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Narrative Change Exercise
How can you shift narrative change in your storytelling journey?
The following activity demonstrates how we take some of the negative media perceptions participants voiced in our listening sessions and provide actions to flip those perceptions into positive and more complete narratives of Black and Brown people in the media.
Take a moment to read through each one. Can you identify any parts of your life story that could better articulate your experiences as a Black or Brown person?
THE NEGATIVE NARRATIVE
THE JOURNEY TO NARRATIVE CHANGE
1
The media portrays Black bodies as “inferior, negative,
barbaric and ignorant.” We usually see this narrative more in crime reporting of Black and Brown communities.
2 3
Media portrayals of Black and Brown youth are onedimensional. They are seen as either completely evil, or completely good, but rarely anything in between or more
complex. We usually see this narrative in criminal justice stories that involve young people.
Most stories we see of Black and Brown communities are
about when something bad happens. Overall, this creates negative and incomplete stereotypes of Black and Brown communities.
1
Tell the story of Black people existing and showing their
brilliance. For example, identify and report on more stories in marginalized communities that support this quote: “I believe the narrative that boys and young men of color are brave, courageous, beautiful and gifted.”
2
Tell stories of Black and Brown youth that humanize their
circumstances. Collect the perspective of individuals from different facets of their life, i.e., school, family, community and friends. Recognize the individuality and the humanity of Black and Brown people and acknowledge the complexities that come with just being a human existing in our society.
3
Tell stories that shed light on events and intentions that are taking place in Black and Brown communities and are
building solutions to the barriers that exist. For example, identify the community events, new businesses and community celebrations happening.