New Intern. Who Dis? | Welcome our 2024 "Teen" Summer Interns to the /CW Fam!

Let’s do it again!

We are back at it this summer with young talent. We are hosting a “Teen” intern at CopyWrite Mag! With our hopes of staying intune with community and the pulse of change, we love to have young people around to teach us a few things. Where we will be sharing our wisdom in the creative fields we also will be given them an opportunity to “make” what speaks to them. Shout out to Lead 2 Change for sponsoring this programming.

[& if you see them in the field drop some gems on them. “It takes a village”.]

2023 SUMMER INTERNS

James Dean Jr.

Summer Intern | Graphic Design + Fashion Focused

James is the owner of Huncho Militia. Hunchomilitia is a brand that signifies a love for sports and hip-hop, with the overall goal of bringing together a following of people who are not afraid to use their talents to shine. James wants to bring people together who believe you can show your creativity through art, whether that be music or showcasing talents through sports. He is intrigued by how much can be conveyed just by the way some present themselves. So I've built a clothing brand that aims to foster a sense of community. He has joined CopyWrite for the summer to build strong connections and make this goal a reality.

Lik "Popeye's on Center"

If you’re like most of us, you’ve been OUTSIDE making this summer count! On time with the vibes to match as usual, TRP has yet another drop that can take you back to a July Summer in the early 2000s! Co-Founder and In-House Producer Lik gives that feeling with the summer anthem, “Popeyes on Center,” a shout out to one of the hundreds of directional pinpoints used by Us in the community, ha! 

This single from his latest Album, “Auteur Theory,” which has been exclusively released on his Ghetto Griot website for purchase, features his right hand, Big P. Released as a music video directed by Cream. and shot by Carter Green, the lyrical, instrumental, and especially, the visual context is so Milwaukee and gives a nostalgic ’outside from sun up to sun down’ type of feel. The vision was for the editing style to become another character of its own- the “third side to the story,” as Lik put it. The vibrancy of the colors seen and worn, the upward camera angles to fully capture the grit of what still remains of our own unique culture (the businesses AND the beautiful young Milwaukee Men coolin’ in front of them), and the contrast of what may not be anymore, but is still core to the identity of this part of the city, and therefore, is worthy to be celebrated.

The setting changes and cuts to Lik sitting by himself in a restaurant. The imagery is more fab and luxurious and his words are more future-tense with a little bravado but just like the brick and mortar of the Milwaukee Mall, his identity in Milwaukee remains. Good One Lik!

Naomi-Re’a for /CW

/CW Chat w/ The All White Xperience | June 29th, 2024 [Rooftop Ballroom Baird Center]

Get out your white linen fits because the All White Xperience is about to go down! Your /CW fam sat with event curators Myron Smith, Johnny L. Jones and Tim Ricketts about the Saturday, June 29th, 2024 event that is bound to change the way Milwaukee see’s entertainment. From intergenerational programming with a step show & runway fashion to a highly anticipated live performance by Jagged Edge, this will be one of those events that has to make the MKE summer hit list.  It’s not just a party but an “Xperience” you won't want to miss.

/CW

ThriveOn King Ribbon Cutting Celebration | A local inspiration, a national model, and a dream come true

The ribbon cutting at thriveon king

“A local inspiration, a national model, and a dream come true.” - John R. Raymond, Sr., MD

At CopyWrite we respect a BOLD statement and we value an observed truth. So today when John R. Raymond, Sr., President and CEO of MCW, delivered remarks on his perspective of ThriveOn King collaboration, we could only agree that its fruition and active arrival has indeed been an inspiration, a layered blueprint, and a collective dream that has often been deferred. 

We were invited to attend the June 6th, 2024 ribbon cutting ceremony for the ThriveOn King Collaboration development [2153 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. Milwaukee, WI 53212] as a neighbor [/CW Creative Studios + Shop is literally right across the street if you did not already know], Art Review Committee members [because the creative work must speak to US & for US], and community stakeholders [our investment into this community is apart of the collective fabric that turns these SPACES into PLACES]. With those many facets of stewardship as a guiding force for our communal labor, we have been quite critical of the goals and aspirations for the new soul of the old Schuster’s & Gimbels building.

An equitable approach to development must be anchored in reality. What are the issues? Why do they persist? What are viable solutions and the resources needed to sustain them? These are the questions that are never easy to answer. However, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF), the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), and Royal Capital’s “joint vision for Milwaukee '' have created a physical manifestation of what that vision can become. 

“We all share a vision where neighbors are healthy. . .opportunities are equitable. . . a better Milwaukee”, said Ellen M. Gilligan, current President & CEO of Greater Milwaukee Foundation. The idea of a “Better Milwaukee”, can always be neutralized by the historical divide that most tend to harp on as a sign of stagnation in our cities’ complex infrastructure but in the case of the ThriveOn King development, “better” is collaborative truth. Where community is engaged, philanthropy can serve, and that service becomes mutually beneficial in building a place where we all thrive holistically. 

Ken Robertson, Executive VP, CEO & CFO of GMF, also shared his appreciation to his collaborators [including the community] and commitment to the project beyond the near completion of the commercial building component. “We could do better, we could live better . . . projects like this enable us to get there”. The momentum is an absolute must to propel a high-profile partnership into something that retains a positive legacy and lasting impact in the microcosm that is Milwaukee. 

The stipulation of communal progress treads upon counter acts to gentrification and welcomed entry into a community that already holds historical and cultural value. Alderwoman Milele Coggs, made it known in her speech that the site we all were currently inhabiting was not just a happenstance of real estate availability. She listed an FBI facility, the welfare building [even as her familial namesake], and NO studios as other inquired possibilities. “It could have been but we fought against it”, she said. And those possibilities change the trajectory of so much more. 

artist vedale hill /w pops [art installation]

As always when we approach these historical moments of ribbon cutting and “professional hobnobbery”, we report back to our readers as active advocates of the arts, culture, and to local elevation. We watched as Vedale Hill, one of the artists selected for ThriveOn's permanent collection [and an intimate supporter and partner of our work at /CW], created his art installation slated for the historic display windows on the north side of the building. We discussed the importance of having his work be seen as “a cultural relevance of “Play” for the African American Community in Milwaukee. . . These pieces are meant to depict a physical manifestation of hope for young Black kids while elevating this nuance of culture to high art. This notes that while the practice of play may be the dream there are other professional routes that may encapsulate that passion”, as stated in his concept description. 

artist whose art was selected to be a part of thriveon king: vedale hill, Isaic Pulliam, Brad Anthony Bernard, Reynaldo Hernandez

“This is more of a homecoming than an arrival for me. Having this art here at ThriveOn reaches back to why I became an artist in the first place. It's already there. I’m just encapsulating it and reframing it so that our realities are validated not as just historical asides but as impacting proponents of the here & now. How I view myself as an artist is more akin to a diamond cutter than an inventor.  I’m just making a value and beauty association that is already a part of the natural folds of the community I am a part of”, Vedale reminded us.

And these narratives run deep.

/cw on the job | Editor-in-chief Lexi S. Brunson

I am keeping a few subtleties close to my chest to preserve them for future conversations about the ThriveOn King, collaborative community development, and the art that will show who we are on walls that are professed to be a part of generational progress. As I sit in my studio & look out the window I can see the new era of progressive proliferation and I will be keeping a close [and neighborly] eye on how we THRIVE together.

Lexi S. Brunson | Editor-in-Chief /CW

Jammin with Juice | /CW Fam Carrie "Noni Juice" has her own radio show with Ben "Jammin" on 101.7 the Truth

"WE KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE JUICY!!!

If you haven’t heard the news yet, grab your juice pouch and get ready because we have a /CW Fam alert.

Our long-time Entertainment Journalist, Carrie “Noni Juice” Mahone, is now the co-host of Good Karma Brands station 101.7 The Truth show, “Jammin with Juice” with co-host Ben “Jammin” Hooks.

Knowing Carrie, we know this has always been the move [& she is beyond ready]. In their press announcement for the new show, Carrie mentioned, “Fans will embrace our show because we are The Truth for the youth. This show is the birth of a new era of media in the city, and we hope to bridge the gap between generations through entertaining yet honest dialogue”. That NEW era in media is fast-paced, social media driven, and very influencer-conscious [all things Carrie has noted over her time in the game.

So can you catch that vibe? Check out the first episode to see for yourself.

[It’s the tag intro for us! LOL]

The first instalment dropped May 20, 2024 and they have been going hard since lol [2 days baby].

So say congratulations to our girl Carrie & a our new homie Ben.

Let’s work media fam!

/CW

the Not-So-Accidental Conviction of Eleven Milwaukee "Anarchists" - SnapShot Press Release

photos by Michael Brosilow

“LET’S JUST BLOW THE WHOLE THING UP!”

Ahht, Ahht, Ahht! Don’t you dare snark at the thought. 

We all have said it. If not out loud, it has definitely crossed your mind. And if it hasn’t, are you even human?

The true question is what is the “thing” that would actually make you do it?

The Not-So-Accidental Conviction of Eleven Milwaukee "Anarchists" defines that moment by taking a comedic aside into history, local history, in a Milwaukee that seems so distant from our present society but is in fact, the foundation of what we now bear witness to. The trial of “The Milwaukee Eleven” and the police station bombing of 1917 is dismantled through planned improv [if it's not a term I'm coining it now], a black box theatre with a trunk full of doodads, and a chair [Yup, just one chair]. 

Why? Because many of us have forgotten that empathy is civility. . . but just hold that thought. We will get there. 

Saturday's [May 4th, 2024] 4:00 pm production was quite interesting. It's not just because playwright Martín Zimmerman intended it to be [as he allowed his burning questions of the story to reveal themselves on the stage. Questions like, How do you make sense of people about whom we have such fragmented, contradictory information?] but also because the longing to wrap ideas [in the form of art] in a nice shiny bow, instead, creating a knot of complexities with tattered ends is uncomfortable. In the opening scene it seemed like we were all slated for 90 minutes of a four-person recall of historical facts [I mean cool I guess if you're into that]. But then the bomb exploded, the butter was squashed, and chaos ensued. 

That chaos took the form of two-syllable curse words, catty disagreements, and a baby blow horn. What part of the story should come next and what is the best way to depict it? Actors Elyse Edelman, King Hang, Dimonte Henning, and Kelsey Elyse Rodriguez were charged with playing several roles, embodying the people and the police, the righteous and the ridiculed, the holy and the sinful [& these characters are not juxtaposing beings but multiplicities of humanity]. 

That’s where it gets tough. 

It was strategically unhinged and while much of the audience laughed, there were many who winced at the potty language but did not bat an eye at the reminder of people's lives, livelihoods, and freedom being taken from them. Who made the bomb? There is no one name or evidence to support one intended target. Why did they make it? If it was indeed an act of anarchy then it must be an act against the systems that were “ruling” Milwaukee at the time which allowed for bad working conditions, bigotry, discrimination [ethnic is a loaded term around these parts], and poverty to persist.  If it's an act against religion then what god allows for a 4-year-old child to be taken into custody by the police? This little midwest town in the free world is starting to look tragic but it's not like 1917 was an isolated occurrence. Just last week students calling for a ceasefire in Gaza were met with police batons and monkey noises [but y'all ain't hearing me though]. 

And that for me was more disturbing. 

That type of discomfort reverberates through every life choice and decision made [or avoided]. It sets the tone for the future and the narratives we uphold from the past. Zimmerman was smart to let us grapple with analysis as the actors analyzed. The actors were bold in allowing us to see their range as they unpacked and then reboxed how to approach historical narrative in its grandiose and in its pretentious posturing of justice.

At the end of it, I couldn't care less who Clarence Darrow or Augusto Giuliani was. All I wanted to know is why we keep letting others write and archive our history. When will we realize that the archive does not have to be documented through the lens of our oppressors? When will we realize that the most vulnerable populations have always been bastardized by the systems that self-assign themselves as protectors?

It's ugly and society is a mirror of that ugliness. 

The Not-So-Accidental Conviction of Eleven Milwaukee "Anarchists" is rhetoric for self-assessment. If you are not terrified of the possibilities of what can happen when we disregard the needs of our fellow human [as terrified as I was to watch that slow-mo fight scene where unarmed cops were in a shoot-out with civilians] or if you don’t question your sanity when you become desensitized to violence [physical, mental, or emotional] then wtf are we actually doing here?

I don’t know if I liked what I saw but I do know that more people need to be confronted with narratives that make them cringe. If you know someone who needs to light a fire under their complacent a**, then send them to see this Milwaukee Chamber Theater production. 

Something has got to change.

Lexi S. Brunson 

Editor-in-Chief /CW

CopyWrite Magazine is a PROUD Community Partner of Milwaukee Film Fest 2024

It’s about that time!

We are gearing up to indulge in visual narratives on the big screen [& you know we love a good film at /CW]! This years for MFF we chose to be a community partner for screenings that touched on some of our core interest as media makers/lovers, BIPOC representation, and creative flyness. We kept it short & sweet [but you know we won’t be leaving any crumbs].

Check out the films on CopyWrite Magazine hit list [& follow us on Instagram @copywritemag for a chance to win tickets to watch the films with us!]:

---

4/13/2024 | 3:45:00 PM | Avalon

OUT OF THE PICTURE | DIR: MARY LOUISE SCHUMACKER

OUT OF THE PICTURE takes us inside the lives of some of the most relevant writers on art today, thinkers who are making sense of a period of unprecedented change to art, media, and society. Director Mary Louise Schumacher led a national survey of more than 300 arts writers across the country, unearthing revelations that are poised to prompt a national conversation about the nature of art, modern life, and how meaning gets made in the 21st century.

PREVIEW

4/22/2024 | 5:00 PM | Downer

SEEKING MAVIS BEACON | DIR: JAZMIN RENEE JONES

One of the most influential Black women in technology is a figment of our collective imagination. Mavis Beacon was invented by the co-founder of Myspace to sell the world’s most popular typing software, but the real woman she was modeled after disappeared in 1995. SEEKING MAVIS BEACON poses critical questions regarding anthropomorphism and the consumption of marginalized bodies in the tech industry, while reimagining the afro-futurist legacy of a missing historical figure.

4/16/2024 | 3:30:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (Lubar)

YOUNG. WILD. FREE. | DIR: THEMBI L. BANKS

Being a teenager is rough, and Brandon (Algee Smith, 2017 African-American Film Critics Association Best Ensemble Cast winner for Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit) is no different. Between struggling in school, caring for his two younger siblings, and having just been let go from his job, Brandon often uses his art as an escape from the confines of his subdued day-to-day life. Enter Cassidy (Sierra Capri, On My Block), a bedazzled bad girl dripping in confidence, freedom, and danger. Lured in by her whimsy, Brandon teams up with Cassidy, seamlessly slipping into the role of Clyde to her Bonnie as they make their way down an increasingly perilous path.

Carvd N Stone Loren Martin Hintz Travel Writing Scholarship Continues for Third Year to Award $1,000

*Info provided by Carvd N Stone

Carvd N Stone (CNS), a positive news company and marketing agency, announces the third annual CNS Loren Martin Hintz Travel Writing Scholarship. CNS will award $1,000 to a Milwaukee writer based on the 2024 essay theme: “What lessons have you learned while traveling that you’ve implemented in your everyday life and why?”

Applications open on April 17, 2024, at 9 a.m. CST and will close on May 17, 2024, at noon CST.

To apply, applicants must fit all requirements:

● Reside in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

● 17-29 years old.

● Submit an 800-word essay that fits the 2024 theme.

Loren Martin Hintz was an award-winning journalist for the Milwaukee Sentinel. Throughout his career, Hintz traveled around the world capturing unique people and moments in words and photographs. The CNS Travel Writing Scholarship promotes and encourages the next generation of writers. Whether you're an aspiring journalist or just have a passion for travel and writing, the Loren Martin Hintz Scholarship is an amazing opportunity to showcase your skills, thoughts, and dreams with the chance of winning.

Jonah Denae "In Due Time"

Milwaukee’s Femcees become more and more promising with the likes of Lakeyah, Mudy, Shadi, Destinee Lynn and now, the young and ambitious Jonah Denae has come to take names and take over; “I been quiet. But it's my turn now. Be ready. Love” is declared at the top of the year under an instagram post of hers, and she definitely aint playin’! After a sprinkle of singles and freestyles over the last few years with no LP yet, Jonah Denae has dropped ”In Due Time,” a statement piece for the due diligence of an artist who knows that faith, consistency, and hard work is bound to pay off when you know who you are.

Her Battle rap-like approach over a proper Midwest beat by rXge and rhyme scheming are mathematical; 

-“Can't settle for ni**as who settle at the bottom with b***hes 

Who bottom feeders -for givin’ top to ni**as who pop a bottle

 -Instead of poppin’ a collar, 

B***hes paparazzi.. ” 

She weaves in and out of the flow like a pro with the demeanor and full set nails to match. Clever choices are made in her change of pacing and tone while landing her bars every time with references to Black Culture, her spiritual faith, and American History amongst other things in relation to the might of the moment that she is manifesting for herself as a legend in the making. This is her time and the city, the world, needs to keep an ear out for this one. Jonah Denae is ‘Bigger than Local.’

/CW Naomi-Re’a

The Mountaintop

We’ve all seen the different narratives and adaptations of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. throughout our lives; “Our Friend Martin,” “Selma,” “Selma, Lord Selma,” season 1 ep. 9 of “The Boondocks,” etc... All of these have been historically critical to the importance of passing down his legacy (or in the case of Aaron McGruder, a dramatized and comical take on what could've been his realistic response to the world as it is today), but no story has captured the nature of King as a man like “The Mountaintop.” The legacy of Dr. King is one of the most impactful pieces of America’s history without saying; nearly 60 years after his death, men like County Executive David Crowley are able to be recognized on opening night with the “Mountaintop Legacy Award” for perpetuating the very character and vision that compelled Dr. King to carry on in his mission, in our very own city. However, only a fresh perspective can provoke new respect for the journey of a leader; A human journey. Prior to making a special appearance on their “Legacy Night” showcase later on in this month, Milwaukee Chamber Theater saved us some seats for opening night as well where I sat a row or two in front of Director Dimonte Henning who was finally able to marvel at the fruition of this vision for the first time after taking on the script. I caught up with him right after the show..

CW: “What I really want to know is how you came to get your hands on a script like that, because when I came into the theater, I didn't expect the story to be told that way. So what made you wanna take on that narrative?”

DH: “You know what, I'm at a point where I like to tell stories that mean something to me. If it doesn't mean anything to me-, I can't put myself and my creativity into a space where it doesn't mean anything. So, Dr. King's story-, it means so much to have it told in this way; this reimagined depiction of the last night that he was alive. I felt like I needed to tell this story and I needed to find the right actors, the right designer team to help uplift this story. And so, Bryant [Bentley], he reached out to me. He [asked me] do I wanna direct this? I said ‘absolutely, yes.’ It's been a long time coming. Bryant first approached me about this show 2 years ago, so to be here on opening night with the audience, to see the vision come to life, is a gift, it's a treat, it's a gift from God and I don't take that for granted. It's because the story means something to me.”

With the deliberate use of only the 2 actors on stage for the entirety of the story in a single setting, a Memphis motel room, and the size of Milwaukee Chamber’s theater room contributing to the intimate atmosphere, there was no escaping the raw humanity and chaotic rollercoaster of morale in the writing and its display in the genius and dedication of the actors, on and off stage. Henning shares as a lover of history that the details of this depiction were taken from fact and research, bringing real life to this dramatization. 

DH: … I'm sure that he didn't interact with the maid how he does in this play, but there are a lot of historical moments and facts brought into the play… One thing that really impacted me was the night that he did the “I Have a Dream” speech, the FBI listed him as the ‘Most Dangerous Man in America,’ and I was just like, wow! How is that possible? This man who just brought all of these people together is now listed as a dangerous man in America..and we all know why that is, but just understanding who he ws as a man and, giving it to Bryant Bentley who played Dr. King, we had a lot of conversations. We spent our first week of rehearsal-, we have 3 weeks of rehearsal-, We spent our first week just talking about ‘what is this play about? What story do we want to tell? What is the relationship between Dr. King and Camae? Who are these people?’... “The foundation of all of my work is authenticity. If it's not authentic, then the audience is gonna see right through it, so it has to be authentic:..:  finding the truth in these characters. And then we did intimacy work. Our intimacy director, KaiLee Evans, came in and she worked with both of our actors. They go through a process every night. They have an opening process as soon as they get here. Then, they have a close out where they just connect and talk with each other and make sure that they are on the same page. There's some intimate moments where they get physical with each other, and it's important because you wanna keep the actors safe…because it's just them two on stage… If you mess up that relationship off stage, it may bleed on stage. So we just wanna be sure that they're safe, so that's where that came from.”

The Mountaintop by Katori Hall will be showing at the Milwaukee Chamber Theater until March 24th. The CopyWrite fam will be present on March 22nd as guest hosts for one of the last showings of this marvelous story in celebration of black excellence. We hope to see some of you there!

/CW Naomi-Re’a