Column contributed first Monday of every month
Columns
Journalists know a little bit about a lot of topics.
But we don’t know it all. And we certainly aren’t subject matter experts on some of the topics that matter most to you — education, homelessness, development, transportation, real estate, the environment and more.
That’s why we’ve called on a team of experts to write regular columns on these important issues. Our San José Spotlight columnists are prominent industry experts and leaders in their respective fields. Every week, they’ll share inside information, insights on trends and patterns and a deep understanding of the issues.
We’ll feature new columns on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as we work to expand the topic areas. Know an expert who might be a good fit to write a regular column? Email ideas and suggestions to [email protected].
Columnists
Chief Operating Officer, Destination: Home
Ray Bramson
Column contributed second Monday of every month
Interim Chancellor, San Jose – Evergreen Community College District
Raúl Rodríguez
Column contributed first Wednesday of every month
Climate Reality Leader at Climate Reality Project
Erin Zimmerman
Column contributed third Wednesday of every month
Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute
Karen E. Philbrick
Column contributed first Thursday every other month
Featuring voices of formerly homeless residents
In Your Backyard
Column contributed third Thursday of every month
Chief Executive Officer, Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS
Neil Collins
Column contributed fourth Thursday of every month
Civil rights attorney and criminal justice reform expert
Aaron B. Zisser
Column contributed first Friday of every month
Former columnists
Chancellor, San Jose – Evergreen Community College District
Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland
Former columnist
Opinion
Sadri: Making American visits and vacations possible for all travelers and families
When President Joe Biden repealed the Muslim travel ban in 2021, the Persian community rejoiced. Our family members abroad could finally visit loved ones in America. After years of separation, mothers, sons and grandparents looked forward to reuniting and hugging each other at long last. But there was a catch. If you live in 155 countries, including...
Shetty: STEM immigration is essential to America’s future
From 2010 to 2019, 42% of the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) PhD graduates from U.S. universities were international students. Working in America has always been seen as fertile ground for new career growth and bountiful opportunity. As someone who grew up in Malaysia, I can attest to the reputation the U.S. has overseas....
Negash: Black-owned businesses are our economic future
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the marches, protests and civil upheaval that followed, it became quite fashionable to support Black-owned businesses. According to Bloomberg and Business Insider, Black Americans became the fastest-rising group of entrepreneurs in the United States between February 2020 and August 2021, increasing by 38%. This trend was particularly...