Building Narrative Power for Racial and Social Justice with Richard Hofrichter, Ph.D., M.A.

This workshop explores the relevance of building narrative power to advance health equity and social justice by transforming culture, with examples from public health and urban planning. We’ll explain how narratives work and shape collective consciousness, focusing on four intersecting harmful dominant narratives, (white supremacy, the free market and capitalist ideology, anti-democratic rhetoric and practice, and individualism). The discussion examines their role in perpetuating social injustice, and at the same time, their contradictions that offer opportunities for challenge and resistance. The final segment describes an approach to strategies, based on cultural organizing, to disrupt, undermine and replace harmful dominant narratives, in alliance with oppressed communities. These strategies are designed to advance permanent, compelling, and resonant narratives that normalize social justice and health equity. The second hour will be devoted to participants’ questions and comments and an activity associated with interpreting narratives in urban planning, as well as requirements for becoming “narrative strategists” and agents for social change.

This workshop will be live-streamed, recorded, and posted on the UEC’s website. More information on the second hour of the workshop will be shared closer to the date of the workshop. To ensure a comfortable and safe environment, the UEC is requesting that the workshop portion of the event remain intimate at a 30-person capacity. Lunch will be provided for all in-person participants.

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