Subject: FW: Narrative Process
From: Alesa Mackool <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 16:23:56 -0400

Below is an email from Richard Kirsch with important updates about the common economic narrative project.

Thanks and have a great weekend,
Alesa

P.S. You all have received an invitation to our Google Group. If you have not yet accepted the invitation, please click here to do so: http://groups.google.com/group/economic-narrative-working-group

Alesa Mackool | Progressive Strategies L.L.C.<http://www.progressivestrategies.net/>
1015 18th St. N.W. | Suite 204 | Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: (202) 628-7771 | Fax: (202) 331-0131

Begin forwarded message:

From: Richard Kirsch
Date: May 20, 2011 2:42:32 PM EDT
To:
Subject: Narrative Process

Over the next month or so we’d like to develop a first common narrative on the economy. It will build off the work that people have done so far, both the writing and research that has been shared. The goal is to come up with a “pyramid” of tools, from the basic intellectual foundation of what we want to communicate, our story about the economy, to common language and sound bites. Here’s what we propose to do:
1) The first step is for a small group of us to digest what’s out there. IF YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF COMMUNICATIONS, MESSAGING, RESEARCH ON THE ECONOMY THAT YOU HAVEN’T YET SHARED WITH US, PLEASE DO NOW! We need these by COB Monday 5/23. You can send to Alesa Mackool at Progressive Strategies: [email-masked].

2) We’ll share what we find with a few of our best wordsmiths, to come up with a first draft that works intellectually and is powerful.

3) We’ll then share that draft with all of you and ask for your comments and feedback. We’ll invite conversations on the phone too, so that we can hear your reactions and ideas.

4) We’ll redraft based on that feedback and convene a meeting to present and discuss – our goal is to have this meeting by the third week of June.

5) We’ll distribute a final version for people to use.

From there on, as you’ll see from the objectives of the project below, the goal of the narrative group will be to work with organizations and communicators across the progressive movement to use the narrative. And of course, we’ll continue to strengthen the narrative as we learn from all of us using it.

Narrative Group Goal and Objectives:

Goal: To develop and promote a common economic narrative that is used across the progressive movement, a powerful story that we are telling consistently through words and actions, in our communications and organizing.

Objectives: To accomplish this goal we will:

·         Convene initial and continued discussions to develop and strengthen the narrative;

·         Share research on public opinion and on effective messages;

·         Share communications and actions that progressive campaigns and organizations are using that employ the narrative in their work;

·         Provide review and consultation to organizations on campaign materials;

·         Provide consultation and training on how to use the narrative in issue campaigns, organizing and other activities;

·         Identify further research that is needed on the narrative;

·         Reach out to promote use of the narrative across the progressive movement and allies: to think-tanks, unions, organizing networks, issue and constituency groups, elected officials, pollsters, pundits and journalists.

Richard Kirsch
Senior Fellow
Roosevelt Institute
518-392-2343
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>