stepping up by stepping back

Where Good Influence Comes In: Thought Leadership Development

Good Influence partnered with the Youth Advisory Council and Executive Director at Snap Foundation to support the development and publication of a youth-led white paper. To honor the importance of creativity and agency, we developed a multi-media approach that centered the individual stories and principles of each youth advisory council member through written essays, photography, and video vignettes. The white paper served as the foundation’s first public thought leadership piece aimed at articulating its commitment to anchoring community, youth, and creativity in its philanthropic decision-making.

Good Influence brought on a team of creative youth of color who led the graphic design, photography, videography, and editing for this production. Our aim was to capture the stories of eight creative youth of color who became grant makers for their community through visual, audio, and written narrative.

Good Influence’s Deliverables: 

• Directed creative vision, graphic design, and publication of a multi-media and community-driven white paper

• Conducted interviews, writing coaching, and copy editing to shape and refine essay content

• Partnered with a youth-led production company to develop photography and video vignettes featuring found and developed footage conveying the stories of each youth advisory council member

• Partnered with youth musicians to pair video and written narratives with original music

Why Snap Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council Matters:

As noted by one of its Youth Advisory Council members: “Centering community voices and lived experiences can make organizations more impactful, meaningful, and effective while putting power and influence back where it belongs: in the hands of the communities they serve.” Often, the most useful display of a foundation’s power is in the act of stepping back and sharing it with those most proximate to your mission. This was the type of leadership demonstrated by Snap Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council.