Powering narrative change through partnerships

Data, research and evidence can help communities understand the factors contributing to their health. But creating and sharing this information alone won’t achieve health and equity for all. We must also shift our mindsets and our practice to reimagine what’s possible.  

Along with several partners, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps is working to increase awareness of and advance narratives so that all people and places can thrive. Public health, health care and community organizations have a role in developing and embedding these narratives in their work.  

A narrative communicates and reinforces a worldview and engages people to consider how they understand the world. Dominant narratives can maintain the status quo and hinder positive change while transformative narratives allow us to see what’s possible.  

An example of a dominant narrative is that there are not enough resources to support everyone in the U.S., and that a group or person needs to lose something for others to gain it. This is a scarcity or zero-sum game narrative. On the other hand, a transformative narrative in this scenario offers a theme focused on abundance and possibility where everyone can have what they need. It is possible to shift toward ideas and worldviews that support policies, norms and programs so that everyone can live long and well.

In 2021, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps joined with Human Impact Partners to build a health equity narrative infrastructure. Together, we started Narratives for Health to help public health, health care and community organizations accelerate change for health, equity and racial justice. We think of health equity narrative infrastructure as a group of people and organizations that have begun to 1) align in their understanding of narrative as a strategy for health and equity, 2) build relationships and 3) pool and manage resources to advance health and equity narratives.  

Narratives for Health continues to build this infrastructure and has engaged nearly 1,500 people from across the country with presentations and training. Narrative Builders, or people who have participated in these sessions, represent local, state and national public health organizations, health care, academic institutions, faith-based coalitions and community and economic development organizations. The group drafted a narrative based on shared values including healing, interconnectedness, repair and hope. They are using these guidelines to shift narratives within their organizations, networks and communities. Others are invited to use it too.

And in October 2024, Narratives for Health — with support from Healthy Places by Design — convened 12 organizations to reflect on progress and strategize about the future. Participants identified two strategies that will guide their work in 2025:  

1. Shift public health practice to use narrative. Public health practitioners can use narrative as an organizing strategy and advance a transformative narrative for health and equity.
2. Connect public health with communities to build power to address community conditions, like access to safe housing or good paying jobs. This also includes work to address the structural determinants of health. These are the broader set of forces — including culture, policies and practices — that govern society and influence community conditions.  

As we continue to refine and implement these strategies, we will foster existing and new relationships with organizations and communities interested in narrative change.

Join us and stay in contact:

1. Explore our Narratives for Health page.
2. Check out a narrative video and article from Human Impact Partners.
3. Join the wait list for the next Narratives for Health train-the-facilitator series.
4. Learn ways Narratives for Health can support you.
5. Craft messages and strategies using this guide.  
6. Share how you use narrative at narrativesforhealth@chrr.wisc.edu.