Banner illustration by Tanya Korniichuk from The Greats
What is this toolkit and how do I use it?
News events shape how people understand the world—but the narratives that emerge in those moments can either deepen division or move us toward belonging. The Rapid Response Narrative Toolkit curates resources that help interpret current events through a lens of shared humanity and collective wellbeing. Each week, we identify key narrative opportunities connected to developments in the news and gather social media posts, articles, videos, and other materials that advance narratives rooted in dignity, care, and practical solutions. This toolkit is designed to help organizers, communicators, advocates, and community members quickly amplify ideas that push the conversation forward. By lifting up these voices and perspectives, we can help shape public narratives in ways that expand belonging and support a future where everyone matters.
Real Solutions
Real solutions focus on addressing the material conditions that shape people’s lives. Too often, public conversations about urgent issues are dominated by narratives that focus on blame, punishment, or scarcity. Real solutions shift the conversation toward policies and ideas that meaningfully improve wellbeing and expand opportunity.
Content in this section amplifies:
- policies and systemic solutions that address root causes
- research and analysis that clarifies what actually works
- examples of communities implementing solutions that improve people’s lives
Unconditional Belonging
Unconditional belonging affirms that every person deserves dignity, safety, and care, without exceptions. Narratives that divide people into categories of who is “worthy” and who is not are a powerful driver of exclusion and injustice. These narratives often draw boundaries around race, immigration status, religion, gender identity, or other identities in order to justify harm.
Content in this section amplifies:
- our inherent dignity and humanity of all people
- the challenging of narratives that exclude and dehumanize
- a collective understanding of who belongs
Fighting Forward
Fighting forward focuses on the future we are building together. Many reactionary narratives rely on nostalgia—imagining a past that was more orderly, more stable, or more just. But these narratives often ignore the exclusion and harm that defined those earlier periods. Fighting forward invites us to move beyond nostalgia and focus instead on the work of creating a more just and inclusive future.
Content in this section amplifies:
- action and collective agency
- focus on building a future where everyone belongs
- imagination and work toward systems rooted in care, equity, and participation
