Terry Parris, Jr. "helped start the first 'Open Newsroom,' six years ago, in an effort to 'understand how information finds its way to and through a community' in an age of epistemological collapse. People want to know what’s going on in the world, but how do they decide what news is important or useful or trustworthy? The library — where 'meaning is made,' where 'information is both generated and shared,' according to Brooklyn’s former chief librarian, Nick Higgins — seems like a good place to sort that out."
"Drawing inspiration from tenant newsletters and community noticeboards, they assess the neighborhood’s needs, map its landmarks, study its governing bodies and civic institutions, and discuss journalistic ethics and skills. They ask, what are we curious about? Then, how can we learn more?"
"Heather Chaplin, director of the Journalism + Design lab at The New School, studies communities that lack 'formal news infrastructure,' where information flows through nail techs, barbers, and WhatsApp groups. 'Wherever you look, there are people doing the work of journalism, but in informal ways,' Chaplin said. They are collecting news, framing it, amplifying it. So, she wondered, 'Could we identify these people and provide them with tools and training to increase their reach and formalize their roles?' Community colleges, faith groups, youth centers, and libraries are 'anchors' to build around: 'If we could connect all these organizations and people and spaces together and support the ways they share information about what’s happening locally, we’d have something overflowing with potential.'"