Framing 101

Framing is the choices we make in what we say and how we say it:

• What we emphasize
• How and what we explain
• What we leave unsaid

These choices matter. They affect how people hear us, what they understand, and how they act.

The science of framing helps us to be heard and understood. When we change the story and how we tell it, we can change the world.

Featured Resources: Fast Frames Video Series

For a quick glimpse at some of the basics of framing, check out Fast Frames — a six-part mini-series featuring quick advice that you can use to make your communications more effective.

Each of the videos in this series shares a specific framing tip to help you advance your social change work, including lessons on:

• Leading with solutions
• Talking about data
• Alternatives to “vulnerability” framing
• Using visuals to spark big-picture thinking
• Telling more effective stories about the success of your social change work

Explore the resources below to take a deeper dive into the fundamentals of framing.