710. Stories That Fill the Hope Gap: Closing the Hope Gap with Story - Afdhel Aziz
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Stories That Fill the Hope Gap is a 10-part limited series bringing you eight extraordinary changemakers who are using story to cut through noise, build connection, shift culture, and move people to action.
From Sesame Workshop storytelling around the globe to a hyper-local hip-hop therapy program helping kids navigate mental health in the Bronx to the Center for Countering Digital Hate taking on the most haunting issues of our time, every single conversation left us feeling more hopeful. That is the invitation.
New episodes drop every Wednesday. Share your own story at weareforgood.com/hopegap.
Episode 1: The Hope Gap
We could not open this series without the conversation that framed everything: the keynote Afdhel Aziz delivered live at ImpactUp: Story. This is the thesis. The data. The call. And the playbook.
Meet Afdhel: The Storyteller Making the Case for Hope
Afdhel Aziz is the Chief Creative Officer of Conspiracy of Love, a consultancy that has worked with Adidas, Gap, and Sephora, and the co-founder of Good is the New Cool, a creative studio dedicated to making stories that fill the hope gap. He is also a Forbes journalist and the creative force behind The Solutionaries, a three-part docuseries created with TIME Studios featuring gamechanging innovators solving systemic problems. Afdhel is a Sri Lankan who has lived in London, New York, and now Los Angeles, where he walks his neighborhood every evening and sees the Hollywood sign: a daily reminder that he lives in the world capital of storytelling.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
What the Hope Gap is, where it came from, and why it matters for every changemaker telling stories right now
Why pop culture, social media, and news are all feeding despair, and what that means for how we communicate
Gallup's 2026 finding that hope is the number one thing people want from their leaders, outpacing trust, compassion, and stability combined
Afdhel's 3-step storytelling playbook: start with hope, spark wonder, inspire courageous action
Afdhel's 3-Step Storytelling Playbook
1. Start with hope. Instead of starting with despair, instead of leading with the problem, find the stories of people whose lives your work has touched. Show them as examples of what is working. Start with yes.
2. Spark wonder. Use the full power of storytelling to give people joy, optimism, and hope. Don't just produce cortisol and stress. Spark a different part of their brain, where they start to feel positive and engaged.
3. Inspire courageous action. Always give people an off-ramp. Something clear they can do next. Don't let the story peter off. Make it easy and specific to take the next step, whether that is time, talent, or treasure.
The Hope Gap: The Data
2010: a 5-point gap (44% hopeful, 49% despairing)
2025: a 27-point gap (38% hopeful, 65% despairing)
Gallup 2026: hope is the #1 thing people want from their leaders, outpacing trust, compassion, and stability combined
Edelman: only 15% of people in developed countries believe the next generation will be better off
Negativity in the news has increased 3x faster since 2008
Powerful Quotes
"Despair is paralyzing. Hope is galvanizing." -Afdhel
"Hope is not a fluffy thing. It is the operating system we need right now in ourselves, in our organizations, in society." -Afdhel
"Storytelling is the single greatest tool we have to change how civilization works and how it evolves." -Afdhel
"Don't just tell stories about what is broken. Become the people who are brave enough to really point toward what is possible." -Jon
"We need your stories to help fill the hope gap." -Becky
Connect with Afdhel
Good is the New Cool - Afdhel's creative studio - goodisthenewcool.com
Conspiracy of Love - Afdhel's consultancy - conspiracyoflove.com
The Solutionaries - three-part docuseries with TIME Studios - time.com
Connect with Jon McCoy
Connect with Becky Endicott
Come join us in the We Are For Good Community!
Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this episode, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com
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