Simple strategies to uncover powerful narratives in your everyday work

Dear website champions,

In this difficult political time, stories of how real people are affected by new policies are incredibly powerful. But if you've ever tried gathering impactful stories, you know they don't just fall out of your everyday work.

Your staff is busy with urgent work, and even if they want to help, they may not know what makes a story useful or how to ask a client to share one. Privacy concerns add another layer of hesitation. That’s why a structured approach is key.

Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Talk to your frontline staff – Instead of asking them to “write up a story,” set up brief check-ins where they can share the people and anecdotes that made an impression. Even a short overview of a real situation can be powerful, perhaps credited with name changed and a short description (i.e. Maria, a waitress and single mother of two) 

2. Identify willing clients – If a staff member recalls a powerful story and the client is open to sharing, follow up. A quick conversation can help you gather details, quotes, or even a photo. (Even more abstract images, like hands or surroundings, can be impactful.)

3. Go to your community – Ask people if they’re willing to share about their experiences, then reach out to guide the storytelling process yourself. You’ll get a much better story by interviewing them than if you just asked them to, say, put their story on Facebook.

4. Build a story bank – Some stories won’t be ready to share immediately. Create a simple system—a shared spreadsheet, form, or internal database—where staff can log potential stories for later follow-up. Think of this as your organization's collective memory—because we all know what happens when we say 'I'll definitely remember that amazing story!' (Spoiler alert: We do not, in fact, remember.)

5. Prioritize ethical storytelling – Always get client approval before publishing anything that identifies them. Make sure you represent them as more than just a stereotype, in a way that they’re proud to present themselves. Protect their safety, especially around sensitive topics like immigration status.

I’ll be honest: This process isn’t necessarily fast—expect at least an hour for a quick story, more for in-depth ones—but it’s powerful and it's worth it. Storytelling remains one of our most powerful forms of resistance, documenting how policies affect real people in your community. When these stories accumulate across organizations and neighborhoods, they create an undeniable record that matters now more than ever.

In solidarity,

Laura