This blog was written by Julia Connolly, LFC’s Development and Communications Associate

“Stories are a communal currency of humanity.” —Tahir Shah

One of the great wonders of storytelling is its ability to create spaces where diverse experiences, perspectives, and wisdom come to life. Stories open our eyes, expand our capacities for empathy, and help us see ourselves reflected in new ways. At Leading for Children, we’ve spent the last few months leaning into this power—inviting stories to come forward and embracing the magic that follows.

Stories offer a powerful way of visualizing the world and our role within it. In our February newsletter, LFC’s Executive Director, Nichole Parks, shared a personal story about an uncle who, through humor and cleverness, outwitted a moment of injustice. Wrapped in laughter was a clear lesson: “When people underestimate you, let them—then outsmart them.” These family stories weren’t just frivolous entertainment—they were tools of survival, resilience, and connection.

Stories Unite Us

That spirit carried into February’s National Conversation. Together, we reflected on what it means to be both the sharer and the receiver of stories. Then we put it into practice, pairing up with our fellow community members and telling the story of a meaningful relationship we’ve experienced. In sharing their stories, participants described feeling validated, empowered, supported, and even healed. Listeners felt humbled, trusted, and honored to be let in. Through simple exchanges, people found the beauty and reward in sharing emotion, taking risks to build trust, and in feeling deeply seen and valued. If you’re curious to know more about that conversation, you can find its documentation summary here.

Carrying this momentum forward, our podcast rolled around and offered a dynamic example of how storytelling can bring people together and invite them to reflect in new ways. We heard from father and son duo, Jonathan and Noah Fribley, as they shared the tender, yet powerful story of their relationship—its beautiful and challenging evolution over its multi-decade course. As they each shared their perspectives, insights arose that left them feeling a renewed sense of connection and curiosity.

Stories Activate Us

In March, we turned our attention to how storytelling doesn’t only connect us—it can activate us to engage more fully in our communities and the world at large. We centered our conversation on this quote by Soledad O’Brien:

“If you can tell a story well, you can move people to do something.”

Participants explored stories they’ve heard or shared that moved them to reflect more deeply and act more intentionally. Storytelling helped them identify the values that fuel them and dig deeper into how they want to show up in their communities.

Take Action

Across conversations, newsletters, podcast episodes, and events, a prevailing theme emerged: stories ground us in our humanity and invite us to grow together.

But here’s the thing—storytelling isn’t baked into our daily lives. Often, we assume others won’t want to hear our stories or reveal their own, but what’s become abundantly clear over the last several months is that most of us are secretly (or not-so-secretly) aching to know each other better and be more known! So it requires somebody to start, and that somebody can be you! As you move forward, consider:

• • What stories from your own life have shaped you? How might sharing them empower others?
  • What stories that you’ve heard have made an impact on how you think, feel, or act?
  • How can you create intentional opportunities for people in your life to feel seen and heard?

As the Scottish proverb goes,

“The story is told eye to eye, mind to mind, heart to heart.”

Who we are—our truest, most authentic selves— matters! As we express our truths and listen to those of others, we have a profound opportunity to be known, to know others more deeply, to expand our capacity for empathy, and to strengthen the foundation of wisdom that unites and activates us as a greater community. And when we prioritize storytelling, we are strengthening the thriving communities our children deserve.