Who We Are

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Narrative Nation ™ champions health equity by democratizing how the story of health disparities is told. We co-create culturally relevant, narrative-centered, multi-media communication, by people of color for people of color, to foster systemic change, transform current health messaging and communication practices and catalyze behavioral shifts to eradicate health disparities. We also educate, train and mentor the youth to become the next generation of health story- tellers. 

Our unique, by us for us approach, puts members of the most affected communities at the center of our theory of change. 

Ultimately, we shift the narrative of health disparities by shifting the narrator. 

And we make it possible for a much broader group of peoples’ stories to be heard and validated; democratizing access to developing and disseminating the narratives that shape our understanding of the world around us. 

We believe a critical element to shifting health behaviors is ultimately about human interaction and narrative communication—the most basic mode of human interaction, not just the science, data and evidence-based approach primarily rooted in and dictated by dominant culture standards. 

Most importantly, we believe who is telling the story matters and that health equity is, at its core, a racial justice issue. 

To that end, we engage and connect skilled African American and Latino journalists, writers, filmmakers and other creatives of color and harness their collective power, media expertise and cultural knowledge to address the greatest public health challenge and most pernicious social injustice of our time. 

ABOUT THE FOUNDER 

Kimberly Seals Allers is an award-winning journalist, author of five books and a nationally recognized media commentator, consultant and advocate for women and infant health. A frequent contributor to The New York Times, Washington Post, Slate and HuffPost, Kimberly was named one of “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” for 2018 by Women’s eNews. 

Kimberly’s fifth book, The Big Let Down— How Medicine, Big Business and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding was published by St. Martin’s Press in January 2017. 

Her career in journalism spans over two decades, during which time she served as a senior editor at ESSENCE, writer at FORTUNE magazine, reporter at The New York Post and worked internationally at The Times of London. 

Kimberly is the former editorial director of The Black Maternal Health Project of Women’s eNews. In 2011, she was named an IATP Food and Community Fellow, a leadership program of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, focused on reframing breastfeeding disparities as a food systems issue. 

She currently leads nationwide workshops for health care professionals on cultural competency and breastfeeding and is a prominent speaker on community-based strategies to reduce the racial disparities in breastfeeding and infant mortality rates. 

Over 10 years ago, Kimberly launched the popular, Mocha Manual series of books for women of color, published by Harper Collins. Her first book in the series, The Mocha Manual to a Fabulous Pregnancy, was turned into a DVD and sold at Wal-Mart, The Mocha Manual to Turning Your Passion into Profit chronicles her “leap of faith” leaving Essence magazine to launch her own brand to create a prescriptive, inspiring guide to entrepreneurship. And The Mocha Manual to Military Life, rounds out the series with a lifestyle guide for military wives and female service members. 

Kimberly has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, Anderson Cooper, the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Fox News and has been featured in various international and national media outlets, including The Guardian (U.K.), U.S. News & World Report, Essence and in various on- line media properties. 

Kimberly is a graduate of New York University and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. A divorced mother of two, she lives in Queens, NY with her children. Learn more at www.KimberlySealsAllers.com.