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Happy Democracy Day (observed)! Sept. 15 is the U.N.'s International Day of Democracy. And yesterday, 230+ news orgs came together to celebrate #USDemocracyDay in over 43 states, the most ever! Check out this thread to see but a fraction of the incredible reporting these newsrooms did: https://lnkd.in/g3eSFmiH And if you're a newsroom who wants to participate still - get inspiration from this database of everything published so far! https://lnkd.in/giZk9gpz It's never too late to draw attention to the crisis of democracy and also showcase solutions for strengthening U.S. democracy. We are so proud to be part of the crew making this happen alongside Center for Cooperative Media, Beatrice Forman, Joe Amditis, Rachel Glickhouse, Stefanie Murray, Jaisal N., Bridget Thoreson, Jennifer Brandel, Michelle Faust Raghavan, M.A.. Thank you Democracy Fund for helping to make this initiative possible!

???? America’s democracy is slowly eroding. That’s why Democracy Day is celebrated by the media on Sept. 15, using a nationwide collaborative that draws media attention to issues plaguing our democracy and how it works. Learn more at?https://lnkd.in/eWfbS4Xv

?? New webinar alert! ?? Communities of color are frequently the focal point of elections and campaigns — especially now. But because of a history of media harming those communities, many lack trust in news outlets. On Sept. 24 at 1 p.m. EST, Election SOS’ Massarah Mikati will be talking to?Brandon Tensley, Capital B political reporter,?Kavitha Rajagopalan, Asian Media Initiative Director with the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, and?Vanessa Maria Graber, News Voices Director at Free Press, about how you can authentically reach and engage these communities with your election coverage, and make your reporting relevant to their daily lives. Register: https://lnkd.in/eKnCSpZe

? It's not too late to register for tomorrow's webinar on building trust in your election coverage! At 1 p.m. EST, Trusting News will give you actionable strategies you can implement immediately to increase reader confidence in your journalism — and we don't need to tell you how important that is this election season. Don't miss out! Register here: https://lnkd.in/eyRmQQd8

?? We're just a few days out from our webinar with Trusting News's Joy Mayer and Lynn Walsh! On Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. EST, they'll be walking us through basic ways in which journalists can keep their readers' attention amidst information overload by explaining their ethics, processes and decision making — and how those messages can live in and alongside their election coverage. If you can't make it, we'll send you a recording and takeaways afterward! Just be sure to register here: https://lnkd.in/eBTNyZHT

?? We had a great presentation on combating election misinformation with your reporting from PEN America's Tim Richardson and Mina Haq and the ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue)'s Max R. last week! This webinar covered so much ground, from how to detect AI-generated deepfakes, to specific strategies on countering misinformation within marginalized communities ?? If you missed it, you can check out the recording and key takeaways here: https://lnkd.in/g9xrzfVC ?? And be sure to stay up-to-date with future webinars and offerings by signing up for the Election SOS newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gbzK_uE

Hot off the presses, here’s an election coverage roadmap with suggestions for where to focus reporting in September, written by former NPR correspondent Pam Fessler for Election SOS. Reader's digest version - pay attention to: ? Misinformation from both domestic & foreign actors + A.I. ?? Ballots go out in the mail in September! Get your voter guides ready! ???? Keep eyes on national trends for local stories - especially to recent developments around certification of election results ?? https://lnkd.in/gMxyi6r7 Thanks to our partners at Election SOS and the Knight Election Hub! Jennifer Brandel, Erica Peterson, Scott Klein, Ryan Pitts, Ariel Zirulnick, Amanda Hickman, Massarah Mikati, Bridget Thoreson, John Hernandez, Jessica Morrison, Ph.D. And thank you to The Elections Group for your fantastic work putting the elections process front and center!

?? ? There's still time to sign up for Tuesday's Election SOS webinar on combatting election misinformation! We'll be joining forces with Tim Richardson and Mina Haq of PEN America's Journalism and Disinformation program, as well as Max R. from the ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue), to discuss how newsrooms can gain trust from the public while battling misinformation ?? Come hear experts on political coverage and misinformation speak about strategies your newsroom can implement today as you gear up for November ???? ?? Register here: ???https://lnkd.in/eSEkeitW

?? Did you catch yesterday's Election SOS newsletter? Every week, Massarah Mikati hits your inboxes with resources, funding opportunities and insights to support your public-powered, community centered election journalism ?? We were so glad to see so many of you in particular enjoy our guide on responsibly covering pro-Palestine communities in yesterday's newsletter! Make sure to subscribe here so you don't miss out on all the goodies ?? : https://lnkd.in/gbzK_uE

The Israel-Gaza war and U.S. support for Israel has been front-and-center throughout the presidential campaign. The looming question? Whether that unwavering support will cost Democrats the election. Because of this focus on pro-Palestine voting blocs, we put together a guide to support you in telling the most complete, compelling and ethical stories when reporting on these communities, their viewpoints and the impact they have on U.S. elections. By adhering to these guidelines, journalists can contribute to more nuanced and respectful coverage of pro-Palestine communities while maintaining ethical and responsible journalism standards:?https://lnkd.in/gGjy37if