Define American

No system should force people to lose access to those they love. Family separation is built into our immigration system at two key moments: when people are detained at the U.S. border while seeking entry, and when undocumented individuals are placed into removal proceedings and ultimately deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At a minimum, we should demand policies that keep families together and guarantee that every child and every family has access to fair, adequate legal representation. #Undocumented #ImmigrantsBelong #DefineAmerican

Last night in NYC, we hosted a screening of Invisible Borders to a packed theater at Village East by Angelika. The evening was moderated by Define American’s very own Director of Communications and Brand, Ana Murillo Quiñones, in conversation with screenwriter and lead actor Bernardo Berrato, Professor Lenni Benson, Chaired Professor of Immigration and Human Rights Law at New York Law School, and actor Robbie Johns. The screening sparked meaningful conversation and deep engagement. Most importantly, it was a reminder of the power of storytelling to build connection and inspire hope, something that feels especially needed right now. 📍Couldn’t make? Next stops in Detroit, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Sedona, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. ⬇️ Stay tuned for upcoming showings. https://lnkd.in/eyubYEwi #ImmigrantsBelong

🚨 The way we think about audiences is changing and fast. Join us for the next Narrative Research Lab webinar in two weeks: 📅 Friday, May 15 ⏰ 2pm ET This session is Part 2 of our 3-part series: Segmenting, Reaching, and Moving Audiences. This series dives into what actually works, from segmenting by shared values to reaching people through media habits and cultural touchpoints. We’ll be joined by: 🔹 Define American's very own Sarah E. Lowe, Ph.D., VP of Communications & Research, will share insights from a multi-phase research collaboration with Harmony Labs—plus what happened when those learnings were put into practice across 10 organizations through the Immigrants Belong initiative (in partnership with Tides). 🔹 Maria Liliana Ramirez, PhD., Narrative Research Specialist at Justice Action Center(JAC), will break down how JAC applied the “Move Them or Lose Them” framework to their own audience research and how they’re using it to reach the elusive “Conflicted Collin.” If you’re thinking about how to better understand, reach, and move your audiences, this is for you! RSVP now: https://lnkd.in/ep8RRJ9d #Webinar #AudienceStrategy #NarrativeResearchLab

StoryLab by Define American is here. The immigration narrative crisis is real. Misinformation shapes policy. Harmful stereotypes persist onscreen and online. StoryLab is how we close that gap at scale. Built on more than a decade of research, field partnerships, and storytelling campaigns, StoryLab translates Define American's expertise into practical, accessible tools for media professionals, journalists, creators, and immigration advocates. Three sessions are now live, featuring: • The Entertainment session led by TV writer Justin Spitzer (The Office, Superstore, St. Denis Medical) on writing immigrant characters that are complex, human, and culturally accurate • The Digital Media session led by content creator Ami McClure on creator influence, authenticity, and turning personal story into cultural impact • The Across Platforms session led by Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, on storytelling that reshapes how people understand belonging. Explore it here: https://lnkd.in/esKDQd5x #StoryLab #Learning #Platform #ImmigrantStories #Storytelling #Digital #ContentCreators

At last week's Narrative Research Lab webinar, we were joined by Julia Coffin and Rabhya Mehrotra from More in Common, a research organization dedicated to understanding polarization and finding real opportunities to bring people together to address the world's hardest challenges. It was a vital conversation about what really shapes how people think about immigration and how we can communicate in ways that actually connect. Using More in Common's research, we explored: ✅ Why values matter in audience strategy ✅ The “Five Cs” framework ✅ How to understand audiences beyond basic demographics ✅ Practical ways to build messages that resonate ➡️ Swipe for a recap of the conversation and key strategies for converting audience messaging into action. #NarrativeResearchLab #Webinar

Exciting news! Our #immigrantsBelong campaign, in partnership with Tides and the Immigrants Belong Community of Narrative Practice, made up of 10 immigration advocacy organizations, won both The Webby Awards and People's Voice Award in Social & Games - Belonging & Inclusion Category! Huge congrats to Define American's programs team, Tides, and the 10 immigration advocacy groups that made this campaign possible While you're at it, learn more about the Immigrants Belong Toolkit: https://lnkd.in/e62_rYWV La Union Del Pueblo Entero Aliento Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) Texas Civil Rights Project Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO) Asian American Advocacy Fund Justice Action Center #Webbys

Your purpose shouldn't become your PR risk. In a moment of deep polarization, narrative change is the goal, but "purpose fatigue" is the reality. Organizations are scaling their social impact work, but finding it harder than ever to show up on complex issues in a way that builds trust without being seen as performative or exploitative. At #EFG2026, Mindy Nguyen (Upworthy), Carolline K. (Levi Strauss & Co. Foundation), Dulce Valencia Sanchez (Define American), and Sarah Sheffer (Refugees International) are unpacking the blueprint for shifting divisive narratives through authentic, cross-sector partnerships. Their session, "The Threads Between Us," goes beyond typical storytelling theory and into the actual systems required to move the "movable middle" on politically charged issues like immigration. What you'll walk away with: ✅ A practical framework for narrative partnerships that center community without exploitation ✅ Insights on how to shift narratives in measurable ways ✅ A Clearer understanding of how storytelling fuels cultural influence ✅ Real-time feedback on navigating your own organization's narrative challenges If you’re ready to learn how to build a storytelling strategy that drives measurable narrative change and policy influence, don't miss this one at #EFG2026. Register for #EFG2026, April 21–24, in Palm Springs: https://lnkd.in/gi8yyJxz

Books teach kids they matter. Define American's Vice President of Communications and Research, Sarah E. Lowe, Ph.D., is reading “Someone Just Like You" for every child being held in immigration detention across the country right now. Join the #ReadThemHome campaign, which aims to shine a light on the harm and suffering that children and families have endured in detention centers. Read aloud, share your video, and take action to bring every child home. #ReadThemHome #EndFamilyDetention #Belonging

📅 Happening tomorrow: Narrative Research Lab ⬇️ What if we've been thinking about “audiences” all wrong? As conversations around immigration continue to be framed as a binary—“pro” vs. "anti"—our field risks missing the nuance that actually drives how people think, feel, and act. In the next installment of the Narrative Research Lab three-part webinar series, Reaching New Audiences in New Ways, we'll explore how a deeper, more human understanding of audiences can transform our communications strategies. Drawing on new research from More in Common, this session introduces a people-centered approach that goes beyond demographics to focus on values, motivations, and lived experiences. We’ll unpack the “Five Cs” framework—control, competence, compassion, contribution, and community—and explore how these dimensions shape public attitudes toward immigration. We’ll also dive into how audience segmentation can be used as a practical tool to: ✅ Move beyond surface-level assumptions ✅ Identify persuadable groups ✅ Build messaging that resonates across differences RSVP to join us and receive a post-session synthesis of key takeaways: bit.ly/nrlregistration #AudienceStrategy #ImmigrationNarratives #StrategicCommunications

It’s a common misconception that undocumented immigrants do not pay taxes. In reality, billions of dollars are contributed each year to federal, state, and local systems, by millions of undocumented immigrants, often without a promise of benefits being accessible. This carousel breaks down how the system works and why it matters. #Undocumented #TaxSeason #ImmigrantsMatter #DefineAmerican