In 2024, Stories Change Power is hosting a free webinar series to support more people than our small-by-design cohorts can serve, all with a goal of helping attendees create an effective and rewarding career in advocacy communications.
While geared toward advocacy communicators, we know our range of topics will be widely of interest and everyone is welcome, regardless of field or level of experience.
Interested in sponsoring a webinar in this series? We’d love to hear from you: admin@storieschangepower.org
JANUARY: Authentic Storytelling and Speechwriting
Michael Franklin, co-founder and Executive Director of Speechwriters of Color joined us to talk about the structure of an effective speech and how to structure a story in a way that resonates with an audience. He shared several examples of effective speeches to inform practitioners’ communications efforts, including writing memorable speeches for voices in their organization. You can find Michael’s list of inspiring speeches in this YouTube playlist. For reading, he recommends Speaking While Female, Sister Outsider, and the Political Speechwriter’s Handbook.
FEBRUARY: Putting the KAI in Team: Understanding Work Styles to Promote Effective Advocacy Communication
Being an effective advocacy communicator means being a team player, and understanding how work style compares to the rest of your team can go a long way toward accomplishing your mission. Anne Collier, CEO of Arudia, shared insights into Kirton’s Adaption Innovation Inventory (the KAI) to, as we say at Stories Change Power, “sing our parts from the same choir sheet.”
Just as our roles on a team are all a bit different, so too are our preferred ways of getting things done. From how we organize our space to the way we solve complex problems, people vary in work styles and approaches. For example, your research and policy teams may gravitate toward rules and routines, while you prefer to work without boundaries – or perhaps the nature of your job responsibilities makes your day more fluid than the rest of your organization?
WATCH THE RECORDING to understand how awareness working and problem-solving styles can help achieve your team’s advocacy goals.
MARCH: The Dual Process Model: The Psychology Behind Political Ideologies
David Rosen, founder of First Person Politics, will join us to talk about the Dual Process Model. Political psychology is a powerful way to understand how people think and behave when it comes to power and politics, and political psychology has a lot to say specifically about political ideology. Understanding political ideologies is always important, but as 2024 unfolds, it’s a crucial time to understand where they come from, how to measure them, how they relate to persuasion, and how they matter to your work.
Unfortunately, the conventional models of political ideology from political science and political consulting have serious flaws and may even undermine your advocacy efforts. Instead, you should consider the Dual Process Model, the most widely used model of political ideology in academic political psychology.
While this training will be of interest to anyone curious about what makes people tick in the political realm, it will help advocacy practitioners think about how to motivate and persuade people, and better understand where some of the fundamental cleavages in public opinion come from. Importantly, understanding the psychology behind political ideology will help shape your advocacy strategy and messaging.
WATCH THE RECORDING to understand what shapes political ideologies.
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**BONUS** On Tuesday, March 19, we are co-hosting a free webinar on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the public interest with the Public Interest Communications Education Network. In this discussion, three AI experts will discuss the ethics, accessibility, and impact of AI to help clarify who is responsible for protecting the public interest and weigh the benefits and risks of using AI. We’ll hear from Alisa Miller of Pluralytics, Becca Boycott of Meeting the Moment, and Nicholas Wittenberg of Armedia.
WATCH THE RECORDING to understand the factors at play in AI and the public interest.
APRIL: Grabbing the Third Rail: Taking a Deliberate, Direct, and Depolarizing Approach to Controversial Topics
In an era fraught with divisiveness, it may be tempting to shy away from tough topics. Since at least the late 1980s, issues that are so charged as to seem untouchable have been called “third rail,” a reference to the high-voltage line next to electric train tracks (like the Metro in DC or other subways around the world). Touching those controversial issues may seem like political or professional electrocution. But how can we create a just, equitable, and peaceful world if we don’t solve big problems?
Over the course of his filmmaking career, Lance Kramer, co-founder of Meridian Hill Pictures, has dived deeply into several seemingly intractable problems, including an attempt to pass bipartisan criminal justice reform during the Trump administration in “The First Step” and an effort to hold conversations across political divides during the 2016 election cycle called “The Messy Truth.” He has seen the benefits of addressing tough issues that are top-of-mind for your audience but that people aren’t talking about productively – yet.
In an era when individuals and organizations may worry about being canceled, join us for a conversation about how to advocate around tough topics in a way that is deliberate, direct, and depolarizing in order to achieve your mission.
REGISTER TODAY to join us Friday, April 26, at noon ET / 9 am PT
MAY: Empowering Voices Through Ethical Storytelling
This session with photojournalist Tara Todras-Whitehill will support your work to amplify underrepresented voices in your advocacy efforts through visual storytelling. We will explore:
- The Core of Visual Storytelling: Discover how visuals forge powerful connections with audiences.
- Ethical Storytelling Practices: Navigate the complexities of power dynamics, consent, and responsible engagement with at-risk populations.
- Crafting Impactful Narratives: Learn techniques for creating emotionally resonant stories while maintaining ethical integrity.
- Practical Strategies: Gain valuable tools for engaging with communities respectfully and effectively.
This webinar is perfect for:
- Advocates and changemakers seeking to support marginalized voices;
- Storytellers of all experience levels; and
- Anyone passionate about using storytelling for social good.
REGISTER TODAY to join us Friday, May 24, at 9 am ET
JUNE:
Details of this talk with expert advocate Seth Turner coming soon.
JULY:
Details of this talk on media 101 in 2024 coming soon.
AUGUST:
Details of this talk with James Coan, founder of More Like Us, coming soon.
SEPTEMBER:
Details of this talk with MaryEllen McGuire, President and founder of PNPI (Postsecondary National Policy Institute), coming soon.
OCTOBER:
Details of this talk with leadership coach Krista Padgett coming soon.
NOVEMBER:
Details coming soon.
DECEMBER:
Details coming soon.