Theory of Change #4: Inspiring Action

When I think of the most important thing we do at The Pollination Project, I realize that above all else we are storytellers.

Story is powerful. In many ways, story is the architecture of our lives.

As humans, we are programmed to understand the world through stories. The narratives we hear – about history, culture, politics, and social change – mold individual perceptions that become our reality.

Increasingly, the dominant stories in the public sphere paint a reality that feels intractably negative. Pandemic, climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, violence…these issues can feel overwhelming and hopeless. Many people may feel that they alone do not have the power, time, or resources to bring positive change.

The stories of our changemakers from across the globe are a core part of our theory of change. They inspire action and act as an antidote to apathy; they create a new narrative of what is possible when we realize that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The work itself that our changemakers undertake is undoubtedly meaningful; yet the inspiration that ripples out when their stories are told is potentially limitless.

I encourage you to immerse yourself in our stories. Each week, we tell a new one that you can read on our website; and every day, we share photos and highlights through our social media channels. May they inspire you, and may you recognize in them your own power, agency, and responsibility for doing what you can, where you can, with what you have.

This is the fourth in a series of blogs highlighting The Pollination Project’s Theory of Change. Click here to read the introduction, here to read the first post on uplifting individual action, and here to read the post about building capacity & collaboration. The most recent post on inner transformation can be found here.

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