Jeff Chang

Narrative Design Intensive: Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy

Race Forward’s Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy was launched in 2020 to build power for effective narratives that honor the humanity of migrants, refugees, and immigrants, and advance freedom and justice for all. This year, the Butterfly Lab rolled out and trained organizations, institutions, and artists in its groundbreaking approach to narrative design and strategy. Utilizing narrative tools the Lab has tested and taught extensively, this breakout session will participants an opportunity to explore beginning and advanced topics in narrative strategy. It will be specifically grounded in our learnings from the scaled immigrant narrative projects of the Chrysalis Lab, original commissioned research conducted this year, and two years of advanced praxis in narrative design. The session is open to all who are interested, including those who have participated in Butterfly Lab work over the past two years, or to those who are new to narrative design and strategy. It will culminate in a process that allows participants to better advance an aligned narrative strategy for the immigrant movement. (Note: While we will be focusing on our work on immigrant narrative, all who are interested in narrative and cultural strategy are welcome.)

Speakers: Jeff Chang, Sára Abdullah, Nayantara Sen

Meet Author: Jeff Chang and Rinku Sen

Jeff Chang: Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop, Who We Be

Rinku Sen: Stir It Up, The Accidental American

Speakers: Jeff Chang, Rinku Sen

The Shift: Narrative and Arts Amid the Culture Wars

We are living in an era of intensified culture wars, a time of competing narratives: a fearful, exclusive America versus a hopeful, transformative America. Which narrative prevails depends upon how well we organize and strategize to grow our narrative and cultural power. This panel will feature the acclaimed writer adrienne maree brown, cultural organizer Bree Newsome, Rashad Robinson, executive director at Color of Change, and Favianna Rodriguez, cultural strategist at CultureStr/ke, speaking with Jeff Chang about the ideas, practices and strategies that can move our imagination towards mutuality, equity, and freedom.

Speakers: Rashad Robinson, adrienne maree brown, Jeff Chang, Favianna Rodriguez, Bree Newsome

Race on the playing field

Sports is one of America's most visible and profitable cultural arenas. From low-wage labor in billion-dollar stadiums to racist team names and defiant owners, it's also the place where some of our most hotly contested political issues play out. On this panel, we'll talk about the issues that are shifting our sports landscape.

Speakers: David Zirin, Robert Holden, Jamilah King, Jeff Chang

Culture Trumps Politics: Or Does It?

When political times get hard, creative people turn to influencing the way race is lived instead of the way it is legislated. This session will focus on the relationship between cultural and political change, from the perspective of the nation's leading artists.

Speakers: Jeff Chang, Lolis Eric Elie, Negin Farsad, Rinku Sen, Jose Antonio Vargas