"If you don't understand a story, you can't change how it ends."

Join Chicago Reader's Katie Prout and documentary photographer Lloyd DeGrane for an evening conversation about collaborative journalism and harm reduction as tools to address Chicago's ongoing twin crises: overdose deaths and homelessness.

Journalism is often thought of as a discrete and solitary, rather than collaborative, act: a reporters interviews source, then move on. But what happens when sources not only are part of the story, but help shape it? What if the relationship between source and reporter is collaborative and ongoing, instead of top-down? How can community journalism function as a harm reduction tool in the face of the overdose and housing crises?

The program will include Katie reading from one of her stories and Lloyd sharing photographs. They will be in conversation together with several sources, including unhoused Chicagoans and outreach workers, who will share their experiences being part of the story, as well as what they wish people understood about their work and lives.

***This in person event will be live-streamed through Haymarket Books. Register through Eventbrite to receive a link to the video conference on the day of the event. This event will also be recorded and live captioning will be provided. We ask that all in-person participants are masked during the discussion and we will provide light refreshments afterwards.***

Speakers:

Katie Prout is a staff writer for the Chicago Reader, where she covers addiction, homelessness, Chicago culture, and the vibrant people who inhabit this great city.

Lloyd DeGrane is a Chicago-based freelance photographer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, the Paris Match and other national and international publications. He specializes in location photography and portraiture.

Katie and Lloyd will be joined by sources from their stories for the conversation.

Check out some of the featured stories for this event:

https://chicagoreader.com/best-of-chicago/best-city-life/best-unhoused-homeless-cta-bus-train/

https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/why-you-talking-to-a-bum-cta-unhoused-police/

https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/she-was-somebody-to-us/

https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/searching-for-the-pigeon-lady/

https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/the-last-mens-hotel/

-----------------------------------------------------------

This event is sponsored by Haymarket Books and the Chicago Reader. While all of our events are freely available, we ask that those who are able make a solidarity donation in support of our important publishing and programming work.