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My Recent Work

This section showcases my latest articles and audio stories covering political, business, and social issues with a focus on deep, unique and most importantly accurate storytelling.

Illinois Newsroom •

Fueling change: UIUC students vote on fossil fuel divestment this week - IPM Newsroom

URBANA — Voting season for students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign begins this week. Elections for the Campus Student Election Commission will be held online from Feb. 25 through Feb. 27 through the One Illinois platform.
One of the questions on the ballot asks students to weigh in on the issue of campus financial investments in fossil fuel companies.
The referendum asks students: “Should the University of Illinois System remove its fossil fuels investments within 5 years?”
“It i...
Illinois Newsroom •

C-U advocates respond to Trump executive orders that take aim at trans rights, bodily autonomy - IPM Newsroom

URBANA – Local advocates for reproductive justice gathered in Urbana Saturday, Feb. 8, to address growing concerns about the erosion of bodily autonomy in the current political climate. 
Since President Trump took office, he’s signed numerous executive orders aimed at limiting the rights of transgender people and curbing access to abortion.
“In the current administration, we feel more attacks on the areas that we’re working in,” said Julie Laut, the founder of Urbana-Champaign Reproductive Justi...
Illinois Newsroom •

Accessibility blocked: U of I senior dropped disability studies minor over inaccessible bathrooms - IPM Newsroom

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was a pioneer in campus accessibility, and remains one of the most accessible schools in the world. But issues still persist, creating barriers for some disabled students, like Alyx Bibbs, a U of I senior and a wheelchair user. 
Bibbs is majoring in recreation, sport and tourism, and for the past three years, they have been working hard towards their minor in disability studies.
But with one required class left, Bibbs said they had to drop the minor —...
Illinois Newsroom •

Some worry ‘Middle Eastern North African’ census designation will be misused if Trump wins - IPM Newsroom

The category of Middle Eastern North African, or MENA, was added to the U.S. Census earlier this year. It’s a change the MENA community had been trying to achieve since 1997 when the last major changes to race and ethnic categories in the Census were made. 
The MENA race category was proposed during the Obama presidency and was ignored by the Trump administration in 2016. Then, in March, the Biden administration announced adding MENA as a race category to the next Census. 
But with a potential T...
The Daily Illini •

UI student powers green energy forward

Aman Mehta, junior in Engineering, pushes green energy forward through his research and work at Cache Energy, a startup focused on creating green energy storage technology.

A dark-haired young man with eyes full of passion, Mehta is an international student born in Mumbai, India. A deforestation case in his home city inspired him to pursue his degree and work in the green energy field.

His first interaction with green energy was centered around wind energy in high school, which sparked Mehta’s...
The Daily Illini •

Champaign County should invest in wind energy, researchers suggest

Dozens of snow-white turbines spring up from green fields, standing at around 260 feet tall.

Thirty-five minutes away from the University, Sapphire Sky Wind Energy Center in Farmer City, Illinois is one of the closest wind farms to Champaign County.

While other counties in Illinois and nearby states take action when it comes to wind energy development, Champaign County is slow, primarily because of the social “stigma” among landowners, not willing to sacrifice their land for wind turbines, exp...
The Daily Illini •

UI events to support students during finals

A group of friends eat at last semester’s midnight breakfast at the Ikenberry Dining Hall.

With finals fast approaching, the University is preparing various events for students with increased stress. Here is a comprehensive guide to the programs and events offered by the University in the two upcoming weeks.

The Writers Workshop

The Writers Workshop is available for everyone during the school year and continues its work in the regular mode, providing extensive feedback on the papers of the st...
The Daily Illini •

Ukrainian students want more support from UI

On Feb. 24, the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian Student Association organized a fundraising event on the Main Quad in support of Ukraine.

Members of the organization sold sunflower pins and created a Ukrainian flag out of ribbons right in front of the Illini Union.

“We decided to create a Ukrainian flag out of blue and yellow ribbons on the quad, 365 ribbons in total, a ribbon for each day since the full-scale invasion,” said Veronica Kozak, vice president...
The Daily Illini •

GEO left ‘devastated’ after failed contract bargaining

The Graduate Employees’ Organization held a press conference near the Illini Union after bargaining sessions with the University about economic proposals and labor contracts.

On Thursday, the Graduate Employees’ Organization held a press conference near the Illini Union after the University refused to negotiate on economic articles.

“During today’s bargaining session, the administration decided not to respond to our specific economic proposal around wages and health care,” said GEO co-presiden...
The Daily Illini •

GEO makes progress at bargaining table

On Jan. 26, University administration and the Graduate Employees’ Organization reached seven agreements during their bargaining session at the Illini Union. The last session was held on Friday, but no updates were disclosed.

The seven agreements achieved included expanding the protection of GEO members in terms of discrimination and sexual harassment.

“The University expressed its desire to exchange proposals and make progress toward an agreement,” stated the University official bargaining ses...
The Daily Illini •

UI, GEO end semester with no agreement

GEO protesters on Feb. 26 voice opinions over mask policy.
GEO’s and University’s contract negotiations reach an inclusive agreement towards the end of the year.

Since its contract with the University expired, the Graduate Employees Organization has been in negotiations with the University for a new contract. However, the parties have yet to reach an agreement.

According to Karla Sanabria Véaz, GEO co-president and graduate student, over 3,000 graduate employees continue to work under an expir...
The Daily Illini •

UI student found dead in Peoria

At around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Herb Jones, Director of Residential Life for University Housing, sent an email to Hopkins Hall residents informing them of the death of Deven Lane, freshman in Engineering and resident of Hopkins Hall.

He was last seen Friday, Nov. 4 in the Peoria area and was reported missing on Monday.

Fliers were posted around campus a few days ago with descriptions and phone numbers to contact family members and the Peoria Police Department.

According to the Peoria Police...