Our nation weeps.
For perhaps the first time in history, cities in all 50 states are hosting protests. Countries around the world are joining us.
Because we’ve seen another unjust killing of a black person at the hands of those who are supposed to serve and protect us.
This happens more than we want to admit. Many of us don’t admit it.
Some people don’t care, some assume there was a justifiable cause, some feel sad but don’t know what to do, and some of us get behind a hashtag for a day or two before resuming our normal lives and activities.
I’m not saying that we don’t have to push forward when bad things happen. We do, or else all we’d do is mourn and cry.
But black people don’t get the chance to decide if they can face this or not.
It’s something that they live with every day.
For the first time, I am seeing real momentum. So many of my friends that have never said anything are speaking out — like me, embarrassed that it’s taken them so long to, but feeling the strength behind the movement and the community. That voice in the back of their heads is screaming at them “NO MORE! You cannot stay silent this time!”
This is how we change the world – together.
When I look at my wife, who has faced this her whole life, I want her to know I fought for her.
And when I look at my daughter, who is biracial but who will be considered black, who will inevitably ask me what I did during this time, I want to be proud that I have an answer.
For so long, I have been searching for a big way I can help effect change. I have a voice in the community. I am respected by my peers and contemporaries. I feel in my heart that I have the ability to really make a difference. I just don’t know how or what it looks like.
But while discussing it with my wife, she pointed out to me that it’s not about one big action.
It’s about the small things we can do on a daily basis. That’s how we shift the tide.
It’s about where we shop, who we hang out with, who we vote for and how often we vote, what we talk to our kids about, how we talk to our coworkers, colleagues, and family. It’s about every little decision we make.
One day of solidarity will not effect change. We need to make it a part of our lives.
I make my living through teaching people how to use storytelling in their marketing strategies.
Often that means pulling people in with a good story to increase sales of products and services or donations to causes. But stories are also used to create connections and build communities.
That is my favorite part of the power of storytelling.
When I went to send out my weekly storytelling tip to my email subscribers, my first instinct was to cancel the email. I didn’t feel right about continuing on with my marketing messages and pretending like our world and our people aren’t hurting.
But that’s what a lot of us always do.
Instead, I saw an opportunity to connect deeper with people who look like me and feel like me and use storytelling as a way to illustrate the path forward.
In stories, we follow a hero facing a conflict — an insurmountable obstacle. Once the second act starts and the hero has committed to their journey, they enter a roller coaster ride of ups and downs and twists and turns.
Along the way, they meet allies, friends, guides, and mentors. On the opposing side, they meet villains, foes, enemies, and obstacles trying to prevent them from achieving their goal.
What we don’t see in stories is complacent characters — people unwilling to take a side and who don’t stand for anything or have any values.
Because they don’t move the story forward.
What we do see in stories (quite often, actually) are conflicted characters — characters that don’t want to rock the boat, or want to wait to see who wins to make an allegiance, or who are just interested in personal gain that they can potentially get from either side.
(If you’re a Star Wars fan, this is like Han Solo. He was a smuggler acting as a mercenary and only concerned about the reward he would receive from rescuing Princess Leia.)
But what always happens?
The conflicted character ends up taking a stance. Their conscience is eating at them to do the right thing and they realize that the bigger cause is more important than their personal gain, convenience, or comfortability.
And then what happens?
The tide shifts.
Just as the hero is about to give up, or be overtaken by the villain, they now have the strength of community to give the final push necessary to achieve their goal.
This is the point of our story where we are now.
We have the chance to take a stand for good. For humanity.
We have the chance to be the ally to our fellow humans and help them defeat the darkness.
We have the chance to sway the story and change the outcome.
(photos by Anna Norwood)
Rain Bennett is a two-time Emmy-nominated filmmaker, writer, and competitive storyteller with over a decade of experience producing documentary films that focus on health and wellness. His mission is simple: to make the world happier and healthier by sharing stories of change.
You can read the rest of “Right as Rain” here, and check back every Wednesday on Chapelboro for a new column!
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