Leslie Peckham

Leslie Peckham. Photo courtesy of NEWaukee.

Where do you work and what makes your role awesome?

I work at the Wisconsin Center District. Part of my job is reaching out to the community, partially to let them know about what’s going on in our spaces, but also to bring them into the narrative and help them be part of what’s happening in our city. It’s very exciting!

What do you love most about Milwaukee?

I love our parks! I feel very fortunate to live in a city where I can step out of the bustle and be near the river, in the woods or by the lake. We have a tremendous amount of green infrastructure that I think is essential to the health and happiness of our community.

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

We need more places to dance. Not clubs necessarily, but something like that. We have such a great music scene, I think this could really add to that. Dancing is such a joyful expression that we’ve forgotten about, I would love to see Milwaukee dance.

The Original. It’s just off the beaten path in a slice of neighborhood that I lived in for several years. The food is outstanding, the service is polite and attentive without being overbearing. It’s also where I met my partner, though the space was under a different name at the time. Runner up, Birch & Butcher.

What is your biggest hope for this city?

My hope is that people choose to be engaged. There’s so much in the world to be put off by, but chances are, your neighbors are going through it too. Get to know their names, how they feel about the weather, and if you can manage that there’s some real potential for conversations to start happening. That’s the real magic.

What is your favorite Milwaukee tradition?

I love summer in this city. The energy, the street festivals, the levity that everyone has. It’s probably the best thing about being from the Midwest, we have this thing called weather in common with each other, and if nothing else, we can talk about that.