By: Elise McGlothian— What does it mean when the President says, “Go Home. We love you. You’re very special” to the rioters trying to tear down the U.S. government? This was the question I posed on my personal Facebook page, alongside anxiety, as a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol Building. Earlier that day,…
The Goddess Speaks
Elise McGlothian By Sara Veltkamp— Another January has arrived, and it’s a special one. The consensus seems to be that putting the dumpster fire of 2020 behind us is a wonderful thing, though the jarring riots and takeover of the Capitol building last week suggests that we can’t expect turning a page on the calendar will solve our problems. The shapeless, melted mass filled with smoldering…
Sara Veltkamp By Rachel Yang— We are so thankful for Rachel’s persistence and sharp reporter instincts that she brought to the Minerva team this fall. We aren’t sure how she managed to be a new mom, University of Oregon grad student, and Minerva intern, but we are glad she did. If you want to learn more…
Minerva Strategies Want to get our newsletters delivered to your inbox? Subscribe now! *|MC_PREVIEW_ Dear Minerva Fan Club, 2020 has been the year of the unexpected. Each day, I’ve been surprised or even outright shocked by something. The sources of my daily surprise range from the mundane to the highly consequential: how blue the sky is…
By Sara Veltkamp— We cannot fight a war against COVID-19. It’s a virus and the unfortunate people—or maybe we should call them Trojan Horses?—who have the virus are not our enemies. Similarly, we cannot go to battle with drugs, crime, cancer, or Christmas. None of these social challenges (excluding Christmas) have a cohesive strategy for domination, leadership, or even sentience. In other words, we have no enemies to attack. So why, when we’re attempting to change behaviors,…
By Malia Mackey— The Minerva team is thrilled to introduce our newest full-time member of the team—Elise McGlothian! Hailing from Virginia Beach, VA, she brings her television news expertise and a passion for community service. We (of course virtually) sat down with her to learn more about what led her to communications, why she’s…
By Joy Portella— I’m a liberal convert. I grew up in a Republican family adoring Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul (almost interchangeably) and digging on a romanticized version of American freedom and optimism. My relatives are mostly Republicans, and while we disagree on politics, they’re my people and I love them. My…
Joy Portella For the last decade, I’ve had a foot in two very different camps: scientific research and strategic communications. While my career got its start in the latter, the allure of health research and the potential to use evidence to improve systems pushed me to return to school for a Master of Public Health (MPH). While…
Kayla McMenamin Cheryl Aguilar is the founder and lead therapist of Hope Center for Wellness, a multicultural and bilingual mental health practice focused on holistic healing of individuals and communities. She works with youth, young adults, adults, and families, and she specializes in working with immigrants and refugees. Before embarking in social work, Cheryl worked in journalism,…
By Malia Mackey— A few weeks into her fall internship with Minerva, we sat down with Rachel Yang. Rachel is from the Pacific Northwest, and she’s doing a virtual internship with us from Portland, Oregon after working as a journalist in Hong Kong for several years. We are excited for you to meet her!…