Ever collaborative and growth-minded, T.J. Jourian (he/him) documents this city’s meetings with the same adeptness with which he conducts interviews and focus groups. T.J. has been a Documenter with Resolve Philly since May of 2023 and has been based here for some time now.Chicago may be a former home he also possesses political knowledge of, but he’s very attuned to the hyper-specificities of Philadelphia’s various grassroots struggles in addition to places abroad. As a qualitative researcher with a variety of experience in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) space, Jourian knows how to analyze and break down local current events, especially those along the intersections of gender, sexuality, and race. It’s also a testament to his skillset that he continues to learn new things while documenting – all in service of helping his fellow Philly residents seek substantive political knowledge and pursue justice.

What do you enjoy about being a Philly Documenter and attending public meetings?

Being a Philly Documenter gives me the ability to witness the government in action and inaction. I get to listen to residents involved in their communities hold the city accountable, live and direct. A relevant example that springs to my mind is a Philadelphia Board of Education action meeting, where 60 people signed up for public comment across all walks of life to support a Black Muslim teacher who was facing backlash for speaking out about Palestine. Not only do I get to witness this but I also have the ability to amplify, put a spotlight on policies and officials.

What have you learned about Philly that you might not have known before becoming a Documenter?

Philly fights for Philly! Like my last example highlighted, we are not a people to be underestimated. We stick up for each other despite this city’s many problems we’re not afraid to make our voices heard and use our combined experiences to make things better – real tangible camaraderie.

What does citizen journalism mean to you? 

Citizen journalism reminds people of their power and agency, especially cities with significant BIPOC and immigrant populations. In places where the most marginalized need their voices heard, citizen journalism shines a light on oppressive systems and highlights stories of brilliance and resistance. There’s power in that knowledge: one can learn what’s going on in their communities and find alternative ways of governing and planning that truly prioritize justice.

What are your favorite types of meetings to Document?

I love to cover City Council meetings and Board of Education action meetings. You get to hear lots of interesting opinions in the public comment sections! Especially those recurring characters who are very passionate about specific topics. It also helps that we have City Council members in Philly who really care about the issues and hear the people out.

Name some specific issues that are important to you in the realm of journalism (whether they be local, national, or international).

There are quite a few to tease! If I had to pick one off the top of my head based on experience, it would be intersectional gender justice. I’m interested in looking at gender justice and equity within all kinds of contexts. That includes what it looks like in some neighborhoods of Philadelphia versus others, but also other cities in the U.S. as well as Palestine. I can give an example of this in Chinatown; in the fight to stop the Sixers arena construction, we see lots of women leading the charge! Large coalitions of women and gender expansive people are out here supporting each other and building networks. In doing so they’re pushing back on that racist trope of Asian women being “submissive,” they’re growing grassroots political power, they’re affecting change. Gender justice translates elsewhere!