CHAPTER 05 Community Connection: Fostering Engagement and Collaboration “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King In the media industry, editorial leaders, journalists and content creators play a significant role in informing and representing their audience. Integral to this is community engagement — a partnership that informs and enriches journalism. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY CONNECTION COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY Community engagement and outreach are critical for journalists as they build stories that are equitable and resonant. Engagement is a sustained process of collaborating with the community for collective decision-making, particularly when working with First Nations and other negatively racialised communities, and addressing both community and organisational needs. It is crucial to understand that First Nations people and other negatively racialised groups might not always report or file complaints about offensive reporting or media engagements. This can be due to various reasons including: In contrast, outreach involves reaching out to obtain or provide information, resources, or support and should be done only when the engagement process has taken place and a relationship is formed. | CHAPTER 05 • • Barriers to challenging established media outlets that hold more power and influence over public discourses. They may also choose to utilise community resources and time more efficiently rather than advocating for change within media outlets or institutions. This is often due to the perceived lack of effort by the media to collaborate meaningfully with communities for change and anti-racism. 39