2020 Collaborative Journalism Summit

Care and Support

The 2020 Collaborative Journalism Summit is going virtual!

The 2020 Collaborative Journalism Summit is set for May 14-15 and will be conducted in place instead of in person.

We’re moving from an in-person event to an in-place event this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That means wherever you are, you’ll just need a device and an internet connection to participate! (We’re definitely not giving up on all of our plans for North Carolina, however! We fully intend to host the 2021 Collaborative Journalism Summit in Charlotte.) It’s a huge change, but one we’re getting excited about.

Click here to read a statement about this decision from our director, Stefanie Murray.

NOTE: This page will be updated soon to reflect our Care + Support policies for virtual events and in-place activities. Thank you for your patience.

CJS SAFETY HELPLINE: Members of the CCM team will be available via voice or text at (805) 334-5296, or by email at [email protected].

The spirit of collaboration and cooperation that fuels this community is a big part of what has led to CJS over the last three years. We heard again and again that people want a space to support and share with each other. We’re excited about the thought-provoking panels and captivating sessions during our time together, so we wanted to share some thoughts about how best to create space for those conversations and give you an idea of the kind of support we can offer to each other in the process.

Inviting others into your conversation

Many of you have mentioned that you enjoy meeting other people who are also working on the kinds of issues and challenges you and your newsrooms are facing. With that in mind, remember the following:

  • We are here to meet and learn from one another. Do you see a group of people you don’t know who sound like they’re having an interesting conversation? Say hi!
  • Keep space open for others to join. Follow Eric Holscher’s Pac-man rule: “When standing as a group of people, always leave room for 1 person to join your group.”

Taking care of yourself

  • Listen to yourself. We’ve created the conference schedule and provided plenty of snacks and drinks, so if your body is telling you something, listen to it. We encourage you to listen to other needs you may have too—feeling an urge to stretch? Feeling your neck tense up? Want to go for an impromptu walk? Go for it.
  • You don’t need to ask permission to meet your own needs. At this conference, we follow “the rule of mobility.” The rule goes like this: If you aren’t participating in a session, or no longer want to participate, you can and should go to a session or somewhere else where you feel like you can contribute. You don’t have to ask or apologize or delay. Just get up and go!
  • We are here for you. You’ll probably find plenty of people here who are facing similar challenges and are available to strategize or distract, if that’s what you need. You can lean on this community and network – and our staff. You are not in this alone! If you need someone to talk to, our team is here for you and you can reach us through our help line or find one of us in person.

Taking care of each other

We hope you’re in the mood to take care of your own needs and to connect with others. With that in mind, remember the following:

  • Hear others. None of us knows everything, but together we know a lot. We’ve got a wonderful opportunity over these two days to listen and learn from one another. Listening is a chance to hear invitations and boundaries that allow us to better understand one another.
  • “Speak from the I, name the we.” It can be helpful to be explicit about sharing from your own perspective: When “speaking from the I,” you’re clear that you’re sharing from your own personal experience. If you use “we” language, please name who you are referring to in that group. Is the “we” you are a part of in that statement your team, your news organization, your neighborhood, your social group? Being explicit about these perspectives can help ensure the listener understands what you’re saying and doesn’t have to guess.
  • We all have support. The entire event is backed by our code of conduct and safety plan, and our support team is available to help us take care of one another, too.

Thank you to the SRCCON:POWER team, OpenNews, the AdaCampToolkit for conference self-care and to the Facilitation for Liberation Network Gathering for inspiration and resources for this page.