Ashley Jordan: Transforming Milwaukee's Arts Scene

As director arts & cultural programming for Black Arts MKE, Jordan prides herself on creating art that will evoke thoughts and actions in the mind, body, and spirit. She is vibrantly vested in producing and creating a space for artists of color to not only perform, but attend and experience a presence of opportunity. 

She values the work and ongoing tradition Black Arts MKE is building and continuing to set the tone for creative greatness. 

Jordan was one of the guests on “Milwaukee Made.” The following Q&A is from her chat with show host David Caruso.

Q: You talk a lot about how at Black Arts MKE is really kind of about integrating a lot of different aspects into performance art. Why do you think that is something that is in the modern world so important to incorporate into what you do?

Jordan: “One of my favorite sayings is art imitates life and life imitates art. And so one of the things that we have to recognize is everything that we surround ourselves around, cameras, stage presence, music, driving our cars, all of those things somehow connect us to the art at hand. We don't shy away from topics. This year we had a very robust Milwaukee Black Theater Festival. We had two main stage productions. One was focusing on the birth of hip hop and how that brought love. And then the other was for Black girls, which really focused on healing ourselves and what that looks like when you do get hurt and you have to put yourselves back together. I think Black Arts MKE is versatile, and we often get the question, well, is it for me if I'm not African-American? And absolutely because we've all dealt with hurt in some way, shape, form, or fashion.”

Q: The theater scene in Milwaukee is endless. Do you think that is one of the things that makes Milwaukee such a special place?

Jordan: “I've been to other places, and we often get the stigma of being the most segregated (city), but I truly believe that it's changing. We are seeing people from all over come here to perform. I just mentioned earlier we had someone from Texas asking, how do we do “Black Nativity” and how to replicate that? So that's huge to me that I was starstruck and in awe of just the fact that we're getting national attention. I think Milwaukee, when you're here all your life, sometimes it can feel like, oh my goodness. But we are really changing the game as far as artists and like you said, accessibility and opportunities. And it wasn't like that 10 years ago. It really wasn't.”

Q: When you think about all of this that's happening and the national attention and the spotlight on Milwaukee for you, if you could kind of look 10 years down the road, what is the theater scene in Milwaukee and what is your biggest hope for this performing arts sector?

Jordan: “We want to see our youth also running the theater. That is the goal. I always say art saved my life. And so now I am helping save and change other individual’s lives. We have a really unique internship program. And so 10 years from now, I'm hoping that the babies will be able to step up and they'll be directing, which is always our goal, and that we will continue to do thought provoking work. I think sometimes we get caught in this bubble, but really focusing on doing challenging pieces that evoke conversation, that continue to challenge our ways of thinking and promote diversity, promote inclusion, and not just right at the thought of race, but also the thought of those who may have disabilities, those who are differently able. I'm hoping, and I know that 10 years from now we will make progress and we will see those things happening in a transformational way.”

Q: You said that being involved in the arts in Milwaukee changed your life. How so?

Jordan: “I always say that I came up from such a rough area. My grandmother raised me and she kept me very sheltered in the area that we came from. But she ensured that I was able to be exposed to the arts. Now, it started out in church, so I had to do Easter speeches and dance and sing in the choir. And every summer I had to take ballet. I was part of the Milwaukee Ballet School, and then I found First Stage. So I think those opportunities gave me a moment of expression. We just actually left a workplace giving campaign. They specifically talked about how children are less likely to drop out of school when they are exposed to the arts and they have a way to express themselves. When I say the arts changed my life, it changed my way of thinking. It allowed me to really step up and have a way to say, ‘Hey, I have a voice and my voice matters.’”

Q: When you are off stage and not directing at Black Arts MKE, what are some of your top favorite things to do or places to go in the city of Milwaukee? 

Jordan: “I am usually at home because right now I am in school as I love learning. I just finished my master's. And I think for me, I enjoy supporting others. I'm also a business owner, and so I enjoy seeing supporting other businesses in the community. I'm usually at Sherman Phoenix a lot. And then just supporting others. All of the children that I mentor, they're always sending me shows that they're in and they're schools and different things like that. So lots of things, just trying to support others and make sure that the things that I didn't have or that I lacked, I'm able to pour into others as well. That's my joy, that's my why.”