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Humans of Shenzhen
International Women's Day Keynote: In the Shadow of Pothos
For six weeks in my freshman and sophomore summers, I immersed myself in the world of textile workers—from fast fashion factories they...
Albert Wang
Sep 97 min read
TED Talk: How the Other Half Lives (Today): Hukou System & China's Urban Villages
April 2025: Have you ever tried to register for something and been told, “Sorry, your number isn’t on the list”? I went to the Guangzhou...
Albert Wang
Sep 96 min read
No Way Out (Afterword: Q&A)
July 6th, 2024: Q: I noticed you barely ate your dinner and threw most of it away. Is lunch they offer here as bad as dinner? A: It's...
Albert Wang
Aug 255 min read
No Way Out (Chapter 4)
July 6th, 2024: Sister Mann thought she had found a safe harbor and looked forward to her new, married life. What awaited her, however,...
Albert Wang
Aug 254 min read
No Way Out (Chapter 3)
July 6th, 2024: After wandering for a month, Sister Mann, who wasn’t great with words, managed to land a job as a supermarket saleswoman....
Albert Wang
Aug 254 min read
No Way Out (Chapter 2)
July 6th, 2024: Sister Mann’s eyes welled up, her face partially hidden by a few strands of messy hair across her cheek. She wiped her...
Albert Wang
Aug 254 min read
A Family Working Together (Part 3)
June 28th, 2023: Q: I saw a few school-aged kids with school bags walking into the factory earlier. Do they live here? A: Yeah, they live...
Albert Wang
Aug 2111 min read
A Family Working Together (Part 2)
June 28th, 2023: Q: You’ve been with the factory since 2003, and you’ve witnessed each other’s growth over the years. A: Absolutely. Back...
Albert Wang
Aug 218 min read
City Hero, the Factory Cleaner (Afterword: Q&A)
August 31st, 2024: Q: As you said, life in the countryside has been getting better and better since China’s economic reforms. Why do you...
Albert Wang
Aug 219 min read
City Hero, the Factory Cleaner (Part 3)
August 31st, 2024: After the Jingtai Factory moved out of Shenzhen, Aunt Liu’s husband went to work at a rice noodle factory in Guizhou,...
Albert Wang
Aug 215 min read
City Hero, the Factory Cleaner (Part 2)
August 31st, 2024: In 2008, at the age of 38, Aunt Liu “moved to the big city to find work.” Like countless other rural-to-urban migrant...
Albert Wang
Aug 214 min read
The Factory Philosopher Who Chose to "Lie Flat" (Part 2: Q&A)
June 29th, 2024: Q: What made you leave Zhejiang and move to Shenzhen? A: I got tired of Zhejiang and wanted a change. I just felt like...
Albert Wang
Aug 2115 min read
A Father Who Refused Leave His Daughter Behind (Afterword: Q&A)
August 26th, 2023: Mr. Fu (Fu Xiong), first from left, carrying his daughter, second from left "Q: Your whole family can finally live...
Albert Wang
Aug 213 min read
A Father Who Refused Leave His Daughter Behind (Part 3)
August 26th, 2023: Fu Xiong's daughter, exiting the factory front gate In November 2008, Fu Xiong’s wife gave birth to a beautiful baby...
Albert Wang
Aug 215 min read
A Father Who Refused Leave His Daughter Behind (Part 2)
August 26th, 2023: Mr. Fu (Fu Xiong), first from the right, carrying his dinner to his home When Fu Xiong first entered the factory,...
Albert Wang
Aug 213 min read
Declaring War for Love (Afterword: Q&A)
June 6th, 2024: Ms. Mei (Xiao Mei), left one, returning to the Regina Miracle Factory for overtime session after interview with me "Q:...
Albert Wang
Aug 217 min read
Declaring War for Love (Part 3)
June 6th, 2024: Ms. Mei (Xiao Mei), sixth from the left, crossing the street when walking from the Regina Miracle Factory to the nearby...
Albert Wang
Aug 213 min read
Declaring War for Love (Part 2)
June 6th, 2024: Ms. Mei (Xiao Mei), first from the left, walking across the park beside the Regina Miracle Factory with her friend after...
Albert Wang
Aug 214 min read
From Empty Ledgers to Full Hearts (Afterword: Q&A)
May 31st, 2025: Ms. Li (Auntie Li), second from the right, leading assistive device applicants to their assigned evaluators Note:...
Albert Wang
Aug 209 min read
From Empty Ledgers to Full Hearts (Part 2)
May 31st, 2025: Ms. Li (Auntie Li), first from the right, leading assistive device applicants to their assigned evaluators Note: Language...
Albert Wang
Aug 205 min read
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