People on the Street | Brittany Komperda
Brittany Komperda’s sister passed away from bone cancer when she was 12 years old. As a result, Komperda learned to cherish life, and family. Continue reading People on the Street | Brittany Komperda
Category: Brewer’s Hill
Brewers’ Hill is a small, diverse neighborhood north of downtown on the Milwaukee River. The neighborhood is bordered by North Avenue to the north, Holton Avenue to the east, the Milwaukee River and Pleasant Street to the south, and Martin Luther King Drive to the west. The name Brewer’s Hill (formerly “Uihlein Hill”) is derived from the large number of brewery workers and owners that once inhabited the area. Just to the south of the neighborhood, the Schlitz and Blatz breweries were once in operation.
People on the Street | Lisa Kingery
Lisa Kingery moved to Milwaukee from New York City more than 10 years ago and found a true community, one that helps to give her life meaning. Continue reading People on the Street | Lisa Kingery
People on the Street | William McGee
William McGee has struggled to find meaning in a life where the next day is never guaranteed. But, through self-reflection, he’s been able to see himself, and the world around him, differently. Continue reading People on the Street | William McGee
“What any man wants”
Dejaun Jones saunters down Brown Street in Brewer’s Hill wearing a bright red workman’s jacket and a long, black sock-cap. The 39-year-old Jones, who was born in St. Louis but came here when he was 3, carries a backpack over both shoulders.
Jones, who has three girls — 12, 13 and 20 — says it’s been “a struggle” raising them all. “It’s hell but it’s beautiful too,” he says. “You get to see the little infant grow into a child, then into a teenager.”
“No one else is gonna look out for you”
On a Wednesday afternoon, Alex Nelson paints a white picket fence between Hubbard and Palmer Streets in Brewer’s Hill. He stops to have a cigarette.
Nelson, who grew up in Waukesha and attended Mukwonago High School, moved to Milwaukee because his boyfriend lives in the neighborhood. “Milwaukee’s definitely a big change from where I grew up,” he said. “The only reason that I’ve actually come out here is for the people that I’ve dated.”