A couple of weeks ago, I conducted a trial livestream during a Ventura Unified Special Board Meeting that was not being broadcast by the district.
The response was immediate, and powerful.
Community members who otherwise would not have had access were able to watch, stay informed, and be part of the conversation in real time. That moment made something very clear: access matters, and it is wanted.
And now, I am ready to take the next step.
The Next Livestream
I will be livestreaming the upcoming School Closures Advisory Committee Meeting so our community can stay engaged during one of the most important conversations happening in Ventura right now.
This meeting will cover enrollment trends and projections, housing development impacts on student populations, school site capacity versus projected enrollment, and site analysis and key considerations for closures.
These are decisions that will shape the future of our schools, and our city.
And yet, the district has stated this meeting will not be livestreamed due to limited staff resources.
So I am stepping in.
Transparency Should Not Depend on Availability
Because transparency should not depend on availability. Public meetings should be publicly accessible. And our community deserves to see, hear, and understand what is happening, as it happens.
This is about more than one meeting.
It is about building a culture of transparency, accountability, and trust in how decisions are made in Ventura, especially as we navigate significant changes in our school system.
Because informed communities are empowered communities.