This’ll change.

That’s the point. The point of this opening article, blog, announcement was supposed to be something else, but in light of our recent action, reaction or lack thereof to the coronavirus pandemic this has become a call to dig in, to find Milwaukee, to realize we have something that can be defined as more than essential or nonessential. We have Milwaukee, we have a community that is quintessential.

Milblogee is an exploration. Right now, we are relegated to our homes, but outside our windows is a city that will need us. We are Milwaukee. When our time comes to emerge from our isolation, we have an absolute duty to support our neighbors, our businesses, our places of worship. This will be more than the festivals and block parties that we look forward to every summer. This will be taking a hard look at how we spend our time and money. It will be an opportunity to take our pride of who we are as Milwaukeeans and make real choices to support the people and businesses who have chosen to share their passions with the community.

Tell Starbucks to go back to Seattle. We have the Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company, Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, and Colectivo Coffee. When you need music, shop Rush-Mor Limited, Acme, or The Exclusive Company. The perfect gifts can be found at Sparrow Collective or The Waxwing. We have our own neighborhood grocery stores. We have always been the very best brewers and distillers. This city has a culinary reputation that runs deeper than brats, beer and Friday night fish frys.

But, let’s never forget the importance of brat, beers, and Friday night fish frys. We are Milwaukee, after all. We have beautiful and necessary traditions that make us distinct, that make us quintessential. Our festivals are important. Our block parties are important. Our sports are important. Most important, however, is our community and all of the neighborhoods that make that community. We have festivals that celebrate ethnic diversity, but boundaries and biases that segregate us from one another. We can come out of our homes and return to our lives as we’ve always lived them, or we can also choose to find Milwaukee in ways that are new to our individual experiences – to add layers to who we are, cross boundaries, and really celebrate and find our city.

It’s going to be uncomfortable.

We have an opportunity, Milwaukee. Our isolations will end.

This’ll change.

This’ll change all of us.