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We met in Hammond, Louisiana. [Brooke was born and raised in Hammond, while Jenn arrived in 2010 from Mexico.] We spent our preteen and teenage years in the same schools but never crossed paths until college. It’s as if the universe patiently waited for the perfect moment. That moment came when we both worked at a local Mexican restaurant. We became instant friends and were inseparable.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
We were both in on-and-off relationships with other people, but our growing attraction eventually ended those chapters and began a new one together. In a small conservative town, that wasn’t always easy.
We began dating in March of 2018, adopted a dog and moved in together that summer. The LGBTQ+ community was tolerated in Hammond, but not widely accepted, so we kept our relationship private for nearly two years. When we finally came out as a couple, some people embraced us wholeheartedly, while others met us with the resistance we had feared. That experience strengthened our resolve to find a community where we could live authentically, surrounded by acceptance and love.
Brooke’s work as a nurse allowed her to travel, helping hospitals in need during the COVID pandemic. When the last contract ended, we didn’t have a next stop in mind – so we took a leap and accepted the highest-paying offer. That’s how we ended up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin … in January.
The city – and its people – won us over. One weekend, we wandered into a local brunch spot and the bartender invited us to an event their wife was hosting at a local bookstore, the launch of a zine celebrating queer professionals. That night, surrounded by kind and creative people, we felt something click. Milwaukee was where we were meant to be.
This past March, we celebrated seven years together, and in August, we joyfully exercised our right to marriage.
Jenn: I knew Brooke was the one the moment she saw the person I could be and loved me enough to push me to become her.
Brooke: I knew Jenn was the one when I didn’t want to be anywhere without her. Twenty-four hours was too long away. Her presence made every situation better and more exciting. I looked for her in every room.
