Where Stories Come Alive on Mitchell Street

Storytelling has always lived on this land. Long before Mitchell Street became what it is today, Indigenous people of the Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Menominee nurtured deep traditions here and helped shape the cultural foundations of Milwaukee’s South Side. Since 1857, Mitchell Street has grown into a creative and cultural centerpiece. It was once a hub for Polish immigrants and is now a vibrant space where many communities and stories come together.

When I walked into the beautiful Mitchell Street Arts, a contemporary art gallery and community makerspace, I felt something special right away. The space felt open and filled with warmth. The first thing I noticed was this cool wooden loop chair with dark blue velvet cushions by the stage. It reminded me of being a kid, staying up late, playing Sonic the Hedgehog on my Sega Game Gear under the covers. That small detail brought back a good memory and set the tone for the rest of the night.

I got there a little early. As more people arrived, the atmosphere grew lively, filled with conversation and connection. Before the stories began, guests were invited to settle in and enjoy generous charcuterie boards loaded with cheese, dried fruit, and more, courtesy of Alliance Française de Milwaukee, which brought a group to the event. Beverages were available too, giving everyone a chance to relax and mingle before the event started. The coffee was pretty good!

The evening was hosted by De’Shawn Ewing and Alondra Garcia, who welcomed everyone and helped set the tone. One by one, nine phenomenal storytellers took over the stage to share “Tales from Milwaukee”. Some storytellers were new to the mic, while others were familiar faces from past StorySlam events.

Gwen opened with a powerful story about being forced to move across counties just to find accessible housing, calling out how the system makes things harder for people with disabilities. Cate brought vibrant energy to the stage, dressed in tie-dye and a colorful scarf as she reminisced about her 1970s hippie days. She shared memories of driving a Lincoln Towne Car, protesting wars, getting tear-gassed, and meeting eccentric artists along the way. Marcus spoke about his time in the armed service, reflected on the Penn State shooting, family members who served in WWII, and the weight of generational trauma. He reminded us that history repeats itself and warned about the rise of oligarchy. Yamil and Cael, two student journalists from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, shared eye-opening stats on Milwaukee’s missing persons cases—over 32,000 missing people in the past decade. Their story about the Missing In Milwaukee project called attention to disparities in media coverage and law enforcement resources. They urged the community to keep the conversation going. Rose, joined by her black labrador service dog, told a heartfelt story about boulder climbing with her husband and faced her fears. Midway through the climb she almost gave up, but with his encouragement, she reached the top and felt a deep sense of pride.

Later in the evening Barbara, a recurring storyteller and cofounder of Friends Mime Theatre, spoke about her decades-long love for mime, creative expression and activism. From Madison protests in the 1960s to helping others find hope through art, her story encouraged compassion over division. Bill followed with a memory from his old radio station days when a caller threatened to bomb the building. The punchline? The caller was told to wait until midnight so the shift could end first. Nothing happened. Eric shared a surreal story about getting lost before a big meeting. He stepped off the elevator onto what seemed like the wrong floor. No TVs, just photos of zoo animals on the walls. On his second trip up everything looked normal and people were there. He was left wondering if he had imagined the whole thing. Jacqueline ended the night with a colorful story about Jim Fetzer, a Milwaukee chocolatier with a bit of a Willy Wonka vibe. Known for his strict store rules, strong opinions and love for animals, he reminded us that being fully yourself is what makes you unforgettable.

This community of storytellers keeps growing and the next events are something you won’t want to miss. We’re especially excited for an upcoming Deaf Stories Project StorySlam in American Sign Language, happening on April 25, downtown at Centennial Hall in the Milwaukee Central Library. Then, just days later, we’ll close out the season with our big finale: ALL STARS StorySlam at The Cooperage on May 16 where this year’s Audience Favorites return to the stage for one final storytelling showdown. Get the full details at www.exfabula.org/tickets. Regarding accessibility for future events, be sure to contact Ex Fabula at least two weeks in advance so they can best serve you!