Journalism at the intersection of social justice
I am Julia Kim, an undergraduate student at New York University studying Journalism and Gender & Sexuality Studies.
Born and raised in Missouri, I am passionate about journalism at the intersection of social justice and writing stories that center the experiences of historically marginalized communities. I currently work as the Culture Editor for NYU’s independent student newspaper Washington Square News, where my reporting takes the form of long-form feature stories on social-political issues affecting the NYU and NYC communities, with an emphasis on covering the criminal legal system.
NPR Radio Catskill
Reporter & Producer
‘A Space for Everyone I Love’: This Summer Brings the Hudson Valley’s First Black Trans-Owned Bookstore
Apr 2026 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
Founder Awa-Moon Barnett envisions her new mobile bookshop as a pathway for increasing literacy and community organizing in the region.
‘There’s no justice’: New York introduces bill to increase oversight on body scanners in state prisons
Apr 2026 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
The state bill follows hundreds of women coming out in the last year about being turned away for body scanners flagging menstrual products as contraband.
Nonprofit Libraries No Longer Able to Process Passport Applications
Mar 2026 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
Making up almost half of New York’s libraries, nonprofit libraries had been able to process passport applications for decades until now.
From Slave Patrols to ICE: Scholars Say America’s Immigration Crackdown Has Deep Roots
Mar 2026 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
The rise in ICE violence against immigrant communities calls back to American history.
How a Local Nonprofit is Bringing Books to Prisons in New York
Aug 2026 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
The Prison Books Project is partnering with local bookstores in the Hudson Valley to increase access to books in state prisons.
‘They Treat Us Like Inmates’: Loved Ones of Incarcerated Individuals Cite Uncertainty and Powerlessness Navigating the System
Sep 2025 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
Families of incarcerated individuals are facing little-to-no support within the criminal legal system.
Understaffed or Overpopulated?: Looking Inside New York’s Prisons Post-Strike
Aug 2025 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
Since the correctional officers’ strike, incarcerated New Yorkers are struggling amidst frequent lockdowns, an absence in programming and the summer heat.
How an Indigenous-Led Non-Profit is Challenging the Hudson Valley’s Artistic Legacy
Jul 2025 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
The Forge Project strives to support contemporary Indigenous artists while raising questions about the colonial histories of Western art.
‘The System Is So Fundamentally Broken’: Local Pharmacies Confront Closures and Prescription Cuts
Jul 2025 · NPR Radio Catskill · Reporter & Producer
Local pharmacies are closing at increasing rates across the country and cite PBMs as the culprit for significant profit losses.
Washington Square News
Culture Editor
The fight for affinity graduations
Apr 2026 · Washington Square News · Culture Editor
After NYU’s abrupt cancellation of affinity graduations in February, students quickly mobilized to reverse the university’s decision.
You cannot be Asian American without being against ICE
Feb 2026 · Washington Square News · Culture Editor
“Asian American” is not just a label — it’s a political commitment against the forces of racism, capitalism and imperialism.
A precarious promise: What the tallest jail in the world means for those who live next to it
Sep 2025 · Washington Square News · Culture Editor
As New York City finally closes Rikers Island, its plan to build four new jails — two of which are within minutes of NYU dorms — has not been without criticism.
“A minefield of access barriers”: Transportation for New Yorkers with disabilities
Oct 2025 · Washington Square News · Culture Editor
Despite New York City’s robust network of public transportation, residents with disabilities face everyday barriers in getting around.
The NYU students behind Mamdani’s historic win
Nov 2025 · Washington Square News · Culture Editor
Students who helped build Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign now plan to carry the momentum through his tenure.
‘Tiny Grains’ is an emotional and intimate time capsule of Manhattan’s Chinatown
Oct 2025 · Washington Square News · Culture Editor
Pearl River Mart’s latest exhibition provides a snapshot of the Chinatown community’s perseverance during the pandemic.
5 identity-based bookstores to explore
Nov 2024 · Washington Square News · Contributing Writer
Skip the corporate chains and flip through the unique shelves of five bookstores focused on showcasing the stories of marginalized groups.