Published on Feb. 8, 2024
MONTCLAIR, NJ – The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, in collaboration with City Bureau, is excited to announce the two organizations selected as the inaugural host sites for the NJ Documenters program, an innovative initiative that will train and pay community members to attend and document public meetings and publish the results.
The two organizations, coLAB Arts in New Brunswick, N.J., and the NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice in Newark, N.J., will be responsible for overseeing the operations of their respective programs. This includes recruiting and training Documenters, scheduling their assignments, and providing them with the necessary resources and support. Additionally, they will be responsible for promoting and raising awareness about the NJ Documenters program within their communities.
By fulfilling these responsibilities, the host sites will contribute to the overall goal of promoting civic engagement, transparency, and informed decision-making in New Jersey.
coLAB Arts, based in New Brunswick, is known for its commitment to community engagement through various artistic and civic initiatives. Their involvement in the NJ Documenters program will contribute to fostering a culture of informed and active communities in New Jersey.
The NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice, situated in Newark, has a strong track record of advocating for immigrant rights and social justice. By hosting the NJ Documenters initiative, they will play a pivotal role in amplifying community voices and ensuring diverse perspectives are represented in local news coverage.
“Public meetings are workshops of democracy, where residents of every American community can witness, learn about, and act on the systems that impact their lives,” said Max Resnik, City Bureau’s Director of Network Services. “Documenters.org is a tool designed to help residents access the information they need to get civically involved and have their voices heard.”
The Consortium is currently engaged in establishing a third host site, which will be announced in the coming months, further expanding the reach and impact of the NJ Documenters initiative.
This collaboration exemplifies the commitment of the Consortium and City Bureau to strengthen local journalism, civic engagement, and community participation. The NJ Documenters initiative not only provides valuable skills to residents but also enhances transparency and accountability in local governance.
For more information about the NJ Documenters initiative, please visit https://njcivicinfo.org/documenters/.
About the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium:
The Consortium is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds initiatives to benefit the State’s civic life and meet the evolving information needs of New Jersey’s communities. A first-in-the-nation project, the Consortium builds on the foundation laid by public media in the United States and reimagines how public funding can be used to address the growing problem of news deserts and misinformation and to support more informed communities.
About City Bureau:
City Bureau is a nonprofit journalism organization based in Chicago. With a mission to bring journalists and communities together, City Bureau strives to produce equitable and impactful journalism while encouraging civic participation. By providing training, resources, and platforms for collaboration, City Bureau equips individuals to use their voices and play an active role in shaping their communities. The Documenters Network was created in 2018 and focuses on equipping people to access and produce the information they need. Since then, the network has trained over 2,000 Documenters who have covered more than 5,000 public meetings across 11 cities.