Katie Avila Loughmiller is one of those artists for whom even the term “interdisciplinary” is limited to describe what she does. She does a lot. Some of what she does looks like art. Some of it looks like performance. Still other work looks like deep community engagement. But all of it is part of a unique whole, a rich and expansive artistic practice. She got her MFA in art and public practice, has studied on both coasts and has taught in various settings, including as an adjunct instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and as far away as South Africa. Sara Daleiden, an artist with roots in Milwaukee and director of MKE<->LAX, was one of Katie’s professors when she was in grad school in California. That’s when Katie became intrigued by Milwaukee and the work Sara was doing here. Later, she agreed to come to Milwaukee to work on the Beerline Trail, a neighborhood development project, as a placemaking consultant. That two month contract led to more than four years of making art and a life in Milwaukee. She is a founding member of LUNA, or Latinas Unidas eN las Artes, a collective of Latina artists, as well as Heard Space, a performance art collective by and for women of color. The latter group has been doing Zoom “write-in” sessions during the pandemic to ease participants’ anxiety. You can also listen to her on the comedy show that playfully and irreverently tackles serious themes. It’s called “We Heard We’re Funny” and can be heard on Riverwest Radio. Katie is also part of a group that takes the job of allyship seriously and supports Black Lives Matter activists. The Milwaukee Action Intersection, for instance, hosted a wellness event for BLM leaders, acknowledging more than 100 days of active protesting in our community and the mental, physical and emotional exhaustion that can come with that. The event included healthy food, music, bodywork, and support from mental health and spiritual practitioners. In the spring, Katie was named one of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s SHEroes. She’s also a project coordinator for “This is Milwaukee,” and she’s brought essential insight and connections to our team.