Amy Gustafson

Minneapolis, Saint Paul

Freelance Journalist at Freelance

Freelance writer, pop culture devotee, bird watcher, mom. Experience in magazines, newspapers, high ed publications, and corporate comms.

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Articles

Nuts and bolts for planning bucket-list trips

2 weeks ago | startribune.com | Amy Gustafson

Bucket list trip: That phrase can evoke extreme happiness, high anxiety or both. But there are tools to help you keep calm and plan on - if you're willing to do the prep work. Guidebooks and fold-out maps Guidebooks are a classic travel aid available through online ordering, at bookstores and the library.
Exploring classic San Francisco, with the help of self-driving taxis

Nov 15, 2024 | startribune.com | Amy Gustafson

That’s something I might expect to hear when my Lyft driver picks me up, I check into my hotel or I show up for a restaurant reservation. From a driverless car? Not so much. But that’s exactly how I was greeted each time my husband, teenage son and I took a self-driving Waymo taxi through the hilly streets of San Francisco in August.
In Defense of the First Amendment

Aug 19, 2024 | law.umn.edu | Amy Gustafson

Shannon Jankowski ’17 remembers being in law school and having a conversation with a practicing attorney who asked her what courses she enjoyed. When she mentioned First Amendment Law, he had some discouraging words for her. “‘Everybody thinks they’re going to be a First Amendment lawyer, but a very small percentage end up doing that’,” she recalls him saying. “I know these jobs aren’t everywhere,” she adds.
A first-time visit to Ireland inspired by family roots and a love for donkeys

Aug 3, 2024 | twincities.com | Amy Gustafson

On a rainy June day in Ireland, my husband held tightly to the steering wheel in our rented compact car that sometimes felt like the size of a Mack truck hugging the twisting country roads. There were more than a few wrong turns, some near sideswipes and lots of not-so-family-friendly language as he concentrated on driving on the left side of the road, and I attempted to figure out whether Google Maps was giving us the best directions (mostly yes, sometimes no).
MSP airport tips to make travel more efficient

Jun 21, 2024 | startribune.com | Amy Gustafson

For more than 25 years, Linda and Dave Mona have led travel groups across the United States and internationally including trips to Norway, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Ireland and South America. The couple love exploring new places and revisiting favorite spots. While Linda, 79, and Dave, 80, are active and healthy, they hit a bump in their travels a few years ago when Linda was dealing with a knee injury. It was at that point she needed assistance at the airport.
Advocating for Gun Violence Prevention

Jun 5, 2024 | minnesotalawmag.law.umn.edu | Amy Gustafson

When Chad Nowlan ’24 began law school, he intended to focus on law related to education. Then he heard about the Gun Violence Prevention Clinic. It didn’t take long for the urgency of the clinic’s work and his passion for upholding gun laws to supersede his other interests. Through the clinic, Nowlan has argued several court cases in cooperation with the Minnesota Attorney General, including Minnesota v. Greenlee.
Clemency Project Clinic Students Successfully Advocate for the Shortening of Prison Sentences

May 27, 2024 | minnesotalawmag.law.umn.edu | Amy Gustafson

In the fall of her 2L year, Amy Cohen ’24 took Professor JaneAnne Murray’s evidence class. At the time, Cohen was weighing her clinical choices and Murray encouraged her to consider the Clemency Project Clinic, which advocates for individuals serving disproportionately long prison sentences. “JaneAnne said to me, ‘There are many people are serving longer-than-needed sentences,’” recalls Cohen.
MPR aims to 'make news more approachable' for young audiences

May 20, 2024 | current.org | Amy Gustafson |Mike Janssen

A new Minnesota Public Radio initiative announced May 7 is expanding the station’s efforts to serve younger audiences with multiplatform coverage of the topics they care about most. Formed initially as the Street Team in the fall of 2022, the project, now titled Reverb, consists of five journalists ages 25-33 working on everything from investigative pieces to pop culture talkers, aiming to make compelling stories accessible on mobile, online and through social media.
Mississippi River Road Trip: From Red Wing to Kellogg

May 15, 2024 | minnesotamonthly.com | Amy Gustafson

The mighty Mississippi River is the star of the 3,000-mile Great River Road, a National Scenic Byway beginning with the river’s headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and weaving through 10 states to the Gulf of Mexico. While driving the entire route north to south is a significant commitment, there are plenty of shorter options for weekend excursions and day trips, including the 36-mile stretch from Red Wing to Kellogg, Minnesota.
Immigration and Human Rights Clinic Wins Asylum for Afghan Woman

May 8, 2024 | minnesotalawmag.law.umn.edu | Amy Gustafson

In 2021, Saima Fazli was one of more than 124,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan as part of Operation Allies Refuge. Fleeing Taliban rule, Fazli and her family came to the United States. While her mother and siblings qualified to be on her father’s Special Immigration Visa, Fazli was just a few months over the cutoff age of 21 to be included. That’s where the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic came in to help.