In today’s political climate, the key organizing principle of uniting people through their values is often forgotten as politicians and activists focus on the issues that divide us. Political “leaders” spend all their time talking about what they will do once elected, but we know true leadership is about enabling our people to do hard things together in the midst of uncertain times. So how do we flip the script? 

During this session, we will discuss how transformative organizers communicate on a values-level, whether they are talking to voters, volunteers, or donors. We will brainstorm how our Stories of Self, Us, and Now can be used to build the power needed to get our candidates elected, and then we will practice adapting our own stories to specific campaign scenarios such as knocking on doors, recruiting volunteers, making a fundraising pitch, and others. 

Join us on August 16th at 11am Eastern Time as we examine and practice the power of Public Narrative in political campaigns.

Information:

  • Date: Friday, 16th Aug, 2024
  • Time: 11am – 12:30pm US Eastern Time / 5-6:30pm Central European Time / 6-7:30pm East Africa Time (find your timezone here)
  • Place: Online on Zoom
  • Cost: Free

Speakers & presenters

Lacey Connelly
Lacey Connelly

Lacey has worked on campaigns since starting as an intern during the 2004 IL Senate primary, where her boss lost to a little known State Senator named Barack Obama. Since then, she has been an Organizer, Compliance Manager, Campaign Manager, Training Director, and Caucus Director for the WV House Democratic Legislative Committee. She left the Caucus in 2021 to start working with Marshall Ganz at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership, where she now practices her leadership skills as a Teaching Fellow in Organizing and the Head Teaching Fellow for Public Narrative, and with the National Democratic Training Committee, where she trains organizers and candidates to run for office. When she’s not teaching or training up-and-coming superstars, you might find Lacey taking a yoga class, reading with a cat or dog on her lap, listening to K-pop, or camping with friends in the hills of her home state.

Content & learning points

In this session, you will learn how to tell narratives that enable your community to take action in the face of challenges and to identify sources of hope when there seems to be none.

  • Various ways that Public Narrative can be used in political campaigns

Questions & answers

This event is for political organizers

The event will be a 90-minute interactive session. There will be a mix of teaching, discussions, and breakout activities where you will join a breakout room to practice.

The event is free.

Signup

Contact person for this event

Sachiko Osawa
Sachiko Osawa

For more information about this event please contact Sachiko Osawa

Upcoming Events

In 2024, LCN launched Community Organizing Coach Training Programーa two-month program for organizers and campaigners to master the craft, content, and process of community organizing coaching. 22 coaches from 9 countries came together to learn how to coach their people on the five core organizing practices, equipping themselves with the skills to lead organizing workshops within their communities and enable them to win campaigns. We invite you to join us on May 7th @ 10am - 12pm Eastern Time for an interactive showcase of the innovations, challenges, and lessons from the inaugural program! Whether you’re a leader training coaches, an organization leader bringing coaching capacity to your teams, or an organizer looking to learn about our programs—come to our showcase! The session has two parts. Part 1 (10 - 11:15am ET): open to everyone! Get an overview of the program, learn about key innovations and lessons emerging from the

If not now, when? The world feels like it’s unraveling, and more than ever, we need to tell stories that inspire hope and action. But how do we tell stories that resonate with people on an experiential level and motivate them to take action? The Story of Now is often seen as the most intuitive part of Public Narrative, but it can be tricky to bring alive moments of challenge that feel urgent and resonate for the collective "us." And when the challenge is overwhelming and hope seems scarce, it can be even harder to offer a meaningful and strategic call to action. That's where our Skill Practice Session on Story of Now comes in. This 90-minute skill practice session will help you strengthen your understanding of the craft, learn to identify the resources in the room, develop a compelling story of Now, as well as coach one another

Imagine crafting a story that unites people, lifts up their shared values, and inspires inspiration. It’s all possible with a powerful Story of Us! The Story of Us lies at the heart of connection in Public Narrative, but it can also be one of the most challenging. How do we identify and bring alive moments that resonate with the collective ‘Us’? How can we pull from the depth of shared experiences within a community to articulate the shared values? Join us on June 3rd at 9am US Eastern Time / 3pm Central European Time for our Skill Practice Session on Story of Us! In this 90 min session, you will have the opportunity to strengthen your understanding of the craft, lean into the practice of empathic listening and observation, practice developing a unique story of us, and coach one another to improve our skills. This session will be led

Crafting a story of self is a transformative experienceーa process of discovering and articulating the values and experiences that define who we are and call on us to take leadership. It’s also a process that thrives when shared with others. The most authentic and powerful stories of self are nurtured in supportive spaces where we can learn, practice, and coach one another on our stories. Join us on Thursday, May 22nd at 10am US Eastern Time / 3pm UK Time for our Skill Practice Session on Story of Self! During the 90 min session, you will have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the key elements of Story of Self, further develop your personal narrative, and practice sharing and coaching in small groups. This session will be led by narrative and organizing trainer Prakriti Bhattarai Basnet. This session is exclusive for LCN members and their guests (team members,

Save the date for the Leading Change Network’s Annual Community Meet 20254 (ACM25).! This year we come together to reflect on 12 months that challenged our resolve to keep fighting for justice. It was a time of great difficulty for many of our communities across the globe, yet an opportunity to find solace and strength in our solidarity. You will hear and engage with an inspiring speakers lineup - including Marshall Ganz, members of the LCN team, and voices from the community and forefront activists. As we gather in April, we will reflect on the central theme of this year’s event through two key questions: How did we stand up for each other? And why? As always, the event will be held twice accommodating different time zones to ensure you can join wherever you might be geographically. Whether you’ve been a cornerstone of the LCN community or have recently

Save the date for the Leading Change Network’s Annual Community Meet 2025 (ACM25). This year we come together to reflect on 12 months that challenged our resolve to keep fighting for justice. It was a time of great difficulty for many of our communities across the globe, yet an opportunity to find solace and strength in our solidarity. You will hear and engage with an inspiring speakers lineup - including Marshall Ganz, members of the LCN team, and voices from the community and forefront activists. As we gather in April, we will reflect on the central theme of this year’s event through two key questions: How did we stand up for each other? And why? As always, the event will be held twice accommodating different time zones to ensure you can join wherever you might be geographically. Whether you’ve been a cornerstone of the LCN community or have recently

Burnout is not inevitable. Discover how joy can be a revolutionary force in organizing. This session introduces a four-step process to address burnout by generating joy in your work, drawing on real-world examples from large-scale organizational efforts, including a transformative initiative in São Paulo, Brazil. Participants will practice the process in real time, and explore actionable strategies for building a joyful organizing environment and sustaining wellbeing within teams, organizations, and across campaigns. The events are free for members, and 15USD per event for non-members. We also have a bundled ticket for all three events at 40USD and a combination ticket for all three events + annual LCN membership for 100USD. Limited free scholarship tickets are available upon request to info@leadingchangenetwork.org. Information: Date: Thursday, Mat 29th Time: 9:00–10:30 am Eastern Time Place: Online on Zoom Sign-up! Speakers & presenters

Trust is the foundation of impactful relationships in organizing. In times where many feel a deep sense of division, how can we build trustworthiness as individuals and organizations? This session examines the societal trends affecting trust today and explores three key drivers of interpersonal trust: empathy, logic, and authenticity. Participants will practice relational strategies to communicate across disagreements and deepen trust. Learn how you can foster genuine connections and deepen interpersonal trust across your teams, campaigns, and communities as you organize for change. The events are free for LCN members, and 15USD per event for non-members. We also have a bundled ticket for all three events at 40USD and a combination ticket for all three events + annual LCN membership for 100USD. Limited free scholarship tickets are available upon request to info@leadingchangenetwork.org. Information: Date: Thursday, April 24th Time: 9:00–10:30 am Eastern Time Place: Online on Zoom Sign-up!

Explore the psychology behind adopting change and its role in community organizing. This session draws on principles of change management and Heifetz’s adaptive leadership framework. Learn how to navigate adaptive barriers to change, tackle the know-do gap, and build commitment to change. Participants will practice skills of values-based listening and honest questioning to move people from resistance to exploration. The session will also explore how we can link these skills to our relational and coaching practices in our organizing work. The events are free for LCN members, and 15USD per event for non-members. We also have a bundled ticket for all three events at 40USD and a combination ticket for all three events + annual LCN membership for 100USD. Limited free scholarship tickets are available upon request to info@leadingchangenetwork.org. Information: Date: Thursday, March 27th Time: 9:00–10:30am Eastern Time Place: Online on Zoom Sign-up!

Hope & Solidarity in Global Student Movements for Palestine (Learning Series on Organizing for Liberation)
Join us for Marshall Ganz’s Online Book Launch—People, Power, Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal