Narrative is Power: Using Story to Shift Culture and Build Trust

Join Roderick Red, filmmaker and CEO of Red Squared, for this week’s Fall Media Mentor Series session, presented by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center. Stories don’t just inform — they influence how communities see themselves and how institutions are held accountable. This session will explore how communication strategists and filmmakers use narrative to shape culture, deepen public trust and create measurable impact. Drawing from experience producing documentaries and leading strategy-driven campaigns rooted in the South, this mentor will discuss how emerging media professionals can center lived experience, translate complex issues into human stories and move audiences beyond awareness to action. Participants will be challenged to think bigger than content — to think impact — and consider how their storytelling choices shape public perception, credibility and change.