Our Values

Below are a set of core values that are instilled into everything we do.

Inclusivity

We’re all in this together and if we’re truly going to write a new narrative it’s important to ensure that everybody has a voice. People from different racial, ethnic, gender and economic perspectives will all have different insights to share about our society, many of which will run counter to the common narratives of American culture. We want the New Narrative to be an open space for everybody’s stories.

Community Based

We strive to not only serve the community in the work we do but also to create a sense of community around the people that interact with us and join us for workshops and events. This also includes making our events and offerings more than just a one-way experience. We want our participants to get involved and feel like they’re part of a community.

Vulnerable

An important aspect of creating dialogue and sharing our stories is that all participants come to the table from a place of honest and authentic vulnerability. This includes not only the way we interact with each other but also the dialogue we have with ourselves. Understanding who we really are and what narratives have been influential in our lives is a key aspect of identifying our own biases and understanding where opportunities for new narratives exist. 

Challenging

Creating a new narrative is going to involve some tough conversations. We strive to create experiences and dialogues that challenge many of our preconceived notions of how the world works, show each of our roles in maintenance or challenging of the status quo, and illuminate what’s at stake for all of our communities if a better narrative isn’t created. These dialogues won’t always be easy. We hope everybody in our community approaches them with open and empathetic hearts and minds. 

Uplifting

The goal of the New Narrative is to create a better world for all, and that also means working to uplift and support people in our communities as best we can. This can take the form of direct community support, such as volunteer work, or providing folks with tools and learning opportunities to uplift themselves. Community upliftment can also be tied to our own personal growth. By working to make ourselves stronger, more resilient, and conscientious people we can show up more able-bodied and whole for our communities as well. 

Human

At the end of the day we’re all humans in this world. Most of us want the same things as everybody else: love, security, meaning, fellowship… We want a primary aspect of everything we do to not only celebrate our shared humanity but also address what it means to be human and the struggles and challenges that come with it all.

Founder/Director - Nathan Young

The New Narrative is based off my own experiences, as a writer, storyteller, and member of our society.

I learned about the power of storytelling while working as the Production Director of the literary arts nonprofit, So Say We All. I saw how storytelling could transmit an idea, foster a connection and create an identity through the narratives we give a voice to. The essence of storytelling is conflict; overcoming an obstacle to get to an important goal. I saw how storytelling could be a medium to share a vision by telling the stories of the challenges we encounter to create it. This helps identify our mutual obstacles and fosters a hope that we can overcome them together.

The goal of writing our own narratives is important to me because I don’t see our current narrative as being sustainable. An ever increasing number of friends and people close to me struggle to build a life for themselves that is stable and fulfilling. Reliable, well paying employment has become elusive and our consumer habits and economic systems are only serving to create more income disparity and further damage to our natural environment. Our value system is centered around money, but we all know that a larger purpose in life and fulfilling human relationships are more important to us than money. How do we create a society that recognizes and rewards those values?

My goal is to create a space for us to share our narrative visions. I hope you come to experience the stories of the New Narrative yourself. If you have something to share I would love to hear from you too.

Nathan Young
August 2015

Contact: nathan@thenewnarrative.org

If you're interested in getting involved with the New Narrative we'd love to hear from you. Here are a couple different ways you can get involved.

Come to an Event

We're working to expand our event offerings all the time. A current list of all our upcoming events is available here:

Volunteer or Collaborate

We'd love to get some help with various aspects of the project. This could include helping at events, facilitating discussion groups, or even updating the website from time to time. We’re also open for potential collaborations too. If you’ve got an idea or think you can help, click on the link below and let us know what you're interested in. 

Contact Us

Got a thought or a question? Reach out and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.