Columns & Opinions
I’m passionate about using the power of print & digital storytelling to inform, inspire, and uplift communities.
Now freelancing for local Long Island newspapers, I spent the first three years of my career covering K-12 and higher education for The Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus, a daily newspaper serving the Quad-Cities metro and surrounding communities in Iowa and Illinois.
In addition to the Quad-City Times, my byline has been featured in The Des Moines Register, The Gazette, GovTech, Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa Public Radio, Investigate Midwest, The Lincoln-Journal Star, The Observer, The Pantagraph, Smithtown News, & more. 🗞️
Want to work with me? Reach out:
📧 [email protected]
📞 (563)-370-4770
💬 oallenwrites.04 on Signal
Columns & Opinions
Education & Policy Coverage
The hiring a deputy superintendent at Rock Island-Milan schools was major topic during Tuesday's public comment.
Features & Human Interest
Investigate Midwest
Native students say colleges and universities publicly acknowledging their land used to belong to Natives can bridge cultural gaps, but more support is needed to bridge higher education access and achievement gaps.
Four Iowa legislators and two conservation advocates want funding for the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, which has stayed empty since approved by voters in 2010. They spoke with [Investigate Midwest) as the state of Iowa ended the fiscal year 2021 with a surplus of $1.24 billion—the largest budget surplus in state history.
As tourists flock to Iowa's state parks in record numbers, the park system struggles to sustain adequate funding from the state, despite being a major contributor to its economy and an escape for Iowans amidst a global pandemic, an investigation by [Investigate Midwest] has found. Iowa's park system is one of state government's most popular program, with visitations skyrocketing to a record 16.6 million last year.
Profiles
A Bettendorf High School winter pep assembly spurred local controversy after adults online alleged it was a “gay promotion” that exposed students to “offensive” behavior, with one such post captioned “Drag queens, queers…” The person photographed in the post? Not a drag queen, but 16-year-old student Myles Malloy.
Love Girls Magazine
RIVETED Youth Grantee Profiles: Part of a contracted data-to-content partnership between Her Voice Media & RIVET
Hear me on the radio
Featured guest on the “Midwest Week” segment hosted by Herb Trix.
Featured guest on the “Midwest Week” segment hosted by Herb Trix.