Canopy Atlanta asked over 50 South DeKalb community members about the journalism they needed. This video emerged from that feedback and was created in partnership with award-winning news organization Reckon News.
Canopy Atlanta also trains and pays community members, our Fellows, to learn reporting skills to better serve their community. Dominique Harris, the voice featured in this video, is a Canopy Atlanta South DeKalb Fellow.
The debate over the future of Atlanta’s Weelaunee Forest in South DeKalb County has become a public spectacle making international headlines.
Despite community debates, protests, and ongoing concerns over public safety and the environment, construction of an Atlanta Police Department training facility—projected to cost $90 million and span 85 acres—is expected to break ground in August.
In Atlanta, a community stakeholder committee formed by the Atlanta Police Foundation sought out “continued public engagement and input,” but would not publish meeting notes or open the floor for public comment.
In collaboration with Reckon News, Canopy Atlanta South DeKalb Fellow Dominique Harris speaks on the impact this approach could have on his community’s trust in local government. Hear his comments below, and stay tuned for further coverage by Harris on the “Cop City” development.
Producers: Clarissa Brooks, John Hammontree, and Kavolshaia Howze, Reckon News
Editor: Christina Lee
Canopy Atlanta Reader: Sonam Vashi
