written work
photo by gabi levy
a columbia initiative has placed hundreds in university jobs. but many local residents have never heard of it.
the columbia daily spectator
This long form article is an investigation into Columbia University's claim that in exchange for using eminent domain to evict West Harlem residents, they would operate an employment office to help those people find jobs. I spoke to administrators, employees at the Center, West Harlem residents who had found employment through the Center, and those who didn't even know this service existed for them. I also sorted through legal documents and surveyed residents of the next door public housing complexes.
the columbia daily spectator
This long form article chronicles the challenges and successes of Columbia Secondary School, a public school in West Harlem supported by Columbia as part of the Community Benefits Agreement, a contract designated to balance the repercussions faced by the West Harlem community as the University continues to expand. I interviewed former students, teachers, and the principal to explain CSS's journey and relationship with Columbia, including insufficient resources, the death of a student due to negligence, and how new leadership is reshaping the school.
photo by cherrie zhang
the columbia daily spectator
This piece profiles Jamal Joseph, a Columbia professor who lived and worked in West Harlem as a leading member of the Black Panther movement. Today, he continues this work through teaching at Columbia, running an after-school program in Harlem, and creating films about the police violence in Harlem. I interviewed Joseph and attended his film screening. I loved meeting the other Panthers and seeing how vibrant their community is, even decades after fading out of public attention.
photo by david fenton
giddy
Many people find it a challenge to navigate the process of getting an abortion-- learning of an unwanted or unviable pregnancy, finding a clinic or ordering medication, and ending the pregnancy. What often is forgotten is how intimacy after an abortion can change. For this piece, I talked to medical professionals and read medical reports to write a guide to approaching sex after an abortion, which I hope will be helpful especially in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, so people who need abortions can easily find resources about the entire process.
illustration by Tré Carden
blink magazine
This piece was written in collaboration with my friend, photographer Ismail Ferdous, as a personal narrative of experiencing New York City's first Halloween celebrations since the coronavirus pandemic canceled all public gatherings. We walked through downtown Manhattan, interviewing people dressed up as witches, ghosts, and clowns and tried to capture the celebratory mood through my writing and his photos.
photo by ismail ferdous
amazon e-book
While in high school, I learned about the global human rights crisis of human trafficking and spent over a year researching, writing, and self-publishing a book profiling activists who are working to end human trafficking with a variety of strategies. This book includes profiles of journalists, entrepreneurs, students, educators, non-profit founders, and survivors. All profits raised from sales of the e-book were donated to one of the non-profits I profiled.
design by trisha mukherjee
paste magazine
This travel piece is a personal essay I wrote about my fear of driving and how a long solo drive through the Rocky mountains showed me the magic of being behind the wheel.
paste magazine
This travel piece highlights some of the most interesting things to do in Oaxaca, Mexico, where I stayed for two months. I visited and wrote about places like the zócalo, the family-owned weaving businesses, the salsa and bachata dance scene, the Zapotec planetarium, and much more. The piece attempts to encourage travelers to go beyond a surface-level visit by taking Spanish classes, learning about Zapotec and Mixtec indigenous history and current affairs, and more.
photo by trisha mukherjee
vegnews
This article spotlights several restaurants in Jackson Heights, a neighborhood in Queens, NYC, that takes the title of the most linguistically diverse in the world. The neighborhood boasts food from Tibet to Ecuador to Lebanon, and many countries in between. With this article, I hoped to bring more attention to the incredible culinary scene in Jackson Heights, especially because eating at these restaurants also supports the immigrants who make this city their home.