Bronzeville listed by New York Times as a 'place to visit in 2022'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee neighborhood is garnering national attention for its culture, development and growth.

The New York Times listed Bronzeville among its places for travelers to visit in 2022.

A business owner said Bronzeville is a magical place. In the past, Black families could only live and work within the neighborhood's boundaries. Now, neighbors are breaking boundaries.

Tiffany Miller is a co-founder of the Bronzeville Collective MKE. She said, "When the people are ok, the neighborhood is ok, the community is ok, the businesses can get to a place where they're ok as well."

After years of decline, the neighborhood is thriving once again, and the collective is representative of what works. Fellow co-founder Lilo Allen said, "When you are together, there is a lot of mitigation of loss and risk that other folks don't have to take, that aren't as big."

Several vendors have been successful enough to break out on their own, but that model is also exemplified by existing eclectic businesses. Miller said, "They, too, have a collaborative mindset as well. Just working, they've been in the neighborhood for years."

The Times article explains how $400 million of redevelopment funds from minority-led organizations has helped redefine the neighborhood. And it references plant shops, book bars, barber shops and jazz cafes.

The individual successes may be more recent, but it's a renaissance for the neighborhood. Allen said, "I definitely see the Bronzeville community returning to its roots. Which is people of color, and Black folks specifically, being able to work, own, play and do business in this space."

Tiffany and Lilo said the neighborhood is excited for the re-opening of America's Black Holocaust Museum, a cultural touchstone in the city. That's slated for Feb. 25.