Case Study

Reimagining Journalism: How a local summit evolved into a powerful tool for connection, reflection, and change

July 9, 2025

Attendees at the 2025 Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism Summit. Photo by Derrick Dow

This post is part of “Building a Thriving News Ecosystem,” a series from Knight Communities Network, a Lenfest Institute community of practice for local funders creating thriving news ecosystems.

On June 13, 2025, more than 150 journalists and civic leaders gathered at the Science History Institute to explore a pressing question: How do we protect Philadelphia journalism today while laying the groundwork for its future?

That question was at the heart of The Lenfest Institute’s fourth Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism Summit.

Launched in 2020, the Summit reimagines the Institute’s role as a convener in the city’s media ecosystem. It brings together newsroom leaders, civic partners, reporters, and local influencers — many of whom are grantees and members of Philadelphia’s BIPOC community — to exchange ideas and reflect on shared challenges around sustainability, innovation, safety, and trust.

The one-day event, now held every other year, is a major investment — requiring roughly seven months and $100,000 to produce. But it pays off. “The summit is of value to us because we’re providing value to our constituents,” said Shawn Mooring, the Institute’s head of Philadelphia programs. “It’s an opportunity to share our learnings, highlight the great work of our grantees, and bring people together.”

As the journalism landscape evolves, so does the Summit. Here’s how it’s grown — and where it’s headed next.

The problem:

Before the Summit, Philadelphia lacked a space for candid, two-way dialogue between journalism funders and grantees. Local newsrooms needed more opportunities to connect, reflect on what was and wasn’t working, and offer feedback to those making funding decisions. At the same time, the Institute needed a way to share its work and lessons with the broader community.

What worked:

Designing for connection
Blending local and national voices
Collaborative, trust-based planning

From presenting research findings to showcasing grantees, the Summit gives The Lenfest Institute a meaningful platform to engage with its community. “The way I see it, if we’re not sharing what we’re learning, we’re failing at our job,” said Mooring.

The event is free to attend and structured to encourage dialogue. Every session includes time for questions and discussion, and networking breaks are built into the schedule. “It’s important to listen to the participants and make them feel heard,” said Andrea Lawful Sanders, who has emceed the past two Summits.

Behind the scenes, a small but skilled team keeps things running. Mooring and Samiya Green, the Institute’s Philadelphia ecosystem program manager, lead internally, supported by Lawful Sanders; Colleen Walsh of White Pines Events, who oversees event logistics like registration, catering, and venue communications; and consultant Roshni Melia, who’s helped design and run the past three Summits.

Melia supports the workflow with a detailed, color-coded task spreadsheet that outlines who handles what and when. Each person brings clear expertise and responsibilities — from speaker selection to A/V logistics — and collaborates closely throughout the planning process. “They’re a dream team,” Melia said. “Everyone knows their own lane and implicitly trusts each other.”

Sessions are curated to build momentum and feature both national and local voices. This year’s speakers included Galen Stocking of the Pew Research Center, Philadelphia-based lifestyle blogger LaToi McGinnis-Storr, and Elizabeth Flores, vice president of news for NBC10 and Telemundo62. “The Summit isn’t just Philly-focused,” Green explained. “We bring in national partners so attendees can learn about broader trends and how they relate to Philadelphia.”

Throughout the day, the team listens for takeaways that can inform future programs. Program insights are shared publicly, and post-event surveys help shape what comes next. It’s a collaborative model rooted in transparency and trust.

What we’d do differently:

Prioritizing quality over quantity
Choosing venues that support networking
Expanding capacity

Planning the Summit is an iterative process, with each event informing the next. After testing a virtual format during the pandemic and a two-day in-person gathering, the team learned that more frequent convenings don’t always deepen engagement. Hosting the Summit every other year creates space to reflect, refresh the programming, and avoid burnout — for staff and attendees alike.

Venue matters, too. Over the years, the Summit has been held online, in a hotel ballroom, and at a coworking space. The 2025 location — a single-room space at the Science History Institute — was centrally located and affordable but lacked breakout rooms and informal gathering spots. As a result, side conversations and networking opportunities were limited. As Melia noted, “People want to learn from each other and talk about how to implement it into their own work.”

Green agreed: “It’s grown into a place where all news professionals can come and, if not network, become partners of ours. We’ve gotten a lot of grantees and also broadened our network because of the Summit.”

The planning team has also evolved. What began as a small group of internal staff members now includes seasoned consultants like Melia, Lawful Sanders, and Walsh. Expanding capacity has reduced staff overload, improved execution, and created space to focus on strategy instead of getting bogged down in the details.

Still, balancing Summit planning with day-to-day responsibilities remains a challenge. “The trickiest part is making sure I’m able to do everything else I need to do in my job,” Green said.

Another area for growth is effectively spreading the word. Ensuring the right people — especially those who would benefit most — know about the event is essential. The more engaged the attendees, the stronger the Summit becomes.

Lessons for others:

Harness your power as a convener: Bringing stakeholders together strengthens trust, connects local efforts to national movements, and builds community. Use your platform to spotlight grantees — especially those whose work might otherwise be overlooked. “It’s our civic duty to share what we’re learning,” Mooring said, “and to bring people together to help them unpack it.”

Remove barriers to entry: To ensure your event truly reflects your community, find ways to make it accessible to all. This could include making it free to attend so cost isn’t a hurdle, rotating locations around your city to reach different neighborhoods, or keeping it to a one-day format so participants can more easily fit it into their busy workweeks. Always choose ADA-compliant venues and, if possible, hire a dedicated A/V team to ensure everyone can see and hear the program. “We don’t want any barriers to participation,” Mooring explained.

Foster an inclusive environment: Strong facilitation makes space for all voices. As emcee, Lawful Sanders actively observes the room to draw in quieter participants. “I watch to see who believes they should speak up and who’s intrinsically quiet,” she said. “Then I engage them.” A thoughtful, responsive facilitator can shift the tone of an entire event.

Collect and use feedback: Post-event surveys may seem like an extra task, but they provide vital insight. Gathering feedback from attendees, speakers, and staff allows you to refine your program and improve the experience for everyone.

“One of the benefits of this being a local conference is that there’s always opportunity for follow-up,” Mooring said. “The hope is that people will talk over lunch. They’ll schedule follow-up meetings. They’ll engage in an ongoing way. It doesn’t end here.”