Laura Gao

Laura Gao is a Chinese-American artist, author, and former Product Manager at Twitter. Born in Wuhan, China, she immigrated to the United States at the age of four and grew up in Coppell, Texas. Gao graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018, where she studied business and developed a passion for art and technology.134

Gao worked as a Product Manager at Twitter until 2020. During her time there, she created the viral webcomic The Wuhan I Know, which highlighted her experiences growing up in Wuhan amidst the COVID-19 pandemic's negative portrayal of the city. This comic gained widespread recognition and led to a book deal with HarperCollins for her graphic memoir titled Messy Roots, released in March 2022. The memoir explores her identity as a queer Asian-American and addresses themes of racism and cultural heritage.123

After her comic went viral, Gao transitioned from her tech career to focus on her art full-time. She has since adopted a nomadic lifestyle, traveling and working on various creative projects, including a second book featuring queer Asian-American characters.24 Her work has been featured in notable platforms like NPR and the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) in New York City.1

Gao identifies as queer and uses she/her and they/them pronouns. In addition to her artistic pursuits, she enjoys biking, exploring different cultures, and creating apps for nonprofits.13