Press Play Durham

Friday, October 2, 2026

at the Durham County Main Library
Get to the library early to enjoy all it has to offer before the event gets started!

• 3:00pm: check-in table opens  
   
• 4:00pm: intro and opening panel convo 
  Who do you trust for information and why? 
  In this opening conversation, we'll explore the dynamics between local nonfiction storytelling and the broader community. Our panel will discuss where folks get their information from, and why they trust these sources instead of others. What is the responsibility of the storytellers and how do they engage with audiences? And how can audiences approach where they themselves source information?
  • Panelists: Jameka Autry, Sarah Michels, Gabriel Cruz
  • Moderator: Natalie Bullock Brown
     
• 5:00pm: community breakout conversations 
  Topics to include: 
  • local stories with big impact — what makes a story take off and engage with people
    • Facilitators: Anna Lee, Dilsey Davis, Sarah Edwards
  • building trust with participants & why extractive journalism fails
    • Facilitators: D.L. Anderson, Victoria Bouloubasis 
  • capturing footage — from the technical craft of getting the shot, to how authentication tools are helping protect journalism
    • Facilitators: Ananth Sundara, Amy Koppmann
       
• 5:45pm: break!
   
• 6:00pm: local shorts screening
  • The Warrior at Valley Forge They Didn't Teach You About (dir. Sandra Davidson)
  • Theory of Change (dir. Matt Durning) 
  • screening Q&A 
    • Panelists: Matt Durning, Carey Kirk, Shikara Fraser & Nicole Arrington
    • Moderator: Christopher Everett 
       
• 7:15pm: food from Boricua Soul and music (DJ!) 
   
• 8:15pm: wrap and head to the afterparty at Eve Botanical Lounge, hosted by DAWG!

Press Play is a space to be seen, heard, and inspired — whether you consume the news or make it.

Storytellers: Journalists, documentary filmmakers, newsrooms, and storytellers of all kinds! 

Community builders: Civic groups, activists, funders, local entities, and media allies looking to support community cohesion.

Everyone is invited! If you believe in the power of connection and want to be part of the solution, you belong at Press Play.

The national Press Play tour is run by local-first global nonprofit Video Consortium (that's us!). Press Play Durham is co-hosted by the Durham County Public Library with our partners Southern Documentary Fund, PBS North Carolina, Carolina Public Press, Documentary Accountability Working Group, Look Different, Working Films, NC Local, The Assembly, the VC Wilmington Hub and the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. 

Press Play is made possible by Knight Foundation, in addition to Sony and Rode.

Come on your own, with a colleague, or with a friend. Everyone who's attending will have their own skillset and perspective, but what we all share is a desire to use media for good. We'll highlight what's working and what's changing across the media landscape while focusing heavily on video and innovation.

Come ready to have honest, collaborative, and solutions-focused conversations (and an empty stomach, as there will be great food).

Join us on October 2nd by RSVPing here. Any follow up questions? Holler at us here.