Time Line for an amazing non profit!

Everytime I do a timeline or I work with an organization that is doing a story telling map, I emphasize the idea that they will know more about who they are after the first round is done. Quite often, they say, "we will get it all the first time around". Well, I haven't been wrong yet. What is so important about this act of clarification and reflection is that the organization makes decisions about the stories they want to carry forward. Who knew the color of the Bug would be important or that the wheels of the bike needed to be equal in the front and the back, or the first fundraiser sold cakes and not cupcakes? Well, for this organizations it mattered! Their story tells more about who they are and how they do business than anyone might know. Self Help has played a vital role in influencing predatory housing laws for almost 30 years and has been incredibly influential in rethinking downtown Durham NC. It all started in the blue Volkswagon you see pictured at the front of the map... for HP it was a garage and for these folks, it is a Bug.

Write your story, and then write it again. The richness comes the second time around. Ohhh how lucky I am to do what I have the priviledge to do- capture stories.