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Catalyzing Narrative Change in States

In early 2017, Narrative Initiative identified a critical need and number of promising efforts to deploy narrative strategies in the face of authoritarian populism across the country. Narrative Initiative identified states as an important context for testing narrative strategies that could bridge short-term interventions with long-term goals, and began work in Minnesota in late 2017.

Narrative Initiative provided trainings and workshops that increased the capacity of key organizations working in coalition to deploy narrative change strategies in their respective communities. We also supported the creation of a “narrative nervous system,” a set of channels for practitioners to share, align, and coordinate action. Our work with organizations in Minnesota enabled and empowered both individual organizations and the coalition as a whole to experiment with and adopt narrative change practices more regularly, “positioned Minnesota for a wave of policy advocacy” as one practitioner put it, and reinforced the idea that narrative change is a long-term power-building strategy.

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Related Resources

At the Intersection of Power and Hope: Narrative Change In Minnesota

How can we create strong coalitions and local ecosystems to change the narrative? Dave Mann from Grassroots Policy Project offers insights based on his experience with groups in Minnesota over the last 16 years.

A Narrative of Rural Abundance: A Case Study of Land Stewardship Project’s Narrative Strategy

How can organizations undertake a member-driven process to craft new narratives? This case study from Grassroots Policy Project looks at the process they led with Land Stewardship Project in Minnesota.

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The four baskets framework is designed to help practitioners consider different elements of a successful narrative change effort. This self-assessment can be used  to reflect on work you've already got under way or to start planning a new project.

Four Baskets Field Guide For Narrative Change Practice

How do we conduct effective narrative change efforts? The Four Baskets Framework lays out four essential elements of successful narrative strategies.

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El poder de gobernar permite a lideres o movimientos sostener cambio. ¿Pero que es el poder de gobernar? Este diagrama destaca tres aspectos del poder que organizaciones deberían considerar para diseñar estrategias de construcción de poder.

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El currículo de este taller se enfoca en formar poder narrativo, combinando estrategias de narrativa con trabajo de coalición y de campaña, e integrando trabajo organizativo y comunicaciones estratégicas.

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This Daylong Training curriculum focuses on building narrative power, weaving narrative strategies into campaign and coalitional work, and integrating organizing and strategic communications.

Desarrollo de comunicaciones integradas y estrategicas

Esta guía de dos paginas les puede servir para entender mejor como desarrollar e implementar su trabajo de comunicaciones estragica.

Organizarse con base en sus valores

Esta guía proporciona un modelo alternativo que nos requiere anclar nuestro trabajo de movilización en nuestras valores y aspiraciones colectivas.