Growing Up Milwaukee (2020) User Reviews

Real stories from teens, need for systematic change

[ssbounyavong · 10/10 · 16 October 2020]

This movie is well worth the almost 2 hour running time. It ties in Milwaukee city leaders from organizations that are on the front lines trying to drive change to the district attorney explaining how Wisconsin's juvenile system works, plus from the school system, truly showing a complete picture of where these teens are coming from. Plus these leaders give personal examples of things that they had to overcome to succeed.

The director included family members which reinforced the need for systematic changes as you see that even though they may have support in their lives in some way, that poverty in their environments really force the bad experiences they have within their lives. It's heartbreaking to hear how other teens in Marquell's school have even worse struggles and experiences.

The three teens that are the storylines really did an amazing job, being vulnerable and honest when you know a camera is there. Telling us viewers hard truths and being real about their personal struggles, disappointments and learnings. This story is so translatable for other cities and teens across the entire United States where there is segregation and disparities in so many of our cities. If this movie doesn't want you to take action and do something to see change then I'm not sure what else would.

The Truth Is...

[smarks-91340 · 10/10 · 27 February 2021]

Where there is truth and love, there is hope. Take the time to watch this documentary, especially if you live, eat, play, learn or work in an any urban area. This is a must watch for Milwaukee because we live in a beautiful place with beautiful things going on, despite the many disparities that oppress people of color. We have a terrible problem here that we can solve, but it starts with the truth.

Courage, Vulnerability & Hope

[Elle_beee · 10/10 · 16 January 2023]

The spoken word segments woven through the voices & powerful stories of our young adults gave my heart an additional way to feel. I don't quite know how to articulate it, but the arrangement of stories & adding spoken word & music, it just helps your brain hear differently & your heart feel differently. Often, we can "sit & observe," kind of go on auto pilot. This film could have simply presented statistics & people in front of a camera just talking. But it's different. It hits different.

I'm so grateful for ALL the young adults courageous enough to go on camera & share their voices, their hearts, their pain & their hope. Those are challenging things to articulate as an adult & here you see many young adults open & real.

Discussing hopes, dreams, opportunities & the reality of what happens to our young community members is something integral to a community that thrives!

Watching this is a way to understand, to be moved to find ways to support young adults & to be present in creating solutions.

To the young adults, the adult community members & the organizations & people doing amazing things to uplift our comminty...Thank you!

To everyone involved in this documentary, thank you!! You presented statistics, shared wisdom, highlighted ALL human emotions & created a moving piece of art & truth.

This documentary reminds you what this life does to people, how they navigate through it, how they hold onto hope, how support of community can help & how we can do better...our youth, our community members who live this daily, need the collective lift. We need to foster these dreams & uplift each other.

I don't want to miscredit who said this at the end, (I am not 100% confident in who it was, please forgive me), but these words were so beautiful. The person said, "We will always find our way back to truth...we will always find our way back to love...we will always find our way back to freedom...we will always find our way back to God."