I'm pleased to announce the launch of my new blog series, Storytelling in Pop Culture. In this series, I’ll be highlighting news in pop culture from a storytelling perspective. I'll further point out interesting moments that bring the power of storytelling to the forefront and give unique insights that we all can use for our professional and business endeavors. Just to be clear this is not about taking a personal stance, entertainment news, or gossip. Instead, this is about emphasizing moments in current affairs that have put the skill of storytelling to the test.
Sadly this series starts off with the death of a civil rights icon and American hero, Rep. John Lewis. As the country celebrates his heroic contributions towards civil rights and democracy, the Georgia voters must now consider their options for representation that are now void of such a big voice. One of those options is Angela Stanton-King, who was recently interviewed by Breakfast Club.
As a storyteller actively working with citizens returning from the criminal justice system, I was fascinated by the interview. While the interview explored several hot button topics (abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and the Trump administration), Angela successfully navigated the storytelling world by making sure her story was forward-looking and not tied down by her past realities. As a story coach that has helped returning citizens change their narratives from one of pain to purpose, it was clear Angela deftly navigated this skill and, it allowed her to pivot the conversation her to message.
Here are two key takeaways from the interview from a storytelling perspective:
Every opportunity to introduce yourself is an opportunity to tell your story. Angela did not miss the chance to take advantage of this opportunity. Instead, she made the most of it. She did this by telling the story of her incarceration and how it led to her finding her purpose/calling as a writer, achieving financial freedom, and going into public service.
Use your story to stamp your credibility and expert status. I refer to this as establishing your points of credibility. Let's face it, Angela is relatively unknown in the political arena. However, by owning her experiences as someone previously marginalized, she referenced specific government policies that harmed her at her lows or helped her at her highs. By doing this, she was able to establish a certain level of credibility. Not only did it change the power dynamic during the conversation, but she left the audience with the impression that she truly has a shot and is a candidate to be reckoned with despite her relatively unknown status.
Check out the Breakfast Club interview here to see the powerful storytelling moments mentioned above.