Stories around poverty and wealth often highlight individual choices and actions as the source and solution of complex issues. To examine this phenomenon, the Center for Public Interest Communications partnered with the Radical Communicators Network (RadComms) and creative agency Milli to create a guide for the social change sector to tell better stories.
The BROKE project is a call to those in the nonprofit sector to examine the narratives around poverty and homelessness. It provides strategies to work together to create new narratives. It is the result of a Global Grand Challenge award funded by the Omidyar Network. The project unlocked nine principles, with original research and examples from grassroots storytellers. Among those principles are:
- Tell stories about individuals navigating systems.
- Build the capacity of communities to share stories.
- Use visual images and frames to explain complexity and engage communities.
- Be intentional with the language you use.
- Amplify stories—ethically
“The insights from BROKE help us understand where and how we can grow and transform as a community dedicated to building a free and just world in which all people can live authentic lives with dignity.”
The Team
The Center for Public Interest Communications studies, tests, and applies the science of strategic communication for social change. The Center works with change agents around the world to understand the behavioral, cognitive, and social science that affect how people think, make decisions, and behave. Through the use of science, systems thinking, and human-centered design, the Center helps organizations create and implement powerful communication strategies that result in lasting change.
The Radical Communicators Network (RadComms) is growing and strengthening the ecosystem of social-change communications by bringing together a global cohort of communicators to cross-pollinate conversations across a variety of movements, organizations, levels of experience, geographies, languages, and political associations. With more than 5,000 members across almost every U.S. state and in at least 20 countries, RadComms is a networked community that expands beyond local bounds to transform political opportunities into long-term social protest or change.
Milli is an award-winning, purpose-driven creative agency specializing in strategy, content creation, and social media. Milli leverages the power of technology, art, and culture to create a more connected, engaging, and just world.
Acknowledgments
This project would not have been possible without the partnership of Southerners on New Ground, Action Center on Race and the Economy, The Coalition of Immokalee Farmworkers, Economic Security Project, Migrant Justice, and Invisible People.
Thank you to Omidyar and the Gates Foundation Voices for Economic Opportunity Grand Challenge for the platform and resources to develop this project, and to Purpose for their stewardship.
We are deeply grateful to the people who contributed their talent, skill, and creativity along the way, including Natalie Asorey, Jack Barry, Jamila Aisha Brown, Tomme Faust, Michael Huang, Beth Jacob, Brenda Luu, Sarah Main, Brendan Martin, Shanelle Matthews, Nirmala Nataraj, Annie Neimand, Anastasia Nylund, Rakeem Robinson, Mark Rottensteiner, Ann Searight, Heena Shah, Matt Sheehan, Trina Stout, Lisette Tolentino, and Zakyree Wallace.
