@sumansaurav.com
Writes words for systemic change. Occasionally replies to text. 🤷🏻♀️ Strategic Comms by day, overthinking by night.🌀 🏳️🌈 Dalit, queer, neurodivergent. ✊🏾 If it needs to be loud, I’m on it. 📢 Talk to me about making advocacy talk! 📌 https://sumansaurav.com/
The latest article by our Co-lead, @sumansaurav.com is a tribute to queer communications, queer communicators, and the rebellious, relational, strategic ways our communities have created, connected, and resisted.
💥 Read the piece.
🏳️⚧️ Remember: Pride is not a campaign. It’s a protest.
This #PrideMonth, I want to honour the legacy of queer & trans commsunications. Because everything we now call “nonlinear,” or “audience-centered”, queer folks were doing it long before it was cool.
Here’s to queer communications and queer communicators, across time, borders, and bodies. 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ #LGBTQ+
What do you do when your “let’s support a few orgs with comms and tech during this funding crisis” plan turns into seven full-blown strategies, a digital security guide, and three feminist trainings… in a month?
You cry a little. You scream into the group chat. And then you make a zine about it! 👇
🚨BREAKING: Climate Comms Is Hard🚨
Not because you’re bad at it, Because no one gave you a map - just vibes, a panic timeline, & a broken Google Doc
Our founder @sumansaurav.com wrote the comms therapy manual you didn’t know you needed:
💥15 traps
💥15 fixes
💥0 chill
Read it. Download it. Tattoo it.
We’re offering PRO BONO comms support!
We had 6 sessions booked for just the launch day! This shows exactly how important it is to find collective sharing models for organising.
If you’re a grassroots community, please book a free comms and tech session with us. We truly hope we can support you!
A torn grey paper background reveals an illustration of chained fists breaking free, holding a heart marked with a large red “X.” Above the image, the word “Shadowbanned?” appears in distressed red font. Below, yellow and white text reads: “Here’s How to Beat Instagram/META Censorship – 25 Tactics for Activists, Defenders, and Communicators.” In the bottom right corner, the credit reads: “By Suman Saurav.”
Shadowbanned on Instagram?
Here's a fully accessible, researched, & practical guide with 25+ tactics to bypass shadowbanning and boost visibility for advocates, activists, defenders, and communicators!
Took me an entire day to create. Hope you find this useful!
📌Link: bit.ly/BypassMetaCensorship
A graphic featuring a smiling person with long dark hair, wearing a blue patterned outfit, set against a soft pastel background with floral illustrations. A speech bubble with the word “Hello” is placed near their head. The bold black text on the right reads: “BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ME” in all caps. Below, a nameplate states: “SUMAN SAURAV – Global Advocacy and Movement Communications Strategist and Storyteller.” At the bottom, a text box with a purple background contains the message: “This is a Pro Bono comms support invitation. Especially encouraging grassroots feminist, Dalit, queer, or climate justice groups and organizations with little to no comms budget to reach out for a no-cost strategy conversation.” White sparkles are placed near the text for a subtle decorative touch.
📢Pro Bono Comms Support Invitation🌼
If you're a grassroots feminist, queer, or climate justice group with little to no comms budget, you shouldn’t have to choose between doing the work & telling the world about it.
Book a session! Let’s co-create communications that drive action: lnkd.in/dSkB925V
The US funding freeze and attacks on rights are threatening feminist organisations.
Feminist Humanitarian Network (FHN) urges you to please take this short survey. Your response will inform how funding decisions are being made as the humanitarian system moves forward.
📌🖇️Survey: tr.ee/FHNsurv
The image discusses how feminist advocacy has long recognized gender-washing (corporations using feminism for PR), and similarly, climate movements face "false solutions" that appear progressive but actually cause harm. Example: Carbon offsets allow corporations to continue polluting while claiming “net-zero.” Geoengineering is presented as "innovation" but carries significant unintended risks. Strategic Takeaway: Climate communicators must expose co-opted narratives and push for real solutions. The background image visually represents environmental contrast: one side shows cracked, dry land, while the other depicts lush greenery, symbolizing the tension between real and false climate solutions.
10. The Problem of False Solutions & Co-Opted Language
A young activist with a megaphone, speaking passionately, surrounded by green foliage. The bold white title reads: "Who Holds the Mic? Centering Frontline Voices." The text critiques how climate discourse is dominated by policymakers and corporations, sidelining grassroots activists, Indigenous communities, and Global South voices. The strategic takeaway calls for prioritizing those most affected in climate justice communications.
9. Who Holds the Mic? Centering Frontline Voices
A small green plant growing inside a glass sphere, symbolizing resilience. The bold white title reads: "The Role of Hope vs. Fear in Climate Messaging." The text discusses how feminist advocacy often leans on hope-driven narratives, while climate communications must balance urgency (fear) with solutions (hope). The strategic takeaway emphasizes motivating action without causing paralysis.
8. The Role of Hope vs. Fear in Climate Messaging
A graphic featuring a red megaphone and a cut-out paper figure labeled “propaganda.” The bold white title reads: "The Misinformation Minefield." The text highlights how climate science is targeted by misinformation, more so than most feminist advocacy. Examples include fossil fuel-funded climate denialism and greenwashing. The strategic takeaway advises rigorous fact-checking and strategic counter-messaging.
7. The Misinformation Minefield
A silhouetted image of hands raised in the air against a golden sky. The bold white title reads: "The Power & Pitfalls of Visual Storytelling." The text discusses how visual narratives can either mobilize action or reinforce harm. Examples include ethical concerns around disaster imagery and the importance of FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent). The strategic solution suggests centering collective resilience over individual suffering.
6. The Power & Pitfalls of Visual Storytelling
A close-up of a rusted, leaking water pipe, with hands reaching toward it. The bold white title reads: "Visualizing the Invisible Crisis." The text contrasts feminist advocacy, which highlights lived experiences, with climate advocacy, where impacts are often invisible until disaster strikes. The strategic takeaway encourages the use of storytelling and visuals to make climate crises tangible before they escalate.
5. Visualizing the Invisible Crisis
A landscape with green and dry patches symbolizing environmental shifts. The bold white title reads: "The Urgency vs. Long-Term Solutions Dilemma." The text discusses how climate communication must balance immediate disaster responses with long-term systemic change. The strategic takeaway advises communicators to navigate short-term vs. long-term storytelling effectively.
4. The Urgency vs. Long-Term Solutions Dilemma
A close-up of hands planting a small green sapling in soil. The title in bold white text reads: "Balancing Climate Finance & Feminist Advocacy Language." The text highlights how feminist movements reject corporate-driven models, while climate finance relies on technical frameworks. Examples compare feminist advocacy and climate finance language. The strategic takeaway calls for decolonizing climate finance language without losing funding access.
3. Balancing Climate Finance & Feminist Advocacy Language
A close-up of hands from diverse individuals stacked together in unity. Bold white title: "The Stakeholder Spectrum is Wider." Text explains that climate communication must engage multiple stakeholders, from scientists to activists, while feminist campaigns may focus on more targeted groups. The strategic takeaway emphasizes shaping narratives that bridge silos while staying justice-aligned.
2. The Stakeholder Spectrum Is Wider
A background of Earth from space with a section breaking apart. Bold white title: "The Science-Advocacy Bridge." The text explains that climate advocacy must merge scientific rigor with movement messaging. Examples highlight different language needs for activists, policymakers, and funders. The strategic takeaway advises communicators to translate scientific concepts for diverse audiences without losing urgency or accuracy.
1. The Science-Advocacy Bridge
A digital collage-style graphic with bold white text reading "How Climate Communications Differ from Most Feminist Advocacy Communications." A subheading in smaller white text explains that climate advocacy is feminist advocacy but requires different communication approaches. A stylized hand holds a pocket watch with a butterfly perched on it, symbolizing time and transformation. Green question marks and abstract textures complete the background.
How does Climate Communication 🌱 differ from most Feminist Advocacy Communications ✊🏾 ❓
Unlike feminist advocacy spaces, climate communications are dominated by technical experts and global institutions.
So how do we ensure that we navigate the unique challenges we face as climate communicators?
A background of people lying down with intertwined hands in warm tones. The title in pink reads: “Invest in Community & Relationships, Not Just Visibility.” The text contrasts an approach focused on social media metrics (marked with a red 'X') with one centered on deepening relationships (marked with a green check mark). An illustration of three women’s faces in a soft, sketch-like style is placed at the bottom.
8. Invest in community & relationships, not just visibility!
A close-up image of stacked coins with a small green plant growing from them. The title in pink reads: “Build Fundraising Strategies That Center Collective Resilience Beyond Crisis Appeals.” The text advocates for long-term, solidarity-based funding instead of short-term crisis-driven appeals. A strategy tip at the bottom suggests diversifying revenue streams.
7. Fundraising should center resilience beyond crisis appeals!
A background of people in a meeting discussing crisis response. Illustrated pink-gloved hands are placed over the image. The title in pink reads: “Have a Rapid Response Framework.” The text contrasts a reactive communication strategy (marked with a red 'X') with a proactive crisis messaging approach (marked with a green check mark). A checklist of key crisis response questions is listed.
6. Have a rapid response framework!
A background of a meeting or workshop setting, overlaid with a black-and-white illustration of a microphone and a puppet. The title in pink reads: “Build Decentralized Storytelling Models.” The text advises against reliance on a single spokesperson and instead supports empowering communities to tell their own stories. A strategy tip at the bottom suggests offering media training and security protocols.
5. Build decentralized storytelling models!
A background of activists posing with their arms crossed in an “X” gesture. The title in pink reads: “Create Multi-Layered Messaging for Different Audiences.” The text provides an example of how climate justice movements communicate differently with policymakers, grassroots communities, and the media. The image uses a red 'X' for a one-size-fits-all approach and a green check mark for adaptable messaging.
4. Create multi-layered messaging for different audiences!
A protest scene in the background with a raised fist and a sign reading "Women." The title in pink reads: “Anticipate Political & Economic Shifts.” The text advises creating a “What If” scenario plan to prepare for funding and legal challenges. A puzzle piece illustration at the bottom emphasizes the strategy of mapping different possibilities.
3. Anticipate political & economic shifts!
A background image of a diverse group of people standing close together in warm-toned dresses. The title in pink reads: “Define What You Won’t Compromise On.” A black-and-white megaphone illustration is placed at the bottom. The text contrasts a reactive fundraising approach (marked with a red 'X') with a values-driven messaging strategy (marked with a green check mark).
2. Define what you won't compromise on!
A dark background with silhouetted people raising hands, overlaid with an illustration of three individuals wearing colorful skirts and boots walking forward. The title in pink reads: “Core Messaging Should Be a Compass, Not a Map.” The text advises against rigid messaging and suggests flexible, values-based communication. The left side shows an example of poor messaging with a red 'X,' while the right side presents an improved alternative with a green check mark.
1. Core messaging should be a compass, not a map!
A black-and-white background of a protest scene with people holding signs, overlaid with a digital illustration of a laptop with a megaphone on the screen. The megaphone emits pink sound waves. Two illustrated hands hold the laptop. The title reads: “How to Build a Communications Strategy That Adapts to Crisis & Uncertainty.” The bottom left features the logo "common insights" and credit "By Suman Saurav.
How do we ensure our advocacy remains impactful when funders pull back, authoritarianism rises, and narratives are actively weaponized against us?
❗ Here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of 8 things to keep in mind when developing or adapting your communications strategy in these times 👇🏾
A crowd at a protest with people holding signs that read ‘Justice for Shukri’ and ‘Black Trans Lives Matter’. In the foreground, a person is holding a transgender pride flag. Text overlay reads: 'Trans-Led Groups Impacted by the Funding Freeze: We’re Offering Volunteer Support in Strategic Communications, Cybersecurity, Web Development, and More. Reach Out: info@sumansaurav.com.
If you know of a trans-led group or organization that could benefit from this, please tag them or share this post with them. Let’s support each other in the ways we can. Because solidarity is not a favor-it’s a responsibility.
#Trans #Queer #LGBT #LGBTQIA+ #LGBTQ #Feminist #FundingFreeze #USAIDS
If you’re a trans-led group or organization impacted by this, please reach out to us at 📩 info@sumansaurav.com. Kabir and I will do our best to respond within 48 hours. We can then get on a call, assess what’s needed, and design a support plan together based on capacity and resources.