Wicked, for Good? The Power of Narrative to Shape Public Perception

By Gaby Connor & Michael Crawford | December 20, 2024

“Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” Glinda the Good Witch… continue reading Wicked, for Good? The Power of Narrative to Shape Public Perception

• Messaging, narrative & storytelling

Five Steps for Building Trust in an Election Year

By Michael Crawford & Diana Chun & Claire de Leon | December 17, 2024

It’s become cliché to say “this is the most important election of our lifetimes,” but in 2024… continue reading Five Steps for Building Trust in an Election Year

• Coalition management & network-building
• Combatting disinformation
• Facilitation & trainings
• Strategic communication planning
• Democracy

Progress Is Still Possible: 5 questions to ask while taking stock

By Kristen Grimm | November 18, 2024

Now is a good time to take stock. A lot has happened. We just received important lessons and… continue reading Progress Is Still Possible: 5 questions to ask while taking stock

• Strategic communication planning
• Civil rights
• Democracy

The 2024 Election: Where We Are, What It Means and How We Move Forward

By Jen Carnig | November 8, 2024

… continue reading The 2024 Election: Where We Are, What It Means and How We Move Forward

• Coalition management & network-building
• Facilitation & trainings
• Democracy

Communications lessons from the election season that everyone needs to learn

By Jen Carnig | November 5, 2024

This election, whatever the outcome, marks a new chapter in American democracy. That’s because… continue reading Communications lessons from the election season that everyone needs to learn

• Coalition management & network-building
• Messaging, narrative & storytelling
• Democracy

Year five: Spitfire’s Pro Bono Fund stands firm in supporting diversity, equity and inclusion

By Briahnna Brown & Brelaun Douglas | October 30, 2024

The Supreme Court’s decision to end race conscious admissions in 2023 quickly threw the racial… continue reading Year five: Spitfire’s Pro Bono Fund stands firm in supporting diversity, equity and inclusion

• Coalition management & network-building
• Spitfire culture
• Strategic communication planning
• Racial justice

Authoring a Better Future, Together

By Nima Shirazi | October 22, 2024

This blog post was originally published as part of the Disinfo Defense League’s “Narrative Takes.”… continue reading Authoring a Better Future, Together

• Coalition management & network-building
• Combatting disinformation
• Messaging, narrative & storytelling

When the media gets it wrong, here’s how to make it right

By Adam Bink | October 4, 2024

Sometime in 2020, a member of my partner’s family kept spouting conspiracy theories: COVID-19 was… continue reading When the media gets it wrong, here’s how to make it right

• Combatting disinformation
• Media strategy & media relations

Actions speak louder than words: one great example of role modeling civil discourse

July 24, 2024

Over the weekend, a lone gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Violence has… continue reading Actions speak louder than words: one great example of role modeling civil discourse

How leaders can use rituals to move with confidence in conflicted times

By Kristen Grimm | July 24, 2024

When conflicts get hot, how can you show up as your best self and use your leadership to navigate… continue reading How leaders can use rituals to move with confidence in conflicted times

• Coalition management & network-building
• Messaging, narrative & storytelling
• Civil rights
• Democracy

Use the power of rituals to strengthen civic spaces

By Kristen Grimm | June 21, 2024

If you have ever been to a school board meeting that got heated, a city council meeting where there… continue reading Use the power of rituals to strengthen civic spaces

• Coalition management & network-building
• Combatting disinformation
• Crisis communication & opposition messaging
• Facilitation & trainings
• Civil rights
• Democracy

Working with journalists to promote civic discourse not civil discord 

By Kristen Grimm | June 5, 2024

Media is an important lever in creating the social norm of safe and sound civic spaces. Best-Case… continue reading Working with journalists to promote civic discourse not civil discord 

• Media strategy & media relations
• Democracy

Bridging is uncomfortable, but deep curiosity can help us build a future of belonging.

By Gaby Connor | May 6, 2024

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a concert hall full of strategists, academics, organizers,… continue reading Bridging is uncomfortable, but deep curiosity can help us build a future of belonging.

• Coalition management & network-building
• Democracy

An optimistic outlook on climate change this Earth Day

By Tessa Carreiro & Diana Chun | April 22, 2024

Many of us have seen the intimidating, and at times overwhelming, predictions of the latest IPCC… continue reading An optimistic outlook on climate change this Earth Day

• Coalition management & network-building
• Environment & climate

A great experience for whom and at what cost?

By Annabelle Gardner & Martín Witchger | April 10, 2024

Four steps to address Meta’s flawed political content policy

• Combatting disinformation
• Digital strategy & implementation
• Democracy

How scrappy and strategic communications leads to big wins for police reform

By Grace Goodwin | February 28, 2024

As pro-carceral politicians and police unions are successfully pushing “tough on crime”… continue reading How scrappy and strategic communications leads to big wins for police reform

• Advocacy campaign creation
• Crisis communication & opposition messaging
• Media strategy & media relations
• Policymaker engagement
• Strategic communication planning

Capacity-building as a journey — change from the inside out.

By Mark Dessauer | February 13, 2024

Have you ever embarked on a significant journey? How did you feel at the end? What were the… continue reading Capacity-building as a journey — change from the inside out.

• Coalition management & network-building
• Facilitation & trainings
• Immigration
• Racial justice

To build trust in our civic institutions, we need violence-free civic spaces

By Kristen Grimm | January 24, 2024

I recently attended a meeting hosted by Keep Our Republic, a group of leaders from across the… continue reading To build trust in our civic institutions, we need violence-free civic spaces

• Crisis communication & opposition messaging
• Strategic communication planning

“Replenishing Trust” is here!

January 10, 2024

We’ve teased and offered sneak peeks. Today we offer a guide for civil society leaders to… continue reading “Replenishing Trust” is here!

• Crisis communication & opposition messaging
• Strategic communication planning
• Trust

Learn how to replenish trust: civil society guide to reversing the trust deficit coming soon

December 11, 2023

Come January 2024, we can expect another slew of reports from groups such as the Edelman Trust… continue reading Learn how to replenish trust: civil society guide to reversing the trust deficit coming soon

• Spitfire culture
• Strategic communication planning
• Trust

Information does not equal action, but capacity building equals change

November 20, 2023

Over my years of working for a foundation and as a foundation’s grantee, I have discovered that… continue reading Information does not equal action, but capacity building equals change

• Spitfire culture

5 Steps to communicating well on controversial topics

By Adam Bink | October 24, 2023

The eyes of the world have turned to the October violence in the Middle East, as we wish for safety… continue reading 5 Steps to communicating well on controversial topics

• Crisis communication & opposition messaging
• Messaging, narrative & storytelling

Come on, Barbie. Let’s go spark change.

August 30, 2023

The “Barbie” movie phenomenon has been written about extensively, from the conversations about… continue reading Come on, Barbie. Let’s go spark change.

• Brand identity & strategy

Lack of trust, mistrust and distrust: different trust dynamics require different strategies

August 7, 2023

Spitfire is doing a deep dive into the available social sciences to find out how civil society… continue reading Lack of trust, mistrust and distrust: different trust dynamics require different strategies

Hearts and minds don’t stay won: Our work is a calling — not just a career.

July 14, 2023

When I left the New York Civil Liberties Union after almost a decade of leading the organization’s… continue reading Hearts and minds don’t stay won: Our work is a calling — not just a career.

• Brand identity & strategy

SCOTUS fails this country

June 30, 2023

The Supreme Court this week bowed to pressure from anti-civil rights activists and issued a series… continue reading SCOTUS fails this country

• Crisis communication & opposition messaging
• Policymaker engagement

Trust building is mission critical

June 26, 2023

The other day, I read survey results I have come to expect. According to the Associated Press:… continue reading Trust building is mission critical

• Combatting disinformation

Let trans kids thrive

June 7, 2023

When I came out as transgender early into high school, I did not know  a single trans person… continue reading Let trans kids thrive

• LGBTQIA rights

Spitfire presidential transition to spark change

May 25, 2023

When I started Spitfire, almost 21 years ago now, I had a lot to learn. I had run someone else’s… continue reading Spitfire presidential transition to spark change

• Coalition management & network-building

What young professionals can gain from frank

April 13, 2023

As young professionals get started in their communications careers, they can become overwhelmed with… continue reading What young professionals can gain from frank

• Coalition management & network-building

Communicating through comedy

March 7, 2023

This March, Spitfire is celebrating all things funny. Well, more specifically, we’re celebrating… continue reading Communicating through comedy

Roe is the floor. But the world we’re reaching for is possible.

February 24, 2023

Last month marked what would have been the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. At Spitfire,… continue reading Roe is the floor. But the world we’re reaching for is possible.

• Coalition management & network-building
• Reproductive justice
• Responsible technology

Don’t take the opposition’s bait: Focus on creating conversations we want to have

January 23, 2023

I recently wrote in a blog post that to have no-regrets communication, social justice leaders should… continue reading Don’t take the opposition’s bait: Focus on creating conversations we want to have

• Strategic communication planning
• LGBTQIA rights

No-regrets communication

January 5, 2023

It is my birthday, and I realize I’ve worked with leaders for causes and social movements for 32… continue reading No-regrets communication

• Strategic communication planning

Guidance for the new Twitter reality: Community, security and quality

November 17, 2022

For organizations and advocates fighting for rights, privacy and justice, the Twitter takeover and… continue reading Guidance for the new Twitter reality: Community, security and quality

• Digital strategy & implementation
• Responsible technology

Plan against panic: Navigating a crisis with strategic communications

November 1, 2022

I’m glad that I did not prepare – said no one, ever. A crisis can creep up on you or hit you hard… continue reading Plan against panic: Navigating a crisis with strategic communications

• Crisis communication & opposition messaging
• Strategic communication planning

Darren Walker Is Right

July 14, 2022

I usually save my blog space to ruminate on communication conundrums and explore best practices for… continue reading Darren Walker Is Right

• Coalition management & network-building

Communicators must wield the power of storytelling ethically

April 14, 2022

The first story that made a big impression on me was The Hobbit. My dad read it to me when I was a… continue reading Communicators must wield the power of storytelling ethically

Checkup: Ethical Storytelling for Nonprofits and Foundations

April 6, 2022

Stories remain some of our most effective tools as communicators. There is tremendous power in both… continue reading Checkup: Ethical Storytelling for Nonprofits and Foundations

Language matters: Spreading power in social change work

February 22, 2022

From canned corporate, lawmaker and nonprofit equity statements, to policies and top-down… continue reading Language matters: Spreading power in social change work

• Brand identity & strategy
• Coalition management & network-building
• Messaging, narrative & storytelling

The tool to fight disinformation that we wish we had a decade ago.

By Liv Kittel | December 9, 2021

Back in 2006, I (Ellie) was working for UnidosUS (when it was National Council of La Raza) and if… continue reading The tool to fight disinformation that we wish we had a decade ago.

• Combatting disinformation
• Crisis communication & opposition messaging

Schools need counselors, not cops

September 13, 2021

As schools look to safely reopen, we must consider the lack of safety that Black, Latinx and… continue reading Schools need counselors, not cops

56 years later, the fight for voting rights continues

August 4, 2021

The late Congressman John Lewis once said, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each… continue reading 56 years later, the fight for voting rights continues

• Coalition management & network-building
• Crisis communication & opposition messaging

Building a world beyond binaries

July 14, 2021

This July 14th marks the ninth annual International Non-Binary People’s day, and it serves as a… continue reading Building a world beyond binaries

This Women’s History Month, let’s change the narrative to support working moms

March 31, 2021

As we come to the close of Women’s History Month, we must acknowledge the pivotal elongated moment… continue reading This Women’s History Month, let’s change the narrative to support working moms

Building Movements Through Art, Communication and Advocacy

July 8, 2020

Power is invisible. That’s part of what makes it tricky to dismantle. Audre Lorde asks us,… continue reading Building Movements Through Art, Communication and Advocacy

• Messaging, narrative & storytelling

Putting the Stimulus Package to Work for Communities

July 8, 2020

… continue reading Putting the Stimulus Package to Work for Communities

• Crisis communication & opposition messaging