Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service invites community members to submit opinion pieces of 500-800 words on topics of interest to central city Milwaukee. To send a submission for consideration, please email info@milwaukeenns.org. The views expressed are solely those of the authors.

Thanksgiving is once again upon us. For many, the day is reminder to show gratitude and give thanks. Whether it’s family, improved health or the kindness of friends or neighbors, we can all find something to be thankful for. Especially in the beautiful communities we call home.

We asked NNS readers who or what they’re thankful for in their community.

Here’s what Nyia Luna and Debby Montano Luna had to say.

‘Beyond thankful for the South Side’

Name: Nyia Luna

Neighborhood: Copernicus Park

Who or what in the community are you thankful for this season and why?

I am beyond thankful for the South Side. More specifically, the Walker’s Point and Clarke Square neighborhoods. As a kid, I grew up going to Walker’s Point Center for the Arts and now I am leading a mural workshop there with the organization’s youth artists. We will be having a public and free mural unveiling on Dec. 19. 

I love that the same programs I participated in and gave me the tools to be a successful artist are continuing to pass the torch to countless generations. Leaders like Marcela “Xela” Garcia, executive director at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, are providing amazing opportunities for the youth such as free afterschool programming.

In addition, the César E. Chávez Drive Business Improvement District has poured so many resources into enriching the arts in their corridor. I have had the pleasure of installing two murals in partnership with the BID. My latest mural within the district, “De Aquí, De Allá,” honors the journey of our ancestors and the sacrifices they make to ensure their future generations can thrive. 

Leaders like Sinai Mendoza-Zarate, executive director of the César E. Chávez Drive Business Improvement District, are working very closely with the local community and artists to make sure each piece of art (sculpture, mural, planters, etc.) are approved by community members first. It’s so necessary to make sure that all art that is publicly displayed has the blessing of the people that will see it every day.

South Side leaders and community builders

I am thankful for both Xela and Sinai for their active leadership on the South Side of Milwaukee. Xela makes sure the next generation of artists have the resources to create art to the best of their abilities. She has visiting artists work directly with the youth, allowing them to learn beyond the textbook. In addition, she features local talent in their gallery space, which allows for community artists to have a platform and give them a step in the door in what can be a very challenging space to enter. 

Sinai builds relationships with the community business owners and organizations to better understand how to improve the area. She organizes community events including Cinco De Mayo and Viva Nuestra Herencia. Events like those support the local business economy and celebrate specific communities like the lowrider culture. Having someone like Sinai in charge of organizing on behalf of the people is so important because she is ensuring that everyone feels welcome, safe and celebrated in every project she leads.

‘They both truly are compassionate, supportive and care about us neighbors’

Name: Debby Montano Luna

Neighborhood: Burnham Park 

Who or what in the community are you thankful for this season and why?

I’m thankful for Safe and Sound: Araceli Arvelo, lead neighborhood safety coordinator for District 2, and Travis Hope, neighborhood organizer for District 2. Araceli and Travis support, connect, and bring resources to my block club on South 33rd and West Lapham streets.

I am a neighborhood leader and block captain. They help me manage, organize and participate in my block meetings, block parties, block projects and give our block club up-to-date resources. 

They helped me grow our club over the years from a couple of neighbors now to a four-block radius. With the help of Araceli and Travis, we, the members of our block club, feel supported and happy we are an organized neighborhood. 

Araceli and Travis are always just a phone call away to help with problems and issues in the area of our block club. They both truly are compassionate, supportive and care about us neighbors and our neighborhood whenever we need them. 

Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

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An NNS Thanksgiving: What we’re grateful for in 2025

by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
November 26, 2025

<h1>An NNS Thanksgiving: What we’re grateful for in 2025</h1> <p class="byline">by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service <br />November 26, 2025</p> <p class="has-background" style="background-color:#f2f2f2"><em>Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service invites community members to submit opinion pieces of 500-800 words on topics of interest to central city Milwaukee. To send a submission for consideration, please email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@milwaukeenns.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">info@milwaukeenns.org</a>. The views expressed are solely those of the authors.</em></p> <p>Thanksgiving is once again upon us. For many, the day is reminder to show gratitude and give thanks. Whether it's family, improved health or the kindness of friends or neighbors, we can all find something to be thankful for. Especially in the beautiful communities we call home. </p> <p>We asked NNS readers who or what they're thankful for in their community. </p> <p>Here's what Nyia Luna and Debby Montano Luna had to say.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>‘Beyond thankful for the South Side’</em></strong></h2> <p><strong>Name:</strong> Nyia Luna</p> <p><strong>Neighborhood:</strong> Copernicus Park</p> <p><strong>Who or what in the community are you thankful for this season and why?</strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/31668290942_bf1130a455_k.jpg?fit=2047%2C1365&amp;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-135753" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Marcela “Xela” Garcia is the executive director of the Walker’s Point Center for the Arts. (NNS file photo)</figcaption></figure> <p>I am beyond thankful for the South Side. More specifically, the Walker’s Point and Clarke Square neighborhoods. As a kid, I grew up going to Walker’s Point Center for the Arts and now I am leading a mural workshop there with the organization’s youth artists. We will be having a public and free mural unveiling on Dec. 19.&nbsp;</p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/COMMUNITYVOICESLOGO.jpg" alt="Community Voices logo" class="wp-image-87110" /></figure> <p>I love that the same programs I participated in and gave me the tools to be a successful artist are continuing to pass the torch to countless generations. Leaders like Marcela “Xela” Garcia, executive director at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, are providing amazing opportunities for the youth such as free afterschool programming.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/54943538177_1a5c4d8d12_o.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-135754" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sinai Mendoza-Zarate is executive director of the César E. Chávez Drive Business Improvement District. (Photo provided by Sinai Mendoza-Zarate)</figcaption></figure> <p>In addition, the César E. Chávez Drive Business Improvement District has poured so many resources into enriching the arts in their corridor. I have had the pleasure of installing two murals in partnership with the BID. My latest mural within the district, “De Aquí, De Allá,” honors the journey of our ancestors and the sacrifices they make to ensure their future generations can thrive.&nbsp;</p> <p>Leaders like Sinai Mendoza-Zarate, executive director of the César E. Chávez Drive Business Improvement District, are working very closely with the local community and artists to make sure each piece of art (sculpture, mural, planters, etc.) are approved by community members first. It’s so necessary to make sure that all art that is publicly displayed has the blessing of the people that will see it every day.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>South Side leaders and community builders</strong></h2> <p>I am thankful for both Xela and Sinai for their active leadership on the South Side of Milwaukee. Xela makes sure the next generation of artists have the resources to create art to the best of their abilities. She has visiting artists work directly with the youth, allowing them to learn beyond the textbook. In addition, she features local talent in their gallery space, which allows for community artists to have a platform and give them a step in the door in what can be a very challenging space to enter.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sinai builds relationships with the community business owners and organizations to better understand how to improve the area. She organizes community events including Cinco De Mayo and <a href="https://milwaukeenns.org/2025/09/11/viva-nuestra-herencia-will-celebrate-culture-with-new-mural-on-saturday/">Viva Nuestra Herencia</a>. Events like those support the local business economy and celebrate specific communities like the lowrider culture. Having someone like Sinai in charge of organizing on behalf of the people is so important because she is ensuring that everyone feels welcome, safe and celebrated in every project she leads.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>‘They both truly are compassionate, supportive and care about us neighbors’</em></strong></h2> <p><strong>Name:</strong> Debby Montano Luna</p> <p><strong>Neighborhood:</strong> Burnham Park&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Who or what in the community are you thankful for this season and why?</strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full"><img src="https://milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/54945308385_01264eff43_o.png" alt="" class="wp-image-135757" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Araceli Arvelo is the neighborhood safety coordinator in District 2 for Safe &amp; Sound. (Photo provided by Safe &amp; Sound)</figcaption></figure> <p>I’m thankful for Safe and Sound: Araceli Arvelo, lead neighborhood safety coordinator for District 2, and Travis Hope, neighborhood organizer for District 2. Araceli and Travis support, connect, and bring resources to my block club on South 33rd and West Lapham streets. </p> <p>I am a neighborhood leader and block captain. They help me manage, organize and participate in my block meetings, block parties, block projects and give our block club up-to-date resources.&nbsp;</p> <p>They helped me grow our club over the years from a couple of neighbors now to a four-block radius. With the help of Araceli and Travis, we, the members of our block club, feel supported and happy we are an organized neighborhood.&nbsp;</p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/54263351342_cb411066b7_k.jpg?fit=2047%2C922&amp;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-135758" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Brittany McKinney, Travis Hope and Dartaja Carr, organizers for Safe &amp; Sound, head out to meet with residents. Debby Montano Luna said she is thankful for Hope’s help. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)</figcaption></figure> <p>Araceli and Travis are always just a phone call away to help with problems and issues in the area of our block club. They both truly are compassionate, supportive and care about us neighbors and our neighborhood whenever we need them. </p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p><em>Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between </em><a href="https://www.catchlight.io/local"><em>CatchLight Local </em></a><em>and </em><a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/"><em>Report for America</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org/2025/11/26/an-nns-thanksgiving-what-were-grateful-for-in-2025/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org&quot;&gt;Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-NNS-Favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p> &lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=135752&amp;amp;ga4=G-HGM4XK3QCM&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://milwaukeenns.org/2025/11/26/an-nns-thanksgiving-what-were-grateful-for-in-2025/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/milwaukeenns.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

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