Reimagining Local News with author and journalist Charles Blow
Sunday, November 23 | 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | The Loft Cinema (3233 E Speedway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716)
Reimagining Local News is a new documentary series and campaign exploring the future of local news. Hosted by journalist and author Charles Blow, the series shines a light on the innovative people and models across the country that are rebuilding and strengthening local news ecosystems. It reveals what’s working and how community-driven, solutions-oriented approaches are creating a new path forward for local news. Funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Press Forward, the series moves beyond the familiar “crisis narrative,” reframing the conversation around opportunity and the essential role that local news plays as a public good.
A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit Press Forward Southern Arizona at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
Agenda
- 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM VIP Reception
- 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Reimagining Local News Program
- Episode 1: Reimagining Local News — Journalist Charles M. Blow travels across the country to meet the people rebuilding local news from the ground up. (10 mins.)
- Episode 4: Underrepresented Groups — Conecta Arizona and Capital B spotlight how culturally relevant reporting is restoring trust in underserved communities. (3 mins.)
- Panel Discussion with Charles Blow, celebrated author and New York Times journalist; Jenny Flynn, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona; Maritza Félix, local journalist and founder of Conecta Arizona; and moderator Caitlin Schmidt
Admission
- General Admission: $12 | Loft Members: $10
- VIP Reception: $50 | Loft Members: $40 | Includes admission to screening, discussion, and a catered, pre-show reception with Charles Blow on the Loft Cinema’s Overlook Deck.
- Passes Not Accepted
About the Panelists
Charles M. Blow is an author, journalist, and political commentator, and is the inaugural Langston Hughes Fellow at Harvard University. A longtime Op-Ed columnist at The New York Times, Blow has also served as a contributor to CNN and MSNBC and as the anchor of PRIME with Charles Blow on the Black News Channel.
Jenny Flynn is President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. She has been a leader, along with a group of committed community volunteers, in establishing Press Forward Southern Arizona.
Maritza Félix is an award-winning freelance journalist, producer, and writer in Arizona and the founder of Conecta Arizona. This Spanish-language news service connects people in Arizona and Sonora primarily through WhatsApp and social media.
Caitlin Schmidt is Editor and Publisher of Tucson Spotlight. She previously worked for the Arizona Daily Star and has been reporting on Southern Arizona for 15 years.