Blue Avocado is a free online magazine and monthly newsletter designed to provide practical, provocative food for thought to nonprofit leaders. The feature story in their September newsletter is a perfect example.
Are Your Nonprofit Organizations’ Stories Dishonoring the People You Serve?
Whether we’re raising funds or raising awareness, storytelling is critical to the work of nonprofits — but often our key storytellers don’t look like or have the same experiences as the people our agencies serve. And that can affect the stories we tell about our clients, sometimes in negative ways. In this month’s lead article, Dani Robbins asks hard questions about the stories we tell about class in America. Digging deep into The Bootstrap Theory and ideas of the deserving and undeserving poor, Robbins suggests that shifting our narratives from charity to justice will not only improve our communications and fundraising but also point the way to better public policies. Read the article.
More from the September Newsletter
From the editors: “Despite the global pandemic this year, there’s a lot to commemorate in 2020, including the 30th anniversary of the ADA. “Hiring People with Disabilities Is Not a Charity” by Shaun Bickley presents the case for pay parity. And this month’s “Ask Rita” answers a reader question in, “How Does the Americans with Disabilities Act Impact Our Efforts to Keep Employees Safe During the Covid-19 Pandemic?”
Our “Against the Current” interview features Mitch Gruber, Chief Strategy Officer at Foodlink and a member of Rochester City Council, who emphasizes the importance of advocating for legislation that diminishes the need for charity.”