White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

VOLTA INSIDER: RNC Day One With Jon Ward

By

Screen Shot 2016-07-18 at 5.07.51 PM

Volta Insider podcast host Rachel Greenberg is at the Republican National Convention this week covering the goings on during the hotly anticipated event, where Donald Trump will assume the mantle as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate. As the delegates, journalists, and politicos swarm Cleveland, Ohio on the RNC’s first day, Greenberg has the scoop on what’s happening on the ground.

Greenberg spoke with Jon Ward, Senior Political Correspondent for Yahoo News., who has been reporting on the election and has been covering the convention floor today during the contentious vote between delegates, the Stop-Trump Movement and Donald Trump supporters, to force a vote to throw out the rules package that was approved last week. You can read his report here.

Jon Ward discussed covering Donald Trump from a journalistic perspective and the importance of magazine and print journalism in a world so full of content.

You can find the latest episode of Volta Insider here.

You can follow Jon Ward on Twitter @jonward11.

Actor Bryan Cranston: ‘If you don’t vote, I can’t talk to you’

By

Bryan Cranston, star of “Breaking Bad” and most recently “All the Way” as President Lyndon B. Johnson, spoke with Volta Insider’s Rachel Greenberg at the 2016 White House Correspondents Garden Brunch.

One of his first memories of having an interest in politics was after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. As a 7 year old, Cranston “noticed the ripple effect it had on everybody…It popped me out of my self-centeredness and said there’s something important going on that I need to pay attention to.” President Johnson was the first president he ever listened to and realized how important it is to pay attention.

On the importance of getting involved this election season: “Voting is a voice…if you don’t vote, you don’t have that voice.” Cranston explained that if someone tells him they don’t vote, he tells them he can’t talk to them “because they don’t have a voice…if you don’t care enough to take the responsibility to vote, you don’t have a voice, and therefore I have nothing to say to you.”

Cranston said that the national debt will influence his decision about who to vote for this year. “I don’t want to have the country continue raising the debt to leave it to our children.” He is currently supporting Hillary Clinton’s candidacy.

Download the podcast of Volta Insider’s interview with Bryan Cranston on AudioBoom or iTunes, where you can also access the full Garden Brunch podcast episode featuring media notables, Hollywood stars, and leaders from the business and non-profit sectors.

Volta Insider Host Rachel Greenberg Interviews Politicos and Hollywood Stars at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Weekend

By

GV5A2722 As the stars walked the red carpet at the  24th annual Garden Brunch in celebration of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Weekend, Volta Insider host Rachel Greenberg was there to interview Hollywood’s biggest stars as well as DC’s media and political elite. Greenberg spoke with one of the weekend’s biggest stars, Helen Mirren, about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend and her legendary career as an actress.

According to Mirren, the event is “a gathering together of amazing people from all over America, fascinating people from all walks of life.” She also praised the weekend’s festivities for allowing Americans to poke fun at themselves saying, “Americans are wonderful. They take themselves very seriously and so they should, but they’re also very, very good at making fun of themselves.”

Dame Mirren has famously played Queen Elizabeth on both the stage and screen. Greenberg asked her about the challenges of playing such a well-known living person. “You’ve got to pay attention to the truth of the real person,” said Mirren. “You’re not inventing a new character.” When it comes to the Queen herself, Mirren said, “She’s strong in many ways, in other ways not. She’s not strong in the way someone like Hillary Clinton is strong,” while adding that “within her own context and within her own tradition, certainly she has great strength.”

Greenberg then asked about one of Mirren’s most legendary performances, her starring role as Maria Altmann in The Woman in Gold, based on the story of the Gustav Klimt painting and the Supreme Court battle over its ownership. Mirren says she was drawn to the film because “The visual arts are the things that I most respond to, they’re my real pleasure in life.” Mirren also noted that she grew up at the end of World War II and that “it’s important that we keep reminding ourselves of what happened then, and what could therefore happen again.”

This year’s Garden Brunch theme was “Starting up, starting out”, and Greenberg got a chance to ask the stars for their best advice to inspire those to follow their dreams.

Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, gave some frank advice for recent grads entering the workplace. “Never mix alcohol and the workplace. Work twice as hard as you think you need to work, and always make a phone call when you think a text or an email will do, it won’t.”

Ms. Greenberg questioned Senator Amy Klobuchar on her best advice to young people. To Senator Klobuchar, it’s “Always to keep your expectations high.”

Travis Kalanick, co-founder and CEO of Uber, says that when you’re going to try something new, “you have to go to a place that’s not possible. You have to bend reality but don’t break it because reality can be a really tough adversary.”

Comedian Grace Para says don’t wait for someone to make your dreams come true. According to Para, “You’ve got to be completely entrepreneurial and do it yourself.”

Joy Behar, co-host of The View says the best advice she ever got was to simply be bold. “Do what you think is right and speak out.”

Gugu Mbatha-Raw urges everyone who is starting out to be curious about everything, not just your give field. Mbatha-Raw says that “Being open minded and open hearted is a consistent character trait with some inspiring people I’ve worked with.”

Greenberg also talked politics with a number of actors who play powerful Washington leaders such as “Scandal”-star Tony Goldwyn, who plays President Fitzgerald Grant in the ABC show. “The only way that anything gets done is if every person engages on a grassroots level, acts locally, and gets in the habit of service and engagement in our process,” he says.

Michael Kelly, who stars as Chief of Staff to the President on “House of Cards”, noted just how important young people have become to the electoral process and urged young people to “Get active and then vote.”

GV5A2889

Bryan Cranston the star of All the Way where he plays President Lyndon Johnson, spoke passionately about the importance of voting. According to Bryan, “If you don’t vote, you don’t have a voice.”

Watch the full report from Volta Insider at this year’s Garden Brunch here.

Volta Insider talks with entertainers, politicos at WHC Garden Brunch

By

At the annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch, Volta Insider‘s Rachel Greenberg interviewed media notables, Hollywood stars, and leaders from the business and non-profit sectors as they arrived at the event.

Several big names shared the best advice they’ve ever received or given, as well as their insights about the upcoming election, including Helen Mirren, Bryan Cranston, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Cosmopolitan Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles, Scandal’s Tony Goldwyn, Uber’s Travis Kalanick, Independence Day’s Jessie Usher, Concussion’s Gugu Mbatha-Raw, model Anne V, comedian Grace Parra, The View co-host Joy Behar, actress Candace Cameron Bure, House of Cards’ Michael Kelly, and Scandal’s Katie Lowes.

The theme of this year’s White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch was “Starting Up and Starting Out.” Brunch guests signed a Microsoft PPI on their way into the event where they provided additional insights and advice to be shared with cohorts from Halcyon Incubator. Also in the spotlight at the brunch was Yellow Ribbons United and its #PlayfieldInThePark initiative.

Download the podcast on AudioBoom or iTunes.

Volta Insider Episode 9: Ambassador Capricia Marshall

By

As White House Correspondents weekend approaches, Volta Insider’s Rachel Greenberg – a podcaster and budding journalist herself – has released the latest episode of her podcast, Volta Insider.

This episode featured a conversation with Ambassador Capricia Marshall who gave Rachel some incredible insights about the inner workings of the White House. From her role as a Special Assistant to First Lady Hillary Clinton, to her time serving as U.S. Chief of Protocol for President Barack Obama, Amb. Marshall has witnessed many a historical moment.

Download the podcast on AudioBoom or iTunes. And be sure to subscribe while you’re there!

US CTO Megan Smith encourages students to pursue tech careers

By

20499224839_39b91aa4d4_k

During a conversation with Volta Insider‘s Rachel Greenberg, the U.S. Chief Technology Officer, Megan Smith, shared her experiences as an adviser to President Barack Obama and explained why more students should consider careers in technology fields.

“Having opportunities for people to experience that…we’re also working on schools, so that you can experience coding. We want every American kid to have an experience with coding. It’s a 21st century language.”

Download the podcast on AudioBoom or iTunes, or watch video of the interview.

Volta Insider goes inside the Iowa Caucus

By

whcinsider2

Volta Insider’s Rachel Greenberg hit the campaign trail recently to learn more about what the Presidential candidates are saying that is appealing to voters. At rallies for Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, she interviewed supporters and observed how candidates convince people to support them during the Iowa Caucus.

At a caucus meeting at Precinct 55, Rachel also observed the voting process. “I came away from the experience with more of an understanding about this unique process of selecting a presidential nominee than I could have ever imagined. I’ve never seen anything like it. My time in Iowa was, for lack of better phrasing, a life changing experience.”

Download the podcast on AudioBoom or iTunes.

VOLTA INSIDER: Rock and Roll’s Influence on Politics

By

rachel_hanley

Rachel Greenberg of Volta Insider recently sat down with Jason Hanley, Director of Education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, to discuss his work, the museum, and music’s role in the 2016 election.

Speaking about some of the ways in which American politics intersects with rock music Hanley said, “Rock and roll musicians have a voice, they have a microphone that lets them speak to potentially millions of people, the power of that is that they can give voice to different opinions.”

When asked about the possibility of rock music having an influence on this year’s election, Hanley pointed to the recent story of Neil Young protesting the use of his song at a Donald Trump event. According to Hanley, “The closer you get to the election a lot of musicians are going to start coming out and talking about what they’re interested in. You’re going to get a lot of musicians, particularly in their live performances talking about what’s happening.” Hanley also pointed to the Rock the Vote campaign of the 2004 election cycle, Bob Dylan’s music from the early 60’s, and the numerous works created by rock and roll artists in response to the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, as examples of the music world colliding with American politics.

Hanley and Greenberg also discussed the museum’s youth outreach and educational programs. Hanley says, “We have live programming that we do in the theater where we teach about the history of music.” Among the other educational programs the museum provides are demonstrations, which are often taught by Hanley himself, screenings of classic performances, and a free online classroom. “We get to teach the history and the significance of rock and roll, it’s an American art form.”

Greenberg asked Hanley about the compatibility of the audio medium in the context of a museum which is seen traditionally as suiting visual arts. Hanley responded by suggesting that the museum utilizes visual components such as film in order to “see performance in context”. The museum also features key artifacts from music history such as Ringo Starr’s drum set and Jimi Hendrix’s guitar. According to Hanley, “The thing people really connect with are handwritten lyrics, for a lot of visitors that’s a glimpse into the creative process.”

The rock historian also discussed the future of music innovation and the recent advances in music technology and accessibility, “Instead of someone picking up a guitar they’re picking up an iphone”. When Greenberg pressed him on the ever-expanding tastes of music listeners, especially in the world of rap music Hanley said, “hip hop is part of what we honor here at the museum” though he makes a point that the museum has a waiting period of 25 years after an album is released before they consider any particular artist’s contributions to the greater community. On making music in the 21st century Hanley says, “it’s an amazing time and a daunting time” to have access to so much music and for unknown artists to make a name for themselves on platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube.

Listen the Volta Insider podcast here and watch it here. Rachel Greenberg is a junior at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland.

Volta Insider’s Interview with a Doctor of Music

By

While in Cleveland for the Republican Presidential Debate last August, Volta Insider’s Rachel Greenberg took a detour to the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to interview its Director of Education and ‘Doctor of Music’, Dr. Jason Hanley.

During the podcast conversation, the two discussed the importance of the educational program at the museum, the role music plays in politics, how websites like SoundCloud have revolutionized the music industry, advice for aspiring musicians, and many interesting facts about the museum.

Download the podcast on AudioBoom or iTunes.

Smart, Stylish, and Seventeen

By

image2

Rachel Greenberg has known Dominic Doyle since elementary school. That’s almost as long as he’s been an entrepreneur, going into business with his cousin while still in the 5th grade.

“I told myself at a young age, ‘I’m not going to work for anybody, I’m only going to work for myself.’ And that was the inspiration, that pushed me. That gave me the motivation to start something early so that when I’m out of college there’s no fumbling around looking for a job, looking for a beginning,” said Doyle.

Greenberg recently interviewed her classmate for her podcast, Volta Insider. Doyle is known at school for his moves on the basketball court but few classmates know he designs t-shirts, shorts, sweatshirts and other apparel, during his free time.

“Their first reaction is ‘What? What are you talking about?’” said Doyle. “They’re surprised because they didn’t expect that…I’m just another high school student just trying to get to college and get a good education.”

Doyle and his cousin Luke Kennedy have loved skating and surfing since they were kids. They fed their habit by throwing yard sales to sell used basketball jerseys and old bicycles. Soon they decided to build a business using their growing interest in skate and surf style as inspiration.

In 2010, they created DK Skate which meshed the laid-back “California” lifestyle with edgy urban fashion. A couple years later they changed the name to DKS Apparel when they decided to expand the line of “threads” they offered and make them more than skate/surf centric. Doyle is the chief designer.

“I’ll be at my house just designing different clothes every single night, thinking of new designs, thinking of new fabrics that we could do, ways that we could manipulate the shirt in a way that it hasn’t been done before. And still stay fashion forward,” said Doyle.

Though Kennedy is now in college, the two are determined to keep the business growing. Doyle credits his parents with inspiring him to want to be his own boss.

“They’ve been supportive. The first time I brought the idea up, they loved it,” said Doyle. “They liked seeing me find something that I love and want to make that what I worked for.”

Doyle also wants to be successful so that he can continue to give back to the community, having already given away thousands of dollars to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Wounded Warrior Project, Children’s National Medical Center and others.

“I feel great givers are great getters. What I like to do is give back,” said Doyle. “Wounded Warriors, it inspires me because anybody who puts their life on the line, put their limbs on the line to protect us and keep this country strong, I want to do all I can because they risked their life for people that they don’t even know.”

DKS Apparel items are all made in the USA and can be found at www.dksapparel.com and skate shows around the D.C. – Virginia – Maryland area. Doyle believes his designs are made for everyone and currently there are no different sizes for men and women. He wants DKS Apparel to be fashionable and affordable.

“I don’t believe in making a $200 t-shirt because I want to make fashion. You know, we are high quality apparel, but I also want it to be affordable for people…I want it to be affordable while also maintaining the style and still setting those trends,” said Doyle.

The next step for this budding entrepreneur? One more year of high school – and to become a number one trendsetting fashion company.

“We want to be that company that is, ‘oh they just dropped a t-shirt – we have to get it, we have to get it,’” said Doyle. “The ultimate goal is to get to the top and be the ones who everyone follows off of. You know, we set the trend and then everyone starts saying ‘oh, we should do that, too.’ We just want to reach the highest point we can get, and keep growing off of that.”

You can subscribe to Volta Insider on AudioBoom or iTunes.