Having lived in urban cities in Tanzania, Kenya, China, and the US, different facets of urban living in those cultures just fascinate me. Learning about cities and their come-to-be have helped me to sympathesize with people who are different from me. It made me to realize that social-economic issues are not merely "out there". They are so vivid, so tangible, and they are "right here". They are right here with my friends, with my neighbors, with people who I commute with daily... these connections inspired me to work as an urban planner. It is not because I could solve all the urban problems; It is because this work allows me to walk the journey with the people together. 

I currently work for the City of Philadelphia's Office of Multimodal Planning, and I love it. I do not only work with data, but I also talk with community members about traffic projects on the field (honestly the best part). Transportation connects city life, and it gives equal accessbility to opportunities. It is the most practical way to bridge (literally) inequality. And yet, everyone deserves to go back home safely. This job really allows me to see the impacts I can deliver to the communities I care and love.

I like hiking, birdwatching, and non-fiction writing (in Chinese).