Dates: Nov 3 & 4, 2023

Location: Reynolds Journalism Institute, Columbia, MO 

RJI is hosting a symposium for a cohort of 30 community-centered journalists who want to come together to share and create thoughtful and actionable ways to serve our communities better. 

This experience is for those who want to take a couple days to thoughtfully brainstorm, build and collaborate together across newsrooms, roles, teams and organizations on ideas and solutions that can benefit us all. 

This weekend will be considered off the record and conducted under Chatham House rules - you will be able to take anything away from it that will be helpful to your work and utilize it, but will be asked to not quote or reveal who it originated from unless they provide express permission.

This is an opportunity for us to take time to be critical and honest about the work we do, and how we can do it better in service to our communities. 

Those accepted into this symposium will receive the following: 

• A room at a local hotel for Nov 2-5 (arrival Nov 2, departure Nov 5) 
• Breakfast & lunch each day of the symposium
• A roundup of all the examples, resources and takeaways shared in the sessions + collaborative results of your work together 
• Check-ins (with RJI & your symposium cohort) 3 and 6 months after the symposium to provide ongoing support + share results, challenges and takeaways 
• A stipend to try a new idea you learned at the symposium in your newsroom after you return home

We want you to attend if: 

• You work in a community-centered role, org and/or newsroom 
• You’re willing to be honest, open and think critically about your work and your newsroom in this space
• You want to collaborate, work together and share results transparently
• You want to try new-to-you methods of serving your community 
• You want to listen to others and learn from their lived experiences
• Your newsroom/org & you are open to trying something you learn at this symposium, (resources, ideas, methods) and being transparent about results 

The topics of the sessions and the resources built from them will be participant-led and inspired, but everything will happen with guidance and support from RJI to ensure that actionable resources, activities and goals are incorporated into the weekend. We will be there to prompt, mediate and make sure every voice in the room is heard and included. 

A limited number of flight scholarships will also be available. Thank you to Democracy Fund for making these possible!