Maya Yang

The Guardian • 25th February 2022

Ketanji Brown Jackson: who is Biden’s supreme court choice?

Joe Biden’s nominee for the supreme court, Ketanji Brown Jackson, is a 51-year-old Harvard graduate who has been a judge of the United States court of appeals for the DC circuit since June, having replaced now-attorney general Merrick Garland.

The Guardian • 25th February 2022

‘Lot of determination’: Ukrainian Americans rally for their country

Members of the Ukrainian diaspora across the United States have been responding with grief, rage and solidarity with their compatriots as Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of their country.

The Guardian • 14th February 2022

Arkansas jail’s ivermectin experiments recall historical medical abuse of imprisoned minorities

The story of what may have happened in a small slice of Arkansas nestled against the Ozark hills has shocked many in America and come to symbolize the political divides triggered by the pandemic. But it also repeats America’s dreadful history of racism and medical exploitation by American authorities towards communities and inmates of color.

The Guardian • 7th January 2022

The people who turned in their parents for their role in the Capitol attack

A year on from the Capitol attack by loyalist supporters of Donald Trump, many families are still reeling from members outing each other to law enforcement and offspring traumatized by their parents’ involvement in the insurrection.

The Guardian • 23rd December 2021

Capitol rioters hit with severe sentences and sharp reprimands from judges

Judges across the US have been handing down stiff sentences and hard words in recent weeks for extremist supporters of Donald Trump who took part in the 6 January insurrection at the US Capitol.

The Guardian • 15th December 2021

‘A weird meta experience’: artist has @metaverse handle restored after Meta disables it

Thea-Mai Baumann’s Instagram profile is an eclectic mix of pink-lipped selfies, David Bowie memes, colorful recordings of her hologram artwork, shots of skyscrapers in Shanghai and portraits of friends tinted in Valencia, Amaro and Toaster, all filters from Instagram’s early days.

The Guardian • 26th November 2021

Some climate campaigners praise Biden for releasing emergency oil reserves

In a surprising move, some climate crisis campaigners have praised Joe Biden for ordering the release of emergency oil reserves in an attempt to reduce energy prices across the country.

The Guardian • 24th November 2021

How the killing of Ahmaud Arbery further exposes America’s broken and racist legal system

For many observers, the high-profile case of the three white men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was out jogging, revealed the racist ways the American legal system has been designed to treat Black people differently.

The Guardian • 13th November 2021

Maine’s lobster fishers caught up in fierce fight with conservationists over entangled whales

A fierce fight is being waged in the Gulf of Maine between lobster fishers desperate to maintain their way of life and conservationists who argue that the waters are a vital haven for the threatened North Atlantic right whale.

The Guardian • 13th November 2021

Kyle Rittenhouse trial: yelling, tears and surprises reflect divided America

As testimony wrapped up this week in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, a wary America has realized that the trial of the young man on charges linked to his killing of two racial justice protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has not played out like many people expected.

The Guardian • 9th November 2021

‘We’re redefining what leadership looks like’: Asian Americans show rapid rise in US politics

After a series of historic wins across the US last week, Asian Americans will now serve as mayors and city council members in large cities including Boston, Seattle, Cincinnati and New York, signalling the rapid rise in Asian American political power.

The Guardian • 7th November 2021

How Asian Americans are blazing a new path in a blooming pot industry

A new generation of Asian American business people have emerged as trailblazers in the rapidly growing legal marijuana sector in the US, entering the industry with hopes of pushing for further legalization while expanding it to include traditionally marginalized communities.

The Guardian • 29th October 2021

Bee colonies have collapsed across the US. One company has developed a high-tech solution

As the world’s primary pollinators, bees play a crucial role in the global food supply chain and their loss could trigger a devastating collapse of Earth’s many ecosystems. BeeHero, a California-based startup that originated in Israel, is seeking to change the pollination game by employing an array of hi-tech methods to help manage and protect beehives.

The Guardian • 18th August 2021

The US public schools redesigning buildings with climate in mind

School districts are increasingly transitioning to cheaper and greener options. But old building habits and funding constraints can pose a challenge.

Bedford + Bowery • 15th January 2020

Body-Snatchers, Hypnotists, and Beats: The Long, Strange History of St Mark’s Church

This is the story of how St. Mark’s Church evolved from a locus of respectable Episcopalian worship to a venue for expletive-ridden poetry recitals by William S. Burroughs and performances by Christian rock bands with posters of breast-bearing women.

BBC Worklife • 10th January 2020

Why 'unlimited' time off isn't actually unlimited

Critics say giving workers unlimited time off can actually deter them from taking holidays - so are minimum leave policies the answer?

Bedford + Bowery • 15th March 2019

How NYC’s Broken Food Cart System Leaves Vendors Scraping By

Day and night, Tapash Sarkar, a Bangladeshi street vendor in lower Manhattan clinks his spatulas as he cooks biryani behind a fingerprint-stained food truck window.