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Public meetings are workshops of democracy, where local policy is shaped, and where residents can witness, learn about, and act on the systems that impact their lives. Yet every day, in municipalities across the country, many government meetings happen with no oversight or input from the public. Although transparent by law, in practice public meetings can be hard to find and difficult to follow without context—and as local newsroom capacity has diminished, the reporters who previously interpreted for the public are disappearing. These empty meetings are a point of failure for our civic information system and a critical missed opportunity for genuine democracy.

Philly Documenters is part of the Documenters Network, a national network created by City Bureau in Chicago. The Documenters Network aims to make public meetings more transparent and accessible by engaging residents in accessing the information they need to actualize the change they wish to see in their communities. This work dramatically increases local journalism capacity while simultaneously creating points of access for anyone to participate in the process of producing civic media. Resolve hosts Philly Documenters, showcasing our commitment to holding local government accountable.

Philly Documenters recruits, trains and pays Philadelphians to attend and take notes at public meetings across the city. Think City Council committee meetings, zoning board meetings, and other public meetings.

Notes from these meetings are fact-checked, published, and available to anyone. Residents receive training on best practices and are paid $17/hr to document meeting sessions.

Learn more about how you can become a Philly Documenter!

Want to connect? Email us at documenters@resolvephiilly.org

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