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Good morning all, it’s Wednesday February 18. Following yesterday’s news of the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., many in North Carolina are reflecting on his time and impact here. Jackson
transferred to A&T State in 1960 where he met his future wife and fellow civil rights activist Jacqueline L.B. Jackson. In between serving as student government president and football quarterback, Jackson led local demonstrations against racism, segregation and inequality. Jackson announced his run for president from Raleigh and attracted large crowds of "screaming students and supporters" to Winston-Salem State during his 1988 campaign. And he worked with many faith-based, civil rights and elected officials across the state in the decades that followed.
Several NC journalists shared memories too. Former News & Record Editor John Robinson said Jackson used to stop by the offices when he was in town and they'd have "cordial, insightful talks" about race, politics, Washington and Greensboro. The Charlotte Observer’s Executive Editor Rana Cash uplifted Jackson’s powerful “I am Somebody” call and response segment on Sesame Street that still resonates today. And Emily Broyles, Senior Audience Growth Producer with the Charlotte Observer, recalled covering Jackson’s visit to App State for The Appalachian and how Jackson responded to a question from the young journalist:
“He gave me time, space and respect. He practiced the epitome of what he encouraged others to do.”
Did you interview Rev. Jackson or have a memory to share? Get in touch by responding to this email or sending me a note at catherine@nclocal.org.
Coming up today:
“We don’t just cover stories here, we live them.” We chat with Davidson Local’s Antionette Kerr ahead of their 5 year anniversary.
Join the Women in Journalism NC Group this week for two opportunities to connect: a virtual gathering to share tricks, tips & hacks for making life easier as a journalist and an IRL social in Chapel Hill.
Know a recent HBCU grad looking for an opportunity in reporting, audience engagement, news product or development? The 19th is accepting applications for the Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship.
Before jumping in — a quick favor. Our friends at Grist made this really valuable Disaster 101 Toolkit for news and community organizations to republish and adapt. Now, they’re looking for feedback as they work to update the Toolkit, parts of which will be included in the Emergency Mode for News initiative that we’re partnering on with OpenNews and Newspack.
So, Hub readers, could you take a couple minutes to check out the Toolkit and fill out this survey?
We know you have valuable input on what information is needed to help people get through disasters. Thank you for helping shape what these resources look like!
Glad you’re here, let’s get started.
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‘Local news is where it’s at’
Davidson Local reflects on five years of community-centered news
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If you’re a regular or even occasional reader of Davidson Local, you’ve probably been struck by publisher Antionette Kerr’s powerful columns, her playful sense of humor and her deep knowledge of the local people, places and history in and around Davidson County. In “Country Come to Town”, Kerr writes “we don’t just cover stories here, we live them.”
“I’d lived in bigger cities, traveled for work, met colleagues who said things like ‘circle back’ and ‘let’s ideate.’ But here, the news breaks in church foyers, barber chairs, and the checkout line at Food Lion. Here, ‘country’ isn’t an insult — it’s an identity,” said Kerr. “Storytelling doesn’t just happen on deadlines; it happens at the intersection of memory and change. It happens in the laughter between ‘you ain’t gon’ believe this’ and ‘write that down.’”
Davidson Local is marking its fifth anniversary in April. Since launching in 2021, Kerr has steadily built a devoted audience and passionate roster of contributors who balance “the tradition of front-porch storytelling and the pace of modern journalism.”
The free, hyper-local news outlet covers education, elections, health and safety, and fact checks misinformation that circulates on social media. They spotlight community elders, local professionals and aspiring leaders. And while they also keep a close eye on local government, Lexington’s Mayor is a regular reader and supporter.
“It has been and continues to be a daily source of information for our local residents,” said Mayor Jason Hayes. “It's the combination of what's relevant, what you need to know about, also what is interesting from a human interest [perspective] to be more connected to your community... and I see them continuing to be an extremely viable source of information and news moving forward.”
Ahead of Davidson Local’s fifth anniversary, I chatted with Co-Founder and Publisher Antionette Kerr about their origins, adapting to information needs, their role in facilitating community conversations and the everyday challenges faced by local news start-ups. Read our Q&A here or by clicking the button below.
Want to help celebrate with Davidson Local? They’re throwing a “big old journalism party” for all the local news nerds April 23rd, 6-9 pm at Fox & Olive in Lexington, 100 Main Street.
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| Read our Q&A with Davidson Local's Antionette Kerr
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Have you registered yet for the 2026 NC News & Information Summit March 27 at NC State? Tickets are just $100 and you won't want to miss this day-long gathering of 300+ news and information friends from across the state.
Co-presented by NC Local and the NC Open Government Coalition this year's keynote is: North Carolina's AI Crossroads: Innovation, Investigation, and the Public Interest.
Artificial intelligence is transforming news and information. For audiences, it’s reshaping how they find and access news. For journalists and civic information developers, it offers unprecedented tools for data analysis, accessibility, and content personalization. But AI also raises urgent questions.
Join Poynter's Alex Mahadevan, Inside Climate News Reporter Lisa Sorg, NC Central's Dr. Siobahn Day Grady and Code the Dream's Ricky Leung to explore how we harness AI's potential for news and information while addressing accountability challenges facing our profession, our state, and the communities we serve.
This keynote kicks off our annual gathering on March 27, 2026 followed by 25+ sessions and table talks (details coming soon).
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Bulletin Board
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Jobs |
📌 Staff Writer, The Courier-Times, Person County
📌 Western Wake County Reporter, The News & Observer, Wake County
📌 Transportation Reporter, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte
📌 Community Reporter, Beacon Media, Franklin & Granville Counties 💰
📌 Reporter, WFDD, Winston-Salem
📌 Editor, QCity Metro, Charlotte 💰
📌 Director, North Carolina Local News Lab Fund, Remote in NC 💰
📌 Endowed Chair in Journalism and Public Policy, Duke-Sanford School of Public Policy, Durham
📌 Membership Coordinator, City Cast (Remote) 💰
📌 Senior Investigative Reporter, The Lever (Remote) 💰
📌 Director of Strategic Communications; Director of University Programs; Outreach Coordinator; Program Manager - Outreach; Project Manager - Engagement & Education; Social Media Coordinator, Pulitzer Center (Remote) 💰
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Opportunities, events & resources |
📅 Women in Journalism NC Events:
Thursday 2/19: join us for our bimonthly professional development meeting! Hosted by Sara Murphy, we'll be talking our favorite journalism "hacks" (AKA the tips and tricks you can't live without). Have some tips, tricks or hacks you want to share or present? Not yet on the invite list? Send a note to catherine@nclocal.org.
Sunday 2/22: If you're in the Triangle area, don't miss our in-person meet-up from noon to 2 p.m.! One of our members is graciously hosting at her home, and we'll serve light refreshments and play some fun games. Email Lexi at womeninjournalismnc@gmail.com to RSVP.
🌱 U.S. Maternal Health Press Fellowship: Every Mother Counts offers this four month fellowship to staff and freelance journalists. Prior experience covering maternal health is not required. Fellows receive virtual learning sessions and two on-site learning trips to Arkansas & Minnesota. All travel and expenses related to the fellowship are covered. The fellowship does not provide project funding or salary. Fellows maintain full editorial independence. Application deadline: February 23.
🌱 National Press Club Student Scholarships: Six scholarships are available providing stipends of $5,000 (some renewable) to help high school & college students defray the costs of tuition and other expenses. Programs include the Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo and the The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship, which is open to students at any stage of their career and prioritizes applicants from community colleges. Application deadline: March 1, 2026.
🌱 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship: Named for the “mother of African-American journalism,” fellows spend a year working at The 19th in reporting, audience engagement, news product and development with full-time salaries and benefits. Fellows are embedded in their respective teams and receive mentorship and professional development. Open to recent graduates, mid-career alums and former students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Application deadline: March 20
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That's it for today, thank you for reading. As always, know you are appreciated for all you do to support the North Carolina local news and information ecosystem. —Catherine
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