Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Jenna Thomas
How to Survive Finals with Anxiety
Finals week. Honestly, it makes my heart race, my brain completely shut down, and my whole life feel like a never-ending rollercoaster of panic. If you’re like me and anxiety hits hard during this time, you know it’s not just stress, it’s full-on freak-out mode. But over the years, through college, I’ve figured out a few ways to get through it without totally losing my mind…. Here’s the thing: anxiety is going to happen.
just starting out
my very first assignment in my coding bootcamp is writing a blog post in developer community. i've no idea what to say, but i'm so excited at the thought of starting a new chapter. happy coding everyone. :)
At panel in Cleveland, experts argue public financing of sports stadiums do not yield economic benefits – The Land
On a Thursday afternoon in June, downtown Superior Avenue looked markedly different. It had been transformed into Metropolis: a fake city where fictional heroes fight fictional villains. Meanwhile, inside the Cleveland Public Library, dozens gathered to hear about a real and relevant civic issue. One with muddier morals and no real hero to root for: providing public funds to sports stadiums.
Op-Ed: Cleveland administrators, partners grapple with lead-contaminated soil – The Land
Across the city, toxic metal left behind in vacant lots continues to be a health hazard while program alignment and coordination hinder mitigation efforts. About a quarter of kindergartners enrolling in Cleveland Metropolitan School District have had elevated levels of lead in their blood at some point before their sixth birthday, according to research by Case Western Reserve University. Young kids are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning.
CLEVLOT website and tool aims to streamline the process of repurposing Cleveland’s vacant land – The Land
It’s not often that educational panel discussions are standing room only, but that was the case last month when experts weighed in on the future of the Cleveland Land Bank at a forum at Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Public Affairs and Education. Why so much interest in vacant land? Well, for one thing, there’s a lot of it. In fact, according to presenters at the forum, the city’s vacant lots could cover three airports, with a combined 30,000 lots spanning 6,000 acres.
Jenna Thomas, Author at The Land
The Cleveland Vacant Land Opportunity Tool, or CLEVLOT, is a website and tool that aims to make buying and repurposing some of the city’s abundant vacant land faster and easier. Community forums, informative pop-up clinics, and a revised pricing system are also part of the initiative.
Board of Zoning Appeals
Housing Development Remote The Board of Zoning Appeals is a 5-member body responsible for hearing appeals from individuals who are requesting exceptions or variations for city ordinances in regard to land use and building requirements or from individuals who are questioning the appropriateness of orders made by city officials.
Cleveland Board of Control
Remote The Cleveland Board of Control consists of members of the mayor’s cabinet and leaders of city departments. City Council passes some legislation – particularly legislation that authorizes the city to enter contracts for various purposes – that leaves vendor selection and compensation to be set by the Board of Control. The board makes those decisions in this meeting, and it also holds votes on the sale and purchase of land parcels.
Cleveland Board of Control
Remote The Cleveland Board of Control consists of members of the mayor’s cabinet and leaders of city departments. City Council passes some legislation – particularly legislation that authorizes the city to enter contracts for various purposes – that leaves vendor selection and compensation to be set by the Board of Control. The board makes those decisions in this meeting, and it also holds votes on the sale and purchase of land parcels.
City Planning Commission
Remote The City Planning Commission, established in 1915, is a body of seven members; six are appointed by the mayor and one is a member of City Council. The commission is supported by a staff of professional planners and architects.
Reconcile - Short Film
A Catholic priest has his faith and livelihood tested when a member of the community confesses in secrecy to murdering a child who’s gone missing.
Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee: Community Development Block Grant Hearings, Day 2, Afternoon Session
Remote NOTE: This assignment is for the afternoon session of day 2 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) budget hearings. This assignment is scheduled from the end Council’s lunch break until approximately 5pm. Lunch break is expected at noon, but it may come earlier or later. The Cleveland Documenters team will be monitoring the hearing, and will let you know when the lunch break is expected to end.
Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Remote Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Cleveland in Ohio. In this meeting, residents may address council with public comments, and council typically introduces legislation and votes on legislation. Council does not typically discuss legislation in detail at this meeting; that happens in council’s committee meetings. There are 17 elected Cleveland City Council members representing the 17 wards of the City of Cleveland.
City Council | Documenters.org
Remote Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Cleveland in Ohio. In this meeting, residents may address council with public comments, and council typically introduces legislation and votes on legislation. Council does not typically discuss legislation in detail at this meeting; that happens in council’s committee meetings. There are 17 elected Cleveland City Council members representing the 17 wards of the City of Cleveland.
Compliance Games: 10 Activities to Generate Meaningful Employee Engagement
The idea of gamifying your compliance training isn’t new – but it’s stuck around because it works. Not only is an interactive, gamified training more fun than traditional compliance activities like training videos or policy attestations, it also engages employees more deeply with your compliance principles, activating their memory centers so they will retain the information for longer.
The One Question That Changed How I Travel
In a child’s room, I stared at one of those primary-colored toy workbenches. Its pegboard was painted with outlines of where the plastic tools go, to show what’s missing and where it should be. I thought, When you’re in a crisis, you can find a metaphor anywhere. I had been filling in the outlines of my life for years, when, with one decision, I wiped the board clean.
The city of Cleveland is pressing city council to pass its ARPA budget quickly. Why the rush? — The Land
If you think your family faces a mad scramble to get everything you want done before the holidays, imagine if you were trying to pass a $121 federal relief spending plan in the middle of a mayoral transition. That’s the challenge faced by Mayor Jackon’s administration as they try to pass their spending plans for the first half of the city’s $511 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
Third Party Risk Management: From Design to Implementation to Continuous Improvement
The management of third parties is still rated as your highest compliance risk. In this webinar, join Asha Palmer, CECO at Convercent by One Trust, Stephen Martin, Partner at StoneTurn and Tom Fox, the Compliance Evangelist to learn the soups to nuts of Third-Party Risk Management. You will find out how a technological solution can lead to continuous monitoring and continuous improvement of your Third-Party Risk Management solution.
Anna Perks and her mission to reinvent the construction industry
March 7-14 is Women in Construction Week, which aims to highlight women as a viable component of the construction industry. Anna Perks couldn’t escape the deafening sound of a bulldozer as she walked down Tennyson Street two years ago. A look of horror filled her face, and anger boiled over as a historic home was ripped to shreds and diminished to a pile of bent beams, pipes and broken appliances within a matter of minutes.
Pregnant during a pandemic: How will COVID-19 impact future generations?
Editor’s note: Some names have been changed at the request of those sharing their story. As Dr. Sally Lin looks into the eyes of her baby girl, she thinks back to the day she learned she was pregnant. Lin vividly remembers television screens across the hospital lighting up with late-breaking news as the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
Coloradans find love, healing and acceptance inside Lakewood tattoo shop
Editor’s note: This story comes with a content warning, as it includes a story about sexual assault. Within the walls of Sandra Lin’s Lakewood tattoo shop, Disruptive Ink, clients are enveloped in the freedom to self-express, the freedom to feel secure in their own skin, and most of all, the freedom to heal from the outside in. Last year was marked by traumatic pain for many Americans.
The women of Lady Justice Brewery are crafting a future for women and giving back to the community
Take a stroll along East Colfax Avenue near Elmira Street, and it’s hard to miss the gaze of Ruth Bader Ginsburg inside Lady Justice Brewing Company. The craft brewery has become a neighborhood bar known for breaking barriers and giving back. Betsy Lay, Kate Power and Jen Cuesta lead the head-turning harmony of the craft brewery’s new home. “A woman-owned brewery is unique, and a woman head-brewer is also unique,” Lay said. “We’re also queer-founded and Latina-founded.
'It's been completely awful': The COVID-19 pandemic's profound effects on the foster care system
Editor’s note: Some sources in this story are referred to by initials or pseudonyms to protect their identities. Wrapped up in a gray fleece blanket with her back against the bottom bunk bed, 14-year-old T tucked her hair behind her ear, looked away from the computer camera, and worked hard to hold back tears as she carefully and quietly shared what life is like in foster care during a global pandemic. “Starting at a new school, remote learning, I know no one. It’s been completely awful,” T said.
Colorado doctors, feeling alone and anxious, look to strangers for support in the fight against COVID-19
As we pause to reflect on the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., we are reminded of a question he often posed in his speeches: “What are you doing for others?” Dr. Sneha Shah has dedicated her life to others, a commitment especially exhibited this past year. Shah, an immigrant from India, says she always found comfort in math and science.
Volunteers offer a brighter future as Colorado experiences dual crises
The twinkle of the lights will burn out, the décor will come down and the snow will melt away. But, for many Coloradans, the feelings of anxiety, despair and depression making up the holiday blues will linger long after the new year. Before COVID-19 upended lives, Colorado was already in a state of crisis according to a new report by Mental Health America.
The first-ever African immigrant elected to state legislature prepares to serve Colorado
Representative-elect Naquetta Ricks has kept a diary for decades. Now, she’s about to write history in the Centennial State. Following an Election Day win to represent Colorado’s House District 40, Ricks stands tall, bursting with pride as the first African immigrant elected to the Colorado state legislature. “This is now my office, it’s amazing. It brings tears to my eyes,” Ricks said.
Colorado elected a record number of women to the state House, among them the first Muslim-American woman
When lawmakers step foot inside the Colorado House of Representatives at the start of the next legislative session, they will figuratively notice shards of glass lying across the floor. Sharp gains made by women on Election Day have left new shiny bits of glass behind them, as they are poised to take their seats in Colorado’s General Assembly come January.
Colorado Mom says the Affordable Care Act saved her life, now coverage could be stripped from millions
In March of 2016, Jessie Bauer’s life was threatened in a way she never saw coming. Cancer took hold of her. Every day since, she’s been thankful for a piece of legislation that passed a decade ago, known as the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare. At the time, the mother of a baby girl and five-year-old boy with autism spent her days and nights preparing meals, teaching the ABCs and rocking her kids to sleep, while her husband clocked in hours outside of the home.
Who are the women who are voting across party lines?
The roar of the presidential campaign rallies has quieted, billions of dollars have been spent and the majority of Colorado voters have made up their minds as Election Day 2020 commences. In Colorado, mail-in voting—a practice adopted statewide in 2013—kicked off last month. Since Oct. 9, more than 2.8 million ballots have been returned to county clerks for today’s General Election.
Pro-choice groups call Justice Barrett's appointment a 'threat' to reproductive rights
Earlier this month, thousands of protestors at the Women’s March in Washington D.C. wore masks and t-shirts emblazoned with a famous quote from the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Fight for the things you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” They marched to show their aversion over the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The future is now for first-time voters
The time to mail in your ballots in Colorado has now passed. But never fear! You can still register in-person until Nov. 3. The locations of polling places for registration and voting and drop-off boxes can be found here. With Election Day quickly approaching, first-time voters are on a mission to make a difference as they confront record unemployment, growing student debt, and healthcare uncertainty.
Voter guide 2020: RTD District A candidates
Denver is on track to grow explosively over the next decade, with its estimated population reaching nearly 4 million, according to the Denver Economic Development Corporation. Bottom line: Denver is a pretty cool place to live, work and play. But with an influx of residents, how do you address traffic concerns, air quality issues and safety problems?
Women are a decisive political force that could make the call on the Presidential election
Activism has been a part of the American story since its founding. The word alone invokes images of handmade signs, boisterous crowds and grand marches led by big names reflected in history books and living memorials. Since 2011, a four-acre site in Washington, D.C. has housed a monument of Martin Luther King Jr. to honor a life lost fighting for civil rights. This year, New York City’s Central Park unveiled its first-ever 14-foot-tall statue featuring women’s rights pioneers Susan B.
COVID-19 halted fertility treatments for hundreds, one of many devastating pandemic side effects
Thirty years have passed since Dr. Seuss penned the ever-so-popular book Oh, The Places You’ll Go! The inspirational tale filled with rollicking rhymes and hard truths about life’s ups and downs has found its way into the hearts and homes of millions worldwide, especially during this turbulent year.
Colorado women reflect on state’s history of electing men for higher office
The year was 1876, the birth of Colorado’s statehood. The rush for gold was in full swing, the creation of railroads was running hot, and life by candlelight was the norm. John Long Routt served as Governor. Henry Teller and Jerome Chaffee represented the Centennial State as U.S. Senators. All were white males. Most things have significantly changed since the 1800s. Smartphones are a long way from what Alexander Graham Bell probably had in mind.
Emanuella Groves Brings Empathy and Creativity to Our Courts
Early voting is nearly underway, and there are races down the ballot that can impact your day-to-day life. Judicial races receive notoriously less press than any of the local statehouse races, let alone the federal elections. Yet the judges sitting on Court of Common Pleas and Court of Appeals benches have authority over our rights and liberties. In hopes of highlighting judicial candidates, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Emanuella Groves, who is running for 8th District Court of Appeals.
A Conversation with William Vodrey, Candidate for Court of Common Pleas
There are a number of contested judicial races in Cuyahoga County this election year. At the same time, there is nationally more awareness of criminal justice issues, from city policing to the higher courts. Judges have a huge amount of power and influence in policies that are enforced and argued in our day-to-day lives. And yet, so many of us do not pay attention to our local judicial races. Some of us may likely not vote in these races at all.
Joan Sweeny Is the Bold Courageous Leader House District 7 Needs
This week, I had the pleasure and privilege to sit down with Joan Sweeny, candidate for state representative in House District 7. If you are in Berea, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township Strongsville or North Royalton, I implore you to read this and continue to get to know Joanie. She is a brilliant leader and has the chance to turn this seat. I’m so excited to share our conversation on her community, the young vote, police brutality and more. Jenna: Tell us a little about yourself.
To the White People Showing Up: A Guide to Action & Allyship
Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Avery Martens, a leader with Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) — a nationwide group that moves white people to confront and dismantle white supremacy and fight for racial justice. I wanted to ask them to share some thoughts on the current movement, the theories we have on how to fix things, the ways white people can get involved. White people’s presence and work in the fight for Black lives is crucial, but can also be harmful in multiracial spaces.
“The Youth Vote” Podcast Shares Stories of Young Political People
Though businesses are starting to reopen, many of us are choosing to remain home and limit our exposure to Covid-19. We are picking up new hobbies, reading books and listening to podcasts. As a young person who loves local politics, I was thrilled to learn about a podcast called The Youth Vote, started by a young Ohion named Isaac Mitchell.
Let Them Go! Virtual Show Will Bail Out Incarcerated Ohioans
Ohio prisons and jails are the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. In Marion County, nearly 80% of the prison’s population has tested positive for Covid-19. What’s more — lockdowns, lack of personal protective equipment, and decreased food services have made life inside the prison even more dangerous and inhumane. In fact, the men of Marion County Correctional Facility have organized a food strike to bring attention to the worsening treatment of the incarcerated community there.
CALL TO ACTION: Young Voters Can Decide This Election
The men and women who sit behind the judge’s bench, who sit in the county and city administrative buildings, who sit at the Statehouse and in Congress and in the White House all seem to count on one thing — young people not voting. And yet here we are, 20-somethings with mounds of student debt and medical debt. We have lost friends or neighbors to the school-to-prison pipeline.
Afghan Women Bicycling for Social Change
Bike Cleveland is celebrating International Women’s Day with a showing of Afghan Cycles — a documentary about a generation of Afghan women who are pedaling their own revolution, aggressively challenging gender and cultural barriers using the bicycle as a vehicle for freedom, empowerment and social change. Watch Afghan Cycles on Sat 3/8 @ 1:30pm at the Capitol Theatre. Tickets are $12 and $10 for Bike Cleveland members.
Kent Rainbow Weekend Brings Comedy, Music, Arts & More
Main Street Kent is bringing a colorful weekend to downtown Kent — two days packed with music performances, art exhibitions and workshops, educational discussions and trainings all in support of the LGBTQ+ Center. Kent Rainbow Weekend will take place on March 6 and 7 throughout the city, with dozens of businesses and nonprofits taking part in the inclusive celebration. Headlining the event will be Comedian Judy Gold, with a live performance at the Kent Stage.
CIFF’s Patrick Shepherd Speaks at Cleveland Stories Program
Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties presented by the Music Box and the Cleveland History Center is a weekly series that combines great food and great stories of Cleveland’s past. On Wed 3/11, the dinner party invites Patrick Shepherd of the Cleveland International Film Festival to share stories of his experience as associate director.
Annual Kids’ Comic Con Spurs Creativity
Artwork by Angela Oster, one of the teaching artists at this year’s Kids’ Comic Con Lake Erie Ink’s Kids’ Comic Con is back for its eighth year of workshops and panel discussions with experienced comic book writers, inspiring and teaching youth the art of comic books — both writing and drawing. On Sat 2/28, step into a one-of-a-kind convention with fellow young artists and writers. Last year, the event drew nearly 150 kids and teens from across Northeast Ohio.
Hudson Library Hosts a Discussion of Whistleblowers and Honesty in America
On Mon 3/2 @ 7pm at the Hudson Library & Historical Society Allison Stanger, Professor of International Politics and Economics at Middlebury College, will discuss her book Whistleblowers: Honesty in America from Washington to Trump. In the book, Stanger offers a compelling history of whistleblowing in America, bringing to light how whistleblowing has held powerful elites accountable in America and the importance of it to American democracy.
Green Yards and Healthy Homes
A free workshop in collaboration between the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District will teach how to make your yards greener and your homes healthier. Not only does your yard have an enormous impact on the natural world around us, but it can also be a determinant in yours and your family’s personal health. Learn how to replace the chemicals you use in your yard with inexpensive, all-natural and effective ingredients that will create a healthier habitat for all.
Have Dinner With a Slice of History at International Women’s Air and Space Museum
The International Women’s Air and Space Museum is celebrating Black History Month with “Dinner with a Slice of History” featuring a special presentation by Dr. Sheila L.
Shortform at Maelstrom Brings Wild Visions of the Next 100 Years
Shortform with Maelstrom Collaborative Arts is back — getting to the point with tapas-style celebration of the arts, highlighting multiple disciplines and backgrounds. The weekend showcases nine local artists in their funny, absurd, experimental, and, above all, short forms — each act occurs in less than five minutes.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Jenna
Contact Jenna, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack