We All Have A Role In Changing Dominant Narratives To Those Of Racial Justice

Whether we perceive it or not, language and narratives matter. Both research on social justice issues and our lived experience consistently show that the language we use and the stories we tell play a significant role in shaping our views of the world and, ultimately, the policies we support. As the concept of “narrative” has grown in prominence within the social justice advocacy space, more stakeholders are recognizing how narrative is central to systemic change.

Those stakeholders include organizations and companies beyond the advocacy world because whether it is through promoting civic engagement, supporting equal pay, or advancing health equity, we all play a role in achieving systemic change. Of significant priority right now, we must work to learn how to communicate the importance of racial equity.

A new report from Sprout Social, which analyzes social media, found 71% of consumers say it's important for brands to raise awareness and take a stand on social issues. All consumers reported wanting to take the conversation forward and wanting to know that companies understand the issues that matter to them. They also want companies to take action, recognizing that their consumer power can influence the bigger picture.

Narratives are conveyed not only in political and policy discourse, but also in news media, in popular culture, on social media, and at dinner tables. Narratives help us explain why things are the way they are to advance equity across issues and communities.

The overdue reckoning on racism happening across the country after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 has emphasized the need for a systemic approach when it comes to eradicating racism. Unfortunately, efforts to teach and address systemic racism in our society have met resistance and, in some cases, backlash from groups wishing to downplay or ignore the impact racism has on our society today. Language plays an important role in how anti-racism solutions are perceived.

What does it take for people to change their minds and shift dominant narratives about social issues? It starts with having conversations that can dismantle inaccurate perceptions. Stories must be told through an affirmative lens and focus on shared values. The narrative you are trying to advance should acknowledge the social struggles of marginalized communities, and shine a light on how racial discrimination continues to influence contemporary practices.

Our own research shows how different perceptions on social issues significantly impacted the ways policy solutions were accepted or rejected. It finds that involving people whose lives are directly impacted is critical in the development and deployment of a successful strategy. The process can be a feedback loop because shifting narratives over time requires listening and learning from what is and is not working. It requires incorporating these learnings into movement goals and developing more refined research to achieve narrative evolution.

External circumstances change, moreover, requiring recalibration and, sometimes, a significant pivot. A human rights narrative that worked before the events of September 11, for example, would have to evolve in the years immediately, in order to keep up with the shifting dominant narrative on safety and national security. Conversely, a more populist and transformative economic justice narrative became possible after the 2008 economic crisis.

The following recommendations can provide all stakeholders, including activists, company leaders, policymakers, and media commentators with insight into the elements of a successful narrative, in particular one that centers systemic racism and aims to dismantle it. The recommendations range from “know and analyze the counter-narratives” to “broaden the implications of the problem and benefits of the solution,” laying out clearly how to shift the narrative in a positive light.

Messaging Recommendations for Shifting Social Justice Narratives:

• Design a long-term strategy that is rooted in values. By clearly communicating what is at stake in the form of core values, advocates can speak to their audiences’ value systems and emotions.
• Identify and dismantle the assumptions that the counternarrative relies on.
• Establish your own frame and tell an affirmative story. While counternarratives and external factors beyond the direct control of advocates appear to play a significant role in shaping narratives, these studies also indicate that the advocates best positioned to respond to unpredictable external variables—or the activity of the opposition—all gained ground following the adoption of affirmative communications strategies.
• Center the voices of those who are most affected and connect them to systemic solutions. Advocates have been able to present systemic solutions that would require policy-level change.
• Make a clear plan, but be ready to be nimble because policy, prevailing narratives, and social tides change.