How do you highlight diverse storytellers in your community?

Make it a part of your goal to choose a fresh new angle or perspective to the story. This will affect your storytelling style and will help ignite your audience's curiosity. For example, everyone have their stories on how they challenged stereotypes. Your style of storytelling should answer this question: "What makes these stories different and all the more inspiring from other similar stories?"

Arguably the most important element of storytelling. Much like anything you do, you need to know why you are doing it. This is the same with your storytelling. I call this the Impact Layer, in my unique storytelling model. Defining the impact that you wish to make upon the people that you are telling the story to, will then define how you will tell that story. Are you looking to educate, motivate, influence, inspire ... knowing this will improve outcome of your storytelling.

Part of identifying your goals should also include which platform and what in what medium you will be telling your stories. Asking these additional questions will help shape your focus as you search for the storyteller to help you be successful.

Having worked extensively in the field of global health and international development, a primary goal is always to raise awareness, educate, inspire and mobilise action. To achieve this, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of personal narratives. - By putting a human face to the challenges we tackle, we forge connections that drive real and lasting change. - Showcase that you implement programs WITH people rather than FOR PEOPLE. - Their voices should take center stage in your storytelling strategy, ensuring their experiences and perspectives shape the narrative.

A few of the things I’ve learned include actually having something to say - not merely grinding our content because you have to have something. Tell authentic (no, Not the corporatese version) stories, by highlighting others. Make it personal. Let it be something others, not just your target audience, actually want to read. Also, tooting your own horn doesn’t amount to much. People hear that nonsense day-in-day-out. Rather, have other relevant community voices tell your stories. This goes for anything, diversity tales included. Last, and be honest about this: Is your organization Actually diverse - or are you just slapping mantas on because it happens to be Black History or Pride month?

We can look for potential storytellers in our community starting through approach with the people whom we work with. Reach out to your business leaders, managers or someone who have created positive impact through their storytelling skills. Also check upon external, ask for referrals, social media who are influencers in our community. Utilise platforms like TedX, Podcast, Yourstory, etc to understand different perspectives and get into diverse backgrounds.

True diversity needs to acknowledge the types of stories that exist, and then ensuring a balance of both. Typically there are two types: 💬 Stock stories are well-known. These might be stories about important individuals and their origins, similar to founder or leader stories. They’ve been passed around the org and are familiar tales for employees. 💬 Emerging stories are those that may be concealed or need to be surfaced. These are “smaller” stories from the field or lesser-known individuals, but just as powerful. It is these stories that people can typically relate to or want to hear because there can be more connection. So ensure a balance of both to truly reflect the diversity of your organization.

Start internally before going external! Your staff are most likely going to be your best mission-based storytellers as they are already connected and have a familiarity with the topic. As you begin to branch out to externally, there are even more emerging platforms where there will be more opportunities to find new storytellers.

Who holds the mic? In our pursuit to amplify the voices of marginalised communities impacted by global health issues, SDGs, and broader development challenges, it's imperative to unearth untold stories. - These narratives encapsulate the unfiltered struggles of individuals in the remotest, hardest-to-reach areas. - They honor the unsung heroes who traverse vast distances on foot or bicycle, ensuring vital care reaches communities that might otherwise be overlooked. - These stories yield fresh perspectives, illuminating the profound realities faced by communities. It's not about imposing our own ideas; it's about ensuring communities have a seat at the table to co-create narratives that are accurate, authentic, and truly representative.

During my tenure at one school we created a speaker series. This featured speakers from across the community and external experts delivering ideas under one roof. Parents are often a brilliant source for new voices in the community, as are non-teaching staff. Often the lesser-known voices have the most interested stories.

Don't let evaluation be an afterthought. Use it to learn and actually grow: Identify areas for improvement: Did certain stories resonate more than others? Why? Refine your storytelling approach: Use your insights to tailor future projects for greater impact. Demonstrate the project's value: Showcase your impact data to secure funding, partnerships, or support for future storytelling initiatives.

A storytelling experience that I am most proud of was in my former work at the END Fund. We understood the importance of authenticity and instead of perpetuating old patterns, we questioned our approach. Why did we need to send photojournalists and documentarians from the abroad to capture stories in endemic countries? Were we implying a lack of local capability? If so, how could we make a difference by building capacity? We actively began partnering with endemic country photojournalists & visual documentarians who approached storytelling with a dignity-centric lens. Together, we captured narratives that countered stereotypes and illuminated the true essence of communities, authentically preserving their unique tone and content.

Start actively sharing your stories and backgrounds. Use social media or events to let different voices be heard. Encourage everyone to participate. To check if you're making an impact, see how many people engage with the stories and get feedback. Keep an eye on whether you're featuring a variety of voices. Change things up if needed to make sure you're representing the diversity in your community.

"Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement." – James Harrington Evaluating your impact is crucial to understanding the effectiveness of your efforts in highlighting diverse storytellers. Collect feedback from both the storytellers and the audience to assess their experiences and gather suggestions for improvement. Analyze engagement metrics such as views, shares, and comments to gauge the reach of the stories. Reflect on whether you have achieved your initial goals and identify areas for growth. By regularly evaluating your impact, you can continuously refine your approach and make a more meaningful difference in celebrating diverse narratives.

Just remember that all communication is an opportunity for storytelling. The moment you view it through that lens you can really open yourself up to enhancing the impacts you can have every day through your life. Storytelling is not just for that big moment.... it is for the every moment. Stories. Change. Lives.

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." – Peter Drucker Beyond the basic steps, consider other factors that can enhance your efforts to highlight diverse storytellers. Foster partnerships with local organizations and media outlets to expand your reach. Provide training and resources for storytellers to help them share their narratives more effectively. Promote ongoing education and awareness about diversity and inclusion within your community. By taking these additional steps, you can create a supportive environment that not only celebrates diverse storytellers but also encourages the continuous sharing and appreciation of diverse stories.