Why This Summit Matters
On June 13, 2025, Philadelphia’s journalism and civic leadership gathered at the Science History Institute for the fourth annual Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism Summit, produced by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism. This one-day forum, emceed by Andrea Lawful-Sanders, became a central platform for discussing how to sustain credible, inclusive, and community-centered news as local journalism faces ongoing financial, technological, and trust challenges.
The summit convened more than 200 newsroom leaders, funders, civic organizers, and technologists, all focused on one urgent question; how do we build newsrooms that can survive today’s headwinds while staying accountable to the communities they serve?
Facing the Moment — Keep the Doors Open
FunTimes Magazine Publisher Dr. Eric J. Nzeribe opened his presentation with a simple proverb from Ecclesiastes. “A living dog is greater than a dead lion.” His message reframed sustainability in journalism as survivability. An outlet that remains open, even if small and lean, can adapt, partner, and innovate. But a newsroom that shutters, no matter how strong its past reputation, forfeits every opportunity to pivot or recover.
The message resonated across the summit. Jim Friedlich, CEO of the Lenfest Institute quoted Dr. Nzeribe directly in his post-event reflection, anchoring his charge, “Stay operational, stay adaptable, and the opportunities will keep coming.”
Jared Council, Editorial Project Lead for the Lenfest Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote coalition, reinforced the theme of endurance. “Tough times don’t last; tough organizations do.”

Collaboration as the Compass
Throughout the day, collaboration emerged as the most consistent strategy for sustainability. Jos Duncan-Asé, founder of Love Now Media, called for stronger collective action. “We need to lean into collaboration and invest in outlets that have done the work for years.”
Gianna Tripodi-Bhise of WHYY emphasized mutual support. “The ecosystem is stronger when we lift each other.” Monique Curry-Mims, founder and principal of Civic Capital and publisher of Generosity, echoed the same principle. “Collaboration is key to the stories we tell for our communities.”
Cheryl Thompson-Morton, Lenfest Institute’s Head of Advisory Programs, stressed the importance of professional support networks: “Professional allies keep you stronger.” Eugene Sonn, Director of Collaborations at Resolve Philadelphia, added that “no newsroom should feel alone when the ecosystem learns together.”
The collective voices made it clear. Partnerships, resource sharing, and ecosystem-wide cooperation are not optional. They are the way forward for local journalism.


Tools for Tomorrow
Artificial intelligence and its growing influence on journalism were openly discussed throughout the summit. While many newsrooms remain cautious, there was wide agreement that thoughtful experimentation is necessary.
Shawn Mooring, Lenfest Institute’s Head of Philadelphia Programs, addressed the tension head-on. “There’s anxiety, but embracing the tools now can make your organization better.” He previewed how Lenfest’s AI Collaborative is already working with Philadelphia outlets, providing training, technical assistance, and new grant cohorts to test responsible applications of generative AI.
For many organizations, including FunTimes Magazine, the message was direct. AI is no longer on the horizon. It is here. The organizations that embrace it carefully will be stronger and more efficient in serving their communities.
Behind the Summit
Bringing the summit to life required months of intentional preparation. Samiya Green, Program Manager for the Lenfest Institute, explained that organizing the 2025 summit involved “seven months and a lot of intentional calls.” She worked closely with Shawn Mooring and Roshni Melia to ensure the event addressed real-time challenges facing Philadelphia’s journalism sector.
Shawn Mooring emphasized the importance of relationships built through these convenings. “Every participant should leave with at least one new, actionable connection.”
By the end of the day, the side conversations, networking moments, and hallway discussions demonstrated that the goal had been achieved.


Press Forward, Pivot Fund, and Lenfest in Context
This year’s summit took place in a season of major national investment in local journalism. The Press Forward initiative, led by Dale R. Anglin, has committed $500 million to rebuild local news infrastructure across the country, offering much-needed national backing for this fragile sector.
Tracie Powell, founder of the Pivot Fund, a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news, spoke directly to the realities of today’s funding environment. She reminded attendees that funders must intentionally support diverse newsrooms if journalism is to remain relevant and equitable. The Pivot Fund’s investments help smaller outlets build capacity while staying connected to the communities they cover.
Lenfest’s work complements these national efforts with region-specific grantmaking, advisory services, innovation labs, and forums like this summit that keep local media leaders in active conversation with each other.

Charge for the Year Ahead
As the day closed, Professor Denise James offered a clear reminder to the entire room. “There is already a community ready to support newsrooms willing to reach out.” The work ahead depends on sustaining these relationships, not working in silos.
For FunTimes Magazine, that call is already in motion. Following the summit, FunTimes will expand its work in AI, deepen collaborations sparked during the summit, and continue its mission of delivering vital African and Caribbean diaspora reporting to the Philadelphia region and beyond.

Joseph Warkreh T-Toe is Associate Editor Emeritus of Funtimes Magazine. He holds an Associate in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in Accra, Ghana. He once served as Foreign News Editor at the Liberia News Agency (LINA). He is author of The Voice My Silence, an anthology African poems and short stories (under revision), and two children’s books – Fatu and Lake Piso and The Adventure of Little King Dahhena. T-Toe also serves on the boards of Christ International Baptist Church and Tip Global Educational Resources (TGER) in Philadelphia.
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