Hosted by Professor Ariel Bierbaum and the URSP604 Planning Process class and sponsored by the Urban Studies and Planning Program
Narrative Strategies and Communication for Justice
Laura Hughes,
Director of Narrative Strategies, PolicyLink
This week, we welcome Laura A. Hughes, Director of Narrative Strategies at PolicyLink. She will share about the Housing Justice Narrative Initiative and their Toolkit and provide reflections on the importance of storytelling and strategic communications in planning for just outcomes.
Contact Ariel Bierbaum for Zoom Meeting information
ABOUT THE lectureR
Ms. Hughes is a curious learner, change-maker, and persuasive leader with high emotional intelligence. At PolicyLink she is responsible for harnessing the power of narrative to advance racial equity and justice specific to housing for the more than one million individuals who live below 200 percent of the poverty level. Hughes has led numerous projects including the strategic alignment of corporate and philanthropic partners to layer-focused investments to dramatically influence the trajectory of a neighborhood and achieve measurable gains for children and families. Additionally, she served as a program officer with The Skillman Foundation and as the Executive Director of the Ruth Ellis Center, a homeless and runaway shelter dedicated to the needs of LGBTQ youth. Prior to her role with Gusto Partners, LLC, Laura served as the Vice President of Communications & Community for a woman-owned, $500 million IT and business services corporation with 3,000 consultants and 32 offices in the US and Europe. Laura earned a Bachelor of Arts with High Honors in Anthropology from Brown University and her Master in Public Health, Health Behavior Health Education, from the University of Michigan. She was a 2016 German Marshall Fellow.