Pandemic Response: Part 2 Messages of Hope 1 From across civil society

Centre for Story-Based Strategy

Love vs. Pandemic

In this fraught moment when all possible outcomes are being contested, we ground ourselves in the meaningful work of collective care, being in mutual aid, and reorganizing for justice and resilience, to build powerful paths toward a better future.

In this spirit, we are paying collective attention and care to challenge the story that COVID-19 will inevitably travel the well-worn paths of inequality, and to challenge the story that physical distancing will inevitably mean social isolation. We know that the greedy heads of Capitalism and hyper-individualism who operate on fear and control will not get us through this, and we continue the work to lift up the stories of love and organizing that will.

ReFrame

A movement moment: Narrative in the time of corona

Many of us are worried about the worst: what if my family gets sick? What if my partner loses their job? How will my parents have income? Will my friend have somewhere to live? These worries extend beyond our homes to our neighbors, to our communities, to our states, and to our country.

These worries feel heavier, because we all understand that as a society, as governments, and industries respond to the pandemic – these responses will shape norms and rules in society for the foreseeable future.

Common sense in society is up for grabs, and what is true about society can significantly shift. The question is: How will we move in this moment to shape the post-pandemic world in ways that were unimaginable two months ago?