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Why people don't show up (and what we can do about it) with Matt Penniman, Cecilia Sepp, Stacy Averill, and Michelle Thompson-McCune

Storylinking

Release Date: 04/22/2025

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Building authentic community engagement, with insights from across the Storylinking community

With this episode of Storylinking, we're trying something a little different. Instead of a one-on-one interview, I’ve pulled together responses from four generous members of the Storylinking community: Matt Penniman, a writer and community advocate; Cecilia Sepp, a longtime association and nonprofit leader; Stacy Averill, a leadership coach and facilitator; and Michelle Thompson-McCune, a co-creative designer who builds with communities. Each of them shares their take on why it’s hard to get people to engage, and what’s actually worked for them. We talk about trust, fear, making things together, and the small shifts that can help us to create more space for engagement.

What I love about the advice shared in this episode is how practical and honest it is. You’ll hear reflections on building trust through small commitments, creating room for quieter voices, and how to structure our invitations for participation. Stay tuned to the end, and you'll hear me wrap up the episode with a bit of behind-the-scenes context on how this special format came together, with help from our engaged Storylinking community!

Connect with Matt Penniman:

Connect with Cecilia Sepp:

Connect with Stacy Averill:

Connect with Michelle Thompson-McCune

Check out more from Storylinking:

Key moments from this episode:

00:29 Intro

01:53 Insights from Matt Penniman on Climate and Communication

07:00 Cecilia Sepp on Nonprofit Leadership and Engagement

11:22 Stacy Averill on Leadership and Vulnerability

20:31 Michelle Thompson-McCune on Co-Creative Design

31:39 Conclusion and Behind The Scenes