Susan Shaw interviewed by David Denborough
David Denborough: orcid.org/0000-0002-3041-3135
In this interview with David Denborough, community organiser and narrative therapist Susan Shaw reflects on more than three decades’ work with communities in the United States, exploring the rich connections between narrative practice and community organising. Central to Susan’s approach is the belief that those most affected by injustice are the experts on their situation and the possibilities for change. Through conversations that name shared experiences of hardship, participants connect personal stories to broader social forces, opening pathways for research, collective analysis and action. Experiences of suffering are externalised and linked to their structural causes. This creates space for grief, solidarity and a renewed sense of possibility. Against a backdrop of intensified immigration enforcement and public hostility, Susan shares grassroots responses grounded in mutual aid and solidarity. Guided by the phrase “power, not panic”, community members form support networks, resist fear-driven narratives, and circulate stories of resistance that are often absent from national media coverage. Storytelling becomes a strategic and ethical practice within organising – one that strengthens collective identity, communicates shared purpose, and amplifies the knowledge and leadership of those closest to injustice.
Key words: community organizing; social movements; mutual aid; undocumented; immigrant; collective narrative practice; narrative therapy
Shaw, S., & Denborough, D. (2026). Power, not panic: Community organising and narrative practice at a time of anti-immigrant violence, an interview with Susan Shaw. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (1), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.4320/INYT1209