Yahyal Siddiqu looks at photos from the “See What We See: Stories of Environmental Stewardship in Lindsay Heights” exhibit at Central Public Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave. (Photo by Meredith Melland)
By Meredith Melland
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
Looking around Lindsay Heights, community gardens with fresh fruit and vegetables coexist with dumped hazardous waste, public art and historical landmarks.
These are among the images captured by nine Lindsay Heights community members in a unique research project.
From June 2023 into mid-2024, the residents worked with researcher Dulmini Jayawardana on a photovoice research project documenting the neighborhood’s environment.
Photovoice is a qualitative research method where participants take photographs around a topic and then discuss them as a group.
The project culminated in an exhibit called “See What We See: Stories of Environmental Stewardship in Lindsay Heights.” It showcased photographs residents took of efforts to take care of the neighborhood’s environment or of things that were hurting it, such as illegal dumping, litter and lead pipes.
“We feel it and we want better for our community and being part of photovoice gave us that chance to open up everyone else’s eyes,” said Maria Beltran, a longtime Lindsay Heights resident.
Beltran participates in weekly street clean-ups as a North Avenue community ambassador and is also a leader with the health-focused South Side walking group Lideres por la Salud.
The photovoice participants consisted of Beltran, Ramona Curry, Marie Gordon, Cheryl Ferrill, Christal West, Jarvis West, Teresa Thomas Boyd, Geneva Jones and Ammar Nsoroma, many of whom are neighborhood residents and meet regularly at Walnut Way Conservation Corp.
A sign welcomes people to “See What We See: Stories of Environmental Stewardship in Lindsay Heights,” a neighborhood-led exhibit on display at the Central Public Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., earlier this year. (Photo by Meredith Melland)
Researching Lindsay Heights
Jayawardana, a doctoral student in the geography program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, wanted to try community-based research in Lindsay Heights.
The Near North Side neighborhood faces challenges, such as poverty, vacant lots and aging housing stock.
After a group of residents met with the city’s Environmental Collaboration Office for a year to work on climate solutions and sustainability, Lindsay Heights was designated as Milwaukee’s First Eco Neighborhood in 2018.
“When coming into the Lindsay Heights neighborhood, what we wanted people to notice and appreciate was the move to make it more environmentally friendly,” said Christal West, a community activist who participated in the photovoice project.
What is the photovoice process?
Jayawardana offered training and facilitated sessions on photovoice, which brings people traditionally underrepresented in research and policy into the process by sharing their voices, emotions and experiences.
The participants regularly met until March to discuss their photos and findings, with Jayawardana taking notes on the discussion of the photos to be used as captions.
She compensated the researchers for the initial research sessions, but they continued to collaborate beyond the planned timeline.
“I think the process was long and it was grueling at times. However, it was worth it,” said Curry, a community organizer and independent consultant who participated in the project.
WaterMarks, an initiative that helps people learn about Milwaukee’s water systems, is a community partner in Jayawardana’s research.
A sign marking a stop on the Underground Railroad in Lindsay Heights is included on a poster in the “See What We See: Stories of Environmental Stewardship in Lindsay Heights” exhibit at Central Public Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave. The sign is on North 17th Street, south of the intersection with West Fond du Lac Avenue. (Photo by Meredith Melland)
Themes
The group curated the photos for the exhibition by developing themes, such as neighborhood history, public art, toxic environments and healthy eating and living.
“I learned about the unique history, like this was part of the Underground Railroad,” said Yahyal Siddiqu, who visited the library exhibition.
He lives near Lindsay Heights and enjoyed learning more about the landmarks and churches he recognized as well as the neighborhood’s history.
One of Curry’s favorite photos is an image of a neighbor’s hands picking yellow flowers of St. John’s wort, a type of plant that the neighbor had been growing for over 50 years and uses to treat chronic body pain.
“I thought that was really inspirational and worthy of presenting and showing more people what we have in our own backyards,” Curry said.
Community reaction
The group hosted two exhibitions, one at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St., in April and another at Milwaukee Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., in July.
“We were able to take these things to the policymakers, the decision-makers in the city, so that they are aware of what’s happening and what needs to be changed,” Jayawardana said.
Some people who attended the exhibition, including elected officials, reacted with shock and anger to Beltran’s photos and stories of discovering lead pipes and paint in her home and the ongoing process of making it safe again.
“They’re like, ‘That happened to you? That happened to your family?’” Beltran said.
Observers also enjoyed seeing positive developments in the neighborhood.
“I learned about the possible solutions to the problems that need to be fixed,” Siddiqu said.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.