Alisha Mess is a multimedia journalist and producer from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, specializing in stories that explore housing, culture, politics, and the systems reshaping everyday life. Growing up in a neighborhood rich in culture and oral storytelling, she developed an early passion for narratives rooted in identity and lived experience. Guided by empathy and curiosity, her reporting is grounded in truth and accountability, and aims to inform, connect, and elevate perspectives frequently sidelined in mainstream media.
She currently reports for In The Wake TV, where she hosts "Streets of Change," a news series that covers community-driven activism in New York City. Her reporting takes viewers to the heart of movements, from grassroots organizing to citywide protests. Alisha leads each segment from start to finish, handling research, field reporting, interviews, scripting, and editing to produce stories that inform and resonate with diverse audiences.
Before that, she was a lead radio producer at WNSR New School Radio, reporting on culture, politics, and local news. Her standout work includes an investigative feature on how NYPD and LAPD gang databases affect Black and Brown communities, and a co-produced segment exploring how media and pop culture challenge racial boundaries. These experiences sharpened her storytelling instincts and deepened her belief in journalism’s power to reveal hidden truths and honor the depth of lived experience.
When she’s not reporting on community stories, Alisha works behind the scenes at major cultural and entertainment events across New York City. A true arts enthusiast, she has brought curiosity, adaptability, and sharp editorial instincts to live production in her roles as an events team member and AV intern at the Barclays Center, thriving at the intersection of storytelling and live show execution.
Alisha earned her B.A. in Journalism + Design from The New School in 2024, where she developed a foundation in reporting, production, and visual storytelling. She also holds an A.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Touro College ('21). In Fall 2025, she began her M.S. in Journalism at Columbia University, focusing on broadcast and visual reporting.
