Molly Snyder's advice for online writing was insightful and gave some standard tips for interesting writing as much as it did strong writing. It's hard to grasp an idea of writing 1-3 sentence blurbs on a digital platform when you're someone that can be long-winded. Nevertheless, Molly gave some helpful tips on clear and concise writing. I think past senior Oli Dodd did a great job in their article considering Snyder's tips. Their interview on Positronic Tattoo and the owner was straight-forward and engaging for a quick read. I wish there would have been another photo or two, but Oli gave enough info to make you interested in seeing the shop for yourself. Their writing had an active voice, as Snyder recommends, and had a blended analysis of their perspective of the spot and the shop owner's voice.

This article was pretty well-written. I liked that Oli gave the location of the shop and a feel of the area that it's in right away so if viewers get too excited to read the full article and want to just go and find the shop, they're sold. I myself had never heard of this tattoo shop so now I can add it to my radar. There were lots of quotes from the shop's owner which is good - gives them agency. It's great that Oli reiterated that the owner is also a MIAD alum so the article is connecting two different neighborhoods together which fit the theme of OnMilwaukee's platform for tourism. The article overall was a great length and a quick read like this would be a great assist for a shoutout on the radio. (88.9 Radio Milwaukee for example) Oli's voice in their writing was very clear, engaging, and excitable.

Positronic tattoo combines art, community and quality work, Oli Dodd
onmilwaukee.com/articles/miad-series-positronic

Jason McDowell writes about parking lots in Downtown MKE and how they sort of plague the area with their dry presence and solo purpose in being a transient space between destinations. Although throughout the article he revisits the history of the buildings that once stood in their place, he reminds the reader of how useless those blank spots are and those buildings seem like ghosts. I was surprised that this article was published with OnMilwaukee considering their platform seems geared towards tourists but in the end it makes sense. People who live in MKE or visit for the first time notice the gaping holes in the Downtown landscape. The photos taken from the Wisconsin Historical Society when compared to current photos of those areas provokes a lot of frustration, which McDowell knows will happen and can resonate with. My maternal family has been in Milwaukee since the 1950's and although they've told me how much Milwaukee has changed over time, I had no idea just how much until seeing these hidden gems of Milwaukee architectural history. A history that seems irrelevant with modernization (gentrification) that Milwaukee has sought to keep up with like neighboring Chicago. It was even surprising to know that alternative subcultures had a place in the Downtown area: a porn theatre, a Bohemian artist community...vintage (well-kept vintage) apartments. Considering OnMilwaukee's platform, you'd expect to hear of spaces like this in the Brady St area, RiverWest, or the lower East side. But McDowell can't seem to escape the fact that those spaces just vanished and their successor is a flat surface; just concrete and vibes. But even after all of this investigative work on how ugly these parking garages and lots are he doesn't call for their destruction or for something new and refreshing to replace them. He hopes for those spaces to be reenergized but offers no alternative, sort of hinting at the possibility of someone else forming those ideas. 

These Buildings were demolished for soulless surface parking spaces, Jason McDowell
onmilwaukee.com/articles/buildings-demolished-for-parking-lots

OnMilwaukee:

Tourist-y,  mostly culture & entertainment attractions, seems to be focused towards liberal readers but there isn’t a clear political stance (example: written piece on Colectivo unionization), highlights more  local current events and news than national, infrequent sprinkles of diversity in the attractions & local news pieces, pieces on Black & Brown people in Milwaukee feel like there’s an established “us & them” as if these communities are separate from the mainstream white liberal culture of Milwaukee (Milwaukee  as a whole is an established and successful metropolitan area but it’s evident that the Black & Brown communities are neglected in development outside of a contribution to food tourism & entertainment/sports), “Black is Beautiful” titled article several times

Article: “Adam’s new “Green Book” inspired MAM mural”

Article mostly uses quotes from the museum & Adam about the work and it’s display but doesn’t really review the history of Black Americans living in/travelling through Milwaukee during the Jim Crow era that would explain why the work is specifically relevant to Milwaukee, careless spelling error of Coffee Makes Your Black when the restaurant is named Coffee Makes YOU Black, talks about the artist not being from Milwaukee and meeting with Black artists from Milwaukee but doesn’t name them

Shepherd Express:

Has tabs to be able to choose specific topics & content to view, LGBTQ culture and discourse, even more content like podcasts and actual interviews, leftist topics like cannabis, intellectual discourse, very openly liberal and takes a concrete stance on these political/economic issues that are relevant to its readers, accessible, curated art & music content, gives a voice to individuals that makes your experience on the website personal, print & online source which are both free to the public and printed version is very easy to find around the city in public places like Colectivo, stores, newspaper kiosks, etc, local and national news, “something for everyone” type of vibe, in the social activism section you can search for opportunities in a map by neighborhood or you can email the newsletter to submit happenings that should be featured

Article:  “10 Milwaukee Area Arts Centers with a Neighborhood Focus”

This article was really informative and included a nice variety of arts spaces for all age groups, cultural interests, and personal interests like music, performing arts, and social issues. Information for spaces all over Milwaukee County and not just tourist areas that are “safe” white areas like Walkers Point, Bay View, Brady St, etc. 

Urban Milwaukee

Has a lot more political information including world news, first website of the others that had a topic dedicated to COVID, targets Democrats and other left wing audiences, lots of “matter of fact” content to inform readers of truths of economic happenings and politics, supportive of economic justice (ex: congratulating Colectivo workers on unionization), news oriented but has good amount of broad content on culture and entertainment

Article: “Activists Reflect on a Year of Protests”

This article was written by a Black male writer that did several interviews with several activists throughout the city. He doesn’t take a personal stance on the protests that happened in 2020 but clearly explains the reasoning behind them and the importance of the activists’ individual views and experiences  during those times

Milwaukee Mag

About the same as Shepherd Express, free access to archives of printed version as far back as January 2014, has a calendar of current and upcoming events, geared toward arts and entertainment and more so for adults, politics section reviews more small business and organizational contributions to the city vs. legislation 

Article: “The Oriental Theatre is Set to Reopen”

Article briefly talks about the theatre reopening and their strict mandate on being fully vaccinated or having a negative test to enter. Talks about renovations that take you back in time like you’re in the 1920’s. Written to advertise the feeling of nostalgia and Milwaukee embracing it’s past and monuments to bring the community together.

Milwaukee Record

Has articles written in first person, sarcasm/sattire, website is like a blend of a newsletter and a blog, first newsletter I’ve seen addressing sexual culture/educational sex industry in Milwaukee, they hold events that are sponsored by local organizations or big corporations like banks (ex:  The Fifth Element screening at Avalon Theatre), independent thinkpiece articles by writers in a section called “Random”

Article: “Why Milwaukee could, should (but probably won’t)  host Riotfest”

Written by the writer as a criticism and personal opinion but with intentions to invite more cultural opportunities for Milwaukee




 National site - Dazed Magazine

I enjoy Dazed because it’s incredibly diverse and a great mag for a cultural provocateur. Similar to Shepherd Express but functions as a magazine, content and criticism, anything from avant garde art to politics. There’s print, digital, and video content. Geared towards Millenial and Gen-Z readers but is still engaging for readers that aren’t familiar with American pop culture in its current generation of media content. Politics section covers left wing ideals from several international perspectives (including Africa - extremely important).

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