Moderator:
- Imran Haider, Director of Online Programs & Assistant Professor of Practice, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
Panelists:
- Garrett Freibott-Kalt, Co-Founder & Lead Strategist, People First Communications
- Amethyst Freibott-Kalt, Co-Founder & Lead Storyteller, People First Communications
- Jacob Granneman, Creative Producer & Marketing Specialist, US Digital
- Josh Munson, Major Gift Officer, Memorial Foundation | MultiCare Health System
Length of Lesson: 75-90 minutes
- 10 minute warm-up
- 50 minute panel
- 15-20 minute discussion
- Optional classroom activities:
- Tell the Story with Dignity
- Listening Before Leading
- Reflection assignment
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Explain how communication can inspire positive social change.
- Analyze the role storytelling plays in nonprofit advocacy and public engagement.
- Evaluate why listening and empathy are essential communication skills.
- Recognize the ethical responsibilities involved in telling other people’s stories.
- Examine how communication professionals build trust with communities and stakeholders.
- Reflect on how communication skills can serve the public good in any profession.
1: Pre-Video Warm-Up
Activity: “What Causes Matter to You?”
Ask students to spend two minutes writing responses to the following questions:
- What issue in your community concerns you the most?
- If you could convince people to care about one issue, what would it be?
- How could communication help create change?
Invite several volunteers to share.
Transition:
Today’s panel explores how communication professionals use storytelling, empathy, and strategic messaging to inspire people to take action and improve their communities.
2: Watch the Presentation
Teacher Note
Encourage students to listen for examples of:
- empathy
- storytelling
- nonprofit communication
- fundraising
- advocacy
- listening
- ethical decision-making
- relationship building
- civic engagement
- leadership
3. Post-Viewing Discussion Questions
- Several panelists described career paths that changed significantly after college.
What experiences helped them discover work that aligned with their values? - Garrett Freibott-Kalt emphasized listening before communicating.
Why is listening often more important than speaking when trying to create meaningful change? - Jacob Granneman described documentary storytelling as “lifting people up” rather than simply reporting facts.
How can storytelling empower individuals while still remaining truthful and ethical? - The panelists repeatedly emphasized relationships over transactions.
Why is building trust especially important in nonprofit communication and fundraising? - Amethyst Freibott-Kalt discussed the responsibility of telling someone else’s story accurately and respectfully.
What ethical responsibilities do communicators have when representing vulnerable communities? - Several speakers encouraged students to remain curious and open to unexpected career opportunities.
Why can adaptability become an important professional skill? - The panelists challenged the stereotype that nonprofit work is “not about business.”
How do communication, fundraising, marketing, and financial sustainability work together to support nonprofit missions? - The discussion highlighted how communication professionals often become advocates for people whose voices are underrepresented.
Why is representation important in journalism, public relations, and media? - Throughout the conversation, the panelists emphasized authenticity over persuasion.
How can audiences recognize when communication is genuinely intended to help people rather than simply improve an organization’s image? - The speakers argued that communication skills can be used in virtually every profession.
How might the principles discussed in this panel apply to journalism, business, education, healthcare, government, or your future career?
Optional Activity 1: Tell the Story with Dignity
Time: 20 minutes
Divide students into small groups.
Provide each group with a fictional nonprofit scenario.
Examples:
- A youth mentoring organization
- A food bank
- A homeless shelter
- A community health clinic
- An environmental cleanup organization
Each group must develop a short communication plan that includes:
- The organization’s mission
- The audience they want to reach
- One story they would share
- How they would protect the dignity and privacy of the people featured
- What action they want audiences to take
Groups present their communication strategy to the class.
Optional Activity 2: Listening Before Leading
Time: 15–20 minutes
Students pair up.
Partner A speaks for two minutes about an issue they care about in their community.
Partner B may only listen.
Afterward, Partner B summarizes:
- What they heard
- What values they recognized
- What emotions were expressed
- What questions they still have
Students then switch roles.
Finish with a class discussion:
- Was listening more difficult than speaking?
- How did being fully heard affect the conversation?
- Why might communication professionals begin with listening instead of messaging?
Reflection Assignment
Prompt
The panelists argued that communication has the power to improve people’s lives when it is rooted in empathy, trust, and authentic storytelling.
Write one page reflecting on:
- Which speaker’s message resonated with you most.
- Why listening is an essential communication skill.
- How you could use communication to make a positive impact in your school, community, or future career.
Support your reflection with examples from the panel discussion.
Key Takeaways
Students should leave understanding that:
- Communication can be a powerful tool for creating positive social change.
- Effective storytelling begins with listening and understanding others.
- Ethical communication requires honesty, empathy, and respect for the people whose stories are shared.
- Building relationships often creates greater long-term impact than simply delivering messages.
- Trust is earned through consistency, authenticity, and transparency.
- Communication careers exist across nonprofit organizations, healthcare, education, business, government, and many other sectors.
- Every communicator has the opportunity – and responsibility – to use their skills in service of others.
Teacher Notes
Media Literacy Connections
Although this panel focuses on nonprofit communication, it reinforces several foundational media literacy concepts that extend well beyond charitable organizations.
Key themes include:
- Ethical Storytelling: Students examine how communicators balance compelling narratives with accuracy, dignity, informed consent, and respect for the people whose stories are being shared.
- Representation Matters: The panel encourages students to think critically about whose voices are amplified, whose perspectives may be missing, and how media can either reinforce or challenge existing inequalities.
- Listening as Media Literacy: Rather than focusing solely on creating persuasive messages, students learn that responsible communication begins with careful listening, understanding community needs, and accurately representing diverse experiences.
- Trust Through Authenticity: The discussion demonstrates that credibility is built through honest communication, transparency, and long-term relationships rather than emotional manipulation or sensationalism.
- Purpose-Driven Communication: Students explore how communication professionals use journalism, public relations, documentary filmmaking, fundraising, and digital media to educate audiences, encourage civic participation, and strengthen communities.
This lesson encourages students to view communication not simply as a career skill, but as a civic responsibility that can shape public understanding, influence decision-making, and contribute to meaningful social change.