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News Articles Work Samples
Welcome to my story portfolio. Here you’ll find a selection of my news writing in print and web screenshots.
This L.A. artist turns wood scraps from guitars into midcentury-inspired art
A profile feature about local LA wood maker Eric Blackwell, who upcycles scraped guitar woods into mid-century clocks and arts. I did on-the-ground reporting by spending hours in the artist's home studio and interviewing people close to him.
This L.A. couple kissed on a bridge and went viral. Now they're getting married
I had the privilege of writing a feature for the Los Angeles Times about TikTok influencers Adam Vasquez and Trino Garcia, a same-sex Chicano couple whose vibrant content celebrates love, diversity, and culture. This story highlights their impact on breaking stereotypes and fostering inclusivity in the digital space.
Through in-depth interviews and thoughtful reporting, I captured their journey of building an authentic connection with their audience while navigating the challenges of representation on social media. This piece reflects my passion for elevating underrepresented voices and exploring the intersection of identity, culture, and media.
Through in-depth interviews and thoughtful reporting, I captured their journey of building an authentic connection with their audience while navigating the challenges of representation on social media. This piece reflects my passion for elevating underrepresented voices and exploring the intersection of identity, culture, and media.
Beloved ‘Mayor’ Of Armitage Brown Line Station Is Retiring In February
I was inspired by an X post from a CTA rider who appreciates that the Armitage station is always so clean and is sad that this friendly staff member is retiring. I contacted the CTA and interviewed Janet Martin, who is beloved by the subway riders and residents who regularly commute via the Armitage station.
Jewish Students Punched, Pushed At DePaul In Possible Hate Crime, School Says
This clip demonstrates my breaking news reporting skills on crime incidents and my ability to quickly source information from official sources like police departments and university officials.
Shop Local 2024: Your Guide To Chicago’s Holiday Markets
A comprehensive guide of more than 30 markets for Chicago readers to know where to shop during the holiday seasons.
How Birdwatching Makes Chicago Winters Less Miserable — And More Magical
The story idea was inspired by my observation of people sharing snowbird photos on Facebook. I attended a few bird walks and talked to birders and experts to learn about what makes birding special in Chicago winter.
This feature is an example of service journalism and community reporting. I received several emails from readers and birding communities about how they appreciate the well-reported story and the rich information included that's beginner friendly.
This feature is an example of service journalism and community reporting. I received several emails from readers and birding communities about how they appreciate the well-reported story and the rich information included that's beginner friendly.
Chicago Braces For Arctic Blast With Below-Zero Wind Chills
I covered many weather news briefs for Block Club during my internship. This piece shows how weather news can be a service story with information about warming centers for needy residents.
Humboldt Park Teacher Launches GoFundMe For 10-Year-Old Student Recovering From Car Crash
Jeremi Castro’s mother moved her family from Ecuador to Chicago last year, seeking medical care for her son, who was severely injured in a car accident when he was a baby.
Both Jeremi and his mother are undocumented immigrants who can't speak English very well. I approach the sources with the assistance of Jeremi's teacher and let them fully understand the potential risk of making their story known to the public. I also make sure to be thoughtful and sensitive when asking questions and frame the news in a way that doesn't put them in a vulnerable position.
Both Jeremi and his mother are undocumented immigrants who can't speak English very well. I approach the sources with the assistance of Jeremi's teacher and let them fully understand the potential risk of making their story known to the public. I also make sure to be thoughtful and sensitive when asking questions and frame the news in a way that doesn't put them in a vulnerable position.
Bally’s Casino Apologizes After Demolition Debris Spills Into Chicago River
A clip that demonstrates my experience in environmental reporting and an example of me collaborating with another reporter on an investigative story.
I did the reporting with the Bally's Casino and environmental protection organizations. I wrote about how the accident happened and the remediation process, found citizen.com and other social media sources and researched the past oil spill incidents in the Chicago River.
I did the reporting with the Bally's Casino and environmental protection organizations. I wrote about how the accident happened and the remediation process, found citizen.com and other social media sources and researched the past oil spill incidents in the Chicago River.
Skokie Pharmacists Stressed Under High Workload During Flu Season
This was my first beat assignment (health and science beat at Skokie Village in Illinois) in Journalism Methods class and was successfully pitched to local news outlet Patch.com.
After reading several news about pharmacies suffering from labor shortages and pharmacists going on strike nationally, I wondered if this phenomenon has impacted the Skokie area. So, I visited several local pharmacies and the Skokie Health and Human Services department to find out the answer.
After reading several news about pharmacies suffering from labor shortages and pharmacists going on strike nationally, I wondered if this phenomenon has impacted the Skokie area. So, I visited several local pharmacies and the Skokie Health and Human Services department to find out the answer.
Couple in their 80s graduates from fire academy
This is a profile story about a senior couple who has passion and curiosity for life and challenges themselves by learning firefighting. I got the story idea when browsing the Village of Skokie's weekly newsletters. After writing it for a class assignment, I successfully pitched the story to the Skokie Review (Chicago Tribune's suburb edition). It was also picked up by the Chicago Tribune's main paper and appeared on its Sunday A2 page.
China's trendiest tea store opens first L.A. location (yes, there's a line for Cheese Grape Boom)
I saw a post about the opening of Heytea on Xiaohongshu (Chinese Instagram) and pitched the coverage idea to the LA Times Food desk. Heytea is one of China's most popular tea beverage brands and opened its first West Coast location in Beverley Hills. I reported on the grand opening day, took photos and went above and beyond by shooting video footage and editing a short reel for the LA Times Food Instagram.
A new Chinatown: Demographics, business landscapes evolve in Chicago’s 11th Ward
My classmate and I produced this co-bylined data story in the Enterprise Reporting class. Curious about the demographic shift in Chicago Chinatown (the biggest Chinatown in the nation), we interviewed community leaders, authorities officials and current residents and dug into the Census Bureau's dataset to find out how the pandemic and gentrification have impacted the Chinese American community and businesses in the greater Chinatown area.
From her tree-house studio to high-end galleries, this L.A. potter’s work is turning heads
This story under the initiative of L.A. Crafted series that featured different artists in Los Angeles and the stories behind their creations. I profiled ceramist Raina Lee who’s tree-house studio is perched on a slope in her Mount Washington backyard. It’s home to dozens of her ceramic works, available for viewing by appointment. Nature is Lee’s main source of inspiration. Along with traditional techniques with kilns and pottery wheels, she has taken an interest in 3D printing for some of her newer works.
In the 1970s, it was zodiac signs. The new icebreaker? Your Myers-Briggs type.
Inspired by my observation of the MBTI craze in Asian countries, this cover page features talks about the trend of young people taking the MBTI personality test in the US and how people perceive their results.
St. Paul is a test case for Macalester biology prof studying the loss of ash trees
Emerald ash borer has been a long-time trouble for Minnesota's eco-system which resulted extensive cut down of ash trees. In the summer of 2023, Macalester College professor Mary Heskel led a research team to investigate how the disappearance of ash trees impact communities in different way. I read the news brief on the college's communication and pitched the story idea to the Star Tribune during my internship.
In Tokyo, coffee meets cuteness in the company of capybaras
This is a business/trend feature story I reported on a field trip to Tokyo, Japan. The idea for the story came from my observation of the recent capybara craze back home in China and reels on Instagram. It was the first story I did with half of the interviews in Japanese (my third language).
How Mayo Clinic became one of the world's most famous medical centers
How did this "clinic in a cornfield" become internationally prestigious? A reader sought answers from Curious Minnesota, the Star Tribune's reporting project fueled by reader questions. I did extensive research in archival materials and interviewed a number of experts and historians to find out answers.
Is boba tea the new coffee in Minnesota?
In the past two years, baba tea culture become popular in Minnesota as more boba tea shops emerged around university areas and in shopping malls. This story features Tin Tea and Mumu Tea, two local boba tea shops in Minneapolis and North Field founded by Asian students.
WCCO-TV's Chris Shaffer gets a second job
A quick-turn entertainment story about a famous local meteorologist, Chris Shaffer, launched a new radio music show. The story was written and published within two hours.
Six recent Minnesota college grads tell us how adulting is going
I talked to six recent Minnesota college grads to find out how their adventures in adulting were going. Here's what they had to say, in their own words.
'Fun' triangular pool transforms backyard of star-shaped Minneapolis house
Award-winning architect Arthur Dickey designed the 1973 home in the shape of the Star of David. I interviewed the current owners of the house to talk about how they added a triangular pool to the unique home design.
Cirque du Soleil brings aerial feats to the Twin Cities in 'Corteo'
A quick-turn review of Cirque du Soleil's "Corteo" premiere night
St. Paul's Circus Juventas spurs creativity and confidence through 'beautiful arts'
Circus Juventas is a youth circus recreational training center. I went to their tent to see their rehearsal of the annual production "Excalibur" and interviewed its founder, coaches and students. The story showcases how different individuals found their confidence and creativity through circus art.
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