My people-focused and research-driven reporting has taken me from the mountains of North Carolina to the ghost towns of Fukushima, Japan. I’ll go wherever it takes to uncover the story that no one else is telling—illuminating injustices and uplifting underrepresented voices.

Mika Travis

STORIES

In 2011, an infamous tsunami and nuclear disaster devastated parts of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As clouds of radiation spread, the prefecture that was once known for its agricultural produce became feared and stigmatized. Now, over a decade later, farmers are working to restore their towns to their former vitality.

For this year-long project, I…

  • Conducted rigorous research, digging through government records, data, and scientific studies in both English and Japanese.

  • Traveled to Fukushima, interviewing subjects in Japanese with the assistance of an interpreter.

  • Photographed subjects/surroundings and produced graphics and data visualizations to supplement the story.

  • Wrote a long-form article that dives into the history of Fukushima and the lives of its current residents.

The Rebirth of Agriculture in a Post-Nuclear Fukushima

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The Forgotten WWII Internment Camps in Asheville, North Carolina

As a child, Ken Nakazawa had an inexplicable fascination with the Grove Park Inn, a beautiful old stone hotel set on a mountainside a few miles from his family’s home in Asheville. He had no idea his grandmother had been held there as a detainee during World War II.

For this award-winning explanatory story, I…

  • Exposed the concealed history of North Carolina’s internment camps during WWII.

  • Conducted extensive research using archival records and historical documents.

  • Interviewed descendants and historians.

This story won a 1st place award in Feature Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists and 4th place Hearst Journalism Award in Explanatory Reporting.

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MY WORK

As a journalist, I love chasing down issues that matter and making sense of them for my readers.

My work has appeared in E&E News by Politico, the Detroit Free Press, PBS North Carolina and The Daily Tar Heel.

I employ multimedia to supplement and enhance stories, utilizing my skills in photo/video, social media and graphic design/data visualization.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with highest distinction and highest honors in journalism.

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