From the Ground Up: Strengthening Communities Through Local News
Published September 26, 2025
Community-level news is where journalism meets people’s daily lives—and where trust and accountability are often built. This panel brings together leaders from three nonprofit news organizations who are pioneering community-centered reporting models. They’ll share how their outlets connect with diverse audiences, sustain relevance, and navigate challenges unique to community-focused journalism. Attendees will leave with concrete insights and best practices to strengthen local coverage and relationships in their own communities.
This session is designed for:
- Editors looking to better engage and build trust with the communities and readers they serve with best practices at hyperlocal coverage
- Journalists who want to learn new ways to integrate themselves into a community, and surface more impactful, meaningful stories
- Nonprofit and for-profit newsroom leaders looking for examples of leveraging quality local news coverage into real community engagement and revenue streams
Speakers
- Lila Mills, Editor-in-Chief, Signal Cleveland
- Erika Carlos, Editor-in-Chief, El Tecolote
- Donna Ladd, Co-founder and Editor, Mississippi Free Press
- Moderator: Liliana Velázquez, Program Officer, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation