I am a national reporter based in New York City. I’ve written for The New York Times, Teen Vogue, Bustle, Columbia Journalism Review, Newsday, and many others. I write about a wide range of health disparities and social issues within disability communities, including topics like family, education, relationships, gender dynamics, and policy. I’m also a speaker on living with a disability, inclusive feminism and best practices for reporters covering disability issues.
I was trained as a journalist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Columbia University. At Columbia, I focused on investigative health care reporting, multi-platform design and photojournalism. After graduation, I published my master’s project on navigating the dating world for women with disabilities in The New York Times, where I’ve continued to write about living with a disability.
As a journalist, I also cover gender, race, politics, relationships, and New York City culture. I’ve written for amNewYork (published by Newsday), covering breaking news, crime, political rallies, local food trends and pop culture. I also have experience interviewing politicians, celebrities on the red carpet and big names like George Takei, Grandmaster Flash and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Most recently, I was selected for a lifestyle fellowship with Bustle.com, where I covered sex and relationships, the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump’s administration and identity politics.
I’m available to speak for podcasts, school lectures, panels, and other events. In 2016, I was a panelist on the “Literary Citizenship: The Writer’s Identity” panel at AmpLit Fest in New York. I’ve also appeared as a guest on Enlightened-ish, She & Her, a southern feminist podcast (episode coming soon), and Bustle’s “I Want It That Way” podcast on sex and dating. Interested? Book me for your next event.
I grew up in Boston and eastern North Carolina, and would spend my summer breaks in Shanghai, China where my family is from. Besides English, I speak Mandarin and Shanghainese. Since birth, I’ve worn a tracheostomy (trach) tube that helps me breathe. My disability doesn’t affect my ability to be a journalist or function like any other human being. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that you can do anything you set your mind to. What else? My favorite TV couple is Lily and Marshall, but only after Clark and Lois. My notebook includes bits and pieces of poetry, random dialogue from overheard conversations and the occasional light bulb idea.