Hello there! I'm the Founder and Publisher of The Xylom, the only Asian American-run news outlet covering health, climate, and the environment.

Many of you ask me what our name means. "Xylom" pays homage to the Ancient Greek word ξύλον (xúlon), the plant tissue that transports water and nutrients from the roots up to the stems and leaves. I want to see you use our reporting to take root and flourish in a healthier planet .

Did you know that creating alternatives to driving is one of the lowest-hanging fruits for integrating climate and health policy? I'm putting my money where my mouth is: I have lived seven years in Atlanta without a car, relying on my trusty e-bike and (less-trusty) public transit to get around, to cover a protest or to meet a source.

However, just as cyclists face constant safety threats on the road, journalists like myself are also facing constant threats on the field: an independent Atlanta-area colleague of ours, Mario Guevara, was arrested while livestreaming "No Kings" protests. After being under ICE custody for over 100 days, he was deported to El Salvador.

To be clear, these hazards do not happen in a vacuum, and The Xylom is determined to hold the forces that stall global health and environmental action accountable. However, because we don't take money from Big Pharma and Big Oil, lobbyists, or politicians, it is always an uphill battle to keep our lights on. 

That's why I'm humbly asking for your help: we need to raise $30,000 during our end-of-year campaign to continue supporting my staff, who fact-check and edit my work. One of the ways we're doing that is to host in-person fundraisers like this one with our partner Atlanta Social Bike Rides. You can sign up for the ride for a $25 fee or with two sponsors here so we have an accurate count of participants. Furthermore, you can directly sponsor myself or one of the riders if you can't make it to the ride! 

Fortunately, NewsMatch will match your new monthly donation 12x (or double your one-time donation!), up to $1,000. Can I count on you to to keep independent, human-powered reporting alive in 2026?