Milwaukee County Transit System has unveiled its new Hispanic- and Latino-themed bus design, created in partnership with Latino Arts, Inc. and Lamar Transit Advertising to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
The design – which recognizes the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with ancestry from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America – will remain on the bus for about a year.
Creation of the “¡Te Amo MKE!” artwork – which depicts a skeleton mariachi violinist, reimagined Loteria cards, Afro-Caribbean dancers, flowers and more – was spearheaded by Jacobo Lovo, who is managing artistic director at Latino Arts, with graphic designer Melenie Gonzalez.
“I'm excited to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month as the first Latino CEO at Milwaukee County Transit System,” says MCTS President & CEO Steve Fuentes.
“I’m also grateful to those who made this special bus possible, including artists from Latino Arts and sponsor Lamar Transit Advertising. We hope everyone enjoys a ride on our beautiful bus as they participate in all the Hispanic Heritage month events taking place throughout the County.”
Keep an eye out for the bus on routes throughout the system.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press. A fifth collects Urban Spelunking articles about breweries and maltsters.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has been heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
