Advocate Resources

Wired for Empathy: What Makes a Story Powerful

The love of stories starts early. Image from <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/learning-development-looking-people-164331/" target="_blank">pixabay.com</a>. — The love of stories starts early. Image from pixabay.com.

Why do storytelling projects like Humans of New York, Homeless in Seattle and StoryCorps "Finding Our Way" move us so deeply? And what lessons can advocates learn from their success? Perry Firth breaks it down in this post, the third and final part of her series on storytelling, empathy and advocacy.

Wired for Empathy: How and Why Stories Cultivate Emotions

Stories are powerful because they help us understand the perspectives of others. Image from hedgerleywood.org

Certain stories are more likely than others to spark emotion and motivate people to take action. In this second part of our series on storytelling and empathy, Perry Firth takes us through fascinating research that explains why.

Wired for Empathy: Why We Can’t Resist Good Narrative

Jack London’s Call of the Wild transports readers to the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, where sled dogs are in high demand. Image from <a href="https://myfavoritewesterns.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/the-call-of-the-wild.png"><span class="s1">myfavoritewesterns.com</span></a><span class="s2">. — Jack London’s Call of the Wild transports readers to the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, where sled dogs are in high demand. Image from myfavoritewesterns.com.

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Stories make great advocacy tools. In a three-part blog series that launches with this post, school psychology graduate student Perry Firth explores how stories serve important functions in our day-to-day life, a reality that social justice advocates can harness for awareness raising and motivating public action. From the role of stories in social communication, to our brain’s response to compelling narrative, this series illuminates the “why” behind the human love of stories.

Spark Change Podcast Episode 15: StoryCorps App

Watch on YouTube.com

The StoryCorps mobile app is an exciting new tool for recording and sharing meaningful conversations. We discuss ways the app can help social change organizations advance our work.

Infographic: How the Housing Trust Fund Helps End Homelessness

The Housing Trust Fund is our state's best tool for creating and maintaining affordable housing. A couple of years ago, we teamed up with the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance to create an infographic explaining how the fund works. The graphic was such a good way to break down a complex issue that we decided to update it and bring it back this year! Check out version 2.0, and encourage your lawmakers to invest in affordable homes through the Housing Trust Fund.

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