In a recent Block & Build episode, ReFrame’s Executive Director hermelinda cortés chats with Convergence Mag's Publisher Cayden Makdives about what narrative power really means for movements fighting to win. If you’re thinking about “narrative” as just a series of stories or good talking points, hermelinda is here to challenge you.
hermelinda reminds us that we’re swimming in narrative conditions—an invisible yet powerful force shaping people’s beliefs, ideas, and behaviors. Social movements that only focus on tactics like messaging or storytelling risk missing the forest for the trees. Instead, she argues, we need to think long-term and strategically about narrative power and its connection to organizing, governing, and meaning-making.
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So what does that look like?
hermelinda explains that building narrative power means responding to the rapid, braided interplay of broadcast media, social media, and micro-conversations across networks. It’s not just about amplifying what we say—it’s about understanding how ideas move, who they reach, and why they resonate.
And it’s not just about belonging—it’s about safety. As hermelinda names in the episode, “Our opposition doesn’t just create belonging; they manufacture fear and offer themselves as the safe haven. What they’re selling is safety.”
As we face escalating crises—climate disasters, attacks on trans communities, and the dismantling of social safety nets—movements need rapid-response infrastructure not just to meet physical needs but to sow and set the narrative in moments of chaos.
This is the hard, necessary work ahead: to win people’s trust, to confront fear with clarity, and to mobilize narrative power for liberation.
🎧 Check out the full episode of Block & Build featuring ReFrame’s hermelinda cortés (begins at 39:00) here.
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