Taking the leap from a steady job as a staff writer into the uncertain world of freelancing is terrifying, sweat-inducing, exhilarating and in many ways, oddly freeing. Freeing in a way that goes beyond the flexibility, which allows me to continue teaching even as I keep writing. The freedom I’m referring to comes in the …
There is something very moving about religious art. It goes far beyond aesthetic appeal or brushwork technique, and appeals directly to the soul. So writing about an exhibit of Ukrainian icons for this Houston Chronicle piece was both challenging and fascinating for me. Ukrainian Christianity through the ages By MONICA RHOR FOR THE CHRONICLE In …
Marlen Esparza was tired when she arrived at Rudy Silva’s Elite Boxing Gym for her regular workout. I could see that right away. Weeks of training full-speed for a national bout, constant media attention, and travel had interrupted her normal routine and dampened her usual energy. But, as soon as she got into the ring for a few rounds of …
I often walk away from interviews amazed by the strength and resiliency of so-called ordinary people. I’ve talked to people who have experienced the most horrific of traumas, yet somehow emerge whole, optimistic and generous. It never ceases to astound and inspire me. In this Father’s Day story I did for the Houston Chronicle, I …
I didn’t expect to find a Grammy nominee inside a north Houston storefront church. But that’s where I met Kim Burrell, a gospel singer who has recorded with R. Kelly and Missy Elliot and been named by Harry Connick Jr. and Whitney Houston as one of the great voices of music. For the last nine …
My dog, a soulful-eyed beagle mix named Machado, is my baby, my source of comfort, my daily dose of laughter. I never really knew what unconditional love was until he came into my life — the best Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten. So, when I stumbled across a billboard seeking the whereabouts of a lost …
One of the great joys of journalism is getting to see the familiar through new eyes. In this freelance piece I did for the Houston Chronicle, I talked to some high school students working on a mural project that combined an exploration of sacred spaces with a creative depiction of faith and religion. They each discovered something new …
The Silk Road, the trade route that once linked Asia to the Mediterranean, is the theme of this year’s Houston International Festival. Here’s a freelance piece I did for the Houston Chronicle about “Religions of the Silk Road,” a morality play that celebrates the faiths found along the road. Silk Road performance celebrates corridor of …
This was a fun travel story I did for the Associated Press, about a website that helps travelers find hotels that are really on the beach. New website showcases beachfront hotels By MONICA RHOR, Associated Press It’s every beach-lover’s vacation fantasy: waking up to stretches of silky white sand and an azure ocean just outside …
In a piece I did for the February issue of Latina Magazine, professional Latinas discuss how their lives have been affected by the Hollywood portrayal of Latinas as oversexed, underdressed temptresses. Their response: disprove the trope by proving themselves capable, successful, and accomplished.
Here’s my latest freelance story for AP, a piece about online pet obituaries. As a dog owner, I could relate to the deep love owners feel for pets. Also, look for the February issue of Latina magazine for an article I did about the effect Hollywood stereotyping has on the lives of Latinas building professional …
Friend, Will You Marry Us? Online Ordinations Rise By MONICA RHOR For The Associated Press Jessica Alexander’s wedding was everything she had envisioned: a private gathering by her summer house on an Iowa lake. There was a pink and purple color scheme, a butterfly motif, and a dessert bar rather than a full meal. And, …
Here are some excerpts from a piece I did for the November issue of Latina Magazine about Latinas in the Republican Party: Although the majority of Latinos in the United States most often vote for Democrats, those who identify with the Republican Party are a passionate group—and they’re intent on spreading the word. Phallyn Espinoza …
Here’s a cool story I did for the Associated Press about urban gardening in Houston. Urban Gardening Experiment Blossoms in Houston By MONICA RHOR For The Associated Press HOUSTON _ A funny thing happened after Keiji Asakura suggested the creation of a vegetable garden in the middle of the concrete corridor and skyscraper canyon that …
This is a freelance piece I wrote for the Associated Press about a special prom staged by Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. I love this kind of reporting, slipping into someone’s else world and simply serving as an observer to a moment they will never forget. Prom in the Hospital: For One Night, Just Kids …