Artificial intelligence is ubiquitous and increasingly influential in everyday life, yet it remains widely misunderstood and often met with fear and distrust. As AI reshapes media, work, creativity, and civic life, communities deserve space to learn, question, and engage together.
Registration is free and open to the public.
Register here: https://hi.switchy.io/n9ea
As part of its commitment to community-centered journalism, The Washington Informer is convening the Informer AI Community Conversation, a virtual discussion series focused on shared understanding, accountability, and real-world impact.
Why This Conversation
In 2025, The Washington Informer participated in the AI Community Journalism Lab in partnership with the Local Media Association and Trusting News, engaging readers through a national survey on the perception of newsroom AI use. The findings reinforced cautious optimism and a strong desire for transparency, human oversight, and clear guardrails, underscoring the need for continued, community-based learning around AI.
Event Format
Introductory Workshop (15 minutes)
Led by Sterling McKinley, Clarity AI Solutions
- Welcome and framing by The Washington Informer
- Remarks on AI and business by Aisha Bond, President, GWBCC
Panel Discussion (45 minutes)
Moderated by Howard Jean, CEO, Black Meta Agency
Panelists:
- Taylor Frazier, anti–data center activist
- Eric Brown Jr., Microsoft
- Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier, Word in Black
- Marlon Avery, JPMorganChase
- Sydney Goitia-Doran, Editor-in-Chief of The Hilltop
Audience Q&A
Post-Roundtable Presentation (20 minutes)
Led by Howard Jean
- Practical overview of AI tools for grant tracking and development
A Continuing Conversation
This event launches an ongoing Informer series exploring how emerging technologies intersect with equity, culture, labor, and local accountability.