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Portia Li is a senior reporter with the U.S.based World Journal, a Chinese language daily newspaper serving North America.

Li is known for several big exposes about a Chinatown extortion ring. She was recognized by the Chinese community as taking the lead in reporting on the SARS (bird flu) crisis. She is part of the Chinese-language media that published more stories in advance of the disease than the mainstream media. This has resulted in her ability to quickly respond in covering a potential pandemic. She has covered stories relevant to the Chinese community in the Millbraie section of San Francisco.

Li's reporting of the Ellen Pao gender discrimination lawsuit is widely followed in China.

Biography

Li, 50-year-old native of Hong Kong, is the daughter of a Hong Kong businessman. She held a position at one of Hong Kong's largest daily newspapers and in 1986 continued her education to receive a master's degree from Utah State University. After receiving her degree, she moved to San Francisco and began work for the World Journal. She is an active participant in the Chinese american community in San Francisco and has been a featured speaker at the Ascend conference sponsored by the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA), the Asian Studies Department of the City College of San Francisco, the Japan Policy Research Institute and the Center on the Pacific Rim at USF, and the Stanford Center for East Asia Studies.

Receives recognition from Hillary Clinton

Li was singled out in 2007 by then presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton for an apology for an apparent snub at a fund raiser when Li was considered 'foreign' press. "I want to reiterate my deep regret and the regret of my campaign over the misunderstanding that occurred last month over press credentials," said Clinton. "We are working out all of our problems and making sure that people will have access to me and to my events."

Prompts FBI investigation into San Francisco gang extortion

In 2001, a series of fires destroyed restaurants owned by ethnic-Chinese businessmen who were reticent to cooperate with investigators.Li interviewed one of the owners who informed her gang members had demanded protection money. Li then wrote reports identifying gang links to the arson. Her reports generated tips to investigators and the FBI made arrests charging suspects with extortion. San Francisco Police Chief Fred Lau said, "Portia was going 120 miles an hour," during a press conference, "We said, 'Hey, maybe this is something that people are interested in.' "

"Firebrand" journalism

The Wall Street Journal characterizes her journalism as an

“increasingly important force in American civic life as a wave of immigrants transforms the nation: the crusading ethnic journalist. At a time when many mainstream newspapers are suffering steep declines in advertising revenue and circulation, native-language papers in Chinatowns…across the country are holding steady and some are even posting gains. In part, that is due to the work of firebrand journalists such as Ms. Li, who are championing the sort of unabashed advocacy that long ago stopped being a staple of the mainstream American press.”

Chinese-American civil rights investigator

Li raised questions about racial bias in her articles on behalf of Rep. David Wu, a Democrat from Oregon who was denied entry to the U.S. Energy Department by guards who questioned his nationality. She challenged an inflammatory editorial likening the Chinese-American physicist Dr. Lee to ‘Fu Manchu’. During his investigation, she published many articles helping to ‘galvanize the Chinese-American community’ and was credited for having a major part in freeing the physicist. "Portia was way out in front," stated Policy Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action Ted Wang.

References

1. ^ Tam, Pui-Wing. "New Voices: Ms. Li's Journalistic Crusade Is Epitome of Thriving Ethnic Press in U.S." Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
2. "What To Do About Bird Flu". Alternet. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
3. "Newspaper war in the Bay Area - Ming Pao becomes 6th Chinese-language daily -". SFGate. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
4. "Ellen Pao trial is big news in China". USA Today. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
5. "Asian American Political Clout: A Post-Election Analysis". AsianWeek. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
6. Wong, Samson (30 March 2007). "Snubbed Papers Accept Clinton Apology". zoominfo.com.

• Living people
• Reporters covering gender discrimination
• Chinese Americans in New York City