MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center is celebrating Pride Fest’s 30th anniversary this weekend from a new home — and its executive director says the move feels like a homecoming.

The center relocated to its current space in February, situated near the intersection of First Street and Pittsburgh Avenue, across from the Bobblehead Museum and Collectivo coffee shop.

WATCH: MKE’s LGBT Community Center executive director calls move a homecoming

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center executive director calls move a homecoming as PrideFest kicks off

“We have been here since February. We are loving it. It’s been a welcome home for us. When the center first opened up back in 1998, we were actually on South 1st Street, and so it’s been a homecoming for us,” Executive Director Ritchie T. Martin, Jr. said.

The center provides a range of services to Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community, including behavioral health services, a food pantry, a gender-affirming clothing boutique, and Project Here — its oldest program — which serves young people between the ages of 13 and 24.

Martin, Jr. said the community’s support has been critical, especially as the center has faced federal funding losses over the past year.

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center

“The community has grown. The center has grown. We’ve gone through our ups and downs like any other nonprofit across the country, but the community’s really showing up for us, especially over the last year as we face federal funding loss. It has been really, really unique the way the community shows up,” Martin, Jr. said.

Martin, Jr. emphasized that every form of support makes a difference.

“Volunteering, you know, there’s actually no little bit that can help. Every little bit that a person can do, whether it’s volunteering, whether it’s clothing donations, whether it’s giving monetary donations, every little bit helps in these times,” Martin, Jr. said.

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center

He said the need for centers like this one remains as important as ever.

“Very much so important. We show up each and every day living through our mission, providing services to a marginalized vulnerable community, and the people need these services. We’ve seen the growth in the services that are needed and so it’s important that we continue to show up, the community shows up, and we’re all here for each other,” Martin, Jr. said.

PrideFest’s 30th anniversary celebration continues this weekend in Milwaukee.

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MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Health Department is monitoring 3 individuals at low risk for Ebola after they were screened following travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda, the two countries where the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency last month.

The individuals are not suspected cases, and the health department says there is currently no public health concern for Milwaukee residents.

Ebola has claimed dozens of lives in the Congo and one in Uganda.

Pastor Tonny Kizza leads a church in Whitefish Bay. He is from Uganda and has lived in the U.S. for 10 years. He has seen over a half dozen outbreaks of the rare but lethal disease.

“And it is sad. It scares people. It worries us. It has taken our people,” Kizza said.

Kizza says the response to the outbreak needs to be collaborative.

Watch: Milwaukee health department monitors 3 people for low-risk Ebola after travel

Milwaukee health department monitors 3 people for low-risk Ebola after travel

“The effort to contain it, it can’t be a one-country effort. Now we’ll need support from all the regions because apart from colonial borders, our people cross over from one country to another,” Kizza said.

Deacon Gary Nosacek and Dr. Cynthia Jones-Nosacek have spent the last decade doing health clinics in rural Uganda. Jones-Nosacek says she worries about health care workers who might be under-resourced.

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The two say that while the danger is real, people in the U.S. must remember Ebola is not as highly contagious as diseases like COVID-19.

“So it’s only through body fluids, you know, from the, you know, when they vomit or from the diarrhea, from those, from those kinds of things. So for the general population, it’s not gonna be a problem. For those who are exposed, it could be a problem,” Jones-Nosacek said.

A Milwaukee Health Department spokesperson put the current cases into perspective: during the major outbreak from fall of 2014 to summer of 2016, the city had a total of 39 low-risk contact cases — none of those individuals ended up contracting the disease.

As of now, there are no confirmed cases in the United States.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist 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.

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Every week, Milwaukee With Kids answers a simple question for families across the area: What are we going to do this weekend? From indoor activities to outdoor adventures, we’ve got you covered. For the full weekend list, make sure to visit the Milwaukee With Kids website.

Featured event

Sunday Family Fun Day 
Northwestern Mutual Park
June 7 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The season’s first Sunday Family Fun Day at the play area located in Henry Maier Festival Park will celebrate Summerfest with a day of creativity and hands-on fun. Enjoy performances from the Milwaukee Ballet and Milwaukee Flyers; an Eagles & Friends raptor show by Schlitz Audubon Nature Center; activities with the Betty Brinn Museum Wonder Wagon; and food from Babalou Gourmet, Fazio’s Gourmet Popcorn, Pete’s Pops, and Sils Mini Donuts & Coffee.

To do in Tosa

Art 64 
Village of Wauwatosa
June 5-6

The nation’s largest live bracket-style painting tournament is back! In addition to the friendly creative competition, live music, food trucks, vendors and an art market, this annual event features a Family Play Zone with kids’ activities, face painting, bubbles and crafting stations.

Tosa Farmer’s Market Opening Day
Hart Mills Parking Lot | Wauwatosa
June 6 | 8 a.m.-Noon

For over 10 years, this open-air market has supported local farmers, food producers and artisans to help create a more sustainable community. You can start the day with yoga in the park at 8:30 a.m. or drop in anytime before noon to enjoy vendors of all kinds, live music and engaging activities for all ages.

Kids Ultimate Frisbee Clinic 
Hart Park | Wauwatosa
June 6 | 2:30-4 p.m.

Learn to play ultimate frisbee from the Milwaukee Monarchs! This free clinic run by professional players is intended for kids in grades 1-6 and will include a brief instructional period to teach throwing and catching, followed by several short games of ultimate. Participants should come with appropriate clothing, a water bottle and a positive attitude. Plus, there will be a bounce house, face painting, food and drinks, and everyone gets a free ticket to watch the Monarchs take on the Austin Torch at 5 p.m. at Hart Park.

More openings

Paddles & Pops Grand Opening 
Discovery World
June 6 | 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Join Forward Outdoor for this celebration at the Discovery World dock featuring $10 boat rentals, free popsicles starting at 1 p.m. (while supplies last) and beginner-friendly fun on the water. You’ll find kayaks, paddleboards, hydro bikes and paddle boats to pilot in the protected waters surrounding Discovery World, Lakeshore State Park and Summerfest.

Farmer’s Market Opening Day
Deer District
June 7 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Visit one of the area’s newest farmer’s markets, as more than 100 vendors set up shop in the Deer District every Sunday. Farmers and other food producers will offer fresh and organic meats, eggs, fruits, cheeses and vegetables, plus you’ll find bakery items, arts and crafts, and live entertainment. Make sure to visit the Taste It Tent for samples of new foods available at the market and a kids’ area with games and activities for families to enjoy.

Connect with community

Milwaukee Public Library Summer Reading Kickoff
Center Street Branch
June 5 | Noon-4 p.m.

Stop by to celebrate the warm months and the annual Summer Reading Program offered by the Milwaukee Public Library. Everyone is welcome at this family-friendly event that invites folks of all ages to sign up while enjoying activities and light refreshments. If you can’t make it to the Center Street Branch, visit the East Branch on Saturday anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

50th Anniversary Celebration 
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
June 6 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The center has a great day of programming planned to celebrate a half-century in our community. Music will flow throughout the event as you check out a variety of activities, from face painting and other arts to boxing and karate demonstration. There will also be building and mural tours during the afternoon that include a 50th anniversary souvenir giveaway.

West Allis A La Carte 
Greenfield Avenue | West Allis
June 7 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

This festival takes over the blocks between 70th and 76th streets for a day filled with activities that bring together every member of the community. Enjoy music ranging from blues to bluegrass and food vendors serving authentic Mexican cuisine, Filipino flavors, barbecue, bakery and more!

Fun in nature

Fairy Fest 
Riveredge Nature Center | Saukville
June 6 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

For one day each year, Riveredge becomes extra magical as they celebrate mythology, lore and the flying beings that inhabit the center. Meet Mermaid Echo and celebrate nature with fairy friends, including real-life pollinators like butterflies, dragonflies and bees that help plants thrive. Visitors are also encouraged to wear their best fairy-related costume and bring a little extra magic to the day.

Reptile Day
Wehr Nature Center | Franklin
June 7 | Noon-4 p.m.

Bring the whole family for a wild day of fun as you get up close with amazing snakes, charming turtles, and one-of-a-kind lizards and salamanders. Curious kids and grown-ups alike can go on a guided nature hike to search for turtles, listen for croaking frogs and learn cool ways to care for the scaly (and often misunderstood) creatures that share our world. Then dive into free reptile-themed crafts and grab a bite of tasty food available for purchase, with proceeds supporting Friends of Wehr.