People-powered news on your local government.
Who we are
A network of newsrooms and community organizations committed to participatory civic media.
What we do
We train and pay hundreds of people to attend under-reported public meetings and publish the results.
We’re building a new public record
Your elected officials are making big decisions. Keep tabs with original notes, live-tweet threads and multimedia reports from Documenters in your area—updated daily
Chicago
Development
Aug. 1, 2024
Chicago Department of Public Health [in person] Midwest Generation Fisk Station (1111 W. Cermak Ave.) Complex Demolition Community Meeting
Live-tweeting by
Ebony Ellis
Chicago
Criminal Justice
July 25, 2024
Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability [remote or in person] Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability
Live-tweeting by
Chris OHara
Chicago
Criminal Justice
July 25, 2024
Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability [remote or in person] Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability
Notetaking by
Ayesha Riaz
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Committee on Health and Human Relations
Live-tweeting by
Jennifer Lenz
Chicago
Criminal Justice
July 21, 2024
Chicago Police District Councils [remote or in person] 14th Police District Council - Logan Square/Humboldt Park/Wicker Park
Notetaking by
Mona Tong
Chicago
Criminal Justice
July 21, 2024
Chicago Police District Councils [remote or in person] 14th Police District Council - Logan Square/Humboldt Park/Wicker Park
Notetaking by
Benjamin Nober
Chicago
Criminal Justice
July 18, 2024
Chicago
Development
July 18, 2024
Chicago
Criminal Justice
July 3, 2024
Chicago Police District Councils [in person] 19th Police District Council - Uptown/North Center/Lake View
Notetaking by
Jess Schwalb
Chicago Police District Councils [in-person] 1st Police District Council - Downtown/South Loop/Near South Side
Notetaking by
Jacqueline Thomas
What our network is saying
Get involved in our community of practice.
A unique civic education
“How are your tax dollars spent? What are your elected officials doing? Are they listening to you? What is the process? That, as a Documenter, is what you have to show people.”
Susan Carlotta Ellis
Community reporting
“In almost every case for a meeting that I’ve covered, I’ve been the only person connected to the media that has been in the room.”
David Palmer
Local connections
“I've learned from other Documenters… I’ve learned skills that helped me to not just be a better citizen but also inform the type of work that I want to do.”
Isabel Sophia Dieppa
About this project
How our public meeting coverage supports local reporting.
How our public meeting coverage tracks policy trends and public input.
How our training modules build civic knowledge and action.
How anyone can become a Documenter in one of our local programs.