Minerva Musings

During the summer of 2020, I hit a burnout-related wall—and I have a feeling I’m not the only one. Time was elusive; my schedule felt out of my control. I was afraid that if I took a vacation—the standard cure for burnout—it would pass by without benefit, especially because I couldn’t safely travel. I decided…

When I graduated from the University of Washington one year ago, I had no idea where I was headed. I had earned a meaningful, well-rounded education having studied anthropology, international studies, and English. I didn’t doubt the value of my knowledge; I just didn’t know where it would lead me. Compared to my peers in…

Minerva Strategies is in its tenth year of collaborating with social good organizations to bring their stories to life. But the initial impetus for Minerva was much more straightforward: “I just wanted to do good work with good people,” said Minerva’s Founding Partner and President Joy Portella.   Good work, in her mind, meant strategizing and…

One thing we can likely agree on about the last few years is they haven’t been predictable. Many people experienced job loss, burnout, or a transition to work-from-home that blurred the lines between work and home. A global pandemic overwhelmed our medical system, heightened feelings of fear and isolation, and changed our ways of being.…

As I mentioned last year, I’m hesitant to declare New Year’s resolutions. One reason is because setting goals during so much uncertainty feels like throwing darts at an unknown target. That being said, I appreciate a good anti-resolution, especially if it aligns with changing processes that will benefit everyone.     Through Minerva’s ongoing equity journey,…

This past May, I sat in my apartment and watched my name and degree flash briefly on the screen of my college’s virtual graduation ceremony. So, that was it. I was officially a college graduate heading out into the world during a pandemic. Part of me was filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and doubt. Another part of…

I recently had the opportunity to submit a new business proposal to a potential client. I was excited that the organization was based in my Hampton Roads, VA, community and having an impact in multiple countries across the globe. As a senior associate with Minerva Strategies, I’ve made it a personal goal to bring on a new client for the organization. Instead, I learned that an old entrepreneurial phrase rings true: everyone…

As an intern at Minerva Strategies, writing is a significant part of my work. Between crafting emails, drafting documents, and posting to social media, navigating the written word is something I know I’ll do every day— and I love it! Writing is not exclusively a tool for professional settings, however. There are many other ways…

By Kayla McMenamin—   What does it mean to be a leader? And not just a leader by title only, but a truly effective leader. This is something I’ve thought a lot about throughout the past decade, both in my own personal experiences with leadership or being led, and in watching the events of our national leadership…

By Sara Veltkamp, Minerva Vice President —   As communicators who work with funders, nonprofit organizations, and coalitions consisting of both, the team at Minerva is in a good position to spot words and phrases that are losing meaning and specificity or can advance harmful narratives that make our work more challenging.     I was excited to include “Now more than ever” and “pivot” to this list of words and phrases I’m so tired…