Jessie Lau is a writer, freelance journalist, editor & artist
I’m an independent storyteller covering human rights, politics and culture with a transnational feminist perspective. Now based in London, I’ve also spent time in Beijing, California and Hong Kong, where I was born and raised. Over the past decade, I’ve written and reported for The Guardian, The Economist, BBC, Los Angeles Times, Foreign Policy, New Statesman, Quartz, The Nation, The Telegraph, Channel 4 News, CNN and others.
Selected stories
China’s slow response to coronavirus has shown the weakness of its centralised model
In a system where power is concentrated at the top, local officials are not incentivised to take decisive action
Hong Kong’s Minorities Face Racism From Police and Protesters
Ethnic tensions are coming to the fore, but many minorities find solidarity with activists
Hong Kong's Summer of Unrest
Five years after the Umbrella Movement, Hong Kong is once again in the midst of revolution and reclaiming
To win minorities’ support, China offers places at boarding school
It is too much of a shock for some
China’s war on Christmas hasn’t deterred kids from sending thousands of letters to Santa
Santa’s rising popularity is a stark contrast to China’s ongoing war on Christmas
Hong Kong, 20 Years After the Handover, Part IV: Dear Hong Kong: An Elegy For A City
There was a time when Hong Kong author Xu Xi thought she would never say goodbye to the city she calls home.
The Ghost Villages: A Guide to Hong Kong’s Abandoned Hakka Settlements
Each village is a time capsule showing a sliver of a forgotten life and a reminder of the city’s roots
Rooftop slums are a stark reminder of Hong Kong’s social and housing problems
Thousands live in illegal subdivided residential units, yet those on rooftops are particularly vulnerable to eviction because of their visibility
Ripe for change? Vibrant Hong Kong fruit market faces growing challenges after 103 years
Yau Ma Tei’s fruit market remains as vibrant as ever, but its future is becoming increasingly uncertain
Incarceration to convocation
An ex-con turned UC Berkeley researcher, Murillo is one of thousands of formerly incarcerated persons struggling to re-enter society.