Author: Lee Matz

Bearing witness to indifference: A photojournalist’s thoughts on navigating trauma, truth, and hope

Bearing witness to indifference: A photojournalist’s thoughts on navigating trauma, truth, and hope

Posted by | Dec 25, 2024

I remember the first time I held a camera. It was my father’s old Leica, a relic from his time in Germany where he was stationed before serving in Vietnam. I used to play with it, pretending to focus and take photos long before it was ever loaded with film. Photography has always been a part of my life, even though I did not take it seriously as a vocation for much of my early years. But just by being the one who always took snaps at family gatherings or on holiday trips, I learned to see the world...

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David Crowley: Redefining Milwaukee County’s leadership through education as a new UWM graduate

David Crowley: Redefining Milwaukee County’s leadership through education as a new UWM graduate

Posted by | Dec 16, 2024

It is not every day that a high-level elected official quietly attends classes, writes research papers, and sits side-by-side with traditional undergraduates while holding one of the most influential positions in local government. Yet Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who has recently completed a bachelor’s degree in Community Engagement and Education from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM), managed to do exactly that. Over the course of finishing his degree, Crowley balanced the hefty responsibilities of his public office and the demands of his personal life, all while aiming to set an example for his children and the community. In...

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Undoing superstition of chronology: Simone Weil’s words remind us that progress is not always linear

Undoing superstition of chronology: Simone Weil’s words remind us that progress is not always linear

Posted by | Nov 9, 2024

“We must undo the superstition of chronology (‘progressivism’) in order to find eternity.” – Simone Weil, philosopher During this turbulent moment for American democracy, Simone Weil’s words remind us that progress is not always linear, and that true values may lie beyond any notion of political advance or retreat. When Donald Trump was overwhelmingly re-elected on November 6, many Americans saw it as a regression, a painful step backward from the ideals they felt were beginning to take root in American society. For those who supported the messages of empathy, unity, and progressive reform promoted by Vice President Kamala...

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Jinseon Kim: A Seoulite’s creative adventure recording the city’s legacy and allure through art

Jinseon Kim: A Seoulite’s creative adventure recording the city’s legacy and allure through art

Posted by | Oct 25, 2024

EXPLORING KOREA: Stories from Milwaukee to the DMZ and across a divided Peninsula. This special series explores historical sites and cultural traditions from across the Korean Peninsula, building a bridge back to the search for identity in Milwaukee. From the occupation of Korea at the end of World War II, to Korean War veterans in Milwaukee, veterans from Milwaukee who served in later years at the DMZ, adopted South Korean children who grew up in Milwaukee, different waves of the South Korean diaspora who moved to Milwaukee to raise their families, and even a defector from North Korea, their...

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Hoyoon Min: Putting his future on hold in Milwaukee to serve in his homeland’s military

Hoyoon Min: Putting his future on hold in Milwaukee to serve in his homeland’s military

Posted by | Oct 25, 2024

EXPLORING KOREA: Stories from Milwaukee to the DMZ and across a divided Peninsula. This special series explores historical sites and cultural traditions from across the Korean Peninsula, building a bridge back to the search for identity in Milwaukee. From the occupation of Korea at the end of World War II, to Korean War veterans in Milwaukee, veterans from Milwaukee who served in later years at the DMZ, adopted South Korean children who grew up in Milwaukee, different waves of the South Korean diaspora who moved to Milwaukee to raise their families, and even a defector from North Korea, their...

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WonWoo Chung: Navigating life, faith, and identity between cultures in Milwaukee and Seoul

WonWoo Chung: Navigating life, faith, and identity between cultures in Milwaukee and Seoul

Posted by | Oct 24, 2024

EXPLORING KOREA: Stories from Milwaukee to the DMZ and across a divided Peninsula. This special series explores historical sites and cultural traditions from across the Korean Peninsula, building a bridge back to the search for identity in Milwaukee. From the occupation of Korea at the end of World War II, to Korean War veterans in Milwaukee, veterans from Milwaukee who served in later years at the DMZ, adopted South Korean children who grew up in Milwaukee, different waves of the South Korean diaspora who moved to Milwaukee to raise their families, and even a defector from North Korea, their...

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