On Castbox.fm — Garrett Moore | Teaching Beginners
How can personal storytelling be used as a tool to motivate others to take action and drive community change?
One individual’s experience with chronic pain and Parkour became the catalyst for teaching others to harness their stories for change.
It’s the classic challenge of anyone who’s trying to organize at the grassroots level for any societal change: How to build enough of a consensus amongst a large enough group of people. […] You have to find the group that shares your common values.
~ Garrett Moore (12:07)
The conversation explores the application of personal storytelling as a tool to drive collective action, particularly within the Parkour community. Garrett details his experience leading a workshop at Art of Retreat. He recounts how his session, designed to teach the power of personal narratives in inspiring social change, led to unexpected levels of participant engagement, with multiple attendees voluntarily sharing personal stories long after the session had concluded.
The conversation expands to include broader topics, such as the importance of honesty and vulnerability in leadership, the challenges of grassroots organizing, and the relevance of these skills in non-political spaces. There is also discussion about the intersection of movement practice and social activism, with reflections on how Parkour communities can benefit from organizational tools commonly used in electoral and nonprofit campaigns.
Takeaways
Personal narrative — Sharing personal stories can motivate others to take meaningful action.
Community action — Grassroots organizing benefits from shared values and collective storytelling.
Workshop engagement — A successful session can spark spontaneous participant involvement beyond the planned agenda.
Leadership vulnerability — Acknowledging personal nervousness or imperfection fosters a stronger connection with audiences.
Broader applications — Storytelling tools developed for political campaigns can drive change in local communities and niche groups.
Resources
Art of Retreat — Parkour leadership and education retreat where the workshop took place.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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