Storytelling Studio

“Well-told stories help turn moments of great crises into moments of new beginnings.” – Marshall Ganz

Explore how to share your own story and connect it to a call to action through this Storytelling Studio, presented by Marshall Ganz, celebrated organizer from the Civil Rights era to Barack Obama’s grassroots presidential campaign, trainer, and lecturer at Harvard University. This program is highly recommended for any member who is grappling with how to convey their own story, their vision for change, and how to catalyze others.

This program will take place over the course of 2 days featuring both introspective and interactive activities as an “Introduction to Public Narrative”, developed over years of practice, and carried forward now through the Leading Change Network. To get a taste of how Marshall describes this work and the content of this session, we welcome you to watch a selection from a video interview, beginning at 26:06 – 28:11.

Part 1 of this Studio program will focus on “Story of Self”; this is your own personal story and narrative, bringing to light how you have encountered and responded to challenges. Part 2 of the Studio will focus on “Story of Us” and “Story of Now”, creating altogether a compelling narrative of why you have been compelled to address this problem at present and offer a call to action to the listener. More details on this framework here.

Part 1 will be Tuesday, January 30 and Part 2 will be Thursday, February 1, each day running 3 hours and beginning at 8:00 am PST | 11:00 am EST | 4:00 pm GMT.

Places are extremely limited, so we recommend you register today if you are interested! If you have any questions, please contact Sam Underwood, Global Director of Programmes, at sam@forward-global.org. 

What are Forward Global Studios?

Forward Global Studios are highly interactive, expert-led programmes designed for members looking to go deeper on a particular practice or skill. They invite you to bring forward a challenge you are working on and to workshop the challenge with the expert, using tried and tested frameworks designed to help you overcome barriers and move forward. The experts leading Studios are some of the most important, talented and globally recognised leaders in the field, making this a unique opportunity. Examples include the Systems Studio (on systems mapping and systems change), Impact Studio (on impact assessment and evaluation) and this Storytelling Studio.

Studio participation is limited to members who have completed the Cohort or an Essentials, and so have the foundational concepts and languages required to go deeper. If you would like to join a Studio but haven’t completed these programmes, please reach out to your Relationship Manager for advice.

Marshall Ganz

As Rita E. Hauser Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing and Civil Society at the Kennedy School of Government, Marshall Ganz teaches, researches, and writes on leadership, narrative, strategy and organization in social movements, civic associations, and politics. He grew up in Bakersfield, California where his father was a Rabbi and his mother, a teacher. He entered Harvard College in the fall of 1960. He left a year before graduating to volunteer with the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project. He found a “calling” as an organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and, in the fall of 1965 joined Cesar Chavez in his effort to unionize California farm workers. During 16 years with the United Farm Workers he gained experience in union, political, and community organizing; became Director of Organizing; and was elected to the national executive board on which he served for 8 years. During the 1980s he worked with grassroots groups to develop new organizing programs and designed innovative voter mobilization strategies for local, state, and national electoral campaigns. In 1991, in order to deepen his intellectual understanding of his work, he returned to Harvard College and after a 28-year “leave of absence” completed his undergraduate degree in history and government. He was awarded an MPA by the Kennedy School in 1993 and completed his PhD in sociology in 2000. He has published in the American Journal of Sociology, American Political Science Review, American Prospect, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Stanford Social Innovation Review and elsewhere. His newest book, Why David Sometimes Wins: Leadership, Organization and Strategy in the California Farm Worker Movement was published in 2009, earning the Michael J. Harrington Book Award of the American Political Science Association. In 2007-8 he was instrumental in the design of the grassroots organization for the 2008 Obama for President campaign. In 2010 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in divinity by the Episcopal Divinity School. In association with the global Leading Change Network of organizers, researchers and educators he coaches, trains, and advises social, civic, educational, health care, and political groups on organizing, training, and leadership development around the world.