Wichita Documenters
Making public meetings more accessible to Wichitans
Public meetings happen regularly in Wichita, offering community members an avenue for participating in civic life. While these gatherings are essential, some occur without media or public representation, leading to undocumented decisions that shape local policies. Wichita Documenters is stepping in to fill this coverage gap. By paying and training residents to attend and document public meetings, the program aims to foster more transparency and awareness. Meeting notes will be fact-checked, published, and available to anyone.
Wichita Documenters is part of the Documenters Network, a national program created by City Bureau in Chicago. The Documenters Network aims to make public meetings more transparent by engaging residents in accessing the information they need to actualize the change they wish to see in our community.
This project is made possible through a gift from the Wichita Foundation and the partnership of these Wichita Journalism Collaborative members: The Community Voice, The Journal (Kansas Leadership Center), KMUW, The Wichita Beacon, Planeta Venus.
Wichita Documenters is launching in Spring 2024! Here’s how you can get involved.
Read more about the program
“Participation in the Documenters Network strengthens KLC’s ongoing efforts to condition the civic environment in Kansas so residents and organizations can make progress on tough challenges.”
– Kaye Monk-Morgan, president & CEO
Become a Documenter
Documenters will be trained and paid to attend and capture notes at public meetings in Sedgwick County.
