Last October at Further Together, one of the most thought-provoking conversations focused on something often invisible in workforce development, but deeply powerful: narrative.
Moderated by Tameshia Bridges Mansfield, the panel featured Keely Cat-Wells (Making Space), Tamiera “TC” Nash (Louisiana Opportunity Youth Alliance), and Tracy Van Slyke (Pop Culture Collaborative). Together, they explored how cultural stories shape how we see work, workers, and workforce systems—and how those stories influence what we fund, what we scale, and who we value.
As we navigate polarized and uncertain times, shaping a narrative grounded in shared humanity—where opportunity is not zero-sum but something we build together—feels more urgent than ever.
So the question becomes: What is the workforce development narrative today? And what do we want it to be?
Narrative Is Not Messaging—It’s Power
Narrative is not a tagline, or just “messaging.” Narrative is the deep cultural story that defines who is deserving, who is capable, who is to blame, and what solutions feel possible. It shapes individual beliefs and institutional behavior. It influences whether workforce development is seen as an investment in talent—or as a remedial intervention for “those people.”
Tracy Van Slyke emphasized that narrative change is not an add-on to systems change—it is central to it. For decades, investments in programs and policies have also (intentionally or not) reinforced harmful assumptions. If we are serious about equity, we must ask:
- What stories have we funded?
- What assumptions have we normalized?
- What harms have we perpetuated?
- And what narrative are we building now?
Workforce development does not operate outside culture. It reflects and reproduces it.
How the Field’s Narrative Has Evolved
The field has not stood still. Over time, many practitioners have shifted from deficit-based framing—focusing on what individuals lack—to asset-based approaches that highlight strengths, potential, and systemic barriers.
This evolution matters.
Deficit narratives imply personal failure. Asset-based narratives recognize structural barriers and human potential. The shift reframes participants not as problems to solve but as people with talent.
Narrative shifts like these change more than language. They change who is seen as valuable.
Why Narrative Work Is Hard
Because narrative change is long-term, nonlinear, and often invisible, it can be hard to make a “case” for narrative investment. There are no immediate metrics. Pushback is inevitable. Wins are incremental. Culture shifts slowly—until suddenly it doesn’t.
Practitioners face real challenges:
- Balancing data with storytelling
- Moving from sympathy-driven stories to empathy-centered ones
- Sustaining momentum beyond a campaign
- Integrating narrative strategy into already stretched program work
- Demonstrating an ROI for narrative work
- Feeling like their efforts are a drop in a very big ocean
Narrative change is also internal work. Many of us have absorbed harmful narratives without realizing it. Undoing those assumptions requires personal reflection and humility.
What does Successful Narrative Shift look like?
Success cannot be measured by a single headline or resolution.
It might look like:
- Legislators adopting new language
- Media framing workforce programs as investments in talent
- Employers recognizing disability inclusion as innovation
- Public opinion shifting toward shared prosperity
Ultimately, narrative change requires shifts in beliefs, behaviors, identity, and policy. Narrative change is about creating a different cultural “ocean” for people to swim in—one where equity feels normal and investment feels obvious. In our next post, we’ll take a deeper dive into what that “ocean” might look like in workforce development.
