Milwaukee, WI
Real Milwaukee Love Stories: Jenn + Brooke Davia
READ MORE FROM OUR 2026 WEDDING FEATURE HERE
We met in Hammond, Louisiana. [Brooke was born and raised in Hammond, while Jenn arrived in 2010 from Mexico.] We spent our preteen and teenage years in the same schools but never crossed paths until college. It’s as if the universe patiently waited for the perfect moment. That moment came when we both worked at a local Mexican restaurant. We became instant friends and were inseparable.
Celebrate the Milwaukee leaders who foster connection, create opportunity and strengthen our community!
We were both in on-and-off relationships with other people, but our growing attraction eventually ended those chapters and began a new one together. In a small conservative town, that wasn’t always easy.
We began dating in March of 2018, adopted a dog and moved in together that summer. The LGBTQ+ community was tolerated in Hammond, but not widely accepted, so we kept our relationship private for nearly two years. When we finally came out as a couple, some people embraced us wholeheartedly, while others met us with the resistance we had feared. That experience strengthened our resolve to find a community where we could live authentically, surrounded by acceptance and love.
Brooke’s work as a nurse allowed her to travel, helping hospitals in need during the COVID pandemic. When the last contract ended, we didn’t have a next stop in mind – so we took a leap and accepted the highest-paying offer. That’s how we ended up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin … in January.
The city – and its people – won us over. One weekend, we wandered into a local brunch spot and the bartender invited us to an event their wife was hosting at a local bookstore, the launch of a zine celebrating queer professionals. That night, surrounded by kind and creative people, we felt something click. Milwaukee was where we were meant to be.
This past March, we celebrated seven years together, and in August, we joyfully exercised our right to marriage.
The Magic Moment
Jenn: I knew Brooke was the one the moment she saw the person I could be and loved me enough to push me to become her.
Brooke: I knew Jenn was the one when I didn’t want to be anywhere without her. Twenty-four hours was too long away. Her presence made every situation better and more exciting. I looked for her in every room.
This story is part of Milwaukee Magazine’s January 2026 issue.
Find it on newsstands or buy a copy at milwaukeemag.com/shop.
Be the first to get every new issue. Subscribe.
Marvin Bynum, adjunct professor at Marquette University Law School, was named to BizTimes Milwaukee’s list of Notable Leaders in Law.
Bynum, shareholder and real estate attorney with Milwaukee-based Godfrey & Kahn, teaches a course on real estate transactions at Marquette. He has experience with a range of property types, from sports facilities to manufacturing plants and office spaces, and works to help clients navigate transactions including development, financing, leasing, acquisitions, dispositions and low-income housing tax credit-financed projects.
Notable Leaders in Law is part of BizTimes Milwaukee’s Notable series, which recognizes leaders in the southeastern Wisconsin business community.
Six alumni were also named to the list:
- Jim Brzezinski, managing partner and CEO of Tabak Law
- Adam R. Finkel, partner at Husch Blackwell
- Jeremy Guth, shareholder and attorney at O’Leary-Guth Law Office S.C.
- Keith Kopplin, shareholder at the Milwaukee office of Ogletree Deakins
- Isioma Nwabuzor, associate general counsel and assistant corporate secretary at Modine Manufacturing Co.
- Joe Pickart, partner at Husch Blackwell
Milwaukee Wave coach Marcio Leite 2025-26 team’s evolution in MASL
See first-year Milwaukee Wave head coach Marcio Leite discuss the roles of younger players and veterans as the 2025-26 MASL season begins.
The Milwaukee Wave had been in the awkward position of trying to sell tickets to the MASL championship series without knowing when it would actually host a game.
The questions were answered late April 19, when the San Diego Sockers beat the St. Louis Ambush in the other semifinal in overtime. Their series didn’t even start until four days after the Wave eliminated the Baltimore Blast with victories in a regulation Game 2 and knockout Game 3 at the UWM Panther Arena.
Now the finals are set for two of the most decorated teams in arena soccer.
The Wave will host Game 1 at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 and then the series will finish at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California, with Game 2 at 9:30 p.m. April 24 and a potential Game 3 at 9 p.m. April 27.
Three versions of the Sockers have totaled 16 championships in various indoor league with the latest iteration founded in 2009 owning six of those. The Wave has seven.
First-year Wave head coach Marcio Leite has won titles with both franchises.
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred on early Sunday morning on the 4900 block of W. Capitol Drive that left one person injured.
An 18-year-old sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
TMJ4
The police is currently looking for an unknown suspect at this time.
Those with information regarding the shooting are encouraged to contact the Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7360 or contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-TIPS or P3 Tips to remain anonymous.
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.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip
-
Washington2 minutes agoWashington Watch: CCAMPIS grant competition announced – Community College Daily
-
Wisconsin8 minutes agoTranfser Portal Predcition: Wisconsin trasnfer John Blackwell likely to land with contender
-
West Virginia14 minutes agoAIA West Virginia honors design excellence at 2026 gala in Morgantown
-
Wyoming20 minutes agoMan shot, critically injured by deputy during ‘disturbance’ in Rock Springs, Wyoming
-
Crypto26 minutes agoXRP Prepares for Quantum Future as Ripple Maps XRPL Strategy for Security Readiness
-
Finance32 minutes agoWhy this sleepy Swiss town has become a ‘bolt-hole’ for the Gulf elite
-
Fitness38 minutes ago
Six ways your smartwatch is lying to you, according to science
-
Movie Reviews50 minutes agoMovie Review – Desert Warrior (2026)
