For the past 18 months, journalist Mary Louise Schumacher and artist Kevin Miyazaki sat down with more than 100 Milwaukeeans to converse openly about the state of our democracy and the role of citizenship. These deeply-personal conversations were the building blocks for a new project, “This Is Milwaukee,” that launched earlier this month.

“This Is Milwaukee” is a website as well as a free, 12-page print publication – much like a daily newspaper – featuring portraits of the 100 participants and excerpts from their interviews. 20,000 copies of the publication were printed and are available in many public locations, including three newspaper boxes featuring artwork by local artists David Najob Kasir, Zachary Ochoa and Aisha Valentin. For a full list of where to pick up a copy, click here.

The online version of “This is Milwaukee” features audio interviews along with photos and written excerpts. The project is also on Facebook and Instagram.

The purpose of the project, which began in April of 2019, is to inspire people to reflect on what citizenship means to them, particularly in light of the pandemic and the upcoming presidential election. 

To further explore “This Is Milwaukee,” Adam Carr – along with several other subjects from the project – will facilitate two online gatherings called “This is Milwaukee Talking’ on Oct. 19 and 26.

All of the subjects in the project contribute to the public life of the Milwaukee community and provide articulate responses that personally define democracy, citizenship and community.

“By being part of a community, our essence comes into reality, our essence comes into being,” homeless advocate Sister McCannon Brown said during her interview.