Leah Rachel von Essen
Leah Rachel von Essen
Encyclopædia Britannica Editor
BIOGRAPHY

Leah is a copy editor and fact-checker with a decade of experience in the editorial world. Her particular fields of expertise include women’s sports (especially football [soccer] and basketball), socially conscious writing, classic and contemporary literature, folklore and mythology, animals, and pop culture. She has also written articles for Encyclopædia Britannica within her areas of knowledge.

Education

B.A., Comparative Literature | University of Chicago

Certificate in Editing | Graham School

In Leah’s Own Words…

I’ve always been passionate about words: how they work and how they’re used—to break and build, communicate and block. I’ve also always been curious. I love to read and discover, and from the moment I could, I started traveling the world. The world is an incredible place full of information that’s surprising, delightful, and wild, and I want everyone to be able to access it.

For all those reasons, I’m passionate about making sure that our content is both accurate and accessible. I want to help shape all the incredible stories and facts about our world for our readers, who come to us to investigate, learn, or explore.

Primary Contributions (4)
Rapper A$AP Rocky wears a pink and black tuxedo with layered gold necklaces and a bow tie at the 2026 Met Gala, standing in front of greenery and blurred attendees.
ASAP Rocky is an American rapper and artist known for his experimental approach, “cloud rap”–style music, bold fashion statements, and long-standing romantic partnership with global pop star Rihanna. In addition to his music career, he has collaborated with a number of fashion designers and brands.…
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