Creating Journalism With Heart
The highest form of love is agape love. It is unconditional. Not based on a response. The kind of love that gives without expecting anything in return. A love that serves others and is intended for everyone.
It is the best kind of love.
Some journalism organizations are living up to this high ideal, serving communities, giving communities a place for their voices to be heard, and creating solutions.
We need more of this kind of journalism.
This kind of journalism can change lives.
This kind of journalism can create a world where everyone can thrive.
We are seeing the power of community-centered journalism.
On Oct. 19, the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation participated in Phillips Clean Sweep at Stewart Park in Minneapolis. The annual event brings together the four Phillips neighborhoods in the city for a neighborhood cleanup event in the morning and a resource fair in the afternoon.
As part of the fair, our Youth Community Journalism Institute ran another community newspaper.
Two youth from our youth community journalism team, 15-year-old Jesús Rojas (10th grader) and 14-year-old Christian Flores (ninth grader) ran the community newspaper table, along with a new team member, 14-year-old Yareli Peña Howard (eighth grader) and her grandma Aracely Martinez.
Yareli is the perfect example of the need for caring programs with caring adults. A few months ago, Yareli saw her father shot to death. She had a lot of anger and got in trouble with the law. She was arrested and had to do community service.
As part of her service, her grandma brought Yareli to a community event we co-hosted in September, Harvest Moon Block Party. Yareli took pictures at the event. We created Little Earth News, a community newspaper to celebrate community victories, voices, and solutions.
This time, we created Phillips News. In two hours, over 40 community members, from youth under 10 to elders over 60, contributed four pages of stories in English and Spanish and created Phillips News
One of those community members who contributed a story was Yareli.
This was her story:
I had so [much] fun today with people. I met so many people and I painted pumpkins.
Carmen Robles, another abuela (grandma) and our youth community journalism partner with Conversaciones de Salud and Jovenes de Salud at Carmen Robles and Associates LLC, said, “This program saved Yareli’s life.”
incorporates art therapy with medical experts, community leaders, and youth journalists to reduce gun violence.
“Gun violence and drugs (opioids/fentanyl) walk hand in hand,” said Carmen, who has been working on raising awareness of the opioid crisis for five years. “This can be an extension of the ‘opioids’ crisis and children’s mental health. Win-win.”
These were the other stories from Phillips News.
Phillips News, Vol. 1, No. 1 — Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024
Safe bike lanes on the streets.
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Let’s make voting a tradition. Get out and vote.
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Good help for people in Minnesota.
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My personal experience was very good. I think everyone should experience helping and transmitting the voice of faith to people.
–Jr.
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So let us not get tired of doing what is good because at just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:9)
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Es muy bueno tener este tipo de eventos para nuestra comunidad transmitir noticias y conocer nuevas personas. Me gusta muchos. Muchas gracias a todos que hacen posible estos eventos!!!
–Aracely M.
[It’s very good to have this type of events for our community to share news and get to know new people. I like it a lot. Thank you to everyone who make these events possible.!!!]
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Es muy important tener este tipo de eventos que nos traen opportunidades de conectar y colaborar con nuestros vecinos.
–Virginia, VP EPIC [East Phillips Improvement Coaltion]
It is so important to have opportunities like this to come together and collaborate as neighbors.
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Connecting with the community
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It was a lot of fun and good music.
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Tener mucha informacion es mucha importancia.
Conocer diferentes programas en la comunidad es grandioso.
[Having a lot of information is very important. Knowing about different programs in the community is wonderful.]
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My neighborhood is fun.
–Walter
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Leaves all over the Twin Cities turn vibrant warm colors! The weekend of Oct. 19-20 is gloriously warm, and the community is at Clean Sweep enjoying the weather.
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Phillips is a key Minneapolis neighborhood with many wonderful people. It’s where my children were born.
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Awesome community that helps out everyone.
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Be kind to the earth, to people, to animals, to community.
–Avory A.
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We have a few Natives Warriors called Many Shield Society Protectors in Phillips. Check them and let them know how they are are doing.
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Phillips is a nice neighborhood.
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You will never be alone. And everything happens for a reason.
–Fatumah
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I bike through Phillips and love the diversity of the community. Also love the neighborhood involvement in the clean sweep.
–Mark Rappakko
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The oak trees along 13 Ave. are maturing and beautifying the neighborhood. I look forward to their strong branches traversing my street.
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Early voting Oct. 30th, Little Earth gym, 11-8 p.m.
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Remember, Jesus loves you.
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Dios te quiero.
[God loves you.]
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Clean up and pick up trash to help people.
–Willow
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Es muy bonito conocer poquito de todo para estar informado de todo.
[Es very nice to know a little bit about everything to be informed.]
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Bus Stop Guardians. Sign up! Keep our kiddos safe at bus stops.
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Great place to live. Cross the street from Stewart Park.
–Maria G.
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[Drawing of a house.]
–Reuben
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Water
We loved to see a lot of people involved in this event. Very blessed to be part of it.
–Millie
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Teen Challenge Leadership Institute! Praise the Lord!
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Me encanta que Phillps Neighborhood tiene tantos eventos y recursos para la comunidad. Trabajo en Banyan Community y puedo ver lo maravilloso que es estar envuelto en la comunidad. También, gracias por su trabajo y lo que hacen en su organización.
[I love that Phillips Neighborhood has so many events and resources for the community. I work at Banyan Community and I see it is marvelous to be wrapped in the community. Also, thank you for your work and what you do in your organization.]
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More women are joining law enforcement. Everything is possible.
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Jesus is the light of the world!
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Phillips Park has been my childhood park since I was little. I have a lot of memories here. Keep striving.
–Ansony Jovel R.
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Need more police officers to protect our community.
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Somali
They have good foods that everyone needs to try.
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An (almost) trash free neighborhood.
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For info about repurposing/reuse/repair/thrift/legislation and events!
It was an excellent outreach event and another heartwarming day.
When journalism shows love to communities, communities show love to journalism.
Don’t believe all the doomsday headlines. The future is brighter than you might think.
Journalism with heart exists. It goes beyond facts and figures and tells stories that reflect the human experience.
This approach emphasizes empathy, connecting audiences to the people behind the news, and uplifts underrepresented voices or personal struggles and triumphs.
It prioritizes ethical storytelling, culturally sensitive perspectives, and narrative styles that foster understanding and compassion.
Journalism with heart engages the community in meaningful conversations around shared human values.
You just have to know where to find journalism with heart.
Once you find it, share it, support it, and help it grow.
Community journalism will make the world a better place.
