© Rob 'Problak' Gibbs

Shared Narratives disrupting POLICY

Amplifying hidden narratives of structural flaws

Shared narratives impact policy by bringing to life complex, deep stories about the structural flaws alive in policy. These are stories told by voices not usually heard by those in power. They highlight an undervalued type of expertise—lived experience. 

This can look like:

  • Layered, detailed stories that reveal the complexities of racism in policy
  • Shifting who is telling the story
  • Stories that don’t oversimplify
  • Getting to root causes, not only visible symptoms

Consider: 

  • How does your organization bring to life the complexities of policy problems?
  • Who does your organization elevate in its storytelling?
  • Do you sand off the edges to make this story more palatable to folks in power?

Assessment Questions

Is this an area of priority for you?

How important to your organization is amplifying hidden narratives of structural flaws?

This is less important to our mission
This is of growing importance to our mission
This is very important to our mission

How strong is your organization at amplifying hidden narratives of structural flaws?

We're not strong at this yet
We're building strength here
This is a clear strength

Examples:

Equal Justice Initiative

EJI is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons.

Local Projects

This design company helps to tell stories. They were the lead designer of EJI, Black Wall Street, and many others.

Bryan Stevenson

Founder of EJI and fierce advocate focused on ending mass incarceration and amplifying stories that would otherwise go untold.

Designing the We

Design group focused on community storytelling, including that of redlining across communities in the United States.