Saraphena Wong

University of Washington journalism student // KNKX Digital Media Intern // Staff writer at The Daily

saraphenawong@gmail.com

Selected Work

A Tale of Two Mayors: How Zohran Mamdani and Katie Wilson Appealed to Younger Voters

In the wake of Donald Trump’s second term as president, the elections held across the country in November of 2025 seemed paramount to young voters dissatisfied with Trump’s policies. To swathes of people unhappy with the new presidency, local gubernatorial, legislative, and mayoral elections seemed like the first, most viable way to challenge an administration that would be in office for the next three years.Seattle and New York City, in particular, had high-profile mayoral races featuring young...

Opeth haunts the Paramount Theater

“Hello, motherf---ers,” Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt said, walking out onto the stage to a fanfare of screams and raised devil-horn hands.

An unfortunate bus breakdown left opening band Katatonia stranded in Eugene, leaving Opeth as the only entertainment for the night. I had hoped that would mean a longer set, but we had no such luck. Regardless, the Paramount Theater was packed wall-to-wall with eager fans Feb. 24.

The setlist at this Opeth concert felt like a voyage through 28 years of their di...

If buying isn’t owning, then piracy isn’t stealing

Editor’s note: “Chronically Online” is a biweekly column focused on internet culture, social media, and technology addiction. In this edition, columnist Saraphena Wong explores the virtues of piracy in the face of an impermanent modern media landscape.

When was the last time you bought a piece of physical media?

Maybe it was a CD of your favorite album, or a Blu-ray copy of a movie you really wanted to watch. It occupies space on a bookshelf or in a cabinet. You can lend it to a friend, watch...

ChatGPT cannot be your boyfriend — the dangers of AI therapy

In the past three years alone, the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) has skyrocketed. We now live in a world where it is nearly impossible to live a life untouched by AI. It’s embedded in our social media feeds, running our photo editing software, transcribing our meetings, and summarizing our Google searches.

As a result, we now live in a world where, at the touch of a button, an AI model can coach you through a breakup. With AI therapists and companions multiplying, it’s difficult to...

Kwentuhan At Wing Luke: Sharing stories Of Filipino heritage

In front of a rapt audience of old and young people alike, Manang Nelia Diaz recounted herexperience emigrating to the United States after graduating as a registered pharmacist in thePhilippines.


“I thought after the application, I can go immediately to the United States. But they told me,‘Wait for your visa number’,” Diaz said. “I spent 19 years waiting for that visa number— 19 years.”


A marriage and three children later, the U.S. embassy finally sent an approval letter for her visa.She i...

From Washington to Ukraine: Foreign fighters tell stories about their time in the International Legion

"Bear" discusses his experience of fighting in Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion during the From Washington to Ukraine Talk in Smith Hall on May 27, 2025, in Seattle.

Editor’s note: Owain Waszak, who organized this event, was formerly a photographer for The Daily.

In the last of a series of three lectures on the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war, two guest speakers gathered in Smith Hall on May 27 to discuss their experiences volunteering and fighting for The International Legion for...

Contact Me

Email: saraphenawong@gmail.com

LinkedIn: Saraphena Wong