One of the best parts of our year is the summer, when we get to welcome and work with talented young journalists. We are excited to introduce you to interns Mariam Kebe and Aliana Ritter, who will be joining the BridgeDetroit family. If you see them out and about reporting or shooting videos, be sure to say hello!
Mariam is an incoming fourth-year student at Wayne State University, majoring in journalism and media and minoring in history. Passionate about storytelling from a young age, she has dedicated herself to sharing meaningful stories that inform and uplift communities.
Since graduating from Clarenceville High School in 2023, Mariam has gained experience freelancing for several nonprofit organizations and publications, including Arise Detroit, the Skillman Foundation, S.T.Y.L.E., Urban Aging News, and Wayne State University’s student newspaper, The South End. Her work has covered a wide range of topics, including sports, history, and community-focused news.
In addition to print journalism, Mariam expanded her experience in broadcast media through an internship with WDET Radio during the Winter 2026 semester, where she developed valuable skills in radio journalism and production. As she continues her studies at Wayne State, Mariam is focused on growing within the broadcast industry while pursuing impactful, solutions-based journalism.
Mariam comes to us from Wayne State’s Journalism Institute of Media Diversity via the Report for America summer internship program. During her time with us, Mariam will also be focused on video and social media. She will be with us from June 1 to August 7.
Aliana is a rising sophomore at the University of Michigan pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in political science and English on a pre-law track. Following her passion for social justice and public service, Aliana has contributed extensively to academic research, journalistic publications, and student organizations.
On The Michigan Daily, she is an academics beat reporter and summer senior news editor— writing, editing, and publishing in-depth journalism across all beats. As a research assistant with Dream of Detroit, she has conducted over 130 hours of community-engaged research to preserve the history of social justice led by Black American Muslims.
On the Michigan Mock Trial team, she is the vice president of membership and an active competitor, earning an all-regional attorney title and sharpening her critical thinking skills. Finally, as the Investigative Committee Chair of the American Civil Liberties Union, Aliana has spearheaded research into student rights issues through Freedom of Information Act requests. Through a future career in law and journalism, she hopes to preserve publicly accessible information and protect the rights of individuals.
Aliana comes to us from UM via the Detroit River Story Lab scholarship program. She will be reporting on general assignments and will have at least one piece focused on the Detroit River Watershed. She’ll be with us from June 1 to July 24.
