Note: This meeting starts at 6:30 PM, later than our normal time. Doors will be monitored for access until 6:40 PM. If you arrive after that time, please post a note to the meeting page on Meetup, and we'll work to respond and let you in.

Reporters regularly bring us breaking news about government activities, including acts of malfeasance. They, of course, get tips from sources but also rely greatly on information found in public records requests. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was enacted in 1966 to make government more transparent so journalists and the general public could hold the government accountable for its actions.

Surprisingly, though, the news media accounts for less than 10% of all FOIA requests![1] The largest three categories of requestors are businesses, individuals, and law firms, but other groups, such as universities and non-profits, also file requests.

The basic purpose of the act is to ensure an informed citizenry, which is vital to the functioning of a democratic society. While FOIA only applies to federal records, each state has its own laws and processes related to public records, and Oregon is no exception.

Getting started in submitting public records requests can be intimidating. What exactly is a public record, and how does an individual request one? Are there fees involved? What options are available if a request is denied?

The people at Lucy Parsons Labs have filed many requests for records, uncovering corruption and other wrongdoing in the Chicago area, and are willing to share their experiences and expertise with us! At this meeting, LPL's Community Organizing Chair will speak to us via teleconference and share tools and tips for submitting requests so we can keep government agencies both transparent and accountable to the people.

Join us for a great presentation and discussion about FOIA and public records requests! We'll have snacks, and there will be an opportunity for networking afterwards. We hope to see you there!

Schedule: 6:20 PM: Doors 6:30 PM: Introductions 6:35 PM: Presentation

Speaker bio:

Lucy Parsons Labs is a charitable Chicago-based collaboration between data scientists, transparency activists, artists, and technologists that sheds light on the intersection of digital rights and on-the-streets issues.

1. Schouten, Cory (March 17, 2017). "Who files the most FOIA requests? It's not who you think". Columbia Journalism Review: https://www.cjr.org/analysis/foia-report-media-journalists-business-mapper.php

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