Inside the NNS Newsroom: Meet DeMar Walker, our news arts and culture reporter | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
DeMar Walker
October 11, 2023
Allow me to reintroduce myself.
Hello! My name is DeMar Walker. I am thrilled to join the Neighborhood News Service team as the arts and culture reporter. I will be covering the people, places and events that make Milwaukee a vibrant hub for its residents.
This position is so exciting as I venture back into the field of journalism after years of working as a teaching and performing artist in Southeastern Wisconsin.
Initially, I planned to work in broadcast news as a reporter and producer. Experiences such as writing for my university’s newspaper and interning at WISN-12 as a bright-eyed undergraduate student is where I received some of my training.
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Storytelling is at the core of whatever I do. It is a fundamental way to express the vast thoughts and emotions that have produced all of my creative work. Whether it’s photographing an image around town or writing a poem while visiting my grandmother, I am thankful for the opportunity to share how I connect with the outer world.
Milwaukee definitely speaks to me in the most boisterous way, too.
I absolutely love music of various genres. I stream at least 20 songs a day on Apple Music. It gets my day started. Give me an awesome beat and insightful lyrics, and I’m ready to take on the world.
I also love hats of different varieties: fedoras, porkpies, snapbacks, newsboys, beanies, etc.  I have so many that I’ve lost count at this point.
North, south, east, best
I am proud to call myself a Black Milwaukeean, third-generation Wisconsinite. My family lineage hails from the Mississippi Delta region, home of blues music and spaghetti and catfish.
I grew up in the Harambee area of the city where I spent much of my childhood running down the Locust Street hill to Burger King for double cheeseburgers and strawberry shakes and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library for tutoring sessions. Also, I am a proud Golda Meir alumnus. Go Owls!
I was raised village-style with my parents, grandparents, tons of aunts and uncles and a slew of family friends and neighbors.
Creating dances, playing basketball, writing short stories and riding bikes to the lakefront with my cousins and friends were some of my favorite childhood activities.
I spent my teenage and early adult years in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. My mother still resides there. Shout out to Jefferson Heights!
Since returning to Milwaukee, I have worked with numerous local arts organizations such as the Ko-Thi Dance Company, Tessa’s Black Entertainment & Youth Center, First Stage Children’s Theater, Danceworks Milwaukee and Black Arts Milwaukee.
I even served as a lecturer in the UWM Dance Department, where I taught an African Diasporic technique course for six years.
In my role as arts and culture reporter, I am searching for compelling stories about Black and Brown people doing extraordinary things within their communities.
It could be anything from poetry slams to gardening classes. These stories are the very heartbeat of Cream City. With my artistic background, I plan to capture the essence of what makes Milwaukee a hidden gem of the Midwest. Creativity and integrity will serve as major pillars in my work as a journalist.
In recent years, I have witnessed a huge increase on the artistic and cultural production of Black and Latinx communities throughout Milwaukee. It has been a joy to be a contributor and spectator of a variety of mediums. The imprint is beautifully etched throughout the area. The murals. The festivals. The open mic nights.  The dance battles. These things and much more are bringing such a dynamic energy during this unprecedented time.
It is my hope that I can be a community voice to the city’s incredible skill, talent and resourcefulness. I believe these news stories will establish a deeper appreciation for the richness that lives within our beloved Milwaukee.
I am also eager to hear from you about the latest happenings in our area. Know of any community events or unsung heroes doing amazing things? I would love to highlight them for the Neighborhood News Service. Feel free to contact me.
I look forward to connecting with you.
You can reach me at demar.walker@milwaukeenns.org