It’s time for new perspectives
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About Perspectives
Falling trust, the rise of AI, misinformation, hostile actors, ever-shrinking budgets – there are some big challenges currently facing journalism.

We need new tools and mental models to meet this moment, and we shouldn’t restrict our search to those conferences, institutions, and keynote speakers to which we always turn.

There are other industries and communities who are facing similar or identical challenges, and who create their own solutions. Perspectives turns to movements and people outside news for inspiration, strategies, and frameworks for tackling some of our biggest challenges. We then create spaces to share this knowledge with journalists.

Within our events, Perspectives aims to:

  • Change assumptions about what is possible in journalism
  • Introduce new methods for impact and sustainability
  • Create spaces where journalists can imagine and seek clarity on difficult questions by stepping outside the constraints of our industry to learn from others and their work

Perspectives is a project of Contina Impact, a 501(c)3 organization.
Our core partners
If you are interested in becoming a partner or sponsor, please contact us.
Previous events
Chicago
October 2025
Created alongside the News Product Alliance Summit

This event was an interactive workshop focused on how public health experts overcome community suspicion, misinformation, and public attacks to deliver life-saving information.

It featured:

  • Dr. Allison Arwady, director of CDC's Injury Center, who led Chicago’s department of public health during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Dr. Michelle Brown, an ob-gyn and faculty member at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine
  • Dr. Mary Tate, an attending physician and ob-gyn in Cook County and host of the podcast Dear Premed
  • Dr. Kyran Quinlan, Professor of Pediatrics at Rush University and a general pediatrician, educator, researcher and advocate
  • Dr. Margaret Russell, Family Physician at Erie Family Health Center and Clinical Assistant Professor at Northwestern

Venue: The Revival Theater, a local improv hotspot
Supported by JSK Fellowships, Press Forward Chicago, American Press Institute, Second Story, Trusting News

Online
September 2024

Created with Gather


We helped Emily Kennedy of AnthroJourno.org run an event about anthropology as monthly curator of Gather, the platform for community-minded journalists.


This involved:


  • Sharing resources and answering questions
  • Running a video discussion with anthropologists about how to improve community reporting
  • Writing about how to integrate with different communities through ethnographic best practices
Atlanta
September 2024

Created alongside ONA24 in collaboration with Rodney Gibbs


This event focused on how AI is shaping the way Atlanta musicians and filmmakers create their work.


It featured:


  • Isaac Hayes III, futurist, founder of Fanbase, and son of soul singer Isaac Hayes
  • Uwonda Carter, founding partner at legal firm Carter+Woodward, whose clients include King Willonious, the creator of BBL Drizzy
  • Dr Fahamu Pecou, a local artist and filmmaker who uses AI in his work

The event was moderated by Dr. Joycelyn Wilson, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech with a focus on hip-hop studies and digital media.


Venue: The Knight Lounge at ONA

Supported by the Knight Foundation

Minneapolis
August 2024

Created with SRCCON 2024


This event focused on teaching ethnographic methods that can be used in journalism via a hands-on workshop and workbook.


It featured:


  • Emily Kennedy, founder of AnthroJourno.org
  • Dr Adam Gamwell, editor of Anthropology News and host of This Anthro Life podcast

Venue: McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minneapolis
Philadelphia
June 2024
Created in collaboration with Resolve Philly

This event focused on what local journalism can learn from AAPI inter-community solidarity.

It featured:

  • Debbie Wei, founding member of Asian Americans United
  • Mohan Seshadri, Co-Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance
  • Vivian Chang, Executive Director of Asian Americans United
A Q&A and breakout discussion groups were moderated by Robin Kwong.

Venue: Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School

Supported by the American Press Institute and AAJA-Philadelphia

Minneapolis
October 2023

Created alongside SRCCON 2023


This event explored how communities keep ownership of their own narratives and reimagine their futures following a crisis.


It featured:


  • Jeanelle Austin, the Executive Director of the George Floyd Global Memorial, who talked about how they keep control of their own narrative
  • Jessica Eckerstorfer, co-director of the Southeast Asian Diaspora Project, who shared how they approach community narratives through joy and empowerment
  • Paul Andrighetti, Development Director of CAPI, who discussed how they support immigrant communities through culturally appropriate methods

A Q&A was moderated by Andrea Pierre, KRSM station manager and host of The Narrative.


Venue: The Cedar Cultural Center

Supported by the American Press Institute, the Donald W Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri, OpenNews, and Michael Bolden

Mini Perspectives: Chicago
June 2023
Created in collaboration with Media Party

A lightning talk about how a community-led advocacy group engaged residents across the city, shaping the political agenda for a vital mayoral race.

It featured:

  • Niketa Brar, co-founder and executive director of Chicago United for Equity. She works to grow the community-led policymaking movement in Chicago

Venue: The Polsky Exchange Center

Online
April 2023
Created in collaboration with the News Product Alliance Summit

Two leaders of the reproductive rights movement in Latin America shared what it took to sustain a change movement over decades, and how to pass the baton to the next generation.

We were joined by:

  • Daniela Martins of the Women’s Equality Center, which strengthens the work of reproductive rights organizations in Latin America
  • María Antonieta Alcalde of Ipas Central America and Mexico, which works with partners in the region to make abortion and contraceptives safe, legal and accessible
Los Angeles
September 2022

Created alongside ONA 22


This event focused on the role of community-led support among members of marginalized groups.


It featured:


  • Jennifer Gutierrez of the Museum for Social Justice, who talked about how to reimagine the role of legacy institutions
  • Leezel Tanglao of FYLPRO, who shared how their platform Tayo delivered life-saving COVID information to the older Filipino community
  • traci kato-kiriyama of Vigilant Love, who talked about imagining new and better futures for artists in our cities
Venue: East West Players, the nation's premier Asian American Theater

Supported by OpenNews

Support our work
  • We’re seeking grants, donations, and sponsorships to support our events and operating expenses. We’re entirely volunteer-run – all monies go directly to our modest programming and operating costs. Our goal is $15,000 to cover 18 months of programming but donations of any size make a big difference.
  • Donations are tax deductible through our fiscal sponsor, Policy Impact.
  • Previous supporters include JSK Fellowships, Press Forward Chicago, Knight Foundation, OpenNews, Reynolds Journalism Institute, Trusting News, News Product Alliance, and the American Press Institute.
Team
  • Ariel Zirulnick
    Ariel Zirulnick is a journalism audience and product consultant. She is the co-founder of Perspectives.

  • Robin Kwong
    Robin Kwong is the product director for data services at Yahoo News.
  • Andrew Losowsky
    Andrew Losowsky is the Director of Product for CalMatters/The Markup. He is the co-founder of Perspectives.
FAQ
  • How do I bring Perspectives to my city or my event? How can I be a part of a Perspectives event?
    We'd love to work with you! Contact us via the form below.

    Here are some of the questions we ask when we’re evaluating a pitch or designing an event:

    • What’s the vibe of the main event that we'll be programming alongside?
    • Who is the event's target audience?
    • What kind of lessons and experiences from beyond journalism could be useful to the target audience right now?
    • What’s the format of the main event? In-person or online? What are the session formats? How much do we want to echo that, or do something in contrast to it?
    • If we’re doing something in person, where can we take people that’s community-focused and outside of the main event space, while respecting the location and design of the main event?
    • Are we going to try to make this a part of the event or are we going to make it an auxiliary event?
    • Is there any budget? Are there any plans to get one? We pay our speakers and venues so any assistance with that is always welcome.
  • Who can organize a Perspectives event?
    Currently we're overseeing all Perspectives events; in the future, we'll be releasing a free series of guidelines and principles for others to run events. If you'd like to work with us, contact us!
  • How can I support Perspectives?
    We always need funders to help support our events. As organizers, we take no fee for our work; however, participants and venues need paying. If you're interested in supporting a future Perspectives event, contact us.
  • What are the core principles of Perspectives?
    • We always pay participants from outside journalism
    • We strive to hold in-person events at community spaces
    • We often hold events that take place alongside existing industry events, to take advantage of a diverse crowd of journalists in one place

Contact us

We'd love to make a Perspectives event with you.


Cover photo by Erik Westra, from our Minneapolis event
All text and images are copyright the Perspectives Team unless stated