Developed by the Metropolitan Group and RAND, this narrative guide offers some early thinking on a Wellbeing Narrative in the U.S. – a narrative shift from “economic growth at all costs” to “well-being for all people.” The report reviews and examines the implications for well-being approaches gaining traction globally, and offers initial insights and recommendations […]
This press release does it all: Promotes the win, uses the effective “upside down” metaphor to explain a complex topic, connects revenue to wellbeing and community prosperity, and leans into Washington’s image of itself to say – “we can do even better.” Check out the press release
Kudos to Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for the 7th edition of their comprehensive analysis of tax systems in all 50 states. Connecting “upside down taxes” to wealth inequality is an excellent way to explain a complex topic like regressive taxation. Access the Report and State-by-State Data
A messaging resource specifically designed for organizers, this new guide offers best practices together with a practical case study example (ISAIAH’s campaign to build power in St. Paul, Minnesota). View the Guide
This excellent interactive guide from Harmony Labs (in partnership with Earth Alliance) focuses on making climate culturally relevant. But the creative techniques they use to think about reaching audiences are useful to any issue area. Entering the next frontier of climate communications requires knowing which audiences haven’t been reached, where they gather, what drives them, […]
How do we get to a future America for all of us and for everyone, a nation in which belonging is co-created and power is authentically shared? Over the last year, Topos Partnership has worked in collaboration with the Bridge Project to conduct original research – including in-depth ethnographic interviews – building on the diagnosis of our fractured American […]
The Reparations Narrative Lab – launched by Liberation Ventures – focuses on narrative and culture change to build public support for reparations. Take a look at the extensive research and tools created during the first iteration of the Narrative Lab — including narrative briefs, webinars, and framing worksheets. Access the research and tools
Racism is built into places. It shapes who can live where, how resources are distributed, who gets a say over what happens in places, and more. Places in the United States reflect, perpetuate, and amplify the racism that structures US society. Creating a racially just society requires creating a spatially just society—a society that advances […]
We often define abundance as a contrast. Abundance is NOT scarcity, NOT austerity, NOT competition for resources. So, then, what IS abundance? What are some of the core elements behind the term and the idea in narrative? What do these elements look like in practice? What are some of the inherent tensions? What do we […]
Topos Partnership has released its newly updated summary of communications principles and best practices! SAY IT SO THEY’LL HEAR IT illustrates narrative best practices with explanations and examples, all with the goal of helping progressive advocates make the most of their communications opportunities. Download the guide
The debt default stalemate is careening toward next week’s hard deadline. And while there has been solid coverage of the catastrophic consequences of the nation defaulting on its obligations, it’s worth highlighting the voices that are directly connecting the dots between communities’ wellbeing and the economy. For instance, Center for American Progress’ Jean Ross writes: […]
Check out Housing Narrative Lab’s updated Messaging Guide for Communicating about Homelessness. The guide highlights key findings from national narrative research identifying the current problematic narratives of “personal responsibility” and laying out promising messages that can shift perceptions.
#Taxday2023 was a day to celebrate hard fought victories for tax justice in Washington State. Last month, the Washington State Supreme Court upheld the state’s capital gains excise tax, passed in the legislature in 2021. An added plus – Washington’s Working Families Tax Credit was finally made available to all state tax filers this year. […]
“Imagine a future in which American identity is untethered from white supremacy — neither white supremacist nor centered around resisting white supremacy.” The Bridge Project – a collaborative narrative research project – is working to craft a story that aligns with who want to be in three decades time and is strategizing by building backward […]
America needs a new story—one that is honest and inspiring, and that doesn’t shy away from its racial history—to guide us toward realizing a thriving multiracial democracy. Angela Glover Blackwell dives into the elements of this new story in the Spring 2023 issue of SSIR, highlighting a framework around race and racism that allows us […]
In collaboration with the State Revenue Alliance, We Make the Future shares digital toolkits, research findings, messaging implementation, and more on revenue and making the case for well-funded public systems. Our shared vision for overcoming and recovering from the pandemic centers interventions that make life better for families. Our partners desire to build a world […]
A thoughtful new resource from The Economic Security Project – Building Economic Power Through Story: A Storytelling Guide for Guaranteed Income Advocates – prepared for the Guaranteed Income Community of Practice, is designed to facilitate a storytelling culture among guaranteed income advocates, incorporate stories into the work, and support recipients as leaders and advocates of […]
PolicyLink – along with grassroots partners and housing advocates – has released a Housing Justice Narrative Toolkit “rooted in the understanding that we already know the policy solutions, we just need a different way to intensify the narratives that support these policies – a clear, compelling housing justice narrative.” The toolkit provides ways to intensify […]
We Make the Future’s digital toolkit on how to confront false claims and protect our elections has been updated with additional narratives, content, and guidance and will continue to be updated after the election with materials about counting every vote. Access the Toolkit
A new discussion in the Stanford Social Innovation Review with Glenn Harris, Michael McAfee, and Dorian Warren focuses on narrative change lessons from the work of the Housing Justice Narrative Initiative. Access the Discussion
Community Change’s Economic Narratives & Ideas Project, together with Lake Research Partners, has released new findings from quantitative and qualitative research on economic messaging. To access the key takeaways and recommendations — see the findings presentation and briefing. Learn more