Chaya Tong

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Chaya Tong

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Journalism Portfolio

Below are some of my published stories sorted by outlet:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia AI-generated child pornography case spurs legislative action

https://www.ajc.com/news/investigations/proposed-georgia-law-would-impose-15-year-prison-sentence-for-ai-child-porn/RT7B3KLODJFJBORU6KBP5G25AM/

  • investigation following breaking news I covered about Georgia's first AI child pornography case and potential legislation:
  • Student victims of vendor accused of using AI to turn their images into porn file lawsuit: https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/student-victims-of-vendor-accused-of-using-ai-to-turn-their-images-into-porn-file-lawsuit/D6UEXAAHRFE67OXBIQCW77IHPY/
  • Georgia man possessed AI-created nude images of minors, authorities say: https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/georgia-man-possessed-ai-created-nude-images-of-minors-authorities-say/TAICBTFMWVF5HLW3NB6IGCQLP4/
  • Georgia House advances bill targeting deceptive AI in political campaigns: https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-house-passes-measure-criminalizing-deceptive-political-deepfakes/TFQDQJAVMRCQRDA3YRBWDOM47Q/

Georgia man accused of creating lewd AI images of minors indicted, denied bond

https://www.ajc.com/news/investigations/georgia-man-accused-of-creating-lewd-ai-images-of-minors-indicted-denied-bond/CLV3HXVLTVHHNGU5WPMBDH5LDQ/

Fizz, anonymous gossip app, attracts chatter and cyberbullying

https://www.ajc.com/news/investigations/fizz-anonymous-gossip-app-attracts-chatter-and-cyberbullying/C7YEZ35TJJF43COFFG43IQUMRY/

Two Fulton County residents not allowed to vote after challenge

https://www.ajc.com/politics/election/election-2024-live-recap-of-election-day/UWOLNGNA4JHGPHGCDPL5R35KYM/?postId-8574318

  • 2024 election live feed breaking news coverage

The Bitter Southerner

Mama of the Movement

https://bittersoutherner.com/feature/2024/mama-of-the-movement-carolyn-daniels

  • I pitched and wrote this feature article as part of my work with The Georgia Civil Rights Cold Cases Project and the Peabody Award-winning podcast Buried Truths. It ran in the print issue of The Bitter Southerner and online.


The Clarion Ledger / USA Today Network

I worked on the metro beat, writing breaking news and enterprise with a focus on stories about race and inequity in Jackson, Mississippi. During my 9 week internship, I published over 45 stories including multiple A1 and Sunday centerpiece articles. 


Exclusive: One Lake Project could flood parts of South Jackson. Residents there had no idea

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2024/08/07/one-lake-project-could-increase-flooding-for-some-parts-of-south-jackson/74631710007/

  • canvassed over 200 homes to collect data and find sources in the community
  • article made front page Sunday centerpiece
  • after article came out, Jackson mayor gave a speech addressing the article at an Army Corps public meeting, Army Corps of Engineers held additional public meetings in economically disadvantaged areas to address induced flooding and extended public comment period


Has JTRAN really improved since its March relaunch? We rode buses to find out

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2024/07/10/jackson-ms-jtran-public-transportation/74318500007/

  • After this first article on the Jackson public bus system, my editors asked me to create a series. I covered all facets of  Jackson public transit including paratransit, bus management and scooping news on imminent bus strikes. As I got to know Jackson by bus, the daily commuters on my route became part of my news network and gave me tips. Some of my favorite stories, including the bus series and articles on a dam project impacting low-income neighborhoods, came from talking to the riders.


The other Margaret Walker novel: Unfinished book surfaces at long last for publication

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/magnolia/2024/07/07/margaret-walker-lost-novel/74253383007/

  • scooped feature on famous Mississippi author Margaret Walker's long lost novel receiving upcoming publication
  • article made the Sunday front page centerpiece 


South Jackson residents say the city has failed them, call for more enforcement

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2024/07/24/jackson-ms-residents-demand-ordinance-enforcement/74467877007/

  • after my article was published, the mayor issued a statement saying the police department had allocated more resources to their newly formed illegal dumping division and that he would personally meet with the Association of South Jackson Neighborhoods (ASJN) 


Have COVID? Need Paxlovid? Good luck finding it in Jackson area

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2024/07/26/paxlovid-hard-to-find-on-shelves-with-new-government-policy/74541914007/

  • scooped news of Jackson's low Paxlovid supply 

Politico

California considers tough new sexual assault policy

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2024/07/california-considers-tough-new-sexual-assault-penalty-00166193

  • pitched and wrote about criminal justice legislation during California legislative session contextualizing an upcoming bill in  past sexual assault legislation and recent debates over how to handle crime in the state


The Chronicle of Higher Education

Why Faculty Members Are Fleeing Florida

https://www.chronicle.com/article/why-faculty-members-are-fleeing-florida?sra=true

  • At The Investigative Reporting Workshop, I worked on an investigation into Florida "brain drain" where faculty at higher education institutions left the state because of Ron DeSantis' policies. The piece garnered media attention and was cited in a Washington Post article. 


The Washington Post

Trump pardoned them. Now they’re helping him return to power.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2023/trump-pardon-power-2024-benefit/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f001

  • contributed research and reporting with the investigative team at The Washington Post to this investigation, which was published on the front page 
  • used LexisNexis and Accurint in addition to PACER/CourtLink to track down people pardoned by Trump
  • pitched ideas, angles and anecdotes for the story side of the investigation and worked with data categorization for interactive visualizations 


The Georgia Recorder / States Newsroom

I contribute enterprise and news coverage of the Georgia legislature and state politics through a combination of assignments and my own pitches to States Newsroom's Georgia branch. 


Georgia AG shrugs off open records violations but demands local DAs enforce all laws equally

https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/09/22/georgia-ag-shrugs-off-open-records-violations-but-demands-local-das-enforce-all-laws-equally/

  • worked off records on AG's response to mediation requests from a FOIA request
  • story led to new records policy in city of South Fulton

Brick and mortar reminders of Georgia’s mistreatment of psychiatric patients could be erased soon

https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/11/13/brick-and-mortar-reminder-of-georgias-mistreatment-of-psychiatric-patients-could-be-erased-soon/

  • Picked up by Georgia Public Broadcasting (NPR/PBS): https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/11/13/brick-and-mortar-reminders-of-georgias-mistreatment-of-psychiatric-patients-could
  • One of the most viewed stories ever on The Georgia Recorder website 


Congressional OK for an Ocmulgee Mounds national park could be in store in 2024

https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/12/26/congressional-ok-for-an-ocmulgee-mounds-national-park-could-be-in-store-in-2024/

  • Picked up by Georgia Public Broadcasting (NPR/PBS): https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/12/27/congressional-ok-for-ocmulgee-mounds-national-park-could-be-in-store-in-2024


Georgia shields execution sights and sounds from public view when carrying out lethal injection

https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/03/28/georgia-shields-execution-sights-and-sounds-from-public-view-when-carrying-out-lethal-injection/

  • Picked up by Georgia Public Broadcasting (NPR/PBS):

https://www.gpb.org/news/2024/03/28/georgia-shields-execution-sights-and-sounds-public-view-when-carrying-out-lethal


Peak cicada season arrives in Georgia as some chefs cook up bug recipes for bold diners

https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/05/14/peak-cicada-season-arrives-in-georgia-as-some-chefs-cook-up-bug-recipes-for-bold-diners/

  • Found new angle on news story about cicada brood coming to Georgia about chefs experimenting with including cicadas in their dishes


State agencies slow to reopen public meetings to in-person access; DNR reverts to pre-pandemic ways

https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/06/05/state-agencies-slow-to-reopen-public-meetings-to-in-person-access-dnr-reverts-to-pre-pandemic-ways/

  • Picked up by Georgia Public Broadcasting (NPR/PBS): https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/06/05/state-agencies-slow-reopen-public-meetings-in-person-access-dnr-reverts-pre


Opponents of mine near Okefenokee consider options to stop it after state EPD issued draft permits

https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/02/13/opponents-of-mine-near-okefenokee-consider-options-to-stop-it-after-state-epd-issued-draft-permits/

  • Reported from state capitol on Okefenokee Day 
  • Picked up by Georgia Public Broadcasting (NPR/PBS): https://www.gpb.org/news/2024/02/13/opponents-of-mine-near-okefenokee-consider-options-stop-it-after-state-epd-issued


The Daily Beast

I worked on the breaking news desk as an intern, writing express articles (300-400 words) on a 60 minute deadline and short "cheat sheet" (150 words) breaking news on a 30 minute deadline. I pitched and wrote across a variety of topics including education, foreign, tech, and politics.


Two Foreign Aid Workers Killed by Russian Artillery Fire Near Bakhmut

https://www.thedailybeast.com/two-foreign-aid-workers-killed-by-russian-artillery-fire-near-bakhmut?ref=author

  • connected with sources in Ukraine immediately through social media, making The Daily Beast one of the first outlets to cover the workers' deaths and the first to get comment from workers' friends and coworkers


‘No Evidence’ of Antisemitism in Detroit Synagogue Leader’s Killing: Cops

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fatally-stabbed-synagogue-leader-remembered-as-most-beloved-person-in-detroit?ref=author

  • breaking news taken from memorial service livestream and social media updates from Detroit police
  • updated story continuously over six hours as police posted updates on their investigation


Texas Lt. Guv Threatens to Take Biden Off State’s Ballot After Colorado Ruling

https://www.thedailybeast.com/texas-lt-guv-threatens-to-take-biden-off-states-ballot-after-colorado-ruling?ref=home

  • cited in Salon.com article


New York Post Reporter Blows Up Trump’s Courtroom Conspiracy

https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-york-post-reporter-blows-up-trumps-courtroom-conspiracy?ref=author


Trump Being Nominated for House Speaker Is Becoming a Real Possibility

https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-agrees-trump-should-replace-mccarthy-as-next-house-speaker?ref=author

  • continuously updated breaking news throughout the night, monitoring social media for information the night McCarthy was removed 


Breaking U.K. Spy Scandal Spurs Dramatic Confrontation at G20 Summit

https://www.thedailybeast.com/rishi-sunak-confronts-li-quiang-about-chinese-spying-in-uk-parliament-at-g20-summit?ref=author

  • my article made The Daily Beast the first U.S. outlets on the story


Armed Protester Spotted Outside Biden Home in Wilmington

https://www.thedailybeast.com/armed-protester-spotted-outside-biden-home-in-wilmington

  • breaking news written off White House Travel Pool tip


Drew Barrymore Under Fire for Reviving Talk Show During WGA Strike

https://www.thedailybeast.com/drew-barrymore-under-fire-for-reviving-show-during-wga-strike?ref=author


The Emory Wheel

I worked as a senior staff writer and editor for the opinion and features sections at The Emory Wheel, my college's student newspaper. I also dabbled in illustration, web design and podcasting as needed.

Andrew Fried on success, failure, and everything in between

https://emorywheel.com/andrew-fried-on-success-failure-and-everything-in-between/


Speak your mind: free speech at Emory on the eve of midterm elections

https://emorywheel.com/speak-your-mind-free-speech-at-emory-on-the-eve-of-midterm-elections/


To see or not to see: the ongoing debate of displaying mummies at the Carlos Museum

https://emorywheel.com/to-see-or-not-to-see-the-ongoing-debate-of-displaying-mummies-at-the-carlos-museum/

  • also produced as a podcast episode (view it in my multimedia portfolio here)


Short Story Dispenser delights students at Woodruff Library

https://emorywheel.com/short-story-dispenser-delights-students-at-woodruff-library/


Editorial: Emory, invest in Atlanta's transportation

https://emorywheel.com/emory-invest-in-atlantas-transportation/

  •  Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence National Editorial Writing Finalist (May 2022, awarded to newspaper based on this editorial, for which I was the main author)  


Emory Office of Technology Transfer

Writing news and features for Emory's Office of Technology Transfer, I cover patents and emerging technology from professors and researchers associated with the institution.

Featured Innovation: Mobile Phone Diagnostic for COVID-19

https://www.ott.emory.edu/industry/featured/mobile_covid.html

  • worked as part of breaking news team to write feature and news break article pair when Emory professor won Merck Future Insight Prize (news article: https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/techtransfer/2023/07/emory-scientist-khalid-salaita-earns-top-merck-prize-for-viral-sensing-technology/)
  • our articles came out the same day Merck officially announced their award winners to the public

Shining a Light on Antibiotic Heteroresistance

https://www.ott.emory.edu/industry/featured/resistance.html

Bay News Rising

I interned at Bay News Rising as part of The Pacific Media Workers' Guild in San Francisco during the summer of 2022, working under professional Bay Area journalists to write a longform feature article while learning about the news industry.

“Not a learning time:” For families of special-needs kids, remote schooling was a challenge

https://baynewsrising.org/2022/09/16/not-a-learning-time-for-families-of-special-needs-kids-pandemic-era-remote-schooling-was-a-challenge/

The Orinda News

First class of Miramonte High School graduates had too much fun

https://theorindanews.com/2022/04/26/first-class-of-miramonte-high-school-graduates-had-too-much-fun/

  • originally published in The Mirador (high school paper) and picked up by The Orinda News 

Selected Essays and Other Writing

The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/18/your-money/college-essays-on-money.html

  • freelance essay for NYT

Essay On Biology, English and Science Writing

https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/techtransfer/2023/07/a-different-kind-of-translation-biology-english-and-an-ott-position/

See more of my work here:

Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/chaya-tong

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: https://www.ajc.com/staff/chaya-tong/

The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/author/chaya-tong

The Georgia Recorder: https://georgiarecorder.com/author/chayatong/

Georgia Public Broadcasting: https://www.gpb.org/author/chaya-tong

The Clarion Ledger: https://www.clarionledger.com/staff/74047457007/chaya-tong/

The Emory Wheel: https://emorywheel.com/author/chaya-tong/

See My Multimedia Portfolio Here

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