stories matter: equity in storytelling for the digital age

Stories Matter: Equity in Storytelling for the Digital Age

March 23, 2017Presented by Nicole Long - See3 CommunicationsMichael Hoffman - See3 CommunicationsRebecca Kling - National Center for Transgender EqualityRoshani Kothari - NetSquared DC

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HousekeepingCollaborative notes: http://po.st/17NTCstoriesmatterSession hashtag: #NTCStoriesMatter

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Welcome!We’re so happy to have you here.

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Who we are

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Nicole LongDigital Marketing

Project ManagerSee3 Communications

Roshani KothariConsultant

NetSquared DC

Rebecca KlingCommunity Storytelling AdvocateNational Center for Transgender Equality

Michael HoffmanCEOSee3 Communications

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Agenda● Today’s goals● Diversity + equity refresher● Equity storytelling principles● Case study: National Center for Transgender

Equality● Digital tools for effective storytelling● Q+A

● Understand the value and importance of equity and diversity in storytelling for nonprofits

● Learn principles of diversity in storytelling

● Learn how nonprofits are working to incorporate equity and diversity into their storytelling strategies

● Explore tools for storytelling success

Today’s Goals

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What are you hoping to learn

today?

Refresher

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Diversity is Intersectional

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Equality/Equity?

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Equity● “Justice according to natural law

or right; specifically : freedom from bias or favoritism”

● Giving each individual what they specifically need to be successful

● Levels the playing field

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Equality● “Of the same measure,

quantity, amount, or number as another ”

● Giving everyone the same things to be successful

● Assumes everyone starts at the place

Equality is NOT

the same as Equity

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Why are equity and diversity important to nonprofit

storytelling?

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One Size Fits All Doesn’t Work in Storytelling● Many people benefit or are impacted through

your work.

● Repeating the same org-focused story diminishes the impact of your work. ○ Our perceptions are our only reality. ○ Reinforces stereotypes and can limit your

brand’s power.

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“Fundraising in the 21st century will require a differentiated approach tailored to the interests, values, and traditions of the many rather than a one-size-fits-all approach based on the interests, values, and traditions of white Americans.”

- Emmett Carson, Ph.DPresident and CEO, Silicon Valley Community Foundation

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Our World is Changing

● Traditional donor base is aging.

● More people from all walks of life are becoming involved in supporting social change.

● Technology is disrupting the way we live.

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● Roughly three-quarters of Americans (77%) now own a smartphone.

● In 2016, 41% of nonprofits received at least one onlinedonation of $1,000 or more.

● 17% of online transactions were made using amobile device.

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Representation is Important

● People want to be able to see themselves in your organization.

● Want to know that others like them support you, too.

● Needs your organization to understand, represent and support their values.

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There’s a lot of noise online.

● Millions of social media updates and posts, daily.

● Competing with inspiration quotes, food, pets and babies.

● You have to differentiate your organization: ○ Become a part of their “curated” life. ○ Meet them where they are.○ Give them a reason to care -- now.

Equity + Storytelling Principles

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Principles1. Lead with a strategy.

2. Find the hero of your story.

3. Check your bias -- not boxes.

4. Listen, and then engage with your constituents.

5. Empower them to share their stories.

Your ED swings by your desk on a Monday morning to inform you that

more than $165,000 was raised online from first-time givers and more

than 3,000 people signed up to volunteer. To not lose momentum, she wants to capture those donor

testimonials and put their stories on the Internet, yesterday.

She asks you for the game plan…..

1. You need to lead with a strategy.

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● What are your organization’s goals, and how do you plan to achieve them?

● Who are your supporters? Where can you find/engage with them?

● What stories support your organization’s mission?

● How will your team identify, create, and promote diverse content?○ Remembering equity -- how can you level the playing

field?■ The usual channels for identifying stories might

not cut it.

Principle 1 : Lead With Strategy

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Example: The Nature Conservancy

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Example: The Nature Conservancy (cont.)

2. You’re not the hero -- your audience is.

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Principle 2: The Hero’s Journey

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Example: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Example: Girls Who Code

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3. Don’t just “check off”

boxes.

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Principle 3: Diversity is More Than Checkboxes● We all have biases. But we have to try to keep them out

of our work.

● Quotas are too rigid for the human interest of storytelling.

● Authenticity is key. Donors and advocates are keen bullsh*t detectors.

● Always remember why you are telling these stories.

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Example: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

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Example: KaBOOM

4. Engage with your

constituents.

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Principle 4: Listen and Learn● You’re not the hero, remember?

● Don’t just ask your audience for stories -- ask how and where they’re reading your content, the messages they’re taking away, and what inspires them to take action on your cause.

● No one knows everything. ○ Diversity creates honest, timely dialogue.

● Don’t be afraid to ask for help. ○ Get volunteers, communities, staff and

supporters involved.

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Example: Global Down Syndrome Foundation

5. Empower them to share their stories.

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Principle 5: Empower them to tell their stories. ● Most people love to talk about themselves, make it easy

for them to tell you their story.

● Be sensitive, and never compromise people’s safety or dignity.

● When donors share their content within their networks; you will benefit from inherited trust.

● When in doubt, follow the 10:1 Content Rule.

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Example: 4-H

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Example: Autism Speaks

In Closing

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The Power of Diversity

1. Your constituents need to see where they fit into your work.

2. Your organization is the mentor; not the hero, and there’s power and responsibility in that.

3. Listen -- and let them create. Your supporters are more than willing to share.

Case Study: National Center for

Transgender Equality

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● The nation’s leading social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people.

● Founded in 2003● Policy and advocacy focus

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Why Stories?

● Familiarization● Emotional connection● Empowerment

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WhoseStories?

● Transgender adults● Family members● Transgender youth● Validators:

○ Law Enforcement○ Educators○ SA/DV

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TrainingsOn...

● Storytelling● Interviews and media

prep● Reaching out to local

media● Advocacy in schools● More to come!

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Storytelling Worksheet

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Online strategies + toolsto gather stories

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1. What does DIVERSITY mean in your organization?Does it have to do with race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, political views, something else?

2. Why care about DIVERSITY of views and stories?- Do you have a membership or donor base?- How do you make sure your organization’s work reflects what’s important to you base?- How do you make sure everyone is heard and does not feel alienated?

Defining Diversity

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● Create surveys with SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and other similar tools.

● Include questions that will help you identify diversity based on how your organization defines it.

● Send out survey to email list. Segment your list as needed.

● Analyze responses and compare views based on diversity factors.

● Provide an incentive to people for their feedback.● Share survey results if appropriate and be sure to

include different perspectives.

1.Online Survey

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● Online forms are easy to set up.● You can have a form integrated into your website.● Give people a chance to ask questions and share their

stories.● Thank everyone for their feedback and encourage them

to stay involved.● Repackage content as appropriate for social media and

the website.

2. Online feedback form

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● Create contests to gather stories, photos and videos.● When selecting content to share, keep diversity in mind.● Share crowdsourced content on your website, email list

and social media.

3. Crowdsourcing content - stories, photos and videos

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Special thanks to Carie Lewis Carlson, Senior Director, Digital Marketing!

1. What online tools do you use to get diverse perspectives from your community?We deploy a survey widget on our website periodically, have used SurveyMonkey via email, and we read every comment on our Facebook posts. We use data to tell us how effective our posts are based on our goals, but also perform a sentiment analysis on every post so we get our community’s feedback. 2. How do you integrate these different perspectives in your work? We take the feedback we get and tweak our talking points, as well as make improvements to our site and inform our discussions around branding. 3. What does diversity of voices mean to your organization? Is it along political lines, cat vs. dog people, etc.?It means that every voice is heard, no matter what their views are. Although progressive, we are a bipartisan organization.

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What online strategies and tools have you used to gather stories from your community?

What challenges have you run into in terms of diversity and equity in storytelling?

Share your stories

Questions?

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NTEN Stories App

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Don’t forget the session evaluation!

http://nten.org/17ntc-evals/

Thank You!

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Nicole Long: nlong@see3.com

Michael Hoffman: mhoffman@see3.com@Michael_Hoffman

Rebecca Kling: rkling@transequality.org@transequality

@rebeccakling

Roshani Kothari: roshanikothari@gmail.com

@Roshani