The Power of Narrative in Building Engaged, Inclusive Communities

Description

On January 19, 2017 (the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration), a diverse group of 150 people gathered on a rainy night in a ballroom in Indianapolis. United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) partnered with Dominic Perri to offer a conversation built around a simple subject— “What It’s Like to Be Me.” The simple but powerful process provided participants the opportunity to 1. reflect individually on the factors that shaped their own unique identities and life narratives, and 2. share their responses with those around them. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive. The program went viral—six facilitators were trained to respond to the requests for the program throughout the community.

In this session, attendees will participate in a streamlined version of the “What It’s Like to Be Me” program. The session will end with a discussion of multiple options for applying the “What It’s Like to Be Me” methodology to communities and organizations.

Learning Outcomes

• Learn why narrative is such a powerful tool for inclusion and engagement
• Participate in conversations in which you learn to use narrative as a tool to engage and include
• Acquire skills to utilize narrative as a tool in D&I work in communities and organizations