Info session for Stories Invincible: Transformative narratives from Camden

225 Market Street,Camden NJ 08102

14 July, 2022

Description

Camden's residents are rarely portrayed in the media in the same way we see ourselves and our communities. Those close enough to Camden know that what truly defines the city is an unshakable, unmistakable, invincible spirit - and that is the story that needs to be told. As we said in a recent Medium post, the Stories Invincible restorative narrative project will be launching its application process next week at this public information session in Camden. This event will provide an opportunity for Camden residents to learn more about the details of the project, as well as the background, goals, and process of the Stories Invincible initiative. The program is supported by a subgrant from the Community Info Coop in partnership with the Movement Alliance Project, thanks to original funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey Local News Lab Fund, a partnership between Dodge, Democracy Fund and the Community Foundation of New Jersey. Vanessa Maria-Graber, who leads the News Voices project for Free Press, will provide an overview of Camden's critical information needs and how the stories we'll tell and highlight as part of Stories Invincible will be different than those we've seen in the past. The results of the information needs assessment that Vanessa will present was conducted by Free Press and Outlier Media early in the pandemic, but is still reflective of broader information needs in the community. Ayinde Merrill, president of Watu Moja — a Camden-based non-profit organization — will also speak on behalf of Erik James Montgomery whose photo series ‘Camden reframed’ exemplifies the storytelling we’re searching for. The event will run from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm on Thursday, July 14th, the event will be hosted at downtown Camden’s Nuanced Cafe — a frequent of locals and gathering place for work, art, and artistic performances — located at 225 Market Street, just blocks away from both Rutgers Camden and The Victor building. Food and refreshments will be provided to attendees, courtesy of Nuanced Cafe and catered by resident Chef Barry Fillmore. When the event concludes, we’ll open the call for submissions for Camden-based journalists and media makers to apply for fellowship funding from a pool of $40,000 to support projects that will address the city’s information needs and uplift stories of resilience and hope. Attendees will also be given an opportunity to schedule one-on-one coaching sessions with Center staff to help prepare their grant applications and shape their proposals. If you live in or are from Camden and have a story about the city and its people that needs to be told, click here to sign up for updates. You’ll be among the first to know when we finalize the dates and times for the community collaboration events and open applications for the fellowships. WHO:Vanessa Maria Graber, Free PressAyinde Merrill, Watu MojaWHEN: Thursday, July 14, 2022 from 4:30-6:30 pm ETWHERE: Nuanced Cafe, 225 Market Street, Camden, NJ 08102Agenda:4:30 pm — Welcome/introduction to the Center and food4:40 pm — Stories Invincible overview5:00 pm — Overview of Camden’s info needs and restorative narrative5:15 pm — Local artist feature: Erik Montgomery with Watu Moja president Ayinde Merrill5:30 pm — Break5:40 pm — Review scoring rubric and application process6:00 pm — Frequently asked questions + answersQuestions? Send an email to Cassandra Etienne at [email protected].