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Emily McCluhan

Freelance Writer

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Check out my most recently published work...

An Oyster Primer

Oysters used to disgust and terrify me. Why would anyone eat such a weirdly booger-y food? Once I got to know them and their unique backgrounds, there was no turning back though. And discovering the right beverage pairing puts the already celebratory experience over the edge. For this story, I loved learning even more about these sea bugs from a few local purveyors and hope that others who are oyster-averse can discover a love for them as well.

Mai Zong Vue's Journey from Refugee to Advocate

Mai Zong Vue's journey to becoming the voice for refugees around the world started in a refugee camp in Thailand. It lit a fire inside of her for advocacy once she and her family landed in Wisconsin, and pushed her to build programs that helped educate and acclimate people like her, while still holding on to their culture and heritage. After decades advocating and helping to create policy at the international level, she's re-focused her efforts on the local Hmong community and is giving herself a chance to reflect on the impact she has had.

Secrets of Success: Margarita Avila

When Margarita Avila moved from Mexico to Madison as a teenager, she immediately had to learn how to navigate: a new language, new education system, health system, finances. She also knew that finding mentors and others to help her navigate were the key paving a path to college and beyond. Now as the director of workforce development at Madison's Latino Academy for Workforce Development, she uses what she learned as a teenager to help other immigrants make connections, work with mentors, and find success.

Secrets of Success: Jeannie Cullen Schultz

As a college basketball player, Jeannie Cullen Schultz never saw herself in construction management. But after chatting with other female leaders in the industry she began to see opportunities to make a difference at her own family's business, JP Cullen. As one of the few twenty-somethings, and often the only woman at a build project site, she learned the value of making her voice heard, building connections, and constantly learning. Now she's a mother of five, co-president at JP Cullen, and dedicated to getting more women at the table and in the field.

Featured

From mental health and long-form features to my recent dabbling in blogging to silly stories about pig races in Montana, my writing career has fueled my curiosity and passion for learning. 

Check out a sampling of my portfolio below or my full Magazine Portfolio

Wellness for All Women

Writing the "Wellness for All Women" piece for BRAVA Magazine's July/August issue reinforced how sheltered I am from the impact of systemic racism. I knew Wisconsin had the highest preterm birth rate in the country for Black women. I'm aware that Black, Latinx, and Native American communities have greater health risks due to social disparities. But hearing firsthand stories of discrimination and microaggressions—and the research that backs them up—opened my eyes.

Top image: 
Stumbling on the raw and magnificent beauty of this Earth keeps my fire lit for traveling.
I snapped this picture of Cliffs of Kerry from Skelligs Viewpoint—County Kerry, Ireland, in June 2018.

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