Cream City Dreams

Happy MONDAY! Yes, this is coming out two days early. But I wanted to share this episode with as much time as possible since we are talking about an event that happens NEXT WEEK. (May 6-10, 2024).This week’s guest, Stephanie Melnick and her team at She Stands Tall are BACK next week with Women's Entrepreneurship Week (WEW) and if you live in or around Milwaukee, you are NOT going to want to miss their offerings. So many of our previous guests are slotted to speak at the events next week that I wanted to take an extra week of Season 5 to plug this event and let you know what to expect. If you are a woman in Milwaukee, an entrepreneur, or someone who is considering stepping boldly into your DREAM ... this just might be the launch pad you need! Come meet other women around the city who are taking their place at the table - indeed, who are building their OWN table - and making sure there is a seat for everyone. Locals and Links we love!Website: https://shestandstallmke.com/wew-2024-full-schedule/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shestandstallmkeInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/shestandstallmke/Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven’t already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I’d LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the Show.

Sharing the Digest this week with Harmonie Baker who challenges us to step away from the spotlight from time to time to let others shine. A short and sweet reflection from this week's full episode on being the cheerleader for someone else. Who could that some else be in your life? A digest worth pondering. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven’t already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I’d LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the showSupport the Show.

People often describe Milwaukee as a small city with big city amenities … and they are often talking about our theater and arts scene. And this includes the incredible opportunities children have in the theater as well. This week, I talk with Harmonie Baker, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Youth Theatre, about the important role that theater plays in the lives of the Milwaukee youth she serves. The Milwaukee Youth Theatre provides the opportunity for kids to imagine, build and create productions from start to finish in set design, costume and lighting as well as acting. More than a stage, it’s a place where everyone belongs, everyone is family, and everyone is encouraged to support each other as they learn the ins and outs of theater. Locals and Links we love! Website: https://milwaukeeyouththeatre.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milwaukeeyouththeatreInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/milwaukeeyouththeatre/UPCOMING EVENTSI Never Saw Another Butterfly and The Terezin PromiseMay 3-5, 2024 (various times)Ticket link: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/myt/1212748Lost Tales 2: Loster TalesJune 14-16, 2024More info: https://milwaukeeyouththeatre.org/lost-tales-2/Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven’t already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I’d LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the Show.

Why DO we need a place to store ancient relics and artifacts? What do museums tell us about ourselves, and why should we keep them around? Dr. Ellen Censky answers this question in two parts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven’t already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I’d LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the showSupport the Show.

This week, meet the woman behind our beloved Milwaukee Public Museum, Dr. Ellen Censky (though as she is quick to point out, it takes an incredible team to run an institution that is home to more than four million objects). Listen as we talk about the trajectory that took the tall ‘tom girl’ from Cedarburg across the US as a museum scientist and director, herpetologist, published author, BioBlitz creator, and now Executive Director with MPM. Listen as we talk about … Who museums are for and why it’s important that they change with the times. And why we NEED them in our community. What’s coming and what she’s most excited about seeing in the new Milwaukee Public Museum that is slated to open in Spring of 2027.Who she would most like to meet if the creatures came alive at night in MPM’s own Night at the Museum.Locals and Links we love! Website: https://www.mpm.edu/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MKEPublicMuseumInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/milwaukeepublicmuseum/Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven’t already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I’d LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the Show.

New this week, a reflection from yours truly on the fears of going solo on this podcast. What gave me pause, what made me nervous, and ultimately, how I decided to go for it anyway. Two big saving graces that got me over the hurdle of feeling like I couldn't do it. They helped me, maybe they can help you too? Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven’t already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I’d LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the Show.

Season Five begins, but not quite as expected when we left off at the end of Season Four. Why? Shelly’s leaving the podcast! (insert sobs here). But it’s not all doom and gloom, she’s found something incredible and is excited to devote more time to her new Cream City Dream. Listen to find out more! If you haven’t already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I’d LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the Show.

Two years, four seasons, and 53 episodes later, here we are! This is the last episode before we take a (tiny) break and return for Season Five. No guest today, just your inimitable hosts talking about dreams. Listen as we talk about … How we’re feeling about the podcast and where we might go next with it. A recap and mashup of all the INCREDIBLE guests we’ve had on from season four and the gems they’ve left us thinking about long after the episode aired. What we hope to do during the season break - maybe you can  help us? We’re asking here! What we’ve got planned for season five (newsflash, we’ve got another theme!) THANK YOU for following along, listening and sharing your dreams with us!Show your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

If you have ever struggled to connect with someone you love, this episode is for you. Sometimes we just need to look at things from a different perspective. This is exactly what this week’s guest - MacArthur Genius, UWM Professor, and founder of the non-profit, Timeslips - Anne Basting discovered when she began working with those living with dementia. Instead of counting on memory, Anne uses her ‘beautiful questions’ to encourage creativity and imagination in our interactions with our elders, but really, we these tools are for anyone. At their root is JOY, acceptance and a dignity that says “I see you ... you matter.” And isn’t that what this world needs right now? You don’t want to miss this one. Listen as we talk about … THE dreamiest job description EVER: sparking people’s belief in themselves and in their own creativity and then inviting them to use it to bridge and build. How to turn the relationship of care-giver/receiver on its side, so the power dynamic isn’t top a top down intervention but rather a relationship of dignified equals The concept of JOY as a framework, and how she brings that with her, sometimes calling it her “silver lining addiction.” How we’ve separated healthcare & social care from the arts & culture in this country and how she thinks we’re getting close to meaningful (re)integration, which is exactly what we need, and what the research shows is beneficial.And how working with older adults is more joyful than people think! The new tagline for Milwaukee … “Two phone calls from yes.” Locals and Links we love! Anne’s websiteTimeSlipsEMC2 ProjectCreative Care (the book!)Creative Care Imaginations Kit (for order!) In the media: AARP, The Penelope Project,Islands of Milwaukee, What is Timeslips?,Milwaukee MagazineShow your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

Look up mover, shaker, connector, change agent in the dictionary and you are SURE to find this week’s guest, Julia Taylor. Past President of both the Greater Milwaukee Committee as well as the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee, Julia is a dream MAKER in the Cream City. She is also a consummate connector of people and builder of relationships across the city getting things done at the “speed of trust,” which we both agree is exactly the right speed! Listen as we talk about … The unexpected career trajectory of a serious CHANGE MAKER because she said YES! A gem of advice for young leaders today.An important lesson she learned from a failure, and how she pulled herself out of a funk after a legislative loss she’d spent years working toward. So many things can happen around a dinner table, hear how Julie hosts and why she prefers the Jeffersonian Model of conversation. How and why to stay connected to creativity, even if you don’t consider yourself an artist (though NEWSFLASH: we are ALL creative).Locals and Links we love! Julia Taylor Watercolor WebsiteJulia on InstagramMay Klisch Fine ArtCity as Living LaboratoryWaterMarks MKE See art at: The Marshall BuildingDavid Barnett GalleryPortrait Society GalleryMilwaukee Artists Resource Gallery (MARN) Show your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

You’ve probably noticed if you’ve been following us for some time, that we have a slight bias for women who are working hard to make Milwaukee a better place for EVERYONE. We love a good DIY story, and this week’s guest Symphony Swan is literally building her dream from the ground up. Or should we say, giving her dream a makeover. Voted Milwaukeean of the Year by The Shepherd Express, Symphony is turning her childhood home into The Cr8TV House, a creative gallery and workspace for black and brown and other marginalized artists to nurture their talents and artistry to help solve complex problems. (You’ll hear what that means in the episode). This is about a space, but it’s a conversation about so much more: family, community, inclusion and belonging, and the role of art in our society to shape the future where there is a (CR8TV) space at the table for everyone.  Listen as we talk about … How the death of her mother and father in quick succession changed her world entirely and threw her headlong into her dream of owning a creative space. Her word of the year, ‘courage’ and why she’s doing things that scare herAnd why she believes in transparency and showing people what’s happening behind the scenes (even if it’s messy and beautifully complex). The important lesson she learned about communication, forgiveness and relationships with the passing of her father. Locals and Links we love! The CR8TV HOUSE websiteTHE CR8TV HOUSE on Instagram, on Facebook, on LinkedInSymphony Swan, artist websiteDeMar Walker, artistTheaster Gates, Chicago ArtistShow your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website.  And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

 In need of a bit of respite and rest to reflect on those resolutions (how's that for alliteration?)  You’ll definitely want to tune into today’s episode with Sevan Arabajian-Ries of Mother Lion. Mother Lion is a special place in Bayview open for hosting workshops, retreats, overnights, and other intimate gatherings. It was created with the deep intention of both nurturing and nourishing its guests. Get a glimpse into this sacred space and see if it might be a good fit for your next gathering (or even the gift you might give yourself this season). Listen as we talk about … How they created this space specifically to “nourish people who nourish people” (hey, did we just come up with their tagline or what?) How they intentionally invite people to share their sacred space based on shared values and humanity. How dreams take time, patience, and trust. How an early (early!) interaction with the Dalai Lama may just have shifted the direction of Sevan’s life path. Also, learn about her work as a Threshold Doula. And if you’ve been hearing a lot about ‘shadow work’ lately, we’ve got an explanation for you! Locals and Links we love! Mother Lion WebsiteMother Lion on InstagramEmail Mother Lion HEREBurnhearts in BayviewGoodKindSevan’s WebsiteJenny Jo WennlundFamiliar MKEHundred Grasses AcupunctureShow your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

Happy New Year to all the Cream City Dreamers out there! We’re kicking off 2024 with a delicious episode featuring the owner and founder of The Real Good Life, Maggie Joos. What can you take off your plate so that you’ve got time to enjoy the real good life? This episode may just inspire you to dream big this year by prioritizing what (and who) you love and what matters most! Listen as we talk about … What IS a real good life? And how did that factor into Maggie’s dream of opening The Real Good Life? How the pandemic shifted the business and her perspective on empire building. Did Shelly just provide The Real Good Life with a potentially VERY viable summer income stream? Stay tuned till the end to hear! Want to know where she eats when she’s not eating her own food? She’ll tell you - AND you’ll find out where THE BEST FRIES in Milwaukee can be found! But you’ve gotta listen to the end! AND, if you DO listen to the end, you'll hear that she's offering our listeners a 15% discount by using the  "CREAMCITY" coupon code!  Woot ~ be sure to let us know what you think when you try it! Locals and Links we love! The Real Good Life Website TRGL on Insta and FacebookTall Guy and a Grill More Happy KitchensGirls on the RunLet’s talk WomxnShow your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

Short and sweet this week, we wanted to hop on the airwaves to wish you the happiest of New Years! We hope this year is full of DREAMS of all shapes and sizes for you. And we’d love to hear what you’ve got in store, if there’s a big dream you want to share with us, drop us an email here! Listen as we talk about: What our guests are up to for 2024 - we’ve got a few updates from some of them! And some updates on what they’ve been up to since their episode. A direct update from Brenda Campbell (episode 43) directly! Reminders of ways you can interact with our guests to get yourself more involved in the city and more importantly, moving toward YOUR dreams! A HUGE thank you to YOU, our listeners. And a plea: would you kindly share the Cream City Dream podcast with your people? Who needs to hear this? If you know someone who might find inspiration here, please forward or link to the pod!  Show your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the show

A lawyer walks into a podcast this week. Listen to this delightful conversation with Makda Fessahaye where we talk about how and when dreams begin … in her case, with an inciting incident across the world. This is yet another conversation where we see how our values determine the way we live and the choices we make. Listen as we talk about … How an experience for Makda in 7th grade set her on her path to law school (and so much more!) Why if you’re chasing a title, you may be setting yourself up for failure (and what to do instead!) How saying YES again and again leads to unexpected opportunities that can turn into dreams you didn’t know you had.How we can turn the ‘imposter syndrome’ on its head, and how not to let it get the best of us (and also, a frank discussion, is it even REAL or worthy of our attention?) Why we (and especially women!) need to give ourselves flowers more often!Locals and Links we love! Makda at UW MilwaukeeAND find her on all the socials: LinkedInTwitterInstagramBrunch of ProfessionalsThe Harvard Article on Imposter Syndrome we referenced at the end can be found HEREShow your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

You are going to want to pull up a seat at the table for this conversation with Christie Melby-Gibbons, Founder and Executive Director of Tricklebee Café on North Avenue. This is NOT just your average café, in fact, it’s anything BUT average. A pay-what-you-can model offers patrons the chance to give and receive with a spirit of generosity, dignity, grace and abundance. This is a place to nourish your mind, body and spirit, and you can’t help but be inspired when you hear the story behind Tricklebee Cafe. Listen as we talk about … Tricklebee’s origin story and where the name came from. Going deep with the practice of ‘radical hospitality’ and how we can all benefit from more of this in our own lives. You’ve heard of “trickle down” economics, but have you heard of “Tricklebee” economics? We’re convinced THIS is the way we should operate, see if you agree!? How a pay-what-you-can concept can really survive in the world today.The importance of knowing your community, knowing your neighbors and knowing your priorities. Will there be a Tricklebee 2.0 someday? Listen to find out. Locals and Links we love! Tricklebee Cafe Website and Facebook (menu updates posted here!)  Trickebee’s WISHLIST (donate here!) Who are the Moravians One World Everybody Eats Tricklebee in the News!  Tricklebee in OnMilwaukee (by previous guest Lori Fredrich!) Show your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

We need more people like Samantha Starr in this city: organizing events that build community with intentionally curated themes that bring people together (often over food!). Samantha is the powerhouse behind Battle of the Chefs and Dining with Friends, as well as local events like MKE Fest.  And she's soon to be the host of a new podcast Flavor Fix Radio Show with @wnov860 launching in January 2024!! Listen as we talk about … How a passion from high school planted a seed for Samantha’s event planning dreams Aligning values with passions, and what a difference that makes when thinking about your own dreams (and boundaries) How Shelly once needed 150 meatballs by noon (and how Samantha’s advice could’ve helped Shelly’s veggie mishap). How gratitude for and exposure to community spurs Samantha’s desire to see the silos down and collaboration up in Milwaukee. Locals and Links we love! Samantha Starr Events Website and Instagram MKE FestThe Chef’s TableLucky GingerHeirloom MKEEdith CocktailShow your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

Money sense is something many of us take for granted. Not today’s guest, Brenda Campbell, CEO and President of SecureFutures, an organization determined to empower teens with the money management skills needed to make sound financial decisions by providing school programs, coaching, and mentorship. This organization is changing the way teens in Milwaukee (and especially those from under-resourced backgrounds) approach money. Listen as we talk about … How differentiating between financial literacy and financial capability can be the difference in behavioral change in our teens. Why high school (between 16-18) is really the sweet spot for talking to students about moneyAnd why Brenda secretly hopes her students will make a few money mistakes during the course of their time with SecureFuturesAND MORE importantly, how YOU can get involved (yes, YOU!) Locals and Links we love! https://securefutures.org/https://negozee.com/Show your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

Tables are turned this week and WE are in the hot seat! If you’ve ever wondered how we got our start with the podcast, why we decided to take the plunge and launch Cream City Dreams, and what keeps us going, listen in to this conversation with Stephanie Melnick, of Melnick & Melnick.Listen as we talk about … Who were Shelly and Meagan BEFORE Cream City Dreams? Find out a little bit about how we both landed in MilwaukeeOur mistakes, lessons we’ve learned from our guests, and where we could use some help in leveling up the podcastOur dreams for Cream City Dreams (and where we’d love to be in five years). Yep, we’re putting these ideas out into the universe!And listen as audience members share a few of THEIR dreamsLocals and Links we love! Alverno CollegeShe Stands Tall She Shines Women’s Entrepreneurship WeekYou Betcha She Did PodcastFranciscan Peacemakers Once Upon a Figgy (the little pink car!)Cream City Dreams episodes we referenced:Rooted MKE (Ashley Valentine)Lai King Moy of Tour of America’s DairylandAngela McManamanTia RichardsonLionart MediaInterwovxnDasha Kelly HamiltonChase My Creations (Chloe)Cecelia Gore (Brewers Community Foundation)Stephanie MelnickMeagan Johnson (Milwaukee Diaper Mission) Show your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.

Another week, another creative and inspiring Milwaukee woman! Listen as we talk to yet another champion of our city, Brit Nicole. Brit is a spoken word artist, healer, performer, author, film maker, musician, and facilitator who uses her voice to lift up our community. But more than that, she’s working to change the narrative around Milwaukee through storytelling and connection.Listen as we talk about … What does it mean to matter outside your gifts, and how does realizing that help you accomplish your dreams? How we can look at our creative outlets as tools to serve whatever community we find ourselves in. The creative arts and artists as healers in our city, and how we can use creativity to change the narrative of Milwaukee.The importance of having the RIGHT people behind you. Locals and Links we love! Brit on Facebook and InstagramLyrical Sanctuary at UWMStillwaters Collective and PentasticBrit’s book! Moods, Melanin and Magic, A ManifestoNocturnal Butterfly on band camp: 414 day video 2023 - her poem ChosenWant to learn more about her, Check out this article or this article! B~FREETae Spears and Rooted SocietyLilo Allen and the Bronzeville CollectiveHeal the Hood MilwaukeeShow your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, we are so grateful to our listeners. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter on our website. And we’d LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you’re feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the Show.