Spitfire Sparks
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As communicators for social justice issues, we can’t afford to be boring. In the world of the 24/7… continue reading In the pursuit of a better world, we can’t afford to be boring
Folks, I don’t think we need any more polling or research to know broadly how things are going and… continue reading Move From Naming to Solving
Last month, we got on the phone with an opinion editor at The New York Times. We had a killer pitch… continue reading Op-Eds Are Everyone’s Go-To Tactic. But Is There an Easier Way?
Spitfire is proud to share personal reflections from our own Ben Christiason on the power of… continue reading Our stories matter now more than ever
It’s no secret that nonprofits often have small communications teams and punch far above their… continue reading 3 Tips for Small Comms Teams
Nonprofit communications staffers need tools to create clear and compelling communication now more… continue reading Introducing Virtual Communications Trainings for Professionals at Any Level
Happy New Year. I hope that each of you had a few moments to rest and restore over the… continue reading 2025 Resolution: Find Strategies to Win in the Now.
“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
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
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
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
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
This blog post was originally published as part of the Disinfo Defense League’s “Narrative Takes.”… continue reading Authoring a Better Future, Together
Communications is an invaluable resource. Organizations can use it to create and deepen… continue reading Are you a communicating organization?
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
On Oct. 27, 2022, Elon Musk acquired Twitter and eventually renamed it X. Musk’s acquisition… continue reading Bye, Twitter: Knowing when it’s time to part
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
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
At milestone moments, I have a practice of sitting back before leaping into life and work again. I… continue reading On Spitfire’s 22nd anniversary
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
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
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.
We don’t need more alarm bells to solve our society’s toughest challenges — we need hope and… continue reading An optimistic outlook on climate change this Earth Day
Four steps to address Meta’s flawed political content policy
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
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.
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
In year 4, Spitfire expands the Pro Bono Fund, centers LGBTQIA+ justice in new cohort experience
We’ve teased and offered sneak peeks. Today we offer a guide for civil society leaders to… continue reading “Replenishing Trust” is here!
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
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
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
The “Barbie” movie phenomenon has been written about extensively, from the conversations about… continue reading Come on, Barbie. Let’s go spark change.
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
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.
The Supreme Court this week bowed to pressure from anti-civil rights activists and issued a series… continue reading SCOTUS fails this country
The other day, I read survey results I have come to expect. According to the Associated Press:… continue reading Trust building is mission critical
When I came out as transgender early into high school, I did not know a single trans person… continue reading Let trans kids thrive
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
As schools look to safely reopen, we must consider the lack of safety that Black, Latinx and… continue reading Schools need counselors, not cops
As young professionals get started in their communications careers, they can become overwhelmed with… continue reading What young professionals can gain from frank
This March, Spitfire is celebrating all things funny. Well, more specifically, we’re celebrating… continue reading Communicating through comedy
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.
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
It is my birthday, and I realize I’ve worked with leaders for causes and social movements for 32… continue reading No-regrets communication
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
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
I usually save my blog space to ruminate on communication conundrums and explore best practices for… continue reading Darren Walker Is Right
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
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
From canned corporate, lawmaker and nonprofit equity statements, to policies and top-down… continue reading Language matters: Spreading power in social change work
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.
As schools look to safely reopen, we must consider the lack of safety that Black, Latinx and… continue reading Schools need counselors, not cops
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
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
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
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
… continue reading Putting the Stimulus Package to Work for Communities
Edith Asibey is an expert in global advocacy and digital communications. From working with… continue reading Insights From the Field: Edith Asibey
The same week I started Spitfire in 2002, Chris DeCardy – my mentor and the first person to hire… continue reading SmartChart.org: Guiding strategic communication planning for 15 years and counting
… continue reading In 2019, Look for Opportunities You Might Have Missed This Year
I’ve been working with a number of new executive directors this past year. After years of hard… continue reading An E.D.’s Guide to Essential Strategic Communication Know-How, Compliments of Spitfire’s Executive Leadership Program
In Spitfire’s San Francisco office, there are two new team members bringing bold, creative ideas… continue reading Spitfire Spotlight: Two Areas of Expertise, One Common Goal
What exactly is space? Does it constitute a physical area or is it a state of mind? How is space… continue reading Exploring our own space at frank 2019
In the first installment of this two-part series, I shared some insights from my years… continue reading Getting Your Story Covered: Tips for Top-Notch Media Pitching Part Two
Anyone who’s ever made a pitch to the media — in any medium — knows it’s a big, competitive… continue reading Getting Your Pitch Seen: Tips for Top-Notch Media Pitching Part One
Last week, I was thrilled to hear from Caty Borum Chattoo, an award-winning communication… continue reading Comedy and Social Justice: Using Laughs to Change Hearts and Minds
I’ve been to a lot of gatherings lately. Some speakers made me jump to my feet and beg for an… continue reading Nine Things NOT to Say During Your Next Presentation
An interest in politics isn’t new to Paige Swanson, a Karel Fellow who is working at Spitfire this… continue reading Finding the Words to Champion the Greater Good
Communication professionals are no strangers to the challenges that journalists are facing today,… continue reading Making Your Pitches Count: Tips for Top-Notch Media Pitching Part Three
