Junior, Anusha Veluri, recently started a website called The Pasquinade, which satirizes the news, focusing on everything from COVID-19 to pop culture. I interviewed Anusha to get some insight on why she started the website and her vision for its future. Her answers are as follows: 

1) What motivated you to start the website?

In an attempt to write a light, pleasant article for the MHS newspaper (The Miller), I chose to write a satirical piece about Millburn students. This was my first attempt at satire, and I instantly fell in love! I realized that satire was my personality. A sarcastic and ironic take on life. I wanted to create a platform where I (and everyone) would feel free to express that part of themselves whenever they liked. Hence, The Pasquinade. 

2) Describe the process setting up your website and publishing the first few articles.

I used Wix to set the website up, and it was surprisingly simple! It only took a few hours. Publishing the first couple of articles was probably the most difficult part, because I was still figuring out the scope of the website. I wasn’t sure if I should restrict The Pasquinade to strictly local content, or if we would cover national news. 

3) What place do you envision your website holding in the community?

Once we are able to get through these next couple of months and people have more time to focus on things like The Pasquinade, I hope for it to become a treasured local website that everyone feels welcome to contribute to. Right now our writers are all students, but I would love for all age groups to contribute. Of course, that necessitates more publicity which isn’t currently possible.

4) What made you want to have the website be centered around Millburn?

I knew that most, if not all, of our writers would be from Millburn. Our town is a breeding ground for stereotypes and caricatures; I would be remiss to deny satirists of such ripe content! I also think it’s easier to garner local publicity when your content directly reflects the audience you’re appealing to. Hopefully Millburn is able to laugh at itself!

5) How do you hope your articles impact your readers?

Often, and especially right now, reading the news is not a pleasant experience. It can be frustrating and often disappointing. Although those feelings should never stop us from staying informed, it’s healthy to balance real news with lighter, more diverting content. I hope that The Pasquinade can give that balance to people, and I hope these articles, while they may not be of professional quality, can act as a form of relief for our town. 
Make sure to check out The Pasquinade at https://www.thepasquinade.org, and if you’re interested in contributing, contact Anusha at nushveluri@gmail.com.