Storytelling for Change: Supporting Lived Experts in Legislative Advocacy

Centering folks with lived experience in the systems we are trying to change is central to policy change work. However, nonprofit and government agencies seeking to support lived experts in policy decisions and in sharing their stories need the skills they need to do so authentically, ethically and meaningfully. 

In this half-day session, you’ll start building the best practices, skills and mindsets to more meaningfully support lived experts in leading policy change work and in sharing their stories for legislative change. 

We’ll cover and practice: 

1. Identifying and shifting power dynamics toward partnership 
2. Stories and the 5 C’s to engage effective storytelling for change
3. Basics of legislative advocacy
4. Strategies to authentically partner with lived experts 
5. Structural supports for lived experts

…and the stuff you bring into the space! 

Many of our experiences come from over a decade of working directly with folks experiencing homelessness to organize and advocate for legislative change. This training will be highly relevant for folks working in nonprofit and government agencies that lead advocacy work specific to housing and homelessness, foster care, disability rights, detention and incarceration systems, immigration and refugee systems, and other efforts to transform policy and legislation standing in the way of more resilient and equitable communities. 

Meet Your Trainer!

Kiki Serantes (she/they) has spent nearly 10 years working to transform and innovate the way that Washington houses young people and families through training, technical assistance and program management. Her career has emphasized partnering with lived experts in housing and homelessness to organize and lead system-level transformation work, both at the legislative level and organization level. Kiki grew up experiencing homelessness and housing instability, sparking a life-long value to ensure folks closest to the issues are the ones leading the solutions to end them. She has previously supported young people experiencing homelessness and individuals who have experienced foster care in identifying, advocating for, and implementing legislative action. She built on those skills as a community organizer supporting individuals of all ages impacted by housing affordability in organizing themselves to improve housing affordability and tenant protections. Kiki is an experienced nonprofit leader, having previously managed teams and driving nonprofit organization strategy. Recently, she worked with communities across the state to design, implement and scale diversion flex fund programs with the aim to functionally end youth and young adult homelessness in their counties. Those programs became the most utilized housing projects for young people in the counties where they were implemented. Kiki is passionate about ensuring lived experts are supported to lead the housing movement, and is dedicated to dismantling the harmful barriers and outdated systems standing in the way of the beautiful, resilient communities that we all deserve.

Host or Publisher Kiki Serantes, Spark Action Lab