Uniquely Milwaukee

“You know, we all are made in the image and likeness of God, and God is creation. So we're all creative, but sometimes I think some of us are given an extra dose.”Celine Farrell has lived a lot of life, and those words are just a sliver of the knowledge she’s picked up along the way.She's seen what it takes to get inspired and fired up creatively. At the end of the day, it's why she's kept engaged, making art as a sculptor and beautifying her space as owner and curator of Grove Gallery (she's also the curator and gardener of its grounds). Everything in her day-to-day touches on some form of tactile creation and inspiration from a higher power.In this episode, guest host Erin Wolf spends time with Farrell as this creatively driven member of our community shares a few pieces of the vast knowledge she's gathered over the years.#####Guest host: Erin WolfUniquely Milwaukee is made possible by the support of our Radio Milwaukee members.

In the heart of the Riverwest neighborhood is a weekly showcase of some of Milwaukee’s most talented voices.Linneman’s Acoustic Open Stage began in 1993, making it the city’s oldest open mic and a staple of the local music scene.“Linneman's is an institution, and it's meant a lot to tons and tons of people,” said Chris Porterfield, frontman for Milwaukee-based band Field Report and an alum of the open mic. “It's a really special place. And what Jim and Marty have built is a great gift and service to our city.”Jim Linneman and Marty Hacker are longtime partners in life and nightlife. The venue’s namesake rarely misses an installment of the Acoustic Open Stage, and he was there the night we were on hand to experience the energy of a community built on a shared love for music.“Each and every Wednesday we have a featured performer who gets a half hour,” Linneman explained from the stage as he introduced Ethan Munson, the night's spotlight artist. “And to be the feature here, you have to come in and take part in our Open Stage and show a love for music and the desire anyway to write your own songs.”In this episode, we take you inside a typical Wednesday night at Linneman’s — a space for seasoned performers to connect with newcomers; and an eclectic mix of people, songs and instruments, ranging from banjos and guitars to keyboards and even a kazoo.#####Guest host: Rachel TarbyUniquely Milwaukee is made possible by the support of our Radio Milwaukee members.

A true calling always finds its way to you. Valencia Caldwell is living proof.Her father was an air-traffic controller who always encouraged his children to follow their dreams. After his death, a special flight helped lead Caldwell back to her first love — one that wouldn't be easy to reconnect with.The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates there are 213,000 aircraft pilots and engineers in the country. Just 4% are African American, and organizations like Sisters of The Skies estimate there are fewer than 200 Black women professional pilots in the United States.Undaunted, Caldwell has been accepted to the United Aviate Academy, an intensive flight school through United Airlines. On this episode, podcast host Kim Shine talks with her about the often-turbulent path she's followed back to flying and how she turned to her community to help support her dream.#####Host: Kim ShineYou can contribute to Caldwell's GoFundMe here.Uniquely Milwaukee is made possible by the generous support of our members.

Step by step… Left foot, then right. Each month, line dancing takes over the Sherman Phoenix Marketplace at a free community event held in partnership with Primetime Line Dance.  Whether they're grooving on the floor or have two left feet, participants say the classes build community,  boost their mental health and provide an all-around good time. Kim Shine joined in as everyone celebrated the event's one-year anniversary. #####Host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is made possible by the generous support of our members.

On Saturday outside Milwaukee City Hall, solidarity showed itself in the form of hundreds of bike riders. They came together in the name of one of their own: Alex Pretti.A longtime resident of Green Bay before he moved to Minneapolis, Pretti would make the trip to Milwaukee for the annual Riverwest 24 bike ride. When the 37-year-old was shot and killed by federal border patrol agents while protesting against President Trump’s immigration operations, communities across the country looked for something — anything — they could do in response.Many of those communities banded together to hold bike rides in honor of Pretti. More than 500 people joined the one in Milwaukee, which added to the 100+ events held as far away as Finland and Australia. The sentiments shared at these rides centered on simple ideas, like the ones shared by Milwaukee resident Parabh at city hall.“We believe in our basic human rights,” he said, “and those are some things that no one can really take away from us no matter how hard things get.”You can hear more from the event, including a letter from one of Pretti’s Riverwest 24 teammates, in the full audio story.#####Host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is made possible by the generous support of our members.

Mister Rogers once challenged us by saying: “Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered just one kind word to another person.”When he gave us these instructions, it wasn’t hard to look at the neighbors to the left and right of our home, and then imagine friendly conversations with them. But what about the neighbors we pass on the street everyday on our commute — those sleeping under bridges, at bus stops, in tents.As temperatures recently dropped to negative-15 degrees in Milwaukee, the health and wellness of these people became front of mind. And an organization in Milwaukee that for nearly a decade has been extending kindness to our neighbors experiencing homelessness continued their mission in subzero conditions.On this episode, we talk with Street Angels co-founders Shelly Sarasin and Eva Welch about how a change meeting at a warming shelter in 2016 grew into an award-winning nonprofit with an unwavering mission.#####Host: Kim ShineGuest Host: Carolann Grzybowski

In the middle of Milwaukee winter, most of us are used to being outside and active if the conditions are juuust right. But there's a cycling group that meets every month — warm or cold, rain or shine — to ride and connect.Scrappy Hour typically meets on the last Sunday of the month, rolling out from places like Cactus Club and The Daily Bird, with riders of all kinds joining in. Radio Milwaukee director of development Jay Burseth was one of those riders on a foggy and overcast December morning that wasn't exactly ideal cycling weather. But, as he found out, that's one of the group's secrest to community-building: showing up, regardless of the conditions.To learn more about Scrappy Hour, including info about future rides, follow them on Instagram.#####Episode host: Kim ShineGuest host: Jay BursethUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

We’re changing things on the podcast this year, with shorter stories and themed months, each one with a different topic. For January, it’s Health & Wellness. In this episode, we focus on yet another Milwaukee grocery store in danger of closing, and it's in one of the city’s food deserts.Earlier this month, the owners of Sherman Park Grocery Store asked the public for support — a message that came amid a string of other grocery stores closing last year and just days before a nearby Aldi on the north side shut down. Maurice “Moe” Wince and his wife, Yashica Spears, have owned the store since July of 2022 and are dealing with setbacks that threaten its future. A drop in customers, theft and nearly $100,000 in damage from historic flooding in August have left Wince and Spears in a difficult position. So they've turned to the community --- looking for grants, asking for help from business and marketing experts, inviting new customers into the store, and exploring whether vendors can be more flexible with delivery payment options.On this episode, we talk with Wince and one of his regular customers who relies on Sherman Park Grocery Store to help her put food on the table.#####Episode host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members.

Join us for this encore edition of Uniquely Milwaukee as we grab a drink at Agency, Milwaukee's first hybrid bar and a 2025 James Beard Award finalist. Immerse yourself in the choice of indulging in an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. Plus you'll hear from the founder, Ryan Castelaz, as he shares the story of how this innovative concept came to fruition.Click here to learn more about Agency.#####Podcast host: Kim ShineEncore host: Salam FatayerUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

Happy New Year! This Uniquely Milwaukee throwback goes beyond the age-old question: "What's your New Year's resolution?" For this episode, we embraced the idea of rejection therapy by trying new things we were pretty sure would end in failure ... and bust a little ego in the process.#####Podcast host: Kim ShineEncore host: Salam FatayerUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

Thank you for listening and supporting Uniquely Milwaukee! In this episode, we have a special message of gratitude from Radio Milwaukee executive director Jordan Lee as he reflects on the triumphs and changes of 2025, and looks ahead to a brand new year. #####Podcast host: Kim ShineGuest host: Jordan Lee, Radio Milwaukee executive directorUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

A few years ago, Radio Milwaukee's Tarik Moody tried to buy a house in the city. Every offer got outbid by LLCs with out-of-state addresses and cash offers that closed in two weeks. He gave up.Recently, Tarik spent time with someone else who went on that journey — with a very different outcome. Keilyn Borrero, a single mom of four, was in the same headspace Tarik was at the start. She convinced herself it would never happen. One income. Prices spiking. The math just didn’t work.Of course, she said all of that while standing in the house she now owns thanks to the City of Milwaukee’s Homes MKE program. Then she walked Tarik through her new place on the north side: the pantry she insisted on, the big yard where her 10-year-old finally has space to kick a soccer ball, the spot where she wants to plant lavender next spring."I was crying the whole time," she said about the closing day, when she thought to herself, "This is finally happening, for me and for my kids."#####Podcast host: Kim ShineGuest host: Tarik MoodyThis story was reported with the assistance of A.I. tools, which were used primarily to outline and create a working draft. Radio Milwaukee staff conducted all interviews, compiled all of the audio and edited all of the media involved with the project.Uniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

Every DIY scene needs its supporters. In Milwaukee, Bay View’s Cactus Club is a big one. This beloved music venue is one of the scene’s most revered spots, and headlining there is a dream for bands from all genres.So far, you’ve met Fake My Death, an alternative rock/punk DIY band here in Milwaukee. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, go listen to part one right now. In that episode, our former Radio Milwaukee intern and current freelancer, Jonathan Joseph introduced you to the group and their not-so-sexy "other" hustle of day jobs. To round out this two-part series, Jonathan talks with Cactus Club’s owner about the business of DIY, and then Fake My Death take the stage. #####Podcast host: Kim ShineGuest host: Jonathan JosephUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

Milwaukee is a place filled with creatives, especially in the city’s music scene. We’re home to dozens of independent artists and bands who’d rather do it their way than rely on a mainstream framework. For the next two episodes of Uniquely Milwaukee, we’ll dive into this sub-culture with guidance from someone who knows it well: former Radio Milwaukee intern and current freelance contributor Jonathan Joseph. He followed Fake My Death, an alt-rock/punk band whose members mixed their own DIY styles to create a sound all their own.In this first installment, Jonathan introduces us to the band and sheds light on the other hustle of DIY life: the day jobs that help keep the dream alive. #####Podcast host: Kim Shine Guest host: Jonathan JosephUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

As the holiday season begins, we’re honoring the roots of Thanksgiving while also celebrating the traditions we’ve created along the way. "Friendsgiving" is one of the latter.Although its history doesn’t go back quite as far as its namesake, Friendsgiving has grown in popularity over the last few decades as people set aside time for their chosen family. These are gatherings with the people who have supported us, challenged us and carried us through.This episode is a warm reflection on belonging, connection and community with two stops along the way. First, host Kim Shine is joined by Marc Tasman — director of the digital arts and culture program in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s anthropology department — to dive into the concept of Friendsgiving. Then you’ll drop in on a celebration in Bay View with good vibes … and some really good food.#####Episode host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

Right along West Capitol Drive in Wauwatosa, history hides in plain sight — a time capsule to the city’s past, just off North 119th Street near the northbound I-41/45 ramp. It’s a quiet corner many have driven by and wondered, “What is that?”The answer: Oak Hill Cemetery, a final resting place on a small plot of land that’s easy to miss and hard to get to. In this episode, host Kim Shine is joined by local historian Jeff Roznowski and Wauwatosa Historical Society executive director Amanda Saso. Together, they explore this often-overlooked cemetery and its local significance.#####Episode host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

Everybody needs nourishment. It’s at the top of the list for survival. But it’s not the end of the list. Tiffany Miller was well aware of that as she made plans for what would become Fruition Cafe.Located in the Concordia 27 Building on the corner of 27th and Wells, the space opened in July 2024 with what you’d expect from the name: coffee, tea, kombucha, baked goods, and protein-packed sandwiches and wraps.Then there’s the less-expected aspect: a place for the city’s creative minds to express themselves.In this episode, Rachel Tarby takes you inside Fruition Cafe to hear from its owner about opening the space and her plans for its future. #####Episode host: Rachel TarbyUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

The driving force behind Uniquely Milwaukee is storytelling. Most of the time, it comes in the form of a news-style piece. But this episode breaks from that while still putting at its center the stories that get to the core of how we as humans connect and better understand one another.Sharing our experiences helps us be more compassionate and can also inspire others to open up. One of the places that happens is a local platform that Uniquely Milwaukee host Kim Shine helped create — something that gives storytellers of color an opportunity to share their truest selves on stage. It’s an event called AfterDark: For the Culture, a collaboration between HYFIN and Ex Fabula. We’ve got another one coming up Nov. 13 at Radio Milwaukee, and in this episode you’ll hear four stories from past tellers: Alice’s Garden executive director Venice Williams offers a humorous ode to her five uncles who protected her, were boldly themselves and may have had a few girlfriends. Matthew Lewis goes a different route. Instead of telling a story from his life, he shares a poem dedicated to his favorite person — his 10-year-old self who was discovering the magic in being a different kind of boy. Christine Reardon talks about figuring out who she wanted to be at 14 years old after being saved on a train in New York by three women who worked on the TV show A Different World. Finally, Milwaukee hip-hop artist El Sebas combines a few stories from his life — idolizing his father as a child, translating Spanish into English for his relatives, and meeting the woman of his dreams. #####Episode host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

Do you believe in ghosts?With Halloween followed closely by Dia de los Muertos, we’re right in the middle of spooky season — the perfect time to explore and answer that question.In this episode, we take a tour of Café Corazón, a restaurant in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood that some say is haunted. Guided by general manager DeVante Lisch, along with Allison Jornlin and Tea Krulos of American Ghost Walks, we learn the history of the building and stories about the possible spirits that still linger in the space.From Riverwest, we head back to Walker’s Point and another location with some unexplained phenomenon that hits close to home: Radio Milwaukee! You'll hear from members of the team as they talk about their encounters with the mischievous spirit that roams the station. Spoiler: Not everyone thinks the ghost is real.Finally, we wanted to hear from someone who represents the people who either don’t — or would rather not — believe in ghosts. 88Nine DJ Carolann Grzybowski is one of those people. She believes in something but has anxiety about the unknown. To provide that perspective, she shares a short, personal narrative about her own experiences.#####Episode host: Kim ShineUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.

The outside of Third Space Collective MKE is hard to miss: a black door with vibrant colors streaming down, as if the paint was striving desperately to spill out onto the sidewalk.The goal of Third Space Collective MKE is something that hasn’t always been easy to find in Milwaukee: an art gallery that also serves as an incubator for creatives, particularly in the Merrill Park neighborhood.In this episode, guest host Rachel Tarby takes you to Third Space Collective's ribbon-cutting ceremony to meet its owner and experience the joy that the grand opening brought to the wider community.#####Episode hosts: Kim Shine, Rachel TarbyUniquely Milwaukee is supported by our Radio Milwaukee members and sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Library.