Creators are increasingly on the ground when their communities need them most — at immigration demonstrations, protests, boycotts, and other moments of civic tension. That presence matters. Especially in local news deserts and communities underserved by mainstream media, creators are the ones keeping their audiences informed in real time.

But showing up to these spaces carries real risk. Physical confrontations, legal gray areas, and digital exposure are part of the landscape right now. Every creator needs to be prepared.

That’s why we created the Creator Safety Guide.

Written by veteran journalist Brittany Shammas, it’s a comprehensive framework for assessing risk, protecting yourself, and continuing to do your work — even in high-stakes situations. Whether you’re planning your first demonstration coverage or you’ve been doing this for years, there’s something in here for you.

The guide covers:

Some of this material is heavy. We want you to engage with it anyway because the creators who are most prepared are the ones who can keep showing up.

This guide is the first step in NCC’s safety initiative. We’re committed to building out more resources for the creators in our nationwide network, and we’ll be sharing more soon. If you’re interested in partnering on this work, reach out at [email protected].

Where do you get the information you use to keep your community informed? Do you have personal or firsthand experience because of your background or profession? Are you relying on news outlets or research papers for information? Do people in your community – online or otherwise – provide you with information to look into?

We want to better understand where you get your information and how you vet or verify the information you use.

Information-focused creators tend to describe their work more specifically, such as educator, storyteller, or organizer. Just don’t call them an influencer.