About
The world was once whole. Before borders and alliances, history was one continuous current, shaped by collisions and divisions. Yet, even now, the world is still united through interaction, a sentiment most visible where politics, memory, and people collide.
Diaspora Journals is a newspaper championing stories framed by decades, with narratives tinged yellow at the edges from age. We are interested in heritage as an ever-evolving creature, not just a dormant entity fixed in the past. History, after all, lives in everyday experiences.
Primarily, our work focuses on the narratives scattered throughout Asia. Too often, history is written, reformulated, and presented through a Western lens; at Diaspora Journals, we wish to acknowledge the layered histories and crossings of untold Asian stories, whether it be the Tang Dynasty in China, ancient myths in India, or the Angkor Wat architecture in Cambodia. We welcome any history-related pieces centering on Asia and its diasporas, along with the generational voices reflecting these stories.
Diaspora Journals features monthly publications on our website. As an active advocate for underrepresented individuals, we take pride in free education, meaning all our current publications and archives are fully accessible on our website.
We look forward to receiving your work!
MASTHEAD Bios
Founder & President
Jenna Lee 🇸🇬
Jenna is a high school student with a love for all things humanities, especially history and reading. An avid memoir and historical fiction enthusiast, she champions blending history with accessibility, which became the true driver for forming Diaspora. Her research and history-related interests center on Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on the Vietnam War, Singapore’s colonial history, and the Khmer Rouge. When not writing, she is probably dancing, baking, or convincing her mom to foster a cat. Through Diaspora Journals, she hopes that young writers will be inspired to share and consume new stories.
Mina Lee 🇨🇳
Mina was born in South Korea and moved to Beijing at the age of two, where she has lived ever since. She is currently a high school student at an international school in Beijing, shaped by a cross-cultural upbringing that sparked her interest in cultural and social issues across East Asia and beyond. At school, she serves as a leader of the Magazine & Newspaper Club and is an active member of the Student Ambassador Club. She also participates in an ecosystem protection club and volunteers with organizations supporting children facing illness. As an editor for East Asia Magazine, M is particularly interested in exploring how contemporary art reflects cultural identity and social change in the region. She hopes to use her editorial work to highlight diverse perspectives and encourage meaningful dialogue through student journalism.
Yujin Chon 🇰🇷
From Canada, UK, and finally to Asia, she became aware that what feels ordinary to me can be unfamiliar to someone else. Crossing places, languages, and routines has made her curious about the assumptions hidden in everyday life and the different ways people make sense of belonging. Through conversations and observations, she is interested in the moments where cultures overlap, misunderstand, and reshape one another.
Jaerin Lee 🇸🇬
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Tom Lee 🇻🇳
A debater moving between Korea, Vietnam, and the wider East Asian region, he is interested in how people build and present different versions of themselves across cultures. He often questioned how curated identities are received in different places and what lies beyond them. Through meeting people and listening to their stories, he is drawn to the realities of everyday life that rarely appear on the surface.