Jada Vasser
Jada Vasser is an MSU journalism major with a minor in documentary production and a Planet Detroit 2024 summer intern, focusing on health and environmental impacts on the Black community. Her internship is supported by the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism with a grant from the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessment/National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration at the University of Michigan.
She described her experience in this column:
A farewell from Planet Detroit intern Jada Vasser
My internship with Planet Detroit is sadly ending, and I’m incredibly thankful for my experiences and the fantastic people I’ve met.
I joined Planet Detroit in May, eager to return to reporting and writing impactful stories that would resonate with me and our readers.
As someone born and raised in Detroit, all I’ve ever wanted is to write positive stories about my community and city, helping to change the narrative about Detroit and highlighting the people working to make it more sustainable for the future.
Planet Detroit allowed me to do just that, writing about the good things happening in our city.
As a journalism major, this experience has sharpened my communication skills and taught me an invaluable lesson in patience — a crucial skill for the work I did at Planet Detroit and will continue to do.
If I had to choose a favorite story from this summer, it would be my “As Told To” piece on transitioning to a meat-free lifestyle for some Black Detroiters. This story is significant to me because I could interview people I knew, giving them the platform to share the challenges and lessons they’ve encountered while changing their lives or adapting to their loved ones’ new lifestyles.
I learned so much from these interviews, including the determination to maintain a meat-free lifestyle and the unique challenges faced by those who choose this path.
As the school year resumes, I’ll enter my senior year at Michigan State University, focusing primarily on my minor in documentary production. The skills and knowledge I’ve gained at Planet Detroit will help me complete my graduation requirements and benefit me in all my future endeavors.
Thank you, Planet Detroit!
You can read all of her stories here.