Stephanie Shipley was thinking about Turkish lentil soup and bread making when we came into her life with a microphone and questions about democracy. A self-taught baker with degrees in philosophy and English, she runs the Amaranth Bakery and Café with her husband, David Boucher. The petite cafe with big tables, a recipe for bringing humans together, was closed for the day. The aromas were distractingly inviting. The cafe got its name from the red plants Stephanie saw Hmong neighbors growing, sturdy plants that won’t wilt. When the couple—both veterans of community organizing—bought the dilapidated building at 3329 W. Lisbon Ave., Stephanie was looking to create a space of belonging, where people in the neighborhood could feel at ease, take a breath and maybe meet one another. She became interested in fermentation and sourdough, and eventually moved onto pastries. Her scones are a customer favorite. She and David feel so strongly about their finely ground, organic flour that they drive to New York to get it. Some of the produce is grown out back, fueling a changing menu of soups, sandwiches, quiches. Everything is healthy, and most of it is vegetarian. Meat makes occasional appearances in nods to neighborhood cultural preferences. Stephanie spoke about Milwaukee’s power structures and the profound disconnection she observes here. She used her hands and arms a lot, struggling to describe the inexplicable.