December 12th, 2023
As the year draws to a close, at Full Story Strategies we find ourselves reflecting on the narratives that have shaped our practice over the past year. Throughout 2023 we have amplified the voices of change-makers and ensured that their stories resonate far and wide.
Through this work, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating with clients looking to redefine their brands, invigorate their communications strategies and tactics, and attract audience engagement with their storytelling.
This newsletter revisits some of the best of 2023s narratives — stories from Full Story’s work and across the social change space.
We look forward to working with you in 2024 to continue elevating under-told stories.
At the start of 2023, the Parkinson’s Foundation launched its Palliative and Supportive Care initiative Full Story supported the message and content development to bring greater understanding to the ways this type of care supports PD patients and their families. The resulting web launch included tested language, FAQ’s, resources, and stories from members of the PD community accessing care.
Spring brought a return to in-person events for Facing History and Ourselves Their work uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. To illustrate this timely work, Full Story created a multi-media program to illustrate and engage their in-person audience. A highlight was our work with artist and filmmaker Kevin Head in the creation of Any Questions?
Mid-summer, we worked with The Education Commission as it concluded 7 years of advocacy towards UN SDG4, affirming that every child deserves an inclusive and equitable quality education. We helped communicate the end of the Commission and how its projects will continue through the Education Development Center and the newly established International Finance Facility for Education.
We capped off the year by sharing multi-media content for the Child Mind Institute (CMI). Full Story created a series of videos highlighting CMI patients managing mental health and developmental conditions, from New York, Toronto and the Bay Area.
Other Stories
Engaging
As we marked the first full year in post-Roe America, media coverage of the impact of the reversal was supported by tireless advocates. The Strategist’s One Year Without Roe illustrates all the ways abortion bans have affected women, providers and clinics, telling these stories in numbers and through human experiences.
Listening
Prisoncast! caught our attention this year. Produced by WBEZ, Vocalo Radio and Illinois Public Radio, this project for people inside Illinois prisons and their loved ones airs on public radio stations across Illinois.
Watching
With Naomi Klein’s new book new book popping up left and right in our media feeds this fall, it seemed a good time to revisit one of her classics in the form of the 2010 documentary by the same name, The Shock Doctrine. You can watch it free (or with a donation to the excellent Films for Action) HERE.
Reading
Journalists, academics and writers’ across mediums provided an antidote to 280-character limited media. Here are three of our favorite “long- reads” to bookmark for your weekend:
The tireless team at the Marshall Project explored the intersection of climate change and criminal justice
In collaboration with KFF Health News and NYTimes, anyone with aging parents or relatives should read this exploration of the catastrophe of elder care in America (parts of which are also available on audio on the NYT)
And finally, “On Reconstruction” the Atlantic’s series out in print this month, with articles from Anna Deavere Smith, David Blight, Lonnie Bunch and others.