Writing & freelancing

I’m a writer, multi-platform journalist, editor and artist currently studying creative writing at the HarperCollins Author Academy. Having grown up in Hong Kong, spent several formative years in California, and then moved to London by way of Beijing—I’ve always gravitated towards stories that explore identity, belonging, and the legacies of colonialism.

Now a freelancer with more than a decade of journalism experience, my work covers the intersections of human rights, politics and culture, often with a focus on China and Asia. I’m interested in using storytelling to amplify voices from marginalised communities, expose inequalities and interrogate mainstream narratives.

My writing and reportage have appeared in The Guardian, CNN, The Economist, New Statesman, BBC, openDemocracy, WIRED magazine, Foreign Policy, The Nation, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Review of Books, Quartz, The Telegraph, Novara Media, Mekong Review and many other publications. I’ve worked on op-eds, research, reviews, fiction, travel guides, annual reports, translations and personal essays. I also take on creative projects as an illustrator, musician, photographer and copyeditor. Here are some stories I’m particularly proud of:

• ’Looty’: How a dog stolen from China sparked a British luxury craze and became a symbol of imperialism – CNN Style

• One former Cambodian child refugee’s journey through America’s prison-to-deportation pipeline – The Nation

• Hong Kong is still waiting for its feminist uprising – The Nation

• China’s war on Christmas hasn’t deterred kids from sending thousands of letters to Santa – Quartz

• ‘It’s difficult to survive’: China’s LGBTQ+ advocates face jail and forced confession – The Guardian

• Myanmar’s women are on the frontlines against the junta – Foreign Policy

Reporting & editing roles

In London, I’ve held investigative reporting and producing roles with the BBC World Service and Channel 4 News, in addition to working in video news at the Associated Press. I fronted the BBC Eye documentary “China’s Silenced Feminist” and executive-produced the Channel 4 News film “China’s Feminist Fightback.” After Beijing imposed a national security law in Hong Kong, I also spent a year reporting on the city’s transformation for The Diplomat. Previously, I was based in Hong Kong as a staff reporter with the South China Morning Post, writing about my city in the aftermath of the Umbrella Revolution. My reporting has been recognised by the World Association of News Publishers, the California College Media Association and others.

An advocate for intersectional feminism, I edit and serve on the board at NüVoices, a collective supporting women and gender minorities working on China subjects. I’m editor-in-chief and co-founder of NüStories, a magazine of ideas run out of NüVoices that features underrepresented voices. I also help manage our social media and co-host our podcast, which has been downloaded over 71,400 times since it launched in 2021. 

Education, teaching & volunteering

Having grown up speaking English and Cantonese, I also have Mandarin and some Japanese. I hold a MSc in International History from the London School of Economics, an LLM in International Relations from Peking University, and a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley (where I was a news editor and writer for The Daily Californian). I was also formerly a line editor at San Quentin News, an inmate-produced newspaper run out of California’s San Quentin State Prison.

In recent years, I’ve taught various workshops on freelance pitching and writing, in addition to guest speaking at various universities and think tanks. Currently, I’m a mentor at Arts Emergency Now, a charity supporting under-resourced youth aspiring to enter creative careers.

Reach out

Email (Encrypted): laujessie (at) proton.me

Telegram @laujessie

Signal @laujessie.22