Here's your first look at the Collaborative Journalism Summit schedule! 👀

The 2021 Collaborative Journalism Summit schedule is shaping up to be a jam-packed three days of lightning talks, sessions, Q&As and panels featuring some of the most inspiring names and projects in collaborative journalism.

We've got the COVID Tracking Project and First Draft talking about COVID-19 collaborations, the Solutions Journalism Network sharing lessons, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project discussing its unique global model, and International Consortium of Investigative Journalists discussing the FinCen Files, as well as lightning talks from Climate Central, Stories of Atlantic City, Solving for Chicago and so much more! 

But it's not all work: The Summit will feature collaborative meditation breaks, graphic illustrations and a custom playlist. Check out the full schedule here! We'll be adding details and more speakers as the Summit gets closer. And register here!

PLUS: We're still looking for moderators! If you're interested, email Betsy Abraham at abrahamb@montclair.edu.

💬 Jesse Hardman on why collaborating with community is the future of news

Jesse Hardman is a community media developer at Internews, a nonprofit that promotes quality journalism around the world. His work has taken him to places like Chile, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka for information ecosystem assessments and humanitarian news radio programs. 

Around 2013, Hardman moved to New Orleans and started a project called the Listening Post. It has since developed into the Listening Post Collective, and today, it supports meaningful conversations between journalists and communities across the U.S.

We caught up with Hardman to hear how he's collaborating with journalists, community organizations, and community members to better meet information needs in underserved areas—and helping to reinvent local journalism along the way. 

🌟 New DEI coalition gives journalists, managers a space to organize and push for change

Want to be a part of building more diverse, equitable and inclusive newsrooms? Join the OpenNews DEI Coalition. The Coalition is co-creating two digital organizing spaces on Slack focused on organizing, collective action and knowledge sharing in the pursuit of a more equitable journalism industry.

One channel will be for journalists to discuss strategies and ways to push change forward, the other will be for managers looking to learn more about what they can do to implement change.

📝 Chalkbeat wants to create a replicable diverse source audit and they need your help!

Not only are media makers pushing for diversity in their newsrooms but in their sourcing as well. It seems like each newsroom has a different method for tracking the diversity of their sources, with some relying on databases, others on spreadsheets and others utilizing forms.

Chalkbeat is partnering with the Reynolds Journalism Institute to create a better, replicable system for tracking a newsroom's source diversity and are looking to speak with media organizations and journalists on their efforts.

They'll also send you their findings, so you can launch or update your own audits. Their goal is to create a replicable resource that any journalism organization can use to track and improve source diversity. Share your practices and learn more about their efforts here.

🌎 There's still time to register for today's climate collaboration workshop with Climate Central

If you have an interest in climate collaborations, learn more about them during a workshop March 12 at 1p.m. We'll be joining Climate Central to discuss the state of collaborations, and you'll also get to hear from experts (including climate reporters and a meteorologist) on best practices for designing projects, selecting partners and managing the work. The session features a live Q&A. 

Can't make the live session? Consider registering anyway. Registered attendees will receive a recording of the webinar, plus sourcing suggestions and links to reporting resources. 

🛑 Floodlight aims to hold those stopping climate action accountable

And speaking of climate collaborations, Floodlight is the latest effort in the fight against climate disinformation. The nonprofit collaboration launched this month and is taking to task agencies trying to stop climate action. A key part of its mission is partnering with local media partners, reporting, writing and co-publishing with them in their outlets as well as in The Guardian. Its first story, produced in conjunction with The Texas Observer and San Antonio Report, investigated how the gas industry tried to weaken and reshape Austin and San Antonio's climate plan initiatives. 

🎙️ Radio stations team up to cover George Floyd trial

Meanwhile in Minnesota, Ampers, a collaborative of 18 community radio stations, introduced Racial Reckoning: the Arc of Justice. The project will create programming for radio stations focused on the trials of the police officers charged in the George Floyd murder (one of which began this week) as well as in-depth radio shows and podcasts exploring broader issues around criminal justice reform, community healing, and community resilience. It will also produce weekly recaps of the trial in Hmong, Somali and Spanish. 

Philly collab provides a resource hub for gun violence survivors 

This month also saw the launch of Up the Block, a new project from The Trace that aims to provide resources and information for Philadelphians affected by gun violence. Its first goal is teaming up with Billy Penn and WHYY to build an existing list of resources for gun violence victims and their families; later, it hopes to start its own website that makes it easy for residents to find vital information, such as how to find financial help for the funeral of a gun violence victim and opportunities for young people.

🎉 Kenya Young promoted to new role at NPR

Congrats are in order for Kendra Young, who will be taking over as managing editor for collaborative journalism at NPR starting June 1. Young will help reach out to station newsrooms and as well as grow and support NPR's collaborative journalism efforts. Until assuming her new role, Young will continue to serve as the executive producer of Morning Edition. 

📚 What we're reading (and listening to): 

• LMA to support launch of The Tributary, news startup in Jacksonville, FL (Local Media Association)
• Foxfire and Blue Ridge Public Radio Partner on COVID-19 Oral History Project (Blue Ridge Public Radio)