Journalist Ke ‘April’ Xu wins AAJA-Medill Innovator Award
Xu’s reporting provides information to the Chinese immigrant community
EVANSTON, ILL. -- Medill and the Asian American Journalists Association have selected journalist Ke “April” Xu to receive the AAJA-Medill Innovator Award.
Xu is an award-winning bilingual journalist with more than a decade of experience reporting on New York City's Chinese community. She currently works at Documented, a community-driven service journalism outlet, and previously reported for Sing Tao Daily, one of the largest Chinese-language newspapers outside of China. Her reporting amplifies the voices of Chinese immigrants through news coverage, community events and audience engagement. Her reporting spans investigative journalism, politics, labor, migration and broader social issues.
The AAJA-Medill Innovator Award recognizes journalists who approach Asian American Pacific Islander issues in a fresh and innovative way. The award includes an opportunity to speak to Northwestern Medill students to encourage and inspire the next generation of journalists.
As a senior reporter at Documented, Xu led the creation of a WeChat initiative, a project that has provided critical, in-language information to Chinese immigrants. After more than a year of research which included leading the largest-ever survey of Chinese news consumers in New York, Xu launched Documented’s official WeChat newsletter in December 2023 and a chat group in November 2024.
"I'm so honored to receive this award. For too long, Chinese immigrants, especially those with limited English, have been underserved and disconnected from critical information and resources that affect their daily lives,” said Xu. “That’s why at Documented, a newsroom dedicated to reporting for and with immigrant communities, we use two-way communication to engage our audience, let them guide our reporting, shape our news products, and ensure their needs always come first.”
She continued, “I couldn’t have done this without the support of my editors, colleagues, and most importantly, our audience, whose trust and insight continue to inspire and shape my work. I’m grateful to Medill for recognizing this effort, especially at a time when immigrant communities are increasingly vulnerable and in need of trusted, in-language news sources."
“April’s work shows the importance of journalists meeting people where they are, and provides a meaningful example of how journalism can directly support communities, providing critical information and supporting change,” said Medill Dean Charles Whitaker. “We are delighted to recognize April with this honor.”