ABSTRACT
Stories tell powerful narratives about who has power in society. One of the key responsibilities of organizers and other changemakers is to deconstruct oppressive narratives and create new empowering stories and frames and leverage them for social action. Organizers learn to strategically communicate their messages in ways that tap into human emotions, such as empathy or outrage, and values, such as fairness and belonging. This chapter addresses several issues related to stories and communication and their importance for organizing, with attention to the topics of issue framing, deep frames, causal stories, story-based strategy, social media, and media justice. It offers an extensive analysis of the use of digital technology and social media noting typologies of engagement. The chapter also discusses communication and messaging through the arts, in the streets, and and via cultural organizing. It concludes with a case study focused on the contemporary Poor People's Campaign.
