The Opportunity Agenda

On the third day of the NIL Closing Event, we heard the final round of narrative intervention pitches devised by our incredible fellows. We are so grateful to our Creative Advisors Elena Ketelsen Gonzàles and Caron Atlas for once again providing thoughtful and insightful feedback, offering their expertise and curiosity to strengthen the fellows’ projects.?? Through a unique combination of arts and advocacy, our fellows’ work bolsters movements for social change. We are so proud to see how far their projects have come, and we can’t wait to see their impact in the world. ?? ?Learn more about this class of NIL fellows and follow their work to watch their narrative interventions unfold! https://lnkd.in/gF2tcHEm

Day 2 of the Narrative Innovators Lab closing event! ?? Today our fellows began presenting their narrative intervention pitches in a space that encourages creativity, risk taking, and growth. Presenters received feedback from our incredible creative advisors Elena Ketelsen Gonzàles and Caron Atlas as well as their fellow cohort members. From advocating for undocumented students in higher education to sharing untold stories about our immigrant elders through food, our fellows are embracing the challenge to shift the narrative toward justice and opportunity for all. ??

So honored to get to know and work with these humans and The Opportunity Agenda ??

Welcome back to our Narrative Innovators Lab! ?? For the past six months, our Communications Institute and Culture & Narrative Fellows have been on a journey together to devise narrative interventions that will help us build toward an inclusive democracy that works for everyone. ?? Tune in this week for daily recaps as we close out our 2024-2025 NIL fellowship program and give our fellows a final send off as they bring their narrative and cultural visions to life! ?? Learn more about the NIL: https://lnkd.in/gF2tcHEm Miriam Alarcón Avila Nasir Anthony Montalvo Alaide Vilchis Ibarra Anthony Baber Ariana Busby Enitan (Enni) Aigbomian Monica Andrade-Fannon

We are hiring! As treasurer and long time board member this is a great opportunity to partner and do work that makes a big difference!

We're featuring a *classic* on today's #StorytellingSunday: ?? BLACKFISH ?? Why? In the words of documentary filmmaker Louie Psihoyos: "Films can have a huge effect on human culture. I call them weapons of mass construction. You drop a bomb and people get killed. You make a film and you create allies. And that’s the goal. That film is made to create a tipping point." In January 2013,?Blackfish?premiered at the Sundance Institute Film Festival. That July, this documentary featuring "a bruised and battered killer whale at its center" reached theaters. Based on audience response, CNN secured rights and premiered the film on October 24, 2013. More than 24 MILLION people in the United States and Europe watched. CNN later aired an encore broadcast and the film was released on Blu-Ray and DVD. The public response was extraordinary. By the end of 2014, "the?Blackfish?effect" had had a significant impact on SeaWorld’s profitability. In early 2015, articles around the world attributed financial losses to the impact of the documentary. Stories. Change. Power. Read the full story in The Opportunity Agenda's "Shifting The Narrative" report: https://lnkd.in/eFbcKFyB

We’re honored to partner with The Refugee Advocacy Lab to build the narrative capacity of our movements to ensure welcome and opportunity define how we treat people seeking safety. Be sure to check out their incredible resources and tools to support this work! With everything from strategic messaging advice to tips for telling stories powerfully and authentically, Refugee Advocacy Lab has something for everyone seeking to shape the conversation. https://lnkd.in/gpNMRSp6

"It’s important to recognize that the false and harmful stories told about immigrants time and time again in the news and online serve a purpose. By design, they’re used to dehumanize our families, friends, and neighbors and bolster support for mass deportation." The Opportunity Agenda shared a new narrative guide we can use to interrupt the narrative of dehumanization and deportation by highlighting the countless ways immigrants contribute to and strengthen our economic, social, and cultural life in the United States.?

Dear friends, here are some useful tips from our #communication experts on "#MythBusting". Our new guide, Five Tips: How to Avoid Common Myths about Immigration, provides practical guidance for day to day conversations, whether in the break room or at the dinner table, you can use these tips as an antidote to the fear-based narratives we are encountering daily. At The Opportunity Agenda we believe that transformative change happens when we shift the stories we tell about who we are and what we can become together.

"AI isn’t just transforming industries—it’s reshaping how we lead and scale organizations." Last week, I shared how we’re scaling AI at Microsoft to shape education’s future. But AI isn’t just about technology—it’s about leadership. The best organizations don’t just adapt to change; they build structures that sustain impact over time. As Board Chair at The Opportunity Agenda, I’ve seen firsthand how leadership continuity strengthens long-term impact. With Traci Lester now at the helm, TOA is positioned to expand its mission and accelerate its impact at a pivotal moment. ?? TOA is hiring a Director of Finance & Operations—a critical role in ensuring long-term sustainability and scale. If you or someone in your network is interested, check out the role here: https://bit.ly/TOAFinance. In your experience, what’s the most important trait of a leader who builds for the future? #Leadership #Scalability #SocialImpact #Hiring #Growth