2026 Local News Impact Summit

CJC Local News Impact Summit 2026

Sponsored by:

North Carolina Local News Lab Fund, home of Press Forward North Carolina and Press Forward Charlotte

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Robertson & Associates

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Host sponsor: Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte

Description: The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative’s Local News Impact Summit brings together journalists, community leaders, nonprofits, and residents for a day of conversation, connection, and action.

This year, we are widening the conversation to align with our collaborative editorial project. At a time when our city is rapidly changing, this summit creates space to explore the issues shaping Charlotte—and the role local news plays in helping communities understand, respond, and thrive. Through panels, conversations, and interactive sessions, we’ll examine how information flows through our city, who it serves, and how we can strengthen it together.

See agenda below for session details. Stay tuned for more speaker announcements in the coming weeks.

Lunch will be provided. Coffee/Tea service will be available throughout the day.

Parking available.

Sponsor the Summit! Click here for more information.

Info: Complimentary coffee and beverages. Location: Ketner Auditorium in the Sykes Learning Center at Queens University of Charlotte, 1900 Selwyn Ave. Charlotte.

Info: In a year marked by heightened immigration enforcement and uncertainty, Charlotte residents have shown remarkable resilience.

This session will center the lived experiences of individuals and families navigating these realities, alongside the organizations and neighbors supporting them. Through a panel or live interview format, we’ll explore how communities respond in real time—and what these stories reveal about strength, solidarity, and the role of local news in telling them with care and accuracy.

Moderated by Jesse Pierre, WCNC-Charlotte and featuring panelists including Diego Barahona, editor of La Noticia and local residents.

Info: As federal funding priorities and policies continue to shift, nonprofits across Charlotte are navigating new challenges—and new uncertainties. This session will explore emerging data on how these changes are impacting organizations on the ground, from service delivery to long-term sustainability.

Through the lens of Shifting Ground, we’ll connect policy decisions to real community impact—and examine how local journalism can surface these stories in ways that inform, empower, and drive understanding.

Moderated by local journalist Jim Morrill.

Info: Libraries have long been trusted spaces—but today, they are evolving into something even more essential.

Knight Foundation's Charles Thomas sits down for a conversation with Shamichael Hallman, author of "Meet Me at the Library: A Place to Foster Social Connection and Promote Democracy." This conversation will explore the growing role of libraries as hubs for information, connection, and community care

From hosting public dialogue to providing access to critical resources, libraries are redefining what it means to serve a city in transition. Join us as we examine how these spaces support belonging, bridge information gaps, and strengthen the fabric of Charlotte.

Info: As debate over the I-77 expansion and toll lane project intensified, so too has public frustration -- raising important questions about when and how communities are informed about major infrastructure decisions.

This panel brings together journalists, policymakers, and community voices to examine the role local media has played throughout the lifecycle of the project -- from early planning states with limited coverage to the surge of reporting as tensions grew.

Moderated by journalist and local resident Colleen Murphy and featuring panelists: Charlotte City Councilman Malcolm Graham, WFAE political reporter Steve Harrison, and Shannon Binns, founder and executive director of Sustain Charlotte.

Info: What if residents helped document the decisions shaping their communities?

Documenters Charlotte is launching a new model for civic engagement—training and paying community members to attend public meetings, take notes, and share information back with their neighbors.

This interactive session will introduce the program, feature voices from the national Documenters Network, and invite attendees into the conversation. Together, we’ll explore:

What meetings matter most in Charlotte
How residents can get involved
And how this model can transform access to local information

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Charlotte Journalism Collaborative