1. Lead with shared values: Opportunity and the Common Good. Starting with values that matter to most Americans helps audiences to “hear” concerns about racial equity more effectively than do dry facts or emotional rhetoric. It is important to communicate the change we are working for, and why that change matters. 2. Show that it's about all of us. A winning racial justice message is not just about the rights and interests of people of color but rather about our country as a whole and everyone in it. It explains that it's not in our moral or practical interest as a society to exclude any group, community, or neighborhood, or to tolerate unequal opportunity or discrimination. And it backs up that premise with practical as well as symbolic facts and arguments. For example, how federal regulators allowed predatory sub-prime lenders to target communities of color, only to see that practice spread across communities, putting our entire economy at risk. 3. Over-document the barriers to equal opportunity'especially racial bias. Many audiences are skeptical about whether racial bias still exists in America, and believe (or want to believe) that equal opportunities are open to all. Be specific about the mechanisms that deny equal opportunity; gather comprehensive and reliable data and prepare a stable of examples to make a convincing and compelling argument. Instead of leading with evidence of unequal outcomes alone'which can sometimes reinforce stereotypes and blame'we recommend documenting how people of color frequently face stiff and unequal barriers to opportunity. 4. Acknowledge the progress we've made. With an African American in the White House, it's especially important to acknowledge that our country has made progress over the years regarding race relations and equal opportunity. Doing so helps persuade skeptical audiences to lower their defensiveness and have a reasoned discussion rooted in nuanced reality rather than rhetoric. 5. Present data on racial disparities through a contribution model instead of just a deficit model. When we present evidence of unequal outcomes, we should make every effort to show how closing those gaps will benefit society as a whole. For example, the fact that the Latino college graduation rate is 32 percent of the white rate also means that closing the ethnic graduation gap would result in over one million more college graduates each year to help America compete and prosper in a global economy'it's the smart thing to do as well as the right thing to do. 6. Be thematic instead of episodic: Select stories that demonstrate institutional or systemic causes over stories that highlight individual action. Compelling human stories can inspire action and capture the attention of reporters, lawmakers, and other audiences. But research shows that individual stories'be they positive or negative'also drive audiences toward “personal responsibility” and individual action as the sole causes and solutions of social problems (ignoring root causes and systemic policy solutions). We recommend prioritizing human stories that are inherently systemic or thematic, backed by strong research and statistics. For example, Native American leader Elouise Cobell was the lead plaintiff in groundbreaking litigation challenging federal mismanagement of trust funds belonging to more than 500,000 individual Native people. Her story and those of representative families in the lawsuit helped to tell a compelling human story with systemic causes, solutions, and implications. 7. Carefully select vehicles and audiences to tell the story of contemporary discrimination. Modern discrimination still includes some old-school bigotry, but more frequently it involves nuanced and less visible forms, such as covert, implicit, and structural bias, and the continuing effects of past discrimination. What's more, our national diversity extends far beyond the traditional black-white paradigm that anchored 20th century racial discourse. It is important to communicate the modern face of discrimination, yet many audiences have no frame of reference for such a conversation. We recommend carefully tailoring the depth and detail of the message to the medium and audience. Educating reporters and policymakers on background before big stories break is also time well spent. For example, a TV news sound bite is too little time to explain structural bias to a general audience, while an op-ed, public hearing, or speech may provide a better opportunity to do so. 8. Be rigorously solution-oriented. Audiences who understand that unequal opportunity exists may, nonetheless, believe that nothing can be done about it, leading to “compassion fatigue” and inaction. Wherever possible, we should link our description of the problem to a clear, positive solution and action. For example, Asian Americans often face particularly steep obstacles to needed health care because of language and cultural barriers, as well as limited insurance coverage. Reforms like better training for health professionals, English language learning programs, and community health centers can reduce those racial barriers while improving the health of all. 9. Link racial justice solutions with broader efforts to expand opportunity. For most of us, racial justice is one essential aspect of a broader social justice vision. Linking our goals to broader solutions that directly touch everyone can engage new audiences and build larger, more lasting constituencies. For example, research points to a number of strategies for promoting quality, inclusive education for all children. They include investing in early childhood and universal pre-K programs, as well as creating attendance zones and strong schools to promote a diverse learning environment. 10. Use Opportunity as a bridge, not a bypass. Opening conversations with the ideal of Opportunity helps to emphasize society's role in affording a fair chance to everyone. But starting conversations here does not mean avoiding discussions of race. We suggest bridging from the value of Opportunity to the roles of racial equity and inclusion in fulfilling that value for all. Doing so can move audiences into a frame of mind that is more solution-oriented and less mired in skepticism about the continued existence of discrimination. More detailed research, tools and recommendations on talking about racial equity and other social justice issues can be found at www.OpportunityAgenda.org.