Special Edition

Grief is not just a personal loss; it can also be part of the civic infrastructure. It allows journalists to explore the question: How can we create the kinds of gatherings that provide a safe place for vulnerable stories and grief?

This conversation underscored how gathering is a relational practice that, when done attentively, leads to more relevant and responsive community engagement. And that, in turn, leads to storytelling that more meaningfully reflects the communities we listen to and serve.

Gatherings or listening sessions benefit when the facilitator understands that hosting is in service to others. Here’s what that can look like.

We have an opportunity to facilitate civic discourse within our communities in a way that’s mutually beneficial. But if we don’t do this work thoughtfully — if we show up with a rigid agenda and our own goals — it can cause more harm than good.

The Birmingham Dreams event offers a template for newsrooms that not only want to connect people with journalists but also provide avenues for art, connections and future action.

Jenna Welch shares how local news organizations can try a similar approach of deep listening, bringing together a diverse group of storytellers and offering practical training to platform community voices.

When people realize their story matters, something fundamental changes. And the public conversation shifts in ways that strengthen communities and journalism.

When local newsrooms give people the tools and platforms for creative storytelling, they’re also building trust and supporting the creative and cultural health of their communities. Here's how for news leaders did just that.

If your regular leadership meeting isn’t a highlight of your week, month or quarter, then you need a reset. These are the exact meetings worth looking forward to — not for the information shared but for the connection that happens.

We mistake subject matter mastery for teaching acumen — knowing how to do something is not the same as teaching a room full of people how to do it in 45 minutes. The goal of this type of meeting should be capability transfer, not exposure, to move participants from passive listening to active doing.