized by genocide and the true ills of treason. 

Lexi acting like she wasn’t just crying after the screening of bad press

Every time Angel's anxiety shot her into a frenzy that sent her running to the door to spark a cigarette, [I don’t smoke] but I felt the need to light one up with her. The attempt to get protection of the Free Press as an amendment to their nation's constitution was unprecedented in “Indian” Country but with Angel, and the true staff of Mvskoke Media, the fight was on. I think “Bad Press” should be a reminder to all that what is privileged in your reality is not inherent in all futures, cultures, and lands. 

Just know at CopyWrite, if we have to fight for our rights, we absolutely will. They will never take our voice!

Lexi for /CW

BLACK LENS SHORTS: BLACK REMEMBRANCE

Somebody clap for this year's Black Lens Programmers, because THEY - DID- THAT!

You don’t even know how good it feels to be SEEN. Not that fake “lets hit this quota” monotony most institutions try to pass off as diversity & inclusion [Y’all are shamefully fake] but the real attempt to dig into culture as a reflection of its genius as nuanced as a day in the life of some, not all, and more, not less. The Black Lens shorts at Milwaukee Film Fest 2023, did that for me.

proof we were there!

Eye for an I [Director: James Grisom]: To be seen Vulnerable. This short is a music note of the burden of Blackness & the beauty that straddles that space. If you love hard it may mean death comes with vengeance. If you forgive easily, that puts you at risk. It is a trauma we did not create but a lexicon that gathers a dark cloud above our legacy. The rules of engagement simply mean we never win.

By Water [Director: Iyabo Kwayana]: To Create a sense of seeing. This short had me like, “What in the Black art school?”. And that tickled me. It tickled me because in my life that was the space I felt the most unseen. Where representation is not only willed by those inhabiting the space, it is disregarded by the work that they make. The characters seen in “By Water” of curly fro like beards and fluffy naturals on well groomed women are not common. Nor do they ever allow for the Black image to be whirled into the figurative where nature is as natural as the city and black memory is championed by Black creation of new or different worlds. I like that space of little clarity and big exploration.

Port of a Prince [Director: JR Aristide]: To never Unsee. This short is the moment when you finally can stomach that you too are desensitized. Desensitized by violence, corruption, and the ills of capitalism. You can't unsee the first death, and somehow every death of innocence, youth, friendship, family. . .it all just becomes a thing you live with. This is the untold truth of the African Diaspora, we have suffered so now we still suffer, at the hands of many and even our own. Don’t you ever put a gun in the hands of a child, for that is the moment they will unsee what joy life can bring.

T [Director: Keisha Rae Witherspoon]: To be seen Vividly: It is the cadence of art. It is culture and freedom. It is neon lights and innsense. It is memorial tee’s and talking spirits. It is to live beyond the time you are alive. Now without context you probably have no idea what this movie is about, but everything in me said this was for homegoings and healing. This is for my people and after looking at the shorts description, everything in me was right.


We Were Meant To [Director: Tari Wariebi]: To be seen in Flight. Why are we great like that? The metaphorical thought of rite of passage for Black men as the first time he takes flight sent me! It was clever in its social commentary, “The No Fly Zone”, is everywhere you are Black man. To have your wings clipped is a way to keep you down, without, undervalued. And the production was clean! It was thoughtful and nuanced beyond need [the Vitruvian man with wings] but because it was I bought into it like it was a thread of reality that was beyond plausible. It had me grappling with the surveillance of Black bodies [is this body not my own?]. It had me checking for my own super pours [& as a Black woman I know I have many]. This was by far one of the best films I have seen in my life because I know what it feels like to fly without wings.

Lexi for /CW

DEAR THIRTEEN [Director: Alexis Neophytides]

The world has changed a hell of alot since I was thirteen. That was circa *cough cough* LOL, social media was in its infancy, my mother was still trying to hide our working class poverty from me, and there was no wifi [first world problems]. So to see life through the eyes of today’s thirteen year old is an unsavory pill to swallow, yet it comes with a glimmer of hope that this generation is not lost, but very much misunderstood.

Being Thirteen is weird!

You're in this inbetween space where you're not a little kid anymore but you still don't have the full blown privileges of a teenager. It’s like being in limbo and that purgatory at minimum lasts a full calendar year [Yikes!]. But the issues of the world are noticeable at that age. The fears of the future strike you and thus it is a period of grounding oneselves, as depicted by the film, that gets lost in translation. Who narrates for this age? Only someone in the thick of it can. So the lack of adult commentary [besides editing] was vital to noting, thirteen year olds have something profound to say!

We brought our fifteen year old “intern” to see the film and she too had to reflect on who she is and why she is in this space in time. Too see that reckoning kindled by a global perspective of young reality, she murmured, “That was good to see”, which is more than enough in our book.

LEXI & /CW YOUTH INTERN JAZALE AFTER SCREENING OF DEAR THIRTEEN

“Dear Thirteen” is something that everyone, but especially everyone who has a child should watch. Often, adults tend to feel like teenagers don’t have problems.There is this belief that since a child is free from the burden of finances and large responsibilities like mortgages and car notes, that they live a worry and stress free life. But on the contrary, “Dear Thirteen” narrates how society impacts the lives of children in the same ways they do for adults. Each of those 9 children, whether they were a gun-toting American boy or an Australian trans girl starting her first day of puberty blockers, will all experience things that will transcend race, gender, socio-economic class, or geographical location. I appreciate the lengths Alexis Neophytides went to to establish diversity. I believe it really helps the claim that although we all come from different places, there are life experiences we all share. Australia, America, India, Europe, no matter where you are, adolescent years come with similar trials and tribulations. This film wasn’t a tearjerker, it wasn’t a comedy or a horror, it was the reality of adolescence and a voice for the unheard 13 year olds around the world.

Lexi & Peazy for /CW

LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING [Director: Lisa Cortés]

“Tooty Fruity” was the first song that I ever heard by Little Richard before I knew who he was. It was considered “grown folks music”, the stuff you can’t listen to because it has too many foul words or because they’re talking about some that isn't appropriate for your age. But that only increased my fascination which ignited the interest to find out who Little Richard was.

Lisa Cortes’ documentary puts to bed everything you THINK you know about the true King of Rock and Roll. Richard was labeled as “the one of a kind icon that shaped the world of music” and throughout the story that claim has been supported a thousand times over. But she also focuses on the imbalance Little Richard faced, which truly intrigued me because I think this a battle we’ve all faced: the battle between secular and sacred. On one hand, Little Richard is a worldly icon, doused in glitter and gold from his wardrobe to his makeup, he is the king of a people yearning for soulful music. On the other hand, in his heart he knows he should not conform to the desires of this world because he’s called to be a servant of God and create a new foundation not built on sex and fame but the love and obedience to God. I think it’s these details that fans don’t know that allow them to create the idea that celebrities aren’t human. Some of the most notable names recalled the best and worst times with Richard: Billy Porter, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, John Waters, Pat Boone, amongst others.

Richard Wayne Penniman is not unlike many other queer or trans people who’ve been outed by the ones that they love and forced to create a new family through a talent like music or art. He is one of the blueprints to androgyny and queerness, one that has even now, in 2023 remained relevant because so many people can now be comfortable in their identity because of artists like Little Richard. Lisa Cortes accurately depicted each phase of Richard’s life. In the church where it all started, to the stage where he grew into an icon, back to the church where he renewed his faith and restored his relationship with God, and then the end of his story.

I appreciate Cortes’ understanding of representation in music, not only do I believe this greatly directed documentary re-established that Richard was the true originator of rock but it gave space for his intersectionality. Richard Wayne Penniman was a queer, black, Christian, rock and roll artist and creator. He walked so our generation could run, and “Little Richard: I Am Everything” depicts that in the most notorious way.

Peazy for /CW

RISE AND REBUILD: A TALE OF THREE CITIES [Directors: Asako Gladsjo & Sam Pollard]

We chose, “Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities” as our community partnership film because when the world see’s Black America it often sees what we don’t have and not what we have had that has generationally been taken from us. Where the film captures Wilmington's Brooklyn, Atlanta's Sweet Auburn, and Chicago's Bronzeville, those localities might as well be Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, Detroit's Black Bottom [Lafayette], and Milwaukee’s original Bronzeville. But with Tulsa being a trendy storyline Directors Asako Gladsjo and Sam Pollard thought it best to highlight these other narratives that hold just as much weight. The pivot to black communities that once prospered, were harmed, and now are looking to reinvigorate their communities as they rebuild are stories that should be cautionary [as gentrification is at an all time high] and inspiring as now more than ever before the Black dollar, the Black education, and the Black voice has leverage.

The quote, “It's not about politics. It’s about people”, that Mayor khalid kamau of South Fulton said during the film, was one of those notes I don't think enough people comprehend. At the end of the day the value of our quality of life is not determined by the parlor tricks of politics but the people who enforce politics as a tool in which one secures the value of that quality of life.

I saw my city in that film. I saw our hardships like a mirror. I know what is at risk if we don’t carve out the infrastructure and let “them” take the wheel. We don't want a repeat. We want ground breaking change. This film shows us exactly what that can look like.

Lexi for /CW

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER [Director: Bomani J. Story]

Viewing “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster”, a top-tier thriller/suspense film that in my opinion personified the pain of a Black child’s trauma surrounding death, was a pleasure. Although inspired by Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, this film provokes deep thought about the trauma of experiencing death at a young age and how death is disproportionately in closer proximity to Black children more than it provokes goosebumps. Vicaria, the main character, is almost stalked with gun violence as it has plagued her family, killing her mother and her big brother. Meanwhile, on the opposite end her father is still alive but fighting the battle of addiction that will ultimately lead to an untimely demise. Life hasn't always been like this for Vicaria, we see this through Bomani J. Story’s allusion to better times during the intro of the film. Evidence that Vicaria has a loving relationship with her father and a pretty normal life outside of her mad science lab is pretty clear; the only thing that is truly wrong with this seemingly normal teenager is her perception of death.

Because of the randomness and aggressiveness of her mother and brother’s death, Vicaria is convinced that death is a disease, one that can be cured through science. Through the doors of her abandoned science lab, Vicaria takes the body of her slain brother and attempts to revive him to prove that death can be cured. She connects every source of power to his lifeless body, hits a switch, and after a citywide power outage, the monster awakens. But things start to get out of hand quickly, “Frankenstein” has no concept of life, he only knows death and to destroy.

As the plot thickens, Vicaria’s invention has taken his place as a true monster, [& here is the part where I am tempted to give the full story away]. In the end, she has no brother, no mother, father, family or even Kango and his henchmen, which in my opinion validated her hypothesis that death is in fact a disease. Once it claims someone close to you, the cycle continues until there is no one left to kill. I wouldn’t categorize this as horror, this film falls more on the suspense spectrum but the suspense kept us at the edge of our seats at every turn. Bomani took a classic horror story and turned it into an attempt to fix and cure what we have all deemed as incurable, and it worked. The ending scene shows a scientific genius grin into the camera as she brings her sister in law back to life using the same tactics she used before only this time…they WORK! I loved this film and I truly believe Bomani J. Story has earned his flowers.

Peazy for /CW

BLACK LENS PRESENTS WRITING IN COLOR [Event]

Santana Coleman, Paulina Lule, Derek Jay Garlington DURING WRITING IN COLOR PANEL

I love to write, but I’m not sure if writing a movie is the best place for my skills. However, after attending, Writing In Color, I might just change my mind. Because the word from the judges is i [& my random collaborative team] are pretty good at it. Well, at least that little trophy sitting on my desk says so.

Being at Radio Milwaukee [my media home away from home] for an event that showcases film through the writer's lens was fascinating. Did you know that there are local & Black filmmakers accessible to you in Milwaukee? I Stan [as the kids say Lol]. The panel to bless us with insight about the film industry at a micro and macro level included Milwaukee’s very own Emmy Award winner, Santana Coleman, the amazing Paulina Lule, and Pitch It To Me, game designer Derek Jay Garlington. They told us their perspectives of the tumultuous realm we call Hollywood, the glory of having Milwaukee [a non permit film city], and the nuance of being Black in the world of film. When creatives get to speak no holds bar, I live. You can always learn something worth holding on to.

But it was the game for me! Pitch It To Me, is a fun way to get those gears turning in your head. The game is noted to be “your chance to pitch the next hit film or tv show! Pitch It To Me is an entertaining card game that builds collaboration and creativity through the journey of storytelling”. And it did just that. My team won the pitch competition by putting together a new era story of Isis and Osiris set in dystopia Milwaukee. We named it, Gods of The Eastside. We set Tyana Taylor as Isis and Damson Idris as Osiris and it was a rap!

“If you're scared just say that!”, was my snark at the competition [but I don’t talk sh*t unless I can back it up].

Like I said, the trophy is sitting on my desk.

Lexi for /CW

To be seen in film is to be seen in mediated reality. We love it. Please keep it going!

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW Fam














"Your Favorite Press" is Back at Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 | Join us!

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We’re Backkkkkkkkk!

We are so excited to kick off our Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 coverage, where “Your Favorite Press” [Us, its us. CopyWrite Magazine LOL] will be bringing our “special interest” [you know #AllThingsUrban, #SupportTheLocal, #RootingForEverybodyBlack, #ArtIsLife] perspective to the mix. This year we are inviting you to share the experience with us, as we share our lineup of movies we will definitely be checking out, including our Community Partner feature, Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities. So grab a friend, and get your snacks. It's time to get “mad ethnic right now” in the theater. 

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER FILMS

RISE AND REBUILD: A TALE OF THREE CITIES

Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities portrays individuals in Atlanta, Chicago, and Wilmington, North Carolina, who confront the historical destruction of Black wealth in their communities and devise strategies for building a more equitable future. 

Saturday, Apr 29 | 12:15 PM | Avalon Theater 

Wednesday, May 3 | 3:45 PM | Times Cinema

Keep up with us on Instagram @copywritemag for your chance to win tickets to see this film!

 

FILMS WE PLAN TO SEE

Little Richard: I Am Everything

Like a quasar burning past the gaslight, director Lisa Cortes’ eye-opening documentary explores the whitewashed canon of American pop music. Little Richard: I Am Everything clarifies the Black, queer origins of rock ’n’ roll and establishes the genre’s big bang: Richard Wayne Penniman. 

Saturday, Apr 29 | 6:15 PM | Oriental Theater: Abele Cinema 

Thursday, May 4 | 1:30 PM | Avalon Theater

 

BLACK LENS SHORTS

BLACK LENS SHORTS: BLACK REMEMBRANCE is a collection of short films that explores, interrogates, and engages how cinema can be used as an active archival tool to process grief and loss. Join us as we discover what honor could look like on the silver screen. 

Tuesday, Apr 25 | 7:00 PM | Times Cinema

 

BAD PRESS

Angel Ellis, a reporter for Mvskoke Media, just wants to give her readers transparent and truthful access to news relevant to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. But when Angel and her colleagues challenge the integrity of tribal officials, they set off a whirlwind that ends in the dissolution of their independent media. BAD PRESS is a nuanced, empowering tale of a modern Native community fighting for transparency and access to information to hold their government accountable.

Saturday, Apr 29 | 5:00 PM | Avalon Theater

Wednesday, May 3 | 1:30 PM | Avalon Theater

DEAR THIRTEEN

DEAR THIRTEEN lends insight into the perspectives of nine thirteen-year-olds across the globe. Told through gorgeous cinematography—with no adult commentary but the filmmaker’s— these diverse and far-reaching stories will inspire younger teens going through the similar task of coming of age amidst urgent challenges to their generation. Older teens and adults will have a poignant dose of nostalgia through the film’s meditation on the endless and universal quest of self-discovery.

Saturday, Apr 22 | 12:45 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

Tuesday, May 2 | 6:30 PM | Times Cinema

JASMINE IS A STAR

JASMINE IS A STAR follows a determined sixteen-year-old with albinism (lack of pigment in the hair, skin, and eyes) who makes it her mission to become a professional model in her hometown of Minneapolis while attempting to go unnoticed in every other aspect of her teenage life. Director Jo Rochelle (writer for Freeform’s GOOD TROUBLE) creates a sensitive depiction of a different category of teenage angst.

Saturday, Apr 22 | 9:30 PM | Avalon Theater

Wednesday, Apr 26 | 6:45 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER follows anti-hero Vicaria, a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, the film’s writer and director, Bomani J. Story, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that will survive and is reborn again despite the terrors of systemic pressure.

Friday, Apr 21 | 10:00 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

Sunday, Apr 23 | 8:00 PM | Times Cinema

EVENTS WE WILL BE AT

Black Lens Presents Writing in Color

As creatives, our minds are always buzzing with story ideas. But more often than not, they tend to stay in our imagination. It may be the web series you’ve been plotting. Or the next great action flick you’ve cooked up! Or even that documentary you’d like to take to the next level? Join BLACK LENS at our storytelling workshop and game night, Writing In Color, and discover what it means to graduate your idea from your mind to the silver screen. 

Saturday, April 29 | 6:00 PM | Radio Milwaukee

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW FAM

SS23 | A Street Wear Experience - TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

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On April 7th, 2023 from 5:00PM-9:00PM, The Vatofied Experience will be collaborating with the Designers of Marcellus Brand, Platinum Boy Gang Clothing, Views Clothing, and The Set Apart Ones [Yahad Kadash] to offer a dynamic show that presents Black Men in fashion, a more than trendy display on Urban wear, and the ever morphing nuances of modern fashion culture.

Media Sponsorship Provided by: Hyfin, “Connecting The Culture”.

Jungle Gems and REFRESH Presents: Blac Market MKE

/ CW Magazine/

Jungle Gems and REFRESH Presents: Blac Market MKE

Celebrating Black entrepreneurship and artistry through community vending events is and will always be one of the best ways to support Black business. As Black History Month came to a close, Jungle Gems and RefreshMKE in collaboration with No Studios, curated a pop-up shop dedicated to highlighting Black-owned businesses in Milwaukee. Featuring about 20 unique vendors, food, drinks and music, this event was the best part of Black History Month for me. 

Starting off with Funk2Fashion by Kyndal J, this Milwaukee-based fashion brand is truly one of a kind. Her “Black Barista, Black Coffee, Black Errthang” bags stole the show and her inviting energy gives you an even bigger reason to support. Alongside bags, she also hand makes earrings, coffee cups and has an entire collection of bags that go great with your morning cortado. 

Emmanuel’s Mix is a Black-mother and son owned snack brand that I like to call “black trail mix”. Chex Mix, pretzels, and nuts mixed in a sweet but spicy glaze….it’s a HIT! Ms. Jacqulyn Turner created this sweet snack as a gift to her son Emmanuel and a treat for him to share with his friends. Now, it’s turned into a house-favorite snack that just recently became available in Pop’s Marketplace and on DOORDASH! Go Ms. Turner and Emmanuel! 

As I walked through the maze of vendors, I was halted by Niche Book Bar LLC. Now, if you don't know, in 2019 Niche Book Bar was actually a mobile business. Cetonia Weston-Roy, founder of the bookstore, used to hand deliver books on her bicycle in the summertime. Fast forward, she’s now opening her first storefront on MLK! Roy promotes Black literature through distribution of books by Black authors and artists, and these are the perfect books to read and share with your friends and families.

Khemistry Cosmetics is a Black owned non-profit organization that specializes in beauty. Jakayla Bridges has her hands in many pots, but her FOOT must’ve gone into that lip gloss because let me tell you!! First off, it’s made with essential oils so it’s not super sticky but it’s very long lasting.It smells AMAZING, and she has so many different scents. I purchased one myself and I haven’t been able to put it down. She also sells handmade jewelry and collects formal wear to provide free styling services for highschoolers. 

Last but not least, Art by Nile Nandi Lloyd. Nile creates hand painted pieces of Black art that captivate every passing eye. From small hand-crafted paintings to large canvas paintings, her attention to detail and creativity is admirable. These paintings were easily my favorite purchase of the night. 

We know Black History Month should be every month. And we also know that Black businesses don’t get anywhere near as much support as they should from our peers. But these are things that can be changed simply by understanding the value of Black art and the importance of Black creativity. We need representation in every form and I love these pop-up shops because that’s what you get, a little bit of everything; clothes, music, food, paintings, jewelry, networking opportunities, etc. Pop-up at your next pop up shop and support your locals!



/PEAZY, Media and Productions Coordinator for CW