Student Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism

Ava Hu, “From X to WeChat: How misinformation spreads across social media and into Chinese-language spaces,” AsAmNews, AAJA VOICES

ABOUT THE WORK: With support from the VOICES program, the article was republished by AsAmNews and Technical.ly, extending its reach to broader Asian American and civic-tech audiences. The story brought attention to a piece of Chinese-language misinformation that had previously circulated largely within closed community networks. The piece also generated engagement among journalists and editors in Chinese-language media. Several former colleagues amplified the article through AAJA-affiliated networks, recognizing the importance of addressing misinformation within in-language ecosystems. In academia, a professor at UC Berkeley shared the article with Chinese students in his class and used it as a foundation for a presentation assignment on combating misinformation, further extending its educational impact.

Ava Hu is a bilingual reporter focusing on data reporting and local accountability stories. She covers immigration, higher education and public records, with works published by The Guardian, Houston Chronicle, AAPI Data, AsAm News and Initium Media. Hu holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and is pursuing a master’s degree in data and business reporting at the University of California, Berkeley.

Honorable Mention: Ashley Lee, “In an ‘America First’ Era, Taiwan Gains Ground in Congress,” The Diplomat

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