Defending The Mil

Warithuddin Majeed
New Millennium Studies
Chet Gresham
02/05/2010
“Defending The Mil”
At the young age of nineteen, I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to many great places across the United States of America. I have been as far west as California, and far east as New York and Massachusetts, all the way down to Mississippi and Florida, and even in the middle of the map of Kentucky just to name a few. I have seen the sights and wonders of these places and interacted with the natives of each location. However, no matter where I go, I always seem to get the same responses when I inform my acquaintances of my home and birthplace, Milwaukee, WI. This essay will take a closer look at the place I so affectionately call “The Mil,” in hopes to clear up any myths about my city.
Often when I tell someone I am from Milwaukee, they tend to be very surprised to find out that African Americans live there. In reality, “The Mil” is quite diverse, including people from all ethnic groups. For example, my high school, Riverside University High, consisted of students and staff who were Caucasian, African American, Asian, and Hispanic. People also tend to believe that because I am from Milwaukee, I must live on a farm! Although Wisconsin is a dairy state and does include a large number of farms and agriculture, there are no farms in the city of Milwaukee. It is an up-to-date with the technology of the world, its roads newly paved and streets complete with businesses and homes. Personally, I have never even been to a farm!
Unlike a person from Texas or California, inhabitants of Milwaukee get the pleasure of experiencing all of the four seasons of the year as they were meant to be felt. Milwaukee is has cold, snowy winters, rainy springs, hot summers, and beautiful autumns. Many a time I have spoken with people from other places that have never even seen snow!
Another myth regarding “The Mil” is that there is nothing to do there. This is definitely false, as Milwaukee is filled with interesting activities for people of all ages. “The Mil” has the basic essentials of any city for entertainment, such as shopping malls, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and YMCAs. It is also home of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Pettit National Ice Center, an Olympic training facility, is also located in Milwaukee.
For those looking to find culture and other interesting things, “The Mil” is filled with opportunities to find them. For motorcycle fans, the annual Harley Davidson festival is held in Milwaukee. It is also home to the Harley Davidson Museum, the only museum of its kind in the world. The Milwaukee Art Museum rests on the lake and is one of the city’s main attractions, with the building itself being a work of art, its wings able to unfold like the wings of a bird. The Milwaukee Public Museum is home to the IMAX Theater and includes a beautiful butterfly exhibit. Discovery World, a large hands-on museum, is filled with fun activities for younger children and encourages learning in a fun way. “The Mil” is also a manufacturing powerhouse, the home of Miller Light brewing company and Pabst Beer, and also such Fortune 1000 companies such as Johnson Control, Kohl’s, Master Lock, and Koss Headphones Corporation. There are performing arts venues such as The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Riverside Theater, the Pabst Theater, and the Marcus Amphitheater. Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival is also held in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee has often been the site of many of the United States great television shows, movies, and home to some recording artist of today. Yolanda “LaLa” Brown, an R&B singer most notably known for her work with recording artist Lyfe Jennings who was murdered in 2007, was from Milwaukee. Rico Love, a songwriter and producer who has written songs for huge artist such as Usher, Pleasure P, Mario, Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, and TLC, is also a Milwaukee representer. Lamont Bentley, an actor whom most people know as “Hakeem Campbell” from the television show “Moesha” was also from Milwaukee. “The Mil” was also the setting for television hits such as “Laverne and Shirley” and “Happy Days.” “Wayne’s World,” “BASEketball,” “Mr. 3000,” Public Enemies,” “The Blues Brothers,” and even “Dawn of The Dead” were all movies filmed in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee has a rich history and is a very important place in United States history. I am proud to be a part of such a great city, and hopefully I will soon be another person Milwaukee can add to its list of successful people who were born and raised in “The Mil.”