As a journalist, Tina, or Xintian, Wang is often the one asking the questions. When writing, she has to be objective. She shares other people’s perspectives rather than her own. But in this case, the tables have turned. “It’s kind of nice to be interviewed once and get my ideas on paper,” she admits. “It’s nice to speak about how [my] ideas may influence [my] journey as a journalist.”
Wang introduces herself to me as a journalist, first and foremost — but that, in itself, encompasses multiple hats: writer, author, photographer. Born and raised in China, Wang grew up challenging the status quo, which isn’t exactly the norm when you think of Chinese culture. But it’s what got Wang interested in storytelling. She covers cultural stereotypes and AAPI issues, contributing reporting (sometimes bilingual) for Western and Chinese publications. And in her spare time, she volunteers as the director of events for the New York chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
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“I was definitely not a rebel as a kid,” Wang assures me. “I was often told by my parents not to stick my neck out, so the idea of blending into the crowd has been following me for a long time.” But even as the so-called “good child,” she couldn’t help but notice and question gender stereotypes all around her.
“When I was 8 or 10, there were so many relatives who were talking about how you shouldn’t wear skirts above the knee,” Wang recalls. “[They thought] a woman’s wardrobe would impact her character.” To her, that was odd. She fought back against these ideas, even in front of her elder relatives. Though a distant memory from her childhood, those small fights for equality stuck with her.
In high school, Wang became more outspoken and comfortable with expressing her thoughts in various ways, speaking at international conferences and sharing her ideas around hosting her school’s gala. Attending an…
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