PROJECT OVER ZERO & AMERICAN IMMIGRATION COUNCIL - COMMUNICATING INCLUSION
Supporting communities to develop welcoming narratives around immigration
WHAT?
Communicating Inclusion was a multi-city initiative that reimagined how local leaders talk about immigration in divided communities. Instead of promoting a national message, we co-designed a training program and toolkit that equip city organizers to become community researchers—uncovering the values, fears, and motivations that shape how residents engage with the topic of immigration. By grounding messaging in local realities rather than assumptions, this work helped leaders move beyond persuasion toward connection—supporting the creation of more inclusive and welcoming communities.
WHY?
Pro-immigration efforts in the U.S. have long relied on national narratives that often oversimplify complex local realities and fail to resonate with communities feeling left behind. In some cases, these messages unintentionally exclude the very people needed to build broad-based support for more inclusive narratives and policies. With growing polarization and distrust, city leaders found themselves without the tools to listen deeply or adapt their communication strategies to their diverse contexts. This created a critical need for new, community-driven approaches that foster understanding, reduce division, and equip leaders to build bridges—laying the groundwork for truly welcoming communities.
OUTCOME
We developed a half-day “train-the-trainer” program and a comprehensive toolkit that equips city organizers and community leaders to conduct their own audience research and develop tailored welcomeing communication strategies. These resources help identify trusted messengers, surface local narratives, and craft messages that reflect the lived realities of diverse communities.
The result is a shift in how communities engage the topic of immigration—not with fear or formulaic responses, but with informed, context-specific strategies grounded in empathy and understanding.
DURATION
2 years, 2017 - 2019
LOCATION
United States
MY ROLE
Conducted design research
Co-designed curriculum and TOT
Co-developed toolkit
Facilitated training sessions
TEAM
Rachel Brown
Nicholas Chan
Samantha Owens
Wendy Feliz
HOW?
We used participatory research and iterative design to build tools that would support local leaders in shifting the conversation around immigration. The process unfolded in four interconnected phases:
Contextual assessment — conducting discovery visits in four U.S. cities to observe dynamics on the ground, interview local leaders, and understand audience perceptions, values, and communication gaps.
Curriculum co-design — developing and piloting a half-day “train-the-trainer” program alongside a facilitation guide, workbook, and research toolkit to support community-led message development.
Toolkit creation — building adaptable tools for local organizers to map narratives, conduct interviews and workshops, and identify trusted messengers within their communities.
Pilot testing and iteration — refining the training and materials based on feedback from local partners to ensure accessibility, cultural relevance, and long-term usability.
