A talk with Simon Galperin on what “local” really means and how community-centered journalism can inform, connect, and empower people to shape the systems that impact their everyday lives.
Join Simon Galperin, founder and Executive Editor of The Jersey Bee, for a talk exploring the true meaning of “local” and why it matters more than ever. Rooted in Essex County, The Jersey Bee is more than a newsroom, it’s a resource designed to help working-class communities and communities of color access information, build connections, and engage in civic life. Blending journalism, human-centered design, and technology, Simon’s work focuses on making local information genuinely useful to the people it serves. In this session, we’ll explore how stronger, more connected communities are built not just online, but in the neighborhoods we live in every day. From his background as an EMT and community organizer to his current role shaping the future of local news, Simon brings a unique perspective on what it means to actively build “local.” Expect a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about connection, access, and the power of community.
About the speaker
Simon Galperin is the founder and Executive Editor of The Jersey Bee, a nonprofit local news organization in Essex County that helps working-class communities and communities of color access resources, build connections, and participate in civic life. His work blends human-centered design, journalism, and technology to help people navigate – and improve – the systems that shape daily life.
Simon studied journalism at Rutgers University–New Brunswick and earned a master's degree in Social Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. He has held journalism innovation fellowships at Stanford, the University of Missouri, and CUNY, and serves on the Racial Equity Advisory Board at the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State.
An immigrant and former EMT, outdoor recreation leader, and community garden coordinator, Simon now lives in Bloomfield, N.J.
Favorite quotes from this talk
Hosted by
Lackawanna Station
1 Lackawanna Plaza
Montclair, New Jersey United States 07042
Date
Partners
Lackawanna Station
Boozie's
Burgers Donuts Potatoes
Entwined Studio
Overall Builds
Higher Education Staff Hope Collective
RecRoom
Social Media Manager Matt Nazario-Miller
Host Michelle Ward
Graphic Designer Eva Darron
Photographer Angie McCaffrey
Videographer Nikki Villafane
