Impressions - October/November 2024 - 40
t hink .
mak e .
d o.
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Changing the World
One T-Shirt at a Time
More than a T-shirt, the Milwaukee OATS brand
is cultivating the next generation of leaders and artists
BY NICOLE ROLLENDER, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
From a basement in Milwaukee to a bustling
community hub, Enrique Murguia, aka
T-Shirt Boomin, has transformed a simple
idea into a powerful movement that blends art
and advocacy as part of the screen-printing
studio Milwaukee OATS (onlyatshirt.com).
Through his dual roles as a community
organizer and young entrepreneur, Murguia
uses printing messages on shirts to unify
communities, raise awareness of important
causes and cultivate the next generation of
leaders.
The Philosophy of Impact
At the core of Milwaukee OATS is the philosophy
encapsulated in its name- " Only
a T-shirt. " For Murguia, though, T-shirts
are a lot more than just apparel. They're
a medium for messages of positivity and
empowerment. " You're literally wearing
your message, " Murguia says. " It's part of
your daily life, letting people know what
you support and advocate for without
saying a word. "
One of Murguia's most impactful designs
featured the message, " Milwaukee.
Welcome to Our Neighborhood, " aimed
at bridging the city's diverse and often
segregated communities.
" We distributed these T-shirts across
various neighborhoods-from Latino to
Black to Asian and in the suburbs-to foster
a sense of unity under the common identity
of being part of Milwaukee, " he says.
Another notable design depicted a soldier
with a rifle facing a child holding a flower,
symbolizing a poignant dialogue on peace.
" The gun and flower were pointing at
each other, " Murguia says. " We wanted
P.40
Murguia's most impactful design
helped bring communities together.
Photo courtesy of Milwaukee OATS
ImpressionsMagazine.com Oct./Nov. 2024
people to think about what peace means
to them, highlighting the stark choices
between violence and harmony. "
Growth and Expansion
Over the last decade, Murguia has steadily
expanded Milwaukee OATS from a modest
setup in his parents' basement to increasingly
large and more professional spaces.
In the beginning, Murguia was limited to
water-based printing, since his initial studio,
which he shared with another artist, didn't
have a washout booth. However, as Murguia
continued to acquire more advanced
equipment, he transitioned to an industrial
space better suited to his operations.
In July 2023, he relocated the business
to a vibrant storefront with studio space
in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood.
The location now serves as a hub for screen
printing and a showcase for his designs and
the works of other local artists.
Suffice it to say, the result has been some
busy days. " Sometimes I'm here till 2 a.m.
I'm still building a business and figuring
out how to create that work-life balance, "
Murguia says of his efforts when he's in the
middle of handling the rush of orders he
receives during Milwaukee's bustling summer
season especially.
From Art to Activism
While earning an art degree, Murguia immersed
himself in the fashion and counter-culture
art scenes inspired by icons like
Basquiat and Banksy. His early exposure to
screen printing came through influential
brands like OBEY Clothing, founded by
Shepard Fairey, a street artist best known
for his Barack Obama " Hope " poster. When
Murguia started creating his own provocative
art, he dubbed his efforts Only a T-Shirt. " It's
only a T-shirt at the end of the day, so we
wanted to make an impact on people using
art, " he says. " We wanted to make them think. "
Murguia's commitment also expanded
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Impressions - October/November 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - October/November 2024
Impressions - October/November 2024 - CT1
Impressions - October/November 2024 - CT2
Impressions - October/November 2024 - Cover1
Impressions - October/November 2024 - Cover2
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 1
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 2
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 3
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 4
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 5
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 6
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 7
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 8
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 9
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 10
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 11
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 12
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 13
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 14
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Impressions - October/November 2024 - 17
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 18
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Impressions - October/November 2024 - 47
Impressions - October/November 2024 - 48
Impressions - October/November 2024 - Cover3
Impressions - October/November 2024 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/20250102
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https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/20211011
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/DigitalDecorator_2021
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https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/impressions/teamactivewear_2021
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_fall2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nxtbook_bhtest/impwessons
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamactive_2020fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202008
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2020
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamactive_2019fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20190607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamactive_2019spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/dd_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2018fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201806
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2018spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2017fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20170607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2017spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20160607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2016spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20150607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2015summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2015spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/digitaldecorator_2014summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/20140607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/sportsfanretailer_2014spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/teamspirit_2014spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/impressions/201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_sportsfanretailer_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_20131011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_teamspirit_2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_20130607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_teamspirit_2013spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_20121011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_teamspirit_2012fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_20120809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_20120607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/impressions_teamspirit_2012spring
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