==Storytelling as political action==

==Storytelling as political action==

Personal and collective stories are a key element of knowledge, and as such can fuel evidence and empowerment. They can make issues of injustice, exclusion, democracy and human rights tangible and relatable. They can also contribute to personal and political transformation, democracy and social justice.

Personal and collective stories are a key element of knowledge, and as such can fuel evidence and empowerment. They can make issues of injustice, exclusion, democracy and human rights tangible and relatable. They can also contribute to personal and political [http://www.transformativestory.org/why-do-we-need-transformative-storytelling-approaches/why-are-personal-and-collective-stories-important-for-social-transformation/ transformation], democracy and social justice.

When shared by the protagonists, stories can help the narrators going through their experiences in a way they might have not expected, which can even be truly transformative of their own perception of what they lived.

When shared by the protagonists, stories can help the narrators going through their experiences in a way they might have not expected, which can even be truly transformative of their own perception of what they lived.

Stories are much more than content to be consumed out of curiosity (although that is surely not a negative nor ineffective way to use them). They can communicate facts and truth, as sharply as we are able to make them speak (through data, visualizations, numbers, relatable examples and accessible format and language). They can inform and drive the actions of the actors influencing the societal engine at different levels, from policy makers to citizens, voters, media outlets and protesters.

Stories are much more than content to be consumed out of curiosity (although that is surely not a negative nor ineffective way to use them). They can communicate facts and truth, as sharply as we are able to make them speak (through data, visualizations, numbers, relatable examples and accessible format and language). They can inform and drive the actions of the actors influencing the societal engine at different levels, from policy makers to citizens, voters, media outlets and protesters.

= Our Responsible Data Storytelling Manifesto =  

= Responsible Data Storytelling: why and how? =  

Capacity builders, campaigners, activists and journalists working to support critical social justice and human rights can find a key ally in storytelling, especially when built on data. It can help individuals and groups living in marginalised and vulnerable communities allowing for their voices to be heard, their struggle to be visible. Promoting values of social justice and rights, stories can also become an active element of the process of social change.  

Capacity builders, campaigners, activists and journalists working to support critical social justice and human rights issues can find a key ally in storytelling, especially when built on data. It can help individuals and groups living in marginalised and vulnerable communities allowing for their voices to be heard, their struggle to be visible. Promoting values of social justice and rights, stories can also become an active element of the process of social change.  

But as practitioners working in such scenarios, we have to be carefully and responsibly aware of our role as part of the overall context.  

But as practitioners working in such scenarios, we have to be carefully and responsibly aware of our role as part of the overall context.  

We should always:

We should always: