In 2022, I worked as a community organizer in an underserved neighborhood of West African and South American immigrants in Maryland, USA. My goal was to use relational organizing to build power within the community to create change. I focused on building relationships with people, asking to hear their stories about coming to the United States and what their community could become. Much of my time was spent on fraying couches and concrete front stoops, listening to stories.
In 2023, I interned for Movement for Community-led Development, researching how storytelling can facilitate community-led development internationally. In international development, stories are often used only to fundraise. They’re about the community, not for the community. They aren’t taken seriously as a tool for societal change. This research confirmed what I experienced in the US, where I saw storytelling emerge as a powerful tool to facilitate and evaluate community-led development. It showed me the unique ways that stories can promote locally-led development, both at home and abroad.
This blog is part of CDA’s From Where I Stand series, designed to listen to people most affected by aid as they explore and amplify their leadership experiences, stories, and lessons for the aid sector.
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