Sofia is a recent graduate of Boston University, where she studied journalism. While a student, she worked at BU’s student publication first as a photographer, later as the photo editor, and finally as a board member. She was also an editorial intern at Boston Magazine and Los Angeles Magazine, as well as a writer for online arts and culture blog Dulwich OnView while abroad in London. Her other interests are ever changing though often creative, ranging from graphic design to digital illustration. She hopes to return to newsrooms and, with the skills gained at AAJA, amplify diversity in journalism and local stories. She is drawn to innovative storytelling, such as interactive articles or visual-driven ones, and would love to serve in bridge roles interweaving such creative elements with reporting and data.

Alice is a junior studying English, Creative Writing, and Art History at Washington University in St. Louis. Fascinated with storytelling of all kinds, she currently writes about the arts and entertainment scene for WashU’s Student Life Newspaper and produces longform journalistic pieces, including an in-depth coverage of the demolition of immigrant businesses in University City, MO. Prior to working with AAJA, she wrote articles for The Borgen Project that address pressing global issues such as period poverty, child labor, maternal mortality, health inequities, among others. In addition to her journalistic pursuits, Alice writes short stories, flash fiction, and personal essays, and her memoir has been published in Issue 6 of K’in Literary Journal. Alice hopes to gain experience in the newsroom and, through her work at AAJA, empower AAPI voices and stories.

We invite you to join us on Friday, December 11, 2020, to celebrate this year's awards recipients, reflect on 2020 with as much levity as possible, and toast to the new year-- which marks the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the Asian American Journalists Association.

We welcome you to submit images, achievements, #AAJAFamily moments, and notable coverage you've produced this year for consideration in a slideshow of the year by Tuesday, December 8, 2020 to jessicax@aaja.org.

📅 Upcoming AAJA Events

AAJA-Asia Training Network AAJA-Asia and the Google News Initiative have teamed up to provide free training and outreach to journalists in Asia looking to improve their reporting skills and apply the latest digital tools in their newsgathering, fact-checking, reporting, and storytelling. Learn more here.

Dec 11

AAJA Awards Ceremony & Holiday Party RSVP here.

AAJA-Asia The Future of Tech and Finance in Asia This chat will explore how different Chinese technologies deployed are being used through the Asia Pacific region. It will discuss the role of technology as a driver of economic growth in the region, and the U.S. push back on China’s growing tech dominance. Register here.

AAJA-Chicago Trivia Bowl Returning after a multi-year hiatus, recruit your team (round up your AAJA-LA trivia bowl buddies?) for the Chicago style Trivia Bowl, hosted by ESPN reporter and trivia expert Michele Steele. Free, with suggested donation of $20 per person to support Chicago chapters' summer internship programs at top newsrooms. Sign up here.

AAJA-NY Book Club #3: Why We Swim by journalist Bonnie Tsui, moderated by journalist and avid open-water swimmer Amy Wu. Algonquin Books is offering AAJA members a special 30% off promo through book club day, with code: WWS30

Celebrate your achievements with us-- tag @aaja or let us know on Slack. 

📓 Resources

Saving democracy is a slogan not a strategy by Yvonne Leow, Reynolds Journalism Institute

Tools to find, track and level-up job applications by Mandy Hofmockel for her Substack newsletter Journalism jobs and a photo of my dog

Covering Climate Equitably: A Guide for Journalists, The Solutions Project. (Register here for a webinar on December 10 about the guide.)

On Our List📺📸📰 🎧

from "How a team led by a journalist is fighting coronavirus misinformation in the Filipino community" by Amaris Castillo, Poynter,