MILWAUKEE — Chloe Longmire says her business is a blend of the two things she's most passionate about: art and activism.
"I use shirts as my vehicle to spread messages that I think people need to hear," Longmire said.
Her store, Chase my Creations, is an example of one of the many Black-owned businesses making space for community connection in Milwaukee.
"Art speaks to everybody," Longmire told TMJ4. "Art, music, culture—that's something that can touch everybody in its own way, that everyone can connect with."
It's one of the reasons Longmire prioritizes being a part of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Black History Month celebration each year.
Watch: Vendors, artists attend UWM's Black History Month celebration
Hosted by the school's Black Student Cultural Center, the event, held in the Student Union Atrium, aims to lift up Black-owned businesses and artists on campus.
Gabrielle Naomi Armon-Wickers, a UWM student and the vice president of the union, says Black History Month is a grounding moment for reflection and appreciation.
"It's a nice moment in time to just stop and pause and celebrate the legacy that we have and also the one that we're creating, too," Armon-Wickers said. "That's the most important thing to me—appreciating the now, because tomorrow is not promised."
Those there on Tuesday said the event showcased a joyful reminder of the talent that can be found right in Southeast Wisconsin.
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