The Power of Narrative & Culture to Shape Democracy: The Roots of Belonging

Our democracy doesn’t begin at the ballot box – it begins in culture and the stories that we tell of who belongs, creates our collective values and demonstrates how we treat one another.

This panel convenes leading thinkers across multiple sectors to examine how narratives of identity and belonging shape the possibility of a multiracial democracy. From historical moments like The Birth of a Nation screening at the White House to contemporary battles over book bans and curriculum, we’ll explore why culture is often the first site of democratic struggle.

Rather than abstract theory, this conversation focuses on how cultural work materializes democratic hope—and where those efforts are most vulnerable right now. As part of SxSW’s Impact Lounge, this session invites funders, creators, and civic leaders to think critically about narrative as democratic infrastructure. Because art doesn’t just reflect society. It shapes who gets to belong. 

Moderator: alvin starks, Vice President of Programs

Speakers:

• Yrthya Dinzey Flores, Senior Vice President
• Kashif M. Shaikh, Co-Founder and President
• Rinka Sen, Executive Director, Narrative Initiative