Now in 25 different communities across the US, City Bureau's Documenters Network equips and pays community members to attend local government meetings, distill what matters, and bring actionable information back to their neighbors.
By Max Resnik, Director of Growth for Documenters
City Bureau is proud to welcome four new partners leading Documenters work in their communities. Now in 25 different communities across the US, City Bureau's Documenters Network equips and pays community members to attend local government meetings, distill what matters, and bring actionable information back to their neighbors. Collectively, more than 6,000 Documenters have covered more than 14,000 public meetings, working with local newsrooms and organizations to make sure neighbors know how to get involved to strengthen their communities.
With new technology creating opportunities to surface patterns and themes across dense cities and rural areas, Documenters, now in New Mexico and North Carolina, show the power of having people in the room where decisions are made.
Doña Ana Documenters, Powered by the New Mexico Local News Fund
In southern New Mexico, many Spanish-speaking and rural communities have long been underserved. In 2022, the New Mexico Local News Fund launched the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative. The Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative is a partnership of local news organizations and interested community stakeholders seeking to redefine local news in the southern half of the state.Partnering with Carlsbad Current-Argus, Ruidoso News, Alamogordo Daily News, Las Cruces Sun-News, KRWG Public Media, KTAL Community Radio in Las Cruces, The Las Cruces Bulletin, Columbus NM News, and the Deming Headlight, Documenters in Doña Ana County will monitor New Mexico Border Authority meetings and local school boards, strengthening the entire community of news and information producers and creating new opportunities for residents to learn how local government and local journalism works. This will be our first site in New Mexico
Charlotte Documenters, Powered by the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative
Collaboration is key to impactful Documenters programs and the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative has modeled equitable partnership among newsrooms and community partners since 2019. From creating graphic novels and zines about to hosting an annual local news summit, the CJC acts as connective tissue between the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, the Charlotte Observer, La Noticia, Q City Metro, Q Notes, the Knight School of Communication at Queens University, the Urban Institute, WCNC and WFAE. Charlotte is the first Documenters site in North Carolina.
Along with these new programs, we’re excited to partner with two new organizations to relaunch Documenters in Philadelphia and the Twin Cities.
Philly Documenters, Powered by the Committee of Seventy
122 years (!) ago, Philadelphia was known as one of the worst governed cities in the US. A group of business and civic leaders formed the Committee of Seventy. From working to establish the city Board of Ethics to making sure lobbying and spending records are publicly available, the Committee of Seventy has shown how participatory civic information can lead to better, more responsive local government. Philly Documenters, newly relaunched at the Committee of Seventy, will also work closely with Sarah Alvarez, the Chair in Journalism Innovation at the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University.
Twin Cities Documenters, Powered by MinnPost
With support from the McKnight Foundation, the independent, nonprofit newsroom MinnPost is the new home to the expanded Twin Cities Documenters. In addition to Minneapolis and Hennepin County government meetings, Documenters will now monitor public meetings in St. Paul and Ramsey County, a long-standing request from residents and newsroom partners. Inside the newsroom, Documenters coverage is already interwoven with MinnPost reporting, leading to this story on pending SNAP cuts and supporting this story on the financial pressure threatening Hennepin County Medical Center’s survival. Residents in the Twin Cities have spent the last six months mobilizing and organizing around Operation Metro Surge and we’re glad that Twin Cities Documenters provides an opportunity for residents to get involved in local government decisionmaking.
City Bureau’s new strategic plan sets ambitious goals for the growth of the Documenters Network and expands the ways Documenters share actionable information with their neighbors. We’re also creating new training and gathering opportunities designed to reinforce relationships and community amongst Documenters. All of our partners in the Documenters Network have laid the groundwork for a new baseline of civic engagement, and we can’t wait to see how these new sites challenge and innovate as the network grows.
Interested in bringing Documenters to your community, supporting our work, or exploring partnership opportunities? Reach out to network@citybureau.org!
