Dallas Documenters

The Dallas Free Press is a newsroom that focuses on connecting neighbors to resources and events, with Jeffrey Ruiz serving as the communications coordinator for the weekly text message service that nearly 1,000 people in South Dallas and West Dallas subscribe to.

The Dallas Free Press has had an impactful 2023, with a renewed commitment to racial equity, the launch of the Dallas Documenters program, an expansion to Lincoln High School, increased partnerships with local media, and an expanding and resilient team.

Dallas Free Press completed the Dallas TRHT 2022 ReNOW cohort, resulting in a racial equity policy and plans, as well as the launch of the Dallas Documenters program to recruit BIPOC residents to become community reporters and storytellers.

In early 2023. Dallas Free Press will be the 10th newsroom in America to host the Documenters Network, which recruits, trains and, most importantly, pays residents for their time spent attending meetings, taking notes to contribute to the public record, and sharing back to their communities.