Description

In Phase 1 of the Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy (2020-2021), we hosted 16 leaders to develop, test, and align narratives that meet our current political moment and advance our vision for the world we want to build. We supported their work with research, coaching, and funding. We were heartened by the many breakthroughs we made together. Our work in the Butterfly Lab in this first phase affirms what we have known and gives us some directions to advance the movement towards more strategic alignment.

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The report documents what we learned in our prototype process and our research. In it, we share these learnings, as well as frameworks and tools, and insights into directions we can take to move forward together. We’ve also included a full narrative design toolkit that shares best practices tested in the field.

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Whether you are an advocate or artist, a long-time veteran of the culture wars, or thinking about how to apply narrative or cultural strategy for the first time, this report is designed to work for you.

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It is also designed to help you think and act at multiple scales—locally, regionally, and nationally—with rigor, alignment, and purpose. The best narrative strategy should foster a unity of intention with a diversity of voices, approaches, and methods. It should help people work together with a sense of alignment along different timelines and fronts. We want this report to be used to build skills, capacities, and networks within the movement, and, above all, to help all of us approach narrative strategically.

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