This panel will explore community journalism in Minnesota, highlighting the work that artists and independent media-makers are doing to document and interpret the stories that shape their communities. We’ll look at how community journalists work with and outside nonprofit and institutional structures; how small, community-led news projects take root; how independent journalists sustain their work; partnership-building with neighborhood groups, cultural organizations, and local residents; and the practical realities of funding, staffing, and maintaining trust.
Panelists: King Demetrius Pendleton and Ms. Margaret Smith (bios will be added soon).
Moderator: Sam Buffington (he/him)
Bio: As Community Organizer, Sam helps facilitate and foster Springboard’s community-centered work in Saint Paul, MN. Sam was the community organizer for Frogtown Neighborhood Association for almost 10 years, and helped the organization become one of the most representative, innovative and influential district councils in St. Paul. Sam has worked for the League of Pissed off Voters, using Hip-Hop and the arts to encourage young people to become active participants in the electoral process. Through this experience, as well as his family’s deep connections to the arts, Sam has recognized the power of arts and artists to create positive change in the world.
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