Milwaukee, WI
'Anything you do with your hands I can do with my feet': Navigating life without using your hands
MILWAUKEE — “I have people come up to me on the street and say, ‘Good for you for getting out in the world.’ Like that’s not normal. I’m just a person.”
Ebony Lewis is just a Milwaukee East Sider who loves art, theater, and her dog. She especially loves to paint. However, she can’t paint with her hands. She uses her feet.
“Feel what you’re feeling through your painting,” Lewis said.
She was born with arthrogryposis. It’s a muscle disorder. All of her limbs are clubbed. Her arm movement is minimal, so she uses her feet to text, heat up coffee, and write things down.
James Groh
“Honestly, anything you do with your hands, I can do with my feet.”
But that has also brought challenges both growing up and now as she navigates life as a 20-year-old seeking independence.
Since elementary school, she has been involved with school plays. At Tosa East High School, she was a stage manager for many of the productions. After graduating, she wanted to earn her bachelor’s degree at a film school. She tried attending a university in Chicago, but there weren’t many adaptive options. Then she looked at schools in Los Angeles, but there weren’t affordable caregivers, so she stayed in Milwaukee. However, that presented its own set of challenges.
Watch Ebony Lewis’ inspiring story…
How a Milwaukee artist navigates life using just her feet
“I had my roommates move out on me because they said they couldn’t handle the level of care I needed, which wasn’t them taking care of me. It was caregivers coming in, but they didn’t like that,” Lewis said.
Now, she lives in a one-bedroom apartment on Milwaukee’s East Side. While she has a license, she is forced to rely on help getting around because she can’t find funding sources for a modified vehicle to drive.
“It’s just kind of been one slap in the face after another of me just trying to live my life and society not allowing it,” Lewis said.
To handle all the stress, she took up painting as a way to express herself. She paints landscapes, her dog, and anything else that comes to mind.
In addition to her painting, she’s also advocating for herself and her community.
James Groh
“I want (life) to be more adaptable for us. I don’t want us to have to fight constantly to just live,” she said. “People view us as things that need to be helped and fixed and not as actual humans. And we’re all placed in the same bubble. It’s taken a lot to show people what I can do, and a lot of people have tried to stop me from just being a normal person. They want to keep you in this box, and you’ll try to change their mindset, but they’re so stuck on it, you know. It’s very hard.”
She also wants people to recognize that not all disabilities are the same.
“Because I have abilities other people don’t. Other people can do things I can’t do,” she said.
Lewis’ goals are to eventually attend film school, get more disabled people involved in filmmaking, and live a normal life.
“I’m very determined. I want to do what I want to do, and I don’t care if people tell me I can’t. I don’t care if I can’t. I’m going to try to figure this out. I’m very go-go-go. Nothing stops me.”
Given Ebony Lewis’ attitude, it won’t be surprising when she accomplishes all her goals.
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Milwaukee, WI
Where to watch San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Saturday, March 28
The San Antonio Spurs can clinch no worse than the Western Conference’s No. 2 playoff seed with a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in an afternoon matinee game on Amazon.San Antonio is heavily favored with a moneyline of -2500, while Milwaukee is at +1100.
How to watch San Antonio Spurs vs. Milwaukee Bucks
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Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
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Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wis.
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Team records
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San Antonio Spurs: 55-18 (No. 1 in Southwest Division)
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Milwaukee Bucks: 29-43 (No. 3 in Central Division)
Odds
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Spread: San Antonio Spurs -18.5
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Moneyline: Milwaukee Bucks +1100) / San Antonio Spurs -2500
Milwaukee, WI
Travelers see shorter lines at Milwaukee Mitchell despite the ongoing partial government shutdown
MILWAUKEE — Despite a partial government shutdown causing long TSA lines at airports across the country, travelers at Milwaukee Mitchell airport are experiencing short wait times ahead of spring break.
John Wahlen and his colleague Joe Orendorf were coming back home from North Carolina and prepared for a much different scene.
“We were remarkably surprised that it was as easy as it was,” Wahlen said.
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
A national TSA spokesperson told TMJ4 that over 3,450 TSA officers called out across the country on Thursday. The national call-out rate was at 11.83% percent, the highest since the shutdown began.
While the TSA could not provide specific numbers for Milwaukee Mitchell, the airport was not in the top-10 for call-out rates.
The highest percentages of call-offs came from much larger airports, including George Bush Intercontinental in Houston at 44 percent, Atlanta at almost 41 percent, and Baltimore at 37 percent.
“We were in smaller airports, Raleigh-Durham, I think we waited for two people, and one of them was him,” Orendorf said.
Watch: Travelers see shorter lines at Milwaukee Mitchell despite the ongoing partial government shutdown
Travelers see shorter lines at Milwaukee Mitchell despite the ongoing partial government shutdown
A spokesperson for Milwaukee Mitchell told TMJ4 that around 11,000 people are expected this Friday and Saturday, and next Friday and Saturday as spring break travel peaks.
President Trump signed an executive order to pay TSA agents, meaning a resolution may be on the horizon. Travelers, including Selena Mauricio, said they are thankful for the agents who are still showing up.
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
“Their jobs aren’t easy, and I commend the ones that still come to work, definitely,” Mauricio said.
This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Let’s talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
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MILWAUKEE — A truck drove through the Grace Coffee Co. in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward on early Friday morning, the owners announced in a social media post.
Due to the extensive damage that was done, the coffee shop will be closed until further notice.
TMJ4
“We’re incredibly grateful no one was hurt, and we’ll keep you updated as we begin repairs,” the coffee shop said in the post.
TMJ4 reached out to the Milwaukee Police Department but have yet to hear back.
Let’s talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
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