Missing in plain sight: A closer look at the people we overlook and misunderstand in our culture and the surprising common traits we all share
Join us for the launch of the University of Pittsburgh's All Angles series, an immersive experience that features expert speakers with perspectives across today’s political spectrum. The series will provide students with fresh insight into today’s critical societal issues and help them develop a deeper understanding of contemporary public policy subject matter.
Salena Zito, national political reporter and Manu Meel, CEO Bridge USA, will be the featured speakers for this inaugural event.
Salena Zito joined Washington Examiner in 2016 as a Pittsburgh national political reporter covering national politics and culture, she is also a weekly columnist at the New York Post as well as the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, contributes to the Wall Street Journal and co-authored The Great Revolt; Inside the populous coalition reshaping American politics, with Brad Todd.
Her columns are syndicated in newspapers across the country. In 2018 she won first place for her columns in the Associated Press for her coverage of American politics, as well as winning the Barbara Olsen Award for Excellence and Independence in Journalism. She has won the Clarion Award for her coverage of America ln politics an unprecedented three times.
Salena has taught journalism at the Harvard Institute of Politics, Washington and Lee University and was a Journalism Fellow at Hillsdale College.
She has interviewed every president, vice-president as well as those who sought their party’s nomination on both sides of the aisle in the 21st Century.
Manu Meel is passionate about empowering young people to bridge divides. He believes that the biggest threat to American democracy is negative polarization and growing misunderstanding between Americans. As CEO of BridgeUSA, Manu is currently leading the largest and fastest growing student movement to bridge our differences and change how we talk politics.
Manu contributes to several news outlets, works on pro-democracy efforts nationally, and advises political leaders on reducing polarization. In the past, Manu interned as an associate at the venture capital firm Amplo and at the Department of State as a political analyst in counterterrorism. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and other media platforms.
In 2022, Manu was recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for leading BridgeUSA.