Jean Melesaine Leasiolagi (She/Her/ They/Them)
Director
“Narrative is a powerful tool for organizing, and we must bridge technical storytellers with experienced organizers to create media strategies that drive impact.”
Leading Edge Idea
Jean’s Leading Edge idea is to create a Narrative Change Incubator to strengthen movement infrastructure by connecting multimedia storytellers with local groups and organizations.
In 1-2 sentences, what is your vision for your community and California?
I envision a California where communities that the current administration has targeted can own their narratives throughout these next four years without any threats to their well-being, health, or safety.
How will the Leading Edge Fund support you in achieving your vision?
The Leading Edge Fund will enable me to bring together a collective of powerful storytelling creatives to craft compelling organizing strategies and drive narrative change for movements across the state.
Can you share a story that exemplifies the problem you are trying to solve (either personally or in your work)?
Storytelling is deeply personal and subjective, but when done with intention, it can reveal something universal. Sometimes, a single story, told the right way, has the power to shift hearts, challenge systems, and even spare someone from a life sentence. I’ve seen that impact both in my organizing work and in my own family.
I was trained to use media as a strategic tool, not just to fluff a campaign or organization but to activate communities and build collective awareness. A lot of organizers are already stretched thin, causing narrative work to be placed on the back burner when it should be vital to movement work.
We need to treat storytelling – across all mediums – as a core part of movement building. It’s a muscle we have to develop intentionally if we want to shift culture and create lasting change.
Briefly share 1) Who needs to understand your work and 2) What is your call to action for them?
Creatives with storytelling and production skills should be connected with organizations that lack resources for narrative and media work. When prioritized as a core part of organizing, media and narrative work can be a powerful tool for shifting culture and driving systemic, transformative change.
This effort aims to bring together creative storytellers with organizers and will also encourage funders and donors to support narrative change as a key part of movement work.