Theme: I Am. We Are.

According to Jean-Luc Nancy, there is no “being” without “being-with”. In fact, “being-with” is redundant, as we are all, always already together, in relation, a community. We are all “people,” all of a similar kind: a doctor, a guy, a woman, a kid… But no one person defines all it means to be a people, and “people” can never represent even one specific individual. We are, rather, a community that performs ourselves, together and apart. What we are, and what we could be. I am. We are.

UWM Main Stage Theater
400 E. Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53211
United States

Emily Phillips

Partner, Drosner Phillips Group - Baird

Partner, Drosner Phillips Group - Baird Board of Directors, Executive Women's Golf Association Board of Directors, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare Foundation Vice President of Programming, Board of Directors, Professional Dimensions in Milwaukee

Frank Martinelli

President, Center for Public Skills Training

President, Center for Public Skills Training Contributing Author, YOU and Your Nonprofit Board: Advice and Practical Tips from the Field's top Practitioners, Researchers and Provocateurs

Howard Snyder

Founder and Executive Director of the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation

Howard Snyder is Founder and Executive Director of the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization established in 1983 in an abandoned fire station on Villard Avenue and Hopkins Street. Today, the Northwest Side CDC is located in the Century City Tower, the old Eaton building on 27th and Capitol, where it operates a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) which lends money to support business development, three Neighborhood Strategic Planning (NSP) community organizing/crime prevention projects, a major housing program targeted at rehabilitating foreclosed property for sale, and grassroots efforts to connect people to jobs in the neighborhood.

Jason Anderson

Counselor for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing (D/hh), and Students with Physical Disabilities

Counselor for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing (D/hh), and Students with Physical Disabilities Founder: Brew City Signers ASL Trivia and CODE-IDEA.org

Joe Sheehy

Student and Philosophy Major at UW - Milwaukee

Student, Philosophy at UW - Milwaukee Member, Philosophy at UW - Milwaukee Paralegal, La Fleur Law Office

Kyle Cherek

Host, Wisconsin Hoodie

Host, Wisconsin Foodie (twice Emmy-Nominated Television show) Host, Chef Talk with Kyle Cherek Partner, Amuse Bouche Productions Frequent media contributor to Public Radio, NPR, CBS, and NBC

La'Ketta Caldwell

Founder, Keyta Life

Founder, Keyta Life Senior Program Manager of the Arts Education Department, Boys & Girls Club 2015, 40 under 40, Milwaukee Business Journal 2015 MANDI Nominee

Laci Coppins - Robbins

Visual Artist and Educator

Executive Director, Milwaukee Teacher Education Center Guest Artist/lecturer, Alverno College, The Milwaukee Art Museum, Marquette University, Northwestern University Executive Board Member, African American Art Alliance of the Milwaukee Art Museum Board of Directors, Artist Working in Education Mentor, Milwaukee Artist Resource Network Member, Professional Dimensions Executive Committee, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Niki Johnson

Artist, Curator, Owner

Artist, Curator, Owner- Niki Johnson Studio, LLC Artwork housed in the permanent collection of the Milwaukee Art Museum, UW-Health's American Center Hospital, Madison Central Public Library Reviews of art featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Hyperallergic, Vice Magazine

Rayna Andrews

Senior Director, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin

Senior Director, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin Chairwoman, Milwaukee Excellence Charter School 40 under 40, Milwaukee Business Journal United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties Philanthropic Five