Story-Based Strategy : Amplifying the Impact of Grassroots Organizing Chelsea Creek Action Group October 13 & 14, 2009 East Boston & Chelsea, MA

PART I: Framing (15 mins)

We are made of stories Stories help reinforce meaning and values in a culture. Symbols help recall stories. People don’t just tell stories. S tories tell people who we are, how to live...

Elements of Story Conflict Characters Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols Foreshadowing (Underlying Assumptions)

Elements of Story

Conflict

Characters

Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols

Foreshadowing

(Underlying Assumptions)

Frame: The larger story that shapes understanding of information, experiences, and messages; the structure and boundaries of a narrative that defines point-of-view and power. Frames operate is pre-existing narrative lenses in our minds.

PART II: Narrative Power Analysis, Memes & Control Memes (20 Mins)

NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF POWER STORY-BASED STRATEGY

EXTERNAL Physical/Economic INTERNAL Narrative/Ideological Power Over

Narrative Power Analysis Changing the Stories: not what people don’t know, but what they do know =FILTERS Examining Dominant Stories/Origin Myths in US Culture Power shapes Point of View of the story Stories can Normalize Power/Universalize Experience

Narrative Power Analysis

Changing the Stories: not what people

don’t know, but what they do know =FILTERS

Examining Dominant Stories/Origin Myths in US Culture

Power shapes Point of View of the story

Stories can Normalize Power/Universalize

Experience

Meme “ A unit of self replicating cultural information” Contagious ideas, stories, images, and rituals that spread from imagination to imagination, generation to generation, shaping and shifting human cultures… a capsule for a story to spread…

“ Loots” “ Finds”

Illegal Aliens

Changing the Story…

Winning the Battle of the Story Frame the Conflict Draws our attention to particular details of the story and avoids others outside the frame Amplifies the Voices of Impacted Characters Stories speak to us through relevant Spokespeople Show Don’t Tell -- Engage Peoples Values A good story emphasizes values and imagery over data Foreshadowing --Shows the Future/Offer Vision People will only go someplace that they have first been to in their minds Challenges & Changes Underlying Assumptions

Winning the Battle of the Story

Frame the Conflict

Draws our attention to particular details of the story

and avoids others outside the frame

Amplifies the Voices of Impacted Characters Stories speak to us through relevant Spokespeople

Show Don’t Tell -- Engage Peoples Values

A good story emphasizes values and imagery over data

Foreshadowing --Shows the Future/Offer Vision

People will only go someplace that they have first been to in their minds

Challenges & Changes Underlying Assumptions

Elements of Story Conflict Characters Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols Foreshadowing (Underlying Assumptions)

Elements of Story

Conflict

Characters

Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols

Foreshadowing

(Underlying Assumptions)

Framing the Conflict

Characters Who speaks for those most directly affected?

Images/Show Don’t Tell

Foreshadowing: Sets New Narratives into Motion

story Amplify Deepen Analysis/Connect Mobilize Organize

Design: Campaign Narrative ELMER HERE

Meme Campaign

Encapsulating Story as Meme

Story-Based Strategy Frames/Reframes the Narrative Amplifies Voices of Sympathetic Characters Engages Peoples Values Show Don’t Tell (Images, Symbols, Pop Culture Icons) Foreshadowing the Future We Want Challenging Underlying Assumptions

Story-Based Strategy

Frames/Reframes the Narrative

Amplifies Voices of Sympathetic Characters

Engages Peoples Values

Show Don’t Tell (Images, Symbols, Pop Culture Icons)

Foreshadowing the Future We Want

Challenging Underlying Assumptions

Part 3 - Chelsea Creek Stories (15 mins)

“ Working Waterfront”

Restoration

Environmental Justice

Urban Wild

River Revel Community Access

Historic Site

www.smartmeme.org