The Power of Public Narrative
“By telling our personal stories of challenges we have faced, choices we have made, and what we learned from the outcomes, we can inspire others and share our own wisdom.”- Marshall Ganz
Every person has the power to empower. That is the beauty of the human experience and the responsibility we each carry as being global citizens supporting one another. The bigger challenge to explore is how do we do this.
The answer is simple: Public Narrative.
Sharing our story, being proud of who we are, and encouraging others to embrace their true selves is where we begin.
During my time at Harvard, I took Professor Ganz’s class and learned the true power of sharing our stories. Under the Public Narrative model, you learn that leadership comprises logos and pathos. What this means is we use our head and heart. In other words, why should people care and how they can contribute to the greater picture.
Public Narrative combines 3 spheres: the story of self, the story of us, and the story of now.
Under the “story of self,” we find our why. According to Ganz’s, “The power in your story of self is to reveal something of yourself and your values—not your deepest secrets, but the key shaping moments in your life.” Moments in our life that have presented uncertainty or challenges push us to care about something. My “story of self” was my experience as a Muslim woman with a disability and how my support system’s empowerment and belief in me positively transformed my life. It heightened my awareness around injustice, inaccessibility, and the power of empowerment.
The “story of us” is why your story aligns with or speaks to a community. The message of being seen, heard, and empowered is so important and it impacts everyone. My experience ignited a fire in me, to ensure every person feels like they have a space to bring their true self forward. There are countless individuals and families that have a similar story and can relate to this feeling. It connects us on a deep level.
Lastly, the “story of now” as Ganz describes, is “the challenge this community now faces, the choices it must make, and the hope to which ‘we’ can aspire.” It is important now more than ever, that people have a seat at the table as well as ensuring that they can bring their most authentic self forward. Recognizing that we are all beacons of this energy is incredibly powerful!
Tell your story. Be proud. And encourage others to share their narrative. It is only through empowerment that we will all embrace our true selves.
We all have the power to empower. Who are you going to empower today?
References: https://www.ndi.org/sites/default/files/Public%20Narrative%20Participant%20Guide.pdf
