The Power of Media for Social Good.

“ Don’t wait until the whole thing is done and over — share it now. Share it as you build it. Share it candidly and honestly. That’s inclusive leadership. People want to be part of writing the story.”

We were sitting on her patio, it was mid-summer, and I was wondering how in the world we were going to go from the little seed of an idea a few of us had, to a real-life community. My mentor sat across from me, wise with years and experiences of building communities. A powerful business woman, too, she made me realize the skills we gained in the private sector were often not transferred in the community sector.

Six months later, as I’m listening to RadioLab’s story on Logos, it occurs to me that the same mechanisms that are used in advertising for promoting products could in fact benefit social projects.

I’m sure it’s nothing new.

I’m sure some really smart person thought about it before.

But honest people don’t talk about what they do.
They just do it.

And if they do talk about it, honest people don’t describe a big vision.
They stick to what has been achieved, and earned.
To what is credible and manageable.

I understand this.

I understand why we do it.

But this modesty, while commendable, fails to truly develop inclusive, diverse communities.

What is a diverse community? It is a community built, not on convenience, but on true shared values.

In order to attract diversity, a project needs a reach that goes beyond the people we regularly interact with. To build a common sense of identity and cement core values within a diverse group, media can also help.

So more than just a recruitment tool or a time-consuming overhead, media is a key ingredient of any community project. It is how we share what we believe in, and stand for. It is how we invite others to come write the story with us. It is how we motivate and sustain the effort of a community while the project comes to life little by little. And it is how we show the value of investing for partners, benefactors and volunteers.

Such a bad rep. Marketing and media should not be dirty words, for they have the potential to transform ideas, inspire people and solidify shared values in diverse communities.

There they were, trickling into the Design Lab (District 3), and I knew we had something good. I did not know half of them, we had, until then, only corresponded through emails. And yet, as we gathered on the improvised set, I could see we shared a same fascination with Design Thinking.

We looked at the scripted questions, getting ready for the rounds of interviews.

Chris, my long-time friend, veteran cinematographer and fellow community projects volunteer, calmly set the scene.

Adriana discretely took a few last pictures to capture the behind-the-scenes.

We were finally ready.

What was beautiful, and striking about the interviews was the sheer diversity of viewpoints. United under a same passion, we each celebrated a different aspect of Design Thinking.

As I was listening to each response come in, I found myself in awe. There it was, the diversity we hoped to attract in our community, captured on film.

Had we even scripted it, we couldn’t have made it any better.

We caught over an hour of footage, and with the possibilities that come with the green screen, I already know it will be demanding.

But I am excited nonetheless. On tape: So much commitment, excitement and dedication. If we could share this with the community, there is no doubt that our project would attract the same spark and drive right back. And if it does become a worthwhile story, 5, 10 years from now, it will have been documented every step of the way — a pathway for the next generation of social innovators. One of several resources to help other leaders build a better world.

Spreading the word will take time and effort. But it will be worth it.

This is a story about passion, creativity and kindness.
A story we want as many people as possible to be part of writing.