Author: Editor

Mykola Melnyk brings “My Maidan” book and Ukrainian veterans who survived Putin’s war to Milwaukee

Mykola Melnyk brings “My Maidan” book and Ukrainian veterans who survived Putin’s war to Milwaukee

Posted by | Sep 22, 2026

At the Milwaukee Central Library, three highly decorated Ukrainian war veterans met with the local Ukrainian diasporia. They held a special Q&A session to discuss their experiences during Russia’s brutal invasions of their nation since 2014. The September 20 event in the library’s Rotary Club Community Room centered on My Maidan. War. Love. Fight (МІЙ МАЙДАН. ВІЙНА. КОХАННЯ. БОРОТЬБА), a book by Ukrainian veteran Mykola Melnyk (МИКОЛА МЕЛЬНИК), who served as a company commander in Ukraine’s 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade. He was seriously wounded during the Zaporizhzhia counteroffensive in June 2023. That was the same month that Milwaukee Indpednent...

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What Milwaukee must remember when it promises to “never forget” September 11 after 25 years

What Milwaukee must remember when it promises to “never forget” September 11 after 25 years

Posted by | Sep 12, 2026

For 25 years, Americans have been told to “never forget” September 11, 2001. The instruction is everywhere on each anniversary. On flags, memorial programs, fire station signs, social media posts, public ceremonies, and quiet private rituals. It is offered as a vow, a tribute, and a warning. It asks the living to keep faith with the dead. But after a quarter century, “never forget” has become less an answer than a question. What is it, exactly, that Americans are being asked to remember? For those who lived through that Tuesday morning, the day itself is not difficult to recall....

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A decade of photos follows David Crowley from a Milwaukee presence to statewide political prominence

A decade of photos follows David Crowley from a Milwaukee presence to statewide political prominence

Posted by | Aug 28, 2026

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley entered the 2026 race for Wisconsin governor with the kind of statewide attention that follows a candidate seeking the state’s highest office. The news media and political groups have increased reason to examine his record, his decisions, and the path that brought him to the campaign. Milwaukee Independent observed that path in real time over those years, and visually documented it from almost the very beginning. Long before there were news stories about David Crowley, David Crowley appeared in stories about Milwaukee. While other media outlets focused on established politicians, Milwaukee Independent was documenting...

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Archdiocese of Milwaukee holds public moral witness at Cathedral Square Park for migrants and refugees

Archdiocese of Milwaukee holds public moral witness at Cathedral Square Park for migrants and refugees

Posted by | Jun 17, 2026

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee held a special public moral witness for migrants and refugees in Cathedral Square Park on June 15, calling Catholics and the wider community to see immigration through the Church’s teaching on human dignity, family unity, mercy, and justice. The gathering, titled “Sacred Journeys: Praying for Migrants and Refugees,” brought church leaders, Catholic sisters, parish representatives, and more than one hundred community members into one of Milwaukee’s most visible civic spaces for an evening of prayer, remembrance, Scripture, and public witness. Auxiliary Bishop James Schuerman took part in the service, using the parable of the Good...

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How artistic gatekeepers are ignoring the editorial reality of using AI visuals in local journalism

How artistic gatekeepers are ignoring the editorial reality of using AI visuals in local journalism

Posted by | Apr 10, 2026

In the middle of publishing a nine-part investigative series about the Catholic Church in Milwaukee and its role in shaping local immigration policy, the comments started coming in. Not about the research. Not about the reporting. Not about the politics. The criticism was aimed at the illustrations. The custom and cohesive visuals were produced using generative AI and digitally edited by a human artist. For our newsroom, they solved a problem we’ve run into for years: stock photo archives often don’t cover niche or complex topics well, and when they do, the available images are scattered across styles and...

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Milwaukee Independent marks 10th anniversary and 12,000 articles that shaped the public conversation

Milwaukee Independent marks 10th anniversary and 12,000 articles that shaped the public conversation

Posted by | Nov 19, 2025

Milwaukee Independent, Milwaukee’s leading independent news publication, proudly marks a decade of journalistic excellence, having published over 12,000 in-depth news features since its founding in 2015. This milestone underscores the publication’s long commitment to delivering impactful, community-centered reporting that informs, inspires, and empowers. As a nonprofit news outlet and a member of the Associated Press since 2021, Milwaukee Independent has firmly established itself as a trusted source for reporting on the city’s diverse communities. Its mission to elevate marginalized voices and foster understanding has made it a cornerstone of Milwaukee’s media landscape and a model for independent journalism. TRANSFORMATIVE...

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