Chandra Guinn, Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at McKinney visited Brandcenter to speak about culturally informed storytelling at a recent forum. Chandra gave insight into how culture and authentic storytelling stand out in today’s crowded brand landscape in her talk titled, “Tell me you know me without telling me you know me.
Key Takeaways included:
- Culture isn’t fleeting trends or what trended on Instagram last night. It’s the ground beneath us: values, laws, artifacts, ideas and norms all intertwined.
- Storytelling is central to being human. We interpret the world, connect, and build meaning through stories.
- Authentic, culturally-informed storytelling is more than “nice to have.” It’s a business imperative for brand equity and long-term relevance.
- Chandra challenged students to ask critical questions: What is your story and why does the brand care? Whose story are you telling? Who have you asked for permission and accountability? How does it feel to those represented?
About ChandraChandra joined McKinney after serving as Director of the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture at Duke University, where she provided inclusive leadership across cultural, intellectual and community programming. She previously taught at UNC and Duke, and holds a B.A. in Sociology from Bucknell University and a Master’s in Sociology from UNC Chapel Hill.