Author: Lee Matz

Silent City Honey: The sweet story of utilizing Forest Home Cemetery’s Arboretum as an apiary

Silent City Honey: The sweet story of utilizing Forest Home Cemetery’s Arboretum as an apiary

Posted by | Jul 26, 2024

Among its many historical distinctions, Forest Home Cemetery has one of the oldest preserved forests within a metropolitan area that exists in Wisconsin. An unexpected byproduct of the silent city’s lush biodiversity is its ability to produce premium honey, with a little help from Chad Nelson and Barbie Brennan Nelson. Because of its century-old root system and diverse flora, the unique setting in the heart of Milwaukee has allowed bees to produce honey with an unparalleled array of flavors. “Forest Home Cemetery is a level two arboretum, with a wide variety of trees. Some of them are over 150...

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From COVID to College: Class of 2024 graduates Hmong American Peace Academy on school’s 20th Anniversary

From COVID to College: Class of 2024 graduates Hmong American Peace Academy on school’s 20th Anniversary

Posted by | Jun 10, 2024

The Milwaukee-based Hmong American Peace Academy (HAPA) celebrated a significant milestone on June 7 with the graduation of its class of 2024 on the school’s 20th anniversary. Founded by Chris Her-Xiong in 2004 as Wisconsin’s first Hmong charter school, HAPA opened its doors to a few dozen youth. More than half of those who enrolled had come as refugees to the United States in the last wave from Thailand. “We started with 200 scholars. Right now we’re serving nearly 1900 scholars, graduating nearly 700 seniors in the past 13 years,” said Her-Xiong, CEO of HAPA. “So we’re very excited...

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Essential Gear: The toolkit of a Milwaukee photojournalist on international assignments

Essential Gear: The toolkit of a Milwaukee photojournalist on international assignments

Posted by | May 4, 2024

Anyone who has taken a long-distance trip has an idea about what is required to pack for the rigorous necessities of travel. When photojournalists prepare for assignments overseas it is far more complicated, especially planning the logistics from a city like Milwaukee, which is not a major air hub. As a Milwaukee-based photojournalist, I face a unique set of challenges that dictate not just what gets packed, but also how I must operate in diverse environments. There are the usual complexities of navigating different countries, combined with the conditions of being a member of the press. Since the easing...

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Journey to Japan: A photojournalist’s diary from the ruins of Tōhoku 13 years later

Journey to Japan: A photojournalist’s diary from the ruins of Tōhoku 13 years later

Posted by | Apr 11, 2024

3.11 EXPLORING FUKUSHIMA: This feature is part of an original Milwaukee Independent editorial series that documented the 13th anniversary of the "Great East Japan Earthquake," tsunami, and nuclear accident, including the conditions of both the people and places that remain affected by the disaster across the Tōhoku region. mkeind.com/exploringfukushima As a nation with a long history of seismic activity, Japan has faced numerous challenges due to earthquakes. Two of the most significant modern events were the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and the 2024 Noto earthquake. And each tragedy had a direct impact on my life, both personally and professionally. In...

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Serbia’s Kragujevac sees new chapter of international cooperation with Milwaukee as a Sister City

Serbia’s Kragujevac sees new chapter of international cooperation with Milwaukee as a Sister City

Posted by | Jan 29, 2024

After celebrating its birthday and 178-year history on January 25, the City of Milwaukee began a new chapter of international friendship and cooperation on January 26 with Kragujevac, a city in the heart of Serbia’s Šumadija region. Separated by continents yet united by shared aspirations, both cities formalized their bond as Sister Cities at the agreement signing ceremony. Kragujevac became Milwaukee’s 7th Sister City after Abuja, Nigeria in December, and 2nd after Zadar, Croatia to have been part of the former Yugoslavia. The historic event was witnessed by a gathering of city officials, leaders from the local Serbian American...

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