How I Survived 30 Days of Biking in Houston

There are bike-friendly cities and then there’s… Houston.  When I tell people that I participated in #30DaysofBiking, I’m met with blank stares and more than a few questions.

Condensed

A note from a Zennial: Breaking generation stereotypes with activism

You know the phrase ‘being stuck between a rock and a hard place’? As a so-called “Zennial,” that’s where my generation lives.

You know the phrase ‘being stuck between a rock and a hard place’? As a so-called “Zennial,” that’s where my generation lives. It’s uncomfortable, it’s awkward – but here we are. Ready to change the world.

A Digital Podcast for a Better Human Experience

As Black Sheep’s Digital Strategist, I am constantly immersed in the digital landscape.

As Black Sheep’s Digital Strategist, I am constantly immersed in the digital landscape. While I don’t want to throw my phone across the room as soon as I get home, I do appreciate some perspective.

fallen in love

Keep the blue side up: A moment of glider plane Zen

What have you rocked out in life that started with the thought: if they can do it, why not me?

Voguing with Kia LaBeija | Iris

A True Movement: Kia LaBeija and Human Storytelling

In our office, we often talk about how to represent our clients through more than just their work.

In our office, we often talk about how to represent our clients through more than just their work. We do that by telling a human story. I think that human story comes from knowing the humans within their work and organization, which is a large part of our discovery process.

Creative Musings from a Confused Left-Brainer

My mom likes to tell this story about a pivotal moment in my life that occurred in a guidance counselor’s office.

My mom likes to tell this story about a pivotal moment in my life that occurred in a guidance counselor’s office. It was my junior year of high school and the counselor called me in to fix what she assumed was a mistake on my schedule for the upcoming semester. The egregious error?  5th period life drawing class.

As a kid growing up in rural Northern California, our house was a bit of an animal farm.

Fostering Impulse

As a kid growing up in rural Northern California, our house was a bit of an animal farm. We had sixteen acres of land and our pets included a cat, a dog, a rabbit, a snake, a hamster, guinea pig, pond of goldfish, a turtle and a rat named Clicker Starman. I grew up loving animals and they were the means to my allowance.

Guillermo del Toro Presents: The Shape of Dissonance

I love Guillermo del Toro. His Oscar acceptance speech only made me love him that much more.

“Because I think that the greatest thing our art does and our industry does is to erase the lines in the sand. We should continue doing that when the world tells us to make them deeper.”

Escape from 2017: Thoughts on Optimism and Despair

From what I can tell, the theme for the start of 2018 is “thankfully we made it through 2017.”

In the last several decades, Boys and Girls Harbor has done amazing work.

Popping the Cork on a New Brand

In the last several decades, Boys and Girls Harbor has done amazing work. For 70 years they have been steadfast in caring for our region’s abused and neglected children.

Baby, You’re a Firework: A Personalized Story About Austim

I remember being embarrassed asking my friends to watch this Katy Perry performance at Night of Too Many Stars, because typically celebrity-heavy primetime charity concerts are chock full of Grade-A cheese.

I remember being embarrassed asking my friends to watch this Katy Perry performance atNight of Too Many Stars, because typically celebrity-heavy primetime charity concerts are chock full of Grade-A cheese.

Stephanie Wittels Wachs : Anxiety

Tiffany Pratt: Designer + Stylist

CreativeMornings x WordPress.com

Beatriz Craven: Compassion

We’re not morning people, but we’re Creative Mornings people.

Our Favorite Mornings Are Creative

We’re not morning people, but we’re Creative Mornings people.(See what we did there? *Swish*) Since the inspirational creative coffee klatch launched in 2014—with our fearless leader speaking about Kid Cudi, the pursuit of happiness and having the courage to say“No”—we’ve been hooked on the community connecting, brain-rebooting whiz-bang that this event brings(not to mention the plentiful Greenway Coffee). 

The Art of Overcoming Fear, With Artist Katy Holton

Have you ever been frozen with fear? Felt like the stakes were too high?

Have you ever been frozen with fear? Felt like the stakes were too high? That there were too many obstacles in your path? Too many dragons to slay? That you’re stuck on the wrong side of a ravine, yet everything you’ve ever wanted was just on the other side? So has Katy Holton, a Houston-based artist from Austin’s design studio DesignGood. Katy took on our Blank Slate chalk wall this week to encourage the Flock to overcome fear through a dazzlingly bright explosion of colors. 

The happy secret to better work | Shawn Achor

Attitude of Gratitude: A Blueprint for Success + Happiness

I had a lot to be grateful for in 2017: Health, relationships, a beautiful baby boy, a comfortable home and a thriving business.

“The absence of disease is not health. Here’s how we get to health: We need to reverse the formula for happiness and success.”—Shawn Achor, TEDxBloomington

Kendrick Lamar, U2, Dave Chappelle - Performance (LIVE From The 60th GRAMMYs ®)

I’m not 100% sure who the intended audiences for award shows are, but I’m almost certain they aren’t males between 35 and 45.

DAMN Right.

Figuring your life out is difficult in your 20s.

Life advice? Yes, Please.

Figuring your life out is difficult in your 20s. Especially if the whole world is telling you that everything has to be decided and you need to be successful by the time you turn 30. It’s a lot of stress for one person to handle and that fear can keep you from making any decisions at all out of fear of getting it wrong. At this time in life, you don’t need judgment, you need advice.

The best damn reading list you’re going to find if you’re looking for something to fill your soul in 2018.

2018: Booked Solid

2013 Conference Opening Video: It Starts With a Woman

One is not the loneliest #: Voluntarism + The Junior League

No man is an island, but it only takes one man or WO(man)to start a movement.

Regular

Cha Cha Cha is Black Sheep’s community gathering that brings together nonprofits and people looking to get involved in the community.

Cha Cha Cha

Make Stress Your Friend: It’s the Only Choice We’ve Got

It’s been a stressful year for people everywhere, to say the least. For Houstonians, when Hurricane Harvey hit, our lives didn’t stop.

It’s been a stressful year for people everywhere, to say the least. For Houstonians, when Hurricane Harvey hit, our lives didn’t stop. What are normally the mundane, everyday scenarios we find ourselves in are now just extra on top of whatever we’re dealing with in the aftermath.

At Black Sheep, we know storytelling isn’t just about awareness. It’s about disruption, transformation and cultural change. That’s why we loved our Account Director Shauna Garriques’ LinkedIn article, Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Performance Was More Than Music—It Was a Masterclass in Impact Storytelling where she unpacks how Lamar turned the world’s biggest stage into a powerful commentary on racial injustice. His use of symbolism, risk and raw emotion sparked conversations far beyond the 13-minute performance.

We won’t rehash her insights here—and encourage you to read the full article—but we do want to build on them. Because what Kendrick Lamar did wasn’t just an example of impact storytelling. It was a lesson in narrative power—who gets to tell stories, how those stories shape public consciousness and why discomfort is often a sign you’re doing it right.


Owning the Narrative vs. Being Part of the Narrative

For decades, the Super Bowl halftime show has been about spectacle. Big names, bright lights and choreography built for mass appeal. But Kendrick Lamar didn’t just step into that tradition; he bent it to serve a deeper message.

That’s a crucial lesson for social impact leaders. Are you shaping your own story, or are you adjusting it to fit someone else’s expectations? Too often, organizations working in justice spaces are asked to soften their message for broader appeal. 

You write in order to change the world… if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it. - James Baldwin

Real impact happens when stories are told with honesty and audacity, not when they’re polished into something more digestible.


Symbolism Isn’t Just an Aesthetic Choice—It’s a Strategy

One of the most striking aspects of Lamar’s performance was his use of visual storytelling. The prison yard set. The red, white and blue draped over Black bodies. The synchronized marching. The video game references. None of it was accidental. Every detail was designed to deepen the emotional impact of his message.

We believe the same is true for social movement storytelling. Symbolism isn’t decoration—it’s a strategic tool. The picture-superiority effect suggests that a well-placed visual cue is far more likely to be remembered than words alone. When we work with social impact organizations fighting challenging battles for issues like reproductive rights, labor justice and trans visibility, we ask: What do people need to feel before they understand what you’re saying? Because facts inform, but emotion moves people to action.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from Lamar’s performance is that discomfort is not the enemy—it’s the point. Social impact work should challenge assumptions, shift perspectives and push audiences to engage with hard truths.

As Shauna said, “Bold storytelling sparks dialogue, and dialogue is where change begins.”  Kendrick’s performance didn’t just make people watch—it made them feel. And for movements that challenge power, creating that kind of discomfort is often the first step toward a cultural shift.

Emotional resonance isn’t just a storytelling tool—it’s what makes messages stick. Research shows that people are far more likely to remember a message when it triggers an emotional response—especially when it highlights injustice. This reinforces a truth that every major movement for change has understood: growth comes from friction. Progress doesn’t happen passively. It requires people to engage with discomfort, challenge the status quo and push conversations forward, even when the path isn’t easy.

If you’re interested in active, powerful storytelling that sparks real impact and are ready to challenge the status quo with your own message, let’s talk. As Kendrick showed us—culture shifts when voices refuse to be silenced.

Kendrick Lamar Didn’t Just Perform—He Provoked. Here’s What We Can Learn About Narrative Power and Cultural Change.

The Power of Disruptive Storytelling

The Black Sheep blog is turning up the volume on community engagement, social media strategy, Houston happenings and what it means to lead a purpose-driven life.

The Black Sheep Agency | Social impact and nonprofit blog

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