Congratulations to Alexander Banks, the 2024 recipient of the AAJA-SPJ Emerging Northwest Journalists Internship.

Banks will spend 10 weeks as a newsroom intern with the Statesman Journal in Salem, Oregon. 

(Photo courtesy of Alexander Banks)

Banks is a senior creative writing and journalism major at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. He’s been an editor and reporter for The Daily Barometer at Oregon State and has written for Oregon ArtsWatch. 

The AAJA-SPJ Emerging Northwest Journalists Internship provides paid summer newsroom positions for members of racial and ethnic minority groups that are underrepresented in Pacific Northwest journalism. This year’s internship includes a housing and relocation stipend. 

AAJA Portland, SPJ Oregon and the host newsroom provide funding for the internship. The host newsroom also provides a staff mentor for the intern.

Banks is the seventh recipient of the AAJA-SPJ Emerging Northwest Journalists Internship. Past recipients are: 

• Jamie Diep, reporter/host, KBBI AM 890
• Donald Orr, announcer/producer, Oregon Public Broadcasting
• Matthew Park, assignment editor/content coordinator, KGW TV
• Chiara Profenna, Advance Local reporting fellow, The Oregonian/OregonLive  
• Sukhjot Sal, digital producer, Oregon Public Broadcasting
• Celina Tebor, news editor, CNN

Donations to the internship fund are always welcome. AAJA Portland is grateful for funding support from Inatai Foundation.

About AAJA Portland: The Portland chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association is the only official organization for journalists of color in Oregon. The chapter works to advance diversity in Oregon and southwest Washington newsrooms and to ensure fair and accurate coverage of local communities of color.

About SPJ Oregon: The Oregon chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists works to advance government transparency and public records reform, and provide networking and training opportunities for journalists and media professionals.

Stay in the know! Sign up for updates from AAJA Portland by sending your name and email address to aaja.pdx@gmail.com.