Community Event: Beyond the Noise
Media That's Moving Portland
A live conversation with local journalists and storytellers to explore how grassroots media inspires action, connection, and change.
Beyond the Noise: Media That's Moving Portland
While local headlines often focus on City Hall and traditional political narratives, Beyond the Noise turns the spotlight toward the storytellers, journalists, filmmakers, and podcasters who are engaging directly with Portland’s communities and movements.
Tune in to the voices shaping a different kind of civic conversation — one grounded in community storytelling, creative collaboration, and collective care. Together, we’ll explore how media made by and for community connects Portlanders, inspires action, and deepens our understanding of the issues that affect our lives.
This gathering spotlights the journalists, filmmakers, podcasters, and storytellers who are using their platforms to build civic understanding and strengthen community ties. From on-the-ground reporting to documentary storytelling and local podcasts, their work reminds us that civic engagement doesn’t just happen at the ballot box, it happens every time we tell a story that moves people toward connection and change.
Panels:
Making the News
Look inside the newsroom — hear from working journalists about how stories are chosen, shaped, and shared, and how Portland’s media landscape is evolving in response to the communities it serves. Panelists will discuss the challenges and possibilities of “making the news” in a time when trust, representation, and local storytelling matter more than ever.
Sharing the Meaning
This session highlights independent filmmakers, podcasters, and media artists who are expanding what civic storytelling can look like. These creators share how community-based media opens new pathways for participation, belonging, and understanding across Portland’s diverse neighborhoods and movements.
Sponsored by:
Don't forget to celebrate Open Signal or City Club of Portland through the Give!Guide!
Dates
Nov 22
Saturday
2:00pm – 5:00pm
Policies
For More Information
Interested in getting involved and utilizing one of our many resources? Start by completing this form and we will connect you with a staff member to get you started: Inquiry Form.
For questions about your registration, please contact us by phone at (503) 288 1515 or email education [at] opensignalpdx.org.
Community Membership
Join our community! Open Signal's membership program includes absolutely everyone.
This program will not only strengthen our community and deepen your experience as a community member, but it will also help diversify our funding streams, ensuring that our resources will be around to serve Portland for decades to come.
To sign up, make a contribution of at least $5 online.
Open Signal is a Safer Space
Open Signal is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for the community. Open Signal is a Safer Space for people of color, immigrants, gender non-conforming, low/no income groups, houseless, people with disabilities, linguistically diverse and other marginalized communities who have experienced systemic racism, sexism, classism and/or oppression. We encourage the creation and sharing of content that expresses a wide variety of cultural, social, political and spiritual perspectives. Treating all people with respect and kindness is expected - even if you don’t agree with all perspectives.
We require all members of our community to agree to our Safer Space Community Guidelines and to be accountable for the impact of their actions on others who use the space. Physical and verbal abuse will not be tolerated. All threats will be taken seriously, and will result in removal from the facility.
If you have a safety concern to report, please talk to any member of our front desk staff, or complete our online form at bit.ly/opensignalsafetyconcern.
Accessibility Requests
Open Signal is committed to hosting meetings, events and gatherings that are accessible and inclusive. Ensuring that all members of our community can fully engage in our activities not only benefits the individual, but strengthens our community as a whole.
We will do our best to accommodate your needs for equitable access to our facilities, however some requests may not be within our means to meet at this time.
Please submit your request using this form: Accessibility Request Form.