#MediaMonday – Juliette Rihl
The latest #MediaMonday feature comes to us from Juliette Rihl, a housing insecurity and homelessness reporter at The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Langhorne, Pa., near Philadelphia. My hometown’s claim to fame is Sesame Place, a Sesame Street theme park with a giant Rubber Duckie that sits atop a waterslide and punctuates the skyline.
How did you get your start in writing? Tell us your story!
Like many other journos, I started writing for my high school paper and was hooked. I almost didn’t pursue a career in journalism, but after graduating college I missed writing so much that I began freelancing on the side. A few years later I landed my first staff position at PublicSource, a nonprofit newsroom in Pittsburgh.
Tell us about your outlet and beat. What types of pitches are you looking for?
I cover housing insecurity and homelessness at The Arizona Republic. I’m always looking for stories that have a strong tie to those topics in the Valley, center people’s voices and add something new to the conversation.
What are your favorite stories you have worked on or are currently working on?
My favorite stories are usually those that interrogate longstanding systems and examine how they could be improved. I’m proud of this one, about how Arizona is losing thousands of low-income, government-subsidized housing units due to the mechanics of federal law, and this one, about how people from all over the country are vying for scarce affordable housing in Arizona.
What are some of your hobbies?
I spend a lot of time rock climbing (as you can see in the photo). It’s one of the things that first brought me to Arizona—there’s great climbing here! I also love reading and thrifting.
Favorite movie? TV show? Book?
Movie: Your Name by Makoto Shinkai
TV show: Like everyone else, I got completely hooked on The Last of Us. I’m also impatiently waiting for the next season of Alice in Borderland.
Book: There are too many to name, but recently I’ve loved Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha.
Do you have any favorite local spots?
So many! Great Wall Cuisine has become a go-to for dim sum. Cha Cha’s Tea Lounge and Copper Star Coffee are staples. And my coworkers recently introduced me to Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, which I will definitely be frequenting in the future.
I am still waiting for downtown Phoenix to get a truly excellent bubble tea spot, so if you know anywhere else in the Valley that has good boba, please share!
What is the best way to reach you?
You can always reach me at jrihl@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @JulietteRihl.
