Improving local journalism through community engagement

The Possibility Lab is partnering with the newly launched LA Documenters program—part of the Los Angeles Local News Initiative to help strengthen civic journalism and resident engagement across the region. Building on a national model created by City Bureau in 2018, LA Documenters trains local residents to attend government meetings, take notes, and transform those notes into public reporting. To support this innovative model, the Lab is designing a survey to better understand Documenter experiences, motivations, and pathways into civic engagement, while also collaborating with program staff to test recruitment messages and strategies that expand participation. Together, these efforts will help ensure that LA Documenters not only increases transparency in local government but also cultivates a new generation of community-based civic storytellers.