Topic: Journalism and Your Voices
Presenters: Melodee Mabbitt of Broadside and Gary Custer of East Village Magazine
Date / Time: Tuesday, May 21st, 6 - 7:45 PM
Location: Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St.

With Melodee Mabbitt of Broadside and Gary Custer of East Village Magazine. The editors of two Flint publications discussed how residents can have a say in what is happening in Flint.

Event Participants: Pat Miller, Artina Sadler, Maalieh Carter, Betty Wilkins, Andrew Morton, Nayyirah Shariff, Nic Custer, Harry Jackson, Ed Custer, Mary Williams, Rebekah Mikkelson, Crystal Pepperdine, Bob Mabbitt, Emma Davis, Allan Taylor, Amanda Honold, Jennifer Onufry, Russ Bedford, Meshelle Merritt, Jan Worth-Nelson, Jon McCarron, Jesse Maloud, Margo Lakin, John Dempsey

Supplemental Content: Introductory note on Broadside Magazine and East Village Magazine (included with physical documentation), Greater Flint Media List and Resources (included with physical documentation)

Participants in this Creative Coffee session were asked to list three issues that they wish were better covered by local news providers.  These are their answers:

• Three Items That I Think That Need To be Covered by the Flint Journal. 1. Business Activities 2. National Programs to improve our city 3. Movement amont Citizens in our Community.
• Issues #1: Food Scarcity - All Flint residents need convenient access to inexpensive fresh produce that is grown locally. #2: Disability - I have no figures to support this, but it seems that a huge number of residents are on federal disability. #3: Renters - Likewise, it seems that too many residents are renters with no path to ownership and local investment.
• 1. ARTS - COVERING ART, IN ALL FORMS, IN A CRITICAL, DISCURSIVE MANNER. APPROACHING ART AS A LOCAL FORM OF PRE-CONSENSUS DIALOGUE.
• Want Covered The meaning of Life
• community organizations / involvement
• *Education - How do/can we best fund and offer the kind of education that is needed in Flint?
• 2) 3) Skunkwords / Cyber school 3) AIR: Imagine Flint
• 3 issues that local news should cover more: 1) Citizens in action 2) the growing arts scene 3) local orgs
• 1. Drug War in Flint 2. Water Rates 3. Over Prioritizing Real-Estate Development as way to save Flint
• 1. Animal Control: - Does the City have an ordinance - It is / how is it enforced - Would a MI State law re: tethering (ie) length of tether - humane conditions etc if enacted - ever be enforced in Flint. There is a group which has a petition - - 2 - 3 -