Stories Change Power

?? Check out our new video! ?? Curious how we support effective, empathetic, and trusted advocacy? Hear from three of the wonderful people who have joined our Learning Communities - Hanadi Jordan, Halea Kerr-Layton, and Vinay Orekondy: https://lnkd.in/eevE8iVg ?? Interested in joining a future Learning Community - or bringing one to your town, community, school, or organization? We'd love to hear from you: https://lnkd.in/gsVhzeVM ?? What if cost were never a barrier to people who want to be changemakers? You can make that possible by supporting our scholarship fund: https://lnkd.in/gVcPCJGz #EffectiveAdvocacy #Advocate #BuildingTrust #BridgingDivides #AdvocacyStrategy #Belonging #CivicEngagement #NonprofitFundraising #ScholarshipsForProfessionalDevelopment #CapacityBuilding

FOUR WEEKS until this year's National Week of Conversation (NWOC) is here and, with it, the 2nd Annual ?? Better Together Film Festival! ?? ??As we shared last week, our #StorytellingSunday posts leading up to the NWOC are featuring the six stories in the festival. Next up: A CASE FOR LOVE, by Grace-Based Films and Brian Ide The film asks "whether or not love, specifically unselfish love, is the solution to the extreme societal and political divide facing the world." ?? ?? ?? Watch the trailer: https://lnkd.in/evYBFHaA ?? Interested in the National Week of Conversation, April 21-27?? There are MANY ways to be involved, including attending (or hosting!) a screening. Learn more today: https://lnkd.in/eH8G2DhH Listen First Project #NWOC #NationalWeekOfConversation #BridgingDivides

???? Wish there were more pro-democracy content in your local media? Then let outlets near you?know about?TheFulcrum.US, "a platform where insiders and outsiders to politics are informed, meet, talk, and act to repair our democracy and make it live and work in our everyday lives." Like the AP for pro-democracy coverage, content from?The Fulcrum?is available for local outlets to run. (As one example, our founder's recent piece on the?Rule of Law was picked up in papers from?Arkansas?to?Walla Walla, Washington: https://lnkd.in/ecpMjKH2 ) ?? ?? ?? We created the template below to make it easy to connect with your local outlet(s): Dear [Editor/Publisher’s Name], I live in [city/town]?and write to propose a partnership to help [name of paper/outlet] offer even more relevant, quality content to my fellow readers. Given the increasing public interest in civic engagement and democratic issues, I ask you to add columns from?The Fulcrum, a trusted source for pro-democracy opinions and journalism. Many outlets across the country already?supplement their?current coverage with articles from?The Fulcrum, and I'd like to see you do the same for?four reasons: Relevant, Non-Partisan Content:?The Fulcrum?covers important topics such as voting rights, election reform, and democracy-related news. Audience Engagement:?This?content resonates with a broad range of readers across the political spectrum, boosting?relevance in today’s climate. Cost-Effective:?By integrating syndicated content, you'll enrich your reporting without the overhead of additional staff or resources. Strengthening Local Democracy:?This content connects local issues to broader democratic trends, and I'd like to see [name of paper/outlet] in these conversations. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best regards, [Your Name]

Join us Friday, April 11, for a thought-provoking conversation with Allison K. Ralph, Ph.D. on how we can build a functioning society amidst differences - real and imagined. Drawing on her extensive work at the intersection of faith, community, and public life, Allison will offer insights into understanding and navigating societal divides while respecting differences, all while fostering the sense of belonging that is foundational to social cohesion. Register today: https://lnkd.in/eWVRsXf4 #EffectiveAdvocacy #Belonging #WordsMatter #CivicEngagement #PositiveChange

?? TOMORROW ?? Don't miss this discussion with Professor Lorelei Kelly about advocacy in the Digital Age! Register today and see the full description of topics we'll cover: https://lnkd.in/ee_jU7Rb #Modernization #FederalAdvocacy #ArtificialIntelligence #Congress #CivicEngagement #AI #CongressionalReform #EffectiveAdvocacy #NewTechnology #TechForGood #Tech4Good #Comms4Good Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, Make.org, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, House Digital Service, DemocracyNext

??RESOURCE ALERT?? ??? Are you a Lightship, Tugboat, Cruise Ship, Tender Boat, or Submarine? You can find out using the Civic Navigator, "a tool for navigating our turbulent political waters and building a stronger democracy." Developed by Professors Alberto Cabrera, David Weerts, Dennis Ross, and a fabulous team of students, this web-based survey gives you tangible insight into your own approach to political difference AND how other approaches act, think, and believe. Our favorite part? It's action-oriented (and goodness knows we need action for the common good right now). Oh - and it's FREE: - Go to https://lnkd.in/e2W4d3Tv - Click "Need a code" - Click "Checkout" for the single access code - Click "Generate" - Use that code to access the survey, get your unique civic profile, and dive into what's next. (Interested in the nitty gritty research that informed the tool? You'll appreciate: https://lnkd.in/epBec9Yq ) #CivicNavigator #CivicEngagement #DataBasedApproach #Empathy #CommonGood #PoliticalDivides #BridgingDivides

Advocating for an issue that matters deeply to you can be deeply empowering - and it can also be deeply challenging. Here's a helpful reframe from TED Conferences that we hope will help all of you working toward a just and peaceful world: "When we can expect the unexpected and remain mentally open and flexible to a range of possibilities, it takes the teeth out of unanticipated issues that crop up — you don’t have that knee-jerk “gazelle” response. And when we have a clear idea of what we can and can’t control, we’re less likely to spend our time planning for the unplannable." #MindfulMonday #EffectiveAdvocacy #ProfessionalDevelopment #HealthyMindset

SIX WEEKS! That's how long until this year's National Week of Conversation is here and, with it, the 2nd Annual ?? Better Together Film Festival! ?? So, for the next six weeks, our #StorytellingSunday post will feature one of the six stories in the festival. ?? Grab your popcorn and get ready to be inspired... First up: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM by Erik Bork The synopsis: "In December 2020, a lonely progressive woman meets a guy she might be interested in dating. The only problem is he voted for President Trump. Twice. Can she give him a chance? Can she possibly impact his views? Could it work for them as a couple?" At a time when people increasingly report they will NOT date across party lines (https://lnkd.in/e6Evsznr), this story feels awfully relevant. ?? Watch the trailer: https://lnkd.in/ekJRcq-w ?? Interested in the National Week of Conversation, April 21-27?? There are MANY ways to be involved, including attending (or hosting!) a screening. Learn more today: https://lnkd.in/eH8G2DhH Listen First Project #NWOC #NationalWeekOfConversation

?? How can recent reforms and Congressional modernization transform the future of advocacy and civic engagement? Join us Friday, March 21 when Professor Lorelei Kelly will share how efforts to streamline and reform Congressional procedures can make government more efficient, transparent, and responsive to citizens' needs. In addition to how to harness AI for legislative innovation, we'll discuss the right to petition in the Digital Age. ?? Register today to save your spot and see the full description of topics we'll cover: https://lnkd.in/ee_jU7Rb #Modernization #FederalAdvocacy #ArtificialIntelligence #Congress #CivicEngagement Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, Make.org, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, House Digital Service, DemocracyNext

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