INCLUSION WITH A SIDE OF UNDERSTANDING REVITALIZATION AND REINCARNATION IN THE CORRIDOR
The couple Chase and Jack Roldan run Maya Ophelia’s food truck, serving locally sourced, plant-based comfort food inspired by their Filipino and Mexican heritage, and the pop-up bakery Moon Cherry Sweet. Their impact is so much more than the food they serve: The pair aims to cultivate community through food and create a safe space for marginalized people to gather and share meals at their food truck and catering events, all the while promoting a message of inclusion and acceptance to a broad audience. They’ve gained national attention in Bon Appétit for their efforts to serve food at no cost to the trans community, who often incur significant medical costs in their transition care.
“WHEN WE FIRST MET, met, we bonded over our shared plantbased lifestyle. There weren’t too many places in Milwaukee to get a vegan meal together, so we started making food for and with each other. That’s how this whole passion project began. We never intended to start a business; we just wanted to do something for the community.
We started hosting pop-up events, with the goal of sharing good vegan food that was familiar to people who didn’t grow up in the U.S. or who didn’t grow up eating traditional American food, like us. But good vegan food can be expensive, so we operated on a pay-what-you-can basis. We also encouraged people to bring non-perishable food items to the events, so people who attended could take some if they needed to.
The demand increased, and we eventually got a food truck to subsidize the free meals. Even when we’re financially struggling ourselves, we never turn away anyone who needs food but can’t pay for it. We implemented our “trans folks eat free” policy to let trans people know we’re a safe place for them. We’re saying, “We see you, we hear you and we know it’s tough out here.”
We’ve had our share of ups and downs, but this work is worthwhile for us. In Milwaukee, a lot of trans folks hide away and don’t go out. We’ve tried to build a space where people feel like they belong and can make connections with one another, and we extend the same acceptance to people who aren’t trans. When a customer tells us they’re having a bad day or it’s their birthday, we’ll often sneak a sweet in their bag. It’s our way of creating community through food.”
The executive director of the 30th Street Industrial Corridor, Cheryl Blue works tirelessly to expand Milwaukee’s renaissance to include an area that was once a key cog of the city’s industrial machine. The dynamic, passionate Blue has been a transformative leader for the economic development agency in a predominantly Black neighborhood, helping revitalize empty industrial sites while also maximizing the organization’s impact on housing, services and recreational resources in the area. She’s coordinating a rails-to-trails initiative to better connect residents to the city beyond, and is working with the Community Development Alliance to build single-family homes on vacant lots. She also spearheaded an initiative that restored 25 homes in the Garden Homes neighborhood, the first municipal public housing cooperative in the country.
“WHEN I MOVED back to Milwaukee in 2010 after working in Philadelphia, I was excited about all the great things happening in the city. But I couldn’t help but notice some communities were left out of this renaissance. Predominantly Black neighborhoods, like the one I grew up in, were struggling as other parts of the city grew.
Black Milwaukeeans have seen our share of challenges – but our city was once a thriving hub for people like me. My father, aunts and uncles came from Tennessee during the Great Migration and settled in the 30th Street Industrial Corridor, which was home to companies like Harley and Miller. Neighborhoods formed around the businesses, and people had the tools needed to care for themselves, their families and the community.
The energy changed as businesses began vacating the area. While the Corridor is still home to amazing people, many struggle without the tools they need to support themselves economically. Some folks leave Milwaukee and never come back, which impacts the entire city. Recognizing the area’s rich history, we want to revitalize it for a modern reality, one that makes it a better place for Black people to live but also serves the region.
We focus so much on the negative statistics, but there are already a lot of great things happening in Milwaukee’s Black neighborhoods. Every day, I see wonderful homeowners, churches and businesses who want to serve the community. Recognizing the impact of the past and equipping people in the present, my team and I are committed to building a brighter future for Milwaukee, in the Corridor and beyond.”