The importance of place
Chimamanda Adichie tells true, personal stories By Marlena Chertock She tries to tell the Nigerian story, her Nigerian story, through fearless honesty. […]
Author: Marlena Chertock
Marlena is a digital storyteller and poetry editor at District Lit. Her first poetry book, On that one-way trip to Mars, is available from Bottlecap Press.
Visible Brush Strokes: Impasto Painting
By Marlena Chertock “I feel like I hit a wall,” says junior Hannah Methvin in room 3312 of the Art/Sociology building at […]
Interactive maps & timelines: worth a thousand words
This is it. You’re reading the final post for my Online Journalism course. I may continue to update this blog every so […]
Mapping opinions and votes
It’s that time of year again. Leaves of various colors, sweater weather and … politics! Every major news organization has to have […]
Food Recovery Network Multimedia Project
History of the Food Recovery Network View a timeline of FRN’s history here. Food banks around College Park These are food banks around the University […]
Gazette.net proves ‘less is more’
One local newspaper follows the motto “less is more” on its website. This motto can create strong, attractive website design. Eliminating the clutter The Gazette […]
Personalizing data
Normally numbers don’t do anything for me. Numbers don’t explain clearly — they confuse, and distort and complicate. That’s why I like […]
Blueprints behind media websites
The blueprint of a website — not the code, HTML or CSS — is its design. News organization websites face a problem […]
Editor-in-Chief of The Writers’ Bloc
Editor-in-Chief of The Writers’ Bloc I’m currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Jimenez-Porter Writers’ House newsletter, The Writers’ Bloc, where I oversee content, reporting and editing […]
The media is having a social, you’re all invited
News organizations use social media Follow us! Share this! Chat with us! Join the conversation! These are common invitations and pleas from […]
Burglaries, robberies & theft, oh my!
Crime covered by local news Most impressive multimedia Screen shot of infographic The Los Angeles Times website has an excellent page on its website […]
Local news goes online
In 2012, I started up a blog called The DMV Report, which focused on news from the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas. […]
Sandwich serving and salvaging furniture: Two Olney sisters’ restaurant
By Marlena Chertock March, 2012 Some people do everything to avoid their siblings. But two Olney sisters who opened a restaurant and […]
Local elementary school program motivates fourth, fifth grade girls to stay active
By Marlena Chertock April, 2012 Pink pieces of paper with encouraging words lined the bus parking lot outside Lucy V. Barnsley Elementary […]
Changing careers for the love of poetry
Once a civil engineer, Zein El-Amine made a career switch 5 years ago By Marlena Chertock First published in The Writers’ Bloc. […]
Writers’ House preparing for 10-year anniversary
By Marlena Chertock, Online Editor of The Writers’ Bloc You may have seen it posted in Dorchester hallways. Or on the door to […]
Retaining Your Voice: Gowri Koneswaran Performs at Semester’s Final TerPoets
By Marlena Chertock First published in The Writers’ Bloc. “This next poem has an attitude problem. I have trouble reeling her in,” […]
Reclaiming D.C.’s history: new online resource lists famous local writers
By Marlena Chertock First published in The Writers’ Bloc. This is the first part in a series on the D.C. Writers’ Homes […]
‘Come up here, the stage is yours, share your story’
By Marlena Chertock First published in The Writers’ Bloc. It was his fourth time hosting the open mic night at the Busboys and […]
Undergrad hip hop enthusiasts find a home with Undergrounduates
By Marlena Chertock Published first in The Writers’ Bloc. The first time sophomore Ari Goldfarb showed up to an Undergrounduates meeting, he was too […]