When Passion Meets Communication: Building Empathy Through Storytelling

Noticing requires more than simply seeing—it often calls us to act. When I first moved to Nashville, I lived in a historic Black neighborhood in the midst of a rapidly gentrifying city. Week after week, I watched my neighbors’ belongings placed on the curb, followed by their eviction just days later. Often sudden and unannounced, these moments left me with the heavy weight of knowing I was part of a growing problem.

To do something, I joined the Edgehill Coalition, our neighborhood advocacy group, where I learned about housing overlays and Section 8 requirements. I grew frustrated with a system that seemed stacked against residents.

Asking, “How can I help?” led to more than I imagined. After volunteering at a Poverty Simulation through Catholic Charities, I was invited to sit at the A Voice Roundtable in 2018. Each month, Nashville’s most influential activists, nonprofit leaders, and government officials gathered to discuss how their actions could unite and serve the community. They needed a stronger presence—something that could cut through online noise and invite people to engage. That was where I first recognized a crucial divide: passion alone wasn’t enough without the ability to communicate effectively to the right audiences.

On April 6, 2019, we hosted the first-ever Nashville Rising: Work, Wages & the Future of Nashville event, confronting the rising cost of living and its impact on the city’s workforce. Rapid growth was pushing workers out, and we needed a space for honest, public conversation. The event brought together voices from workers, enforcers, leaders, and everyday residents.

I oversaw communications—shaping the event’s identity, messaging, and publicity. With my background in production, I knew storytelling was essential for building empathy. To deepen that connection, I believed marginalized voices themselves needed to tell their own stories. I partnered with a team of three DEI directors and crew to create a three-part video series: The Good That’s Happening, Nashville’s Current Status, and Where We Go From Here.

The impact was greater than we imagined. We drew more than 430 attendees—the largest audience for a nonprofit event of its kind—and earned coverage from three local news stations. All coordinating, graphic design, print, production, and editorial costs were donated, equating to $75,000 in in-kind support.