Hell and High Water: VR

Hell and High Water: VR is a series of immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences based upon Hell and High Water, an investigative report written by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune about Houston's vulnerability to a "monster" hurricane. It provides users with a unique perspective on the hurricane's potentially devastating effects on the economy and environment, the science behind the storm and the individuals affected.

These stories were created in Jovrnalism, a directed research class focused on VR journalism under Professor Robert Hernandez at USC. During the course of the investigation, our team collaborated on original reporting, editorial strategy, design and technical development of the VR experiences.

The project received support from Google News Lab, Mettle, Radiant Images and Knight Foundation.

See below for press releases about Hell and High Water: VR:
- USC Annenberg students find new purpose for virtual reality in journalism
- USC Annenberg team uses virtual reality to tell a potentially disastrous story

Homelessness in Los Angeles

Homelessness is a major social problem in Los Angeles. Every night, thousands of people around the city sleep in shelters or on the streets. Many of them are homeless for different reasons including poverty, unaffordable rents and lack of affordable housing, domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse, etc.

During my college years, I focused on writing about homelessness in Los Angeles. Through this journey, I had the opportunity to talk to many people experiencing homelessness and hear their stories. Hearing their experiences firsthand and learning about their successes and struggles inspired me to use my journalism skills to tell more nuanced stories about marginalized communities in Los Angeles and to give them the platform to advocate on behalf of themselves. Furthermore, it sparked my desire to fight for policy-based solutions that could create more affordable housing and care for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Below are several articles I wrote relating to homelessness:

1.     Voices of Skid Row: Kenny (A conversation with a homeless man who once lived with J. Paul Getty)

2.    Voices of Skid Row: Monica (A conversation with a diabetic woman experiencing homelessness)

3.    Homelessness in District 11 (An investigation into homelessness in West Los Angeles)

4.    An Alternative Reality in Skid Row (A profile about Kokiri Lab, a wearable technology space in Skid Row)

PTSD: A Lonely Battle

The Future of LA's Green Economy

The Future of LA's Green Economy is a profile of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, an organization aimed at accelerating the development of cleantech startups in Los Angeles. It also tells the stories of the Toy District, a nearby area housing many stores that sell affordable consumer goods and technology.