Laura López González is an award-winning health / science writer and editor with almost 15 years of experience. She has headed up the news desks of half of South Africa’s specialist health reporting outlets. López holds a bachelors from the  Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and a masters from the University of Chicago.

“I tell a good story with the science to back it up – stories that fill the gap and move the conversation. I don’t just want to tell you what is happening; I want to help you and I understand more about the world we live in and the way it shapes our lives and our health.

“I am a first-generation Chicana who grew up in California — the daughter of a chemical engineer and a former chemistry teacher turned x-ray tech and unionist. They taught me that health is about much more than pills. It is also about who you are and where you’re from.

“By 2005, I was reporting on health and the HIV epidemic from Johannesburg, half a world away, while South Africa still languished under AIDS denialism.

“To combat misinformation, doctors taught activists HIV science and they, in turn, taught me. I owe much of how I think and write about the science of health and the world around us to them, especially my belief that science’s true power lies in its ability to be understood by anyone.

“Eventually, I had the great privilege of teaching dozens of young and citizen journalists across South Africa. I became the only woman in the country to act as a news editor for the bulk of the country’s non-profit health reporting centres – Health-e News and the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism – for almost a decade. During my time, readership at both centres grew by at least three-fold.

“I am fluent in English and Spanish. I am also a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Take a look at a day in my former life as Bhekisisa’s deputy editor:

Services

Today, I focus on writing stories that blend the facts and figures with good, old-fashioned storytelling as a freelance health and science writer, editor and researcher.

I also provide training, coaching and communications consulting for fellow writers and non-profits looking to tell better stories — whether for news outlets or about their own work.

This includes helping nonprofits repackage their work into compelling opinion pieces, advocacy documents and other offerings.

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