"The way we see things is affected by what we know and what we believe. The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled." — John Berger, essayist.
I am a Milwaukee-based writer and photographer. For more than 40 years I have worked as a reporter, writer and editor, specializing in social issues, with articles published in daily newspapers, magazines and journals. In the last decade I have added photography. Different tools, same goal: to focus on something important to me and to try to communicate to others why.
My most recent book is Lessons from the Heartland: A Turbulent Half-Century of Public Education in an Iconic American City (New York: New Press, 2013.) Among its awards is the "Studs and Ida Terkel Prize," given annually by New Press to celebrate authors "who share Studs Terkel's commitment to exploring aspects of America that are underrepresented by mainstream media.
"53206MKE: A Dream Deferred," my feature article with photos on the 53206 Milwaukee ZIP code, was published in the February 2015 issue of Milwaukee Magazine. It was named best long-form feature in Wisconsin for 2015.
Many of my published articles are available on my blog.
AMONG MY PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS:
Standing Rock: A Beacon of Hope, A week camping in the winter cold led to a life-time of memories and lessons. Pictures and text about the months-long protests against the Dakota Access Pipe-Line, led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The media focused on clashes with police. The true lessons were grounded in the grass-roots community at the Oceti Sakowin encampment.
This is what democracy looks like, chronicling the protests in Madison in the spring of 2011 against Gov. Scott Walker's attack on collective bargaining rights.
Anatomy of an Avenue, chronicling the 16 miles of North Avenue in metropolitan Milwaukee as it connects more neighborhoods, communities, cities and counties than any other major thoroughfare in the region. It is a microcosm of Milwaukee — one of the country's most segregated cities.
