Maanaan Nadeem Shakeel Sabir

Maanaan Nadeem Shakeel Sabir

Where do you work and what makes your role awesome?

I work at The Juice Kitchen MKE as the co-owner of our beloved establishment. My wife JoAnne is the other owner and is the main visionary of our lovely space. My role is awesome due to the compassion, love, and peaceful environment we have created and maintained in our store. We work hard to satisfy humanity as a whole and to treat everyone as a person searching to feel better. When you come into The Juice Kitchen MKE you will receive a smile, and a “whats up?” I really try to live up our motto “it’s more than juice.” The juice goes into a cup, the relationship extends beyond the measure of the cup. Isn’t that cool?

How long have you lived in Milwaukee and what brought you here?

I have always lived in Milwaukee. My grandfather moved here after a series of incidents in the south and working on the railroads, that led him to plant roots in Milwaukee. Including his best friend being lynched by the Ku Klux Klan outside of his church.

What do you love most about Milwaukee?

Milwaukee is a place where people know everyone but is a place large enough to get away with meeting new people in different circles of life. I love how those circles confluence in our Juice Kitchen. It’s all love, not perfect, impactful.

What is something that is missing from our community that you would love to see implemented?

We have to highlight all the kids in our community on a daily basis, we have to help them lead us and put them in leadership roles. I believe that if we are to be progressive, Milwaukee has to come to terms with its oppressive past. Redlining was harsh and immediate desegregation that didn’t have a plan and caused a ripple in the economic stratosphere of black Milwaukeeans.

What is one word that you would use to describe Milwaukee?

LOVE.

Where do you see Milwaukee in five years?

I see Milwaukee as a major urban development hub with access to healthcare and food security being the qualifying predictors of the future development.

If you could create one thing in Milwaukee, what would it be?

I would create smaller neighborhoods with the same type of downtown that we have right now, and make health, small business development/ small business lending/ philanthropy and agriculture a top priority.

What local restaurant is at the top of your list?

Tandem

What is your biggest hope for this city?

My hope is for the generational/systemic racism to end. The power structure to be remodeled to include the family that doesn’t have heat in the winter, and air conditioning in the summer.

What is your favorite Milwaukee tradition?

To practice martial arts with other martial artists. Martial arts extend past cultures and race.

What does your ideal Milwaukee weekend look like?

My son’s soccer games, basketball games. My daughter’s rugby, rowing matches, and driving her to her friends’ houses that live outside of the city limits. My wife exercising and training for a marathon. Getting a few of my sons friends together with him and hanging out. Working at The Juice Kitchen MKE and making people happy. Being around family, I have a large family so it takes a while to get to everyone.

What neighborhood do you live in and why do you love it?

I live in the Lindsay Heights section of Milwaukee and I love it because it’s a sponge of love. Lindsay Heights resembles a family reunion of long lost relatives that are resilient, coherent, loving, and ready for action!

What’s your favorite hidden gem or secret fact about the city?

Washington Park used to be the Milwaukee County Zoo, and Milwaukee has some the best parks in the nation.

What do you think is going to be a game changer for the city in the year of 2017?

Moving out of 2016 the game changer will be solidarity and accountability from all citizens. Not letting economics destroy cross-sectional lines of cultural responsibility. We have to carry the motto “it’s more than juice” in our hearts, and allow our God to speak through us.