Indy Documenters is a superpower. It’s a special part of Mirror Indy that connects real people to a “civic side hustle” and pays them to take notes at public meetings.
Each person brings a different flavor to Documenters, shaping it by covering public meetings they are interested in and helping to inform themselves and their neighbors.
Our goal is simple—to put important government decisions on record every public meeting on record and report on how they affect our communities.
We have Documenters who focus on government agencies across the city like IndyGo Board of Directors, the Indianapolis City-County Council, the Animal Care Services Advisory Board and more. Documenters also interview neighbors at arts events like Chreece or at polling locations on election day.
Since last September, we’ve covered 195 public meetings and events and trained 175 Documenters to take notes, record audio, live tweet, or take photos in public meetings.
Documenters coverage shapes our reporting. Stories like northwest side neighbors holding developers accountable, a local program encouraging children to read, or primary election day coverage couldn’t have happened without Documenters.
Want to help us cover future meetings?
Indy Documenters trains and pays neighbors to attend local, public government meetings and take notes or live tweet. We’re creating a new public record in Indianapolis, and we want you to be a part of it.
Questions? Email documenters@mirrorindy.org.
Indy Documenters share their “why” for participating in the Mirror Indy program.
Documenter Key King said he joined because he believes in community healing.
“The only way to do that is to get involved and let our elected officials and those in power know that the community is watching,” he said. “Indy Documenters is a very effective way to show that.”
Documenter Breone Dupree said, “I want to be a resource to my community.”
Documenter Anita Jackson said, “I decided to become a Documenter to become more aware of the happenings within my local government.”
Takeaway
Documenters work to put every public meeting on record. By attending these meetings and events, we’re holding public officials accountable and informing Indy residents.
Cheers to our first birthday. We’re looking forward to many more.
What’s next?
The next Indy Documenters orientation is 6 p.m., September 17 at the Haughville Library, 2122 W Michigan St. Register here.
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